LOS Stringing Problem

[dwardzala]

So this came up in a PBeM game today:


Range with the tool on the map shown correctly at 6 hexes. Range reported in the chat window is 4.

This also happened:


Range is correctly shown in the map window as 8 and incorrectly as 4 in the chat window. Also, it does not pick up the woods or hedge as blocking LOS.

Boards are 54(v6.1) and 59(v6.2)

Both of us are using VASL 6.6.1.

 

[zgrose]

I’m guessing if you check the VASSAL error log (available from the VASSAL window), you’ll see a message describing why the LOS engine is off (draw the line only). My money is on the hedges to bocage transformation. No idea on the text range being wrong.

 

[dwardzala]

Here is the VASSAL Error Log entry that looks like it applies - didn't know it existed.
[1-AWT-EventQueue-0] INFO VASL.build.module.ASLMap - VASL.build.module.map.boardPicker.BoardException: Unsupported scenario-specific rule: FH. LOS disabled

What is the FH?

 

[zgrose]

That’s the internal name of the transformation, IIRC. Don’t know what it stands for. So that’s why your string is ignoring hindrances, etc.

 

[DougRim]

FH stands for full hexes and implies that you cropped a board on the map using Crop to Full hexes. Llos should work in those situations (but obviously didn't). Can you tell me what cropping, flipping, overlays and terrain transformations you used so that I can try to replicate the error.

The only other time I have seen this reporting error was due to the presence of an overlay. But I don't see one in the los.

 

[dwardzala]

Not sure how to get you the information. I believe that the only terrain "transformation" was declaring hedges are bocage. There are no other transformations and no overlays.

 

[DougRim]

thanks. Were the boards cropped? If so, what rows were in play?

 

[BigAl737]

Hedges to bocage is done with an overlay. Maybe that’s the culprit.

I’ve seen the range (and end hex) wrong a few times myself. Usually when I string it again the range (and end hex) corrects itself.

 

[dwardzala]

thanks. Were the boards cropped? If so, what rows were in play?

Boards were cropped. Both cropped to R-GG.

 

[DougRim]

Hedges to bocage is done with an overlay. Maybe that’s the culprit.

That would likely account for the range error. I have seen that before. The range shown in the chat window depends on where the los hits the edge of the overaly which can be well away from the actual graphics on the overlay.

So, this map seems to have 2 los errors:

1. The cropping kicked out the los when it shouldn't have.
2. The overlay is kicking out the los (we know it does that and I am going to work on a fix for that in 6.6.2).

I suspect that the los string that you are seeing is the VASSAL string and not the VASL string which normally overrides it.

I also need to add a line in the chat window which reports on los status when a game is started.

Thanks for reporting the los bug. Nothing can be done in the short term. But hope to have some, if not all, of this fixed in 6.6.2 next spring.

 

[DougRim]

I have been working on this recently and I am having trouble replicating the error. I am using the same board versions, VASL6.6.1 and flipping and cropping the boards. The los still works. As you can see it is finding the bocage properly.



Could you try replicating the board setup and then draw the los and see if it happens again?

 

[dwardzala]

Loading the boards into a new scenario - I could not repeat the behavior. Pulling up a log file from the game I still can.

 

[DougRim]

Then it might have been something that went wrong in the initial game creation. Or something that we fixed in the interim.