OCS on VASSAL

Kurt Meyer

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There are now 4 operational combat series games ready for playing on Vassal.
They Inlcude: Tunisia, Enemy at the Gates, Burma, and Hube's Pocket.
 

Kishel

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Thank you for the hard work.

Thanks to all who have spent the time to get these up.

Thank you Derek for all your hard work getting Hube's and EatG, up for VASSAL. I am very glad that you have been willing to spend the time to get these up. I hope to have time to play one of them with you.....as soon as I finish school and have free time again.
 

gregdahl

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Burma Updates and DAK/Sicily Coming soon

We've got some updates to Burma - its currently V1.31. Does anyone have a site where we can host the mod file because its well over the 12 meg VASSAL engine limit.

Also, I'm currently working on DAK and Sicily modules. We got the counters all cut out and maps are finally right. We need to chop up the maps so they'll line up in VASSAL.

My partner is also toying around with an extension that would allow the other player to find out the RE equivalent size of a stack without digging through it. Would be a nice help to the opposing player can do barrages without knowning whats in the hex.

Greg
 

SamB

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I have web space that could be used. But why is this sucker so large? Beta? :surprise:
 

Dr Zaius

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Can someone attacks some screenshots so people can see what OCS looks like. Also, let's have some AARs please! :yummy:
 

gregdahl

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SamB said:
I have web space that could be used. But why is this sucker so large? Beta? :surprise:
We used the original Gamers artwork. The PNG maps along are around 7 meg.
 

Keith Todd

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gregdahl said:
We used the original Gamers artwork. The PNG maps along are around 7 meg.
I hear Gary Krockover has had a lot of success converting png files to jpg thus decreasing the size considerably.

Keith
 

SamB

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I can also convert png files to almost any format.

BTY, I understand the reason Rodney K used png files was because of a patent issue with jpg's. Today I read that the court threw out the patent. So jpg's have no royalty, etc...
 

GJK

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SamB said:
I can also convert png files to almost any format.

BTY, I understand the reason Rodney K used png files was because of a patent issue with jpg's. Today I read that the court threw out the patent. So jpg's have no royalty, etc...
I thought that it was the ".gif" that had the possible patent issues?

Jpeg will certainly be a smaller file size, but usually doesn't do well for line-art. Some maps though come out ok - Fortress Berlin comes to mind and I had someone convert Iron Tide which worked out just fine. XAT image optimizer is a nifty little program that I also use that will let you adjust the number of colors with a preview so that you can squeeze it down just to the point that you start to lose details. You can also select certain areas to only work on - areas that have a lot of similar colors, so you can merge those into the same color while preserving the more detailed multi-color areas. Neat program.

By the way, did you get the orginal artwork for the OCS games - the original .tif files (and then convert them to .png)? If so, do you have access to other games from The Gamers, such as the CWBS line of games? That would save me a TON of time when I eventually get around to do a module for 3BoM. :yummy:
 

Keith Todd

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I think it was the gif's that had patent issues. Seems to me if it was jpg or jpeg, it would have been primetime techie news.

3BoM!!!!!! :surprise: ;) ;) ;) ;)

Keith
 

GJK

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Keith Todd said:
I think it was the gif's that had patent issues. Seems to me if it was jpg or jpeg, it would have been primetime techie news.

3BoM!!!!!! :surprise: ;) ;) ;) ;)

Keith
Yes, it was .gif unless I missed something. If jpeg's are in a patent situation, then I'll have several clients get very upset when I have to charge them to redo their websites with different image formats!

Re: 3BoM. Very much want to do that one, but it's behind RSR (print map and VASSAL module), A44, update to Carrier module and I'd also like to do Prados' Third Reich. I'm never getting out of this chair and away from this computer.... :cry:
 

SamB

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:lier: The issue could well have been gif instead of jpeg. My memory...

I am sure I read yesterday that a patent for jpeg's was thrown out by a court. I can look that up is anyone cares.
 

gregdahl

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GJK said:
I thought that it was the ".gif" that had the possible patent issues?
By the way, did you get the orginal artwork for the OCS games - the original .tif files (and then convert them to .png)? If so, do you have access to other games from The Gamers, such as the CWBS line of games? That would save me a TON of time when I eventually get around to do a module for 3BoM. :yummy:
Reply to several items at once:

1) yes - it is GIF, not JPEG, that has the Patent issues

2) JPEG is terrible for board art especially when converting from PNG. Look at the original version of OCS Tunisia for VASSAL for an example. I think he's converted them over now.

For my money, PNG is much sharper - looks almost like the printed materials.

3) For what its worth, the DAK module is currently at 20 megs. GBII will be the grand-daddy of them all with 6 maps and what, five counter sheets? Of course, Case Blue may force you to buy a new computer.

Burma is at just over 12 megs. When V1.4 is ready, (we're adding back a few basic charts we took out) I suspect it'll be around 14 meg.

4) Yes, we used the original gamers artwork for the maps and the counters. Surf yourself over to the Gamers-l@eskimo.com or to the COSM list and post a note and the right folks will hook you up when you're ready.
 

Keith Todd

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GJK said:
.....

Re: 3BoM. Very much want to do that one, but it's behind RSR (print map and VASSAL module), A44, update to Carrier module and I'd also like to do Prados' Third Reich. I'm never getting out of this chair and away from this computer.... :cry:
Somebody has to keep pushing you!! ;)

I am looking forward to RSR and the VASSAL mod for A44. I started a PBEM game of CWB Thunder at the Crossroads, great job on that one too, Gary.

Keith
 

GJK

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Keith Todd said:
I started a PBEM game of CWB Thunder at the Crossroads, great job on that one too, Gary.

Keith
Oh cool! I haven't had a chance to play that one yet, so let me know if you find any errors or anything broken within the module.

ITQFII turn out by the way.... :)
 
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