Can PACG be tweaked by the player/user?

[MadMike]

So... would it possible to create an "Aces" style campaign as in SH2?

Yours, Mike

IYAAYAS!

[Chapeau]

What is PACG?

[TLAM Strike]

What is PACG?Pacific Aces Campaign Generator

[Chapeau]

I guess by now you guys have figured out that I tend to ask questions first and *then* look for the answers that are right in front of me.

So now, where can I get it? This isn't the usual "ask first and then look for it" lazy-bonehead question. I have looked for it and not found it. Thanks very much.

[MarkShot]

PACG is part of the whole PA install.

PACG is just one component that creates a new campaign each time you run it so that you don't end up replaying the same campaign over and over again.

[Floater]

PACG itself will run with any SH2 installation, and was designed and written to be as moddable as possible (within reason), in anticipation of people wanting to use it for other projects. You can even skin it if you want - as much as possible is held externally in config and graphics files.

The hard part is setting up the data - groups, units, weather, etc. Hitman did a wonderful job of working out the formats and creating the PA data, but AFAIK there isn't really anything in the way of user documentation on either that side or for the generator itself.

If I can be of any help (I wrote the software to Hitman's data design), let me know.

[The Old Man]

So now, where can I get it? This isn't the usual "ask first and then look for it" lazy-bonehead question. I have looked for it and not found it. Thanks very much.


You could order the super cd
or download the lite version if you already own Destroyer Command?
Roy

[Chapeau]

See? What'd I tell you? The answer was right in front of me. I have the Super CD.

Why couldn't God have made me smart and rich instead of just incredibly good-looking? :-?

[Chapeau]

The hard part is setting up the data - groups, units, weather, etc. Hitman did a wonderful job of working out the formats and creating the PA data, but AFAIK there isn't really anything in the way of user documentation on either that side or for the generator itself.

If I can be of any help (I wrote the software to Hitman's data design), let me know.

If I can come to understand the generator and the formats, etc., then I can write the documentation - I did it for some years for the DoD. Looks like I'm going to drop whatever else I'm doing and study PACG. I'll be in touch.

[The Old Man]

Why couldn't God have made me smart and rich instead of just incredibly good-looking?

LOL
I hear you

[Charleston]

Is there some reasonably simple way I could up the aggressiveness of the dd's/escorts? Something idiot proof like open this .ini file go to line 5 and change the value from 03 to 09? :lol:

Thanks!

[Chapeau]

From the Scenario Definition File Editor's Aid for Silent Hunter II and Destroyer Command

(NOTE - The following section details COMBAT orders)
Orderx.x = Attack,1,Main_Battery,Unit {unit#/group#, weapon, unit/group, duration, target_time} (specify the group or unit to be attacked first, see below for the weapon options, specify whether the first number is a unit or a group)
(weapon options: Torpedoes, Main_Battery, Secondary_Battery)
(NOTE - secondary_battery may not work in all cases, destroyers do not have them)
(NOTE - other weapons such as machine_gun, aa_guns, turret, depthcharge, bomb may work, but this is not confirmed)
(NOTE - multiple attack orders can be given in an order block, or an appropriate ROE can be set)
(NOTE - attacks against a specified unit do not always work, the AI will often attack other units at random)

Orderx.x = BombDC (instructs AI bomber to drop depth charges)
Orderx.x = BombLow (instructs AI bomber to drop bombs from low altitude)
Orderx.x = BombHigh (instructs AI bomber to drop bombs from high altitude)
Orderx.x = Bombtorpedo (instructs AI bomber to drop torpedo, this is not confirmed to work)?
(NOTE - "bomb" orders are not always necessary as aircraft will behave according to their predefined behaviors. The aircraft must have the proper weapons to comply with this order.)
Orderx.x = Kamikazi (instructs AI to use unit as a weapon by collision)

Orderx.x = ROE,AIRCRAFT,LIMITED,AVOID,EVADE,FULL {ROE, targeting, engagement, objective, movement, initiative} (sets Rules of Engagement for AI groups, options found in ROE.DSF, see option lists below)

(targeting options: ALL, AIRCRAFT, CAPITAL, LANDING, MERCHANTMEN, SCREEN, SHORE_TARGETS, SUBMARINES, TARGET = #, TRANSPORTS)
(ALL instructs AI to attack any enemy unit.
(AIRCRAFT instructs AI to focus attack on enemy aircraft.)
(CAPITAL instructs AI to focus attack on enemy warships.)
(LANDING instructs AI to focus attack on enemy landing craft.)
(MERCHANT or MERCHANTMEN(?) instructs AI to focus attack on enemy
merchants.)
(SCREEN instructs AI to get between the enemy and any friendly capital
ship.)
(SHORE or SHORE_TARGETS(?) instructs AI to focus attack on enemy shore
emplacements.)
(SUBMARINE or SUBMARINES(?) instructs AI to focus attack on enemy
submarines.)
(TARGET = # instructs AI to focus attack on a specific group, replace #
with the number of the group to be attacked.)
(TRANSPORT or TRANSPORTS(?) instructs AI to focus attack on enemy
transports.)
(NOTE - There are some questions as to which is the correct syntax as shown above. Have also seen CRUISER, DESTROYER, and SPECIFIC?)
(NOTE - Target = xxx probably refers to the group number, not the unit number, but designating a target does NOT necessarily seem to focus the attack on that unit)
(engagement options: LIMITED, RECON, STEALTHY, UNLIMITED)
(NOTE - the true effect of these variables on AI behavior is unclear)
(objective options: DESTROY, HARASS, HIT_AND_RUN, REPULSE, SHADOW)
(NOTE - the true effect of these variables on AI behavior is unclear, SNEAK and AVOID have also been reported.)
(movement options: BEST, CONSERVE, CRUISING, EVADE)
(BEST instructs AI to move at the most efficient rate of speed for the
current conditions. AI ships will turn on all their boilers when this
order is given.)
(CONSERVE instructs AI to move at the most fuel-efficient rate. AI ships
will turn off half of their boilers when this order is given.)
(CRUISE or CRUISING instructs AI to move at the fastest pace given the
current sea state.)
(EVASIVE or EVADE instructs AI to move randomly in an effort to make
themselves hard to hit. This order will be suspended when time compression
is above 32x.)
(NOTE - There are some questions as to which is the correct syntax as shown above.

(initiative options: FULL, NONE, PERMISSION) (also saw EXPLICIT in a
mission?)
(NOTE - the true effect of these variables on AI behavior is unclear)

(NOTE - subgroups can have a different ROE from the main group, but they will follow main group's waypoints.)