Adding SA's to the combat simulator (Brian?)

[johnmarron]

I had an idea the other day about adding SA's to the combat simulator.  It seems to me this would be a good way to showcase not only the dramatic combat system of TROS but also the power of SA's.  Perhaps you could simply input the value of any SA's relevant to the combat for each participant, which would just boost the initial CPs.  That way, you could fight a couple of combatant's against each other with no SA's, then try the same fight with some SA dice and really see the importance of picking your fights.  Not being a programmer (about as far from it as you can get :), I don't know if this would be easy or difficult to implement, but I thought it  might be a good way to feature the two coolest elements of the game at one time.

John

[Ingenious]

The last I heard on an update version of the combat sim was that it wasn't really slated in Brian's schedule until after TFOB. That is to say IF I was correct in remembering that conversation..

Though, in the investigation into what makes the combat sim tick.. i.e. which coding language went in..etc etc.. I found out just how big an undertaking of that size would be.. to add mounted combat, sorcery, and missile weapons into.. possibly multiple opponents as well. I.e. have it be a stand-alone simulator for seneschals that like to run their games via computer. Our seneschal has decided to use his computer hooked up to the TV to display thing such as maps, positions in combat, etc etc. Very useful visual aid a computer is, if not for things other than visual. Let's say nobody felt like buying dice.. use a computer program then. I.e. the  inspiration for a comprehensive version of the combat sim..

To cut down on the many many lines of code needed to program any myriad of SA's and their applicable use times.. I'd suggest to Brian(if he chooses to release another version) that you just have a sample set of SA's to choose from. Not just a blank space to type in something..that'd be nuts trying to code that.

I still think a gigantic version of TROS in a program would be a useful way to showcase it as a whole.. though releasing all of that into a program bring to mind these problems: man-hours of coding, possibly putting in a quiz to run the thing like the chargen..which wouldnt mean that much more than a minute to copy and paste the code from chargen to combat sim.. OR by making it a 'trial version'..which would of course stop the user from using it after X amount of time.. but then the user could possibly set back the date on their computer and it might have a vulnerability there.. unless Brian's knowledgable with that.

Programming, BAH! Too much time and math involved for me to be a worthwile avenue for my boredom.

-Ingenious

[Brian Leybourne]

Actually, it would be pretty easy to add definable SA's into the combat sim (or pull them from the CharGen if you make your Combat Sim character that way). I'll add it onto the list. Cory is right that there's no plans to even start thinking about an update until (at least) after TFOB.

Adding mounted combat etc, now THAT's a lot of work.

Brian.

[Ingenious]

Well like I've said previously Brian.. the more help the better right?
Perhaps getting together with Scott isn't such a bad idea afterall.. he does seem to know the same coding language used in the combat sim..
Of course, I haven't read the emails between the two of you. So stuff might have been said that would lead me to putting my foot in my mouth..again.

As far as the mounted combat I don't see what is so hard about it, select your weapon in accordance with the rules(i.e. no two handed shit except for spears) penalties for missile weapons from horseback unless you're from that one country.. and the bonuses relating to what type of horse you are on. Destrier vs stahlnish destrier.. etc.(corebook says +2, OBAM says +3 on that I think)

Also, the sorcery IMO would be the biggest headache of them all. There's waaaaaaaaaaay more variables for that. But pretty straightforward still, in regards to just calculating TN's and vagaries and so forth.
Perhaps the demand for a new version might change your opinion on whether a new version comes out or not. Though we have yet to see exactly how much demand there is...

-Ingenious

[Dan Sellars]

just curious Brian, I missed the post, what did you write it in?

Cheers,
Dan.

[Brian Leybourne]

Delphi. Never heard of it? Not surprised.

And it's not just the weapons and bonuses on horseback that are a lot of work, it's the new hit tables, and the new attacking and defending options, it's the changes to terrain and riding and ride-by rules, etc etc. Lot of work.

Brian.

[Dain]

Delphi? Is that the old Borland product? If that's it, I think I still have those anchient floppies lying around somewhere (about a million of them if I recall...the version it was predated CDROM being the normal release media of choice by a few months).

[Brian Leybourne]

Well, it was Borland a long long time ago, you probably have V1 or maybe 2 there. Thats many versions out of date :-)

Brian.

[Dain]

<chuckle> probably so....I think it was even a 16 bit version if I recall...not sure if it handled 32 bit yet then or not. Haven't had it installed ever. We picked it up and found it and the big M didn't play well together without a lot of rigamarole so we sold out and went for the M developement package.

[Dan Sellars]

Thanks,

I have heard of it ;) but never used it.

Dan.