what's your VASL wish?

[countermanCX]

hey, there's not a lot on my plate for the next upgrade, just some DTO EC markers, Acq markers will get the 'Location' quality, & mebbe I'll fix the Yank 747 (again). But what's your idea?

There was a good point made lately, that DTO Dust markers should rotate (& mebbe even Label) to associate w/ the vehicle that created the Dust. It'll be easy to accomodate this suggestion in the next upgrade.

Does anyone have another 'pet peeve' that I can fix for you? Or a 'big idea' that needs to be explored? Don't be shy about mooting a wild idea - remember, some total newb made a post here that resulted in the ctrl-key Move-command capability.

So, bring your thoughts / moans / demands, & your ctrman will do his best for y'all.

 

[Houlie]

Perhaps not what you were looking for, but keeping the server from "crapping out" at the start of the weekend -- like it appears to be "crapped out" right now.

 

[Houlie]

A thought: With the new version out (whatever it is), my toolbar no longer fits in one row across the top -- it is now two. Unfortunately, this cuts down on my already limited screen space. It would be nice to get it back to one row -- perhaps allow a user to cusomize it?

 

[countermanCX]

A thought: With the new version out (whatever it is), my toolbar no longer fits in one row across the top -- it is now two. Unfortunately, this cuts down on my already limited screen space. It would be nice to get it back to one row -- perhaps allow a user to cusomize it?

I've been shrinking those button-images on the 'VASL controls' & 'VASL map' dlogs - but they still need to be a bit smaller. Do you use the 'Combined' window? I get better screen-flexibility when this option is off.

 

[countermanCX]

Perhaps not what you were looking for, but keeping the server from "crapping out" at the start of the weekend -- like it appears to be "crapped out" right now.

heh, I'm totally not involved w/ those "server-side" probs, AFAIK, nobody can even tell if the server-death is a prob w/ the VASSAL-code, or the native Java-code.

But if I'm due to meet a 'scheduled' oppo, I've had no prob setting up a p2p connection, when the main server has died.

 

[Reepicheep]

What I would *love* to see is a way to have my counter-tray stay the way I left it the last time I exited VASL. It is slightly tedious to have to always resize the countertrays, especially the vehicle counters.

e.g. Open the German vehicle countertray and the default view gives me a picture of an AFV, but the sub-menu showing different AFV types is hidden and needs to be dragged out.

Ideally, VASL could remember the countertray resizes and store these for when it next opens.

 

[Houlie]

What I would *love* to see is a way to have my counter-tray stay the way I left it the last time I exited VASL. It is slightly tedious to have to always resize the countertrays, especially the vehicle counters.

e.g. Open the German vehicle countertray and the default view gives me a picture of an AFV, but the sub-menu showing different AFV types is hidden and needs to be dragged out.

Ideally, VASL could remember the countertray resizes and store these for when it next opens.

Oh my! I agree 100% This is very frustrating. The counter tray always seems to default to the largest one used during a given session. Quite a pain.

Another problem-solving opportunity is when typing private message and someone else then sends you one, the second one "takes precednece" and what ever you were typing is automatically in the second persons box.

 

[JOS]

Pillboxes

Hi,

Thanks for asking. I would really appreciate Pillbox counters that (at the very least) look like ASL ones (i.e., without the arrow angled off to the side from the illustration), and ideally, that also behave correctly (i.e., the counter itself would rotate to face toward the corner of the hex). As I recall, in earlier versions of VASL, the whole picture (pillbox art and the arrow) rotated to face the corner of the hex - that was an ok compromise, and much better than the current situation. I was surprised when the current pillboxes became the standard in the last couple of versions of vasl - they are one of the few areas where VASL seems to have regressed from being a good imitation of FTF play, and in cluttered scenarios or when HIP I find them harder to read.

Enjoy, Joshua

 

[Robin Reeve]

I already expressed it, but I would a like an improvement of the Phase/Turn marker.
It would be interesting to have the possibility to pass from "Turn 2 Allied CCPh" directly to "Turn 3 Axis Rph" (or "Turn 2 Axis RPh").
This would ask that the marker must be defined as set within an "Axis moves first" or "Allied moves first" scenario.

In the present state of things, if you need to change turn number, flip the marker to the Axis/Allied side and make the marker advance to the RPh, this asks three manipulations, which each send a message in the chat window.

 

[ecz]

Hi CountermanCX, thank you for asking this periodically.

As already posted in the past, next major improvement could be the option to shift/rotate the board(s).
Each player should see his friendly units entering from the bottom of the board. As usually happens in real FtF playing.

I know this is technically difficult today, but I'm also sure this option will be implemented in the future.

less important things:

1) the option to check at any time the currenr DR/dr average for each player in that VASL session. I admit to have changed my mind about the utility of this option.

2) the option to change the colour of each nationality. This was possible in earlier VASL versions. (Yes I know this is also impossible with the current tecnology of the VASL counter images, but once more I'm confident this can be possible in the future).

3) a window with the complete Chapter B divider at least (further Chapter dividers would be welcomed) and a window with the ASOP, to cut down dead times to grab the phisical divider not always handy.

