When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database release

Take command of air and naval assets from post-WW2 to the near future in tactical and operational scale, complete with historical and hypothetical scenarios and an integrated scenario editor.

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thewood1
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Location: Boston

Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by thewood1 »

Even looking at the last two years, they aren't far off the db schedule. It goes in spurts if you look at each year. Its lumpy based on what is needed and aligned with the changes in the code.
Sanyr1310
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Sanyr1310 »

thewood1 wrote: Wed May 29, 2024 4:34 pm Even looking at the last two years, they aren't far off the db schedule. It goes in spurts if you look at each year. Its lumpy based on what is needed and aligned with the changes in the code.
After further reflection, I think I found the answer I was originally looking for. That's why I love intense discussions, because they're really enlightening and help me clear my mind.

What I have observed is that game engine coding updates and database updates are out of sync, with the former dominating the release speed of the latter and the latter completing faster than the former.

What I'm hoping is: Can we make database release no longer subject to the release of game engine coding updates? When the database has been completed and submitted to the development team, can the development team simply adapt it based on the current version of the game and release it separately?
rvseydlitz
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by rvseydlitz »

I haven't played in weeks because of some major issues that drastically effects scenarios I've already spent months designing. I think making sure that those issues are fixed is important enough to delay db releases until the update can include them...and more importantly still, making sure the update does not cause major new issues as the laat one with a new DB did.
Mickeys91
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Mickeys91 »

Game engine is far more important than DB right now. Sure new weapons and ideas for scenarios are awesome but I would for better small ground unit damage models. For Artillery and gravity bombs to become interceptable how unguided rockets have been done. And other possible things like weather impact on LOS. Ballistic missile travel distance and most of all better WVR dogfighting in aircraft.
Pygmalion
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Pygmalion »

It's basically been said, but just to provide an authoritative answer:

The DB team is on a strict (if self-imposed) schedule for releases and has been since I took over. We lock down and submit to the dev/production team a finalized new DB every 2 months on the dot. (Incidentally, you can see the due dates for each cycle if you look at "Milestones" in the public Github: you'll see the 507 milestone is due on July 5th. I update this each cycle.) However, as has been mentioned, the DB releases are paired with engine updates, and these take longer to produce, so it's not uncommon to see the new DBs take several extra weeks or even a month+ to actually get in the hands of users -- despite us being hard at work already on the next one. For example, as of this month we are halfway done with 507, even though to my knowledge people still don't have 506.

This is for a couple of reasons. First, because Commercial CMO can't use custom DBs, every official DB must be individually signed and enabled within the engine; it's not as simple as just "making it so that CMO can play any official DB". It requires an engine update each time. Because of the way our branch and production pipeline works, and how labor-intensive it is to prepare a new release, it's not viable for us to put out new engine updates that consist merely of a new DB; it's much more efficient in the long run to bundle together a big "package" of changes that includes the new DB and signatures, even if this results in some delay in getting DBs out to the public.

Usually this doesn't result in a delay of more than a few weeks, but since we have been dealing with some major issues on the backend as a result of various things outside my expertise the latest updates have been a little slow in coming.
Ethan "Pygmalion" Hermanson
Database Manager, Command Development Team
thewood1
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by thewood1 »

I think the multiple comments about updates here and on Steam is that we have a game that's not fully functional right now, there is no workaround or easy retrograde available, not much transparency on what is happening, and no attempt to put a timeline on resolution. We are coming up on two months since .18 was the culmination of a series of releases since .14 that had issues.
schweggy
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by schweggy »

This is for a couple of reasons. First, because Commercial CMO can't use custom DBs, every official DB must be individually signed and enabled within the engine; it's not as simple as just "making it so that CMO can play any official DB". It requires an engine update each time. Because of the way our branch and production pipeline works, and how labor-intensive it is to prepare a new release, it's not viable for us to put out new engine updates that consist merely of a new DB; it's much more efficient in the long run to bundle together a big "package" of changes that includes the new DB and signatures, even if this results in some delay in getting DBs out to the public.
--------------
Is this a common methodology... individually signing the DB and enabling the .exe to use it?

