Dev Blog 13 - Scenario Editor
Greetings! We’re back with a detailed dev blog on the upcoming scenario editor. This will be a long one, so if you want the short version, the scenario editor is coming soon and the map editor a bit further down the road.
Much of this blog will later become the foundation of a proper editor guide/manual, but now, let’s dive in!
The scenario editor allows you to take any map and any OBs and make your own custom scenario. The editor uses a modified hotseat setup, so you can swap between the two sides and run the first turn as many times as you like without issue. Throughout your time in the scenario editor, the little bar on the left will be your friend, we have ensured it has plenty of space for future additions:
For scenario editor release we are preparing a pair of model scenarios, a siege and two-way invasion, to make it easy to see custom scenarios in action and use them as a foundation for your own designs.
Let’s go through the sections in detail and see what you can do!
[h2]Scenario Settings:[/h2]
Scenario settings deals with core scenario features like starting requisition points (if any), replacement/landing point schedules, paratroop drop availability, etc. All crucial elements to crafting a specific scenario experience for your players. For instance, you could create a siege scenario where one player never receives any requisition points and must make do with the forces they have, while their opponent gains regular reinforcements.
[h2]Units:[/h2]
The units section contains everything you need to buy units, set reinforcement dates, assign co-op unit ownership, and temporarily or permanently immobilize units.
[h2]Objects:[/h2]
Objects form the core of scenario creation. Use these tools to add custom objectives, modify air zones, place forts, create sadistic minefields, manipulate (or even entirely remove) deployment zones, create river ports, you can do A LOT here.
Also note that most of the features below can be used to remove as well as place items. For instance, if you do not want cities that already exist on the map to automatically project supply then you can use the supply tool to remove those pre-placed supply hubs just as easily as you add them.
[h2]Object Modifiers:[/h2]
As their name suggests, object modifiers alter characteristics of existing objects, specifically victory points.
[h2]Putting it All Together:[/h2]
Once you have completed your scenario, placed every unit, added your objectives, set your deployments, created your minefield maze, you can run as many turns as you want to create your scenario start save. When you run a turn in the editor after the turn completes the game still believes it’s turn 1, no matter how much has changed. Units can move, even be destroyed, but the new turn will still be turn 1. You don’t need to get everything perfectly right the first time, because the editor allows you to keep running turns until you have the starting situation you’re looking for.
Use this freedom to execute attacks so there are already combat markers on the map when the player starts the game, this will let them know they’re entering an in-progress battle. Need to alter starting line of sight? Reset those LOS markers and run it again. Did you build your whole scenario and forget to buy aircraft? No problem, open the unit pool, buy them, and run the turn again, you lose nothing. When you’re done save the scenario and your new creation is ready to play from the premade scenario list. Load it back up in the editor any time you want to make further edits.
The full map editor with the ability to place terrain and make fully custom maps is in the pipeline but it needs more time. Our old map creation tools used a separate program we created and finished maps were then imported into CAOS, tested, re-exported for bug fixes, and then the final product was finally playable. This process was unnecessarily complicated, time consuming, and a major production bottleneck. After completing the scenario editor we will finish porting the map creation functions into the new editor system. Support for custom armies is also planned, but those plans will be discussed at greater length during Operation Sealion expansion development.
Much of this blog will later become the foundation of a proper editor guide/manual, but now, let’s dive in!
Scenario Editor Features:
The scenario editor allows you to take any map and any OBs and make your own custom scenario. The editor uses a modified hotseat setup, so you can swap between the two sides and run the first turn as many times as you like without issue. Throughout your time in the scenario editor, the little bar on the left will be your friend, we have ensured it has plenty of space for future additions:
For scenario editor release we are preparing a pair of model scenarios, a siege and two-way invasion, to make it easy to see custom scenarios in action and use them as a foundation for your own designs.
Let’s go through the sections in detail and see what you can do!
[h2]Scenario Settings:[/h2]
Scenario settings deals with core scenario features like starting requisition points (if any), replacement/landing point schedules, paratroop drop availability, etc. All crucial elements to crafting a specific scenario experience for your players. For instance, you could create a siege scenario where one player never receives any requisition points and must make do with the forces they have, while their opponent gains regular reinforcements.
- Req. Points Set starting requisition points.
- Settings: This opens the settings notepad file associated with the scenario. In this file you can change virtually every relevant scenario setting. The requisition mode used, replacement and landing point schedules, lock out turn 1 orders, enable paratroop drops, toggle engineering order availability by type and nation, even the availability of the battlegroup feature by nation, and more.
