Sep 22, 2000 About Genre Strategy Rating Rated 'E ' for Animated ViolenceSummary SSI's Panzer General Series is one of the most successful operational. Panzer general iii scorched earth fabrique scorched earth panzer corps on steam abandonware s panzer general iii scorched earth panzer general alchetron the social encyclopedia Panzer General Iii Scorched Earth Windows MyAbandonware S Panzer General Iii Scorched EarthPanzer General Iii Scorched Earth FabriquePanzer General Iii Scorched Earth FabriqueAbandonware S Panzer General Iii Scorched.
Many players got their first taste of a wargame with Panzer General. Panzer General eventually formed a key part of the fantastic ‘5-Star General’ series, a collection of releases which were innovative in their turn-based combat and scenarios. The 5-Star General Series would take you from 2D to 3D unit sprites, from WW2 to fiction based WW3, and all away into fantasy and space battles!Given that there were nine entries in this series, how does each game stack against each other? Well, we don't have anything better to do, so let's settle this debate once and for all, so that it never need be spoken of again. This list is in descending order.
Special Mention - Fantasy General 2We're not adding (released September 2019) into the main ranking for a couple of reasons, the main one being I haven't had a chance to ask Zach where he thinks it might place. Beyond that though, it's kind of inappropriate: the below games can reasonably be considered part of a consistent chain of releases that comprised of the '5-Star Generals' era. Fantasy General 2 only came about because Slitherine bought the license to Fantasy General and while they make Panzer General-like games (Order of Battle, Panzer Corps) they were never involved the original series.Still, as a sequel to a member of this list, there's no reason to completely ignore it either so we thought we'd mention it here. It's not trying to faithful recreate the original game (of which there's a 23 year gap between them), but stand on its own as a modern turn-based strategy war game. There are some nods to the original in terms of story and general mechanics, but those looking for ' Fantasy General HD' will be disappointed. Panzer General III: Scorched EarthDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
/ Mattel InteractiveReleased: 2000Purchase:It should come to nobody’s surprise that Panzer General III: Scorched Earth is the weakest of the entire series. As the last released, it really misses the mark on a lot of the expectations of long time fans. Arguably, the entire game feels more of an expansion (focusing on the Eastern Front) than a fully-fledged game, PG3SE manages to have the same issues that Panzer General 3D suffers from.This problem stems from the focus on 3D models for the units and cities. It can be speculated that the changes to 3D models forced the battles to shrink and the stakes to be lowered. Compensating, PG 3 focuses on having a leadership pool that grows as the game progresses and each have an equipment speciality.
While the older games sprites have aged like a fine wine, some of this early 3D work can look very blurry and awful. The martial music here seems very repetitive, more-so in PG3SE than anywhere else. You might find yourself muting your first Panzer General game! If it wasn’t enough, PG3SE is the least compatible with modern computers in the series.While not terrible, it shows that with Panzer General III: Scorched Earth, the series was coming to a close. From its flaws, it makes sense that PG3SE doesn’t see the reverence that the earlier releases. Star GeneralDeveloper/Publisher: Catware / Strategic SimulationsReleased: 1997Purchase:Star General was a bold move by SSI, to go where they have never gone before with the series, into spppaccceee.
The premise was once again exciting, with the hex combat seeing itself split amongst planets, moons and the stars with great looking space combat. What especially stands out for this sci-fi spin is the music, easily the best part of this release. Diplomacy, planet exploration and switching between maps can be exciting, but cumbersome.Star General’s flaws stem from joining a genre that’s already well established with space epics such as the Masters of Orion series and others. Coupled with some poor sound choices (besides the music), still clunky user interface, uninteresting scenarios and campaign play with demands of some scenarios being absurd with its turn expectations. For the scale of the battles being what they are, you will find yourself going to run out of turns more often than not.It shows that SSI didn't develop this title.
It lacks the captivating elements that other games in the series have. While some fans swear by it, overall the feeling is most people have skipped this underdog. Panzer General 3DDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / TLC Multimedia & UbisoftReleased: 1999Purchase:Panzer General 3D was following a trend at the time of its release by incorporating 3D elements into the game. Because of this, it feels rather chopped and limited in scope because of this new transition.
However, PG3D is still an excellent romp and showed that SSI could still be innovative with the series.PZ3D can be divisive among series fans, as it was the start of smaller scale battles and more of a tighter experience. With smaller battles, the scenarios seem to be more polished and there is some variety to be had. PG3D was first to allow leaders to focus on combat specialities for their units.
