This page contains a small comparative checklist for VGA Planets clients. Use this if you're unsure which one to choose (note that all clients require you to register either the original client, planets.exe, or its successor Winplan). I tried to be objective, as far as that's possible as a client author.
If you feel you have to change or add something, just go ahead and tell me. If you wish your client to be listed, send me a list. The XML master document is available on request.
planets.exe: ("Dosplan") the original client program by Tim Wisseman. No longer under development, but still being used.
Winplan: the current official client program by Tim Wisseman. Probably most players' choice. Still receives an occasional update every few months.
VPA: ("VGA Planets Assistant") a very popular client by Alex Ivlev, now open-source and still being updated. Most of its fans like it for it different interface.
PCC: ("Planets Command Center") a client program by Stefan Reuther, originally intended to be "a better planets.exe". Its author believes it is now the GNU Emacs among all planets clients :) Still being maintained.
PCC2: ("Planets Command Center II") the intended successor to PCC. Still being maintained. This list describes version 2.0.9 (April 2020).
| planets.exe | Winplan | VPA | PCC | PCC2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Stuff | |||||
| Operating System | DOS real-mode | Windows 16 bit | DOS real/protected mode | DOS real/protected mode | Windows/Unix 32/64 bit |
| Graphics Mode | VGA (640x480x16) | Windows | VGA (640x480x16/256) | VGA (640x480x16/256) | 640x480x256 and up |
| Graphics | resource.pln | BMP files | resource.pln | cc.res; resource.pln and BMP files can be imported | cc.res or BMP/JPG/PNG files |
| Sound | Nasty Beeps(tm) | Digital sound + MIDI music | some VCR beeps | no | no |
| Disk Space Usage | ~ 1.5 MB | ~ 9 MB | ~ 1.7 MB | ~ 2.7 MB | ~ 20 MB |
| Features | |||||
| Structure | |||||
| Game Selection [more] | no | yes | no | no | yes |
| Race Selection [more] | yes | yes | no | yes | yes |
| Main Screen [more] | menu | menu | starchart | menu | menu |
| Unpack/Maketurn | external | built-in | built-in (3.58+) | built-in | built-in, optional |
| Starchart | |||||
| zoomable | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| minefields, ion storms, etc. | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| own drawings | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| distance meter | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| custom colors | no | yes (ships) | yes | no | no |
| wrapped map geometry [more] | no | no | square | rectangular, circular | rectangular, circular |
| Messages | |||||
| save to file | no (external program "sheet") | yes (Windows clipboard) | yes | yes | yes |
| group by category | no | yes (sort) | no | yes (group) | yes (group) |
| filtering [more] | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| message parser [more] | no | no | yes (configurable) | yes (wired-in) | yes (configurable) |
| UTIL.DAT support [more] | no | no | yes (3.61+) | yes | yes |
| team data transfers [more] | no | no | yes | yes | no |
| Combat | |||||
| alternate VCR support | yes | no | PVCR | PVCR built in | PVCR, NuVCR, FLAK built in |
| battle simulator | no | one/one, THost | one/one, THost | multi-ship, THost and PHost | multi-ship, THost/PHost/NuHost/FLAK |
| Multi-turn Play | |||||
| notepad for planets/ships | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| view previous turns [more] | no | no | yes | no | no |
| ship trails [more] | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| sensor sweep archive [more] | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| auto tasks [more] | no | yes | no | yes | yes |
| Reporting | |||||
| search | planets by Id | various predefined searches | planets and ships by name, id | objects by name, id, expression, location | objects by name, id, expression, location |
| printing [more] | no (use "sheet") | no | yes | yes | no |
| data export [more] | no | no | no | .dbf, .csv, tab-separated, text | .dbf, .csv, tab-separated, text |
| Goodies | |||||
| global actions [more] | no | taxes, building, friendly codes | unload, friendly codes | friendly codes, remote control, missions, building, taxes, command | friendly codes, remote control, missions, building, taxes, command |
| team play (multiple RSTs) [more] | no | no | yes | yes | no |
| auto build [more] | no | yes | no | yes | yes |
| alliance management [more] | no | no | no | yes, PHost and THost | yes, PHost and THost |
| scripting | no | no | no | yes | yes |
| Documentation | |||||
| help on program usage | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| help on game rules | few, Host 3.00 | yes, Host 3.20 | no | yes, Host 3.20/PHost | no |
| on-line help file format | custom | Windows .hlp | custom | custom | custom + HTML |
| doc files [more] | readme, game rules | n/a | readme, FAQ, report format, key list, changelog, configuration file description | readme, setup / troubleshooting guide, external program docs, changelog, scripting manual | readme |
