How to create the first scenario?

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Virginio Gigli
Posts: 2
Joined: 28 Oct 2014, 12:09
Location: Roma

How to create the first scenario?

Post by Virginio Gigli »

Hi,
I'm trying to create my first game box, but I don't understand a thing:

In the section "How to create the game box archive" I read "A typical game box archive contains ...at least one .zts scenario file";

and

In the section "How to add scenarios" I read "The easiest way to create a scenario is to begin with a simple dummy scenario with all the counters unpunched, and then run ZunTzu, move the counters to their starting locations, then save the game.".

Now the question: how can I start a game if I haven't the first scenario file? How can I create a "dummy" scenario?

Thanks for answers...

Virginio
dulcaoin
Site Admin
Posts: 79
Joined: 26 Aug 2014, 01:30
Location: Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.

Re: How to create the first scenario?

Post by dulcaoin »

Virginio Gigli wrote:Hi,
I'm trying to create my first game box, but I don't understand a thing:

In the section "How to create the game box archive" I read "A typical game box archive contains ...at least one .zts scenario file";

and

In the section "How to add scenarios" I read "The easiest way to create a scenario is to begin with a simple dummy scenario with all the counters unpunched, and then run ZunTzu, move the counters to their starting locations, then save the game.".

Now the question: how can I start a game if I haven't the first scenario file? How can I create a "dummy" scenario?

Thanks for answers...

Virginio
There is a dummy scenario shown at the end of the section on creating a game box (page 3, I believe).

You create the dummy scenario file that defines layouts, one for the play area, and then one for each map and countersheet in the game. That starts as a "dummy" with all the counters and maps in their starting layouts.

In ZunTzu, the dummy scenario should load (because you had to define a scenario in the gamebox, and the dummy would be it), go to terrain edit mode, drag maps from their layouts to the play area layout. Exit terrain edit mode, and then drag counters from countersheets to where they start on the map. When everything is laid out for the starting positions of your scenario (a real one, no longer a dummy), use Save As... to output the scenario.

Then you can start over by loading the dummy file again to create the next scenario file...

-- joshua
Virginio Gigli
Posts: 2
Joined: 28 Oct 2014, 12:09
Location: Roma

Re: How to create the first scenario?

Post by Virginio Gigli »

dulcaoin wrote:
Virginio Gigli wrote:Hi,
I'm trying to create my first game box, but I don't understand a thing:

In the section "How to create the game box archive" I read "A typical game box archive contains ...at least one .zts scenario file";

and

In the section "How to add scenarios" I read "The easiest way to create a scenario is to begin with a simple dummy scenario with all the counters unpunched, and then run ZunTzu, move the counters to their starting locations, then save the game.".

Now the question: how can I start a game if I haven't the first scenario file? How can I create a "dummy" scenario?

Thanks for answers...

Virginio


There is a dummy scenario shown at the end of the section on creating a game box (page 3, I believe).

You create the dummy scenario file that defines layouts, one for the play area, and then one for each map and countersheet in the game. That starts as a "dummy" with all the counters and maps in their starting layouts.

In ZunTzu, the dummy scenario should load (because you had to define a scenario in the gamebox, and the dummy would be it), go to terrain edit mode, drag maps from their layouts to the play area layout. Exit terrain edit mode, and then drag counters from countersheets to where they start on the map. When everything is laid out for the starting positions of your scenario (a real one, no longer a dummy), use Save As... to output the scenario.

Then you can start over by loading the dummy file again to create the next scenario file...

-- joshua
Thanks Joshua, peraphs I'm understanding: the dummy scenario is a scenario name without the .zts file. I'll try soon...
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Bill Barrett
231
Posts: 351
Joined: 25 May 2008, 13:25

Post by Bill Barrett »

That's all correct, but it's unnecessary to define the main map "gameboard" as a "Terrain", unless you have a compelling reason to do so. There's no need to complicate things - especially in a first gamebox.

