A map/grid and counters positioning question

[Gordon]

Wading deeper into the murky depths and I'm wondering if the following is possible (I'm still trying to wrap my head around some of the VASSAL developers guide terminology, so apologies if I misapply terminology). See this example.



I would like to be able to have 3 grids on the map (red, green and blue) with a single counter in each that can only be moved within its assigned grid. Ultimately I'd also like to report moves of the counters to other components within VASL. Is this possible?

TIA

 

[General Mayhem]

You should be able to do most of what you want by adding grids and or zones to your map and applying the correct auto reporting format of movement to/from and within the map in the map window properties. Not sure about the restricting movement of the counters to specific areas, is that really necessary for what you want to do? Have you tried asking on the Vasl forum? Also a good place to ask is on the VASSAL site itself.

 

[Gordon]

Speaking as a card carrying idiot, I'm just trying to make sure that if I implement this that I make it idiot-proof*. I'll follow up on your posting suggestions as well. Thanks.

* Although as they say, make something idiot-proof, you just create "better" idiots.

 

[Gordon]

So I see "Auto-report format for movement within this map" which looks like what I want, but I don't see any reports showing when I move any of the counters. Is there another property that I need to set somewhere to actually enable this report?

 

[Gordon]

Ugh. I see the move reporting show up if I enable the global option, but then moving units on the main map also reports. I was hoping to be able to just report moves on my extension's map, but it doesn't look like that's possible.

 

[General Mayhem]

When you say enable the global option do you mean the setting in preferences for enabling auto reporting of moves - if so yes this will enable auto reporting of moves on all maps that have auto report settings and if this is for Vasl then the main maps have that. What exactly is it you are trying to achieve?

 

[Gordon]

With Doug Rim adding the SASL dr/DR buttons my thoughts were that I could notify the dice roller when the player moves the ENEMY/FRIENDLY RE counters, or the ENEMY AC# so that proper notifications can be made to the player if the AC roll results in activation or one of the pair of ENEMY/FRIENDLY RE numbers are rolled.

 

[General Mayhem]

Sorry I do not play SASL so unfortunately what you have posted is all Greek to me. If you are creating counters then it might be that you need to explore the trigger action and report action attributes for a counter - possibly looking into that rather than the map window properties. Sorry I cant be of any greater help. Have a look at all the different attributes you can add to a piece/counter and look up what they do in Vassal help - that might help you solve your problem.

Or you could post on Vassal forums, but you would need to coach your question in more generic terms something like “I want to move a piece on a map/chart and have that cause xxx to happen” or “I want to have a specific numerical roll of a dice cause a report of the roll to be created”

 

[Gordon]

Yes, I'm planning on posting on the VASSAL form, I just need to sign up.

 

[General Mayhem]

Looking at what I think you are trying to achieve it is probably the Dynamic and Calculated property traits and the global key command stuff that you need to explore. I am no expert and it is a while since I played about with that stuff. From what you have said above it seems you want a notification to the user when the die roll result matches the value of the area that the counter is in on the track, So for example you would probably need a numeric property allocated to a counter which then changes depending on where it is on the map/chart and when the die roll matches this numeric property it notifies the user. Should be doable.