Harpoon 3ANW Beta Patch v3.9.0 RC5 Uploaded to Members Only

[Greg Wilcox]

Hi everyone,

We've uploaded 3.9.0 RC5 as a Public Beta via our Members Club. While we do final testing we figured we'd offer you a change to get it early as well. This is still a beta, but it's stable and solid as far as we can tell.

You can download this as a Registered Download as long as you have registered your Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare serial number in our Members Club (click on the MEMBERS link in the top nav bar).

Please see the reame for more details

FIXES
General
• Some scenarios on load would have their scenario map display truncated
• The Unit Status Window would not correctly resize when using a Window Scheme
• UNREP-flagged Magazines would display loadout names
• The Database Display window incorrectly shoed the Near ATA value for weapons in both the Near ATA and Far ATA locations
• Crash when opening Sensor Settings dialog with multiple units drag-selected
• Incorrect button text in Speed/Altitude dialog
• Fixed Threat Zone polygon editing to fix incorrect error detection
Simulation
• Under some conditions, Daylight Savings Time conditions would cause contact report times to be displayed as one hour off the actual time
• Navigation issues would cause UnRep operations to fail sometimes
• Contacts with ESM information would not display the detected sensors
• Aircraft in Air Groups that were assigned to a mission would be unable to use air-to-air refueling
• Ships reduced to 0 speed would not be removed from their group, which would likely never move again
• Several instances of math overflow/underflow are now checked for and handled in a non-fatal fashion
• Contact speed information was being dropped, resulting in incorrect flagging of hostile units as "Probable Kill"
• Airborne contacts would be reported as being at "Surface" altitude
• Protect Station victory conditions would fail if the units to be kept out were destroyed
• Specific Strike missions could cause neutral units to be incorrectly flagged as hostile
• Weapons with midcourse guidance would home on the true target location instead of the target location as known to the controlling unit
• Aircraft Rate of Climb was incorrectly floored at 100m per simulation interval
• Aircraft dive rate was not being correctly calculated (was equal to climb rate but should have been double)
• A unit hit in rapid succession by multiple weapons and destroyed could be counted multiple times for victory conditions
• Submarine Decoys self-destructed prematurely
• Uncertainty zones that got to close to the North or South pole could cause a hang and eventual crash
• Ships with an uncertain location that had their centroid over land would be reported as "Submerged"
• If a mission attempted to turn off a units engines, it would cause a crash
• The On-Station victory condition evaluation could crash under some circumstances
• Missions would not always be notified to recompute intercepts when their target changed course or speed
• Fixed incorrect handling of multiple-speed torpedoes
• Corrected an error that would generate incorrect short ranges on identified passive sonar contacts
• Fixed a hang when pressing "Ok" on Weapon Reload dialog for an UNREP operation
• Fixed a case where gunfire would be resolved after the firing unit had moved out of range of the target (or vice versa) if the fire had been ordered while the units were in range
Multiplayer
• Resigning a scenario in multiplayer with an aircraft launch in progress could lead to a server crash
• On-Station victory conditions would not trigger in multiplayer
• Player-controlled sides would not be correctly flagged on the server, resulting in AO rules being applied (most notably regarding communications difficulty settings)
• Chat window now opened when entering a scenario
Scenario Editor
• Export Weapon Edits function did not check all units
• Attempting to rename a unit with no unit selected would crash the editor
• Editing a landed aircraft record in such a way that it matched another landed aircraft record present on the same parent unit could cause a crash
• Communications links would not be correctly restored if the side flagship was deleted
• Attempting to create a scenario with a duration of 0 would cause a crash
• Edit Unit Aircraft would lose existing formation patrol information
Database Editor
• Several Comm type flags were missing from the database editor interface
• Loadout Ready Time field relabeled from Text Index
FEATURES
General
• Contact uncertainty zones will now clamp to map boundaries
• Exit button added to battleset selection dialog
• Added a runtime check for overfilled mounts and magazines (a situation which could cause program errors in mount reloading and UNREP processes). Excess weapons are chucked overboard and a message is displayed.
• Refinement to the navigation system to improve performance when navigating around coastlines
• All tutorials remade for the ANWDB.
Simulation
• Passive Sonar classification times and probabilities updated to match paper rules v4.1
• Helicopters no longer excluded from VLow altitude
• ASW Patrol missions will now attack unidentified submarines in their area of interest
• Facility-type units damage resolution changed to more closely match paper rules v4.1
• Submarines snorkeling to recharge their batteries will now be noisier
• Noise ECM changed to conform to paper rules v4.1
• When modifying aircraft loadouts, the weapons currently on the aircraft are now counted as being available
• Ctrl-B added as an alternate hotkey for BOL Attack
Scenario Editor
• Mission Delay timing values are now visible and editable in the Edit Mission dialog
• Added handling for formerly out-of-range years. Years from 1900 to 2154 are now supported.
• Aircraft may now have their parent unit set using Ctrl-P or Edit|Units|Set Parent Unit, then clicking on the new parent with the hand pointer
• Edit Unit Aircraft no longer affects munitions on the parent unit when using Aircraft Logistics
• Scrub Launches command now returns aircraft to a ready, unassigned state
Database Editor
• Added a Sanity Check for overfilled mounts and magazines.

