DCZ - Digital Conflict Zones

Greetings,

I'd like to introduce a project that I've been working on for a while. The project is (currently) called DCZ - Digital Conflict Zones.

First of all it's a table top game, more precisely a Risk-clone. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_(game)#Risk_clones)

That means that this game, too, is round based. Players conquer so called Conflict Zones (CZs).

These CZs award the player who owns them a certain amount of credits per round. Using those credits, many different kinds of buildings can be built.

Buildings in turn generate "Construction Units", "Munition Units" as well as Infantry, "Research Points" and "Fuel Points" (abstract unit that stands for any type of fuel).

The amount of fuel that can be gained from a Conflict Zone is limited as well.

In the beginning, when a DCZ user starts a new game, a simple tool allows them to influence the initial layout and the number and size of the Conflict Zones.

Then the user invites a number of players to the game, he defines starting points on the map, and sets further options, if applicable. Every player then sets his technological side (East or West) and the DCZ-game may begin.

On the map, units and groups are represented by so called pawns. Units are organized within groups, just like in DCS. These groups are then organized within pawns.

As soon as, after a few rounds, a conflict develops between two players inside of a zone, the game asks the players which pawns to select for this conflict.

All groups/units and all pawns of the affected zone will be available. The pawn that attacks the affected zone is automatically selected, of course, and can't be deselected.

In addition, both players may select pawns from outside of the zone, as long as they include SAM/RADAR/AAA. (Only these Units will take part in the conflict when selected.)

The same is true for aircraft and helicopters located inside a CZ with at least one airfield. (I'm probably going to expand the list of buildings to include FARPs, so that helicopters from such CZs can be selected as well.)

Next, DCZ will generate one .miz mission file per player/party. These files allow the players to see in which concrete areas the fight is going to take place, and where they are allowed to place units.

Players should edit these .miz files within the ME to place their groups/units as they see fit. The resulting .miz files from both players are then fed back into DCZ in order to generate the final battle.

In order to conquer a CZ (if that's the intent behind the attack), it's now the job of the individual commander to maneuver as much infantry as possible into the trigger zones that were randomly placed by DCZ.

After a set amount of time (we're currently experimenting with two hours) OR when both commanders agree via F10 menu, the DCS mission ends and the results are evaluated.

The CZ goes to the player with the most amount of infantry inside the trigger zones. Destroyed buildings and units are removed from the game.

Losers can retreat their surviving units into neighboring CZs. Ammunition and fuel will be removed from the affected zones accordingly. The DCZ-game continues.

The game completely builds upon the idea that at least two players occupy the opposing Combined Arms Commander Slots at all times. In addition, aircraft can be manned by human players depending on the situation.

A strong aspect for me, personally, to drive this project forward and why I'd like to share it with you (soon) was to give something "more" to Combined Arms players. A reason.

A reason why players should develop an interest in playing CA in DCS. A reason for every unit on the battlefield to have a meaning. To make the mission a "personal thing".

Personally, I think that DCS and all pilots who take part in a mission will find a massive gain in fun/entertainment/investment/further aspects as soon as a commander fights the fight with real involvement.

Pilots will become in DCS what they already are in reality: _One_ part in a larger machine.

The dynamic of a battle will be that much higher in essence.

To wrap things up, I'd like to post a couple of pictures from the current (second) Tech Preview of DCZ.

Please be aware that these are all WIP. Please also consider that this is an after-work, one-man-project. Your thoughts and ideas are most welcome!

Many things won't be realistically possible, though.

Although this is a Tech Preview and a lot of it is WIP, that doesn't mean a full blown turnaround of the game development into something completely different would be feasible/possible.

Please also consider when discussing DCZ that it's a Risk-clone.

The main design-idea is thus to create a (relatively) abstract board game. To give an example: Of course it would be possible to persistently save each entity's individual location at the end of a conflict.

But that would go too far in regards to the base-idea.

In this second Tech Preview, I'm getting closer and closer to an Alpha-Version that should be made public after a while.

But that's going to take a good while. I hope to be able to invite all of you to Alpha-testing around Spring/Summer.

At least that's _currently_ the plan. As you all know, things are (unfortunately) subject to change.

Last note from my side: My English isn't as good as it should be. For questions and suggestions it's much appreciated if you use rather "simple" English.

Many thanks to Yurgon for helping with this post!

That's it from me for the time being. Many greetings,

der Wolf.

P.S. (Translator's note: he didn't say which year, so expect the usual two weeks :P)

DCZ : https://www.digitalconflictzones.net

DCZ Discord : https://discord.gg/ytmqYqZ

Second Addendum!

Third Addendum!

Been hooked by this idea ever since I first heard about it, can't wait to get a first hand look hopefully not too long from now! :)

Where's the Download Link?:music_whistling::D:D:D

Cant Wait!!!!.

It is posts like this that keep my heartbeat going for DCS. Inspirational concept. And the execution looks like its great too. Well done, watching your progress!

Very interesting concept can't wait to try it! Thanks so much for the hard work.

Very good. I see you are using ww2 units in your example, any plans to extend this to the Normandy map?

P.S. (Translator's note: he didn't say which year, so expect the usual two weeks :P)

I love everything about this except the "usual two weeks" :P

But seriously, very creative idea, Wolf :thumbup: Really looking forward to this!

Many thanks to all those kind words. Much appreciated. We community devs are "payed" through those words. :thumbup:

Very good. I see you are using ww2 units in your example, any plans to extend this to the Normandy map?

