Just noticed that Fleet Commander Nimitz for Vassal (http://www.dvg.com/.sc/ms/dd/ee/93/Fleet%20Commander%20Nimitz%20-%20Vassal) has been released! And yes I bought it. :smitten:
And one day I'll have that gaming table... :(
Just received the download link. It is a beautiful Vassal module. O0
Nothing wrong with playing on VASSAL. There are a few games that I find I prefer to play that way, at least if I'm playing solo. A good VASSAL module has some play aids that can certainly speed things up, I find.
I take it that the VASSAL mod is complete and doesn't need the printed game for rules, etc? I'd love to see some screenies of the VASSAL game components and aids.
Well, the rule book is available on DVG's website. And the Vassal module does have charts in it. Maybe I'll post some screen shots later.
That's a good looking game. I look forward to impressions.
Quote from: bbmike on September 26, 2015, 03:53:11 PM
Just received the download link. It is a beautiful Vassal module. O0
Hi Mike,
Do you have any difficulty reading the text on the counters?, .. as it is barely legible for me (text is all broken up), .. even when zooming in. :o
I do play at 2560x1440, .. which kinda compounds the problem, .. but, I have no problems with any of my other Vassal Modules, .. even my other DVG ones.
Cheers
Tom
Thomasew, I'm at 1920x1080 and the text is readable. I will say that the text at the very bottom of the counters is very 'blocky' looking. Now that you mention it, you're right that the text overall doesn't look as good as other Vassal modules. :o I'll have to investigate the font files...
So, it's not the font. It's the actual counters. It looks like the counters were created with a high color count then were reduced. The good news is it is fixable. The bad news is there are A LOT of counters that would have to be updated. :-\
A quick edit shows what I'm talking about. The left image is the original icon. The one on the right is a quick edit I did.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarcentral.com%2F%2Fpics%2Foriginal.png&hash=6d072b294327a2fe22994dde0aca2d4bf7c64c54) (https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarcentral.com%2F%2Fpics%2Fupdated.png&hash=4c2df5a6171b294b3c004ab00b26a3e817fd461b)
Quote from: bbmike on September 26, 2015, 11:23:27 AM
Just noticed that Fleet Commander Nimitz for Vassal (http://www.dvg.com/.sc/ms/dd/ee/93/Fleet%20Commander%20Nimitz%20-%20Vassal) has been released! And yes I bought it. :smitten:
And one day I'll have that gaming table... :(
Great to hear. Vassal is pretty much a requirement for me to buy any game. So I will look a little more at this one.
Quote from: bbmike on September 29, 2015, 06:22:44 PM
A quick edit shows what I'm talking about. The left image is the original icon. The one on the right is a quick edit I did.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarcentral.com%2F%2Fpics%2Foriginal.png&hash=6d072b294327a2fe22994dde0aca2d4bf7c64c54) (https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarcentral.com%2F%2Fpics%2Fupdated.png&hash=4c2df5a6171b294b3c004ab00b26a3e817fd461b)
Hi Mike,
What did u use to improve/correct it?, .. that updated one of yours looks MUCH better .. :smitten:
.. much friendlier to my aging eyes. 8)
I actually haven't even gotten to play FC:N since I got it, .. I found the broken text on the counters just too distracting .. :o , .. even when I don't necessarily need to read it.
The Maps and Charts etc., are fine, .. even the Ship counters I can kinda live with, .. but the smaller square counters are freaking me out .. :o
.. and thanks for confirming that the text is broken for you as well. :)
Cheers
Tom
Tom, I used an old copy of Paint Shop Pro that I have. One thing I've learned about creating Vassal modules is that you should place text on the counters after you reduce the color count. It really should be the last step. Also, the font choice makes a big difference. I might consider doing a graphics mod for this but the amount of work would be HUGE!
I wonder if someone at DVG (the module's author?) would do it?
Why did the counters need to be shrunk down in the first place? What size were the originals?
Quote from: GJK on September 30, 2015, 09:00:01 AM
Why did the counters need to be shrunk down in the first place? What size were the originals?
Hi Gary,
I don't think the counters were shrunk, .. as, looking at a pdf of the counter sheets for the boxed game, .. the sizes look the same to me.
.. but, even on the original counters, .. the font is extremely small, .. and not easily readable, .. but they are legible.
I have a good idea who did the FC:N Vassal Module, .. and I know he scans at low res (e.g. 8 bit) etc., .. in order to keep the file sizes down. Normally the text is ok, but in this case, it didn't work so well, .. as the source material i.e. fonts on counters, .. was not easy to read in the first place. So, scanning them at 8-bit etc., just compounded the problem.
It would probably require that all the counters be re-scanned, .. but, as bbmike suggested .. it would be a HUGE amount of work. :o
I haven't played the game yet, .. boxed or Vassal .. so say whether or not, the illegible text on the counters, .. will impede gameplay in any way. ???
Cheers
Tom
The counter size is ok. It's 80x80. The image file is .png and has a pixel depth/color of 8/256. My guess is that the counters were created at a much greater pixel/color depth (probably 24/16 million or greater) and then reduced down to 8/256. That reduction would lead to the text looking like it does.
