Battle Planner

[AfterDune]

When do you think you'll have time to add the other maps and sizes?

Working on it. I received some good hints about the in-game map images, which will save me loads of time plus way better map quality. Will keep you updated.

Nice work Afterdune. Looking forward to the full release!

I'm not sure how you have this coded, but would it be possible in the future for the user to upload their own map (or possibly an imageshack hosted image to cut down on your server storage) to work on?

Cheers!

Thanks mate!
About your suggestion; not sure if I'd like to have this in the tool. It's a good idea that if it's implemented, the images are hosted on imageshack (or where ever). Suggestion noted, but don't expect this to be in the next release .

Regards,
AfterDune

[JAMerica]

Thanks mate!
About your suggestion; not sure if I'd like to have this in the tool. It's a good idea that if it's implemented, the images are hosted on imageshack (or where ever). Suggestion noted, but don't expect this to be in the next release .

Regards,
AfterDune

LOL. NP. I haven't used ATC for BF2, but I have used it for BF1942 and it's grossly overweight for what it needs to do. Yours is a nice light weight solution and only requires a web server.

I'm not sure what your plans are, but I hope (and it sounds like you are) you keep on developing this. It will be damn handy. With user supplied images, it could really be applied for any game that uses maps and requires strategizing.

Good Luck!

[.:iGi:. Eggenberg4Ever]

Good work bro

[AfterDune]

Good work bro

Thank you again, Egg .

LOL. NP. I haven't used ATC for BF2, but I have used it for BF1942 and it's grossly overweight for what it needs to do. Yours is a nice light weight solution and only requires a web server.

I'm not sure what your plans are, but I hope (and it sounds like you are) you keep on developing this. It will be damn handy. With user supplied images, it could really be applied for any game that uses maps and requires strategizing.

Good Luck!

I will keep developing this as long as I have fun doing it. And with the feedback and enthousiasm you guys post and/or pm, the fun stays even longer .

You are correct, the tool could be used for other games as well. For now, I'll stick with PR only.

---------------------------
Another thing, which I hope at least one of you could help me with; every map of PR contains the file 'client.zip'. If you open this and go to the hud/minimap/ directory, you'll find some .dds-files there. The file ingameMap.dds is an image of the map. Sometimes, this image has the size of 1024x1024 or even 2048x2048. But many times, it has a size of only 512x512.

From what I know (now), it's possible to re-create the minimap-images. This should be possible if you load up all the maps in the editor and regenerate the minimaps again.

Can someone help me out with this? Please PM me about it if you want to help out.

Thanks!

[JAMerica]

I stumbled across this awhile ago, and it's something that could really make a web-based tool like this shine.

Playxpert

http://newsblaze.com/story/200703050821 ... Idaho.html

http://www.playxpert.com/

next-gen xfire that will allow widgets to pop-up in game with-out having to switch. One of these widgets they promote is a web-browser to view Battleplanner, or even it's own widget.

Unfortunately, it's still beta, but hopefully it will be publically released soon to get a look at it.

Cheers.

[acadiancrusader]

I stumbled across this awhile ago, and it's something that could really make a web-based tool like this shine.

Playxpert

http://newsblaze.com/story/200703050821 ... Idaho.html

http://www.playxpert.com/

next-gen xfire that will allow widgets to pop-up in game with-out having to switch. One of these widgets they promote is a web-browser to view Battleplanner, or even it's own widget.

Unfortunately, it's still beta, but hopefully it will be publically released soon to get a look at it.

Cheers.

lol, i just sent AfterDune a PM about this yesterday (check your PMs bro!). i have a beta invite for you

[AfterDune]

Ye guys. Sounds like an interesting tool. Just replied to acadian, haven't had much time yesterday .

I think this would be a good thing! Many people have been asking me if it's possible to show the plan in-game, but since it was webbased, that wasn't possible. But with this tool, it is. Or at least it should be .

Looking forward to using this, when in-game webbrowsing is possible (do you use the IE interface for displaying websites? I'm asking this because of compatibility)

Regards,
Dune

[AfterDune]

*bump*

Another thing, which I hope at least one of you could help me with; every map of PR contains the file 'client.zip'. If you open this and go to the hud/minimap/ directory, you'll find some .dds-files there. The file ingameMap.dds is an image of the map. Sometimes, this image has the size of 1024x1024 or even 2048x2048. But many times, it has a size of only 512x512.

From what I know (now), it's possible to re-create the minimap-images. This should be possible if you load up all the maps in the editor and regenerate the minimaps again.

Can someone help me out with this? Please PM me about it if you want to help out.

Thanks!!

[IronTaxi]

the thing is in order to load up the levels in the editor you need the editor folder which is not shipped with the packed level and is stored seperately by the devs....but we cant very well release alll these ediotr files either as that opens the levels up to full editing....

kinda catch22... i mean people would mod the levels...simple as that...i think you may be SOL...but i will be going through some of the levels soon adn may be able to get some new high def gens of the minimap if i have to regen them...

[AfterDune]

I see. That changes things. In that case, I'll try to grab the high res images that exist in the zip-file. The rest, I will make myself (until something better is available; re-gens from changed maps).

Thanks again, IronTaxi!

