Hello,

 

I mean ... it is the same since several years.

While the game engine, thanks to a great group of Harpoon lovers, was REALLY IMPROVED over the years, the scenario editor remained the same.

I like to see some new useful things added to it ... for example:

 

1) the possibility to save a group of ships and to load it in a new scenario ... think to a carrier group ... now you need to add all the ships, the Air Wings, the helos, to define the formation of the group, etc ... every time you build a scenario you have to start all the process again!

2) when a base is added, because many of them are know as home of an Air group, the base should have all the aircraft already present.

3) when you add an aircraft, for example, why you have to scroll all the list again? give us the choice of the country before to show the list ...

 

Because I think there is no AI involved in the editor it should be simple to incorporate these modifications that will save us a lot of time ... I'm not a programmer and maybe I'm wrong but I'd pay for an updated editor!

 

Anyway, thanks to all developers that made it possible to still play Harpoon today after over 20 years!

 

Roberto

Roberto, thank you for writing.

 

The scenario editor (SE) has had quite a few changes and tweaks over the years, open up your ReleaseNotes.txt in the game directory and search for SE (match case, match whole word) and you'll see that it is far from ignored (or http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?showtopic=2395 but that is slower). I do know what you mean though and unfortunately the 'simple to change' does not apply to the SE.

 

Both the SE and the GE use Windows API calls and don't use any kind of framework. That makes any UI changes challenging. Doubly challenging is that the SE is still a 16-bit application that I program in MSVC 1.52. So the GE I can program in Microsoft's newest development environment but the SE is maintained with a programming tool over 15 years old. Being a 16-bit application also means that memory management is a huge challenge. One can almost ignore memory in 32-bit applications but the SE pushes the memory boundaries in many spots. This all makes the SE extra difficult to modify and improve.

 

If a conversion to 32-bits were simple it would have been done long ago. I suspect it would be less labor intensive to rewrite the SE from scratch. That said, once in a while I pull out the code and make a little progress, http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?showtopic=8095

 

You could always pay for the improvements but they would be very costly .

 

If you haven't created a wishlist, please do, http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?showforum=35 .

I have a 64 bit Windows 7 Pro machine that also has a 32 bit XP emulator installed - which will run programs originally written in the 16 bit environment. I had to install HCE in to the 32 bit emulator space in addition to the regular installation. I have been able to drag the file generated by the Scenario Editor in the 32 bit environment to the HCE directory in the 64 bit environment. If you have Windows 7 Pro, you can get the XP 32 bit emulator from Microsoft as a free download. Also useful for any legacy programs that do not like the 64 bit environment.

 

Tony - is the Scenario Editor still somewhat of a leftover from the DOS/Windows 3.1 days?

Tony - is the Scenario Editor still somewhat of a leftover from the DOS/Windows 3.1 days?

 

Being a 16-bit Windows application it almost qualifies as that but if I recall it would be difficult at best to run the current SE in Windows 3.1 due to the memory squeezing we've done. At a minimum it should require the win32s extensions to Windows 3.1 to run there if I'm not mistaken.

I have a 64 bit Windows 7 Pro machine that also has a 32 bit XP emulator installed - which will run programs originally written in the 16 bit environment. I had to install HCE in to the 32 bit emulator space in addition to the regular installation. I have been able to drag the file generated by the Scenario Editor in the 32 bit environment to the HCE directory in the 64 bit environment. If you have Windows 7 Pro, you can get the XP 32 bit emulator from Microsoft as a free download. Also useful for any legacy programs that do not like the 64 bit environment.

 

Tony - is the Scenario Editor still somewhat of a leftover from the DOS/Windows 3.1 days?

 

If MS did the Virtual PC thing the same with Windows 7 as they did with XP and Vista, it will, in fact, run on the lower end releases of the OS. The only hitch is that you get a warning when you install it and no tech support. I've run it on the Home versions of both XP and Vista with no problem.

 

Could save someone from the cost of an OS upgrade.

 

Buddha

...

If a conversion to 32-bits were simple it would have been done long ago. I suspect it would be less labor intensive to rewrite the SE from scratch.

...

You could always pay for the improvements but they would be very costly .

...

 

Thanks Tony!

 

I suspected that the editor was not improved so much due technical problems, not because a choice.

You are right ... probably, using your words here, it would be less labor intensive to rewrite the SE from scratch.

When I stated that I'd pay for an improved editor, I mean that many Harpooners like me could accept to pay a "payware expansion" to the game for a better editor.

 

But, at the same time, I think that the future of computer Harpoon should be based on a complete package redone from scratch and this means that it would be possible only if a big publisher wanted to invest much money in the product, but it should be assured of a future market, a profitable number of fans who would buy it for sure. Before investing money in a project that would take a long time, the publisher must be sure of a future income.

 

I am pessimistic thinking about the future of Harpoon because I do not think young people today are interested in this type of "games" (true simulations for Grognards in my opinion), the PC gaming market is dying and the rising consoles are not suitable for applications that require a lot of controls .. . In fact, for example, there aren't serious flight simulations for them, only arcade ones. I SINCERELY HOPE TO BE CONTRADICTED BECAUSE I WANT TO PLAY AGAIN WITH HARPOON FOR MANY YEARS!

 

Roberto

Roberto,

 

If it makes you feel better I am 16 and purchased Harpoon for the very reasons you feared it would become 'extinct'. Unfortuneatly, too many of my peers are much to enamored with the whole 'killstreak, headshot, last stand' gameplay. I laughed when one of my friends asked "When does anything happen?" as my CVBG was under fierce SSM attack and I was frantically trying to get more fighters in the air. But of course, no bright and flashing colors to satisfy the eyes, so its ruled as 'stupid'.

 

I too have Windows 7 64 bit, but I don't even want to try to fool around with an emulator or anything of the likes. However, a SE compatible with my computer wouldn't be un-appreciated.....

 

David

I too have Windows 7 64 bit, but I don't even want to try to fool around with an emulator or anything of the likes. However, a SE compatible with my computer wouldn't be un-appreciated.....

 

I am running Win 7 Pro 64 bit, and use Windows XP Mode to run the SE.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference but I have Win7 Home Premium, not Pro.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference but I have Win7 Home Premium, not Pro.

 

I understand that Win XP Mode is only available for Pro, Ultimate or Enterprise version of Win 7.