Commander Patch 1.04 Beta Posted

[IainMcNeil]

Hi guys, we are in teh public beta stage now for the Commander 1.03 patch.

This public beta is only compatble with the Slitherine version of the game. We will release the full Matrix patch as soon as this one has been approved. We still have work to do on Africa and a few minor art tweaks and wanted to get player feedback on the changes we had made before it became official.

We are also releasing an updated editor that makes use of some of the new features in the game.

Changes in V 1.03 Beta
- Fixed a crash bug where the AI tried to move units that were no longer on the map.
- Fixed a bug where minor countries (like Romania) kept their oil instead of sending them to the faction oil pool
- Fixed a bug where naval units could repair despite country being out of resources
- Fixed some drawing routine bugs that caused graphic glitches
- PBEM, fixed a bug where tech advances were not shown in the turn summary
- PBEM games cannot be saved manually anymore - instead uses the autosave on end turn
- The autosave for non-PBEM games no longer overwrite the save from which you loaded, it creates a new file
- USSR winter event now is registered but not in effect until DoW, so if invading USSR in spring mud is still there
- All toggles (such as Nato Symbols) now remain unchanged when loading a save
- The zoom level now switches to the mid zoom when ending your turn on every game mode
- Quality and Survivability now have the tooltip text colours for tech increases on the purchase screen, unless they have a manpower penalty
- Windowed mode is now stored in settings.txt file so you can start the game up windowed by default
- War entry dates are now randomised and can be controlled from the scripts.
- Winter duration can now be set in the general.txt script
- Air units now also follow the same rule as ground units when deciding if a rail move is possible
- Some tweaks to the scenarios, Allied have slightly more troops in Egypt. Some neutral countries have slightly less troops
- The Force Pool now has a reorder function, clicking the first unit will put it way back and push other units one step forward in the queue
- Oi Fields now generate 4x instead of 3x in oil production, providing more incentive for conquest of enemy oil
- Terrain : Entrenchments are now slightly more powerful
- Unit : Carrier now has a shorter range and get less range tech upgrades. Naval units now take more time to build
- Tech : Anti-Tank Guns, Tank Destroyer and Close Air Support are now more early bloomers. Armour +1 oil cons
- AI, fixed a bug where the AI deployed land units into a sea port
- AI now focuses more on protecting conquered capitals
- AI now tries to secure a conquered Capital surroundings before planning their next invasion
- AI now only feel threatened and try to protect Cities from ground units and transport, so air and navy no longer cause over reaction
- AI transports now try to move as close as possible to the destination before unloading
- AI now uses the new transport rule where a ship on port does not prevent loading
- AI will now retreat from Sea Ports that have been taken over by enemy
- AI Axis now use a broad front when invading USSR, picking interim Cities to conquer and sending units out on the flanks
- AI will now buy labs more slowly, to prevent a scenario starting with AI spending all its early turn cash on labs
- AI will now build slightly less Armour and slightly less Air
Changes in V1.03 Beta Editor
- Forts are now loaded through scenarios so no need to recreate them again
- Country war entry dates can now be set in scenarios
- You can now manually set which side starts a scenario

If you find any problems are think we could make more improvements please make your comments on the Commander forum at http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=18

[RocketMan]

Is the bug I was having problems with fixed in this patch?

[firepowerjohan]

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

Is the bug I was having problems with fixed in this patch?

Most likely yes [:)]

[Hard Sarge]

sounds like some good changes/correction

looking forward to the gold patch being released

[BoerWar]

Will PBEM games started started under the old version work with 1.03?

Thanks,
Boerwar

[Bossy573]

Excellent. Looking forward to the Matrix release. [:)]

[YohanTM2]

I assume you fixed the negative oil bug? I did not see it on your list.

[firepowerjohan]

ORIGINAL: Yohan

I assume you fixed the negative oil bug? I did not see it on your list.

Yes... we did [:)]


"- Fixed a bug where minor countries (like Romania) kept their oil instead of sending them to the faction oil pool"

[Erik Rutins]

Hi everyone,

The 1.03 Beta update is now available in our Members' Club if you'd like to give it a try. Just go to the Members link in the top nav bar, sign up/log in and look in the Registered Downloads.

Regards,

- Erik

[YohanTM2]

Also asked on the Slitherine forums...

So:

Why the decision to not have ahistorical events or timelines effect entry? It is a complete cop-out. If Germany invades GB the USA might just take a dim view of it? Who really cares about random entry if it is not based on political actions? You either did not listen to the concerns or can't react due to flawed software.

I do not know of one single thread, either here or at Slitherine, that said "Please give us random entry for the USA and Russia BUT whatever you do please DO NOT base it on Germany attacking Denmark on Turn 2, Netherlands on Turn 3 and Spain 2 turns after France falls. AND of course do not base it on France deciding it is better to have a nice buffer in the Benelux. No, perish the thought, instead let's pick a number out of a hat" - Sorry must have missed that thread. I'll pop over to Slitherine and double check for the screaming demand I missed here...

