(Note: This file contains information for all of the releases to date, in chronological order - release notes for the most current version are first, followed by previous versions) Got questions? Looking for Hints/Tips? Visit the HPS web site at www.hpssims.com. **** Aide De Camp version 2.15 **** Release Notes 1 MAR 04 Map Editor Module: - Added a utility to check if entered hex elevations are within a specified range. - Added toggles to draw each type symbol or graphic (primary, secondary, hexlines, etc.) - Improved the bottom information area to show more information. - Updated Base Mapsheets entry form. Users can now easily add new sheets and delete existing ones. The form will also automatically place mapsheets (x, y) for 2 zoom levels once the first zoom (x, y) position is entered. Things that didn't work right: - Fixed the thousands comma separator in the elevation up-down selection box. - Fixed a problem converting old style (pre-2.13) symbol sets with .SDX file indexes. - Fixed a crash when resizing some maps. - Lengthened allowable file names to 500 characters (was 80-100). - Fixed the file save after selecting a new symbol set. The save operation was not being performed unless the file had already been saved before the new set was linked. **** Aide De Camp version 2.14 **** Release Notes 18 AUG 02 Play Game Module: - Added a "word wrap" option to the comment text box. - Modified printout routines to include symbol and player numbers. - Adjusted the "print to file" option to better handle line returns. - Removed the SDX warning message, as SDX files are no longer used. Map Editor Module: - The following improvements were made to the utility that re-sizes a map: * Message box shows backup map file name that is automatically created. * Display set to the upper left corner. * Reminder if base-bitmaps are used, they must be resized by hand. - Hexline definitions can now be sorted. Symbol Editor: - Added an option to add symbols from one set to another: Main menu: System Utilities | Merge Sym Sets Things that didn't work right: - Fixed a problem when adding the first new deck to a game, and two decks were being shown in the window. - Removed the requirement for SDX files from card deck symbol sets. This was overlooked in version 2.13. **** Aide De Camp version 2.13(b)**** Release Notes 30 DEC 01 NOTE: Version 2.13(b) fixes a problem in the original version 2.13 where copying piece symbols in the sym editor led to sets becoming corrupted. It also contains fresh "re- compiles" of the other primary EXE files. Play Game Module: - Can Right Click on the "Flip" button to "reverse flip" a piece. - The Information Box sizes at the bottom of the screen are now saved. Map Editor Module: - Scanned-in maps bitmap files can be in different folders than the symbols set or map files. - Added "Fill" function for secondary terrain. Note: It ignores primary terrain types completely - and will not use primary terrain when determining the fill area border. - Added Resize Map utility that allows maps to be expanded or trimmed. - Added ability to clear/reset primary terrain, secondary terrain, and attributes over the entire map (Main Menu | Map Board Symbols). - Sped up map scroll redraws. - Added a tool that will automatically place symbols on the map if specified hexline/hexside configurations are present (Main Menu | Tools | Auto-place Symbols for Hexlines). To use this too, select the hexline type by clicking on the appropriate tab. Then, select the hexline orientation from the left side, and the symbol that will represent it from the list on the left. Multi-line configurations include more than one line segment, for example a hexline that enters from the south, and exits to the Northwest. This tool is used for both hexlines and hexsides. - Added a tool to automatically place terrain in a hex to show elevation levels (Main Menu | Tools | Auto-place Symbols for Elevations). To use the tool, select ALL of the symbols you want to use for elevations from those available in the left hand box. Place them in the desired order in the right hand box using the arrow buttons. The computer automatically calculates which elevations each symbol will be used for, based on difference between the maximum and minimum elevations on the map and the number of symbols selected. For example, if the minimum elevation is 0 and the maximum elevation is 10, and 5 symbols are selected, a symbol will be assigned to every two elevation levels. Levels 0 and 1 will be assigned the first symbol, 2 and 3 the second, 4 and 5 the third, and so on. Symbols can be placed as primary, secondary (and will replace any existing primary or secondary symbols), or as attributes (existing symbols remain unchanged) using the radio buttons at the bottom of the form. Symbol Editor Module: - Eliminated the .SDX file for the saving symbol order. - The form can now be resized. - The maximum number of symbols is now unlimited (was 5,000). Things that didn't work right: - Fixed the screen position and zoom save function for each player. - Fixed the "Fill" function in the Map Editor, which wasn't working correctly if the terrain