New VASL Extension - BoardZoomer.vmdx

[hongkongwargamer]

One thing I was playing with over the last two days since I installed 6.6.8 and the BoardZoomer. It seems harder to drop counters into the middle of the hex. The situation is resolved after I take away the BoardZoomer. I suspect the BoardZoomer gives a counter more points in the hex to snap into?

 

[Robin Reeve]

Oh yeah, missed that - my apologies

No problem.
I miss many things myself.
And we agree that this is a wonderful extension.

 

[vmonster]

Adding another voice to the chorus - this extension is fantastic!! THANK YOU, fine VASL fellows!

 

[PresterJohn]

One thing I was playing with over the last two days since I installed 6.6.8 and the BoardZoomer. It seems harder to drop counters into the middle of the hex. The situation is resolved after I take away the BoardZoomer. I suspect the BoardZoomer gives a counter more points in the hex to snap into?

I think there are nine. I'm practicing to just get the four, five and six positions.

 

[Paul John]

One thing I was playing with over the last two days since I installed 6.6.8 and the BoardZoomer. It seems harder to drop counters into the middle of the hex. The situation is resolved after I take away the BoardZoomer. I suspect the BoardZoomer gives a counter more points in the hex to snap into?

Houlie and I had the same issue yesterday. We suspected BoardZoomer, but as we had both just upgraded to 6.6.8 as well as adding this extention, we tried deleting the extension and reloading everything but the problem continued. It was really hard
to put the counter in the right place.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

@DougRim advised that we keep settings on ‘Snap 1’

 

[Philippe D.]

Just updated VASSAL and VASL to try out this extension. It seems quite nice.

I noticed it doesn't seem to interact too well with the "Hideable Control Markers" extension, though. In my current DZ:SME campaign, I am using this extension to mark setup areas with the thick lines that normally line up with the hex borders; this works great since they can easily be hidden during play, and will let me use two different colors on different sides of a hexside. But when using the BoardZoomer extension, these lines will not zoom (they remain at counter size) and so will turn into discontinuous lines.

(Of course, where this extension will shine is with small-map, high-counter-density scenarios. CGs, where you have to mark perimeters, usually use large maps, but they can have some pretty high counter density, at least in some parts. Well, if this cannot be easily fixed, we can just zoom back to 100% for the perimeter drawing)

 

[DougRim]

(Of course, where this extension will shine is with small-map, high-counter-density scenarios. CGs, where you have to mark perimeters, usually use large maps, but they can have some pretty high counter density, at least in some parts. Well, if this cannot be easily fixed, we can just zoom back to 100% for the perimeter drawing)

Especially if you are using the Hideable perimeter lines, you can show them at 100% and hide them at any other zoom level during play.

 

[Jplott94]

Installed BoardZoomer last night, and it works fantastically! Sure to be one of the "shiny buttons" in my ASL cockpit! Many thanks to all involved!

 

[jyoung]

I noticed it doesn't seem to interact too well with the "Hideable Control Markers" extension, though. In my current DZ:SME campaign, I am using this extension to mark setup areas with the thick lines that normally line up with the hex borders; this works great since they can easily be hidden during play, and will let me use two different colors on different sides of a hexside. But when using the BoardZoomer extension, these lines will not zoom (they remain at counter size) and so will turn into discontinuous lines.

Hi Phillippe, try the new version of the Hideable Control Markers (v2.5), where the perimeter markers now zoom with the map. The interface has changed to hopefully make it easier to find and interact with counters, there's a user guide included in the extension. If you've already laid out a bunch of perimeter markers in your game, hitting the upgrade button (found under the select button dropdown menu) should save you redoing it with the new ones (but I'd recommend saving the game first just in case) and then they should zoom ok.

Alternatively, the new version also includes area control markers for Strategic Locations, which are probably better suited to DZ:SME than perimeter lines. Here's a shot from the user guide showing two overlapping control regions and the no-man's land in between:

Having lots of these on the screen will obviously obscure the terrain somewhat, I suggest using them in the setup area determination phase, then hiding them during actual play.

 

[Paul John]

@DougRim advised that we keep settings on ‘Snap 1’

Hmmm, I have no idea what this means. I don't have a Settings. Do you mean Preferences?
And I have no idea where I would set Snap to 1...
Try again for the low-tech types?

 

[DougRim]

Hmmm, I have no idea what this means. I don't have a Settings. Do you mean Preferences?
And I have no idea where I would set Snap to 1...
Try again for the low-tech types?

Click on the dropdown in the BoardZoomer button.
You will see a set of options appear.
At the bottom of the list will be Snap 1 and Snap 2.

 

[jyoung]

 

[jyoung]

Would this be preferable?

 

[DougRim]

I would prefer

Snap Points in Hex
Single
Multiple

 

[Neal]

Finally upgraded and installed this mod. I like it, but is there a way to make it so the zoom state is saved to the game file so it doesn't have to be set every time your reload the game?

 

[jyoung]

Finally upgraded and installed this mod. I like it, but is there a way to make it so the zoom state is saved to the game file so it doesn't have to be set every time your reload the game?

Sorry no, it's based on the regular zoom function, so each player can have their own independent setting which is not tied to the .vsav file.

 

[Philippe D.]

Alternatively, the new version also includes area control markers for Strategic Locations, which are probably better suited to DZ:SME than perimeter lines. Here's a shot from the user guide showing two overlapping control regions and the no-man's land in between:

This is going to kill 90% of my post-scenario fun, while I stay up until early morning marking the map after the game... plus, it will also kill many opportunities for mistakes while doing it.

Looks great, really. Are they as easily shown/hidden as the original control markers? They do seem to obscure the map more, so I'd probably want to hide them during play, but I often like to check the state also.

Anyway - great work, as usual.

 

[jyoung]

Are they as easily shown/hidden as the original control markers?

Yep, they work the same.

 

[Neal]

I had to remove the extension. I really like it, but the way counters snap to hexes (or not) is maddening right now. Doesn't matter what "Snap" setting I have. Some counters won't even snap to the center. I also appears to break the CVP tracking counters that we use all the time.

I hope some stuff gets ironed out.