Patch 07 - Unofficial Public Beta & UI Suggestions

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Thanks for the offers of help guys.

We are willing to go to your house and drink your beer, too! [:D]

[Admiral DadMan]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Thanks for the offers of help guys.

We are willing to go to your house and drink your beer, too! [:D]

+10

Now I can't even run to the head without the turn starting before I'm back in front of the screen.

That's wrong on so many levels...

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Admiral DadMan

Now I can't even run to the head without the turn starting before I'm back in front of the screen.

That's wrong on so many levels...

How so? We all do it during TV commercials! [:D]
Better than being uncomfortable![:)]

[ny59giants]

One issue that was talked about, but don't know if it was not done due to space was an option on LCUs to turn on/off device upgrades to the right of the full TO&E. When it come to all the CommonWealth LCUs, I would like to turn on the unit LCU "Upgrade" option, but be able to turn off some individual device upgrades. Especially, artillery and AA devices. Thus, be able to upgrade the infantry and combat engineers, but not the artillery and AA if they were available. Often I divide the LCU and upgrade each part over a series of days, but have seen one section get an upgrade in AA or artillery and thus I'm unable to recombine when the infantry is upgraded (which is what I wanted).

Destroyed LCUs - I wish I could get them to come back with oldest devices. Things like AA destroyed in Malaya may come back with a new TO&E and I would like them to able to fill out with oldest TO&E once other units upgrade and those devices are back in pool.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

One issue that was talked about, but don't know if it was not done due to space was an option on LCUs to turn on/off device upgrades to the right of the full TO&E. When it come to all the CommonWealth LCUs, I would like to turn on the unit LCU "Upgrade" option, but be able to turn off some individual device upgrades. Especially, artillery and AA devices. Thus, be able to upgrade the infantry and combat engineers, but not the artillery and AA if they were available. Often I divide the LCU and upgrade each part over a series of days, but have seen one section get an upgrade in AA or artillery and thus I'm unable to recombine when the infantry is upgraded (which is what I wanted).

Destroyed LCUs - I wish I could get them to come back with oldest devices. Things like AA destroyed in Malaya may come back with a new TO&E and I would like them to able to fill out with oldest TO&E once other units upgrade and those devices are back in pool.

I second this one.

[michaelm75au]

Would you have a save that shows this? Trying to get the particular conditions takes time and doesn't always mean I get it right.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I almost started another thread for this one as it's a bug but it does have to do with the UI...

Managing repair ships is exceedingly annoying, at least when an ARD is involved. There appears to be a bug in the UI and what it displays with regard to Pier Side mode and the presence of an ARD. Specifically, it looks like this:



This is at a Port 6, so it can't fix any major damage. Note that the second ship on the list shows that it will finish repairs in 4 days, even though it has 1 point of (major) flooding damage. It will never repair this at this port, unless I assign it to the ARD (in the screenshot it is at Pier Side).

But the biggie is the ship with more damage in this screenshot. There is only the size 6 port and the ARD in terms of repair facilities at this base, yet the interface implies that each ship will repair its floatation damage despite not using the ARD at all. Given the difficulty in getting ARDs to be used by the ships you want to use them (having to set priorities despite only 1 ship being set to Repair Ship, for example), this makes determining whether your ship is using an ARD or not unnecessarily complicated. Even worse, you can have a ship using the ARD (say the more damaged ship in this case) and another ship at Pier Side (the ship with just 1 point of major damage left to be fixed), and the ship at Pier Side will appear as if it's going to have that 1 point fixed even though the ARD is currently being used by another ship.

So far as I can tell, ARs function fine (they don't cause a bug like this). Basically, ARDs function really queerly in the ship repair interface with the Pier Side/Repair Ship functionality. This may be a tall order in terms of the code, but wouldn't it just be easier to treat them exactly like mobile shipyards - having the Shipyard option appear when an ARD is present, and moving the code for an ARD only working on 1 ship at a time to the Repair Shipyard section(s)? Maybe that's too hard, but since they're basically mobile shipyards... it would make sense and they'd be easier to use/manage.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: michaelm

Would you have a save that shows this? Trying to get the particular conditions takes time and doesn't always mean I get it right.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I almost started another thread for this one as it's a bug but it does have to do with the UI...

Managing repair ships is exceedingly annoying, at least when an ARD is involved. There appears to be a bug in the UI and what it displays with regard to Pier Side mode and the presence of an ARD. Specifically, it looks like this:



This is at a Port 6, so it can't fix any major damage. Note that the second ship on the list shows that it will finish repairs in 4 days, even though it has 1 point of (major) flooding damage. It will never repair this at this port, unless I assign it to the ARD (in the screenshot it is at Pier Side).

