TonyE

Welcome Paul, The platform editor (PE) for Harpoon Classic (HCE, HUCE, ...) is included in the installer for the game. The filename is pfBuild2005.mdb and yes, it requires either Microsoft Access or the Microsoft Access Runtime. You can use the Microsoft Access 365 runtime Download and install Microsoft 365 Access Runtime - Microsoft Support or many of the prior versions like 2016 Download Microsoft Access 2016 Runtime from Official Microsoft Download Center . I made sure that the current PE works under both 32 and 64-bit installations of Microsoft Access. The 32-bit version is still the most common but your choice. Let us know how you fare.

Any kind of information the ExportDLL wanted to store, how many crew members, tracking aircraft munitions (the restricting part would be up to the ExportDLL code), cost of an item, more fine-grained RCS, seeker generation, etc.

I've been thinking about ExportDLLs and associating additional information with various game entities, AnnexData, Units, Groups, etc. What would be a good way of doing that so that multiple ExportDLLs can associate disparate information with each of the game entities? Some possible approaches: 1. Add a field to each game entity with a pretty empty json object. Each ExportDLL interested in supplementing the information would add to that json structure. a. Pros: By using json, any ExportDLL can access the additional information populated by the other ExportDLLs, lots of standard json libraries to help ExportDLL authors. b. Cons: Each ExportDLL must be careful not to wipe the data of others, i.e. only work on their own subset of the json object. 2. Add a structure to each game entity that contains an index to each block and a linked list to hold the actual data. a. Pros: ExportDLL can store any format of data since it is binary storage b. Cons: One must work with a linked list, inconsistency of data formats reduces interoperability

HCE - 2023.011 - 2023-08-12 =========================== - Chg:00000 GE Let missiles go into Terminal guidance phase against land units. This was a regression for a prior fix to BoL missiles that were going into Terminal guidance mode immediately upon launch. (thanks eeustice)

It sounds like a crude beginning but a beginning nonetheless. I expect the text will only seem a reasonable size on a couple of zoom levels. With some code slinging it is possible to introduce layers of information (the MapWindow exportdll globe component I use handles layers natively for instance) where the text size could be kept constant regardless of zoom level. Will you be working up a sample BattleSet for us to take a look? Thanks!

Interest but I certainly can't ask you to go to the trouble just on my behalf.

That is an impressive collection. How do you want your information to be used?

MapWindow 20230622 2023.001+ Incremented DLL Version to 6 Recompiled with updated shared HC pascal code to fix display of missile groups. Thanks to @donaldseadog who found the typo in the shared code we use!

HCE - 2023.010 - 2023-06-08 =========================== - Chg:00000 GE Added Jansson C Library for JSON interactions. https://github.com/akheron/jansson CMake command for building Jansson with VS2022 1. At a x86 native Visual Studio command prompt run the following from C:\Prog\Projects\HC\Util\jansson\build> 2. cmake -A Win32 -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" .. - Chg:33089 GE Group Id will now show on Group map for Neutral groups when Group Id showing is enabled. (thanks donaldseadog) https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/topic/33089-group-id-not-showing-for-neutrals/

Fix coded in 2023.010

CMake command for building Jansson with VS2022 1. At a x86 native Visual Studio command prompt run the following from C:\Prog\Projects\HC\Util\jansson\build> 2. cmake -A Win32 -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" ..

Confirmed in 2023.008

My initial thoughts bearing in mind that we are simulating a wide range of missiles using a very small number of inputs: 1. The player should not be able to launch the land attack missile (LAM) against ships. This seems to be the case. 2. The missiles once launched should be able to hit ships. An inertially only guided weapon would almost never hit a moving ship. An early generation radar guided missile could easily hit a ship. A modern guided missile could be launched with instruction to ignore ships or hit specific ships if they happen to come within seeker range. 3. The missiles once launched should be able to hit any side's units including friendlies. Again, this would depend on the particular guidance method(s), recent missiles could be launched to only attack very specific targets and avoid blue on blue yet most weapons until recently would go ahead and attack friendly units. Please keep discussing what should happen. I appreciate the opening position saying that the missiles should not hit ships.

HCE - 2023.009 - 2023-05-15 =========================== - Chg:00000 GE Incremented DLL interface version to 36. - Chg:00000 GE ExportDLL SaveGame function now has an AutoSave parameter which is only true when ITER_SAVE_GAMETIME saves are active. The differentiation will allow the ExportDLLs to know whether the SaveGame call was for that debugging purposes or more of a user-triggered saved game.

AutoSaves 20230515 HC 2023.009+ Incremented Version to 3 from 2 Updated to Export DLL Interface v36 The AutoSaves action will only be taken for ITER_SAVE_GAMETIME saves. The other save types will be ignored by the ExportDLL GameTime is now monitore so it will show up in the AutoSaves window.

https://www.triassicgames.com/games/ In Development

Very very nice, thanks!

HCE - 2023.008 - 2023-05-02 =========================== - Chg:33032 GE Split guidance of ANNEX_E (standoff ASW) weapons from the monolithic eff100 to a new eff100E function to make it easier to understand the state machine. Annex E weapons are by definition inertially guided so very simple navigation. This seems to have resulted in far more desirable results. Also set the resultant torpedo to start at Snorkel depth instead of target depth. (thanks TonyD) https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/topic/33032-asroc-behavior/

HCE - 2023.008 - 2023-05-02 =========================== - Chg:33053 GE Attempt again to fix type_aa != INVALID_ATTACK_CODE in Combat5.c assertion. See also I32923 from 2023.003. https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/topic/33053-type-aa-invalid-attack-code-assertion-error/ (thanks donaldseadog) - Chg:33032 GE Split guidance of ANNEX_E (standoff ASW) weapons from the monolithic eff100 to a new eff100E function to make it easier to understand the state machine. Annex E weapons are by definition inertially guided so very simple navigation. This seems to have resulted in far more desirable results. Also set the resultant torpedo to start at Snorkel depth instead of target depth. (thanks TonyD) https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/topic/33032-asroc-behavior/

Note to self and others: The existing missile guidance, eff100() errantly updates steering inertially guided missiles to the target location each game second as well as the 'intercept time'. effect4.c ln 6612, 6673, 7114

Well that is most awesome! The whole thing I was worried about was there being ANNEX_E (Standoff ASW) and ANNEX_D (Missiles) weapons in the same group, in turn requiring different guidance methods. If they can't be fired in the same group then I am free to separate out ANNEX_E weapon guidance into its own procedure. Any idea if the AI can pull off the simultaneous launch?

A test situation that would really help me is a ship attacking a surfaced submarine in a position where the ship can fire both SSM and ASROC-style weapons simultaneously (i.e. resulting in a single missile group containing two units, one SSM, and one ASROC). I would like to divide up the guidance logic for the various weapon types but that would first require a single weapon-type per group. This test situation would help me in crafting and testing code to launch two groups instead of the current single group for this situation. Any takers?

Fixed (again and again and forever again <maybe>) HCE - 2023.008 - 2023-04-28 =========================== - Chg:33053 GE Attempt again to fix type_aa != INVALID_ATTACK_CODE in Combat5.c assertion. See also I32923 from 2023.003. https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/topic/33053-type-aa-invalid-attack-code-assertion-error/ (thanks donaldseadog)

One way to help is to disable all of your ExportDLLs and see if the window titles are still showing the non-focused state. WHat is the result?

Remember to take the built-in WestPac scenario for a spin too.