SimPlot by kmart494 download

[kmart494]

I created a simple plotter (SimPlot) program that automates the process of moving units on a simple x,y coordinate system. The objective is to get myself to play H4 paper rules more often by eliminating the problems of graph paper or Neptune's Cat attacks for tabletop games.

SimPlot will track time and motion of units. It will also provide range and bearing info to other units. Units can automatically follow other units that are selected as "targets." Unit movement tracks and times can be displayed in case you want to see where you have been.

How about a few screenies?

I was hoping to show the unit tracks, but it looks like Photobucket may have changed the image a bit. Anyway, the colors in the game are changeable so you can select whatever colors you like.

There is an option to display bearing and range data from a selected unit to all other units. This will make calculating detection easier.

Units can automatically follow other units by assigning them as "targets." Of course, you can still order a unit to follow a set heading.

There is a readme file within the zipped folder that has details of how to use the program. I hope that most of it is intuitive. still, I will answer any questions you may have about the program.

I forgot to mention that to get started you have to either create a new scenario (very easy--fill in the form, press OK, and then add units) or load an existing scenario. I included two simple scenarios to get you started.

SimPlot.zip

[Piotr]

Downloaded OK and runs fine.

Did just a quick check, but it looks very well: functional and simple. Great work!

[kmart494]

Thank you Piotr. I am a little embarrassed about the gridlines though, since they did not work as intended. I was hoping to give the user a sense of distance when changing scales. I might replace them with a range bar at the bottom of the screen.

[TonyE]

I am a little embarrassed about the gridlines though, since they did not work as intended.

I like them, even if they are not working as intended, the grid still helps imho.

[Silent Hunter UK]

This looks brilliant; will have to try this myself at some point. A lot better than CIC Plotter from the screenies.

[Steve Caruthers]

Very well.

I have downloaded and tonight i'll try...

[CV32]

A lot better than CIC Plotter from the screenies.

 

I should hope so. You know CIC Warfare Plotter is like a decade older, right?

[kmart494]

Just to sweeten things, I am mulling over how to create multi-player capability. I am thinking that three files will be needed for each scenario. One will be for the referee and shows all units and actual sides. Two more files would show the blue/red side units and other units within detection range (as determined by the ref). Also, units would have to be "perceived" by each side based on sensor, visual, or behavioral information. For example, the blue player would see all his units and detected units. But, the detected units would be assigned as "unknown" by the ref until the blue player declares they are neutral or hostile.

 

Players would be sent a new file for their side after every phase (unless nothing happens or changes). The program would just be used as a viewer by the players, with the ref adding and modifying units as ordered by the players.

[Piotr]

Yesterday I was just thinking how to use SimPlot for a blind game, with separate scenario files for each player... Did you read my mind?

[TonyE]

Also, units would have to be "perceived" by each side based on sensor, visual, or behavioral information. For example, the blue player would see all his units and detected units. But, the detected units would be assigned as "unknown" by the ref until the blue player declares they are neutral or hostile.

I like the implicit simplification you are suggesting but not detailing here. With the CIC Warfare Plotter I was headed towards uncertainty zones for "unknown" units but that becomes a real logistical nightmare for the ref maintaining the parameters of the uncertainty zone. Certainly it would be fun to add at some point but no need to get hung up on it at this stage.

[Piotr]

 

Also, units would have to be "perceived" by each side based on sensor, visual, or behavioral information. For example, the blue player would see all his units and detected units. But, the detected units would be assigned as "unknown" by the ref until the blue player declares they are neutral or hostile.

I like the implicit simplification you are suggesting but not detailing here. With the CIC Warfare Plotter I was headed towards uncertainty zones for "unknown" units but that becomes a real logistical nightmare for the ref maintaining the parameters of the uncertainty zone. Certainly it would be fun to add at some point but no need to get hung up on it at this stage.

 

You would have two kind of uncertainty, unknown type of unit and exact position of unit.

In a blind ASW warfare game, I added some deviation from data given to players, referred to distance, speed and bearing of units detected, depending on having a poor, regular or good fire solution for passive detection.

[Steve Caruthers]

Help !

After installing sim plot, I tried a new scenario, with two ships and two helicopters, playing a few turns, then I saved the situation.

When I load the game, the units does not appear.

I can see the traces blue and red, at the top left appear also the data of the first unit, but I cannot see any units on the screen.

I have controlled that the distance scale was correct.

It has the same effect that we obtain applaying black colour to the units, like backgraound. But the unit's colours are white and red, not black.

If I load the scenario that accompanies the game "Dinners at six o clock, I can see only one unit" 4 x F18 " in white colour.

What could have happened?

[kmart494]

Steve,

 

When I load the Dinner at Six O'clock scenario I see the blue icon in the middle of the screen, with the red icon in the upper left. To equalize the screen, right click at a point half way between the two units. That should allow you to see both. Also, please be aware that the info at the left side of the screen is not "see-through." If a unit is plotted behind it, you will have to right click the screen to move the unit into view.

 

If you think you may have right clicked yourself too far away from the units, just use the "C" key to recenter the screen. You can also try "zooming out" to see all the units.

 

Did you change the colors? If the background color is the same as either side, then you will not see them. You could try using the default colors just to see if they come back.

[kmart494]

 

I like the implicit simplification you are suggesting but not detailing here. With the CIC Warfare Plotter I was headed towards uncertainty zones for "unknown" units but that becomes a real logistical nightmare for the ref maintaining the parameters of the uncertainty zone. Certainly it would be fun to add at some point but no need to get hung up on it at this stage.