But the biggie is the ship with more damage in this screenshot. There is only the size 6 port and the ARD in terms of repair facilities at this base, yet the interface implies that each ship will repair its floatation damage despite not using the ARD at all. Given the difficulty in getting ARDs to be used by the ships you want to use them (having to set priorities despite only 1 ship being set to Repair Ship, for example), this makes determining whether your ship is using an ARD or not unnecessarily complicated. Even worse, you can have a ship using the ARD (say the more damaged ship in this case) and another ship at Pier Side (the ship with just 1 point of major damage left to be fixed), and the ship at Pier Side will appear as if it's going to have that 1 point fixed even though the ARD is currently being used by another ship.

So far as I can tell, ARs function fine (they don't cause a bug like this). Basically, ARDs function really queerly in the ship repair interface with the Pier Side/Repair Ship functionality. This may be a tall order in terms of the code, but wouldn't it just be easier to treat them exactly like mobile shipyards - having the Shipyard option appear when an ARD is present, and moving the code for an ARD only working on 1 ship at a time to the Repair Shipyard section(s)? Maybe that's too hard, but since they're basically mobile shipyards... it would make sense and they'd be easier to use/manage.

The particular instance is in the attached save. The ARD being used by that port is AFDB-1. Don't want to publicly post where it is/what ship for op-sec reasons.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Some filters for experience / skill levels would be nice in the "request veteran" pilot management screen. Like hiding resp. only displaying pilots with 50/70 and higher. Would help with pilot training management.

[Shark7]

I have a request/suggestion.

Can we get a way to set ALL airgroups in a base to the same mission? Not just all by type or all by model, but everyone of them.

For instance I want to set all my air units at Tokyo on general training at 100%. As it is, if I have 4 fighter groups, 2 bomber groups, 1 recon group, and 3 patrol groups, I have to set the same orders at least 4 times. I'd like the ability to go into one of the fighter groups, set it to training > general training > 100% and then click 'Set all air groups in hex to this mission' and go on with other orders.

I realize it is a small benefit and might be a lot of work. Basically only useful for training fields or stand down orders, but... [:)]

[BBfanboy]

Not so limited in value Shark 7. I have several bases with a mixed bag of fighters, fighter-bombers, level bombers, SBDs and patrol aircraft and they are all close enough to enemy bases to attack together (when weather is suitable). As you say, it would be nice to assign all the aircraft to attack and then just adjust altitudes where needed.

[littleike]

Requesting virtual keyboard access in full screen mode on tablet pc.

(I post here because it is not properly an “error” but should be a very useful feature!!!!!)


I installed WitpAE on a windows 7 tablet pc with a digitizer wacom pen.

All goes flawlessy and it’s a joy to use the game on the tablet setting everything with the pen but
when i need to input an alphanumeric letter or a string or a function key ( for example using map features
or inputting TF names…) i cannot access the system virtual keyboard.

In a tablet PC with pen normally when the system recognize the pen near a specified configurable position
( the upper left edge of the screen in my case ) it let appear the virtual keyboard that can be dragged and used to input text or function keys.

If i set the game in windowed mode all is ok but the task bar interfere with the game screen and if i set it to disappear it always reappear when
i try to scroll the screen moving the pen toward the edges of the map!!

In full screen all is ok but sadly i cannot make the virtual keyboard to appear.

I tried other games (Command ops, Battle from the bulge, Flight commander II…) in full screen mode
and always i was able to access the virtual keyboard so i think there is something that block this system feature in WitpAE.

[michaelm75au]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: michaelm

Would you have a save that shows this? Trying to get the particular conditions takes time and doesn't always mean I get it right.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I almost started another thread for this one as it's a bug but it does have to do with the UI...

Managing repair ships is exceedingly annoying, at least when an ARD is involved. There appears to be a bug in the UI and what it displays with regard to Pier Side mode and the presence of an ARD. Specifically, it looks like this:

This is at a Port 6, so it can't fix any major damage. Note that the second ship on the list shows that it will finish repairs in 4 days, even though it has 1 point of (major) flooding damage. It will never repair this at this port, unless I assign it to the ARD (in the screenshot it is at Pier Side).

But the biggie is the ship with more damage in this screenshot. There is only the size 6 port and the ARD in terms of repair facilities at this base, yet the interface implies that each ship will repair its floatation damage despite not using the ARD at all. Given the difficulty in getting ARDs to be used by the ships you want to use them (having to set priorities despite only 1 ship being set to Repair Ship, for example), this makes determining whether your ship is using an ARD or not unnecessarily complicated. Even worse, you can have a ship using the ARD (say the more damaged ship in this case) and another ship at Pier Side (the ship with just 1 point of major damage left to be fixed), and the ship at Pier Side will appear as if it's going to have that 1 point fixed even though the ARD is currently being used by another ship.

So far as I can tell, ARs function fine (they don't cause a bug like this). Basically, ARDs function really queerly in the ship repair interface with the Pier Side/Repair Ship functionality. This may be a tall order in terms of the code, but wouldn't it just be easier to treat them exactly like mobile shipyards - having the Shipyard option appear when an ARD is present, and moving the code for an ARD only working on 1 ship at a time to the Repair Shipyard section(s)? Maybe that's too hard, but since they're basically mobile shipyards... it would make sense and they'd be easier to use/manage.

The particular instance is in the attached save. The ARD being used by that port is AFDB-1. Don't want to publicly post where it is/what ship for op-sec reasons.

I think I have found a problem: there is a fix for old saves for ARD without lift capacity. This was then making it available for any ship being repaired even if not using 'repair ship' mode. This was only for display purposes.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: michaelm

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: michaelm

Would you have a save that shows this? Trying to get the particular conditions takes time and doesn't always mean I get it right.[:D]

The particular instance is in the attached save. The ARD being used by that port is AFDB-1. Don't want to publicly post where it is/what ship for op-sec reasons.

I think I have found a problem: there is a fix for old saves for ARD without lift capacity. This was then making it available for any ship being repaired even if not using 'repair ship' mode. This was only for display purposes.

I don't quite follow...

[michaelm75au]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

One issue that was talked about, but don't know if it was not done due to space was an option on LCUs to turn on/off device upgrades to the right of the full TO&E. When it come to all the CommonWealth LCUs, I would like to turn on the unit LCU "Upgrade" option, but be able to turn off some individual device upgrades. Especially, artillery and AA devices. Thus, be able to upgrade the infantry and combat engineers, but not the artillery and AA if they were available. Often I divide the LCU and upgrade each part over a series of days, but have seen one section get an upgrade in AA or artillery and thus I'm unable to recombine when the infantry is upgraded (which is what I wanted).

Destroyed LCUs - I wish I could get them to come back with oldest devices. Things like AA destroyed in Malaya may come back with a new TO&E and I would like them to able to fill out with oldest TO&E once other units upgrade and those devices are back in pool.

One thing I have noticed about recovering destroyed units is that it upgrades TOE before building the cadre. I actually thought that it came back with the existing TOE of when it was killed. It would be simple to make it do what I thought it did.[:D].
At least then it would use older devices if available to rebuild.

[michaelm75au]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I don't quite follow...

Whenever the check for ARD is executed, it makes the ARD available to the repair check; even if the repair mode is not repair ship. Thus it is available in all modes.

[ny59giants]

As Allied player, I've lost a few Command HQs. Recently, the Central Command HQ at Pearl. When I bought it back, it had to go under another Command HQ. It would be nice if it came back and didn't have it go under another Command.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: michaelm

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I don't quite follow...

Whenever the check for ARD is executed, it makes the ARD available to the repair check; even if the repair mode is not repair ship. Thus it is available in all modes.

This seems rather counterintuitive, at least when compared to the rest of the ship repair interface. I want to make sure I understand what you mean.

If a port has an ARD, regardless of what the settings are on the ships in the port, they will attempt to make use of it in ANY repair mode, not just Repair Ship? If this is the case... why is it like that? I think it only serves to create confusion, and possibly gum things up as in the case I cited where there are 2 ships in the port and when 1 of them is set to Repair Ship, the other may also be trying to use it...in which case the ARD will repair neither of them that turn. It would also explain why, in another port of mine in another game, I've got ships on Pier Side but at High priority (there are just a shipload of ships repairing there, and a few of them need to be done sooner than others), and another set of ships that just have major Floatation damage left to repair, and I need to set them to Critical while on Repair Ship or else the ARD won't repair them.

It's just messy, and seems unnecessarily so.


I really think it would be best if they just functioned like a Shipyard, but that may be too complicated (inserting lots of booleans in existing Shipyard code, etc.) when compared to just making the ARD easier to use in the interface.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: michaelm

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I don't quite follow...

Whenever the check for ARD is executed, it makes the ARD available to the repair check; even if the repair mode is not repair ship. Thus it is available in all modes.

This seems rather counterintuitive, at least when compared to the rest of the ship repair interface. I want to make sure I understand what you mean.

If a port has an ARD, regardless of what the settings are on the ships in the port, they will attempt to make use of it in ANY repair mode, not just Repair Ship? If this is the case... why is it like that? I think it only serves to create confusion, and possibly gum things up as in the case I cited where there are 2 ships in the port and when 1 of them is set to Repair Ship, the other may also be trying to use it...in which case the ARD will repair neither of them that turn. It would also explain why, in another port of mine in another game, I've got ships on Pier Side but at High priority (there are just a shipload of ships repairing there, and a few of them need to be done sooner than others), and another set of ships that just have major Floatation damage left to repair, and I need to set them to Critical while on Repair Ship or else the ARD won't repair them.

It's just messy, and seems unnecessarily so.


I really think it would be best if they just functioned like a Shipyard, but that may be too complicated (inserting lots of booleans in existing Shipyard code, etc.) when compared to just making the ARD easier to use in the interface.

I might have gotten lost on this one, but I thought that a long time ago the change was made so that ships did not have to be in Repair Ship mode to benefit from ARD. I guess I'm not sure what is currently intended.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: michaelm




Whenever the check for ARD is executed, it makes the ARD available to the repair check; even if the repair mode is not repair ship. Thus it is available in all modes.

This seems rather counterintuitive, at least when compared to the rest of the ship repair interface. I want to make sure I understand what you mean.

If a port has an ARD, regardless of what the settings are on the ships in the port, they will attempt to make use of it in ANY repair mode, not just Repair Ship? If this is the case... why is it like that? I think it only serves to create confusion, and possibly gum things up as in the case I cited where there are 2 ships in the port and when 1 of them is set to Repair Ship, the other may also be trying to use it...in which case the ARD will repair neither of them that turn. It would also explain why, in another port of mine in another game, I've got ships on Pier Side but at High priority (there are just a shipload of ships repairing there, and a few of them need to be done sooner than others), and another set of ships that just have major Floatation damage left to repair, and I need to set them to Critical while on Repair Ship or else the ARD won't repair them.

It's just messy, and seems unnecessarily so.


I really think it would be best if they just functioned like a Shipyard, but that may be too complicated (inserting lots of booleans in existing Shipyard code, etc.) when compared to just making the ARD easier to use in the interface.

I might have gotten lost on this one, but I thought that a long time ago the change was made so that ships did not have to be in Repair Ship mode to benefit from ARD. I guess I'm not sure what is currently intended.

Don't believe you "have gotten lost on this one" witpqs. For me reply from michaelm is consistent with your understanding. NB the display purposes comment from michaelm in post #52.

Alfred

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: michaelm




Whenever the check for ARD is executed, it makes the ARD available to the repair check; even if the repair mode is not repair ship. Thus it is available in all modes.

This seems rather counterintuitive, at least when compared to the rest of the ship repair interface. I want to make sure I understand what you mean.

If a port has an ARD, regardless of what the settings are on the ships in the port, they will attempt to make use of it in ANY repair mode, not just Repair Ship? If this is the case... why is it like that? I think it only serves to create confusion, and possibly gum things up as in the case I cited where there are 2 ships in the port and when 1 of them is set to Repair Ship, the other may also be trying to use it...in which case the ARD will repair neither of them that turn. It would also explain why, in another port of mine in another game, I've got ships on Pier Side but at High priority (there are just a shipload of ships repairing there, and a few of them need to be done sooner than others), and another set of ships that just have major Floatation damage left to repair, and I need to set them to Critical while on Repair Ship or else the ARD won't repair them.

It's just messy, and seems unnecessarily so.


I really think it would be best if they just functioned like a Shipyard, but that may be too complicated (inserting lots of booleans in existing Shipyard code, etc.) when compared to just making the ARD easier to use in the interface.

I might have gotten lost on this one, but I thought that a long time ago the change was made so that ships did not have to be in Repair Ship mode to benefit from ARD. I guess I'm not sure what is currently intended.

I don't think you got lost either. I think you're on track. I guess I'm asking why that's the intent - because only 1 ship can use the ARD, so if you have multiple eligible ships in the port then none of them will use the ARD unless you change priority settings. This creates problems in the following situation, which I'd like to imagine isn't uncommon for a major forward base:

Ship 1 - has 12 Sys, 5 (5) Floatation damage. At a level 7+, this will repair fully at pier side... however, it's a minor ship and you don't need it so you leave the priority at Normal or even set it to Low.

Ship 2 - has 25 Sys and maybe some other minor damage that can be fixed at the pier. This is a major ship and needs to be back in action ASAP, so you set it to High or Critical priority on Pier Side.

Ship 3 - similar to ship 2, maybe 10 System and also has 2 (2) Floatation damage. You need it back in action just as much as ship 2, within days if possible, so you set to Critical.

Ship 4 - has 0 Sys, 10 (10) Floatation damage. This will require the ARD to repair. Maybe it's a CL - something really useful, and you want it repaired, but you don't need it before ships 2 and 3. However, you have to set it at a higher repair priority in order for it to get to use the ARD in front of ships 2 and 3 (if they have floatation damage). Even if you have it set to Repair Ship.


Does that make sense to anyone else? I am admittedly loathe to use Critical priority except in special cases.