Installing 1.05b ?

[KenPortner]

The beta patch doesn't have an installer.

Can someone explain how to install it?

Thank you.

[Rasputitsa]

ORIGINAL: Portner

The beta patch doesn't have an installer.

Can someone explain how to install it?

Thank you.

AFAIK the patch was never made official, but was issued to try and overcome some of the difficulties that players were experiencing. You just copy the 1.05 files over an install of v.1.0, replacing the existing files.

You can have multiple versions of the game on the HDD, provided you install new copies under a different name. The game saves are keep in a separate folder and can be accessed by any copy of the game, provided they have the correct game version noted in the saved game files. I can explain more if you decide to go that route.

I have up to 7 copies of the game in different versions (v1.0 to v1.05) and with different mods installed, which can be achieved by simple editing of game files, using Windows 'Notepad' and/or 'Excel'.

The game has a huge capability to set options and preferences within the game screens, additionally, the game features are controlled by several files, which are easily edited and can change most aspects of the game if required. It depends on how far you want to go.

I find that I still get CTDs when loading games, even with 1.05, but can usually get the game running by selecting a reliable scenario first (for me that is 'Fall Gelb', or 'Fall Weiss'), then going back to the Main Menu to load a different scenario, or saved game that was failing to load. I always start in 'Custom Game', which causes less trouble on my system.

You will find the game has several weaknesses and problems, but many can be fixed with simple editing and small mods, I find it worth the trouble because there is a great game in here, it just needs some tweaking to get at it.[:)]

[KenPortner]

I just wanted it to fix the disappearing SMP bug. Seems to have addressed that. Thanks!

[baloo7777]

This is really two different games. One that can be easily modded and tweaked for play vs AI. And then the standard game as is for PBEM (vs opponent), with so many faults that it is more fantasy than realistic. I have been playing it for some time and have played both sides in several PBEM scenarios (especially Barbarossa). IMHO it could have been a great game, but left as it is, falls far short. I am on my last PBEM game now, after which I will put it aside for other more interesting games.

[Rasputitsa]

ORIGINAL: baloo7777
This is really two different games. One that can be easily modded and tweaked for play vs AI. And then the standard game as is for PBEM (vs opponent), with so many faults that it is more fantasy than realistic. I have been playing it for some time and have played both sides in several PBEM scenarios (especially Barbarossa). IMHO it could have been a great game, but left as it is, falls far short. I am on my last PBEM game now, after which I will put it aside for other more interesting games.

I am using the first option, modded game playing against the AI, which is working well, but I have given up on 1.05beta with too many CTDs when trying to load. It will always load a saved game eventually, but sometimes it needed several attempts and when the 'Error' window comes up, often the only option is to close down the computer and restart.

1.04 sometimes fails to load, but starting with a stock scenario like 'Fall Gelb', or 'Fall Weiss', then going 'Back' to the Main Menu usually gets a saved game loaded first time.

I expected some problems using Windows 8 and modded files may be causing some of the problems, but it is curious in that the game will fail to load many times, then eventually will work normally for no apparent reason.[&:]

Still, I am still using and enjoying the game, even though it can be challenging to get the best out of it.[:)]

[Rasputitsa]

Here is my day, just launched air recon mission to Moscow, with a Strategic Bomber unit built earlier for such just such uses. This is a saved game (Allied AI v Axis me - Custom settings) I have had on hold, because of the problems with the various updates since v1.01, but now settled on v1.04. It's 16th June 1941, war in the East started in 1940 with an AI Soviet attack on Axis held Poland and AI Romania, who would trust Stalin (feature of the early game versions). Fighting back and just captured Smolensk, with limited summer campaign, after last year's big encirclements in Romania, at Kiev and Melitopol, was beginning to feel more optimistic, but couldn't shake a feeling of dread. Moving Panzer units from the South, where the encirclement battles are just ending, but it's beginning to look like too little, too late. Perhaps should have stopped operations in the South sooner.

The USSR AI is set to slight advantage, as the Soviet build-up seemed slow after the first attacks were beaten off, but now the Soviets are massing. They have a lot of divisional size units, but some heavyweight Tank Corps have appeared on the Southern Front around Kursk. The Soviet divisions may be under-strength, but they have to be dealt with and the German forces are weakening rapidly. I have to rail move units back to Poland to fully rebuild (reinforcement at the front is slow at 10% per turn) and although an expected upgrade for air and tank units is now available, I just don't have the PPs to apply it quickly.

It's June, I should be mounting a big summer campaign, but now I am thinking of moving to the defensive, whilst I get more units re-built and upgraded. I am getting the feeling that if I press on, I will win the battles, but loose an army. In the South the AI controlled RN carriers have just completed a their third sweep into the Central Med, I have inflicted losses with air units massed on Sicily, but they stopped me taking Malta. Meanwhile over the English Channel large air battles are keeping most of the Luftwaffe fighter units in France, Soviet TAC and Strategic air units are beginning to multiply in the East.

The game has some problems and is prone to CTD on load, but underneath and with modding of the game features, there is a great game in here, have cleaned up the GUI file to get a better look (exchanged icons buttons for text), assembling a selection of colour images for the unit info box and, when running, the game works very well with a touch screen in Windows 8. There is so much here that people never get to see, because it can be unreliable and needs an effort to tease the best out of its features, but there is great potential is in there somewhere.

Doomtrader is there any hope for this game ?

[baloo7777]

Doomtrader is there any hope for this game ?

+1[&:]

[Wolfe1759]

As with all of the Wasteland games - great potential but abandoned by the developers as they move onto their next thing which then in turn gets abandoned as they move on yet again - modders make things better but there is only so much of a game that can be modded.

[firefly101]

Anyone has some tweaks they did to the files to make the game even better? I would be glad to get some PERSONAL mods if they make the game a little better, without so many changes that the game is super hard or changed beyond what it was.

Curious does ANYONE play with Sprites? I like counters also, but I like playing with Sprites and then studying plans with counters.

BTW "where" is 1.05b? I can only find 1.04?

[Rasputitsa]

ORIGINAL: firefly101

Anyone has some tweaks they did to the files to make the game even better? I would be glad to get some PERSONAL mods if they make the game a little better, without so many changes that the game is super hard or changed beyond what it was.

Curious does ANYONE play with Sprites? I like counters also, but I like playing with Sprites and then studying plans with counters.

BTW "where" is 1.05b? I can only find 1.04?

1.05b was given out by Doomtrader, on request to those who wished to try it, as it was only at beta stage and it was never made official.

There are a number of mods and tweaks that have been discussed in the forum, send me PM with email address and I can make some suggestions, however you might want to try the standard game first just to get the feel of the game before making changes, you can them decide where you think your main interest will be.

Meanwhile look here http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2978817