 

 

I agree, Tony, and I am going to work on the multi-player function before going deeper into the uncertainty thing. However, I would like to share a few details of how it might work in SimPlot.

 

As it stands now, the ref could still provide the players with bearings from detecting units to radiating units (radar or sound). Those detected units would not be seen by the players until a hard fix is established (radar contact, visual sighting, or active sonar). It would be up to the players to imagine the uncertainty zone for themselves.

 

Another possibility is for me to add ESM/sonar detection lines as a display option. Let's use an airborne radar transmitter as an example. Once a ship in a task force makes an ESM detection, the ref would use a pop-up form to select the detecting and radiating units. An ESM line would then be visible to the player. Multiple ESM lines would give the player a good fix on the unit location. The player could ask the ref to create a reference point at subsequent cross-fix locations, and a little math on the part of the player would give him an idea of speed. The heading of the detected unit will be known by selecting the reference points and using the bearing button at the bottom of the screen. Keep in mind the detecting units are themselves moving and therefore these reference points will only give the player an idea of who/what/where/when/why of the radiating unit (although a pretty good one ). The uncertainty of it all is up to the player and not a burden for the ref.

[Steve Caruthers]

Hi kmart.

I think I've done everything right.

When loading a scenario like your Dinner at Six O'clock, I see only the icon of a unit that is the A001 4 x F.18, at the center of the screen (0,0 coord.), but I see no other units.

So when I load my saved scenario I do not see any of the six units that should be present.

I am attaching the screen Dinner at Six O'clock.

And what follows is the text of the scenario I have saved:

TITLE

Doorman-Marsical

DATE

01 06 1990

TIME

12:33,5

UNITS

5

S002,Blue,Doorman,-26,62709,-1,581059,29,55,None

20,1200,-40,0,1200,-38,9,0,1203,-37,8,0,1206,-36,7,0,1209,-35,66634,-0,3762222,1212,-34,63268,-0,7524443,1215,-33,59902,-1,128667,1218,-32,56536,-1,504889,1221,-31,48207,-1,695902,1224,-30,38207,-1,695902,1227,-29,28626,-1,60003,1230,-28,19229,-1,485049,1230,5,-27,96122,-1,452575,1231,-27,73016,-1,420102,1231,5,-27,4997,-1,3836,1232,-27,26101,-1,345795,1232,5,-27,02301,-1,30383,1233,-26,82505,-1,442445,1233,25,-26,72607,-1,511752,1233,5,-26,62709,-1,581059

S004,Red,Marsical,24,50581,0,005135832,35,272,S002

20,1200,40,0,1200,38,7,0,1203,37,4,0,1206,36,40414,-0,8356239,1209,35,18254,-1,28025,1212,33,96095,-1,724876,1215,32,83511,-1,074876,1218,31,70928,-0,4248763,1221,30,58345,0,2251237,1224,29,36185,0,6697499,1227,27,91736,0,5433741,1230,26,54636,0,07130024,1230,5,26,25487,0,06112122,1231,25,96338,0,0509422,1231,5,25,6719,0,04076318,1232,25,38041,0,03058416,1232,5,25,08879,0,02549387,1233,24,7973,0,01531485,1233,25,24,65155,0,01022534,1233,5,24,50581,0,005135832

H005,Blue,SH-14 Lynx,12,44117,-4,51914,125,2000,225,None

19,1200,-38,9,0,1203,-32,74495,-1,085301,1206,-26,5899,-5,039406E-08,1209,-20,43486,1,085301,1212,-14,27981,2,170602,1215,-8,12476,3,255903,1218,-2,251681,1,118277,1221,3,621398,-1,019349,1224,9,871398,-1,019349,1227,13,40693,-4,554883,1230,16,94247,-8,090417,1230,5,16,22078,-8,507084,1231,15,38745,-8,507084,1231,5,15,38745,-7,465417,1232,14,65088,-6,728848,1232,5,13,91431,-5,992279,1233,13,17774,-5,255709,1233,25,12,80945,-4,887424,1233,5,12,44117,-4,51914

H006,Red,AB.212,-15,3907,0,8682409,0,1400,282,S002

19,1200,38,7,0,1203,33,77596,0,8682409,1206,28,77596,0,8682409,1209,23,77596,0,8682409,1212,18,77596,0,8682409,1215,13,77596,0,8682409,1218,8,775963,0,8682409,1221,3,775963,0,8682409,1224,-1,224037,0,8682409,1227,-6,224037,0,8682409,1230,-11,22404,0,8682409,1230,5,-12,05737,0,8682409,1231,-12,8907,0,8682409,1231,5,-13,72404,0,8682409,1232,-14,55737,0,8682409,1232,5,-15,3907,0,8682409,1233,-15,3907,0,8682409,1233,25,-15,3907,0,8682409,1233,5,-15,3907,0,8682409

M007,Red,4 x Otomat,-8,439172,-0,8884758,600,30,272,S002

9,1230,26,54636,0,07130024,1230,5,21,54941,-0,1031972,1231,16,55245,-0,2776947,1231,5,11,55321,-0,3649568,1232,6,553976,-0,4522188,1232,5,1,554737,-0,5394808,1233,-3,442217,-0,7139783,1233,25,-5,940694,-0,801227,1233,5,-8,439172,-0,8884758

PS. I don't see the attached images, hope you can