- Tools: Useful editor tools such as disabling fog of war and deleting units (which returns them to the unit pool as if refunded.)
[h2]Units:[/h2]
The units section contains everything you need to buy units, set reinforcement dates, assign co-op unit ownership, and temporarily or permanently immobilize units.
- Buy Units: Opens the unit pool to allow you to purchase units outside of a normal preturn.
- Reinforce: Allows you to set a reinforcement arrival date for selected units. The units will appear in their current hex on the designated turn, even if that hex is inside the deployment box. Essential when you want to control precisely when and where a unit enters play either for historical simulation or scenario balance.
- Co-op User: Designates which user (host or client) controls the selected unit(s) in co-op scenarios. Obviously has no effect on other scenario types.
- Set Static: Immobilize selected units either temporarily or permanently. Temporarily immobile units become mobile at the start of the designated turn. Static units can never move, have 0 stacking value, and do not exert Zone of Control.
[h2]Objects:[/h2]
Objects form the core of scenario creation. Use these tools to add custom objectives, modify air zones, place forts, create sadistic minefields, manipulate (or even entirely remove) deployment zones, create river ports, you can do A LOT here.
Also note that most of the features below can be used to remove as well as place items. For instance, if you do not want cities that already exist on the map to automatically project supply then you can use the supply tool to remove those pre-placed supply hubs just as easily as you add them.
- Objectives: Place custom objectives. Do you want to make a random hex of desert a key objective? Be my guest. Want to add objectives to airfields? Go for it.
- Origin: Set the origin hex from which a side’s airpower is projected. Changing origin hexes substantially impacts how the competing air zones spread across the map. Also note that while all current scenarios have air origins at map edges, you don’t have to adhere to that rule.
- Forts: Place forts, even the formidable level 3 (Siegfried Line level) not used in any current CAOS scenario.
- Deploy: Set deployment zones, you can make these temporary or even permanent. You could create a scenario where one side has deployment zones in cities in the middle of the map to represent forward mobilization zones or railheads.
- Air Hub: Air hubs extend the air zone, they function like powerful, uncapturable, airfields. In historical scenarios we use air hubs to represent the influence of off map airfields, such as Malta in the Husky scenario.
- Minefields: Place minefields. Simple, effective, destroys friendships when used excessively.
- Supply: Place supply hubs. Great for representing major, immobile, logistics assets.
- Ports: Place ports, potentially anywhere on the map, but intended to be used either for ports on rivers, or for coastal ports (not on landable beaches) that have obstructable entrances. Each port has a line of communication to the sea, and if enemy air zone or units occupy any point on their line of communication the port cannot function.
- LOS: Place line of sight markers for either side, these markers always last 1 turn but you can set their line of sight radius to any value. You could use this to give a side total map vision during the first turn, or advanced vision of specific sections of front at the start of the game, as we do in historical scenarios.
[h2]Object Modifiers:[/h2]
As their name suggests, object modifiers alter characteristics of existing objects, specifically victory points.
- VP Value: Change the victory point value of a pre-placed objective, such as a city.
- VP Status: Change the ownership of a pre-placed objective, such as a city. This can also be used to remove the yellow objective hashmarks or a pre-placed objective.
[h2]Putting it All Together:[/h2]
Once you have completed your scenario, placed every unit, added your objectives, set your deployments, created your minefield maze, you can run as many turns as you want to create your scenario start save. When you run a turn in the editor after the turn completes the game still believes it’s turn 1, no matter how much has changed. Units can move, even be destroyed, but the new turn will still be turn 1. You don’t need to get everything perfectly right the first time, because the editor allows you to keep running turns until you have the starting situation you’re looking for.
Use this freedom to execute attacks so there are already combat markers on the map when the player starts the game, this will let them know they’re entering an in-progress battle. Need to alter starting line of sight? Reset those LOS markers and run it again. Did you build your whole scenario and forget to buy aircraft? No problem, open the unit pool, buy them, and run the turn again, you lose nothing. When you’re done save the scenario and your new creation is ready to play from the premade scenario list. Load it back up in the editor any time you want to make further edits.
Future plans:
The full map editor with the ability to place terrain and make fully custom maps is in the pipeline but it needs more time. Our old map creation tools used a separate program we created and finished maps were then imported into CAOS, tested, re-exported for bug fixes, and then the final product was finally playable. This process was unnecessarily complicated, time consuming, and a major production bottleneck. After completing the scenario editor we will finish porting the map creation functions into the new editor system. Support for custom armies is also planned, but those plans will be discussed at greater length during Operation Sealion expansion development.