symbols had been reordered in the Symbol Editor. - Corrected a memory problem when placing markers from a pool when using hidden pieces. - Game file were being saved with the wrong version number, which negated the hexline draw sequence and 2.08 hex layout settings. - Corrected a problem with multi-page game/map printouts. **** Aide De Camp version 2.12 **** Release Notes 12 DEC 00 Play Game Module: - Added an option to redraw the entire screen on ALL redraws (Main Menu | Game | Map Display Options | Draw Entire Screen on Any Redraw). Things that didn't work right: - Fixed a problem when deleting hexsides on a map, often "random" other hexsides would also be deleted. - Adjusted card-drawing routines to better draw large cards when the symbol draw setting is "Center of Hex". - Fixed the checkmark on menu choice "Draw Hex Outline". **** Aide De Camp version 2.11 **** Release Notes 11 AUG 00 Play Game Module: - Added an option to hide all but the top pieces in each hex (under Main Menu | Advanced). - Added a "Snapshot" button (which looks like a camera), which saves the current screen to a BMP file. - Added an option to have stack symbols drawn in *addition* to the normal piece symbols in each hex. The stack symbols are always drawn "on top of" the normal symbols. - Adjusted Facing Form. Buttons are now more descriptive, and an option was added to globally change all classes to a facing style. - Added an option to show or not show markers (classes owned by All Players), under Map Display. - Added an option not to show warning messages when changing a piece's hidden status. Map Editor Module: - Added an option to set the display order for the major categories map items (primary terrain, secondary terrain, hexlines, hexsides, etc.). - When using the scanned-map (base bitmap) feature, the form now defaults to having more than one bitmap. Things that didn't work right: - Fixed a problem in the Unit Actions Form when moving a piece to the "top". - Fixed a glitch in the Edit Piece Class where it was adding symbols to the bottom of the list each time "Edit Another" was clicked. - Replay no longer shows classes of hidden flipped pieces. - Replay now shows when piece hidden status values are changed. - Removed automatic mouse "jump" when cycling though on-map pieces. - When a pool was deleted, the owning player of pools "below" that deleted were sometimes being corrupted. - Fixed the map editor to now recognize transparent terrain "squares" (before this it could only use transparent hexes). - When moving a stack, only the top piece performed searches for hidden enemy pieces, or was revealed if detected by the movement. **** Aide De Camp version 2.10 **** Release Notes 2 DEC 99 This patch incorporates further randomization of die-rolling, corrections to various sighting routines, and resolves some memory issues involving pools and stack symbols. **** Aide De Camp version 2.09b **** Release Notes 17 OCT 99 This version has an adjusted die rolling box. You can now roll up to 100 dice, and the randomizing routines have been adjusted by added a bunch of new "randoms inside randoms" hat will hopefully make it completely random. **** Aide De Camp version 2.09 **** Release Notes 2 OCT 99 >> Note: There appears to be a limit on BMP size when running in Windows 95/98. This limit seems to be about 4 million total pixels, with a maximum of 1700 pixels on a side. Bitmaps larger than this may not be loaded properly. Depending on the system configuration, even bitmaps somewhat smaller than this can cause memory problems. This limit applies to all bitmap files, including the terrain and piece symbols as well as scanned in maps. The limit does not seem to apply to systems running Windows NT. In order to help get around this limitation, a multiple scanned-in mapsheet option was added in version 2.07. Play Game Module: -The publisher of the code compiler released a new version that fixed the bitmap memory leak. The new compiler version seems to have eliminated the "weird" screen drawing situations. If you're still getting strange colors, or windows are not being completely redraw, check to make sure you have the latest video drivers installed for your video graphics card. -Added several new file corruption detection routines. -Column sizes for "Select Pieces For Actions" form now saved. -Added a line on the map when "shooting" a single LOS. -Added automatic "reciprocal" flip definitions. When this option is on, if "A" is given a flip def of "B", the flip def of "B" is automatically set to "A". -Added "status dots". These "dots" are actually colored squares that appear on the pieces on the mapboard. For each dot, users can set the color, size and position, as well as the conditions that cause the dot to be shown. To turn status dots on or off, from the main menu: Game | Map/Board Display Options | Piece Status Dots. Please see the updated ADC2 manual for more information on setting up and using status dots. -Adjusted the printouts to be more comprehensive. Now maps larger than the maximum bitmap size (see note above) can be printed out. Also adjusted the scale values to coincide with the printer