When I was a Program Manager for the US Army I had a 45 person development team to supervise. I do not recall having an executable for one (or more) applications that needed to have one (or more) of the databases it used, signed for a new release or update. This seems less flexible. I'm sure that there is a corporate and/or technical reason for it, but I don't quite understand why. However, I do understand the time it takes to debug something that somehow, over time, had some coding defects compound one or more functions of the software, causing issues. Unraveling that is a mess.
- schweggy -

Montani Semper Liberi - Mountaineers are always free
Nikel
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Nikel »

P Gatcomb continues creating CMO tutorial videos and he is using 1328.18, not any special bug free beta version.

I have searched the transcriptions of several of his last videos and there is no metion of bug, problem, build, version,…

Perhaps the shape of the game is not as bad :)
thewood1
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by thewood1 »

I continue watching him also. He is not using complex missions at all in those. And he really doesn't do anything with the AI. I would assume at this point he is not going to use parts of the game that are at risk. If I don't use missions beyond very simple ones, I can play through also. Try building an AI plan when you can't trust the AI's missions to execute properly. As a casual player, you might not notice. But the AI won't be much of a challenge.
caelunshun
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by caelunshun »

The database signing is implemented to make it very hard for commercial users to modify the DB contents. If you try to do so via SQLite then the engine will refuse to start. As for why such a stringent measure is necessary, I assume it's to gatekeep a rather nice feature (being able to use custom DBs) so that only CPE users can have it.
gennyo
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by gennyo »

Not even a advanced player, a casual player would be affected by some of the bug in the recent builds.

Like: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=402086

I'm still on 1328.9, it seems like a privilage for user buying from Matrix not Steam to roll back versions.
Nikel
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Nikel »

gennyo wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 3:43 am Not even a advanced player, a casual player would be affected by some of the bug in the recent builds.

Like: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=402086

I'm still on 1328.9, it seems like a privilage for user buying from Matrix not Steam to roll back versions.
May you upload the exe 1328.9 ?

Zipped should be small enough for the forum to allow it.
gennyo
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by gennyo »

Nikel wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 4:52 am
gennyo wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 3:43 am Not even a advanced player, a casual player would be affected by some of the bug in the recent builds.

Like: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=402086

I'm still on 1328.9, it seems like a privilage for user buying from Matrix not Steam to roll back versions.
May you upload the exe 1328.9 ?

Zipped should be small enough for the forum to allow it.
EULA may not allow it. If you want to try with steam release you can search for intermediate public betas near this version and unzip it.

I hope the devs at least provide a way to fix to certian version for all users.
Nikel
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Nikel »

Thanks.

1328.9 is the famous unicorn :)

Note to myself, keep copies of the future exes zipped.
tylerblakebrandon
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by tylerblakebrandon »

caelunshun wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 2:55 am The database signing is implemented to make it very hard for commercial users to modify the DB contents. If you try to do so via SQLite then the engine will refuse to start. As for why such a stringent measure is necessary, I assume it's to gatekeep a rather nice feature (being able to use custom DBs) so that only CPE users can have it.
This goes all the way pre=CMANO with the devs and their issues with Herman Hum and the Harpoon DBs.
Nikel
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Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:51 am

Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Nikel »

Thanks for the time dedicated to this :)

Though I think that with the exe it was just enough?

If you have already installed 1328.18, rename Command.exe to Command 18.exe, and just extract Command.exe from 1328.9 package (if it is really the best), and running it the game just works, except for the db limitation of course.

v502-505 will not work with 1328.9
Sanyr1310
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Sanyr1310 »

Dimitris wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 12:09 pm Made some of the past updates available here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0#p5171750
So can we get the new database this Friday? It's been three months since the last update.
Sanyr1310
Posts: 151
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Sanyr1310 »

Dimitris wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 12:09 pm Made some of the past updates available here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0#p5171750
Today I browsed the DB Request Github site and learned that DB507 is completed, so when can we get an update? It's been 4 months since the last database release. Is it true that nothing is going to happen today?
Dimitris
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Re: When can we get the new update? aka: Do we have a schedule for the release of upgrade packs? Especially database rel

Post by Dimitris »

Sanyr1310 wrote: Fri Jul 12, 2024 12:01 pm
Dimitris wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2024 12:09 pm Made some of the past updates available here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0#p5171750
Today I browsed the DB Request Github site and learned that DB507 is completed, so when can we get an update? It's been 4 months since the last database release. Is it true that nothing is going to happen today?
I'm sorry, who are you again?

I mean this in the literal sense. I'd like to see a verifiable ID, please.
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