The user interface of the 3D games seems more logical and intuitive than predecessors, something closer to what modern standards call for, but not there just yet.However, innovation from 3D graphics and the leadership mechanics could not save PG3D from being low on this list. The graphics arguably have not aged well, at least compared to the fantastic sprite work of previous titles. It goes without saying that PG3D also struggles with compatibility issues. Even with a re-release on GoG, it still suffers immensely with graphical glitches and a sense of non-cooperation with Windows 10.The developers knew that they missed the mark with this release, because a year later they would try to correct with PG3SE, bringing the Eastern Front to the game engine and some minor fixes. Looking back on Panzer General 3D, it seems too little in content and too late in release. Fantasy GeneralDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / Strategic SimulationsReleased: 1996Purchase:Fantasy General, for many wargamers and fans of the series, is something of an oddity.
It turns out SSI is also well known for games influenced by Dungeons & Dragons, and in trying to break away from its World War staple, FG manages to take the hex-based strategy series to new places.Beautiful sprites and a new fantasy world was exciting to look at back in 1995. The soundtrack is exciting and fitting for the theme, while the sound of FG is engaging. AI reacts and puts up a fight when pressed.Fantasy General’s biggest flaws are the clunky split-up user interface, pacing of the later missions and of some of the scenarios. Another deficiency is the balance of forces. Some of the maps become so large and the turns so tight that some units are completely useless because of the level design; your tactics mainly end up revolving around cavalry and heavy infantry exclusively. These set backs and a rather generic fantasy world place Fantasy General in middle of the pack. Allied GeneralDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / Strategic SimulationsReleased: 1995Purchase:Allied General was the direct sequel to Panzer General, releasing the following year.
It acted as a direct opposite in the field of the Axis armies, focusing on battles from the Allie's perspective.A great element of Allied General was the return of the little battle animation bubbles that could be toggled to spice up the combat and bring in that little extra immersion. Allied General felt more balanced and geared towards infantry whereas Panzer General was all about the ze panzers.The scenarios and campaign were well designed, and a lot of enjoyment can be found from fans of the series. Particular standouts in AG are the Finland scenario and Africa campaigns. It also helped that for a lot of the scenarios, you could play as the Axis to keep things fresh.For those who spent a lot of time on Panzer General, coming to Allied General would be less enticing because of the large similarities. You may even come to be a bit disappointed if you were looking for more than just the same.
Furthermore, the scenario roster seems a bit lacking in the retail release when compared to Panzer General and others in the series. AG lacking a 1940 Western Europe scenario seems like such a missed opportunity as well. While mechanically it didn’t particularly take many chances, Allied General is a competent release that is just overshadowed by giants that were to come. Pacific GeneralDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / Strategic SimulationsReleased: 1997Purchase:Pacific General is a fantastic effort to bring the fight to the Pacific, featuring large naval battles and island hoping. It was another great avenue for SSI to explore.PacGen was the first in the series that really captured the sense of combined arms, the first game to establish the ability to move multiple units first, then to attack for maximum damage. Naval warfare was well put together, and naval units could repair themselves or suffer critical consequences from a strike. Again, the sound and visuals are top notch.Things begin to unravel on the edges of Pacific General.
While the scenarios are a lot more laid back and feasible for newcomers than the original, some scenarios border the line of impossible and PacGen veterans all know of the 'prestige save exploit', which enables more prestige to purchase units to get over some humps.Pacific General really shines in it’s presentation and scenarios. Veterans and newcomers alike can find there to be both exciting battles to be had and challenges to overcome. Yet some of the issues such as ageing, a rough time working on modern computers and the same scenario balance problems of which are peppered in all 5-Star General series games still manage to prevent this one from leading the pack. Panzer General IIDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / Strategic SimulationsReleased: 1997Purchase:While there were a few years and releases between Panzer General and Panzer General II, it seemed that the intent of this release was to be a worthy successor for the original game.PG2 really does deliver on a lot of expectations for fans of the series. Blockstorm free dowland. Better looking sprites and maps, fantastic audio and soundtracks will accompany the thrill of exploiting holes in the enemy’s defence. Fantastic campaigns and scenarios to chose from, with a fantastic list to start from calling back to the early days of vast amount of content. Every unit has an incredible face uplift under this new impression.
With sprites turning to face the enemy and each unit having a great level of detail for a game designed in a small resolution.Incorporated from Pacific General, you can now move multiple units and then fire, creating new ways to decimate the opposing force from supporting attack bonuses. Additionally, veterancy is a feature of which units can acquire leaders and skill bonuses making them even more valuable on the battlefield with continuation in the campaigns.But some players may find that Panzer General II does have a few flaws.
Again, some levels become a race for the objectives kind of puzzle which limits strategic thinking, and immersion breaking. Being the seventh release of the series, more than just an objective chase game type would be appreciated. As the title of the game suggests, focus of the game is again brought back to the armored nucleus of the Axis armies, and scenarios of which excelled from this template.