| Data Files / Technical Specification | |||||
| Unpack/Maketurn for batch files [more] | yes | no, but hooks exist | not really | yes | yes |
| Host999 support | yes | yes | yes (3.58+) | yes | yes |
| SRace support | yes (needs patch) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| data file versions [more] | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.0, 3.5 | 3.0, 3.5 | 3.0, 3.5 |
| extended missions (mission.ini) | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| plugin support | no (can replace resource files) | no (can replace resource files) | no | no (can replace resource files) | yes (resources, logic) |
| PHost Specialties | |||||
| PlayerRace | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| remote control [more] | no | no | yes (3.61a+) | yes | yes |
| custom hull functions [more] | no | no | yes (3.63+, older have non-race-specific only) | yes (1.1.12+, older ones only indirectly) | yes |
| custom base/fighter costs [more] | no | no | yes (3.63+) | yes (1.1.15+) | yes |
| PVCR | yes | no | yes | yes | yes |
| util.dat | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| PHost formulas [more] | no | no | partially | yes | yes |
| command processor [more] | no | no | yes (3.61+) | yes | yes |
| 10000 minefields | no | no | no | yes | yes |
| THost specialties | |||||
| FF allies [more] | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Game Selection: "yes" if the program offers any means of managing and selecting multiple games on the same computer instead of requiring you to mess with directories. [back]
Race Selection: "yes" if the program offers any means of selecting the race you want to play without having to restart the program. [back]
Main Screen: The Main Screen is wherever you get dropped after opening your turn. [back]
wrapped map geometry: Which of the alternate map geometries (as implemented by add-ons such as Sphere, PWrap, Zeus) the program supports. [back]
filtering: "yes" if the program offers a means of filtering bulk mail (e.g. you don't want to see hiss reports, etc.) [back]
message parser: "yes" if the program can read sub-space messages and extract information such as minefields or ion storms. A configurable parser can be adapted to new message formats, a wired-in can not. [back]
UTIL.DAT support: UTIL.DAT is the file that contains messages in pre-parsed format. When a program reads this file, it can also understand foreign-language messages and survive changes to the message formats. [back]
team data transfers: "yes" if the program has any means of transmitting data to your team mates via messages. [back]
view previous turns: "yes" if you can review your old turns without having to unpack them into a temporary directory etc. [back]
ship trails: "yes" if the program records and displays flight paths of own and enemy ships. [back]
sensor sweep archive: "yes" if the program records planet scans. [back]
auto tasks: Auto tasks allow you to specify in advance what a unit will do in the future. The main application is to enter multi-hop flight paths for ships. [back]
printing: A printing function allows you to generate human-readable reports in text files and/or on a printer, ideally with some formatting. [back]
data export: Data export allows you to export data in a machine-readable format, allowing the data to be imported into database or spreadsheet programs for evaluation and postprocessing. [back]
global actions: Global actions allow you to do some things for many units at once (e.g. unload all ships in orbit). [back]
team play (multiple RSTs): "yes" if the program can display multiple RSTs at the same time. [back]
auto build: "yes" if the program can automate building of planetary structures. [back]
alliance management: "yes" if the program simplifies manipulation of formal alliances. [back]
doc files: separate documentation files shipped with the program. [back]
Unpack/Maketurn for batch files: "yes" if the Unpack/Maketurn functions can be called from batch files. Winplan's can not, but it can call batch files before/after unpack/maketurn. [back]
data file versions: Data file versions say which programs can be used together on the same directory. The original file formats were "3.0", Winplan introduced file format version "3.5". [back]
remote control: A remote-control aware program displays missions correctly for remote-controlled ships. [back]
custom hull functions: "yes" means the program displays and handles reassigned hull functions correctly (i.e. gravitonic Merlins). PHost also allows to restrict hull functions to certain races. [back]
custom base/fighter costs: "yes" if the program supports PHost's incompatible configuration options that allow different base/fighter costs and capacities. [back]
PHost formulas: "yes" means the program supports PHost formulas (in particular for movement and fuel usage). [back]
command processor: "yes" means the program can generate CP messages. The number and type of messages doesn't matter. [back]
FF allies: "yes" means the program can display allied ships you see via an "FF" alliance. [back]