Progress

[jmlima]

Thanks. [:)]

Sounds good enough, now bring out so that we can start the scenario making... [;)]

[Arjuna]

Hi all,

We have just finished a new BFTB Build 4.0.201 for our beta testers. Here are the changes/fixes:

• TT3567 - AI - Ensure Thread Safety when updating GameTasks after unit exited
• TT3333 - AI - Fuel Consumption - Consume fuel unless resting
• TT3351 - AI - Static Arty - Need to be able to provide on-call-spt
• TT3487 - Estabs - Remove Bombard capability from German Inf Gun units
• TT3548 - Estabs - Revise Pz Lehr Estabs
• TT3506 - Scenario - We Fight and Die Here - Change sig path for Monty's sig
• TT3507 - Scenario - Widening the Corridor - Manually move SEPs near map edges to call CheckLoc()
• TT2297 - UI - AAResources - Cleanup - Get rid of Model/Monty Sig.bmp files in End Game dir
• TT3550 - UI - Fix text substitution of "SS" with "CC"
• TT3576 - UI - OB Display - Fix CTD when OnMapUnits button selected
• TT3246 - UI - Unit Data - E & S Tab - Add Estab Data view and display for selected item

The big ticket item for this build is the new Estab viwes. Please check out the screenshots in the New Stuff thread.

[JeF]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
The big ticket item for this build is the new Estab viwes. Please check out the screenshots in the New Stuff thread.

So I kidded you not in that other thread : this was state of the art stuff and a big "bone". Testers didn't even had a glimpse yet at those screens. Check them out !! They are a beauty. [;)]

JeF.

[Deathtreader]

Hi all,

With a clear understanding that it's done when it's done.......... I was just wondering if there were any snippets you'd care to share with us by way of a mini-update. [&o]
Thanks!

Rob. [:)]

[Arjuna]

Well it's been a very intense time here these last six weeks or so. We were contracted by the Australian Department of Defence to provide a Modern Warfare Demo based on our engine. For this we used the existing BFTB beta as it showed off a lot of new features. However, it meant perfecting them and making sure we provided a robust build. So the time we spent on this benefitted BFTB greatly.

In the last two weeks we have put out a new BFTB build and addressed a large number of items from our Task Tracker database:

Changes:

• TT3608 - AI - Basics - EstabSide - Change the default Basics per day to 5 kilos
• TT3602 - AI - Estabs - Increase default UnitFuelLoad from 10 to 16 hours per day
• TT3605 - AI - Estabs - Overhaul Unit Capabilities especailly for ConstructBridge tasks
• TT3579 - AI - Force Allocation - SFTTAR 834 - Check out Leo's recording
• TT3617 - AI - Formations - Ensure Frontage and Depth scaled if these have been set for the task
• TT3616 - AI - GetGTI() - Constrain to Task Perimeter where frontage and depth set
• TT3601 - AI - SMP1994 - Allow Basing - Constrain End of any basing task that is converted after task setting changed
• TT3612 - AI - Strategic AI - CullPlansByVictory() - Increase the maxVictoryLevelMarging from 2 to 3
• TT3613 - AI - Strategic AI - UpdatePrioritiesForVictoryPlans() - Reduce Share if friendly and enemy
• TT3244 - AI - UI - Task Options - Timings
• TT3609 - Scenarios - Set the Basics Consumption Rate for each Side to 5 kilos
• TT3360 - UI - Ensure Attack Task button enabled if eligible unit attached
• TT3240 - UI - Ensure Construct Bridge icon enabled when force has bridge ( not just a unit )
• TT3582 - UI - Estab View - Veh Performance - Check out incorrect Weight value.
• TT3597 - UI - Replace Airborne Assault with Command Ops in Task Bar when minimised
• TT3323 - UI - Scenario Selection Screen - Replace COTA with BFTB
• TT3600 - UI - Task Tool Buttons - Ensure Construct Bridge tool enables for eng with bridging capacity
• TT3606 - AI - Bridge Building - Exempt eng units building bridges from resting at night reasessment
• TT3631 - AI - Force Allocation - Overhaul to better handle cases where force can reach objectives if bridge built
• TT3624 - AI - GN 456 - Ensure HHour within bounds for FUPReorg Tasks
• TT3353 - AI - InitiateAttacks - Use only current and recent enemy reports
• TT3630 - AI - Multiplayer - ScenScenario 1321 - Modify Assert to ensure player is local
• TT3626 - AI - Night - Defend instead of Rest if enemy close by
• TT3629 - AI - Scheduleing - Sequential Plans - No Orders Delay when starting "Next Plan"
• TT3623 - AI - SFTTA 2281 - Handle case where Subject cannot reach any task
• TT3625 - UI - AI - GAFD 1738 etc - Ensure FGValues exist before copying to them
• TT3632 - AI- Ground Weather Condition - Adjust Mud Move rates
• TT3495 - AI - Bridge Construction - Ensure AI tries to utilise other engineering assets if available
• TT3493 - AI - Routing - Reduce the Dance of Death
• TT3633 - Estabs - Review MG Accuracy values

