FAQ and Howto (OpenGen + Suite)

[lvjtn]

Q: what is the relation between the .xproto custom proto file and the proto raised by a trigger?

A: by default, the trigger doesn't use the .xproto file, but it can use it: set the parameter of the trigger to 100+x where the 100 means the trigger should use the .xproto and the x means the timeframe in month

********

this thread is opened for the new questions, the content of the old thread will be added to the faq stored on our website, and the most important ones will be added to Luis’ site too

[rphunter]

Hello from rphunter in NC , USA...
Where do you get test campaign for OG or a PBEM opponent?
I should be short work.

[lvjtn]

Where do you get test campaign for OG or a PBEM opponent?

i'm not sure what you mean about "test" campaign, so i rephrased your question as a faq:

Q: Is there any tutorial campaign for OpenGen?

A: there is a short tutorial campaign available for openak and lxf efiles. see the campaign database

***

Q: Is there any tutorial PBEM scenario for OpenGen?

A: I don't think there would be any tutorial pbem scenarios, but pzliga efile contains several pbem scenarios, maybe Matze Kessler can help you.


(i'm unsure about the second answer, please let me fix if i'm wrong)

[Major Heinz]

Hello, I have a Question referring to the Victory conditions.

The Situation I want to build is:
The Germans are Controlling nearly the whole map. The Allieds have to capture the enemy VHs. After several turns and a break through from the Allieds the Germans will recieve reinforcements. These reinforcements should win the Scenario, if they are able to recapture a certain VH that now is under allied control. The VH is also in the German controlled area in the beginning. So, if I set the VH as normal VH the Germans will win the Scenario in the first turn Is there still any way to set this Victory condition with the suite?

[LuisGuzman]

The problem with this design is how to make that specific VH which axis must capture "unique"

Because there is something you should remember:
*** if all VH required for Axis are initially controlled by the AXIS, the Axis will win as soon as they capture any hex owned by the Allies.

So... what if that VH you want to be captured by reinforces is owned by the Allies initially and the rest of VH are required only for Allied?

[Major Heinz]

Yeah, I had this idea too last night. It is even regardless where I let the Germans counterattack because Operation Lüttich were stopped in Mortain and never reached Avranches. So I could let them attack all VHs that I want. And now they are attacking the starting positions and tries there to cut the Allieds off.

[mythos]

Hi

Close Defense question:

Code: Select all

Attacker uses Close Defense when:
- defender is Infantry and combat is either Close(*1) or Rugged(*2)
- defender is Submarine

Defender uses Close Defense when:
- attacker is Infantry and combat is Close(*1) but not Rugged(*2)
- attacker is Submarine

Note:
(*1) Combat is Close, when [defender's terrain is City, Forest or Mountain, OR defender is Fortification [Class] ] AND attacker is Infantry.

(*2) Combat is Rugged, if attacker is surprised or defender raises a rugged defense.

If i understand correctly: Attacker only uses Close Defense
1) if [Attacker = Infantry] and combat is Close
2) if [Attacker = no matter class] and combat is Rugged
?

[LuisGuzman]

If i understand correctly: Attacker only uses Close Defense
1) if [Attacker = Infantry] and combat is Close
2) if [Attacker = no matter class] and combat is Rugged
?

Attacker uses Close Defense, when defender can fire back as retaliation, if:

• Infantry is attacking Fort units (* My mistake, it is a bunker being attacked by infantry who uses CD )
• Infantry is attacking another infantry with rugged defense
• Infantry is attacking a defender located in close terrain (City, Mountain or forest)
• Units attacking Submarines when $subcd_naval_only is NOT defined or attaker's target type is naval.

[mythos]

So, if for example a Tank drives into a hex which is hidden by the Fog of War, but occupied by a hostile unit, then the Tank still uses its Ground Defense ?

Edit:
I was also thinking that Aircraft and Ships, when suprised (or intercepted if air), would use CD instead of AD/GD.

Edit2:
Is Bocage not a close terrain, too ?