Those who are fans of the other releases in the series may feel left out because this.It became important for modders to make up for its flaws in user generated scenarios. PG2 has a fantastic repository of scenarios for it, which can be found. Panzer GeneralDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / Strategic Simulations & MindscapeReleased: 1994Purchase:Panzer General was the first game in the series and a giant amongst contemporary wargames. It brought wargaming to a whole new accessible echelon that blended fun and quick play with critical and strategic thinking.PG has managed to be remembered fondly for decades now. The presentation has been world class, and at the time of 1994, the user interface was acceptable and easy to navigate. A healthy manual told players what to expect and actively tried to encourage the player to think about their actions.The vastness of scenarios and campaign mean there's hours of fun to be had and set the standard of what was expected in later releases.
To this day, Panzer General inspires new projects with its content and has many spiritual successors. The AI in Panzer General was great at the time, and still puts up a fight although in some cases, it can be felt that the AI does cheat.While nostalgia might make us see past some of the flaws, they are there. AI can be problematic, and some turn demands for scenarios can be restrictive to the point of no fun. Panzer General unfortunately is a bit of a drag to get working on modern computers (unless you manage to read our helpful guide!).Panzer General was so solid at the time and was incorporated into further games in the series. Modders and enthusiasts went to work to keep Panzer General alive by bringing its content to later titles and updating through a remake known as. It’s a close call for first but Panzer General can hang its head high knowing that it started a fantastic series and still holds up today.
People’s GeneralDeveloper/Publisher: Strategic Simulations / Strategic SimulationsReleased: 1998Purchase:People’s General is a juggernaut of a wargame. Approaching 21 st century warfare with the 5-Star General lens and operating with Panzer General II’s mechanics and looks, it produced an astonishing recipe for operational wargaming.People’s General was a far more advanced version of PG2. Leaders were handed out when important areas were captured, there were more options for purchasing units, movement felt more organic than static sprites and experience levels. The soundtrack for PeG was a mixture of martial and totalitarian sounds, adding to the stress of how important it was to knock out that AAA that’s been wrecking havoc on your jets trying to break up armor thrusts.At release, People’s General came with 9 campaigns and plenty of scenarios. Over a hundred additional scenarios were developed, covering everything from America’s Revolution all the way to the Falkland’s War. Those scenarios can be found. Graphically PeG is the best of the series.
Under the engine called 'Living Battlefield' beautiful vistas cover up the hexes alongside great looking unit sprites from a variety of nations and factions. The UI meets the modern warfare setting by being neat and straight forward.The weakest element of People’s General was the lack of naval warfare in the base game. While naval warfare has evolved in radical ways since the last world war, it would have been fantastic to see Strategic Simulations explore this, as they did with Pacific General under their new engine.People’s General takes all the lessons learned from the 5-Star Series and really runs with it. It’s a real shame that its legacy is ultimately overshadowed by the original Panzer General. However, all games of the series are phenomenal and full of potential. So, what are you waiting for?
Time to earn those stars, general.Do you agree with how we ranked the 5-Star General series? Let us know in the comments!
What is this?First neither PG3DA or PG3SE is easy gamesto modify.I will say it right now; the key to makeanything for PG3DA or PG3SE is the STR file. This holds everything text,and all things ref.
To this file in one way or another. If you do not understand this file, youcan forget about making new campaigns or scenario for any of the PG3games!Anyway, this doc is not about actualinstructions on how to make ex a new scenario. This is about how thingswork together in those game and what you need to do and remember, tomake ex a new scenario.There is noreal tools for any of this - yet! However people who can program mightbe inspired or helped, by reading this, to actual create those toolsneeded to make ex new scenario from bottom up. Ifthat happens this doc has not been in vain, and I have not wasted manyhours on finding out how things work together in those two games.Thisdoc is by no way complete, but it covers many things in the game.
Imight add to it in the future.Havea happy reading:). SSI and GamesWell I have been messing with SSI's PanzerGeneral Games for 4 years now, and I am just simply stunned by SSI completelake of understand what users want and what a game need to be really successfully.We are not talking about a 3D shooterhere or a real-time game. All SSI 'Panzer' games are turn basedwargames. I would not say that turn based game are hanging on by athreat, but we all know its not the most popular ones either. FormatsHere is a bit of information on the formatused in PG3DA and PG3SE. Well the difficult format, cause there is otherformat used, but they are rather common.
