VASL Map Online Problem/Suggestion Form

[von Marwitz]

I have a suggestion regarding blank counters. I use them HIP to mark bore sighted hexes, or pre-registered hexes; sometimes I use them to mark searched hexes. Whenever my units end up in the same hex, however, those memory(blank) counters get dragged along with the units if I am not careful. My idea is to make the blank counters sticky, like mines, FBL, etc., or to make a sticky version of a blank counter.

This is a great idea!

I use blank HIP counters for the same purposes, by the way.

Maybe I can even extend your idea:
Possibly, the blank counters could be made individually sticky/unsticky by option via the context-menu.

That way, you can also (still) use them for individually labelled counters for captured SW for example, which would otherwise stand out in Concealed stacks (i.e. imagine a captured Russian LMG in a Concealed German stack).

von Marwitz

 

[fzmann]

In anticipation of possible retirement at the end of the year, I've embarked on setting up a large number of scenarios in VASL using VASL templates (hat tip to Pacman Ghost) and Neal's info table generator.

What is slightly vexing me is when a board is cropped and it's board number is part of the board that was cropped, and there are several boards that have been cropped in this fashion, it's difficult to remember which board is which, especially with higher numbered boards (at least for me), in order to setup the counters without having to refer back to the scenario card. I like not referring back to the scenario card once the setup has been made, given all of the information that has been loaded onto the scenario setup

My suggestion for this problem (granted, a first world one) would be maybe to auto-generate a label with the board number that was cropped and place the label near the board (which I'm doing manually), or maybe "number" the board(s) that was cropped somewhere on the playing area. The latter might be confusing unless the "number" was made clear to be just a reference and not the actual location of the board number which I'm sure is needed in order to properly orient the boards and inform the setup of the counters.

Maybe this is a solution in search of a problem, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see if this is indeed an annoyance, and how it's currently dealt with.

Thanks.

 

[jyoung]

This is a great idea!

I use blank HIP counters for the same purposes, by the way.

Maybe I can even extend your idea:
Possibly, the blank counters could be made individually sticky/unsticky by option via the context-menu.

That way, you can also (still) use them for individually labelled counters for captured SW for example, which would otherwise stand out in Concealed stacks (i.e. imagine a captured Russian LMG in a Concealed German stack).

von Marwitz

Hi @von Marwitz and @Michael R,
Give this a try - https://www.dropbox.com/s/vnmptb2ol44pkdo/sticky-blanks.vmdx?dl=0
New markers in Unit\Sticky Blank (next to the existing Blank tab). Right click for menu or just CTRL-S to make them sticky or unsticky. When unsticky, they stack and conceal as per regular blanks, when sticky they don't get dragged around with the rest of the stack (like fortifications).

 

[DougRim]

In anticipation of possible retirement at the end of the year, I've embarked on setting up a large number of scenarios in VASL using VASL templates (hat tip to Pacman Ghost) and Neal's info table generator.

What is slightly vexing me is when a board is cropped and it's board number is part of the board that was cropped, and there are several boards that have been cropped in this fashion, it's difficult to remember which board is which, especially with higher numbered boards (at least for me), in order to setup the counters without having to refer back to the scenario card. I like not referring back to the scenario card once the setup has been made, given all of the information that has been loaded onto the scenario setup

My suggestion for this problem (granted, a first world one) would be maybe to auto-generate a label with the board number that was cropped and place the label near the board (which I'm doing manually), or maybe "number" the board(s) that was cropped somewhere on the playing area. The latter might be confusing unless the "number" was made clear to be just a reference and not the actual location of the board number which I'm sure is needed in order to properly orient the boards and inform the setup of the counters.

Maybe this is a solution in search of a problem, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see if this is indeed an annoyance, and how it's currently dealt with.

Thanks.

I think you can count on doing this manually for a while yet. Especially since every time you drag a counter onto a multiboard map or move an existing one, or select an existing one, you will see the board name/number info. The case for auto-labels does not feel compelling. . . .

 

[fzmann]

I think you can count on doing this manually for a while yet. Especially since every time you drag a counter onto a multiboard map or move an existing one, or select an existing one, you will see the board name/number info. The case for auto-labels does not feel compelling. . . .

I see how selecting a counter gives the map name/info. I hadn't considered this obvious solution.
Given this, I agree, there's no compelling reason for labelling cropped boards.
Thanks!

 

[ScottRomanowski]

I found that overlay 6 causes LOS issues.

Here board 10 is the top, board 46 is the bottom, and both are clipped to R-GG, clipped to the nearest full hex. Overlay 6 is on 10S2-S1. It's July so grain and orchards are in season.

Terrain in U1 blocks LOS.



Open Ground hinders LOS.

 

[DougRim]

Until 6.6.4, Overlays have not worked with LOS. I was able to get some, not all, single-terrain overlays to support los In 6.6.4. Overlay 6 is not a single-terrain overlay. So it does not currently work with los. What you are seeing is probably the underlying terrain. It should be showing the Redbox ands a no-los checking message.

 

[ScottRomanowski]

I'm sorry @DougRim, I only posted because I didn't see the no-LOS message and I'd hoped you had gotten overlay LOS checking working in 3.6.7!