This has included yet another overhaul of the force allocation code to make the strategic AI smarter when it has forces on either side of impasable terrain ( eg major rivers ). We have also worked very hard to improve the aggressiveness of the strategic AI. It spends significantly less time waiting around once it has achieved an objective, thus maintaining the pressure on its opponent.

We have stopped adding new features and are concentrating on getting everything working and robust and ensuring that scenarios are challenging, balanced and fun to play. I hope to start work on the documentation and tutorials next week. Paul will be looking at what's required to provide a demo version.

James Sterret from the US Command and General Staff College will be demoing BFTB at Origins this week. So if you are in the Columbus Ohio area, drop in to the convention and check it out.

So it's a busy time here. Hey it's always busy! [:)]

[Arjuna]

Here is a screenshot from the autotester. The scenario is called Spearhead v Reich and pits the 2nd SS Pz Div "Das Reich" against elements of the US7th Corps, including 3rd Arm Div "Spearhead". It's a long scenario - 18 days. It starts with the 2nd SS attacking up the highway through Manhay. Over time more and more US units enter the fray.

In the screenshot it's Day 10. The highway is littered with the crossing marking the destruction of US units. NW of Manhay are quite a few German crosses too where the US 75th Inf Div finally checked the German progress. Now TF McGeorge, the leading element of the US 3rd Arm Div is launching a counter-attack to evict the last of the Germans from Manhay. It's been a brutal struggle. The yanks are facing down the barrel of a marginal defeat, such has been their losses. But there are a number of victory objectives still up fro grabs, not to mention significant points for destroying German units. Most of all they can pull off a decider by exiting south to Houffalize.

So now the boot is on the other foot and victory could still go either way.

[06 Maestro]

“Command Ops”-it has a nice, clear sound to it. It’s a good choice imho.

I don’t recall seeing the buttons at the bottom of the OB panel before. Are those new, or is that just something for the editor/tester?

Working on your own business while working under contract by orders from your client?[;)] You, Sir, are “cutting the fat hog”. I’m sure you earned it along the way.

[Arjuna]

I'm not familiar with that turn of expression. If "cutting the fat hog" means overworked, underpaid and wallowing then yeh that's my condition at the moment.
 
The buttons at the bottom of the OB display are new. The ones on the left are the force structure types and the one's on the right are the unit filters.
 
There are six structure types in the debug version. I will be simplifying this down to three for the release version - namely, organic ( default ) ORBAT, current ( player plan ) ORBAT and unit structure. The unit structure will be for whatever unit is selected. So that way you can see what the default structure is, the structure you have "ordered" and the structure actually implemented by the units.
 
The unit filter buttons apply only to the organic structure and allow you to show/hide inactive, reinforcement and destroyed units.
 
When you select a structure type, the OB display is refreshed along with the command lines drawn on the map and the cursor unit navigation buttons are also synced to this structure type as well. I tmakes it a lot easier to get a handle on how your forces are organised.

[Deathtreader]

Hi,

Thanks for the update!!

Looks really good......... really really good. [&o]

Do the maps change with the weather, or is that for a future release??

