[Boardgame's Counter MOD] 2D Counter for Panzerkrieg

[maitrebongo]

This mod allows you to play the "Order of Battle - WW2" game (and all the DLCs) with boardgame's style counters instead of the 3D units.

This mos is fully compatible with 5.2.2 64 bits version of the game.

As fan of the traditional wargames (with paper maps and cardboard counters), I decided to modify this excellent game whom is Order of Battle to be able to find the sensations of a good old game around a table.

-----MOD IS READY TO DOWNLOAD ------------------------------------------------

You can download it here : here

To use it, unzip the archive file in the folder "Documents\My Games\Order of Battle - WW2\Mods" of your computer.

Enjoy it

[kondi754]

It looks very interesting but I prefer to play in 3d.

[maitrebongo]

certainly...
But I'm one of those who like a little abstraction in a strategy game.
I think that the symbolism of classic wargame counters allows for a more accurate view of the battlefield.
Paradoxically, I find it more immersive than playing with figurines (it's too childish for my taste). I feel more like a chief of staff.

[kondi754]

You're right, it's childish but it's force of habit
I don't think I could get used to it

[bru888]

I like this. May I make one trivial and one slightly more important recommendation?

Trivial: Could you either use dark font for the menu commands or put in a dark background to make them stand out better?

Screenshot 2.jpg (316.52 KiB) Viewed 9543 times

More important: Is it necessary to turn the counters at an angle and upside-down like this? In this 2D counter mode, it actually is counter-productive and takes away from the effect to see the unit rotate for movement and combat, then end up side-ways or upside-down so that their counters are hard to read. I don't know how hard that would be to eliminate, or to make as an option to turn off:

Screenshot 1.jpg (135.56 KiB) Viewed 9543 times

[bru888]

You see, this is the beginning of Java Sea. This would bug me, I'm sorry to say. I'd rather all units be right-side up at all times if possible. I apologize if this is a buzz-killer because I really do like your concept and effort otherwise.

Screenshot 3.jpg (157.42 KiB) Viewed 9540 times

[Erik2]

Bru, have you tried to set Classic Unit Facings to 'Always' in Options/Preferences?

[bru888]

Bru, have you tried to set Classic Unit Facings to 'Always' in Options/Preferences?

Screenshot 4.jpg (52.41 KiB) Viewed 9478 times

Great idea but not a resolution, I am afraid. All that option does is to ensure that the unit does not end up directly facing a hex side; i.e., at a 45, 135, 225, or 315 degree angle. What it does is to turn the unit exactly horizontal which does help but also leaves units on their sides or upside-down:

Screenshot 1.jpg (174.3 KiB) Viewed 9478 times

This is what I am talking about. This cruiser was right-side up before I sailed it to the left and it turned upside-down. With the Classic Unit Facings option off, it finishes up like this:

Screenshot 2.jpg (78.01 KiB) Viewed 9478 times

With the option on, it aligns itself like this:

Screenshot 3.jpg (77.23 KiB) Viewed 9478 times

This may not bother other people but it nukes this mod for me. There is hope though. Notice the boxed units, bunkers, in the second screen shot? Yes, bunkers are immobile but still, with the option on, they were aligned differently and were correctly facing north-south (for easy legibility) whereas all other units were turned 90 degrees. Perhaps with not too much more work, the alignment of units by type, class, or category can be turned upright and locked down?

[terminator]

Great job
The orientation of the counters does not disturb me.

Boardgame.jpg (288.71 KiB) Viewed 9432 times

In my test, I have tree remarks :
- Soviet Paratroopers'43 no mouvement sound
- counters for Minefields ?
- be better able to distinguish Waffen SS ?

[maitrebongo]

To Bru888 :

I understand what's bothering you in the orientation of the counters, but I've tried every possible way to keep them aligned (removing motion and rotation animation from the Units.csv file or removing motion in the EffectSequence.txt file) and nothing helps ...
The program that handles the movement of 3D parts seems to be harcoded and I do not know where to change it.

Generally speaking :

- The land and aerial counters (infantry, vehicles, planes ...) are oriented so that their upper face always point in the direction of their movement and their attacks.

- The naval counters are oriented so that their left side (which represents the front of the ships) always point in the direction of their movement. As at the origin the movements are planned for miniatures in 3d of the boats, the consequence is that as soon as these ones turn towards the right they are found upside down.