- !<b>Loading 286 001 Danger Forward.vsav ...</b>
 - This game was saved with extension 'SKReferences' loaded. You do not have this extension loaded. Place the file into the 'C:\Users\Scott\Documents\Games\ASL\VASSAL\vasl-6.6.4_ext' folder to load it
 - Using board(s): 46(v6.4) 10(v6.6)
 - VASL LOS Enabled
 - Loaded 286 001 Danger Forward.vsav

 

[DougRim]

I'm sorry @DougRim, I only posted because I didn't see the no-LOS message and I'd hoped you had gotten overlay LOS checking working in 3.6.7!

- !<b>Loading 286 001 Danger Forward.vsav ...</b>
 - This game was saved with extension 'SKReferences' loaded. You do not have this extension loaded. Place the file into the 'C:\Users\Scott\Documents\Games\ASL\VASSAL\vasl-6.6.4_ext' folder to load it
 - Using board(s): 46(v6.4) 10(v6.6)
 - VASL LOS Enabled
 - Loaded 286 001 Danger Forward.vsav

No worries. You pointed out something that is not working as it should. Good to know.

 

[DougRim]

I'm sorry @DougRim, I only posted because I didn't see the no-LOS message and I'd hoped you had gotten overlay LOS checking working in 3.6.7!

- !<b>Loading 286 001 Danger Forward.vsav ...</b>
- This game was saved with extension 'SKReferences' loaded. You do not have this extension loaded. Place the file into the 'C:\Users\Scott\Documents\Games\ASL\VASSAL\vasl-6.6.4_ext' folder to load it
- Using board(s): 46(v6.4) 10(v6.6)
- VASL LOS Enabled
- Loaded 286 001 Danger Forward.vsav

I have "fixed" this bug in the sense that rather than seeing an erroneous los check result, you will now see the No LOS Over Overlays disclaimer:



This is a code fix and will be in vasl6.6.5.

I am still working on expanding the number of overlays that work with los. There are many more to do; it is going to take a while.

 

[Rindis]

Scenario overlay request: A84 Endless Struggle uses board 34. Mostly, it's used straight, but the Q1-P4 and R6-R8 roads are instead woods paths, while the rest stay as roads (and largely woods-roads).

(Not playing immediately, but will probably pitch to Patch soon.)

 

[BigAl737]

Scenario overlay request: A84 Endless Struggle uses board 34. Mostly, it's used straight, but the Q1-P4 and R6-R8 roads are instead woods paths, while the rest stay as roads (and largely woods-roads).

(Not playing immediately, but will probably pitch to Patch soon.)

I really enjoy your AARs so am glad to do this for you. Question for you; should I retain the LOS of the roads when I convert them to paths?

 

[Rindis]

The SSR just says they're paths, and makes no other notes, so I'd think the LOS should get blocked. With all the other terrain, I don't think there's any tricky LOS that could result from nearly any exact boundaries you establish.

I will note that they state that the paths do join the still-existing roads, in case that makes any adjustment in art.

 

[BigAl737]

Makes sense @Rindis. Unlike a road, I read B13.8 to say that LOS does not exist along a path, regardless of its artwork depiction.

I’ll get this done over the weekend.

 

[BigAl737]

Scenario overlay request: A84 Endless Struggle uses board 34. Mostly, it's used straight, but the Q1-P4 and R6-R8 roads are instead woods paths, while the rest stay as roads (and largely woods-roads).

(Not playing immediately, but will probably pitch to Patch soon.)

Download v2.11 of the Overlay extension: http://vasl.info/extensions.htm

Look here:


Drag and drop into place.

 

[Rindis]

Just tested; looks beautiful!

Are extension overlays instead of being integrated into the boards going to be standard practice?

 

[BigAl737]

Just tested; looks beautiful!

Are extension overlays instead of being integrated into the boards going to be standard practice?

The two methods of placing overlays complement each other, so as of now, both will remain available for the foreseeable future. However, the integrated system is not being updated with new overlays. That desk within the VASL Cabal has sat empty for quite some time. Only the overlay extension, which is maintained by me, is being kept up to date.

 

[Fiedler]

The new VASL version 6.6.5 is great esp the Ctrl E for acq function. Suggestions:

1. When CtrL E is used automatically link the AFV and ACQ counter with a thread (cgrl+Command+L on a Mac). Perhaps add it as an option in preferences to toggle link/no link.
2. Add an option to copy the Label of AFV using Ctrl-E to ten created ACQ counter- Perhaps add it as an option in preferences to toggle this function.

Thanks for all the hard work!

 

[Zajuts149]

I couldn't find any post about this this through search, but one thing that would be very helpful to creating scenarios with VASL, is to have a quick way to sort boards during 'board selection'. Right now, they're just organised in an alphanumeric fashion.

It would be much easier to find the right board, if you could sort by dominant terrain categories, such as river/mountain/village/forest/farmland/urban, etc.

 

[Michael R]

I couldn't find any post about this this through search, but one thing that would be very helpful to creating scenarios with VASL, is to have a quick way to sort boards during 'board selection'. Right now, they're just organised in an alphanumeric fashion.

It would be much easier to find the right board, if you could sort by dominant terrain categories, such as river/mountain/village/forest/farmland/urban, etc.

I could see that being useful when designing a scenario, but not when setting up a published scenario.