[RedMike]

I can't download the file, the connection keeps resetting.

I registered my copy and everything looks OK but can't download.

What gives ??

RedMike...out

[Erik Rutins]

It's a large download - you may want to try a download manager like www.stardownloader.com to see if that helps. I'm doing a test download from home now to see if I have any issues, so far so good.

[Erik Rutins]

FYI, download completed without a problem here.

[Kegel]

Question. I uninstalled my copy before I installed this before I realized this is an "upgrade" or patch. Do I need to install all previous versions before this one or will a 3.7 to 3.9 upgrade work?

[Bucks]

As you said it's a patch, go back to the beginning and apply all patches to bring the game to 3.9.0.

Install 3.7 -> Apply 3.8 patch -> apply 3.9 patch. QED.

Cheers

Darren

[zacklaws]

On trying to open the game as usual from the desktop icon, I get the runtime error message:-

Program...Matrix games\Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare\Autorun.exe

Abnormal Programme Termination

Previous version I was running prior to patching was 3.8 and I always got the H3 Launcher screen. I can still run the game from opening Harpoon3.exe and also still get the Harpoon 3 launcher by clicking on its exe file. It appears that I have somehow lost the splash screen from where I could open the game from.

It appears that it is the Autorun.exe which is not working to open the game menu

Zack

[Kegel]

I get the same error message. The autorun.exe doesnt work, other shortcuts do.

[gherndon]

hi, same autorun.exe error for me. my os is win2k. the individual program shortcuts run as expected. geo.

[Bucks]

Easy solution is simply place a shortcut to the launcher on your desktop. I haven't used the geeky splash screen ever.

Launcher -> run game

OR

Splash screen -> Launcher -> Run game

I know which path I follow to get my "fix" fastest. [:)]

I've also just checked the splash screen and it's working here. I've been running all the Betas and RCs for months without any issues with my basic setup. It may have something to do with the RC5 installer. I'll check with the Devs as soon as I get a chance.

Cheers

Darren

[FransKoenz]

Me too.......

Sometimes............ How professional.......

That's only the beginning . But I always keep looking on the bright side of life, including playing Harpoon ANW.[;)]

Let's start testing to find out what surprises this patch brings.

Greetings,
Tait.

[Bucks]

ORIGINAL: Taitennek

Me too.......

Sometimes............ How professional.......

That's only the beginning . But I always keep looking on the bright side of life, including playing Harpoon ANW.[;)]

Let's start testing to find out what surprises this patch brings.

Greetings,
Tait.

Note the dripping sarcasm...

Of course it's easy to criticise when you are nothing more than an observer and not particiapting in the efforts of people who wish to move the game forward.

It's not like it doesn't work and afterall it's a BETA, not the final product. There's an old saying about not saying anything if you have nothing good to say about someone/something. Anyway most of the people committed to improving the game ignore the "peanut gallery".

Cheers

Darren

[FransKoenz]

Of course it's easy to criticise when you are nothing more than an observer and not particiapting in the efforts of people who wish to move the game forward.

