[Excel] Starting Drop Spreadsheet

[thenobodies80]

We all know that during the development of a map, one of the first things to check is the number of territories.
I am always bothered by having to count the possible initial drop and balance it, especially in the presence of starting positions. I know it is not difficult, but it bothers me a lot.

For this reason I've created a spreadsheet that calculates the possible outcome, after having selected 5 data:
- Number of regions on the map (total amount of regions)
- Number of coded neutrals (number of regions that start neutral in any case)
- Number of starting positions
- Number of regions for each starting positions *
- Underlying Neutrals (Y/N)**

Notes:
* The tool works only if all starting positions have the same number of regions (components)
**In case of underlying neutrals, the spreadsheet can be used only if ALL your starting positions have underlying neutrals.

The spreadsheet gives you the number of starting regions for each player and the overall number of neutrals on the map at the start, this for games from 2 to 8 players.
In addition, although both of them are minor things, is possible to see the final amount of territories in the starting pot (standard regions) and the number of starting positions assigned to each player.

startingdrop1.2.xlsx

I hope it helps!

Nobodies

p.s. Any suggestions for possible improvements are welcome

[Victor Sullivan]

Could you perhaps convert the file from .xlsx to .xls? I've got an older-school version of Excel.

-Sully

[gimil]

Could you perhaps convert the file from .xlsx to .xls? I've got an older-school version of Excel.

-Sully

What version of Excel do you have? There should be a compatibility download available to you.

[isaiah40]

Hope this helps!

Copy of StartingDrop1.0.xls

(72 KiB) Downloaded 1478 times

[Victor Sullivan]

"The cell or chart you are trying to change is protected and therefore read-only"

@gimil, it won't let me open the .xlsx file in Excel, it opens up some Mac version called "Numbers", and some of the stuff doesn't translate well (though it is usable, and I can edit the cells unlike the .xls version).

-Sully

[cairnswk]

Hope this helps!

Copy of StartingDrop1.0.xls

isaiah40, why is this file password protected.
I would like to see what the calculations are in the s'sheet.

Oh, and i notice there are new Post Icon in Php above the POst a Reply screen...but they don't have mouse-over pop-ups to explain what they are.

[thenobodies80]

"The cell or chart you are trying to change is protected and therefore read-only"

If you save it on your machine instead of just open it, then you can change the cells. Only yellow cells can be edited selectiong the appropriate numbers listed.

isaiah40, why is this file password protected.
I would like to see what the calculations are in the s'sheet.

Oh, and i notice there are new Post Icon in Php above the POst a Reply screen...but they don't have mouse-over pop-ups to explain what they are.

Isaiah can't help you with this. I'm the one who created this spreadsheet and also applied the password.
It's 1000 times better then write everywhere don't change these values or the like.
In any case I think it's up to me to decide if I want it locked or not. No?

Anyway, cairnswk, if you want to know how it works I can give you all the details, but privately.

About icons, thanks for letting me know, they shouldn't be available. An admin will disable them asap.

Nobodies

[Victor Sullivan]

"The cell or chart you are trying to change is protected and therefore read-only"

If you save it on your machine instead of just open it, then you can change the cells.

Oh lol, well don't I feel silly?

-Sully

[cairnswk]

thanks tnb80 for your reply.

It's 1000 times better then write everywhere don't change these values or the like.

Sorry i don't understand what you are saying here.

In any case I think it's up to me to decide if I want it locked or not. No?

Can i ask the reasoning behind this decision?

[thenobodies80]

thanks tnb80 for your reply.

It's 1000 times better then write everywhere don't change these values or the like.

Sorry i don't understand what you are saying here.

In any case I think it's up to me to decide if I want it locked or not. No?

Can i ask the reasoning behind this decision?

Sure, the hidden part is full of functions and calculations, those values shouldn't be changed or the file won't work. You can't imagine how many nested functions I've used to have this working properly.
With all due respect for those who want to use this file, the final user doesn't need to see how it works to use it. (if you think it's the same for the 99% of the software you can find on the web). In fact having the "code" part visible doesn't give advantages to the final users, indeed it can only be cause of errors or issues.

Btw I'm developing a better version (1.1) to fix a couple of minor errors. (the version 1.0 can be used in any case, in fact there are errors only in rare/useless cases)
I've not had so much free time to test it properly these days, but I think it will be ready in 3 or 4 days.

If you want to help me with some testing, just let me know

[cairnswk]

Your reasoning is quite sound.
However, since this is CC and we have some "training" going on in relation to tools and paint programs that are used in this forum, then i really think it should not be password protected.
It should be almost like "open source".
I can appreciate what you've put into it as i do budgets etc.
But that doesn't mean you should keep it all to yourself so-to-speak, so that others can't see what is going on in the formulas etc.
Otherwise, how do people learn?
Offering it to me privately does nothing to appease anyone else who might be interested to learn about what great work you've done.

[Victor Sullivan]

I know when I open the .xlsx file in "Numbers", the password is disabled and all hidden items are revealed...

-Sully

[thenobodies80]

Tool updated! Current version V1.2

What's new:

- Number of starting regions removed (not necessary)
- Added an additional editable field (number of regions for each starting position)
- Added auto validation of starting positions fields
- Changed the way data are calculated to prevent errors
- Fixed minor errors

Nobodies

startingdrop1.2.xlsx

[cairnswk]

tnb80.
below is the drop calc for Ethiopia.
why doesn't the 2 player drop show the same as the 3 player drop, when we all know a 2 player game is divisible by 3 - 2 players and a third neutral?

Click image to enlarge.

[thenobodies80]

Starting positions are given out evenly among the players. The neutral is not a player....why code SP if then you want them neutral? And this is why we use underlying neutral to force a not assigned SP to start as neutral.

The simple formula is something along this way: (the real one it's a bit tricker, but i'm not going to include underlying neutrals)

((Starting positions/ # of players) + (((total territories - starting positions) - neutrals)/ (# of players + K)))= starting regions for each player

where K is equal to 0 for all games except the 1vs1, where K=1 (the neutral player)


So, using your example and the formula

((SP/NPL)+(((TT-SP)-N)/(NPL+K)))

in a 1vs1 game it is:

((24/2)+((29-24)-5)/(2+1))) = 12

instead in a 1vs1vs1 game it results:

((24/3)+((29-24)-5)/(3+0))) = 8

The formula applies only if you do NOT have underlying neutrals for your starting positions.

Hope it's clear, if not, just let me know
Nobodies

[cairnswk]

tnb, can you put a divisor drop list in this or is it already there and i am just not reading it properly?
Also in the lastest version you've added the compoment function - what does that do please?
sorry to be so dumb.

[thenobodies80]

What do you mean with divisor drop list?

The components are the number of territories for each starting positions. You certainly know that you can have, for example, 3 starting positions, each one with more than a single region into it.
Unfortunately, for now you can use the spreadsheet only if you have the same amount for all starting positions. So if you have 2 with 2 components and 1 with 3 components, you need to do your math manually.
I'll develop a better version in future, as soon as i have a bit of free time. So don't be afraid to ask if something is not clear or if you would like to have additional options/features into it.

Nobodies

[cairnswk]

What do you mean with divisor drop list?
....
Nobodies

The divisior....normally you get +1 for every 3 territories you hold...that is with the divisor at 3.
But some maps now are having a divisior of 4...meaning if they hold 18 terrtories, they get +4, not +6.
This is to do with min/max reinforcement.

[thenobodies80]

Oh, now i understand. Yes it can be added something like that...it is a simple thing.

But this tool doesn't count the number of troops you start with, but the number of regions.