Regards, Bill.
dulcaoin
Site Admin
Posts: 79
Joined: 26 Aug 2014, 01:30
Location: Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.

Re: How to create the first scenario?

Post by dulcaoin »

Virginio Gigli wrote:
dulcaoin wrote:
Virginio Gigli wrote:Hi,
I'm trying to create my first game box, but I don't understand a thing:

In the section "How to create the game box archive" I read "A typical game box archive contains ...at least one .zts scenario file";

and

In the section "How to add scenarios" I read "The easiest way to create a scenario is to begin with a simple dummy scenario with all the counters unpunched, and then run ZunTzu, move the counters to their starting locations, then save the game.".

Now the question: how can I start a game if I haven't the first scenario file? How can I create a "dummy" scenario?

Thanks for answers...

Virginio

There is a dummy scenario shown at the end of the section on creating a game box (page 3, I believe).

You create the dummy scenario file that defines layouts, one for the play area, and then one for each map and countersheet in the game. That starts as a "dummy" with all the counters and maps in their starting layouts.

In ZunTzu, the dummy scenario should load (because you had to define a scenario in the gamebox, and the dummy would be it), go to terrain edit mode, drag maps from their layouts to the play area layout. Exit terrain edit mode, and then drag counters from countersheets to where they start on the map. When everything is laid out for the starting positions of your scenario (a real one, no longer a dummy), use Save As... to output the scenario.

Then you can start over by loading the dummy file again to create the next scenario file...

-- joshua
Thanks Joshua, peraphs I'm understanding: the dummy scenario is a scenario name without the .zts file. I'll try soon...
your game box is a .zip file, but renamed .zip => .ztb (ZunTzu Box) (inside is game-box.xml, plus possibly several .zts)
your save files are XML files, but renamed .xml => .ztg (ZunTzu Game)
your scenario files are ALSO XML files, but renamed .xml => .zts (ZunTzu Scenario)

so you can save out a game (.ztg), and rename to a scenario (.zts), and then make sure you reference that .zts file as your starting scenario in the gamebox.xml file INSIDE your .ztb (also add the .zts to the .ztb zip file)


Code: Select all

Files:

+-------------------- MyGameBox.ztb --------------------+ <---- actually a .zip file
| game-box.xml---------------------------------------+  |
| | ... startup-scenario="CustomScenario.zts" ...    |  |
| +--------------------------------------------------+  |
| CustomScenario.zts  <---------------------------------------- actually an .xml file 
+-------------------------------------------------------+

+-------------------- Scenario1.ztg --------------------+ <---- actually an .xml file
|                                                       |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
To make new scenario:
1) load MyGameBox.ztb into ZunTzu
2) CustomScenario will load as the scenario (because it is set as the startup-scenario)
3) make changes: lay out your maps and counters on the playarea layout that you've defined in CustomScenario
4) Save as (for example) Scenario1
Scenario1.ztg will be created
5) rename Scenario1.ztg to Scenario1.zts
6) add Scenario1.zts to MyGameBox.ztb

Scenario 1 now shows up in scenario list after you load MyGameBox.ztb

Code: Select all

Files&#58;

+-------------------- MyGameBox.ztb --------------------+
| game-box.xml---------------------------------------+  |
| | ... startup-scenario="CustomScenario.zts" ...    |  |
| +--------------------------------------------------+  |
| CustomScenario.zts                                    |
| Scenario1.zts                                         |
+-------------------------------------------------------+

+-------------------- Scenario1.ztg --------------------+
|                                                       |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
dulcaoin
Site Admin
Posts: 79
Joined: 26 Aug 2014, 01:30
Location: Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.

Post by dulcaoin »

Bill Barrett wrote:That's all correct, but it's unnecessary to define the main map "gameboard" as a "Terrain", unless you have a compelling reason to do so. There's no need to complicate things - especially in a first gamebox.

Regards, Bill.
Sorry, I'm too wrapped in geomorphic map games. :) Different scenarios mean different maps.
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