The game? you mean the commercial product. When you buy a car, you expect that it works for the amount of € you pay for it, big investments, but also small investments, such as buying a game....
If Don Gilman wants my help for testing his commercial product and report errors, he can pay for it.

DG dropped Harpoon3 like a brick. Another 'Beta' version......
3.6.3 could be improved as well to serve the customer. After all, it was a commercial release as well.

I love to play the game and that has nothing to do with my critics about the commercial product itself and the way customers service handles the complaints about the product.

When designers ask me to test their home made scenario, I report to the designer in a honest way, but always with a positive mind and if possible, even with an AAR. this despite the frustrations when face another bug.
That is because I like it that way. That is my contribution to the community! Participation!
Who do you think you are to critisize me for that?[:-]

Darren, let me tell you my feelings about the [near] future of ANW......
As soon DG gets his military contracts, he stops improving ANW for the Public, and we have payed for it to make it possible and that's it..... Bye Bye Harpoon3 ANW.
That is sarcasm![:D]

And you know what is childish? That DG makes it impossible to let Pooners play the game they want [Removal of the PDB scenario Labraries for H3 and ANW from forums].
What participation and moving the game forward?

Go, wash your mouth with soap[;)]

Greetings,
Tait.

[JRyan]

Its a BETA! So there are errors, that is waht BETA's are intended to find. All the fat fingered slips.
 
As for the DG comments,
 
I refrain from telling what I am thinking, but I will say, I am reminded of one of Reagan's sayings...."Well, here we go again".
 
 
Enough Already....

[rsharp@advancedgamin]

Hey folks,

We had updated the autorun.exe (Game Menu) for 3.9. That patch, and not the full installer which is not available yet, had the old autorun.exe file with the new resource files the exe depends on. This mismatch leads to the error and it was my mistake.

I've made the updated game menu available here.

http://computerharpoon.com/public/UpdatedGameMenu.zip

If you want to use the game menu and shortcut then you can grab that archive and unzip it to your H3 directory. Otherwise, you can wait until the next patch release which will have the proper files.

Thanks for the reports and time.

[Bucks]

ORIGINAL: Taitennek

Of course it's easy to criticise when you are nothing more than an observer and not particiapting in the efforts of people who wish to move the game forward.

The game? you mean the commercial product. When you buy a car, you expect that it works for the amount of € you pay for it, big investments, but also small investments, such as buying a game....
If Don Gilman wants my help for testing his commercial product and report errors, he can pay for it.

No Don Gilman doesn't want your help, the opinions expressed by me are my own. I along with a lot of people are sick of the off-handed critcism expressed by various "factions" within the community. Anybody would think the "few" (I use this term in its Battle of Britain sense) Beta testers were on really good dollars to spend their time testing the game... Nuh, I do it for the love of the game and the attitude that, my knowledge of the system and how it works will improve it for the better.

ORIGINAL: Taitennek
DG dropped Harpoon3 like a brick. Another 'Beta' version......
3.6.3 could be improved as well to serve the customer. After all, it was a commercial release as well.

Yep, and it's continually being upgraded. Note following versions are numbered in sequence from 3.6.3 -> 3.7 -> 3.8 and now 3.9. That's the way most games are updated, I fail to see how anybody "dropped" anything... I suppose I could relate it to another game I play and what I should be upset that I can't play Counter Strike Beta 14 anymore? It's called progress/change and there's almost nothing more certain in this world than change. People's acceptance of this progress will go a long way to ensuring the game moves forward in a constructive manner. Then again, you have the right to continue to play 3.6.3, there's no law against that...

I'd call your attention to the list of fixes notated at the start of this thread. If you would like I'll list them again and show you who did what. I doubt I'll find more than about 5 or 6 names. Point is I wont find yours or for that matter the majority of the vocal members of the community that make it their business to highlight some minor issues with the game. This splash screen issue is minor to say the least, and is now fixed.

ORIGINAL: Taitennek
I love to play the game and that has nothing to do with my critics about the commercial product itself and the way customers service handles the complaints about the product.

ok so what does?