- The static counters (Bunker, MG Nest, Fortress, Radar ...) are oriented so that their upper face always points upward to be more readable. As they do not move, it does not give a weird result.

For my part, it does not bother me.
My goal in creating this mod was to find the sensations I experienced playing wargames in real life against a human opponent. And in this case in general, each opponent takes place on one side and the other of a table and directs his counters in the direction that suits him so that the appearance of the counters in my mod appears more realistic to me in this context.

[bru888]

My goal in creating this mod was to find the sensations I experienced playing wargames in real life against a human opponent. And in this case in general, each opponent takes place on one side and the other of a table and directs his counters in the direction that suits him so that the appearance of the counters in my mod appears more realistic to me in this context.

This is a good point. The idea of an opponent's perspective from the other side of the board (and the sometimes messy maintenance of game pieces in actual board game play) changes my opinion somewhat. (And brings me back to my youth, waging Avalon Hill war against my brother.) I am going to try this mod again by playing through a scenario with these thoughts in mind.

[maitrebongo]

To Terminator:

- I have no idea why there is no sound with the movement of Soviet para43 ... It's a mystery, yet they have the same sound assignment as other paratroops.

- Why not create a specific counter for minefields, but I find that the current image is more in the background (like obstacles, for example).

- Waffen SS units share their graphics with other German units. So their assignment in SS troops with a particular graphic for them is not possible without creating a specific line in the Units.csv file (and again, it would be necessary to modify all the scenarios in which they appear to reassign them this particular counter).

[terminator]

I made a fast test by creating a new unit :

CounterTest.jpg (130.83 KiB) Viewed 9364 times

(You can see the old and the new unit Waffen SS Infantry 37)

[terminator]

To Terminator:
- I have no idea why there is no sound with the movement of Soviet para43 ... It's a mystery, yet they have the same sound assignment as other paratroops.

No movement sound for German and USA paratroops.
No movement sound for all paratroops ?

[maitrebongo]

How do you made this for the waffen SS counter, Terminator ?

Do you add a line in the Units.csv files and modify the scenario file after ?

This is the only method i could imagine, but it means modifying all the scenarios where this kind of units is involved.

[terminator]

Yes, I created a new unit(GermanSS_Infantry_37) and add this new unit with the editor :

CounterSS.JPG (20.89 KiB) Viewed 9261 times

[maitrebongo]

I've been wondering for a long time about what's bothering me with the game's original 3d graphics, although I think they're beautifully done.

In fact, when I play a wargame on this scale, I can not immerse myself in the battle because the units and some elements of the scenery seem far too big for what they are supposed to represent.
For example, the rivers are much too wide in 3d compared to the scale of the map. The elements of decorations (houses, bridges, groves of trees ...) and the units themselves too.

There is a size gap for my taste. It prevents me from representing myself mentally the battlefield. I am constantly looking for lines of sight whereas it does not make sense on this scale.

This representation of the reality would be more adapted to a tactical wargame (Steel panthers for example).

In the two screenshots below I can imagine an armored division or at worst a tank regiment on the second one while on the first I feel like I see a tank all alone in my garden: it is pretty (very) but it does not do it for me.



That's why I created and use my mod to play.

[bru888]

That's why I created and use my mod to play.

Well put, and very understandable. Yet, it is remarkable that for most of us - and this is not to suggest that you are out of step - the unit size differential (men as big as battleships) in OOB quickly fades from consciousness. I look at that 3D screen which you posted and I see . . . battle!

But your mod is also appealing to me the more that I look at it. Sometimes one just wants to play in this manner as well. So, do you consider this mod to be finished or will you be tweaking it in the future?

Not that I have any standing complaints; when you mentioned the opponent's perspective and the disorder of real board game counters at times, that took care of what I was concerned about above. (Come to think of it, it's the same principle at work as what also dismisses the 3D unit size differential in the mind.)

[Shards]

Bru, have you tried using the "Classic Unit Facings" option in the Preferences in combination with this mod? That might help maintain the orientation of the chits?

Ta

[bru888]

Bru, have you tried using the "Classic Unit Facings" option in the Preferences in combination with this mod? That might help maintain the orientation of the chits?

Ta

Yes, Erik suggested that and I responded - see my third post in this thread. However, I'm with terminator now for the most part; the skewed units don't bother me with that "board game" concept in mind now.