From the Vassal page:
Image Color Depth is a biggy. A 256 Color map requires 8 bits per map pixel. A 32 Color map requires 5 bits per pixel, an immediate reduction to 62.5% of the original size, before taking into account any additional saving due to larger area of the same color (which improves compression). Even reducing to a 64 color map will still reduce the size to 75%.
Obviously, there is a tradeoff between the number of colors and the 'prettiness' factor of the map. You should never consider using palettes larger than 8 bits (256 colors).
The PNG format is defined to have a minimum pixel depth of 8 bits. Even so, reducing the palette size prior to saving as a PNG will still result in a smaller image due to the compression mechanism used.
Benefit can be large for maps, or when many counters are defined.
That's why I always add text last to counters. You won't lose anything when you reduce color depth.
I'm just wondering if the module designer shrunk down the images for the module because he could of left them at the original size and then just set the default zoom in vassal if things were too big. Of course the module size would be larger too but by what, 10 or 20 mb?
VASSAL Module makes me think this is for multiplayer...so I'm guessing here - there's no AI? But it's for multiplayer or for people who can't play the huge boardgame (I should get this out again - I didn't give it a fair go.
Yeah, basically true JD. Initially designed as a way to digitize boardgames so that they could be played by more than one person no matter where they are located via 'live play' or 'pbem'. However, many people use VASSAL to play solitaire when they either don't own the game (but have grabbed the rules and whatever else is needed) or if they just don't feel like messing with the actual boardgame version for whatever reason. Pluses and minuses each way.
I think in the case of Nimitz however, it's a solitaire game only (by design) so VASSAL facilitates in playing that game without having to fuss with the crazy stacking in zones that it uses (as I understand it).
Or the need for a huge gaming tabletop. :P
Quote from: bbmike on October 02, 2015, 07:16:41 AM
Or the need for a huge gaming tabletop. :P
Yup. Or a huge monitor or at least dual monitors if you do VASSAL. That's the downside; not being able to see the entire map at once.
Quote from: GJK on October 02, 2015, 07:30:07 AM
Quote from: bbmike on October 02, 2015, 07:16:41 AM
Or the need for a huge gaming tabletop. :P
Yup. Or a huge monitor or at least dual monitors if you do VASSAL. That's the downside; not being able to see the entire map at once.
How about a good media projector and an unadorned mancave wall?
Quote from: JudgeDredd on October 02, 2015, 03:23:33 AM
VASSAL Module makes me think this is for multiplayer...so I'm guessing here - there's no AI? But it's for multiplayer or for people who can't play the huge boardgame (I should get this out again - I didn't give it a fair go.
As GJK said, Fleet Commander Nimitz is a solo-only game; it's built to be solitaire. I don't know of any multi-player variants, though I wouldn't be surprised if someone with time on their hands posted rules for such a thing to this game's BGG site.
I'm going to start a new AAR on this game, using the VASSAL module: http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=15345.0
I know this is an really old topic, however I just sold my copy of FC Nimitz and opted for purchasing the Vassal module. If you are considering purchasing FC Nimitz, you may want to think about the Vassal module. The other day I got Nimitz out to play and my gosh.... the counter pushing, or should say push over is painful. Just way to many stacks to push and keep up with (for me at least). The setup and tear down is pretty involved as well. A game like this is perfect for Vassal or digital format.
@Banzai_Cat
Thanks for the AAR, that really helped me being able to see the vassal product and then purchase.
Quote from: PanzersEast on January 24, 2017, 12:32:02 PM
A game like this is perfect for Vassal or digital format.
I agree, some games are just so much better in Vassal. Particularly ones where you have multiple draw cups: Steel Wolves. Ungainly counter stacks: Der Weltkrieg series Small almost unreadable counter print: Looking at you Richard Berg!!!
I will still probably buy both the physical and vassal versions of this game...but that is just because I am a gaming sucker....:(
In this case, I'm not sure - I'd rather manipulate the stacks of cardboard pieces rather than deal with VASSAL's quirky controls for FC:N. It takes a bit getting used to.
Has somebody come up with task force holding boxes (with associated counters) for FC:N ala what Flat Top uses? Seems that'd be pretty simple...unless of course it doesn't actually use task forces- I forget.
Quote from: GJK on January 26, 2017, 06:55:57 PM
Has somebody come up with task force holding boxes (with associated counters) for FC:N ala what Flat Top uses? Seems that'd be pretty simple...unless of course it doesn't actually use task forces- I forget.
It doesn't. You roll missions and move Japanese ships to fulfill each mission, until you run out of units to move. It's highly random and one of the more pervasive complaints about the game, but I happen to enjoy its randomness.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 26, 2017, 08:47:58 AM
In this case, I'm not sure - I'd rather manipulate the stacks of cardboard pieces rather than deal with VASSAL's quirky controls for FC:N. It takes a bit getting used to.
I do like doing so, but those stacks become uncontrollable and really make a mess of the board. I guess many have other issues with the game, however that was one of my main complaints (although I am not sure how you totally get around it). A lot of the others I could overlook. I just thought the Vassal module would be better in this case, but maybe I will have sellers remorse....
The board should be a bit bigger with dedicated areas in each zone...units to move, moved units, that sort of thing, instead of the clutter of units moving and 'Moved' markers.