(Stringfile)The.STR file is actual the key to most editingof PG3DA and PG3SE. This file found in the.Language/Current directorycontains ALL text used anywhere by the game, like interface, help,scenario intro, campaign intro, unit names etc.The STR file is original compiled of 8.INI file, which are not found in any of the Retail versions anymore.The 8.INI files are; PNTEXT.INI, PMTEXT.INI, CBTEXT.INI, CCTEXT.INI,JHTEXT.INI, MHTEXT.INI, RBTEXT.INI and OTHERTEXT.INI.The good news is that the game itselfhas the ability to compile those 8 INI file to a STR file. BothPG3DA and PG3SE has this ability. PG3DA will only compile those 8 INIfile if no STR file is already present. If it is there PG3DA does not compilethe INI file again. PG3SE complies it every time, regardless of the STRfile being present or not.In order to get the original8 INI file you have to de-compile the STR file. It so happens that Ihave already made such an utility, which can be found.This Util can de-compile the STR file to its original 8 INI. Mega man zero 4 freesia.
The 8 INIyou get out of this, you simply put in the.Language/Current directoryand the game will re-compile them to a new STR file, when you start it.Remember PG3DA does NOT re-compile if a STR file is alreadypresent.For a STR spec look. (NetImmersefile Format)This is the native file format of the 3Dengine used by SSI for PG3DA and PG3SE. The engine is the NetImmerse 3Dengine, which is made by.All.NIF file for PG3DA and SE, thatmeans all 3D object such as Maps, units, Shadows etc. Is made in 3DStudio Max then converted to NIF format. The.NIF is actual a somewhat'secret' format, its somewhat impossible to find specificationson it, unless you go a buy the complete 3D engine. All NIF file of PG3DAand PG3SE is version 2.3 of the NetImmerse File FormatMaking new maps or units is not going bea slam dunk that is for sure.
As I understand it the companies thatlicense or buy this engine does not have the right to release its code.Well you can download a free utility at, called MAXI Immerse that can actual convert 3D studioMax format to.NIF. I don't know if.NIF is a lose-less format,meaning if its actual possible to convert back to 3D Studio Max format.Anyhow there is not such an utility available for free anywhere, -unless you buy the NetImmerse engine. So for now its not even possibleto actual view any of the NIF files found in the Panzer3 games, not to speaksof making you own.The fans of another game,- using this 3Dengine - Star Trek: Bridge Commander,is having the same problem as fans of PG3. However since the StarTrek fans have long been dealing with mystical graphic/3D format andmanaged to solve them, I am putting my hopes in them to actual breakdownthe NIF format and making utilities to make new NIF file. One thing isfor sure I am not going to attempt it, my love for PG3 is not thatgreat!Even if one managed toconvert back to 3D Studio Max, the work might not be done by then.
Apparentlyeven though all NIF files for PG3DA and PG3SE is version 2.3, they arenot compatible. So even if you have the NIF files as original 3D StudioMax file, you might need to know that format also and the differentsetting from PG3DA and PG3SE.
(Mapfiles)The AMP file are data holders for themaps. The are the equal of.MAP file in PG2. The name AMP is probablyjust a reverse of MAP.It holds what each hex is on the linkedmap, like city, mountain, river etc.
The format should be fairly simplyto figure out. It actual start out as PG2 map file, with the link numberas the first byte, followed by the (X,Y) size of the map. It should notbe to difficult to figure out the rest, but I have not given it a shot.The link number is a number that links aMAP:xx entry in the STR file. This MAP:xx entry contains the namesof places on the map.The AMP file is linked to the actualimage (the NIF files) by its name.
All AMP file has to end on.ArtMap.AMP,where the letter in front is the name of the map. The corresponding NIFfile (the image) has the same name but with a.Mesh.NIF ending. So exLassArtMap.AMP is linked to LasseMesh.NIF, and so on. (Zlib compressed Bit MapPicture)BMZ in it self does not actual specify aZlib compressed BMP image. It only means its a compressed BMP image.
Itcould be another form of compression, like LZW. Anyway SSI has used theZlib compression. Zlib is not specified an image compression, but rathera general method of compression.Zlib is loss less data-compressionlibrary for use on virtually any computer hardware and operating system.The zlib data format is itself portable across platforms. Zlib waswritten by Jean-loup Gailly (compression) and Mark Adler (decompression). Jean-loupis also the primary author/maintainer of gzip; Mark is also the authorof gzip's and UNZIP´s main decompression routines and was the originalauthor of Zip.