ORIGINAL: Taitennek
When designers ask me to test their home made scenario, I report to the designer in a honest way, but always with a positive mind and if possible, even with an AAR. this despite the frustrations when face another bug.
That is because I like it that way. That is my contribution to the community! Participation!
Who do you think you are to critisize me for that?[:-]

I wasn't criticising you for your participation. My shot at you was about the comments you made "after the fact". In other words rather than simply report you were having the same issue, you took the opportunity to take a cheap shot at the efforts people working on this project make. I DID NOT make any criticism of your participation, rather I was attacking your comments that could only be construed as coming from someone with a closed mind to any improvements that 3.9 may hold.

Who do I think I am? I'm Darren John Buckley, with 20 years experience of playing Harpoon, both PC versions and minis. I'd also like to point out that, this is an open forum and if you express an opinion you should also be able to accept any differing opinions that are aimed at you, due to your stated views.

ORIGINAL: Taitennek
Darren, let me tell you my feelings about the [near] future of ANW......
As soon DG gets his military contracts, he stops improving ANW for the Public, and we have payed for it to make it possible and that's it..... Bye Bye Harpoon3 ANW.
That is sarcasm![:D]

And you know what is childish? That DG makes it impossible to let Pooners play the game they want [Removal of the PDB scenario Labraries for H3 and ANW from forums].
What participation and moving the game forward?

Go, wash your mouth with soap[;)]

Greetings,
Tait.

You have this backwards. Military contracts allow for the progression of the commercial/public version of the game to continue. It would be obvious to any thinking person, that a military contract is worth far more in dollar terms than the sales that are continually affected by the petty infighting within the community that commercial/public sales generate.

Now for the "PDB"

Can you tell me why I sink time into working on the HUD3 if within days any new material in my database will simply find their way into the PDB? I mean as it stands the entire HUD-II database is to be found within the PDB itself. What would happen to your precious PDB if I simply decided to refuse permission for my database to find it's way into the PDB? You'd have half a database then, wouldn't you? Even better what if I asked Herman to remove all of the HUD-II and HUD3 platforms from the PDB, and the same goes for the scenarios that use my platforms.

I have no hesitation in listing the platforms that have found their way into the PDB directly from the HUD series here or in any other forum. That would probably go along way in clearing up any confusion that exists in relation to the "copying issue" that, has been doing the rounds for months/years. I mean I feel like I'm pushing sh#t up hill when I do the work and others make it their own. I have the right to defend this game and the work the dedicated "few" put into it. I don't get paid and I do it for the love of this game system. What really irks me is the way people pass remarks about what they want, but are simply not prepared to invest the time in constructively moving H3ANW forward. I also have the right to defend how Mr Gilman wishes to run HIS company.

Regardless I am not going to waste any more time in discussing a non-issue. I await with bated breath the reports from users with an open mind to the many many improvements H3ANW 3.9.0 offers.

Cheers

Darren

[rich12545]

Hello, I have a couple questions.  I'm going to wait for the official patch before upgrading.  Typically a new patch is all inclusive, it incorporates all previous patches so it is only necessary to install the latest one.  But it is mentioned above this is not true.  Can I please get a definitive word on this?
Also, the patch is huge, on top of 3.8 which is also large.  Looking at the list of fixes I can't see any reason for this size.  I'm really curious why it is so big because I'm on dialup and downloading this monster will be a triple overnighter.  Thanks.

[Bucks]

Rich,

The patch also contains a large set of files for the new Harpoon Media Viewer. There's several threads here dealing with the new colour and often multiple images now available when utilizing the "picture" feature of the H3ANW Database display.

There's probably close to 200mb of files included. This also includes a limited amount of 3D models for some platforms. I've also released a copy of the HUD3 with an initial rebuild of selected stock ODB scens as well as the Tutorial scenarios rebuilt with the HUD3. Dale Hillier has done the same with the ANWDB as well. The really big chunk of the download is however contained in the new image files.

Cheers

Darren

[Kegel]

I receive the following error when opening up the platform window and clicking on a platform and the PICTURE button:
 
The procedure entry point alutLoadMemoryFromFile could not be located in the dynaminc link library alut.dll.

[rich12545]

Ok that explains the size.  But can you please answer my first question about needing the 3.8 patch as well?