Pocket General, final beta
Anyway: the web site will be
http://pgeneral.homepage.com/
The game is compiled on the PalmPilot using
PocketC v3.7
What's new?
Time expiration removed. The game will go
shareware, so in the future when the next release is released only registered
users will be able to play campaigns, while scenarios are free. The new version
is not file compatible with this release although I have made a utility that
will convert old scenarios/campaigns into the new format.
Installation
Install all .prc and .pdb files. You don't
have to install the scenario editor if do not want to make your own scenarios.
The program uses PocketC(1) so be sure that
you at least have the runtime version installed. Pocket General does not
require mathlib.
If you are low on memory or you use a lot of
units/unit types or have a large world size you may run out of memory. If this
happens the game will exit.
Limitation
This is a beta only.
Introduction
The program is a game engine that should be
capable of playing land battles, sea battles, star battles and more. At the
moment I have made WWII scenarios and thus the game is tuned to run land battles.
A game may be a campaign or a scenario. A
campaign consists of several scenarios where the next scenario is dependent
upon your success in the ongoing scenario. You will keep the same army from
scenario to scenario and its experience will increase. Scenarios can me made in
the scenario editor. A campaign is made in the campaign editor. Please note
that the campaign editor is far from fully functional.
In this beta I have included a French
campaign which consist of three scenarios; France1940A, France1940B and France
1940C. You are the supreme commander of the French forces. In the first
scenario your mission is to stop the German forces. If you manage to do that
you are ordered by the French politicians to attack the strong German forces in
scenario France1940B. But remember: you are the supreme commander and it is up
to you if you want to obey the order. If you beat the German forces, Hitler is
forced to resign and the war is over. However if you fail, the Germans will in
the last scenario counterattack and you must again defend France. It is then
important that your forces have not been severely depleted. If you succeed WWII
will not end but France will be a free nation. If you fail you have lost the
war.
Do you rather want to play the Germans
against the French ? Easy, use the scenario editor! The real pain is to edit
unit types but this is already done for French/German battles.
I have also included an Eastfront scenario,
where you play the Germans against the Soviets. This scenario will be included in
a large Eastfront campaign I am currently developing. This scenario is set in
the outbreak of the war where you will meet a disoriented and week Russian
force. However, the few heavy tanks they have got may be a nasty surprise! Be
sure to use the 88mm antitankgun.
Instructions
Use the pen to point on units to move them,
fire etc. By pointing on the status/menu line (top line) you can get some info
about units, resupply them or quit the game. Please note that you can only
resupply a unit that has not moved nor fired. When it is resupplied it cannot
move nor fire. The playing area is larger than the visible screen; tap at the
edge of the visible playing area to move it.
For more info:
Pocket general pgen.htm
Scenario editor SceneEdit.htm
Battle math
When unit 1 attacks unit 2, the damage on
unit 2 will be calculated and unit 2s strength will be reduced. If unit 2 is in
position to fire it will fire back and may inflict damage on unit 1.
Damage calculation :
DoU2=SoU1/SoU2 * (1+EoU1)/(1+EoU2+DigoU2) *
(SAoU1/SDoU2+HAoU1/HDoU2) * Damf *(1+Randf/100)
DoU2 : Damage on unit 2
SoU1 : Strength of unit 1
SoU2 : Strength of unit 2
EoU1: Experience of unit 1 (in %, max 50%)
EoU2: Experience of unit 2 (in %, max 50%)
DigoU2: Fortify of unit 2 (in %, max 50%)
SAoU1 : Soft attack factor of unit 1
HAoU1: Hard attack factor of unit 1
SDoU2: Soft defence factor of unit 2
HDoU2: Hard defence factor of unit 2
Damf : Damage factor. (May be used as a
weather factor)
Randf: Random factor(in %)
Experience; when a unit attacks it will gain
experience.
Fortify : A unit that does not move will
begin to fortify its position.
Soft Attack: Machineguns have a large soft
attack factor but small hard attack factor.
Hard Attack: A big tank gun will have a large
hard attack factor but small soft attack factor.
Soft defence: An armored car will have better
soft defence.
Hard defence: Thick armor will have a large
hard defence factor.
Thus the Soft/Hard attack is determined by
the size/effectiveness of the gun, while soft/hard defence is the thickness of
the armor.
Release history
alpha 0 - initial release
alpha 1 - more difficult scenario, improved
game engine, some change on user interface
beta - improved game engine, better user
interface, save&load, added scenario editor
beta1 - 25/8-1999 bug fix. It did not run
with PocketC 3.04 but with 3.03 (divide-by-zero)
beta2 - 20/9-1999 added campaign editor.
beta3 - 13/10-1999 bitmap editor, improved
computer player
beta4 - 8/11-1999 code cleanup. Fixed a bug
in campaign editor
final beta – 20/9-2000 (!) removed time expiration
Todo
Web site
Finish the shareware version
fix the campaign editor
Credits
The information for the WWII scenarios comes from
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Arena/5096/2pg2.html
Disclaimer
I make no warrantees about suitability of the
program for any use, nor do I assume any responsibility for any consequences of
its use.
(1) PocketC is trademark(?) of OrbWorks,
www.orbworks.com
EMAIL: Your comments, hints and tips are
welcome! I will make a FAQ and support on my web side.
tsaether@c2i.net