[davetheroad]

I have to agree with Yohan here. The long term viability of the game depends on adding some logic to events if players want to use it. Russian variable entry is irrelevant as I have yet to see Germany wait that long to open Barbarossa. USA variable entry is possibly neutral in effect apart from the Battle of the Atlantic. Of course I presume the Axis player can't engineer things to always have the USA arrive late.

I reckon the problem lies with the AI as in PBEM matches we could use house rules to simulate most of the other events.
for USA entry add a free entry option so the allied player can activate the USA if the UK is invaded etc etc.

Free activation should not be impossible to code as a option and coupled with a short Slitherine recommended consequences list/house rules can take care of a lot of the problems, e.g. we play a PBEM either vanilla or with the list.

Dave

[Rocko911]

There should be a option on setting up the game to keep historical entry dates by countries into the war. This would allow us the option of keeping a historical timeline or not. Of course you could have things like England being invaded to prompt an early US entry, which would have happened.

[SMK-at-work]

ORIGINAL: davetheroad

I have to agree with Yohan here. The long term viability of the game depends on adding some logic to events if players want to use it.

Only if you want the game to be a complete and accurate simualtion of WW2....the designers decided they wanted a more beer and pretzels/PG game rather than a SC2 clone, so deliberately left that stuff out.

I for one think they are wrong of course, but I've given up trying to turn this apple into a pear.

[davetheroad]

The point is they could have a beer and pretzels game AND more historical accuracy for those players that want it.
There are lots of spare options buttons and they might care to make use of them.
 
Of course it might not be worth the effort commercially as how many additional sales would this generate would not pay for the development time. However without the development being attempted players will just walk away eventually and will be LESS likely to buy any new title. Lets face it, there do not seem to be many players of this game and according to the posts interest is tailing off.
 
For me the key lies in having the ability for PLAYERS OPTIONALLY to bring neutral countries into the war. This basic code addition would open up a range of possibilities for those willing to embrace some house rules. It does not matter if the AI can't handle it as it would be a option.
 
Some new map mods are possible so we also need to be able to move the start/end locations for the transport loops. A additional loop for the Persian Gulf would be useful as well.
 
For modders how do we activate all those spare unit types in the script files as additional unit types can add flavor especially if someone tries a different scale map, e.g. a 22km/hex map I have been planning for a more operational feel.
 
dave

[Bossy573]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Hi everyone,

The 1.03 Beta update is now available in our Members' Club if you'd like to give it a try. Just go to the Members link in the top nav bar, sign up/log in and look in the Registered Downloads.

Regards,

- Erik

If you are running Vista, I would hold off on the Beta patch. See the comments so far in the Support forum.

[Major Victory]

Question, do all units for each nationality have the same characteristics (ie movement etc), Can I for example mod German land units to have extra movement points than a French unit?

It looks like all units are scripted the same and not broken down by country, I think the ability to change this is very important.

[Erik Rutins]

FYI, the 1.03 Beta installer has been updated to resolve some of the problems reported after its installation. If you already downloded 1.03, please download it again and give it a try.

We can also post a sneak peek of some of the upcoming improvements in the next beta version:

Editor Upcoming:
- You can now name units

Upcoming:
- Fixed a bug with Yugoslavian emblems on inner zoom
- Fixed a bug with transportation loop units being alive despite surrender of their nation
- Sentry function added for units, hotkey 's'
- Units can now be named by clicking their names
- Unit : Carriers now progress more in naval combat and less on air combat through technology increases
- New Nations (like Algeria) now get Garrions instead of Corps as units
- Map/Scenario : Oil field size was shifted abit from Iran over to Iraq. Iraq now joins Allies late in the war. German corps start in Finland. Allies now have abit more forces in Egypt. One UK carrier switched place with a Mediterranean Battleship.
- Labs are now abit cheaper to build
- Naval repair rates are now lower than other unit types

[Erik Rutins]

The 1.04 update has now been posted. You can find it on our public FTP.

This is still a public BETA update which we expect to go official next week.

ftp://ftp.matrixgames.com/pub/Commander ... DRBeta.zip

[Bossy573]

No problems getting the game up and running. [:)]

However, in 1939 there is a lone German unit active in Finland. Is this by design?

[Stryder]

ORIGINAL: Bossy573

No problems getting the game up and running. [:)]

However, in 1939 there is a lone German unit active in Finland. Is this by design?

yes

Changes in V 1.04 Beta
* Fixed a bug with Yugoslavian emblems on inner zoom
* Fixed a bug with transportation loop units being alive despite surrender of their nation
* Sentry function added for units, hotkey 's'. Sentry units are removed from teh queue when Pg Up and Pg Dw are used to cycle through units.
* Units can now be named by clicking their names.
* 1939 scenario units are all now named.
* Technology : Carriers now progress further in naval combat and less in air combat
* New Nations (like Algeria) now get Garrions instead of Corps as units
* Map/Scenario : Oil field size was shifted slightly from Iran over to Iraq.
* Iraq now joins Allies late in the war.
* German corps start in Finland.
* Allies now have slightly more troops in Egypt.
* One UK carrier switched place with a Mediterranean Battleship.
* Labs are now slightly cheaper to build
* Naval repair rates are now lower than other unit types