[LuisGuzman]

I've edited my previous post, because I messed things

So, if for example a Tank drives into a hex which is hidden by the Fog of War, but occupied by a hostile unit, then the Tank still uses its Ground Defense ?

Yes a tank surprised uses GD not CD, but defender fires first and gets other bonus due to surprised/rugged

Edit:
I was also thinking that Aircraft and Ships, when suprised (or intercepted if air), would use CD instead of AD/GD.

No , CD is only used by attackers when attacking infantry (or submarines) and combat is rugged or close-combat (close terrain)
But defender gets other bonus and fires first if surprised, or not fire at all if intercepted.

Edit2:
Is Bocage not a close terrain, too ?

No, bocage is not close terrain.

For your questions, OG works the same than PG2.

[mythos]

[Duke Falcon]

A series of silly questions (like I always do, sorry):
- Could OG display flags in size of 21x21? Best would be 24x24 for kamons but it needs a full revamp of resolution files.
- Could we implement more attack animations? Like rain of arrows, gunfire, etc...
- What is the biggest thing OG could display (overlapping not matters)? How big could be a single image (unit's) maximally?

[lvjtn]

- Could OG display flags in size of 21x21? Best would be 24x24 for kamons but it needs a full revamp of resolution files.

no, gui files have fixed dimension

- Could we implement more attack animations? Like rain of arrows, gunfire, etc...

the lines of the opengui/explosions.png can be customized,but i don't know which line represents what (air, naval, etc. attack )

- What is the biggest thing OG could display (overlapping not matters)? How big could be a single image (unit's) maximally?

if you mean unit icons, one view should be smaller than 240x150, so a 9x9 icon can be max. 717x447, i guess

[LuisGuzman]

- Could we implement more attack animations? Like rain of arrows, gunfire, etc...

the lines of the opengui/explosions.png can be customized,but i don't know which line represents what (air, naval, etc. attack )

Antique has a custom explosions.png that may want to check.
Each row is used for these functions:

1. SURRENDER
2. KILL_GND
3. KILL_AIR
4. KILL_SEA
5. BLOW
6. TARGET_GND
7. TARGET_AIR
8. TARGET_WATER

When a unit fires, OG uses fire_gnd.png and fire_air.png

- What is the biggest thing OG could display (overlapping not matters)? How big could be a single image (unit's) maximally?

if you mean unit icons, one view should be smaller than 240x150, so a 9x9 icon can be max. 717x447, i guess

Yes, If using a single image for units, the size must be less than 240 x 150 pixels, thus if you want a bigger size for unit's, must use a png with:
3x3 images 80x50 pixels at least, but there is no upper limit apart the max texture size your video card can create.

[Duke Falcon]

Thanks for the answers!

I meant more explosions.png files as (I checked AG's) ground units always have a single row. I need arrow fire for archers, gunfire for cannons and general for melee troops while still have the separate classes what may mess up a single explosives.png sure.

no, gui files have fixed dimension

Mostly. The hex markers (VH, SH, etc) could be 21x21 even 21x24 and the game do display it. I tested it myself. Only the flags refuse to grow from 21x14 to 21x21 what would be a necessity for my next 2-3 years project. Flags could be drawn in 21x14 size but japanese kamons not. Try it! I tried and the smallest size a kamon remained recognisable were 24x24 what could be cropped to 21x21 f**king the borders but this is the lowest size. I know I had in my PeG Sengoku 21x14 kamons but those were the most simple ones. An Uesugi, Taira or Minamoto kamon could not work that way not to mentione the Matsudaira mon.

Another question: How the stealth\jet special works? Only works for air units or ground units also able to slip through enemy lines unnoticed? Could I use this option for example shinobis\ninjas or spies? Not a big deal for general scenarios but could a real fortune for adventure-based scenarios to sneak through the map to free a hero from a prison (capture a hex what rise a core)...

