VASL 6.4.0 is available for testing

[DougRim]

Hi all,

I'm giving David Sullivan a break and am taking the lead on getting VASL6.4.0 out the door. We are ready to go with a beta version for testing purposes.

Click here to download the 6.4.0-beta1 module.

Note this is still a test build so hold off if you're not comfortable swapping around your VASL modules.

All enhancements and fixes are listed below.

Post any problems you find on this thread.

Thanks much for your help!

Doug

Enhancements
1. Improved sniper finder; now functions like broken piece finder (highlights snipers on map).
2. Draggable overlays; when setting up a game, rather than having to enter the overlay name and hexes in a dialogue box, you can drag them onto the map. Previous method still supported. To use this feature you must install a VASL extension. Download the extension here. For installation instructions for extensions, see the User Guide at VASL.info. Instructions for using the draggable overlays during game play are included in the extension and can be accessed via the Help menu in VASL.
3. LOS Checking for HASL maps; starting with the Red Barricades map, LOS checking is being extended to HASL maps.
4. LOS Checking for rooftops, cellars added; LOS can now be traced from rooftops and cellars for all multihex buildings on boards 1-75, including 1a-9b.

Bug fixes
1. Various improvements to LOS checking, especially with respect to depressions and cliff hexsides.
2. Versioning problems with Desert boards have been fixed.
3. A problem with counters disappearing from extension windows has been resolved.
4. Several bugs causing VASL or VASSAL to crash were eliminated.

Advisory
The LOS enhancements required changes to the bd files for many of the standard boards and for bdRBv2. During testing, the automatic board synchronization functionality will update the boards as required. These new versions will not be posted to the VASL.info website for download until VASL 6.4.0 is officially released.

Known Issues
There are three known issues.
1. LOS over/along cliff hexsides on Board 8 will be erratic. The board file (bd08) needs to be updated. This is underway.
2. The stream terrain under the elevated road bridges on Board 13 will show as one level higher than it should be, plus LOS that passes through these bridge hexes may show incorrect hindrances.
3. LOS will not recognize the draggable overlays. This is being worked on but we wanted to get some reaction to the draggable overlays so we are going ahead with the 6.4.0 beta version with this bug.

Kudos and Credits
Thanks to:
David Sullivan for helping us find those Sniper Counters buried under stacks of stacks and for most of the bug fixes, with additional work by Zoltan Grose.
Allan Cannamore for conceiving of and implementing draggable overlays.
Carl Nogueira and Terry Gray for initial testing of LOS Checking in Stalingrad. Chris Doary for tireless rules explanations that helped me understand what the LOS code needed to do.

 

[bprobst]

That all sounds very interesting. A couple of quick questions though:

1) Is the above the complete list of updates/fixes? I'm thinking of problems that have been known for a while, like the invisible 5/8" HIP counters, and miscellaneous counter errors.

2) You write that "LOS will not recognize the draggable overlays". Are you saying that it will recognise overlays that are placed normally (the traditional method)? If yes, that sounds like a big jump forward (but see my next point).

3) Just a personal note. I guess getting LOS working for all circumstances is a programming challenge, and in that respect I can see the impetus to get it right. Speaking only for myself, I only find the LOS string valuable -- is my LOS blocked by that building or not? How many hindrance hexes am I passing through? Etc. For calculating blind hexes and the like, I prefer to work that out for myself, and I'm not sure I'd ever trust VASL's pronouncements on the issue (largely because it has historically been very unreliable on that score). I only say this because I wonder if the programming effort is actually worth the end result gained.

Regardless, many thanks to all involved for all of their efforts!

 

[DougRim]

Bruce

1. I might have missed one or two minor (but still important) ones. I will verify.

2. Yes in the sense that for overlays added to a map in the traditional way the LOS engine will tell you that the LOS has hit an overlay and cannot be checked (and will outline a rectangle enclosing the overlay). No, in the sense that it won't actually check a LOS that touches an overlay. For the draggable overlays the LOS engine will appear to work in that a LOS string will be drawn but it wii be incorrect. We plan to have this fixed before the official release of 6.4.0.

3. I take your point on this. All I can say I is that the coding is done by volunteers who work on what they want to work on. I thought it would be fun to see if I could get LOS to work on RB and to map out how to do it for other HASL maps. And it was.

If you are aware of any ways, new or old, in which the LOS engine does not work, we would be interested to know!

Thanks.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

How you get the Sniper Finder feature to work?

I clicked on the sniper button and seems to work like the same old. Anything I need to do activate it? Highlighting the sniper is a terrific idea

 

[DougRim]

How you get the Sniper Finder feature to work?

