Pocket General, beta2 release

The game is compiled on the PalmPilot using PocketC v3.05

Whats new

Added campaign mode

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. The program will cease to work after 20th of October.

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.

Instructions

Use the pen to point on units to move them, fire etc. By pointing on the status/menuline (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 defense factor of unit 2

HDoU2: Hard defense 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 defense: An armored car will have better soft defense.

Hard defense: Thick armor will have a large hard defense factor.

Thus the Soft/Hard attack is determined by the size/effectiveness of the gun, while soft/hard defense 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 bug fix. It did not run with PocketC 3.04 but with 3.03 (divide-by-zero)

beta2 - 20/9 added campaign editor.

 

Todo

add missing features (points, high scores)

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