[lvjtn]

Mostly. The hex markers (VH, SH, etc) could be 21x21 even 21x24 and the game do display it. I tested it myself.

believe me, gui files have fixed dimensions. the hex_types.png is 168x21 px (so the largest extent of one hex marker is 28x21px), you can't change it. i tested it and enlarged this file up to 168x24px, but only 168x21 is drawn

Another question: How the stealth\jet special works?

copy from the old faq thread:

Q: What does Stealth mean? What functionalities does it have?

This special represents planes flying at high altitude or stealth planes in (post) cold war period, and usually, the radar-guided missiles or large (>75mm) caliber guns.

"defenders" (AD, Flak, Fighter and, with the OG-mode scenario option, Destroyer/DD, Carrier/CV, Light Cruiser/LC) with Stealth are able to intercept any aircraft.

"attackers" (Fighter, Tac.Bomber, Lvl.Bomber) with Stealth are able to avoid interception of any "defender" - as long as the "defender" doesn't have Stealth too.

Stealth has nothing to do with air attack or air defense actions.

[AnimalMother67]

Hi, im new and I apologize if this has been answered somewhere I couldn't find, and also if this is the wrong thread to ask in, but Ive downloaded the PG2 package aswell as the CC one and I was wondering why those aren't showing up in the Campaign Catalog? I can pull them up on the Play Campaign screen when I close out of the catalog, but no matter my resolution the best I can see in the drop down is "C:/User/Documents/OpenGeneral/EFILE" where it cuts off and I have to click them individually to know which is which. How could I get them to appear in the catalog with the default campaigns?

[lvjtn]

How could I get them to appear in the catalog with the default campaigns?

the pg2 and cc packages are additional pacckages, not part of the full installer, that's why they aren't added to the campaign catalogue. if you want to search them, you can do it on our site. this online db frontend contains both additional packages and a few more unofficial campaigns

[LuisGuzman]

Hi, im new and I apologize if this has been answered somewhere I couldn't find, and also if this is the wrong thread to ask in, but Ive downloaded the PG2 package aswell as the CC one and I was wondering why those aren't showing up in the Campaign Catalog? I can pull them up on the Play Campaign screen when I close out of the catalog, but no matter my resolution the best I can see in the drop down is "C:/User/Documents/OpenGeneral/EFILE" where it cuts off and I have to click them individually to know which is which. How could I get them to appear in the catalog with the default campaigns?

Just an additional remark ... "C:/User/Documents/OpenGeneral/" is a bad folder to install OpenGen, please create a new folder as "C:\OpenGeneral" and move all files inside C:/User/Documents/OpenGeneral/ to that new folder
Maybe you didn't read ...

When selecting the installation folder, you should avoid special Windows folders like “Documents”, “Programs Files”, “Users” or similar, as later you won’t be able to add new stuff or even save your savegames. The recommended installation folder is “C:\OpenGen”.

or

You can pick same folder than PG2 (none of the PG2 files are overwritten) or a different folder, but you should avoid Windows "fake-folders" like "Documents", "Programs Files" or similar, as later you won't be able to add new stuff or even save your savegames.

[AnimalMother67]

Alright, well hey thank you for the help!

[mythos]

Greetings generals

Is it possible to create a scenario, where the player has to achieve both:
- kill MSU
- conquer VHs
in order to win the scenario ?

Or are the 2 victory conditions exclusive ?

[LuisGuzman]

Is it possible to create a scenario, where the player has to achieve both:
- kill MSU
- conquer VHs
in order to win the scenario ?

any scenario ends as soon as ANY of the victory conditions defined is matched by any player.
That is: Victory Conditions are ruled by OR logic, not AND logic.

[mythos]

I was already about to but then i remembered that someone requested the possibility to set the counter to 0.
I forgot the reasoning and idea behind it, but for the purpose i intended (*) it works


(*) the idea was:
- the AI has a set amount X of ships
- the player shall sink N (X-Y) of those ships
- the amount of MSU ships is Y, not X => thus N = Y

In other words: the AI has Y capital ships and all of these shall be sunk.
Setting the counter to 0 and sinking all of these ships doesn't end the scenario

I didn't test what happens if the player doesn't sink all MSUs, but i assume that they will need to do it anyway.