resolution. At a scale of 1, one pixel on the screen will translate to 1 pixel on the printer. At scales less than 1, multiple screen pixels will be compressed by the scale amount to fit into one printer pixel. At scales greater than 1, one pixel on the screen will be expanded to multiple printer pixels by the scale amount. -Added a class type-limiter to the Cycle routine. -In the Show Replay form, the Set Start Point slider bar now shows the action number. Edit Map Module: -Default name for a new placename/city is blank. -When adding terrain to the map, you can now change the placement type (Primary/Secondary) using radio buttons on the "floating" form. Things that didn't work right: -Fixed a memory bug when editing force pools. -Fixed a memory bug when editing stack definitions with sort turned on. -After adding a new player, the list wasn't being updated right away. -Fixed info page access error when linked to a BMP file. -Find now only shows known pieces. -Fixed a problem were some placenames were not showing up on the mapboard. -Fixed UNDO when a piece was removed from the mapboard. -Fixed a situation where a piece's hidden symbol wasn't being shown properly when the piece was in fact hidden. -Cycle was going to (but not showing) hidden pieces. **** Aide De Camp version 2.08 **** Release Notes 12 July 99 Play Game Module: -Added "Action #" to replay info box when running with a delay (instead of stop after each). -You can now click the RMB (Right Mouse Button) on the Select Units for Action screen to manually change the hidden status of a unit or move it to the top of the stack it the hex. The default when changing hidden status is to change only the unit selected, however, it will be changed for all units in the hex if the "Change All Units" item is checked. -Several of the basic forms can now be re-sized. The new sizes "stick" within the current session, however they are not saved for the next time you run ADC. The forms are: Edit Force Pools Remove From Board Options Edit Flip Defs Generic List Form Get Piece Class Get Piece From Pool Get Pieces to Place Combat Summary (Pieces) LOS X-Section Select Pieces for Action To be able to resize forms, you must select "Resize Forms" from Preferences on the main menu. IMPORTANT NOTE: On some systems the automatic resize routines do not seem to work properly due to what appears to be a bug in the compiler. If you have the resizeable forms option on, and the program locks up or does other strange things when you click on a form (or try to move/resize it), you will have to turn the "Resize Forms" option off. -You can use the NUMPAD keys to scroll the map. Make sure Num Lock is on. -The number of pools that can be defined was increased from 250 to 32,000. -Adjusted the "Find" Feature (binocular button) so it is easier to find pieces on the mapboard. Pieces can now be sorted by either class or piece name. Also, the location and owning player were added to the description text. -UNDO will now undo a sort operation. -Rewrote the program code to reduce the effects of a compiler bitmap bug (see Note 1 above). -Hexlines and hexsides are now shown in the Hex Info Box at the bottom of the screen. -If there is only one card deck or hand in the game, you will not be prompted to select it for applicable operations. -Added a new report that shows the total number of pieces of each class on the board and/or in pools. The new report is on screen only (it does not have a built-in hard copy print option). It can be accessed from the main menu: Printouts | Total Pieces on Board -Added a new option that centers a single piece symbol in a hex. This is very useful for games where counters take up 2 or 3 hexes (ships, lines and columns, etc.). The display options are now: "1" (the original option - if the symbol is smaller than the hex, it is centered, otherwise it is drawn starting in the upper left hex corner); "1 - Centered" (the symbol is centered, even if it is bigger than the hex); and "4" (up to four symbols are drawn in the hex, none of which is drawn to the left or above the hex). -Added an option to default comments to Text. When this is on, users are not prompted to select the type of comment to add (text, video, sound, etc.), the Add Text Comment box automatically appears. This default can be changed/set from the main menu: Preferences | Default Comments to Text. -Whenever a game is saved, it is now reported in the replay. -Added a routine to put pieces of a given class at the top of their respective hexes across the entire mapboard at once. The routine is called from the main menu: Game | Map/Board Display Options | Put Class On Top in Hexes. The order of pieces is not changed in hexes that do not contain at least one piece of the selected class. -Added "Flip All Pieces" option to the RMB (Right Mouse Button) pop-up menu. -Pictures (bitmaps) used for info-pages can be scaled (to best-fit the info page screen) or not at the user's option. A check box on the info page form is used to toggle the option. -Added the ability to set a "hex size" value that is used to display the range from the single LOS routine. The hex size is