Looking for Sniper module

[Joao Lima]

Gents,

I've been looking for sometime for the VASSAL Sniper module (the TSR game).

Nobody seems to have the files any more, not even the module's author, so I was wondering if anyone did have it on their HD and if perhaps could send it over. Thanks in advance.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I'm the author. It was never completed. Couldn't figure out how to get the vehicle cards to overlay the grid.

 

[Joao Lima]

I'm the author. It was never completed. Couldn't figure out how to get the vehicle cards to overlay the grid.

Heya Michael. We've been in touch previously regarding this. Have you found the files? If so, if you could send them over , I'll give it another try!

 

[travillaintim]

I'm the author. It was never completed. Couldn't figure out how to get the vehicle cards to overlay the grid.

Do you have a screen shot example. Should be fairly easy to fix/correct. Just need to adjust your Game piece layers and possibly Do not stack traits

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Do you have a screen shot example. Should be fairly easy to fix/correct. Just need to adjust your Game piece layers and possibly Do not stack traits

That's not the problem, though. My question is - how do you get the cards to rotate once they are on the grid? Say, one that takes up 8 hexes? It's been awhile since I've looked at it, but it seemed insurmountable at the time without having Rodney write extra code - unless there is a solution in VASSAL right now?

 

[travillaintim]

That's not the problem, though. My question is - how do you get the cards to rotate once they are on the grid? Say, one that takes up 8 hexes? It's been awhile since I've looked at it, but it seemed insurmountable at the time without having Rodney write extra code - unless there is a solution in VASSAL right now?

This is indeed possible using a trigger/rotate in conjunction w/ an apply key to pieces that move key (map property).
Possibly as insurance also an included dynamic property for true/false status when to apply the rotation.

A bit complex, but bottom line - yes it can be done, no custom code is needed

 

[Michael Dorosh]

This is indeed possible using a trigger/rotate in conjunction w/ an apply key to pieces that move key (map property).
Possibly as insurance also an included dynamic property for true/false status when to apply the rotation.

A bit complex, but bottom line - yes it can be done, no custom code is needed

Well, I may have to scrounge around for the files then. I know I had Map A of the reprint done (the rural map) and was working on map B (the urban one). And IIRC these were simple recolours of the original Patrol! and Sniper! maps, which is why I had the bright idea of doing a single module that included all the Sniper/Patrol/Sniper 2nd Ed/Hetzer etc. games in one. If I can find some time, perhaps it is something worth collaborating on, if anyone is interested and feels they can make the vehicle cards work...?

 

[travillaintim]

Well, I may have to scrounge around for the files then. I know I had Map A of the reprint done (the rural map) and was working on map B (the urban one). And IIRC these were simple recolours of the original Patrol! and Sniper! maps, which is why I had the bright idea of doing a single module that included all the Sniper/Patrol/Sniper 2nd Ed/Hetzer etc. games in one. If I can find some time, perhaps it is something worth collaborating on, if anyone is interested and feels they can make the vehicle cards work...?

Go ahead and do what you need to do putting together. Whenever you get stuck or stopping point , just give me a buzz here or on vassal forums (username Tim M) and I'll fix you up and keep it moving

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Okay, I appreciate that - I'll try and find some time to look this over.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Incidentally, a screen shot of my 2nd edition rural map is on wikipedia:

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Ok, I found my files and artwork; it will take me a bit of time to get up to speed and hammer an initial module together but I'll see if I can't make some headway into it this weekend. The hard part will be getting my head back around the rules.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The other issue I recall having was how to tackle the passenger/crew counters on the vehicle interior cards - this needs to be visible to only the owning player, not both. I know that VASL has "hidden" counters for one side. I thought maybe if it was possible to do the vehicle interior cards as a pop up menu, the same way the CRT is, having it visible to one player only, but you would need to have the ability to transfer counters from the map to that window and back again.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Okay, I've started to work on the Patrol! maps as they will be easiest to finish; attached is Map A, and a scan of the actual map in my collection.

It occurs to me, however, that Patrol! was one of those Si-Move games which you had to record all the moves in advance, so getting the game mechanics for this one might be tricky for VASSAL. I'll do the artwork for the module and leave the maps in for those who want to play 2nd Edition Sniper! on the original Patrol! maps, but I think there would only be a hardy few actually interested in playing old-school Patrol! with the preplots if it was all entirely manual. But being a computer adaptation perhaps we can work in some way to get VASSAL to do the cumbersome stuff for us.

I like some of the interesting features of Patrol! - wounded horse counters, "tank will explode" counters, etc. Too much cool stuff not to at least include this all in the same VASSAL module - too much of a completionist not to put it all in one.

 

[R.S. Barker]

Looks good Michael, will continue to follow this closely. 8)

 

[travillaintim]

The other issue I recall having was how to tackle the passenger/crew counters on the vehicle interior cards - this needs to be visible to only the owning player, not both. I know that VASL has "hidden" counters for one side. I thought maybe if it was possible to do the vehicle interior cards as a pop up menu, the same way the CRT is, having it visible to one player only, but you would need to have the ability to transfer counters from the map to that window and back again.

Should be quite doable a number of ways. One method would be to treat the passenger/crew counters as cards instead of counters so that you could invoke the mask trait. The invisible trait is another possibility, as well as restricted player side windows - endless possibilities its just how you want to go about doing it

 

[Joao Lima]

Heck, completely lost track of the answers to this one. Great to hear all the movement!

Thanks Michael!

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Just got another email asking about the status of the project; had completely forgotten about this. A hard drive crash a few weeks ago has destroyed all the recent progress. While I had done a back up of most of my game related files, it had only been current to February or so. :argh: All the recent work has been lost. Blame planned obsolescence (my hard drive's warranty was up just weeks before the crash), or my refusal to backup regularly, but my enthusiasm for this project has dimmed immeasurably for the time being.

 

[Clint Eastwoody]

OMG this is terrible news... BUT great news on Patrol!

 

[Joao Lima]

Michael,

If you can make available the graphic files, I would be keen to have a go at it.