Hidden Units

Module Design
1

I’m building a module using Vassal 3.2.8. I’ve overlaid the map board with a game generated grid. What I’d like to know is if there is a way to make invisible/hidden units automatically become visible to the other side if they come within a certain range of an enemy unit?

Greggy

2

Thus spake Greggy:

I’m building a module using Vassal 3.2.8. I’ve overlaid the map board
with a game generated grid. What I’d like to know is if there is a way
to make invisible/hidden units automatically become visible to the
other side if they come within a certain range of an enemy unit?

You could definitely do that with a custom class. You might be able to
with some global properties.

BTW, is there some reason why you’re still using 3.2.8, instead of the
current release? Quite a few bugs have been fixed since 3.2.8.

–
J.

3

Too lazy to update? :laughing: OK, I’ll update and give it another go. Thanks!

GB

4

OK - updated to version 3.2.11.

This is somewhat out of my skill-set but I’m going to give it a go. So far I’ve added the Trait ‘Invisible’ to the unit prototype with “Any of the specified sides” selected and then entered the names of the sides. Then I added the Trait ‘Restricted Access’ to the units ‘Game Piece Pallet’ and indicated the side to which it belongs. That’s as far as I’ve gotten. Am I on the right track or completely out in space somewhere? I’m still not sure how to program the game to execute what I’m trying to accomplish.

Thanks,

Greggy

5

OK, I’ve tried and failed to accomplish what I wanted to do. I just can’t figure out the correct ‘grammar’ using the Comparison of Properties method. HELP! :blush:

The Double Blind method would work, but as it needs a referee it is by far the least desirable option.

Thanks.

Greggy

6

I give up. I’m not a programmer and just can’t seem to get this to work no matter what I try. :cry:

HELP! What do I need to do to have an invisible unit automatically become visible to the other side at a specified distance??? :confused:

I even tried to decipher the wiki Programming Tutorial. HA! Like I said, I’m not a programmer. :slight_smile:

Thanks,

Greggy

7

On 8/04/2014 1:35 AM, Greggy wrote:

I give up. I’m not a programmer and just can’t seem to get this to work
no matter what I try. :cry:
HELP! What do I need to do to have an invisible unit automatically
become visible to the other side at a specified distance??? :?
I even tried to decipher the wiki Programming Tutorial. HA! Like I said,
I’m not a programmer. :slight_smile:

Vassal was not designed to do this, so it is quite difficult. I believe
some players have developed convoluted methods of doing this, but it is
likely to be ugly. The basic mechanism would be to update the Map and
specify a keystroke that is applied to every unit that lands on the map.
Then each unit can respond to this keystroke by issuing a Global Key
Command with a Restrict Range option to all counters within a given
range. The ‘target’ counters would then need to respond to this Global
key command by determining if they are invisible (A Trigger Action with
a test for InvisibleToOthers=true) and make themselves visible.

Brent.

8

Thanks. At least I know it was only partly due to my lack of skills. :laughing:

I guess I’ll just have to roll with the Double Blind and Referee method for now.

Once again, thanks for all the help.

Greggy

9

But unless both players are playing online, you would have had to do this anyway.

The reason this feature is not implemented in Vassal is because it is totally insecure.

One of the players can just save a copy of the game, open it offline and jump one of his counters all over the map to locate all of his opponents hidden counters and his opponent will never know.

Brent.