Battle module crashes

jmikkone · Post by **jmikkone** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 12:58 am

I try to launch the newest version of Battle module (exe files dated the 11th of October), but it won't let me play. Splash screen comes out OK, I hear the intro music but clicking on Hotseat - New Game exits the game without even an error message. (Both BattleW and BattleX) Previous version (v1.3b) worked just fine.

I'm running under Windows NT with ServicePack 4 installed.

My homecomputer with Windows98SE works just fine..

Ideas?

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 1:11 am

Originally posted by Jukka Mikkonen:

I'm running under Windows NT with ServicePack 4 installed.

My homecomputer with Windows98SE works just fine..

Ideas?

Yea, don't play ToS at work <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">
Did you try the various nosound/nomp3/nomusic combos and did you set debug in binit.dat, looking for something in error.dat ? Do the other modules run. More info is needed, same procedure with each bug report <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

OneEyedBob · Post by **OneEyedBob** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 7:25 pm

I'm running into the same problem. The HQ and Factory modules run just fine, but the battle module crashed immediatly after pressing the "new battle" button. I've tried editting hte binit.dat file and running with out sound and such, but with no luck. I then set the debug thing, but I can't find the error.dat file. I found an error.log file, but it's empty

(Oh, and not playing TOS at work is not an option.) <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Specter80 · Post by **Specter80** » Fri Nov 30, 2001 6:07 am

Identical result as OneEyedBob (I assume Bob means "new game" when he says "new battle"). <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
Battle modules are from 31 Oct 2001. The other modules run fine.

I also editted binit.dat file, and set all the sounds off and debug on, and got an empty error.log file. The following lines make me ask whether there is a separate debug flag for hotseat games...

# Debug flag for netgames :
debug

Just found out about ToS last week, so can't comment on v1.3.

Could it be an issue with winG32.dll? This was placed in my winnt\system32 directory, but since I'm taking ToS home tonite, and haven't seen battle.exe run yet, I assume that the next screen is graphics-intense? Just a thought...

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Fri Nov 30, 2001 1:21 pm

I fear the problem is network related. The code is checking if it can init the network and seems to crash there with NT. The code is vanilla WIN32 socket.

No idea for a workaround. Is there a network card installed ? Are there special rights needed to access the network in NT ?

jmikkone · Post by **jmikkone** » Fri Nov 30, 2001 3:14 pm

Larkin,

My work computer has a network card (ethernet) installed and has a gazillion of little devious firewall etc configurations running so that the IM gets to control what can and what can't be done with it. Still, the old version worked just right. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

And what else is there to do other than play ToS at work? <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Nov 30, 2001 9:49 pm

Though I fear this might be understood.
Why wouldn't you be playing TOS at work? Well, that's my question.

Specter80 · Post by **Specter80** » Fri Nov 30, 2001 11:21 pm

Is there a network card installed ?

Yep, ethernet. The next time I reboot, I'll pull the network cable out of my machine AND log into NT as standalone : see if that helps.

Are there special rights needed to access the network in NT ?

Who knows what I.S. does that we don't know about? There's too much Novell junk running in the background to guess. We also have poorly integrated Novell and NT networks. <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

I fear the problem is network related. The code is checking if it can init the network and seems to crash there with NT. The code is vanilla WIN32 socket.

How about this : if you select a hotseat game, don't check the network? Is there a non-obvious reason for checking the network if you're not starting a net game? I know this doesn't solve the whole problem with NT, but half is better than nothing.

If you don't feel that this is worth the effort to solve, just say so. Otherwise, I'll do whatever I can to help.

Specter80 · Post by **Specter80** » Sat Dec 01, 2001 2:54 am

Hmmm, let me rephrase that last comment, before someone takes it the wrong way (that has never happened before <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> ) : I'm not claiming that you feel it not worth fixing, I just know that the number of us playing on NT boxes is VERY small, and may fall under the theory of diminishing returns.

On to testing : I yanked my cable and logged in standalone : same result as before. Having gotten into battle.exe last night, I see it wouldn't have been a graphics issue.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Sat Dec 01, 2001 3:57 am

Tos v1.4 is only 256 colors. Warring suns supports 32bit truecolor. It looks a wee bit better.

Specter80 · Post by **Specter80** » Sat Dec 01, 2001 4:13 am

Sorry. I was combining 2 entirely separate trains of thought into one paragraph.

My original wandering thoughts drifted to winG32.dll, as incompatible dll's are often the cause of differences between Windoze for pleasure and Windoze for work.

My other thought was that perhaps any network problems caused by Big Brother could be headed off by ensuring that ToS couldn't see the network.

Neither thought panned out. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Stupid Newbie Observation : If I always create (for example) my first jock with the same name, I always get the same attribs and initial skill levels. Is this by design? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

Robinhood · Post by **Robinhood** » Sat Dec 01, 2001 6:01 am

I've noticed the name relationship to starting stats thing too. It can be useful when I want to test a type or set of titans to know that the base stats of the jocks will be similar if I name them the same way. Is that what you were looking for? And could this be exploited to create exceptional jocks everytime if I can just find the right name/letter convention? I'm not really into the cheating thing, I just like to know whats going on...

Curiously amused,

-Robinhood-

[ November 30, 2001: Message edited by: Robinhood ]</p>

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Sat Dec 01, 2001 2:43 pm

Yes, jock stats are a function of the jock's *callsign* (not name). I think this should have been slightly 'fixed' with the latest versions of the hq, where the 1st jock is created as if the team has a virtual leader with 75% leadership. Yes, you could (can?) create a 'jock table' (I did), with callsigns and their respective attribs, and then choose the best. Cheating? I guess, but I never really used the table for teams, just for 'investigation' purposes.
That's how I found the 'Stinger' bug BTW. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

Specter80 · Post by **Specter80** » Mon Dec 03, 2001 2:41 am

Well, the hq HAS been changed. It's now (16 Oct 01 exes) based on the name instead of callsign. And it doesn't appear possible to create a super jock this way, just manipulate the stats a little bit. As long as it doesn't create a 20-20-20-20-20-20-20 jock, I don't think it's cheating. Although, I notice that the name "Ralph Reed" gives you an all-around VERY solid jock!!!