Essentially, PHost combat files (vcrX.dat) must be interpreted differently than standard combat files. The standard combat viewer for PHost is PVCR, a DOS program. This is an issue for client programs and combat simulators.

  • Winplan does not support PHost combat. You must not run Winplan's combat viewer (VCR) for PHost-generated battles. Winplan will either crash or display complete nonsense. You must either run PVCR manually, or try the PlayVCR package. The same goes for VPUtil.
  • DOS Planets does not know how to play PHost combat, but we can replace its VCR player with PVCR.
  • VPA 3.51d and later know how to call PVCR when needed. In some versions after that, this ability was broken, but got back again in 3.60f.
  • PCC 0.99.9 and later, and all CCBSim versions based on it have a pirate copy :-) of PVCR built-in.
  • BSim has PVCR built in.
  • EchoView's simulator has PVCR built in, too.

Installing PVCR for Winplan and VPA

  • Get the resource.pln file from the DOS version of VGA Planets (shareware or registered), and copy it into your main Winplan/VPA directory. If you use VPA, you should already have that file.
  • Get the PVCR distribution from the PHost home page and unzip it into your Winplan/VPA directory, too.
  • To view a PHost-generated battle, open a DOS box and type 
    pvcr -s -p3 vpwork5
    In this command, "3" is your player number and "vpwork5" is the game directory (here: Winplan game slot 5). You may want to create a shortcut or batch file for that command.

  • (4.0f) If you use Winplan, you can also simply invoke PVCR from your Winplan directory (using a shortcut icon maybe); PVCR has a simple built-in game selector.

VPA will automatically call PVCR when needed, but Winplan will not. Do not use the "VCR" button in Winplan; that button might crash Winplan.

Installing PVCR for DOS Planets

  • Get the PVCR distribution from the PHost home page and unzip it into your planets directory.
  • Copy vcr.exe to vcrold.exe using a command such as (surprise!) 
    copy vcr.exe vcrold.exe
    ► Note: Only do this the first time you install PVCR.
  • Copy pvcr.exe to vcr.exe

When you hit the "VCR" button in planets.exe, you'll now get dropped into PVCR if the battles were generated by PHost, and into the normal VCR if the were generated by the Wisseman host.

Installing PlayVCR

PlayVCR is a VCR player which runs natively under Windows (and other operating systems). It is currently distributed together with the PCC2 client, but can be installed and used without it.

  • Get the PCC2 distribution. Normally you want the version with installer (PCC2-Installer-nnnn.exe). Install it. The installation program will ask you for the directory you installed Winplan in. It will replace your winplan.exe with a small program that hooks PlayVCR into Winplan.
  • When you hit Winplan's "VCR" button, you'll get PlayVCR. Sit back and watch. PlayVCR also plays "standard" combat.

If you want PlayVCR for another operating system, get the source code and compile it yourself. Instructions are included.