Currently that is "on hold" because of this one :

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3151789&postcount=172

I could "do" it without the scenery for sure ... but the game would loose one "aspect".

But integrating a new map is a fairly fast process, for sure. (OC if i own that one ... and i own currently them all :-) )

Regards,

der Wolf

Very awesome proof of concept. Looking forward to seeing more developments!

Thats a very nice Idea ... im really looking forward to the first tries

Q: is a dynamic weather generated for each mission or is it always sunny with no wind and no clouds ?

From Round to Round, the daytime will shift. Thus its not always sunny. Some Rounds its just night. (Will be deactivatable for the game admin [Currently not implemented ... ] ).

Also i had the idea to ask a internet weather API for weather of georgia in the past.

Well ... unfortunately that would cost 'some' (!!!) money. Thus, yes , i'll try a "random" approach of the weather settings. (The dynamic weather needs to be set with some values too ... and has to be implemented too ... :-) )

I love everything about this except the "usual two weeks" :P

Just to be sure, blame me, don't blame the Wolf. ;)

I just thought the joke was too obvious, so I'd spare all of you the time to make it yourselves. :D

From Round to Round, the daytime will shift. Thus its not always sunny. Some Rounds its just night. (Will be deactivatable for the game admin [Currently not implemented ... ] ).

 

Also i had the idea to ask a internet weather API for weather of georgia in the past.

Well ... unfortunately that would cost 'some' (!!!) money. Thus, yes , i'll try a "random" approach of the weather settings. (The dynamic weather needs to be set with some values too ... and has to be implemented too ... :-) )

As long as it is possible - im fine :thumbup:

Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if you'd like to be updated on small news.

I'd like to show you a few small things that I've worked on this weekend.

Let me begin with a few words about the screenshots. For this after-work project I'm using an iterative development approach.

This mostly means that development takes place while Spartan and I are playing the game.

As a result, the screenshots show the actual states of a particular game between us.

As we've now entered a conflict about a zone (for testing purposes), I'm currently working on implementing the DCS side.

An important point for me is to take the fuel consumption of ground forces into consideration. (Even though technical limitations prevent ground units from potentially "running out of fuel".)

The following screenshots show a short drive that's undertaken by a Tiger 1.

The log in the next screenshot shows the distance the Tiger 1 has travelled. (DCZ will calculate the final fuel consumption based on this distance.)

This was communicated by dcz.dll, which hooks into the game on the server side.

Best regards,

der Wolf

P.S. Again thanks to Yurgon for the Help in English ... things ... :)

Very good. I see you are using ww2 units in your example, any plans to extend this to the Normandy map?

Together with Grimes i found out that the needed script functionality does indeed still works on DCS side.

Thus i will add all current maps in its current state into DCZ. :)

Greetings,

today (in one or more hours) a small showcase stream on twitch will be given about the loading/unloading troops functionality

of DCZ in DCS.

Since everything is done for DCZ is uniquely made for DCZ so it works (mostly) 'out of the box' , DCZ

does not rely on public available scripts. (It is known that there are in fact several scripts out there

which already handles Troop loading/unloading ...). Thus everything has to be made from scratch.

Also there are quite some internal differences which might also be visible for the end user.

If you want to look at this and ask questions (at the end of the stream ... keep in mind that my english is not the best ;D ... ) , you might check out the twitch

adress given in the signature. The stream will be uploaded to YouTube as well so you may watch it later. (Also the URL of the signature ... )

Regards,

der Wolf

And here it is already.

An Export of the Stream.

It realy is only a showcase how the load/unload functionality of Troops works inside DCS (for DCZ).

Nothin to fancy i suppose ! :)

regards,

the Wolf.

This is magic. Well done sir

very neat rows of soldiers like that! :)

Sounds very promising. Remembers me of IL-2 online wars :)

This system reminds me the Dynamic Campaign of Falcon 4 but turn based and with better use of the ground forces.

I don't quite understand 2 things:

- you can do one attack at time and the game use only the units involved in that "battle" or it's in a much larger scale where you have multiple "battles" going?

- you said you can use aircraft in a specific battle , so you can frag a package with different mission ( CAS , SEAD , DEAD , BAI , INTERCEPTION , etc ) ?

This system reminds me the Dynamic Campaign of Falcon 4 but turn based and with better use of the ground forces.

 

I don't quite understand 2 things:

- you can do one attack at time and the game use only the units involved in that "battle" or it's in a much larger scale where you have multiple "battles" going?

- you said you can use aircraft in a specific battle , so you can frag a package with different mission ( CAS , SEAD , DEAD , BAI , INTERCEPTION , etc ) ?

Hello beppe,

1. in your turn you may declare multiple attacks depending you have enough fuel,ammo. (In current implementation, you would declare them yet still sequentially.)

Ground Units may participate only in one fight during your turn. The single "DCS-Mission" will probably mostly be in a smaller scale. Its all about one "destination" conflict-zone.

2. you can always assign aircraft to an attack on an conflict zone, when ur ground forces invading that zone from a neighboring conflict-zone. You may additionaly "attack" any conflict-zone with aircrafts only. What exactly u do with your aircrafts in those "attacks" is absolutely up to you.

(imho depends on what you load on to the aircraft and which aircraft u let participate.)

I'll show it in more detail as soon as i'm ready to show it. :-)

P.S. oh ... and ... as the 'defender' you may assign aircrafts to that mission as well, of course. :)

regards,

der Wolf