set from the Main Menu: Advanced | Set Terrain LOS Values | LOS Characteristics. The hex size can have both a value, and a unit of measure (text), for example, 100 meters. -The hex grid overlay On/Off flag is now saved as part of the game file. -Made "OK" the default button on most forms. Map Editor Module: -Scanned-in map hex sizes can be set to any multiple of 5 instead of the previously constrained values. -Added a new hex "placement scheme" which shifts the hexes down/over one pixel from their previous position. This allows the entire hex graphic to be shown, but it can also result in "gaps" between the hexes where the edges don't line up, or "wide" hex grids. If you like the "old" display scheme better, you can force the map to use the 2.07 pattern by selecting the Main menu option: Mapsheets | Pre-2.08 Hex Layout. -Added a "Center - Center" placename option which centers the placename in the middle of the hex. Symbol Editor Module: -Groups of multiple symbols can now be selected and deleted at once. From the main menu select: System Utilities | Remove Terrain Symbols or Remove Game Pieces. When a symbol is selected for deletion, a small X will appear in the right hand box. To select multiple symbols, hold down the Shift key while Left clicking. Symbols can be "un-selected" by left clicking on them. -The "Select Symbol Type To Edit" no longer automatically pops up after completing each symbol edit. Instead, you will be able to directly select the next symbol to edit of the current type (terrain or game piece). To switch between types, select Symbols from the main menu. Things that didn't work right: -Fixed a few small problems with hidden units and player alliances. -Fixed hidden card routines. -Fixed some inconsistencies in the turn replay, especially involving cards and units being placed from force pools. -Fixed several problems with scanned-in maps and their symbol sets. -Fixed the "Delete" function for stacks in cases where there were multiple declarations for the same symbol. -Placenames over 100 points in height were not being drawn properly in the Play Game Module. -Fixed piece facing arrow for the East/Vertex position. -Markers can no longer sight hidden units in the auto-reveal routines. **** Aide De Camp version 2.07 **** Release Notes 9 Dec 98 Play Game Module: -Adjusted ADC-1 set conversion routine to set all display options "ON". This will keep converted maps and games from initially looking like they are missing terrain or units. -Added a new option to import classes and pieces from existing games. Select Advanced (Main Menu) and Import from an Existing Game. -Now able to use the new "elevation" settings from the map editor (see below). Hexes with "zero" elevation will default to the current elevation determination scheme based on the terrain in the hex. The new elevation system does not affect the AGL height of secondary terrain features, they are still determined by the terrain types in the hex. Map Editor Module: -Added "Multiple Base Mapsheets" option to the scanned-in map routine. To use this option, follow the procedure to create a normal scanned-in map. On the scanned-in map options form make sure the box next to "Use Multiple Base Mapsheets" is checked. This box is located under the boxand button to select a single mapsheet. Make sure all of the hex size and orientation values are set properly, and click "Continue". The next form allows you to: *Select individual BMP files to use as base mapsheets. *Set the X and Y (in pixels) value for the upper left corner of each BMP. *Set the total map size, in hexes. Mapsheet upper left corner X and Y values can also be changed in the map editor. -Added a new "elevation editor" which allows players to set the ground level (GL) elevations individually for each hex regardless of the primary terrain in the hex. Elevation values above ground level (AGL) for secondary terrain are not affected. Elevation values must be greater than zero, or they will be ignored (and the normal terrain elevation will be used). To place elevation levels, select "Elevations" from the main menu. Elevations can also be "filled" in an area enclosed by the elevation, just like terrain. Select "Elevations | Fill Map Board Elevations" from the main menu. Symbol Editor Module: -You can now paste graphics into symbols from the Windows clipboard. Either select "Paste" from the Image Regions (Main Menu) or use -V. This routine makes it easy to use graphics created or viewed in other graphics programs. After performing the paste command (either from the menu or -V, the same procedure is followed as when placing an image region - click the mouse in the desired location to place the clipboard graphic. -It is now possible to "auto-size" higher zoom level symbols to the lower zoom levels. This feature can really speed up creating a symbol set by eliminating the need to recreate each zoom level symbol from scratch. To use the new feature, create your zoom level 3 symbol first. Then, select "Edit | Scale Copy Zoom 3 to 2" from the main menu. The zoom level 2 symbol will be created automatically from the existing zoom 3 one. Then select "Edit | Scale Copy Zoom 2 to 1" from the main menu. This will create the zoom level 1 symbol. The new symbols may often still need some minor editing due to limitations in the auto-size routine, but using this new feature will still save a great deal of time and effort. Things that didn't work right: -Fixed a problem where pieces in force pools were appearing in the Piece Action Box in certain hexes. -Fixed a problem in the replay where some pieces weren't showing up. -Fixed a problem where deleting players if classes had been defined for that player. -Fixed a few problems with the Scanned-in map subroutines. **** Aide De Camp version 2.06 **** Release Notes 28 May 98 Things that didn't work right: -Fixed "General Protection Fault" crash when converting ADC-1 sets. This problem was introduced in the version 2.04 upgrade. -Fixed mapsheet editor and numbering for mapsheets using alpha characters. -Fixed mouse pointer shift in the map editor for offset-square map orientations. -Allies were seeing "hidden" symbols for each other's pieces. **** Aide De Camp version 2.05 **** Release Notes 22 May 98 >>>> Important Note: Please check your mapsheet numbering!! In fixing a mapsheet numbering problem, version 2.05 *may* change the mapsheet numbering of existing games. Please check your games the first time they are loaded into version 2.05 to insure the numbering is correct. If the numbering is off, you will need to bring up the map in the Map Editor Module and adjust the mapsheet numbering values as needed. Play Game Module: -In the replay, pieces now "flash" on the screen when they are added, removed, or changed. Things that didn't work right: -Player Alliances weren't being initialized correctly. -Replay didn't always show all of the pieces in final location after moving. -Re-sizing a map which used a hex grid overlay to a larger size resulted in problems editing the new areas. -Adjusted auto-reveal (range) to eliminate "corners" which were technically one hex beyond the nominal search range. -Fixed check box on Player form where "Place Hidden" was always on. -Sorting the order of pieces in a hex is now restricted to only "fully known" pieces. -Fixed a problem where the default hidden symbol was being reset if symbol zero (the first piece symbol in the list) was selected. -Fixed a mapsheet numbering problem (see note above) where changing the first hex up/down or right/left had no effect. **** Aide De Camp version 2.04 **** Release Notes 10 April 98 Play Game Module: -Several new display options were added: * You can toggle hexlines, hexsides, placenames, and pieces on or off. * You can now set the number of symbols to display per hex independently for each zoom level. (This replaces the single Symbols Per Hex value) The values are still limited to one or four symbols per hex. These new display values are saved with the game file. -Added ability to designate "Allies" between two or more players. Alliances are only meaningful in games with hidden pieces. Basically, pieces belonging to allied players are treated as one force. Allied players can always see each other's pieces, and during the reveal routines allied pieces never try to sight each other. Alliances have no effects outside of the hidden piece reveal routines. A special use of the alliance feature is to distinguish between pieces belonging to a single player but having different reveal ranges. For example, a British reconnaissance aircraft class type may have a reveal range of 10 hexes, as compared to a range of 5 for British ground classes. In this case, you can create two players and ally them: A British "Ground" player with a reveal range of 5 hexes. A British "Air" player with a reveal range of 10 hexes. Because allied pieces are always known to the other allied players, you don't need to log-in as the owning player to move allied pieces. So, in the above example, the British player could log-in as either British "ally", and subsequently move and fully control all of the British pieces. Things that didn't work right: -This version fixes a few problems with cards in the replay or UNDO. -The replay length has been extended to virtually unlimited size. **** Aide De Camp version 2.03 **** Release Notes 31 March 98 Play Game Module: -Version 2.03 fixes a problem in 2.02 when loading certain existing game sets. **** Aide De Camp version 2.02 **** Release Notes 26 March 98 Play Game Module: -A new utility has been added which lets your resize the playing area (map/board) by adding or trimming rows and columns. This utility was added to the Play Game Modules instead of the Map/Board Editor for added flexibility - you can adjust the map/board at any time, even after the game is under way. To bring up the utility, select "Resize Playing Area" under the Advanced menu. Click on the appropriate "radio buttons" and arrows to select the number of hexes to add or trim from each side. Click OK to make the adjustments. The utility will automatically save your existing map by appending "(Backup)" to its file name. If the changes aren't what you want, you can always go back to the original map by just deleting the "new" map file (mapname.MAP) and deleting the string "(BACKUP)" from the backup file name. For example, if your original map file was GAME.MAP, after you change the size you will have two map files in your folder: GAME(BACKUP).MAP and GAME.MAP. The first is the original the second the new, resized map. Your game will *always* load GAME.MAP. The utility will also save your game file, using the same convention as for the map file - it adds (BACKUP) to the .OPS file name. One thing to be aware of when resizing maps is that any pieces or cards on the board in areas to be "trimmed" will be deleted from the game. There are no warning messages - they are just removed. To maintain hex grain patterns, you can only trim or add in increments of 2 hexes. Additionally, you can never trim the playing area to dimensions less than 5 hexes by 5 hexes, or add so that the playing area exceeds 60,000 total hexes. -A new "auto-reveal" option has been added which reveals pieces when they are selected for combat. To toggle this option On/OFF, select "Reveal Pieces During Combat" under the Advanced menu. When this option is on, it has the following effects: a) Any piece selected to attack is immediately revealed. Other pieces that may be in the same hex, but that are not attacking, are not affected. b) ALL pieces in a hex with at least one unit selected to defend are immediately revealed - even if the pieces are not all selected to defend. -After placing pieces on the map, when returning to the "Select Pieces" box the Placement Stack window is now cleared of the previous contents. -A new option has been added to the Add New Pieces To the Game selection screen: "Return to this screen immediately after placing pieces on the board". When this box is checked, you will return to the placement screen immediately after placing clicking and the pieces on the board. You do not need to click the "OK" button. This option is handy when you are placing a lot of different types of pieces, and will not be placing the same "placement stack" group repeatedly. -A new utility has been added that will delete all of your cards, including decks and hands, from the game. Select "Remove Hands and Decks" under the Cards Main menu. (Note: this also removes cards on the board) -You can now set the stack symbol "priority" list. Click the "Sort" button on the Stack Definitions Form (Edit | Stack Symbols). When selecting the stack symbol to draw, the program goes down the list in order (from top to bottom). It first checks stack definitions with "required" piece classes. If one is found that matches the pieces in the hex to be included in the stack, it is drawn. If none of the "required" classes are found in the hex, the program checks the general stacking definitions (without any required class), again in order from top to bottom. -You can now set the display order for force pools. Click the "Set Display Order" button from the force pool window. -A new Right Mouse Button (RMB) option has been added: Place Pieces. - The replay now saves piece selections from a force pool. It also saves the action of returning a selected piece to a pool. These actions can *not* be erased with the UNDO command. The intent of storing these actions in the replay is to prevent players from selecting hidden or random pieces, and then returning them if they don't like them once they become known. If you make a mistake and really need to change something involving pieces selected from a force pool, you should let your opponent know what's going on in a comment. Things That Didn't Work Right: -Fixed a display problem with more than 4 pieces in a hex and the display setting set to 4 symbols per hex. -Modified LOS and Range auto-reveal routines to ignore markers (pieces owned by all players). -Fixed a problem where cards were not being loaded in in the correct order if the order was changed in the Symbol Editor. -When saving a game to a new name, the new name is now added to the File List. -Fixed a problem adding a new force pool after card decks had been created. -"Fast Zoom" adjusted to draw hex attributes/multiple secondary terrain types. -Grid now drawn on top of all other terrain in a hex. -The "Place Pieces from Pool" and "Remove Pieces to Pool" preference options were not working properly. -When placing a card on the board, the card beneath it (in the deck/hand) was being moved to the end of the list. -The GAMEMASTER option was not working properly. Your existing games will be automatically updated to operate correctly the first time they are loaded into version 2.02. -Fixed a problem with the Combat Value Summary for the defender (was 1 less than it should have been). -Fixed a situation where Info-pages were "lost" if the game name was modified. Please see the discussion of Info-pages below for more information on naming. >>>>>> Special Notes: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A number of users have been confused about the order in which Aide De Camp 2 draws the map/board and units. As of the 2.02 release, this is the exact order: 1) The base bitmap (scanned in map), if it exists. 