Not surprisingly, the compression algorithm used in Zlibis essentially the same as that in gzip and Zip, namely, the `deflate'method that originated in PKWARE's PKZIP 2.x.The most current version of the Zlibcompression is v1.1.3, and it so happens that this is the version usedby SSI also. Here is the direct link to the, - which is free, in C. So if you are handy Cprogrammer and a bit of understanding of Images you can create you ownBMP to BMZ compressor.Zlib main page can be found.In fact the code Inflate.c anddeflate.c found in the Zlib source is directly used in the BMZmaker bySSI found in the PG3DA demo. Here is the rip offrom the PG3DA demo. This can read all BMZ file found in PG3DA andPG3SE.
(Camapigns)I cant say I have figured out theCampaign format, cause I have not tried, but it should be fairly simple.A collection of links to the scenarios used, along with a 16 byteheader, - like the scenarios have, - for intro, mission text etc. (SSI Scenarios)The scenarios is slightly different fromPG3DA and PG3SE. In SE the scenarios is always 171.401 Byte, in DAalways 176.168 Byte big.
Even though the format is almost the same, theyare not compatible with each other.Panzer General 3 Scorched Earth -Scenarios:In SE the scenarios have a somewhatcrypto name, like ' SPS002M07801Scen.scn'. This is theway SSI names them all. Well that is not so crypto after all.
This meansSingle Player Scenario 2, Map 21, Scenario 801There is 7 different letter start for thescenarios. SPS, MPS, TUT, GMJ, GMN, RMJ,RMN. One of these are ALWAYS needed, or SE will not recognize thescenario. You can use any naming as long as the name is proceeded by oneof the string shown above.
So ex SPS.scn is as good as SPS001scen.scn.PG3SE will recognize them both.The meaning of the names. SPS = Single PlayerScenario MPS = Multi PlayerScenario TUT = TUTorialScenario GMJ = German CampaignScenario GMN = German CampaignScenario RMJ = Russian CampaignScenario RMN = Russian CampaignScenarioWell there is much more! Each scenariohas it own ID number inside the scenario,- 5 times to be exact.Its normally the same number but serves 5 different purposes. I have not broken down thecomplete scenario SPEC, but the 16 first byte of the.SCN file is the 4ID numbers for what text should be displayed. Each is the same format asthe 4 first byte of the STR spec. Then followers a 21 byte Null terminated String, whichholds the name of the map used, without the.Mesh.NIF ending. Then a 2byte Word with the scenario ID number.TheseID numbers ref to what text are to be used for the scenario.Like the name of it, scenario intro, campaign text, mission text etc.This text is found in the STR file.UnlikePG3DA where each scenario has its own Sceanrio:xx entry in theoriginal INI file the STR file is made up of,- all scenario inPG3SE has there own ID number under only 4 different Scenario:xxentry.
Actual these can be anything as the 4 ID numbers mentions aboveis what decides from where it all comes.Scenario:01 holdthe names of the scenario. Scenario:02 hold the scenario introtext for that scenario. Scenario:03 hold the Campaign introtext for that scenario and finally Scenario:04 the mission textfor that scenario. The ID number you find in the SCN file matches aID:xx number under each Scenario:xx. This is how SSI has madeit but as said its the 4 ID numbers that decides from where it allcomes. And you can easy changes to what you want.PanzerGeneral 3D Assault - Scenarios:Unlike PG3SE which does not have thislimited, PG3DA is limited to a maximum of 255 scenario, do to the waythe each scenario is ref.
To the STR file. Well its not really true,cause you can includes as many scenario text as you want under eachscenario number, and then just use them for other scenariosIn DA the scenarios have a somewhatcrypto name, like ' SPS41LW01223Scen.scn'. This is theway SSI names them all. Well that is not so crypto after all. This meansSingle Player Scenario, year 41, London-Windsor map (which in the finalversion has been shorten to only Windsor), and lastlyScenario 223.There is 11 different letter start forthe scenarios. SPS, MP, TUT, GUD, KES,LEC, MNT, OCN, PCH, PTN, ROM.
One of these are ALWAYSneeded, or DA will not recognize the scenario. Unlike SE the scenario inDA also has to end on. So ex SPS.scn is NOgood and DA will NOT recognize it. I has to be minimum SPSscen.scn.It could also be KES001scen.scn or something.The meaning of the names. SPS = Single PlayerScenario MP = Multi PlayerScenario TUT = TUTorialScenario GUD = GUDerianCampaign Scenario KES = KESselringCampaign Scenario LEC = LEClerc CampaignScenario MNT = Mo NTgomeryCampaign Scenario OCN = O' Co NnorCampaign Scenario PCH = Pat CHCampaign Scenario PTN = Pa Tto NCampaign Scenario ROM = ROMmel CampaignScenarioLike in SE each scenario has it own IDnumber value also. Also 5 of them.