Why setting MSU Victory Condition (instead of "only MSU" ) in the first place ?
Because without the Victory Condition, the MSU markers are not shown ingame.

[lvjtn]

I didn't test what happens if the player doesn't sink all MSUs, but i assume that they will need to do it anyway.

my assumption is that you can win, just as msu victory condition wouldn't be set at all

the "true zero msu" was asked by me, for a very simple purpose: i wanted only special unit(s) escaping, an this was the easiest way to solve

[mythos]

I didn't test what happens if the player doesn't sink all MSUs, but i assume that they will need to do it anyway.

my assumption is that you can win, just as msu victory condition wouldn't be set at all

Just tested: yes, you are right

[mythos]

Trigger Hexes: "friendly" units raise "hostile" units
- via [Raise Specific Unit]

I am sure i used this setup in the past, however have no file to check how i did it.

Today i tried setting the Trigger
1) as owned by enemy
2) as owned by friend + $var Trigger_Ex
Option 1 is how it was done, IIRC - anyway, it doesn't work like this.

The idea was to let hostile "Militia" or "Partisan" units raise, when hexes get occupied by the (human) player.

Maybe i overlooked something obvious, maybe the option was turned off at some point.
Any ideas for the former - respectively could we have it back please, in case of the latter ?

[LuisGuzman]

Chris

Trigger Hexes: "friendly" units raise "hostile" units
- via [Raise Specific Unit]

Can you detail how did you configure the unit to raise? ... I mean which equipment's country and how are the player's countries (main and support)

Basically the new unit searches for a player's country (main or support) having the same unit's equipment's country, in order to assign the new unit's player.
So if AI is German P2 and unit and you defined to raise a german's unit (assuming trigger is set to "Raise Specific Unit" and $Var is set to 1) then the new unit should be a german one.

If still doesn't work, I'd need a savegame to test...

[mythos]

Hola Luis

that explains it: to make scenario design easyer, the country in question was set as Support Country for both sides, so that i could quickly access the unit inventory when buying -> deploying on the map.

After removing from Side 1, the Trigger setup works as wished

Muchas gracias Luis

[Duke Falcon]

I got a tool called Greenfish Icon Editor and it could make cursors. Question is that OG cursors have any specifics (I know they must be static, not animated) like special palette or fixed dimension?

[LuisGuzman]

I got a tool called Greenfish Icon Editor and it could make cursors. Question is that OG cursors have any specifics (I know they must be static, not animated) like special palette or fixed dimension?

Good editor, simple and free, I use it too!

All OG cursors (.cur) are 32x32 256 colors (no special palette), but you can probably create also as 24 bits if you need more colors.

[Duke Falcon]

I got a tool called Greenfish Icon Editor and it could make cursors. Question is that OG cursors have any specifics (I know they must be static, not animated) like special palette or fixed dimension?

Good editor, simple and free, I use it too!

All OG cursors (.cur) are 32x32 256 colors (no special palette), but you can probably create also as 24 bits if you need more colors.

Thanks!
I'm on to finetune the cursors of my FG efile
Another thing! Could it possible to rename only the months within a certain efile? I want some more fantasy-like names than our calendar denominations (like Winterrise, Winterrule and Winterfall for the winter months)...

[LuisGuzman]

Another thing! Could it possible to rename only the months within a certain efile? I want some more fantasy-like names than our calendar denominations (like Winterrise, Winterrule and Winterfall for the winter months)...

Currently the only solution is to define a full language strings-XX.txt customizing the "months" section (can keep the rest of lines in english)
But that is not a good solution because the language text files are half developed and so, mistakes are easily crashing the game.
I'll see if I can think on an easier way to do.

[shikaka]

Hello guys!

I wanted to visit the old forums, and it seems it was deleted?