2) Primary terrain 3) The *first* secondary terrain placed in each hex 4) Hexsides (using draw priority, if specified, otherwise in order placed) 5) Hexlines ( " " ) 6) City/Placename *Symbols*, in order placed. 7) All other secondary terrain/attributes in each hex, in order placed. 8) The grid overlay 9) City/Placename *Text*, in order placed. 10) Pieces *not* part of a stack (i.e. if display=4 per hex, the first 3 pieces) 11) Stack symbol, if found. Otherwise, the remaining pieces on top of each other. 12) Playing Cards, in the order placed (the last placed is on top) If the "Fast Zoom" is set ON, at Zoom 1 steps 4, 5, 8, 9,10, 11 and 12 will be skipped. Info-Pages: All of the Info-pages for a gameset use the same name as the index, or ".IPX", file. When the first Info-page is defined, it will take the name of the game turn file at that point, which will also be used for the .IPX file. As additional Info-pages are added, they will be given the same root filename as the IPX file, even if the game name itself has been changed. Only *ONE* ".IPX" file can be used from a folder (additional IPX files after the first will be ignored), so consequently only one set of Info-pages can be stored in a folder. If you need to save two or more games with different sets of Info-pages, the games *MUST* be stored in separate folders. Here is a further explanation of the Reset Symbol Order utility in response to a user's question: Q: What, exactly, does RESET SYMBOL ORDER do in the Symbol Editor? I'm almost afraid to use it for fear that it will rearrange symbols that I've carefully moved up and down my list. A: Reset Symbol Order resets the symbol order list to the order in which the symbols were entered. So your fears are correct, you shouldn't use RSO unless your set has gotten corrupted. **** Aide De Camp version 2.01 **** Release Notes 17 Feb 98 Play Game Module: -A new option has been added to the ADC-1 gameset conversion utility which allows you to clear the replay file instead of trying to convert it to ADC-2 format. In general you should always select Yes for this option (which will clear the replay), because the large differences in the replay format between versions can cause a host of conversion problems. You should also select Yes for any set that has previously unsuccessfully converted. By selecting Yes, you will completely clear the ADC-1 replay and you will lose all of the moves stored in the gameset. If you are in the middle of the game, you should view the replay in ADC-1 first, before converting the set, to look at your opponent's moves. -When adding new classes, the default name will be set to that of the selected symbol. -Adjusted positioning of piece symbols when 4 symbols are displayed per hex (to prevent overlap between adjacent hexes - not within a single hex). -Added a utility to modify hexlines in converted ADC-1 maps which are linked to ADC-2 symbol sets (a quick way to give your ADC-1 maps "real" hexes). -Modified Stack Symbol Definition Editing Menu to make it easier to use the same symbol for multiple stack definitions. While at first glance it may not be apparent why you would want to do this, it allows you to set up "OR" conditions for the stack symbol. For example, let's say you wanted a "heart face card" stack marker to be displayed on the board whenever a King, Queen or Jack of Hearts was present in a pile of cards. To do this, you'd draw the appropriate stack symbol (in the symbol editor), and in the Play Game Module assign this symbol to three stack symbol definitions: the first requiring the King of Hearts, the second requiring the Queen of Hearts, and the last requiring the Jack of Hearts. Thus, the stack symbol will be displayed if the stack contains either the King of Hearts -OR- the Queen of Hearts -OR- the Jack of Hearts. To add multiple definitions for a symbol, or to edit or delete a defnition select the symbol from the upper left box normally. a) If the symbol is used in ONE stack definition, that definition's information will be displayed, and the second button (from the left) will show "Clear". To delete the definition, click "Clear". Otherwise, edit the existing information or enter the information for the new definition and click Save (or Save/Done). From the pop up box select Yes to save this as a new definition (now making two for this symbol), or No to replace the existing definition's information (leaving the symbol with a single definition). b) If the symbol is used in more than one stack definition, the second button will show "Pick One". This button allows you to select one of the existing definitions and edit or delete it. If you choose to edit an existing definition, change the information as appropriate and click one of the Save buttons. Delete is automatic. To add another new definition for this symbol, merely change the information fields and click one of the Save buttons. Note: If you do not click the "Pick One" button, the program automatically assumes you are adding a new definition when you click one of the save buttons. -There are now 4 choices concerning "auto-reveal" features under the Main Menu | Advanced selection: a) Run (Range) Auto-Reveal Now: Runs the