[AfterDune]

Newer version is now online. Several bugs have been fixed and zooming functionality is active (though I'm still working on it).

I've also added some screenshots to the help-page, to get new people on their way (hopefully ).

A couple of order-icons have been added too, like bunker, firebase and AAA. I don't like some order-icons and I'd like them to be changed. The ones I don't like and I think they need changing are:
Bunker
Firebase
Suppressing fire
Rally point
(feel free to PM me about better images!)

I have had very little time, so no new maps have been added yet. Will try to do this asap.

---
Edit: great, I've been working on a terrible monitor (old laptop) which doesn't display colors correctly (apparently), so some colors are really ugly now, will fix this sooooon

[AfterDune]

*** UPDATE ***


URL
----
Battle Planner v0.4.6


Maps
-----
The following maps have been added to the Battle Planner:
- Al Basrah
- Al Fallujah Region
- Ejod Desert (newer version)
- Goods Station
- Gulf of Oman
- Helmand Province
- Hills of Hamgyong (newer version)
- Inishail Forest
- Jabal Al Burj
- Mao Valley
- Muttrah City
- Operation Compton
- Operation Ghost Train
- Operation Greasy Mullet
- Operation Phoenix
- Qwai River
- Raid On Moskiye
- Road To Kyongan Ni
- Sunset City

Please keep the following in mind: These are all 64-player maps. I have NOT set the correct borders yet, plus I need to add the flags. I will try to do this as soon as I can. Until then, you'll have to do without those.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the new maps. Some are poor quality though. I'm sorry for that, but I couldn't find any high-res versions of those.


Zooming
--------
Still WIP. It works, just don't add order-images when zoomed out. It's not like it'll crash on it, but the result will just not be what you might have hoped .


Future
------
My first priority will be fixing bugs (if any, lol and completing the maps. After that, I may focus on in-game footage.


Bugs / Problems
---------------
If you experience any problems or inconvenience while using the tool, please let me know. I'll do my best to help you out / fix the prob.

[eggman]

wow .. this is some cool and complex web coding mate! Will have a more involved fiddle with it when I have more time.

[scandhi]

Very interesting thing you cooked up there. Really good. Looking forward to what future bring.
Esp on that Jpeg export.

[AfterDune]

eggman']wow .. this is some cool and complex web coding mate! Will have a more involved fiddle with it when I have more time.

Cheers mate. The most complex part is to keep things cross-browser compatible . If all is well, it supports about 9 or 10 browsers at least (on windows, linux, mac).

Very interesting thing you cooked up there. Really good. Looking forward to what future bring.
Esp on that Jpeg export.

Me too, lol!
No serious, I want to implement this, but I'm not sure what it should look like. Must say I haven't really thought about it, since it's low priority atm. But feel free to post your ideas about this.

[AfterDune]

*** UPDATE ***


URL
----
Battle Planner v0.4.7


Changes
--------
Plan-sharing is now active. If you decide to share your plan*, you can do so by adding an access code (open the plan, choose edit, enter an access code).
When you have saved the access code, your plan is automatically shared. If you do not wish to share, don't enter an access code .

The owner of the plan has to give you the access code, to enable you to view his/her plan.

To open a shared plan, go to 'overview' and click 'open battle plan'. A form will appear where you can enter the access code. Submit the form and if the code is correct, you can view the plan.

* Others get a read-only version of your battle plan. Editting by others is not possible at the moment.


Bugs
-----
*FIXED* In IE, you couldn't always press "enter" to submit a form. Well, you could, but nothing would happen, lol.

I noticed a minor bug when drawing an order image on the map. If you want to create a 2-click order (move, for example) and click on, let's say x=100, y=100 and you click again on x=150, y=95, then the order-line is not as long as it should be (misses about 5 pixels of length, so to say).
It's minor, so low prior.

If you find a bug or you're experiencing problems or anything, please let me know.


Order icons
-----------
Anyone interested in creating better looking order icons? The following order icons need changing:
Bunker
Firebase
Suppressing fire
Rally point


How to contact me
-------------------
The easiest way to contact me is to reply to this thread or send me a PM.

[AfterDune]

*** MINOR UPDATE ***

Though I've basically lost my motivation to carry on with this thing long time ago (due to having little to no feedback, which made/makes me think nobody is using it/wants it), I decided to clean the whole tool (all plans and users) and added almost all of the 0.6 maps. I also added the support of sandbags and razorwire (bunkers, firebases and even mortars were already present)

Linky: http://battleplanner.imgoingin.co.uk/

Have fun with it. Hope it's of good use to you all!


Note: the maps don't have their flags set yet, but you know where they are!

[Nickbond592]

nice work

very useful for the Two PR tournaments

[ZaZZo]

Wow that is uberkewlness right there!

I think you will just have to advertise it abit more to let people know about it, if it's only in this thread then people wouldn't really know.

I'm just gunna tell the folks on the PR Tournament webby.

[AfterDune]

Wow that is uberkewlness right there!

Thanks . Well yeah, I've put quite a lot of programming-hours in that tool.

I think you will just have to advertise it abit more to let people know about it, if it's only in this thread then people wouldn't really know.

You got any suggestions how to do this? I don't want to create a new topic for this, if it isn't necessary (want to keep the forum clean, without making multiple threads about the same thing ).