I have not broken down thecomplete scenario SPEC, but the 16 first byte of the.SCN file is the 4ID numbers for what text should be displayed. Each is the same format asthe 4 first byte of the STR spec. Then followers a 21 byte Null terminated String, whichholds the name of the map used, without the.Mesh.NIF ending.
Then a 2byte Word with the scenario ID number.TheseID numbers ref to what text are to be used for the scenario.Like the name of it, scenario intro, campaign text, mission text etc.This text is found in the STR file.Unlike PG3SE whereall scenario text is collected under four (1-4) Sceanrio:xx entriesin the original INI file the STR file is made up of,- all scenarioin PG3DA has there own Scenario:xx entry, where xx is the linknumber. Again like in SE these can be anything as the 4 ID numbersmentions above is what decides from where it all comes.Undereach Scenario:xxhas four IDxx: under it (1-4), where I D01:holds the name of the scenario.
ID02:hold the scenariointro text for the scenario. ID03: hold the Campaignintro text for that scenario and finally ID04: themission text for that scenario.The ID number you find in the SCN filematches Scenario:xx number. Thisis how SSI has made it but as said its the 4 ID numbers that decidesfrom where it all comes. And you can easy changes to what you want.Thereis released 6 new scenario from SSI for PG3DA.
However they are notreally new, cause the text for them is already in the retail version.Just a nice trick:) According to some info I have gotten, numbers from244-249 are reserved for PSX (Play Station) scenarios. (Battle Generator - GeneratedScenarios)This is for Scorched Earth only. PG3DAdoes not have the ability to make those scenarioor read them.Well the BGS scenario are infect thetotally same as the SSI made SCN scenarios with one exception.BGS scenario will not used this name in the select list,only when selected even though the correct link number is in place.SCN files uses itin both places.BGS scenario uses its filename in the select list of scenarios.Also.BGS scenario can have any name youwant. They do not have to start with some specified letters first.
(Equipment Sound and 3Dgraphic)This 1/3 of the PG3DA and PG3SE equipmentfile. This hold all the sound file names and 3D Graphic file name usedby a piece of equipment.CB stand for Carl Bevil,who was the 3D programmer for Assault. He is the Lead Programmer forScorched Earth.The CB file seams to be exactly the sameformat in PG3DA and PG3SE.There is four sound and six 3D graphicfile linked to every units. The four sound are; Fire, Hit, Move and Die.And if you are wondering, there is a hit sound for every unit in PG3DAalso, like in PG3SE!, - the actual sound file is just not in the game.Guess SSI took it out last minute.The six 3D graphic file linked are; ahigh and low resolution view of the equipment.
A unknown link, - its thesame for every units so its probably not used. A fire graphic, a Diegraphic and not move but additional graphic when a unit moves. Thatwould be like the dust from the tracks when a tank moves.The sounds are the WAV file found in the Sounddirectory. All equipment wav sounds in PG3DA and SE is 16bit,22050bps, mono.The 3D graphic is the NIF files found inthe RendrArt directory. (Equipment Data)The PM file, is the 'true'equipment file.
This is the one holding all the hardcore data, like HA,AD,SA etc.PM stand for Paul Murray,who was the AI Programmer for Assault and again for Scorched Earth.Again it seams to be exactly the sameformat in PG3DA and PG3SE. Off course that is good news as one standardEfile can be created for both games.Here is a old I broke down a while ago. Note this is not up to speedon SE, and not entirely correct! For DA either. (Equipment 2D Graphic)PN holds the 2D graphic for a units foundin various places in the game. There are 4 images link to everyequipment.PN stand for Paul Naylor,who was the Lead Programmer for Assault.
He is not on the Scorched Earthteam.First the sheet image, they image you seewhen you pull a sheet on a unit. Then the bar icon, the bar at thebottom of the screen.
Then the image of the equipment in the HQ, whenyou select AT and several AT comes up.Finally there is a bullet assigned forevery unit. This is not used in either PG3DA or PG3SE, as the bulletgraphic is not in either game. (Battle Generator equipmenttables))The KIT files are only found in PG3SE,they are not used in DA.They are used by the Battle Generator, tofigure out which equipment it should use for the design of the scenario.They are just pre-defined table of what equipment are available to whatnation at what time. This is instead of having to trace though theequipment file for every nation every time a scenario is created.The KIT file are named like, GER43L.kit,where GER is Germany, 43 is 1943 and L is Late,- as in later 1943. An Ewould mean Early.
Year and Late/Early are selectable in the BattleGenerator. The mapsAs in Panzer General II, each map has anumber that link stuff to it.First the graphic part of the map, theimage. Well image is not really the right term in this case, as it is afully 3D object. However I will ref. To it as a image. This image ismade in 3DStudio Max, and then converted to a NIF file (short for Net Immersefile Format) version 2.3. Both Assault and Scorched Earthmaps are version 2.3The map images are found in the ' RendrArt'directory, alongside all the other NIF files, which is for all kind ofother stuff.