auto-reveal routine based on the detection ranges established for each player. b) Run (LOS) Auto-Reveal Now: Runs the auto-revel routine based on establishing an LOS (Line Of Sight) between units. (See below) c) Auto-Reveal When Moving (Range) ON/OFF. If this setting is ON, the auto-reveal (using player range values) will be run each time a hex is selected in a piece's movement path. d) Auto-Reveal When Moving (LOS) ON/OFF. If this setting is ON, the auto-reveal routine (using LOS) will be run each time a hex is selected in a piece's movement path. (See below) -Added a new Auto-Reveal function which uses the Line Of Sight to determine which units can "see" each other (instead of a pure hex range as with the standard auto-reveal). To run the LOS Auto-Reveal, select it from the Advanced menu. You will need to make sure that all of your terrain LOS values are set up correctly before selecting this function. If you want spotter or target units to have a height AGL (Above Ground Level), run a standard single LOS first (anywhere on the board), to set these values. The function will always use the values for the last point-to-point LOS. In operation, this function first "hides" ALL of the pieces on the board, then cycles through all the on-board pieces - each of which tries to sight every piece belonging to another player. If the LOS is not completely blocked, the target piece is "seen". Once a piece is seen - it is seen by all of the other players, no matter which player's piece spotted it. Pieces owned by all players (such as markers) are never hidden (they are always seen by all players), and NEVER try to sight on-board pieces of any player. If you are using turn record tracks or other holding boxes located in border areas, pieces placed here WILL try to sight on map pieces, which can lead to unexpected results/exposures of units near the edge. One solution is to make a "border" around the actual map area with a ground elevation high enough to block this type of spotting activity. This also means that markers intended to be placed on pieces should be created separately for each player. Otherwise, enemy players will be able to see these markers all over the mapboard - even if the pieces themselves are hidden. For example, if the game uses "out of ammo" markers for pieces that can't attack, an "out of ammo" class should be created for each player, rather than a single generic one. Cards that happen to be placed on the board never try to spot enemy pieces, nor can they be spotted. This is true for either of the auto-reveal methods. In practice, use of the LOS-based auto-reveal function will normally be limited to medium sized games; The time required to determine all of the Line Of Sight's increases exponentially with the number of pieces in the game. -When creating pieces (on-board or to a force pool), the "select class" box "remembers" where you last were, and now initially goes to that class. Map Editor Module: -Open Map selection box now defaults to "Saved Games" directory. This directory can be set under Preferences in the Play Game Module. -Setting placename position/orientation at level 1 changes now it for ALL levels. -Added conversion of ADC 1 map hexlines (see above). -Highlights hexsides under mouse position when entering hexsides "on map". -Slightly shifted Placename text position for upper/lower right and left. Symbol Editor Module: -Eyedropper now reverts to the "last used" drawing tool after a color is selected. -Blank 120x120 terrain symbols are now created for sets that do not contain ANY terrain symbols-- ie. Cards. -A New System Utilities Menu was added containing... -ReSize Symbol Sets: Same as in version 2.0, except you can now resize terrain, units, or both. (was under Preferences) -ReBuild Transparent Symbols: Rebuilds mask files for ALL symbols that are designated as transparent. This utility may help in cases where "ghost" symbols seem to appear on top of each other. -Symbol Layout Optimizer: Same as in version 2.0 (was under Preferences) -Reorder Symbol Set: Same as in version 2.0, except now has a warning message. (was under Preferences) Things that didn't work right: -Fixed a file error in converting ADC-1 maps that were larger than 200 hexes in either (horizontal or vertical) direction. -Fixed a random problem in the replay. -Fixed a situation where only the top half of cards were being drawn. -Fixed a memory condition when printing out the entire board. -Fixed a problem in the GAMEMASTER definition which was preventing seeing all the pieces on the board. -Fixed a minor problem in the Auto-Reveal (Range) routine. -Fixed incomplete listing when printing classes or pieces to a file. -Deleting a class now also delete associated stack definitions and/or flip definitions. -Fixed a problem in the info pages that was not correctly saving their last size, and was temporarily clearing the picture when the name was changed. -Fixed a problem in selecting classes when more than one class had the same name (only the first could be picked). Additions to the Credits: Introduction screen and button artwork: Joe Amoral ADC-2 manual: Elisa Hamilton and Greg Smith