VASL Map Online Problem/Suggestion Form

bkemp01

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VASL Problem
Boards m and n: When selecting "PTO light jungle", the grain/kunai as well as the orchard/palm trees disappear
Sounds like maybe you have chosen a month where orchards & grain are out of season, you may need to reset those choices.
 

BigAl737

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Could we have normal sized VASL boards once again ?

A few years back, there were regular sized VASL boards. I find the current VASL boards so big, that when zooming out to visualize the map, the counters become tiny.

Considering that stacking isn't a major issue in VASL, it really doesn't make sense to have enormous VASL maps. I really like a number of the DASL scenarios, but I find that enormous maps are not an enjoyable playing environment. It was really good when we had the option of using normal sized maps, is there any chance of formatting them to the modern versions of VASL ?

Thanks.

John.
Please confirm; you’re asking for the ability within VASL to make the current VASL DASL boards resize to the current VASL geoboard size?
 

bprobst

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Could we have normal sized VASL boards once again ?
John, I can't work out what it is you're asking for. You know the "size" of the board depends on your computer's graphics resolution, screen size, and what level of zoom you're at, right?

In the "choose boards" window, you haven't left the "Deluxe-size hexes" option turned on, have you?

I always start a VASL game with the "fit width" zoom option. I then adjust the zoom from there until it's at a comfortable size.

Other than providing an option to allow the player to set a "default" zoom value, I'm not sure how the VASL programmers can help you out here.
 

bprobst

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Sounds like maybe you have chosen a month where orchards & grain are out of season, you may need to reset those choices.
Boards m & n seem to be working fine for me.

In any scenario where PTO terrain is going to be in effect, I find it better to never set the month in the "Terrain Transformations" window. To put it another way, in the PTO, it's always June.
 

hongkongwargamer

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I am guessing at what John is saying : that the total width of a map is too wide (including the white space).

My issue with that is : when the map is wide and your monitor is not wide enough (22’) to give you a proper resolution after zooming is that your map dances around (regardless of your pref settings) whenever your opponent tries to do something. Net effect is if you are too focused in trying to do stuff is that you feel physically (sea) sick apart from dropping/moving things in the wrong place all the bloody time.
 

sunoftzu

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Bruce and Hongkongwargamer, no.

The problem is that when viewing a decent portion of any Deluxe map, the pieces in relation become tiny. I don't find that to be a very enjoyable or convenient scale. The choices are to have a tiny portion of the map, or tiny pieces. I don't dig tiny......

John.
 

von Marwitz

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I am guessing at what John is saying : that the total width of a map is too wide (including the white space).
The white space margin has deliberately been expanded for newer VASL versions.
In old versions (I forgot when this ended), they were only half as wide.

To broaden them had very good reason:
If you do VASL setups for larger scenarios, the narrow margin was insufficient to place all counters, turn tracks, etc.

By all means the white margin MUST NOT be narrowed down again IMHO.
Having created hundreds of VASL setups of the more sophisticated type, trust my experience.

If a change to the white margin would be made (which I deem unneccessary), then it could be a function to modify its breadth individually by player (i.e. you see it narrow, I see it wide).

von Marwitz
 

hongkongwargamer

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The white space margin has deliberately been expanded for newer VASL versions.
In old versions (I forgot when this ended), they were only half as wide.

To broaden them had very good reason:
If you do VASL setups for larger scenarios, the narrow margin was insufficient to place all counters, turn tracks, etc.

By all means the white margin MUST NOT be narrowed down again IMHO.
Having created hundreds of VASL setups of the more sophisticated type, trust my experience.

If a change to the white margin would be made (which I deem unneccessary), then it could be a function to modify its breadth individually by player (i.e. you see it narrow, I see it wide).

von Marwitz
As someone who get on VASL to play most of his games (CGs, scenarios and PTs) for the last 7 years, I get on to play ASL and not to play dollhouses with them, if they can be made more functional, I’d surely appreciate it.
 

BigAl737

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Bruce and Hongkongwargamer, no.

