game crashing bug

Mist · Post by **Mist** » Sun May 20, 2001 2:54 am

Atention everyone. Game crashes if you hit a number-key when changing replacement level for HQs. Ricky, Ed! Please sign it in the bug list, if it is not there yet. Thanx!

RickyB · Post by **RickyB** » Sun May 20, 2001 5:58 am

Originally posted by Mist:
Atention everyone. Game crashes if you hit a number-key when changing replacement level for HQs. Ricky, Ed! Please sign it in the bug list, if it is not there yet. Thanx!

Mist - I just tried this and had no problems. The cursor just moved off to new squares, but even then I didn't have any problems if I tried to change the replacement level. Believe it or not, we had some bugs early on (from the original versions) where using a mouse had different results than using the numeric keys to move around and then do things. How are you doing this, or is it a specific HQ, or any other details that may make it reproducible? This could be a problem on only some systems, I guess. Many thanks, as usual, Mist.

Mist · Post by **Mist** » Sun May 20, 2001 7:01 am

Originally posted by RickyB:

Mist - I just tried this and had no problems. The cursor just moved off to new squares, but even then I didn't have any problems if I tried to change the replacement level. Believe it or not, we had some bugs early on (from the original versions) where using a mouse had different results than using the numeric keys to move around and then do things. How are you doing this, or is it a specific HQ, or any other details that may make it reproducible? This could be a problem on only some systems, I guess.
I use numeric keypad. Place cursor on HQ, hit "+", then hit any number. Seems to work for any HQ. I play under win98, but I doubt that this could make a difference.
Many thanks, as usual, Mist.
It's a joy to help you guys!

RickyB · Post by **RickyB** » Sun May 20, 2001 7:18 am

Originally posted by Mist:
I use numeric keypad. Place cursor on HQ, hit "+", then hit any number. Seems to work for any HQ. I play under win98, but I doubt that this could make a difference.

Well, it must be either an operating system issue, which I will try to check after my son goes to bed - he is using his Win 98 computer right now for Spy Fox. I cannot get this to happen by anything I try on Win ME. Anyone else, with specifics on causing it, especially the OS? Anyway, I will post what I find on my Win 98 machine later.

Svar · Post by **Svar** » Sun May 20, 2001 7:25 am

Originally posted by RickyB:

Well, it must be either an operating system issue, which I will try to check after my son goes to bed - he is using his Win 98 computer right now for Spy Fox. I cannot get this to happen by anything I try on Win ME. Anyone else, with specifics on causing it, especially the OS? Anyway, I will post what I find on my Win 98 machine later.

Rick,

I get the same thing that Mist reports. If I highlight a HQ and hit either the '+' or '-' key, then hit a number on the right hand number pad the game goes to windows with a small window saying 'finished WIR'. My system uses Windows 98 SE. If I hit a number above the letter keys nothing happens it only happens when I hit one of the numbers on the right hand number pad.

Svar

RickyB · Post by **RickyB** » Sun May 20, 2001 8:23 am

Originally posted by Svar:
Rick,

I get the same thing that Mist reports. If I highlight a HQ and hit either the '+' or '-' key, then hit a number on the right hand number pad the game goes to windows with a small window saying 'finished WIR'. My system uses Windows 98 SE. If I hit a number above the letter keys nothing happens it only happens when I hit one of the numbers on the right hand number pad.

Svar

Well, Svar and Mist, I finally found out how to reproduce this one and you all will love it. It ONLY happens on HQs that do NOT have any divisions assigned to them. In that case, it does not matter how you get into the replacement mode, it is strictly a divisional assignment thing. Assign a division and no problem. Also, I don't get it with a 0, 2, 5, or 8 on either the top numbers or the side, but do get it with the others in either spot as they both cause the cursor to move. I had been using HQs with divisions so that is why I didn't see it. I would bet almost anything it is a pointer problem, where there is no pointer to a divison so it crashes. Gotta love it, don't you?

We had a similar odd bug early on. We found out that if, and only if, you used the number/arrow keys to try to transfer units from a corps to an HQ, and moved the cursor over another HQ while trying to do it after starting the process at the destination HQ, you would get a crash or some other odd behavior.

Oh well, at least with this information Arnaud can probably fix it fairly easily. Thanks again for all the effort guys, what a wacky one.

[ May 20, 2001: Message edited by: RickyB ]

Mist · Post by **Mist** » Sun May 20, 2001 8:40 pm

Tricky you are, Rick!

Good job!
BTW: The way I stumbled upon this bug was researching of nature of mystic operation points pool which is not visible to player. Could you give me any hints, please? Are there any ways of stockpiling of OPs for offensive? Thanx!

RickyB · Post by **RickyB** » Sun May 20, 2001 9:00 pm

Originally posted by Mist:
Tricky you are, Rick! Good job!
BTW: The way I stumbled upon this bug was researching of nature of mystic operation points pool which is not visible to player. Could you give me any hints, please? Are there any ways of stockpiling of OPs for offensive? Thanx!

Tricky Ricky! I haven't been called that for quite awhile.

Actually, I was just determined to figure out why some HQs had the problem and others didn't, which took a lot of jumping back and forth and just plain trying HQs all over.

As to Ops points, you seem to have as good a grasp of them as anybody I have seen. You have quantified more than I ever have, although your findings tie in with what I have noticed over the years. A couple of things which you are probably aware of but others may not be: you can stockpile, but only up to the HQs Supply Level times 10. Typically, the level is at this point anyway because fewer points are used each turn than distributed, but this can vary. It is best to keep the HQs on rail lines to maximize the ops points due to this. Also, using up every HQs ops points can result in low level due to the not receiving enough points to replace those used up. I believe the best generals get the most Ops points when there are not enough to go around. Finally, if ops points are short, it can help to reduce some HQs replacement rates. I think that has an impact on who gets points first also, so set HQs behind the line to a lower replacement rate to reduce the number sent there.