I would like to ask for some help. My dad played the old (non-OG) Panzer 2 user made campaigns, but since updateing to windows 10, we cannot get the old (disc based!) PG2 copy to work. Also, it seems I cannot re-download the Adlerkorps installer anymore (I think originally JaW created it).

I decided to try OpenGen, but I cannot get it to work. What I did:
- downloaded the installer (installopengeneral.exe)
- dowloaded opengenPG2pack and opengenCCpack
- ran installopengeneral into a non-system partition (data/games/dad/..)
- copy-pasted the contents of the two packs into the main folder (where the exe is).

When running the shortcot or either of the exe files, there is a small delay, but the game doesn't load. So cannot even get to the main menu.
I also tried:
- compatibility Win7 (didn't work)
- run as admin (nope)

Do you have an idea what am I doing wrong? Also, is there something else which I should download? I also checked the text files in the game folder, but it seems there are no install instructions.


Thanks a lot for considering!

[lvjtn]

szia István!

yes, the old jp's forum is dead

regarding opengen: the firewall and/or anti-virus programs can block it, have you tried this?

http://www.open-general.com/faq/faq00009.php

edit: and try to install outside the user and/or program files folder, a c:\opengen would be perfect

edit2: i'm not sure copying/moving the game somewhere else is enough, first run the uninstall exe (part of the full installer) to clean the registry

[LuisGuzman]

... try to install outside the user and/or program files folder, a c:\opengen would be perfect

Yes, it is warned in the readme, the website and my site: Do not install in any Windows' standard folder.

i'm not sure copying/moving the game somewhere else is enough, first run the uninstall exe (part of the full installer) to clean the registry

It should be safe far as you move all files and folders located within the game folder to a new location.
The only info stored in Windows' registry is related to settings, but if the game folder stored in registry (or local settings.cfg file) doesn't contain OpenIcons.dat, then the game reset all settings to defaults using as the game folder, the executable's folder.

BTW: Happy New Year 2021 to everyone

[JavaheadJoe]

Hi Guys,

I know I'm going to feel really stupid when someone gives me the answer to what I am doing wrong but I reinstalled the All-in-One Installer in a new, clean folder and now the fog of war is gone and I am controlling both sides. The AI is not playing the AI team. What happened?

Thanks for the help!

[shikaka]

szia István!

yes, the old jp's forum is dead

regarding opengen: the firewall and/or anti-virus programs can block it, have you tried this?

http://www.open-general.com/faq/faq00009.php

edit: and try to install outside the user and/or program files folder, a c:\opengen would be perfect

edit2: i'm not sure copying/moving the game somewhere else is enough, first run the uninstall exe (part of the full installer) to clean the registry

Thanks for the tips!
Fortunately I managed to make it work.
Not installing into a regular windows folder, firewall, admin rights are kind of standard for me. (I really miss windows 7 to be honest)

Yes, it is warned in the readme, the website and my site: Do not install in any Windows' standard folder.

Yep, found it. I usually check for readme before I post. (I only recently realized that there are applications which install mods for you, eg. steam workshop. I was quite buffled when someone couldn't unzip a folder and copy the contents to the games' module folder)

The reason why I asked anyway is that the advice didn't work for me (and it is the one I do by default all the time). I was even thinking of creating a windows xp virtual machine
Unfortunately I do not know what I did differently on my re-install, but it works now, so fine and dandy.

[lvjtn]

The AI is not playing the AI team. What happened?

you might accidentally disable the A.I by the <alt> + a hotkey

(maybe this hotkey should work only in debug mode? what do you think, Luis?)

[LuisGuzman]

The AI is not playing the AI team. What happened?

you might accidentally disable the A.I by the <alt> + a hotkey

(maybe this hotkey should work only in debug mode? what do you think, Luis?)

Agreed

[JavaheadJoe]

The AI is not playing the AI team. What happened?

you might accidentally disable the A.I by the <alt> + a hotkey

(maybe this hotkey should work only in debug mode? what do you think, Luis?)