The problem is that when viewing a decent portion of any Deluxe map, the pieces in relation become tiny. I don't find that to be a very enjoyable or convenient scale. The choices are to have a tiny portion of the map, or tiny pieces. I don't dig tiny......

John.
Sorry John, I’m still trying to understand. Can you post a screen shot or step by step instructions on how to recreate the issue?
 

von Marwitz

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Sorry John, I’m still trying to understand. Can you post a screen shot or step by step instructions on how to recreate the issue?
He wants a large chunk of a DASL board displayed on his screen. But when doing so, the counters appear quite tiny because it is possible to place them not only on the center dot (as with the usual boards) but in various areas of the hex.

So I think what he wants is an option that allows one to place the counters in the center of the hex (only) but to increase the size of the displayed counters relative to the DASL hex.

von Marwitz
 

Spencer Armstrong

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Sorry John, I’m still trying to understand. Can you post a screen shot or step by step instructions on how to recreate the issue?
I think what he's saying is that there used to be a checkbox feature* where you could have DASL boards display as "regular" ASL boards. IOW, they were the DASL boards, but rendered with normal sized hexes, so your counters would be in the scale of counters to regular boards (i.e. mostly filling) rather than the scale of counters to DASL boards (i.e. you can sit three along a hex edge). Since the very nature of VASL mitigates some of the advantage of DASL's bix hexes for dense actions, this is highly desirable for people wanting to play multi-board DASL scenarios on standard monitor sizes. I would also LOVE to see this (return). I have a giant monitor and still prefer this option.

*I think, but admit this may be Mandela Effect
 

bprobst

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The problem is that when viewing a decent portion of any Deluxe map, the pieces in relation become tiny
OK. How is this different from playing a scenario on any large map? In particular, any of the typical HASL maps? Zoom in and zoom out, John. We all have to do it, all the time.

I don't remember the "DASL boards with regular-sized hexes" option, but it's not an option I would have ever used, and I certainly don't miss it. Would it only work if both players agree to use it, or could one player have the option enabled and the other not? If it can work with only one player using the option, then cool. If not, then to hell with your devilry, sir!
 

BigAl737

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I vaguely recall the option to resize a DASL to use it just like you use a geoboard. If you selected that option, you lost the DASL ability to place multiple counters in the hex without stacking. IOW, the DASL board became a geoboard. I don't recall be able to have both features like I'm assuming John is suggesting.

Now there's tiny and there's really tiny.

Make sure you do not check this box when using a DASL board:
12615

Here's a screen of a DASL board zoomed to fit width on my screen with that box unchecked:
12616

Here's a screen of a DASL board zoomed to fit width on my screen with that box checked:
12617
 

Spencer Armstrong

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I vaguely recall the option to resize a DASL to use it just like you use a geoboard. If you selected that option, you lost the DASL ability to place multiple counters in the hex without stacking. IOW, the DASL board became a geoboard. I don't recall be able to have both features like I'm assuming John is suggesting.

Now there's tiny and there's really tiny.

Make sure you do not check this box when using a DASL board:
View attachment 12615

Here's a screen of a DASL board zoomed to fit width on my screen with that box unchecked:
View attachment 12616

Here's a screen of a DASL board zoomed to fit width on my screen with that box checked:
View attachment 12617
Huh. Maybe I'm thinking of the normal ones being "enbiggenable." Would it make more sense to make them all default to geo size and have the DASL ones just expect that box to be checked? It seems like this isn't a huge deal with the regular boards having the capacity to enlarge, but I'm likely missing something obvious.
 

BigAl737

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"enbiggenable"?

Pardon me, I speak Spencer.

I actually do 'cause I know exactly what you're saying.

Would it make more sense...I think if VASL handled boards that way it'd introduce other problems. Better left alone in my humble opinion.
 

Spencer Armstrong

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"enbiggenable"?

Pardon me, I speak Spencer.

I actually do 'cause I know exactly what you're saying.

Would it make more sense...I think if VASL handled boards that way it'd introduce other problems. Better left alone in my humble opinion.
I'm sure you know better than I do, but boy would it be nice to be able to scale the DASL boards down.
 
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