34 replies to this topic

[Keith Morphy]

Creating logs for a game seems to be a chore. Is there something that I am missing? The games comes with single logs for ships but these can not be used in an actual game since there are way more than will be used or lack the multiple entries when several of one class are used. I have started with the blank Excel sheet in the download library and it took me about 10 minutes to create one ship log. As specific fonts and borders have meaning, creating by hand is not an option. This is a severe drag for the GQIII game.

[Dave Franklin]

I also use Excel.  It may take a little bit to do one ship, but then if there's more than one of that class present, or a similar class, the old cut & paste speeds up the process over all.  Also, as I have done a reasonably large number, I can also cut & paste from other past scenarios.The other things I like about using Excel:1) I can customize the SDS based on the ship's data at the date of a particular battle (e.g. radar, and weapons).2) I can make the SDS a little bigger, and hence a little easier to read and mark up.3) If I want to, I can add ammunition expenditure, based on the old GQ system.

[Coastal]

Like co_ diver, I've made up up a batch of logs of the more common types I might use (ie, Fletcher class DDs, Minneapolis class CAs, etc) and save them on my computer.  Goes fairly quickly while watching the TV or listening to the radio (best time for me is Sunday afternoon while the football games are on).  I just put the class name in as the ship name and save several at a pop.  Then, when I'm setting up a scenario, I'll pull up the file, make any modification as needed, cut and paste the ships needed and print out the logs.

[Keith Morphy]

Thanks for your replies. I just have a large chore ahead of me as I have an American, English, Japanese and German logs to make.

[Bob Benge]

Why don't you guys share these on the site.? Misery loves company, but... :laugh:Seriusoly though, You should post these Excel files in the Player area to share with the community.

[Richard Cornwell]

I've pretty much done a log for each ship model I own. Once you get the hang of the layout and symbols its pretty fast. Cutting and pasting obviously speeds things up, with ships of the same class being trivial and similar ships being pretty easy.The biggest pain was secondary and tertiary armaments. It too a while for me to realise that they are o's and p's and multiple ones can be typed into the same cell.Haven't done them for each year for radar and AA but that would be useful as well. (It would be nice for the existing SDSs to have a year on them as well. I know that for some the sheet has a year range - but its not precise in some cases).Anyway, it saves a lot of paper when you can just set up a sheet with the ships you need.Richard

[David Cashin]

What about GQHelper?The old version was built for GQI and II. Is anyone ambitious or skilled enough to take on updating it?I don't have the programming skills unfortunately. Also I have lost my copy.  Dave C

[Coastal]

I guess a program could be developed, but I'm not sure who would do it.  GQHelper (which was done a player) was a nice aid, but since the games are so different, it would require a completely new program.  That would be a heck of project!

[gregoryk]

Indeed!  I cannot imagine how that would look, although given some of the creations out there for other games, it certainly is possible for a motivated and gifted individual.Gregory

[Dan Canton]

A visual basic program would do the trick for everyone running windows. To me, the most useful thing would be a program that allows the user to input objects (guns, armor values, TT mounts etc) and locations, and then produce the layout for the ship. A second major function would be to allow a user to select ships from the inventory to print out on a division log.

[Malcolm Wright]

Fully completed ship logs in colour, with multiple entries for ships that underwent changes of equipment will be available soon. The release of the first two is imminent.

[Malcolm Wright]

I should of course, have said THE FIRST TWO NATIONS are about to be released. They will be warships of the RN and warships of Nazi Germany.

[Scott Rutter]

In the Design Files section of the Private Library, the Explanation file mentions that we can use Ship Log.xls to create our own logs.  Can anyone point me to where it's located?alsoThat's awesome news gallopingjack, any chance we could get it the easy way and get the base XLS file.  It would certainly simplify copying and pasting ship blocks into our personal scenarios rather than grabbing a screenshot, cropping it with an image editor and pasting it as an image.

[Coastal]

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In the Design Files section of the Private Library, the Explanation file mentions that we can use Ship Log.xls to create our own logs. Can anyone point me to where it's located?

Its located in the Download Library.  To get to the Blank Ship Log, click on the 'Download Library', then 'Private Access Library', then 'General Quarters 3', then 'GQIII World War II', then 'Game Charts & Logs'.  That'll bring you to the Blank Ship Log and the Blank Aircraft Log.

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That's awesome news gallopingjack, any chance we could get it the easy way and get the _base_ XLS file. It would certainly simplify copying and pasting ship blocks into our personal scenarios rather than grabbing a screenshot, cropping it with an image editor and pasting it as an image.

The cards will be available as downloadable PDFs.  The format will be 12 cards to a page (which makes each card the size of a business card).

[Scott Rutter]

Thanks for the speedy reply, much appreciated!

[Keith Morphy]

PDF's help with nothing. XLS format is the only item of use so one can create duplicates of same class ships. Otherwise, it is not very green friendly.:(

[Coastal]

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PDF's help with nothing. XLS format is the only item of use so one can create duplicates of same class ships. Otherwise, it is not very green friendly.

Actually, with the free Adobe 8 viewer, you can copy out sections of a PDF (llike a ship log) and build your own scenario logs.  And the logs will include (at least for the German and British Logs) ALL of the ships of the various classes, including variations over time.  So there will be no need to copy duplicates to fulfill a class.

[Malcolm Wright]

Hopefully you will not need to go to that trouble Iron Wulfe. When producing the deluxe logs I presumed that if players were anything like myself, they would want to use the same models in different time periods. So I have specifically provided more than one log of the same ship to cover all those if it underwent upgrades.

[Chris Lane]

As a total newbie to GQ3 and FAI how difficult is it to create ship logs for thoses that are given with the rules.For instances if I wanted to create some for HMS Furious in her Battlecrusier role what would I need to do?Sorry if this has been covered elsewhereRegardsPanzer

[Lonnie Gill]

You can use the blank Ship Log file which is in the Download library (see Coastal's reply #7011 in this section for instructions on how to find).  This is an Excel file which has the special characters needed for torpedoes and smaller batteries listed at the bottom to get you started in building any ship you want.For Furious, you'd also have to make some notes on her 18" guns, as they are not listed on the Grand Fleet surface combat chart.  You might want to check out the www.NavWeaps.com site for data on the RN 18" gun.When you're done, consider posting your Ship Logs on this site for other gamers to use.  I'm sure others would be interested in these ships as well.  You'll find several nice files where others have already posted Logs in the Download library, including a crackerjack complete Spanish Navy Supplement covering the Spanish Civil War by Adrain Dobb.   These help us all to share different aspects of naval wargaming.LONNIE