SPWAW is getting worse all the time (not really)

Zakhal · Post by **Zakhal** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 6:19 am

It just looked weird. Ive played one year of spwaw (online and email) and all these things happened in one game. And i had never seen them happening before except the self-compusting.
(Though yes, that could be a packet loss for me and my opponent. We didnt see my tank op fire successfully.)

Like since couldnt one drive backwards but only forward (10 hexes max) after getting shot once?

jamiep1 · Post by **jamiep1** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 6:26 am

I think Matrix is doing an excellent job! I only play solitaire so I have not really seen any serious bug that wasn't taken care of. I really love SPWAW & I know the Matrix team has got as much out of the horse as possible. I really love MCNA & look forward to Lost Victories. I'm looking forward to Combat Leader when it's released. The Matrix team has been loyal to us gamers & I will be loyal to them. They are really doing a superb job. JMHO.

Jamie <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

David Heath · Post by **David Heath** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 8:54 am

Hi Fuerte

We know about these bugs and we have tried MANY times to fix them. Either we can not nail down what is causing the problem ir the fix can cause more problems then what is already broken.

Many of us did noy want to go pass v5.3 but a few of us and some time opening as we went along. Yes Matrix is in a major money jam and that is why we asked every interested in Close Assault or Combat Leader to please support us with purchases of Desert Fox and Lost Victories.

But Fuerte please forward me an email on the bugs again and if you can recreate them and how to do them and I will take another look into it for you.

gnoccop · Post by **gnoccop** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 11:20 am

A very B I G THANKS to Matrix!!!

Wonderful game and fantastic support. (I play since SP1,2 & 3 but SPWAW is another planet!)

I'll buy combat leader.

Tom Terror · Post by **Tom Terror** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 1:05 pm

Like a many fellow gamers said before me:
SPWaW is the best game out there right now.

I find myself loosing interest in any other game within ten minutes of playing because I miss the depth and accuracy of SPWaW.

So despite of some bugs and flaws (wich any other game also has - only difference to SPWaW is: nobody cares!) it gives a gaming experience unrivalled by no other PC game.

I'm eagerly waiting to see the release of CL/CA to witness the next big coup of Matrix.

I know, time to stop being pathetic.
I just had to say it, feel better now. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Keep going!!

TomT

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 3:35 pm

This talking of bugs reminds me of great US-movie: Starship troopers. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Ok, I am crashtestdummy but what bird is BTR ? Is Sovjets tracker from -60's ?

I did loose something so I'll have to ask: Why it is LOL to play with Axis, -germans, finns, japs ?

I do play all them and kick some US-hero-wannabees occasionally. Against pbem as well against AI... It really ain't funny to play against 'invisible-rally129-morale higher than SS' kinda US, but I do play as it is challenging.

And instead of being affraid of bugs I've located, eliminated eated them and moved forward to find more. If I haven't found any I've been doing MC. My share to this community and my way to thanx Matrix for getting new life to SP-series.

There is one solution if you think that something goes more wrong when bug is fixed or if you don't like changes forward: Play with older version. So does politics do... <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

mosh

Tom Terror · Post by **Tom Terror** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 3:57 pm

"There is one solution if you think that something goes more wrong when bug is fixed or if you don't like changes forward: Play with older version. So does politics do..."

Skukko, that's a good one!! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

TomT

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 5:19 pm

Originally posted by Paul Vebber:

As to teh cause' from what we can gather the memory requirements of the gaem have gone up and at least 64MB is needed, 128 is reccommended. We thing these sorts of errors are realted to Windows virtual memeory disk rights that throw teh 10 year old Watcom compiled code a curve ball. Consider it "Fog of War" and add more memory (CompUSA had 128MB FREE with rebate...)

Ah this is good to know. I have 128 and I have never seen most of these "bugs".

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 5:42 pm

I've have enough mem and can't even simulate some bugs...

But really, what is BTR ?? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

mosh

Fuerte · Post by **Fuerte** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 8:20 pm

I knew that I would get some response.

Fabs: The targeting bug happens in solitaire as well. I don't know about the trend, I have not read this forum for a while... of course SPWAW is free and I am very thankful for that.

Paul Vebber: I never saw the targeting bug before 5.x. Targeting my own victory hex hardly is very realistic. I have 512 MB memory. Also the end game passwords could be implemented much better, it should work exactly as the normal turn:
1) The game ends for some reason (turn limit or somebody surrenders). The files are sent to opponent.
2) Opponent enters his (only his) password and views the results. Then he sends the files back.
3) The first player enters his (only his) password and views the results.

Ruxius: Megacampaings opened to human opponents. A very good idea, that's why I didn't buy them, I only play PBEM currently. It is frustrating not to be able to see the end game results because it worked OK in earlier releases.

David Heath: I understand the situation. One thing that worries me as well is that you are developing several games at once, Combat Leader and Close Assault, and some others. It might be better to focus on one game at first and make it bug-free. Also Kharan had a very good list of SPWAW bugs, I don't want to get into bug squashing at the moment.

If I look back into different SPWAW releases, this is how they were, if I recall correctly:

2.x: Flawless execution of secure PBEM.
3/4: VCR didn't work.
5/6: VCR works, but the targeting bug appeared, and the end game results can't be viewed any more.

Of course v4 had TCP/IP, which I have tried only once, and v5 has Mega Campaign, which I have not bought because it does not work with human opponent. So, from my point of view, the current release is worse than v2. I completely understand that many minor bugs have been fixed between these releases (and even the targeting bug is a minor one), and the game is now much faster than before, and that there are a lot of new graphics etc, but the end game result problem is a show stopper for me.

This is now off topic, but one thing I would like to see in Combat Leader / Close Assault is the simultaneous plotting of moves and simultaneous execution of the turn (is it called WEGO?).

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 9:02 pm

ok, I haven't seen this: Is it real hard to send password to other gamer ? I have done it few times and its ok...

mosh <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Fuerte · Post by **Fuerte** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 9:46 pm

Sending password to another player is out of the question for several reasons:

1) You should never reveal your passwords to anyone, it is a matter of principle

2) If you reveal your passwords, then you should have a unique password for each game

3) Remembering a unique password for each game is impossible

4) Using PBEM helper to generate and save the password would work, but unfortunately you can't enter the password automatically, and SPWAW does not support clipboard when entering the password and it does not have a command line options to load a game directly (OK, so Combat Mission does not support it either, but it still works, because the PBEM helper sends mouse clicks and keyboard presses, but it was not my code, and it is a bit clumsy)

5) The full security is possible without revealing passwords, it just requires doing the end game sequence differently

David Heath · Post by **David Heath** » Tue Sep 04, 2001 11:01 pm

Hi Fuerte

One must really understand the code we are working with. Most of these items are major work that can and will break God knows what. At this time we can not dedicate anymore time to this. As for the new projects do not worry. Matrix SPWaW team is not the only team working here. Matrix Games has a few development teams working with it so we are not ALL doing ALL of these games at once.

Kharan page is nice but a little to late to really be used. We are already done with spwaw v7.0 and doubt any of these bugs will get addressed if they have not already. As I promise I have it one last look over and attempt to correct what if any I can.

Fuerte · Post by **Fuerte** » Wed Sep 05, 2001 12:35 am

Thanks David for your comments! I wish you all good luck with your forthcoming products. The title for this thread was exaggeration, but at least I got my message through. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Charles2222 · Post by **Charles2222** » Wed Sep 05, 2001 3:37 am

skukko: BTR is Bombing the Reich AKA TOH (Twelve O'Clock High).

troopie · Post by **troopie** » Wed Sep 05, 2001 5:23 am

Originally posted by Charles_22:
skukko: BTR is Bombing the Reich AKA TOH (Twelve O'Clock High).

Oh. I thought it was Bronentransportr.

troopie

Greg McCarty · Post by **Greg McCarty** » Wed Sep 05, 2001 8:41 am

Originally posted by skukko:
I've have enough mem and can't even simulate some bugs...

But really, what is BTR ?? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

mosh

<img src="smile.gif" border="0"> I think i can answer that one. I don't know
the precise meaning of the acronym BTR, but the one in the game is an earlier developement of a
Soviet AFV. There have been a whole series of
BTRs. A distinguishing feature is that they are
usually wheeled, rather than tracked. A modern example is the Russian (formerly Soviet) BTR 70.
These vehicles can transport troops and provide
a certain degree of fire support. It might be considered a hi-brid armored car.
--------------------------------------------------
...Oh, Bombing the Reich. Hmmm... Never mind.
Too many damned acronyms anyway. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

[ September 05, 2001: Message edited by: Greg McCarty ]</p>

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Wed Sep 05, 2001 10:48 am

Yeah I knew BTR was armored vehicle for troops. Finns did have some of those earleir, thus I am not sure if they have them anymore...

Bomb the Reich ?? nevermind... <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Kharans page has some oddities and bugs that were already corrected in 6.1.

mosh

nexus · Post by **nexus** » Thu Sep 06, 2001 12:43 am

yes. SPWAW 6.1 has some minor bugs...but they don´t effect gameplay very much IMHO.

i´m now quite familiar with this version and must say it´s the best till now.

my last 3 or 4 games were without flamethrower tanks or trucks on any side,and with quite good visibility this game is fun.

nexus · Post by **nexus** » Thu Sep 06, 2001 12:56 am

Originally posted by Larry Holt:

Ah this is good to know. I have 128 and I have never seen most of these "bugs".

i know have 384 mb´s.

game runs fine...as all other games,too.