4) an advice with the mail/address/phone number of the guy who is in charge to solve VASL crashes for a quick contact. It should appear/be visible when the connection is not possible. So when the VASL is not operative any user can call soon the right person.
Not too different from the plate we can find in any elevator...

Thank you for your GREAT work.

 

[ScoobySnacks]

The terrain dividers.

 

[DerBlitzer]

In the past, I was told my suggestions already existed so here's hoping I avoid embarrassment again:

Easy ones:

* Make it possible to label a concealment counter. For those occasions when it's necessary to add a note to a concealed stack or vehicle for both you and your opponent.

* Make it possible to turn a sniper counter semi-transparent, like HIP, but so that both players can see it. Maybe I'm the only one, but I hate these counters. They're ugly, they cover up terrain that you can easily forget about, and they ruin the aesthetics of the map and units. But if they're transparent, I can still see them but still also see the terrain. And they remain easy to find, since they're still visible. Maybe make the sniper counter as an overlay option?

Possibly easy:

* Add the last five saved files/logs to the File menu, so it's not necessary to go searching for one.

* Allow the offboard area to expand when you drag a counter further from the board. With big scenarios with lots of entering units, the staging area is often very cramped or not large enough when you want to line up units along an offboard road, for example.

I often wish, too, there could be a way to have VASL automatically calculate a ELR break, which can be missed. If it were DR only, you could have an option where you might hold down the CTRL key as you click the Dice button, and VASL would calculate it, but of course you need to add any DRMs to figure it out.

 

[Houlie]

In the past, I was told my suggestions already existed so here's hoping I avoid embarrassment again:

Easy ones:
* Make it possible to turn a sniper counter semi-transparent, like HIP, but so that both players can see it. Maybe I'm the only one, but I hate these counters. They're ugly, they cover up terrain that you can easily forget about, and they ruin the aesthetics of the map and units. But if they're transparent, I can still see them but still also see the terrain. And they remain easy to find, since they're still visible. Maybe make the sniper counter as an overlay option?

Agreed - sniper counters can get in the way covering up important terrain features. One way I solve this is to place the counter offboard and label it with its current hex location. I have never had an opponent have a problem with this.

 

[Sparafucil3]

I would like the LOS engine fixed when the top-most board is flipped. From my testing, it seems like the board is "flipped" for display but the LOS data underlying it is not. I have had several other people check this and we all get the same results and it does not matter what board or terrain transformation you use. As long as it's the top-most board, you will get LOS errors. If you add an extraneous board to the top first, and then add the board you need flipped, it does not generate the LOS errors, even if you later delete the extraneous board. I think it first appeared in version 5.42. You can work around this usually so it is not a show stopper but it is a pain some times. -- jim

 

[dwardzala]

An idea for those SASL players - add a command to units to mark them "in command" and "panic" (like berzerk, wounded, etc) that could be wiped away with a remove all pick. Maybe have a "SASL Option" pick somewhere so that all the SASL options could be turned off for those who don't play SASL.

Also, make wrecks flippable back to their original counter (if this hasn't been done already).

There's probably some other things I could come up with but I have to run.

 

[Relvig]

Still waiting

I know ASL is not one for 'Eye-candy,' but ever since SL, I have always liked the over the top view of the armor pieces played during the game. I am looking so forward to the new counter images for the Shermans and Russian AFVs to their correct likeness'. As I have said before, if you require any help, I will be glad to assist in whatever manner I can.

Eric

 

[Larry]

Terrain modification tools:

Cactus Patch, Olive Grove, Scrub, and Hammada draggable overlays.

Hedge, wall, and cactus hedge draggable overlays.

Terrain SSR tools:

Ability to keep brush as brush when the rest of the board goes PTO.

... wish list of an incessant board modifier :smoke:

 

[George Kelln]

Great work on the what is available, and I have not complaints on what is available, but if I could wish for something then it would be:

Is it possible for the boards can be reversed on my opponent 's screen?

Similar to what it would be if I was sitting across from my opponent playing a game.

Great work and thanks for making the game ASL even better.

 

[countermanCX]

What I would *love* to see is a way to have my counter-tray stay the way I left it the last time I exited VASL. It is slightly tedious to have to always resize the countertrays, especially the vehicle counters.

e.g. Open the German vehicle countertray and the default view gives me a picture of an AFV, but the sub-menu showing different AFV types is hidden and needs to be dragged out.

Ideally, VASL could remember the countertray resizes and store these for when it next opens.

Hi Reep & Houlie, I don't think Java has 'hooks' to the internal layout of the ctrtrays, or to which panels were last-opened.

 

[countermanCX]

Thanks for asking.

You're welcome, user-input is a neccessity here at ctrman central.

I would really appreciate Pillbox counters that (at the very least) look like ASL ones (i.e., without the arrow angled off to the side from the illustration)

I don't like the original VASL pillboxes, 'cos they don't align properly w/ a Gun ctr. But since the imagefiles for your preferred pillbox still exist in VASL4.mdx, it'll be easy to add them back in.

I'm not sure what you mean by the pill-ctr not rotating correctly - perhaps you're using an obsolete setup file? Can you post a pic?