That worked, thanks for the help guys!

[Major Heinz]

I am working with puchase lists in a scenario for the first time, so sorry for my stupid question.
I want that the player can buy all hungarian units (aux nation), but no german units (main nation). As far as I can see I can choose all units by her own and add them to the list. But this is just
Is there a way to say that all units of a country should be added to the purchase list just in one work step, or I have to add one icon after the other?
And is it correct that secondly is correct I have to add all ground transport to the list, so eg an bought infantry can get a truck?

[randowe]

And is it correct that secondly is correct I have to add all ground transport to the list, so eg an bought infantry can get a truck?

Yes.

Is there a way to say that all units of a country should be added to the purchase list just in one work step, or I have to add one icon after the other?

Choose a country and then klick on "reset to default items" then you will see all units that are available from the selected country in the list on the left side. Then "save to file".

In my example 5 nations have 645 units available but only 60 units from Slovakia will be saved to the purchase list:

[Major Heinz]

Thank you very much.

[lvjtn]

I am working with puchase lists in a scenario for the first time

Clemens answered your question correctly, but let me suggest something else which would be much easier: try using the fronts/factions. most of the recent efile have very nice and detailed f/f settings

[whereis]

Hi Luis and fellow OGs.

Is there a manual to the Suite? I'm taking some basic steps but I don't want to bother you with a bunch of basic questions. I'd rather read the answers myself

[randowe]

Hi Luis and fellow OGs.

Is there a manual to the Suite? I'm taking some basic steps but I don't want to bother you with a bunch of basic questions. I'd rather read the answers myself

There are two pdf for Open Suite at Luis site, but i never read them, so i can't tell if they can help you

[whereis]

Hi Luis and fellow OGs.

Is there a manual to the Suite? I'm taking some basic steps but I don't want to bother you with a bunch of basic questions. I'd rather read the answers myself

There are two pdf for Open Suite at Luis site, but i never read them, so i can't tell if they can help you

Thanks! I've read through the 2 pdfs, OG Suite Basics and Basic scenario creation, but I don't find what I'm looking for.

I'm playing around with an e-file that already exists (only for personal use, of course) and I want to copy units from one country to another. I've tried using the copy and swap tool, but I must be missing something because the unit I want to copy just doesn't show up in the other country's unit list. Maybe I have to create an open slot? How do I do that?

[randowe]

I'm playing around with an e-file that already exists (only for personal use, of course) and I want to copy units from one country to another. I've tried using the copy and swap tool, but I must be missing something because the unit I want to copy just doesn't show up in the other country's unit list. Maybe I have to create an open slot? How do I do that?

There is more than one option to do this. Personally i always work with empty slots, so always all 10999 unit slots are occupied, either by units or by empty slots. So i copy a unit to clipboard and then paste from clipboard to empty slot. Then shift to other country. [EDIT: in this case empty slot means a "empty unit".]

You can also mark the unit that you want to copy, so it is marked blue, and then click on "Appends new items" (first icon in the center), choose number of clones (or more) and the unit will be cloned to the first unoccupied slot. Then you can shift the clone to the other country.

[whereis]

There is more than one option to do this. Personally i always work with empty slots, so always all 10999 unit slots are occupied, either by units or by empty slots. So i copy a unit to clipboard and then paste from clipboard to empty slot. Then shift to other country. [EDIT: in this case empty slot means a "empty unit".]

You can also mark the unit that you want to copy, so it is marked blue, and then click on "Appends new items" (first icon in the center), choose number of clones (or more) and the unit will be cloned to the first unoccupied slot. Then you can shift the clone to the other country

Cloning and changing the country is what I can manage for now. Thank you!

[whereis]

To add Helo transport for an infantry unit, what do I need to do?

I've created the transport units and added them for the inf unit in the no-organic transports checkbox. I've checked airborne for the inf. Still, the helicopters don't show up on the requisition menu as transport method for the inf, they should be available in the campaign's time period.