VASL Cooperative

Contribute to VASL!

Game Squad Forum

VASL is not the result of a single person's effort, but has grown out of the cooperation of a large number of people over time. There are many niches, large and small, for anybody interested in contributing. The VASL Cooperative is a collection of people who contribute map artwork, counter artwork, scenario setups, web support, and/or Java programming. Or people just interested in an inside or advance view of what's happening with VASL.

Join the discussion list at
http://forums.gamesquad.com/forumdisplay.php?103-VASL.

You may find talents or obsessions you never knew you had!


Customize VASL!

GitHub

VASSAL modules are highly customizable. This means that it's possible for anybody to make enhancements to VASL. Got some third-party counters you'd like to contribute? Now it's easy! By using VASSAL's module editor, you can create your own custom extensions, with whatever new counters you like, then post it on the web site for others to enjoy!

For even more ambitious people, VASL source code is publicly available source code. Got a pet feature you'd like to add to VASL? Now you can write your own Java code and plug it straight in! Look at the 'docs' directory in the VASSAL download for documentation on the interface and a tutorial on how to do it. And of course, the VASL developers are more than willing to help you get comfortable. Find a problem or looking for ideas?  Check the VASL Issues List.


Current Development of VASL!

VASL6.6.8

VASL6.6.8-beta9 is released. Get it here.

VASL6.6.8-beta9

Development for VASL6.6.8 is currently underway. Our Issues List on Github usually contains about 150 items, a combination of desired features, known bugs, and board related items. Not all are being worked on at any given time. The current plan for 6.6.8 is to focus on bug fixes - many of you are good to point out these bugs and the next version will focus on fixing as many as possible. 667 included the addition of a Game Updater tool to allow setup files created in earlier versions and saved games from earlier versions to be easily updated to the features and functionality available in the latest VASL version. Please be sure to flag any problems you have when using this tool.

GitHub

New Bug Fixes in 6.6.8-beta9

Counters:

Bad Things labels no longer visible to opponent when vehicle is concealed

Play:

Fixed LOS along Wall/Hedge hexside where gap exists

LOS string now reports correct level for firer and target hexes

Added Pine Woods transformation to Terrain SSR dialog

Improved text of Color Preferences in Chat Window tab and improved application of preferences to Chatter text

System and Setup:

Game Update function now handles units under opponent’s concealment


Game Converter Development Plan Overview

In order to preserve the “enduring nature” of the Game Converter process there will be an impact on future VASL development planning and scheduling. After 6.6.6, new VASL versions will only include changes that will not break Setup Files or Saved Games. New features that impact version compatibility will be added only once an enduring Converter is in place.

VASSAL’s development also has an impact on these issues. Changes in VASSAL may affect VASL’s ability to provide backwards compatibility. The current practice of having multiple VASL and/or VASSAL versions installed at one time provides some assurance to VASL users that older games will remain useable.

The plan is to target VASL 6.7.0 for implementing the Game Converter tool in such a way that setup files could be automatically updated in bulk to the next version. Between VASL versions 6.6.7 and 6.7.0, the Game Converter tool would be applied to setup files individually to check for errors. Saved games are best converted individually when they are opened. Players will have the option to update or not.

Proposed Plan of Action

Fall 2024 Release VASL6.6.9

It will include the second iteration of the Game Converter process. All games will automatically use the latest version of boards and overlays. Updating previously saved games will update counters and los checking per VASL6.6.7, and will also support checking for and updating of extensions required for the .vsav and additional means to grab and display external content.

Spring 2025 Release VASL6.7.0

The final version of the Game Converter will provide enhancements and modifications to all of the previous functionality. At this point, it should be possible to implement batch updating of setup files whenever a new VASL version is released so that these files would always be available with the latest functionality and improvements.

VASL6.6.8 should be officially released in the Spring of 2024.

VASL code development is currently carried out using free software tools provided by Jet Brains as part of it's Open Source Support . We appreciate their on-going assistance to VASL development.