The map images are the large NIF files found, from 3-5Mbeach in size.Each image (NIF file) has a file name (obliviously),but it has to end on.MESH.NIF,- like LasseMESH.NIF or WarMESH.NIFNow the name, which is exclude theMESH.NIF correspond to the same name of a.AMP file, found in the' GameData' directory. The.AMP files also have aspecified ending to there name, which is.ARTMAP.AMPSo Ex. LasseMESH.NIF is linked toLasseARTMAP.AMP and so on.Like most SSI style, they managed toexclude them self of 35 maps from Assault in SE, because they used the samelink number as in SE. If SSI had just shown a tiny bit of good thinking,they would off course have started the SE map from 35 on, and not with 0as they do now.This is NOT going to be easy. At the timebeing it cannot be done!First we need someone to breakdown theNIF format, - create a tools for converting the NIF file back tooriginal 3D Studio Max, - then you need to be good at 3D studio Max toactual create them.SSI can have put in 100 of small thingsthat need to be there in 3D Studio Max, before it can be used as a mapin PG3. Things we have no knowledge about. So it can be a LONG time (Ifever!) before you will see new maps for PG3.
maps in Scorched EarthUnfortunely the Assault maps are notcompatible with SE:(, - despite that they are both v2.3 NIF files.But I cant imagine there is muchdifference. IF the NIF format ever get broken down, the Assault mapsshould be possible to correct so that they can be used with SE.The reason they cannot be used, is probablydo to some on-map features in SE that are not found in Assault maps.
The CampaignSince I have not tried to break down thecampaign format of either Assault or SE, I really don't know if thecampaign format is the same in both games. A quick look, it does notseam so, but I don't know.Anyway the campaigns are the.CMP filefound in the 'GAMEDATA' directoryof both games.In DA there is 8 campaigns, selectablevia the 'New Campaign' tab in the game.In SE there is 5 campaigns, 4 selectablevia the 'New Campaign'tab. Unlike DA where the 'Tutorial' tab plays a singlescenario, in SE it actually plays a campaign. That is the fifth campaignin SE.In either of the games its possible toadd new campaigns without replacing the original ones. There is simplyno interface to support or display them. I think SSI have limited themselvesseverely by this. This could have been do much better.Ok for every campaign there is a pictureby which you select it (except the Tutorial campaign in SE).
Thesepictures are 'hardcode' on to a large image, called 's05backgroundInt.bmz',which has the same name in both games. When you click on one of theimages to select the campaign, another lighter picture is displayed.These are names by the Generals name, like 's05guderianInt.bmz',or 's05pattonInt.bmz' etc.New campaigns should be possible to do.In order to make a new campaign you will have to replace a original one.This is fairly simple done, however it would be a good idea also toreplace the image for the General also, both the large and the smallerone. Ok if it is a campaign with the same General there would be no needfor that. One could also use a image of something else that representthe campaign better then a picture of a General.However in SE I think the best way toapply usermade campaigns is via the 'Tutorial' tab. Thatpreserves the original campaigns. Ok granted only one can be applied atone time, but then again how many campaigns can you play at one time!That gets you by all the image changing,if you don't know how to handle that.
Second it gives you the option ofactual displaying the name of you campaign. You can simply change thename 'Tutorial' to say 'African Campaign' orsomething like that.
This is done in the STR file.Anyway how to actual build a campaign,depends on a scenario editor. That is the primary tool we need. As saidI have not broken down the actual campaign format, but that issecondary, if there is not Scenario editor to build the scenarios in thecampaign.One can imagine using the stock of Battlegenerated scenarios. It might work, but that will never be good.Campaigns in Scorched EarthSorry, at the moment this is totally outof the question. The DA scenarios and Map format cannot be used with SE.And as long at there is not a tools to convert them to SE standard, youcan forget about the campaigns. The ScenariosThe Scenarios for both Assault and SE isfound in the 'GAMEDATA' directory.The scenarios is slightly different fromPG3DA and PG3SE.
In SE the scenarios is always 171.401 Byte, in DAalways 176.168 Byte big. Even though the format is almost the same, theyare not compatible with each other.Off course the maps are not compatible,so you could not use them even if they where compatible.
The Assaultscenarios contain some values that the SE engine simply do not want toswallow.Well some good news for a change. Thereis a real possibility that this is going to happened.
SSI not releasingthere own Scenario editor is simply dumb. Of course they have an editor.Anyway in SE we are already at a headstart, as there is a battle generator that can create scenarios.Even now it is possible to make your own.If you understand a bit of Hex editing, you can change away in the stockscenario, and create whole new ones.Before an actual scenario editor is made(of some kind), make mew historical scenarios is going to be tough,however if you just want to make scenario, its already possible in bothSE and Assault.Scenarios in Scorched EarthWell also here the stuff from Assault arenot compatible with the SE stuff. Even the scenario format is veryclose.I imagine that ones I or someone elsebreakdown the complete Scenario Spec for both Assault and SE, it shouldbe know problem using them with SE. However they can still not be usedas the maps the scenarios need can not be use in SE:(. OtherThis is just some of the other things inthe game.Well there is plenty of other graphic inthis game.
Most of it is in the BMZ format. They are all found in the '2Dart'directory.
With the fromthe PG3DA demo, you can just walk though an look at it and change it ifyou want.The Battle Generator is found in ScorchedEarth only. Assault does not support user made scenarios (as fare as Iknow). The BG (short for Battle Generator) creates.BGS file ( BattleGenerator Scenarios). As explained under the BGS format,they are completely the same as normally scenarios, - the.SCN files.The BG its self used lots of the BMZfiles for its interface, like everything else does in the game. But itonly uses one external file. That is the.KIT files found in the 'GameData'directory. As said this is predefined equipment tables (this is NOT theequipment file), that it uses to find what equipment to generate for thescenario.
Creating EditorsThis is just a general discussion of howEditor can be made for PG3.It does not mean that its the only way,but after some thinking I found its the best way. Prepare your selfEditor makers:), what every editor you want to make, the control of theSTR file is Alfa omega. Off course if you want to use the predefinedtext for campaign, maps and Scenarios already in the STR file, you don'tneed to control it.
However in the length the default text is hardlyenough.I would actual like to skip this. With noreal information on how NIF file works, its pretty hard imagine how aMap editor should look.
However I am pretty sure it will require quitean amount of work to make one.Well the campaign editor is one of thesmallest things. It all depends on you having a scenarios editor or not.Off course the campaign editor does not care if you have the scenarioseditor or not. But creating campaigns out of stock SSI scenario is notmuch fun.I imagine a campaign editor of a simplelist of spaces for new scenario with tab to select those scenariosfiles.
With or without a STR modifier. In any case you can use the approachas with a scenarios editor, one can always just de-compile the STR fileand let the user change his text manually.Off course there might be more tings toselect in a campaign, but I need to break down the Campaign formatfirst.The scenario editor is the key toeverything. This is the number one tools needed for both PG3 games.There is some obvious problems to start with. We don't have the scenarioformat for neither game, we don't have anything that can read the NIFfiles and we don't have a real STR modifier.OK the scenario format is the smallestproblem, but off course the most important.
It should be a snap to breakit down, might take some weeks but should not be that hard.With a scenario format in the hands, thenext thing would be a STR modifier. That should also not be too hard. Inany case if it should turn out to be, one can always just de-compile theSTR file and let the user change his text manually.Creating a real scenario editor, like exthe PGII one, can turn out to be more difficult. Without a way to readand view the NIF files, you cannot view the actual map or icons.A better way would be to cut out all the3D crape. Simply use a 2D image of the map and 2D icons as the unitsalso. A very good solution springs to mind. Why not use all the very finicons that are already available for PGII?There is plenty of tools to work with SHPicons rather then trying to create new tools for the NIF icons.Picture this.
You have the PGII editor.You take a snapshot of the PG3 3D map to use as the background image inthe editor. Off course you have to supply like 50 images of maps withyou editor. But as said new maps are not likely to comes in the future.If they do and the NIF format get broken it should not be to hard tochange your program to read from a NIF file rather then the image.You use PG2 SHP icons to place on themap, rather then the original NIF icons.
Off course you have to walk thoughthe entire Efile for both PG3 game, to find the corresponding iconsgraphic, and create a table for that. Anyway you compile all the neededSHP icons into a PG2.DAT file and just ship it along with youprogram/editor.Off course it can get into serioustrouble when (and if) new Efile emerge for PG3, cause then you iconstranslating table would not be enough. And then again it would!Cause you don't need to know the NIFformat to create new Efiles for PG3, one can just use the same graphicfor new units. Sort of the way we did in the start with PGII. One thingyou can be sure of, if new icons are used in a Efile, then the NIFformat is broken and you can change you whole editor to use the NIFformat.
If the NIF format is not broken, then new units in new Efiles,will simply use the same graphic as the original units. And youtranslation table already covers that. Soyou cant actual lose this wayThat is the way I picture an editor forPG3. I may make it sound easy and such, but it is not. Lots of code hasto be written to do this.By Lasse Jensen.