Shad is published at last Vassal

[larry marak]

Shad's vassal module for Airborne is available from Avalanche as a Daily Content item! There's finally an officially sanctioned vassal module out for the system. Kudos.

[campsawyer]

Shad's vassal module for Airborne is available from Avalanche as a Daily Content item! There's finally an officially sanctioned vassal module out for the system. Kudos.

Larry, you might want to be clearer. There was one out there before, but is was BAD. Shad has made one that actually works and has good supporting functionality, like charts and tables, counters for activations/initiative and VP's as well as very good status counters.

[Michael Murphy]

In order to use the old VASSAL module I had to go into the background files and reset the values of the leaders (can't remember which side now) before I could even use it. As I vaguely recall, all the American leaders originally looked like LT 8-0-0 instead of SGT #-#-#, or MAJ #-#-#, or whatever. It gave me a chance to explore some of the inner settings of VASSAL, but kinda put me off playing a game.

Besides, I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to playing games. There's something about deliberating while holding my counter before placing it on the map (usually to the utter doom of that unit, I might add). I may have to check the new version out.

[campsawyer]

Shad, as this is a download from APL that they are registering through their pay site does that mean that you are bared from putting the Vassal module here?

[Hugmenot]

I think it would be a good idea if was distributed only through AVP at this time. It would make it easier for Mike to determine if it has an impact and then decide if he will further such modules.

[Shad]

Shad, as this is a download from APL that they are registering through their pay site does that mean that you are bared from putting the Vassal module here?

Mike insisted that it only be hosted within their store so that they can capture customer information before each download. I don't agree with the decision on user convenience grounds but PG-HQ has no leverage in this regard.

Shortly I will add a Vassal section to our site which documents the modules (there will be more), links to them in the store, and includes a "getting started with Vassal" tutorial article with lots of photos.

That's about as far as I can pave the road.

[Shad]

I think it would be a good idea if was distributed only through AVP at this time. It would make it easier for Mike to determine if it has an impact and then decide if he will further such modules.

Releasing a module for a very old game with 4 iterations is going to have essentially no revenue impact.

What it will do, and he has no way of directly monitoring this, is increase the number of people playing that game.

A policy of simultaneous game publishing and module releasing like MMP has would pull in some longtime PG series hold-outs, but at the end of the day Vassal is about making it easier for people to play your game.

The publisher must choose a position:

• I want to sell games and don't care if they're ever played
  
• I want my games to be played as much as possible, and support them accordingly
  

[campsawyer]

Shad, as this is a download from APL that they are registering through their pay site does that mean that you are bared from putting the Vassal module here?

Mike insisted that it only be hosted within their store so that they can capture customer information before each download. I don't agree with the decision on user convenience grounds but PG-HQ has no leverage in this regard.

Shortly I will add a Vassal section to our site which documents the modules (there will be more), links to them in the store, and includes a "getting started with Vassal" tutorial article with lots of photos.

That's about as far as I can pave the road.

Sounds like a plan. Best route might be the indirect one.

[campsawyer]

Shad, your timing of a playable Vassal module has been good. I am about to give up my PG play space as well as being restricted with large time blocks, so for the future it looks like Vassal is the only way that I can play for now. It will give a chance to reply Airborne again.

[Shad]

I want the proofs for Elsenborn, we need something meatier than the one-map hedge-slog... although you've finished Elsenborn already too.