SPWaW campaign - mouse freeze fix

[Red_L.E.D.]

The mouse freezing when trying to change(or fix) units in a campaign happens when you mouse over a unit in the list and the pop up text tries to appear. If you have "LIVE DELAY" set to XXX then the mouse freezes immediately when you move it over a unit on the list.

So a simple fix here is to set a higher live delay value in the preferences. For example the default is "100" but this can be set to as high as "2000" if needed. And try to avoid holding the mouse over a unit for too long so that the pop up text does not try to load and freeze the mouse.


For a more detailed explanation of the bug and a more technical and permanent fix read this:

The bug seems to affect only newer systems. Testing on an old WinXP machine I saw the pop up text read "Select this unit $" and the mouse did not freeze.

There seems to be some error in the game code and using a hex editor one can find the reference "Select this unit %c" in mech.exe. That "%c" seems to be a reference to a character and when this is queried the pop up info should show a dollar sign "$". However one can fix this issue by removing the "%c" line from mech.exe (if you know how to use a hex editor). For example one can simply replace the "%c" with two spaces " ".

The pop up text in the campaign menu then no longer freezes the mouse and you get a pop up text "Select this unit " instead.

Funnily you could also replace it with a %d instead of spaces which then changes it to display a decimal instead of a character.

[Major_Mess]

Interesting, that issue has been haunting this game for years.

Hmmmmmm, are you sorta proficient with Hex Editing? I ask cuz there's a few values in the game that if adjustable could really improve the end product.
Movement rates is one. That is my current dragon to slay.
Understanding, and editing the National Characteristics is another.
There's more, can't recall what off the top of my head.

So I'm wondering if I could harangue you into doing some snooping for me.

cheers

A most humble Major Mess

[Red_L.E.D.]

Movement rates can be changed by editing the oob files. Look for the "Speed" field in the oob editor. I lowered movement rates for all of the vehicles many years ago since I always felt the units moved too long distances in a turn. Some vehicles were ridiculously speedy.

As for the other stuff:

There used to be a mod for SPWaW by Panzer Leo called "H2H" (if i remember the names correctly). He did a lot of tweaks to the executable including changes to unit morale/experience, etc. There were other tricks too like hiding the text when units take casualties and so on.

I also remember there being a program that allowed you to edit the default values for different countries troop quality. That one worked from the command line and was fairly simple to use. "Mechedit" I think it was called.

[Major_Mess]

Sorry, I meant the movement penalty points assigned to the different terrain. Like the attachment below.

Keeping in mind that the infrastructure was kinda primitive during WW2, mostly from WW2 scale destruction. Anyways,
I think we can tweak the penalties for all vehicle classes.

This is just a thought experiment right now, I'm spitballin' here.

Any Tank - movement penalties
pavement 1, that's OK
dirt road 1, s/b 2
trail 1, s/b 3
stone bridge 1, s/b 2
wood bridge 1, s/b 3
trees 2, s/b 4/5 ??

That's what I so poorly tried to describe.

From what hints I could winkle out from these forums, I believe that these attributes are associated with each class of unit, as opposed to being linked with the terrain.
I could very well be wrong.

I had the same thoughts as you about vehicle speeds, but when I did the math it's not so bad. I can't upload 2 pictures in a post so I'll post it next.


The skills Panzer Leo used were borrowed for the Enhanced Mod I link below. That mechedit program was also a tool for the team that created Enhanced.

cheers, and also mucho thanks for any help you can provide.

Major Mess

[Major_Mess]

Speeds in SPWaW

They sure seem to be far too fast, I agree.
Attached below is a chart I cranked out a while ago. I had my kid go over the math, we think it's correct. [8|]
Anyways, I went with the assumption that a turn is 5 minutes in length, and that each side is using the full 5 minutes simultaneously.
I then tried it another way just for laughs - each side uses half the 5 minutes.

Either way the speeds aren't that out of whack at all. What you have to do is ignore the stated speed of the unit on the screen. What that really represents is the MP's (movement points) it has used so far that turn.

cheers
Major Mess

[Red_L.E.D.]

How is your movement penalty mod progressing Major?

In the mean time I have been looking into the issue with movement delay. That is the time it takes for units to move from one hex to the other. The in game settings tend to range from warp speed to a slide show.

[Major_Mess]

YO!!!
Red_L.E.D.

I'm in the middle of a PBEM game using the movement mod, and we're finding that you get used to the new penalties p quickly. I've also played through a good dozen scens, and all I had to do there was to add a few turns with WaWEd before I start my game to compensate for the mod. Otherwise it's seamless.
So far, I think it does what I hoped it would.

I'll confess I've had to painfully re-learn some aspects of the game due to this, old habits die hard!

Anyways, what I've noticed:
- Trucks don't do off-road very well anymore, neither do M/C's
- anything motorized still moves OK along dirt road / trails, and of course way better on finished roads. Roads have become more important though.
- Forests are now a PITA to move through unless you have trails to follow.
- Nobody wants to drive through buildings anymore.
- there's terrain that all units wish to avoid.
- A horse drawn Army might actually be relevant now. Cavalry looks to come into its own.
- and more, i'm sure but I can't remember

I'm pretty happy with how its turned out so far.

I'll be offering the new mech.exe soon, I got a few other irons in the fire that are all coming together nicely, and hopefully I can bundle them all together.

cheers, and thanks

MM

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: Major_Mess

Anyways, what I've noticed:
- Trucks don't do off-road very well anymore, neither do M/C's
- anything motorized still moves OK along dirt road / trails, and of course way better on finished roads. Roads have become more important though.
- Forests are now a PITA to move through unless you have trails to follow.
- Nobody wants to drive through buildings anymore.
- there's terrain that all units wish to avoid.
- A horse drawn Army might actually be relevant now. Cavalry looks to come into its own.
- and more, i'm sure but I can't remember

I'm pretty happy with how its turned out so far.

How does it all compare with the newest WinSPWW2? Has anyone made a comparison?

[Major_Mess]

ORIGINAL: Kuokkanen
How does it all compare with the newest WinSPWW2? Has anyone made a comparison?

Dude, I have no idea. That version hasn't been on my HD in a long, long time.

cheers
MM

[Red_L.E.D.]

Cool beans! [8D]