TripleA Changes for PBEM

@ncscswitch:

Could someone send me the link to the new and improved version of TripleA?  Just shoot me a PM or an e-mail with the link please…

Based on how much I liked the images from the game i played with Dan, I think I might be willing to experiment with the program this weekend and see if I can get used to using it for online gaming (as an ADDITION to my game board, not a replacement…)  :mrgreen:

I’ve e-mailed you the necessary Jar file, but you have to download TripleA v. 0.8.2.2 and swap the file I sent you for the one in the “bin” folder.

Also, you have to have Java 1.5 installed.

Once tripleA is running, select “Load New Game” and choose the version you want to play (revised, classic, etc), start a PBEM game, and then enter the A&A.org topic # (4 digits) that your game is under and your A&A.org login info.

Okay, I just tried my first turn and it went seemlessly.

However, here is what I would like to see…

• Post turn summary through the end of combat moves. You finish combat moves and then you post them before rolling the attacks.
• Subsequently post only combat through collecting income at the end of the turn.
• I’d like to see tighter integration with the in house dice roller. As the dice roller works now it probably will not be feasible and so I’m will to do some work to write a dice roller that will both work with TripleA and also post each round to the forums (as a side-effect).

Hey, I had a question for DJensen, and he suggested I post my question here.

Dear Mr. J,

Since you seem to be the expert around here on using TripA, I was hoping you might be able to help me with a concern/question I have about it.  I’ll attempt to be as concise as possible with my question, because whenever I attempt to frame it, it doesn’t sound the way I want it to.

When using Triple A, is it possible to use it while playing someone else who doesn’t use it?  What I mean is, in my current game with AJGundam, he’s using Battlemap while I’m using my gameboard.  I was wanting to give Triple A a shot, but he said he didn’t know how to use it, so I’m not.  But is it possible for just me to use it, moving the pieces around, while he uses something else?  Or will it not work because of the in-system dicey it uses?  Because what I really want to do is follow the game using Triple A without the dice interfering.

I hope I was clear.  I thank you for your time.

GD Fox.

@General_D.Fox:

Hey, I had a question for DJensen, and he suggested I post my question here.

Dear Mr. J,

Since you seem to be the expert around here on using TripA, I was hoping you might be able to help me with a concern/question I have about it.  I’ll attempt to be as concise as possible with my question, because whenever I attempt to frame it, it doesn’t sound the way I want it to.

When using Triple A, is it possible to use it while playing someone else who doesn’t use it?  What I mean is, in my current game with AJGundam, he’s using Battlemap while I’m using my gameboard.  I was wanting to give Triple A a shot, but he said he didn’t know how to use it, so I’m not.  But is it possible for just me to use it, moving the pieces around, while he uses something else?  Or will it not work because of the in-system dicey it uses?  Because what I really want to do is follow the game using Triple A without the dice interfering.

I hope I was clear.  I thank you for your time.

GD Fox.

I’ll answer this one - the answer is Yes - I played ncscswitch twice, him using a board and me using triplea. The catch is that you have to download the patched version of triplea v. 0.8.2.2. It has an “edit” mode that lets you enter casualties manually rather than roll dice - so you just have to enter all your opponents moves for them into triplea.

You can download the version at http://frood.net/aacalc/maps/, look under TripleA

I’m still having trouble with this.  I want to catch up on the game already in progress and update the Triple A map, but I don’t know how to do so without the dice interfering and changing what is where.  Any suggestions?

Hmm, thanks.  I’m thinking it might take me a while to get all caught up then.  I better get started.

Hey, I have a question.  Say I kill something, let’s say transports, but there should have been something else there to defend them.  How do I add back those transports?  I see the “Add Units” button, but how does it work?  And when?

The “add units” function doesn’t work yet  :cry: I’m told. The only work-around is to go back as many turns as needed to correct the error.

I still want an editable text file.  I have an idea on how it would work:

Each player gets a text file to input whatever they want.  Russia gets one, Germany gets one, etc.  Each text file is locked and encrypted (woha).

If one side wins, or one side resigns (put in a script to check victory conditions, and to see if all players on one side resigned), all text files are unlocked, and a commentary file is produced.  It’ll read like:

"Russia 1:

Fruud - "I decided to purchase two infantry, two art, and two tanks, and go with the Ukraine attack line.  Today, I had chicken for dinner.

Germany 1:

BagDady - “”

UK 1:

Mighty Airforce - “I built fighters.  MIGHTY AIRFORCE!  My airforce is mighty!”  Oh look, UK left his India fleet in range.

. . . etc.

That way, people that view a save game file can read whatever commentary the players thought of.

I’d actually rather have an audio file, but that would make .tsvg files really big, and not everyone has a microphone hooked up to their computer.

@newpaintbrush:

I still want an editable text file.

I do too.

I like the idea of adding it to the game file. I don’t find myself keeping a seperate file updated because it is not readily available.  For example, I started a log for my game with RJClayton but I did not stay with it since I found myself working on turns from different computers than the one the file was on.

I think that for my next game I will try again to keep a text file, only this time I will upload the text file as an encrypted zip file every time I post a turn.  That way I can always access the file and at the end of the game I can just post the password to the zip file.

What I really want to know, is when is the AI going to be upgraded to something decent and competitive?

@General_D.Fox:

What I really want to know, is when is the AI going to be upgraded to something decent and competitive?

As soon as someone comes up with an algorithm that provides decent and competitive play.

Try it yourself.  Put together a short list of a 3 (or 5 or 7 or ???) rules that a particular player / nation can reliablly follow all the time that still generates decent and competitive play.

The teasers are here on the forum.  We talk about IPC costs and calculations.  We talk about infantry mechanic and shuck-shuck but in every single one of those discussions we caveat the “do this and win” arguement with a “unless the tactical/strategic/turn timing situation says otherwise” disclaimer.

The classic is the Japanese Infantry Mechanic marching on Moscow.  At what point do you always shift from making more infantry to making armor that will run up to the front line and lead the assault?

Another is when (if ever) should Japan insert a spoiler attack into Alaska / WCA?  Is it OK to take a loss in the IPC exchange in that attack if it disrupts the shuck-shuck for 1 turn?  How about 2 turns?  How many IPC loss in the exchange per turn of delay in the shuck-shuck?

Should US strike back at Pearl or cut the losses and run?

Should the Allies do a KJF or a KGF?  How much does this depend on bid placement?