VASSAL ENGINE NOVICE USER’S GUIDE

Updated 050801 (Wargame Academy Vassal Team)

I: WHAT IS VASSAL

VASSAL is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games and card games. It allows users to play in real time over a live Internet connection (in addition to playing by email). It runs on all platforms, and is free for personal use. There are many other computer application,s internet tools, server subscription servers, etc available to support internet play. However, requirements for a specific computer platform is a requirement. All of these have proven inferior to VASSAL as a tool for PBEM and real time server play.

II: EVOLUTION OF THE VASSAL GAME ENGINE

The VASSAL game engine is the creation of Rodney Kinney and evolved from the original Virtual Advanced Squad Leader (VASL). VASL was a stand alone Java application specifically tailored for play by email (PBEM) and real time server play of ASL. . Barraged with requests to support other game titles, Rodney Kinney chose to deploy a generic game engine enabling enthusiasts of to configure modules to support play of other modules. With the emergence of VASSAL, the VASL application ended its life as version 3.02 and is now obsolete. The current VASL4.x is merely another VASSAL module, one of 50+ specific game title modules. VASSAL intentionally does not include any artificial intelligence (AI) opponent capability as that is outside its scope. To minimize any copyright liability issues, VASSAL modules intentionally does not include rulebook documentation. At least game company's possessing copyrights of specific game titles have requested VASSAL withdraw modules due to internet licensing agreements made by those companies.

Rodney’s main focus is the continued development of the VASSAL engine. Several volunteer programmers, work under Rodney’s oversight to add additional capabilities to the engine or specific game modules. Brent Easton is significant in this role. The individual game title specific modules are created by anyone wishing to create one using the VASSAL capabilities. Other contributor are skilled at enhancing exiting modules to utilize the latest capabilities of Vassal. As changing a module may impact all games in progress, ‘enhancers’ should coordinate with the other contributors and original module author. Additionally, some modules have oversight by a group of trustees to implement changes in a controlled manner, especially as changes may impact hundreds of games in progress and numerous tournaments. VSQL (Squad Leader Series Module) is one such example.

The VASSAL contributors have become a community with a shared interest. The VASSAL email group is found as a yahoogroup.com.

Although VASSAL is a Free application, those wishing to contribute financially are encouraged to do so via Paypal to Source Forge (http://sourceforge.net/donate/). The capabilities of VASSAL have resulted in the return to of many to active gaming on a scale not possible in other PBEM methods, especially to Macintosh, LINUX, UNIX, and low end Windows users.

III: WHY JAVA?

Most computer applications utilize program languages that are compiled for a specific microprocessor with the result it will run only on a specific operation system ( Macintosh OS, Linux or Unix, or certain flavor of Windows). Java by Sun System is platform independent program which are only partially compiled and ‘finished’ on the users computer. Hence the files and programs are platform independent. They can be portable and actively shared without regard to the operation system that you or what your opponent may be using. Additional benefits is Java is free and it is open source. Sun System has successfully thwarted attempts by Microsoft to co-opt the future of Java as a Windows specific program. All the potential player pool is spread across the globe, a wide variety of computer operating systems are in use. As Military History Simulation gamers are more computer literate and affluent than the general population, the computer operating systems in use is more diverse. Additionally, many in the Windows world are in various factions of the Windows OS family. Java does not require the horsepower of a high-end Win Tel system. Speed is forfeited in the Java approach, however this is not a priority for strategy games as it would be in a first person shooter application.

IV: INSTALLING JAVA

Java is a free download from Sun Systems. Java is inherent to Macintosh OSX via the MJR program in the operating system (Macintosh Java Resource). For Windows, Unix, and Linux, the JRE (Java Resources Environment) program must be downloaded and installed (http://www.java.com/en/).

V: VSQL EXCEPTION:

Installation of Vassal does NOT apply to VSQL module (Squad Leader Series: SQL, COI, COD, GIA). This module has an inherent fixed version of vassal (1.9.9) to insure stability and compatibility making it immune from future updates. In the past, Vassal updates to add capability for other types of games such as Card Games, have created bugs within the operation of the VSQL module. Hence non value added VASSAL updates relative to VSQL created issues.

VI: INSTALLING VASSAL

  1. Go the the vassalengine.org site
  2. Create a Login in and password
  3. Click on the DOWNLOAD link
  4. Install Manually
    • If Windows click the appropriate active link
  5. If other system, click the active link on:
    • Other systems can extract this file and double-click on the runVassal.jar file.

VII: MODULES

Games come in many flavors like ice cream (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry and exotic). Same games are unique, such as SQUAD LEADER and ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER. Some are unique but share a common system for a series of similar game, (Card Driven games such as FOR THE PEOPLE, WE THE PEOPLE, PATHS OF GLORY); Columbia Games Block Games (WAR OF 1812, HAMMER OF THE SCOTS) or double blind games (MIDWAY, FLATTOP). These will specific instructions; some exist such as for VSQL.

The majority of The Avalon Hill Game Company ‘Classic games’ are very similar and the instructions for one will be similar for others. Brent Easton created the code (Autoimage) which generates counters within a module, this replaces the old technique of generating custom images for each game counter. Additionally, the Wargame Academy VASSAL Team is configuring a number of modules in a standard manner. RUSSIAN front is the template from which others can be rapidly duplicated. In this example, we will detail instructions for TAHGC’s THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN 3rd edition and RUSSIAN FRONT. Usage will be very similar to a number of other modules actively being updated/enhanced or created. These include:

VIII: MODULE INSTALLATION

    1. Go to the VASSAL engine module page and select the desired game title.
    2. Select PLAYERS and add yourself to this listing by entering your Login name.
    3. Select the FILES header
    4. Click on the modules file
    5. When prompted, create a folder called ‘Modules’ within the your VASSAL folder.
    6. If the module ends in ‘mod’, you are all set
    7. If the module ends with ‘.zip’, unzip the file into the same location and delete the ‘zip’ file.
    8. If one does not already exist, create a folder called SAVED GAMES. This is were you will put your files for games in progress. You may find it helpful to make a subfolder for each opponent/game.

IX: LAUNCH THE MODULE

X: PREFERENCES

XI: HELP FILES

XII: CONTROL WINDOW

FILE CONTROLS

NOTES WINDOW

PUBLIC NOTES

PRIVATE NOTES

DELAYED NOTES

XIII: CHAT WINDOW

XIV: SERVER WINDOW

XV: PLAY BY EMAIL

XVI: PLAY BY SERVER

XVII: PLAYER EDICATE AND CODE OF CONDUCT

XVIII: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

XIX: COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS