Dossier Tool

[KeldorKatarn]

UPDATE: Download Version v1.0.5649.17935 here

Updated heroes file here

Source Code: https://github.com/KeldorKatarn/PanzerCorps_DossierTool
Usage Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIez4b3hlOo
Donate: http://media.wcsaga.net/keldorkatarn/

The tool needs you to copy the following files from your Panzer Corps folder to its /Content/ folder:

/Data/awards.pzdat
/Data/equipment.pzeqp
/Data/exp.pzdat
/Data/strings.pzdat
/UI/awards/*.*
/UI/bigunits/*.*
/UI/stats/*.*
/UI/outcome/panzer_outcome_decisive_victory.png
/UI/purchase/classes/*.*
/UI/purchase/flags/*.*
/UI/purchase/purchase_unitinfo.png
/UI/unitinfo/pzsystem_uistar_1.png
/UI/background.png
/UI/icon-hero.png
/UI/icon-medal.png
/UI/star5.png



Screenshots:

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[Resolute]

Looks pretty cool. Will those data entries have to be done manually or are they pulled off directly from ingame files?

[KeldorKatarn]

Manually unless the developers here can share some details about the save game files hehe

[Chris10]

Manually unless the developers here can share some details about the save game files hehe

savegames are not encoded AFAIK but in binary

[Resolute]

I really like the idea of the tool but doing everything manually can be quite a pain especially playing the DLC you can easily end up with 50+ units. The last time I played through the DLC I started using a spreadsheet but ended up using more time filling in numbers then actually playing the game so I eventually stopped doing it.

[KeldorKatarn]

Parsing the files would be no problem but I really doubt it would be a good idea for the devs to publish the encryption of the save games

[KeldorKatarn]

Juat for info: I'm getting close to getting the first version finished. I'll try to make the initial UI somewhat fun so I expect a first version to be ready in about a week.

[Resolute]

Looking forward to it

[KeldorKatarn]

I'll try to get it out before christmas. There won't be a lot of statistical features in it yet, but the important part is that one will be able to enter all relevant information already and the saved file format will not change after that. So every future version will not require re-entering the data. That's why this first version took so long, I needed to make sure all relevant data is already stored and loadable and editable so you guys can enter the stuff already if you want to.

After that I'll be open for requests on how to evaluate the data or make the UI's usability better

[KeldorKatarn]

Anybody interested?

Screenshot.jpg (110.5 KiB) Viewed 16080 times

[Kerensky]

Could be a nice tool!

[KeldorKatarn]

Well, here it is: http://media.wcsaga.net/keldorkatarn/DossierTool.zip

The tool requires .NET 4.0 to run. Also since I used some PzC assets for the UI but didn't want to violate any copyright here, you need to copy the following files into the tool's Content directory:

- Panzer Corps\Data\equipment.pzeqp -> Content\Data\equipment.pzeqp
- Panzer Corps\UI\background.png -> Content\UI\background.png
- Panzer Corps\UI\outcome\panzer_outcome_decisive_victory.png -> Content\UI\outcome\panzer_outcome_decisive_victory.png

Since for future versions I might very well use a lot more assets from panzer corps (e.g. the unit graphics) I suggest simply copying the entire UI folder over

Btw, if you Slitherine guys are ok with me using the assets for this tool (I won't release it anywhere but here in this forum) let me know. Might be easier if I can include those files directly.

[KeldorKatarn]

If there are any problems with the tool or questions on how to use it, let me know.

Most of the stuff should explain itself.
The unit hierarchy is build by two unit types:
- Hierarchical units (orange) which represent no ingame units but are simply for flavor to allow you to organize your Bataillons into regiments and divisions, whatever. Purely optional.
- Standard units (white) which are the real ingame units.

You put units under a hierarchy by simply drag & dropping them onto their future 'superior'. Drop them anywhere in the empty space of the list to get them back to the main level.

As for reports: Scenario Reports can be made for each scenario, stating the outcome of the scenario and the prestige at the end of the scenario. Unit Reports are also for each scenario but per unit.
These reports are just entries for now, they are not evaluated for any statistics yet, but will be in the future.

Just remember: One scenario report scenario and one unit report per unit at the END of each scenario.

If you do it like that you'll save data that will can later be evaluated by the tool in all sorts of statistics (I'm open for suggestions btw from now on).
Currently you cannot reorder the reports, so try to put them in the correct order from the start. I'll add re-ordering functionality in the next version.

The units are ordered according to hierarchy and within the heirarchy alphabetically. If that is not what you want, let me know. I might add some way to reorder them.

The data is stored as readable XML, however that XML is very application specific so I do not recommend hand-editing it unless you know what you are doing. Better make a backup of the file before you try fiddling with it.

[KeldorKatarn]

I think I found a small bug here. Stand by for next version.

Edit: New Version (v1.0.4742.24833) is up.

[Resolute]

Had a quick look at it and it looks really good. Just a few suggestions:
- Font, I find that a bit hard to read since some letters (at least on my screen) are kinda washed out
- Scenario Entries, would be nice if they could be directly picked through the drop down box. Maybe split them up in DLC etc via Tickboxes.
- Visual campagin path, maybe with current progress

I'll have a closer look in the next few days but overall I really like it.

[KeldorKatarn]

Those were ideas I already had. I might do that sometime. i just didn't have the time to complete that before X-Mas. I might even put all the start dates of the scenarios somewhere so the tool can actually give you upgrade suggestions for scenarios ^^. That's future music but not that hard to do. but I have a few more simple ideas to do first. Also improving the usability a slight bit. But that'll have to wait till the next year

I have however made a slight update. Check out the first post for v1.0.4742.37233 info

Edit: As for the font... that's supposed to be the 'Crappy Wehrmacht Typewriter' font Seemed to be fitting, but if it poses problems in terms of usability I might make it possible to switch to a more readable font.

[Resolute]

Played around with it a bit more.
Just two things:
- Adding a report will always create a default one called "Campaign Start" no matter what I type in the scenario text field. Even I can rename the report afterwards, slightly tedious
- I'd llike another tab called "Scenario" or something where you could drag&drop those troops/hierachies in, which take part in that specific scenario and having reports for those generated automatically (just the name and everything else blank).

Just two minor things, keep up the good work

[KeldorKatarn]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Edit: New version is up with a bugfix and new goodies. See first post.

[Resolute]

Minor issues:
- The highlightning colour in the left pane has the same colour as the underlying font which makes it a bit hard to read
- The unit reports are not sortable. Had an issue where I had forgotten one and then was not able to put it in the right scenario order
- Experience statistics only showed up after reloading the save file
- Wrong scenario order under statistics (after I put Modlin in Poznan ended up being the last one I did, bascically got moved from first to last)

Edit: After I loaded the file the overlay colour is actually blue, as soon as I add a report it turns white until I highlight a different unit in the left frame

Suggestion:
- Auto-fill report properties from the previous scenario and maybe put an asterisk somewhere for notification. Quite a few hardly ever change like Equipment, Transport and Experience (when Units are at the xp max.) That would save quite some time.

Anyway, looking forward to further updates.

[KeldorKatarn]

I'll try to pump out another one this weekend.

Edit: v1.0.4752.40840 is online