VASL 6.7.0-beta1 release

[geezer]

We have a few new features that need some testing. Read the release notes for more information.

Release Release 6.7.0-beta1 · vasl-developers/vasl

Release Notes: Version 6.7.0-beta1 Release Date: Nov 19th 2024 🚀 New Features Feature 1: Top concealment counter can now be made transparent for owner of non-dummy stack This feature can be turne...

github.com

 

[Robin Reeve]

The new features look great!

 

[ibncalb]

Yes indeed. The fact that things requested end up in a release just a month or two after request is amazing.

Will install after current scenario.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

We have a few new features that need some testing. Read the release notes for more information.

Release Release 6.7.0-beta1 · vasl-developers/vasl

Release Notes: Version 6.7.0-beta1 Release Date: Nov 19th 2024 🚀 New Features Feature 1: Top concealment counter can now be made transparent for owner of non-dummy stack This feature can be turne...

github.com

With the auto save feature (God send btw) what happens after 200 mins? It rewrite old saves or it stops saving?

 

[geezer]

With the auto save feature (God send btw) what happens after 200 mins? It rewrite old saves or it stops saving?

If it acts as I intended, It will removes the oldest files when there are more than 20 and replace them by a new autosave to make sure there are not more than 20. But this is beta, so by all means make sure this is what it is doing.

 

[Robin Reeve]

MS Word autosaves only one file at a time, erasing the last one.
If the objective of autosave is to prevent a loss in case the computer freezes or another similar accident, I don't see the necessity to have numerous autosaved files.
20 are quite a lot.
One can always save manually the current game - I usually do it at the start of a player's turn.

 

[von Marwitz]

MS Word autosaves only one file at a time, erasing the last one.
If the objective of autosave is to prevent a loss in case the computer freezes or another similar accident, I don't see the necessity to have numerous autosaved files.
20 are quite a lot.
One can always save manually the current game - I usually do it at the start of a player's turn.

Well, but who of us has not had the experience that it turned out that Word's autosave erased something that we would like to have retained?

IMHO 20 VASL autosaves don't take up much space, so no harm done. More to the contrary.

von Marwitz

 

[Robin Reeve]

Well, but who of us has not had the experience that it turned out that Word's autosave erased something that we would like to have retained?

IMHO 20 VASL autosaves don't take up much space, so no harm done. More to the contrary.

von Marwitz

Yep.
But we wouldn't need more.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

If it acts as I intended, It will removes the oldest files when there are more than 20 and replace them by a new autosave to make sure there are not more than 20. But this is beta, so by all means make sure this is what it is doing.

Cool .. and it saves to your Board Directory on Preferences. Will you allow user to config that? No biggie if you don't.

I love that transparent Concealment counter feature btw. Thanks so much

 

[geezer]

Cool .. and it saves to your Board Directory on Preferences. Will you allow user to config that? No biggie if you don't.

Yeah, we’ll get there eventually.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

When I put a stack of dummies on a Level (info) counter, they went translucent as well. I don't think they should? (Plus it's translucent to BOTH players .. it's quite apparent .. )

 

[geezer]

View attachment 30579
When I put a stack of dummies on a Level (info) counter, they went translucent as well. I don't think they should? (Plus it's translucent to BOTH players .. it's quite apparent .. )

Got it, this is now fixed for the next beta.

 

[ibncalb]

The new transparent concealment counter on non dummy stacks works well. BUT the transparent concealment counter has the same appearance as a HIP concealment counter. That is, as the owner I cannot tell the difference between and concealed squad and SW under a ? counter or under a HIP ? counter.



On the left is a stack with a HIP ? counter, on the right is the same stack with a non HIP ? counter.

This cropped up in a cave game today where I was moving concealed stacks from caves into complexes. I would simply HIP the stack when I moved it into the complex but then it was impossible for me to know which was HIP and which was just "new feature transparent".

This was a problem because when I bought my units back into caves my opponent was sometimes seeing one too few concealment counters.

TLDR - the new transparent concealment counters should be different to a HIP concealment counter.

 

[geezer]

TLDR - the new transparent concealment counters should be different to a HIP concealment counter.

I agree, any suggestions?

 

[ibncalb]

I don't think transparency is the way forward. It does not help identify the unit beneath the ? counter, so one still needs to mouse over.

Maybe changing the appearance of dummy stacks is better.

I know nothing about the graphics of VASL counters but perhaps seeing a big black X on the dummy stacks would be easily obvious.

Or having the concealment counter appear upside down.

 

[geezer]

I disagree. In the image you provided you can clearly see lmgs below the “?” Counters. This is the case even when the stacks are not expanded.

I do not see any reason to modify dummy stacks as it is clear that any stack without transparent “?” Counters are dummy stacks. It seems like making the top ? Transparent serves two purposes, indicate which stacks are dummies and helping in displaying what you have below those counters when not in a dummy stack.

I do agree that the implementation is not awesome at the moment but I think it still serves its purpose. There are a few ways i could try to improve it.

1)I could make the ? Counter even more transparent, even invisible. But then the risks of forgetting it become quite high.

2)Perhaps I could try to remove the question mark from the counter in order to make the one below it more visible. Basicaly have a transparent blank counter.

Happy to listen to other suggestions though

 

[ibncalb]

Happy to listen to other suggestions though

For some reason I seem to be unable to see my last post (the one with the images you reference)

Any chance you could quote it so I can see it please?

 

[geezer]

The new transparent concealment counter on non dummy stacks works well. BUT the transparent concealment counter has the same appearance as a HIP concealment counter. That is, as the owner I cannot tell the difference between and concealed squad and SW under a ? counter or under a HIP ? counter.

View attachment 30598

On the left is a stack with a HIP ? counter, on the right is the same stack with a non HIP ? counter.

This cropped up in a cave game today where I was moving concealed stacks from caves into complexes. I would simply HIP the stack when I moved it into the complex but then it was impossible for me to know which was HIP and which was just "new feature transparent".

This was a problem because when I bought my units back into caves my opponent was sometimes seeing one too few concealment counters.

TLDR - the new transparent concealment counters should be different to a HIP concealment counter.

 

[geezer]

I don't think transparency is the way forward. It does not help identify the unit beneath the ? counter, so one still needs to mouse over.

Maybe changing the appearance of dummy stacks is better.

I know nothing about the graphics of VASL counters but perhaps seeing a big black X on the dummy stacks would be easily obvious.

Or having the concealment counter appear upside down.

Here is what could be done to increase the visibility of units below concealment counters

 

[Will Fleming]

Is this the VASL version where I can win a game in 2024? Time is running out.