I clicked on the sniper button and seems to work like the same old. Anything I need to do activate it? Highlighting the sniper is a terrific idea

Clicking the sniper button should produce a red circle on sniper hexes just like the broken units button. This is not happening?

Worked when it left the store! <grin>

If you are getting the old sniper finder list, are you sure you clicked the button with the sniper image and that you are running 6.4.0-beta1? Don't mean to imply that you don't know what you're doing but it is easy to make a simple mistake.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

Clicking the sniper button should produce a red circle on sniper hexes just like the broken units button. This is not happening?

Worked when it left the store! <grin>

If you are getting the old sniper finder list, are you sure you clicked the button with the sniper image and that you are running 6.4.0-beta1? Don't mean to imply that you don't know what you're doing but it is easy to make a simple mistake.

I found the new Sniper button on my (customized) menu bar! It works perfectly .. and again, it's SUCH a great idea!! I was hitting on the "Sniper Finder" extension before. All good now .. 95% of my games are on VASL so I look forward to seeing the other improvements.

Thanks again for your group's hardwork.

Rgds Jack

PS OMG - I absolutely LOVE the draggable overlays!!!

 

[DougRim]

I found the new Sniper button on my (customized) menu bar! It works perfectly .. and again, it's SUCH a great idea!! I was hitting on the "Sniper Finder" extension before. All good now .. 95% of my games are on VASL so I look forward to seeing the other improvements.

Thanks again for your group's hardwork.

Rgds Jack

PS OMG - I absolutely LOVE the draggable overlays!!!

David SUllivan and Allan Cannamore, take a bow.

 

[Biondino]

I will try this version, but I wanted to THANK Y'ALL (the VASL team) for all your work. You are the main reason I am still playing ASL.

 

[BigAl737]

Looks like Doug is enjoying a well deserved beverage. Well done Doug!

 

[LaFajita]

I got the new deluxe boards and overlays (THANK YOU!)
A quibble - when I place the overlays and move away from them, I find I can no longer remove them. The only solution so far is to replace the board and overlay.

Also, in the DL scenario "Scobie's Preserves" the overlay should be for an Out-of Season Orchard. This can be done with standard size overlays and I'm wondering why it couldn't be done with these overlays.

Also, the weather conditions for this particular scenario are "MUD"; - something unique in DL scenarios
.

 

[BigAl737]

Use alt+left click to reselect an overlay.

There's a help menu here.

Terrain transforms for overlays is a work in progress. I'll add deluxe out of season orchards to the list. That transform is available on the regular sized orchard overlays.

I'd think the mud transform should work just like a standard size geo board. Since I didn't create the board I can't say for sure but I can look into it.

 

[LaFajita]

Thx 4 the tip re: reselecting an overlay. All of this has given me a reason to VASLize my stash of DL scenarios!

 

[esprcorn]

Is the discussion relevant to VASL6.4 on Github up to date? Or is most of the work being done offline via email or something?

 

[zgrose]

AFAIK, it is up to date for java code changes. Most of the effort I see at the moment is board related and tend to have their own issues.

 

[Sully]

The 5/8 counter HIP problem will be fixed in 6.4.

Unfortunately we don't really have a "counter guy" so most of the counter bugs are languishing.

That all sounds very interesting. A couple of quick questions though:
1) Is the above the complete list of updates/fixes? I'm thinking of problems that have been known for a while, like the invisible 5/8" HIP counters, and miscellaneous counter errors.

 

[BigAl737]

I can be a counter guy. I'll try to get to some of those soon.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

Hey folks, you have probably noticed already .. there's an issue counters where, when you have a counter on top of each other, the one below the top counter turns blank and white.

Which means as an example all the AFVs that fired looks like wrecks. At least they don't like live tanks.


Please see the "PREP FIRE" tank on the bottom left of that "hovering" box

Rgds Jack

 

[zgrose]

That's the "fix/revert" for the information leaking issue where people could see the very bottom of a counter. That is to say, we reverted to the older code. It ain't as pretty, but it should be safer until someone can tackle both ends of the problem.

(edit) counter, not concealed counter.

 

[witchbottles]

I can be a counter guy. I'll try to get to some of those soon.

oohhhh Now you're talking.... First, we need to send you scans of the MILLIONS of counters in ASL -related products that are kept in Olli's "ASL Seed Vault"....

Hope you got a big enough HDD for all the data...

 

[BigAl737]

oohhhh Now you're talking.... First, we need to send you scans of the MILLIONS of counters in ASL -related products that are kept in Olli's "ASL Seed Vault"....

Hope you got a big enough HDD for all the data...

Not sure there are enough electrons in the universe...