I have one main map, a predefined setup, which is made up of a series of other maps. Some of these maps contain grids, some don’t.
The game requires that, at the start of the game, players decide what size board to play. A short game only requires two map-boards to be shown, along with some other maps without grids, a longer game would require more “gridded” maps.
I also want the players to be able to choose which boards are connected together in the main map.
How do I achieve all this?
The best way I can see of resolving this is by allowing the user to choose from a series of predefined setup maps, at the begning of the game.
Where each predefined setup up includes all the relevant boards (so I have 1 predefined for two game boards, 1 for 3, one for 4 and one for 5).
If not, could you give me a little insight into how you would approach creating the various maps, and including them in Predefined Setups?
How could I get the system to choose a random board for inclusion on the predefined?
(For example if I have four boards A, B, C, D and a player chooses a Predefined Start of 3 boards, the system randomly chooses any of the bords A-D and places them in any of the three start board positions)
A Predefined Setup is just a saved game. You setup the boards by hand, pull some counters, then save the game. That save game is loaded into the module and becomes the starting point for a 'scenario.
Just give them all the option in the map setup and let them set things
up manually.
Part of the Vassal philosophy is to not try to automate everything.
It is assumed that the players know how to play the game and can
implement the rules and setup restrictions properly.
So make it easy on yourself and just make all the maps available for
configuration from the board picker.
If the counter supply is limited you could also use at-start-stacks. You can define at start stack for boards independently. although this would mean if you pick board1+board2 you would have pieces for the at-start-stacks from both boards.