Getting started

[joseki]

Hey guys...Help

LOL ok I'm an idiot I keep trying to download the vassal stuff. I have an icon on my desktop. I click on it and it pops up a screen reading Vassal 2.9

Thats as far as makes sense to me. I am willing to call anyone who wouldn't mind explaining what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks for the help~~Jim

[kevan]

I would probably be an expensive call up here in Canada, so I'll try to help here.

First, make sure you've downloaded both the Vassal software and the Dawn Patrol v1.2 module. The module was a bit tricky when it was first posted last week, but Rex may have fixed it. If it downloads as a .zip file, do not unzip it. Just change the file name by deleting "zip" and replacing it with "mod". Make sure you know where this file is stored on your computer.

After you open Vassal, you will have the little Vassal screen with a few buttons. You then click on "play module", which opens a window that you need to navigate to where you've saved the module.

Once the module is open, there is a little button with two arrows at the top of the module window. Clicking on that button opens a "server" window that you use to connect to the vassal server and find other players. Connecting is done by clicking on a second button with two arrows that appears in the server window. Once you've connected, you are in the Dawn Patrol "Main Room" where you can see if other players are online and if there is a game in progress.

At this point, it is very helpful to have another player online, to explore how playing a game works. However, you can start a game by typing a name for the game to the right of "New Game" in the server window. This puts you into a new "room" where you can play a game. Go back to the original module window, click on "file", then click on "new game" and you will be prompted to select a map. This will open two new windows, a "map" window with the map and a "cards" window for placing maneuvre cards. If you click on "aircraft" in the module window, you can browse the available aircraft and drag them onto the map.

I hope this helps you get started. If you're still having problems, post your questions here, and I will keep checking through the morning.

[albpilot]

Perhaps a brief description on how gameplay is actually accomplished? (You know, like how do you move your plane, how do you fire, etc)?

[kevan]

I should have thought to mention that much of this is covered in the VDP section of the website. Rex has some instructions with images that are clearer than what I wrote above. Once you've read that, you should have enough basic knowledge that you can make the step to playing online with other players. I find that everyone is very patient - at this point, most of us have learned to use Vassal quite recently, so we understand that everyone has a learning curve that will take a game or two.

Moving and firing is the same as playing in real life, but you're rolling virtual dice and moving virtual counters on a virtual board. Once you drag an airplane onto the board, right-clicking on it will show the options for changing the counter to represent things like smoking, on flame, nose up, nose down, etc. The most important thing to know is that holding Ctrl and pressing [ or ] will rotate the counter. Rolling dice is done by pressing the 1D6, 2D6, 1D10, 2D10 buttons in the main module window.

[joseki]

kevan said:

I would probably be an expensive call up here in Canada, so I'll try to help here.

First, make sure you've downloaded both the Vassal software and the Dawn Patrol v1.2 module. The module was a bit tricky when it was first posted last week, but Rex may have fixed it. If it downloads as a .zip file, do not unzip it. Just change the file name by deleting "zip" and replacing it with "mod". Make sure you know where this file is stored on your computer.

Ok thats where I'm stuck. I can't seem to convert the zip file. Suggestions?

[kazorm]

Try finding and downloading the latest version of JAVA

[kevan]

You don't need to convert the zip file. For some reason, Internet Explorer renames it with the zip file name when it downloads the module for v1.2. All you need to do is change the file name by deleting the "zip" portion of the file name and replacing it with "mod".

If, after downloading, you are prompted to unzip the file, do not. Just re-name it.

[AP]

We had another player start recently, one of the MN players who is familiar with the game, but not with VASSAL. He followed the online instructions step by step, but all the screenshots point to version 1.1 ... so he loaded 1.1 & this caused all sorts of problems.
I know Rex did the original page, but have not seen him around in ages. Anyone interested in updating the page with the proper screenshots of v1.2, and a brief description of how not to use 1.1? I think this may help...

[Rex]

Hey guys, I just sent Stephen an updated version of the download and setup instructions. I'm sure he will have them up on the VDP section of the Indysquadron site soon. Keep checking. Also, Post here if your still having issues getting vassal or VDP running.

-Rex

[kevan]

Some problems we've encountered recently:

1. VDP doesn't seem to work on Vista.

2. A player losing connection to the team room when he hasn't posted anything for a few minutes (sounds like an internet connection settings timeout issue of some sort)

3. Kirk's continuing computer freeze/shutdown issue, which seems to be linked to synchronizing.

I haven't taken the time to dig around for solutions for these yet, but have been keeping notes to see if there's anything we can do when we get around to a v1.3

[albpilot]

joseki said:

kevan said:

I would probably be an expensive call up here in Canada, so I'll try to help here.

First, make sure you've downloaded both the Vassal software and the Dawn Patrol v1.2 module. The module was a bit tricky when it was first posted last week, but Rex may have fixed it. If it downloads as a .zip file, do not unzip it. Just change the file name by deleting "zip" and replacing it with "mod". Make sure you know where this file is stored on your computer.

Ok thats where I'm stuck. I can't seem to convert the zip file. Suggestions?

Right click on the file, select ' Rename ', then when the box pops up change the ' zip ' part to ' mod '

[Rex]

kevan said:

Some problems we've encountered recently:

1. VDP doesn't seem to work on Vista.

2. A player losing connection to the team room when he hasn't posted anything for a few minutes (sounds like an internet connection settings timeout issue of some sort)

3. Kirk's continuing computer freeze/shutdown issue, which seems to be linked to synchronizing.

I haven't taken the time to dig around for solutions for these yet, but have been keeping notes to see if there's anything we can do when we get around to a v1.3

All of these issues sound like they are related to Vassal and not the module.

The only suggestion I have is to post questions to the Vassal engine forums.

vassalengine.org/forums/

The developers are very active and will probably have questions for whoever is having issues. That is why whoever is having the problems should be the one to post.

[yoodle]

I never renamed the .zip file. I load it from Vassal as a .zip file and it works.

[Rex]

yoodle said:

I never renamed the .zip file. I load it from Vassal as a .zip file and it works.

Yoodle,
Thats fine. All mod files are really just zip files, so it does not matter to Vassal. We just suggest that you rename it so that you don't try and unzip it. If you don't want to rename it, that's ok. Just point Vassal to the zip file and it will work.

-Rex