Notwithstanding, guaranteed sale when released........

Rob. [:)]

[Arjuna]

Yes they do. I must admit I haven't had time to replace my map patterns with the new one's. Thanks for reminding me.

[John21b]

Now about that modern version for the Australian Army......

[06 Maestro]

Filtering units in the OOB panel will be an interesting improvement. I expect that I will use it much more often.
Thanks for the update-an amazing game just keeps getting better. I too will be placing my order asap.

Oh, "cutting the fat hog" refers to someone who has an easy task, or has it fanancially easy. These are the traditional meanings-no doubt there are others...

[GoodGuy]

I've got a tiny request:

I had to switch back using a different mouse which has 3 buttons, but no mouse wheel. Is it possible to put the zoom-function on 2 single keys for "+" and "-" (as having to hold down the Alt key while pressing another key is somewhat cumbersome, especially since i use to zoom in and out all the time, when using the fastest game speed)? An armchair general has to be able to get cookies with one hand and kick Jerry's butt with the other hand. [:D]

[Arjuna]

GoodGuy,
 
I appreciate your difficulty in accessing the cookies. [;)]
 
The trouble is that we already use every single key on the keyboard at the moment. So we would have to find alternatives for two existing functions. The "+" and "-" keys are used to filter units with and without orders. If we were to devote these keys to another means of zooming, then what would you suggest we use for the unit filters, and remember that at present all the other unit filters are but a one key press. So if we use a modifier for these, then we have mixed our UI for filtering units. I'm not saying that it couldn't be done, but it's not preferable.

[Deathtreader]

Hope you've recovered from that bout with the Emperor of all flu's..............
Any chance of a mini update??
Thanks,

Rob. [:)]

[Arjuna]

Yes I am feeling much better, thank you.

This week we put out a new build #4.0.206. It had a number of fixes:

• TT3643 - AI - Allow Stragglers - Revise Fatigue and Cohesion Reassessments
• TT3647 - AI - Attacks - Remove Orders Delay Padding from Attack subTasks - esp FUPReorg
• TT3636 - AI - ScenRoute 655 - Ensure Static Units do not try and Move when ordered to Defend
• TT3635 - AI - SFTTAR 3560 - Ensure we handle cases where Bases and Static Arty allocated to unreachable objectives
• TT3644 - AI - UI - Allow Stragglers - Now defaults to True
• TT3641 - UI - Enable Double-click in OB display to switch to Unit Data Gen Tab for selected unit
• TT3642 - UI - Enable Double-click on unit on map to switch to OB Display and focus on selected unit
• TT3640 - UI - Unit Data Gen Tab - Add keyboard shortcut "N"

We collected a whole pile of the new Australian Defence Version of COTA on Friday. They look pretty spiffy and official like. The license deal came in the nick of time too. Our hardwarehad long past its use by date and all of our test machines had carked it over the last few months. So one of the first things I did was buy some new ,machines. I am in the middle of setting up my Dev machine. More time will be spent on installing new development software and migrating things across. On the plus side though we are now using Vista OS and can track down any issues relating to that. And a big plus is the sheer speed increase. I've gone from a 2.4 P4 single processor to 2.66 quad processors - yee hah!

[Deathtreader]

Glad to hear you're feeling better and that things are looking up!!
Forward!!

Rob. [:)]

[Arjuna]

Hi all,
 
Spent the whole week installing new hardware an software. Still haven't got our new dev software working. Hope to have it up and running soon.
 
I tell you what, while it's nice to have new kit ( and especially a big new 24" screen [:)]), this migration process is a right royal pain the bum.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Spent the whole week installing new hardware an software. Still haven't got our new dev software working. Hope to have it up and running soon.

I tell you what, while it's nice to have new kit ( and especially a big new 24" screen [:)]), this migration process is a right royal pain the bum.

Dave we will keep our fingers crossed for you guys! [:)]


Leo "Apollo11"

[dakuman]

Happy Labor Day to all from here in the US
 
Just wondering if the release of BftB is still on schedule for late September or October or has the migration slowed things down?
 
Thanks