Molotov Problem

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Wed Jun 28, 2000 1:56 pm

I've had a strange problem in ver.2.0: My german APC came next to russian infantry. The infantry tried to use a molotov which is the last thing they did... the game shut down. This happened twice...

Aleks

Tankhead · Post by **Tankhead** » Wed Jun 28, 2000 6:49 pm

Just curious Alex What kind of computer do you have. After reading all the posts with peoples crashing or lock up on there computer. So far I haven't had one crash in all versions of SPWAW. Maybe we can figure out what is the problem is with these crash if the fellah would mention what they have for hardware. A lot of time I seen them problem due to folks having to many programs running in the background. "Microsoft Windows is notorious for this" eats up all your resource.

Tankhead

FrankyVas · Post by **FrankyVas** » Wed Jun 28, 2000 7:35 pm

I had a similar problem until I deleted the steel.prf file from the save directory. Now the game works like a charm.

Frank V.

Tankhead · Post by **Tankhead** » Wed Jun 28, 2000 8:31 pm

It seem that most of the people that had problem did not delete the Steel.prf file. I forgot some men dont read document they have a crystal ball I supposed.

Tankhead

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Wed Jun 28, 2000 8:40 pm

You are a hard man, Tankhead, but you are right

With all the changes made in this game, reading the manual is essential for serious play.

You can get through the tutorial scenario easily enough, but for long-term play and pleasure, I STRONGLY recommend a reading of the manual.

It will help more than you know. And you may find out some things that are there that you may not notice otherwise.

I hate manuals, but I read them. I find it saves more time reading the manual than trying to figure it out on my own

Wild Bill

------------------
In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Tankhead · Post by **Tankhead** » Wed Jun 28, 2000 8:47 pm

Wild Bill the problem nowadays is lack of info on the software nobody write manual anymore and online help is usally sparse. But with SPWAW is the best manual I've seen in years, and a good read you find all kind of neat info. For being a hard man well what can I say

Thankhead

[This message has been edited by Tankhead (edited 06-28-2000).]

Exnur · Post by **Exnur** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 12:09 am

I have to agree with Alex. I just had the same problem. A Soviet infantry squad tried to use a Molotov cocktail on my halftrack, and the game closed down.

I did delete the Steel.prf file before installing the 2.1 patch, and didn't have any other program running in the background.

Exnur

RobertMc · Post by **RobertMc** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 1:40 am

Guys, I think there's a problem with the Molotov in the OOBs. Go to the Molotov weapon (number 085)in the Soviet Union OOB.
The numbers that make the weapon work like it ought to are the following:
Pen AP: 222
Pen HE: 0
Pen APCR: 0
Pen HEAT: 75
Leave all the other numbers as they are.
This weapon is a Close Assault weapon and the "222" makes it function as such.

RobertMc · Post by **RobertMc** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 1:49 am

Just as an addendum to the above: I think David has programmed something into V2.1 to "encourage" that troops use Molotovs at one-hex range, but if the OOB does not identify the Molotov as a close assault weapon, this is probably why the game is crashing.

RobertMc · Post by **RobertMc** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 2:03 am

Ouch! Sorry, I meant to say "Michael", of course!!!

)))))

Voriax · Post by **Voriax** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 2:06 am

This is very interesting. I just created a test scenario where I throwed several molotovs at tanks and halftracks and all worked fine no crashes whatsoever. They did not work against infantry which was not surprising as they have no HE damage rating. This is without changing anything in the oob's.

btw if you do change those values remember to do the changes to all oob's. There surely are other units in other armies that use them too.

Voriax

RobertMc · Post by **RobertMc** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 2:15 am

Well, it really *is* a mystery, then. The Molotovs weren't working for me until I changed the values. Who knows? I've always thought that the Steel Panthers program was a very strange and unmangeable animal. Got ghosts and imps in it, I think.

Tankhead · Post by **Tankhead** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 2:27 am

Very interesting indeed I did the same as Voriax and got the same results he got with no crash. The ghosts of the battlefield.

Tankhaed

RobertMc · Post by **RobertMc** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 2:58 am

Continuing Molotov questions:
Just finished my own test game. Do you guys get a depiction of fire in the hex when a vehicle is destroyed by a Molotov?
I do, but only when the unit is destroyed by the "Close Assault" reaction. I note that units will throw Molotovs again during the normal course of the action, but this time there's no fire (only smoke) when the vehicle is destroyed. Seems like the sound cuts out at this point, too.
I see that Michael has programmed in the ability of a squad to use their "Close Assault" weapons a second and third times during the same turn.
Why the games are crashing, I have no idea.

Tankhead · Post by **Tankhead** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 4:42 am

Hi Robertmc! I get fire with no sound or crash problem everything seems normal on my end and depending what kind of feature in the exe If they are trees or field and depending on the weather the fire spreads. Sounds like you have a sound card conflict.

Tankhead

Mike Wood · Post by **Mike Wood** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 9:52 am

Hello...

Try deleting the steel.prf file.

Originally posted by Alex:
I've had a strange problem in ver.2.0: My german APC came next to russian infantry. The infantry tried to use a molotov which is the last thing they did... the game shut down. This happened twice...
Aleks

If this does not work, try the game with the sound off. If that works, upgrade your sound card drivers.

Bye...

Michael Wood

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 11:44 am

I did delete the *.prf file before i started paying ver 2.0 so thats not the problem... I guess I'll have to try setting up a trial game and test if thats only a problem in one scenario or a problem on my computer. that would be strange because ver 1.0 worked fine.

BTW I've read the manual 3 times before the game downloaded

Skandranon · Post by **Skandranon** » Thu Jun 29, 2000 12:11 pm

Originally posted by RobertMc:
Guys, I think there's a problem with the Molotov in the OOBs. Go to the Molotov weapon (number 085)in the Soviet Union OOB.
The numbers that make the weapon work like it ought to are the following:
Pen AP: 222
Pen HE: 0
Pen APCR: 0
Pen HEAT: 75
Leave all the other numbers as they are.
This weapon is a Close Assault weapon and the "222" makes it function as such.

RobertMC is correct on this one, there is a problem with the Molotov and many other weapons in the OOB's. Some units have AP shots with a weapon that does not have the tag to use HEAT damage (the tag is 222 on the AP line in the editor) and misfire when they read the 0 damage rating, other units have HE ammo for weapons with no HE damage rating, with the same result. When you spot such a weapon, let folks know, and be patient, the next patch I believe will focus on OOB errors, and I for one am going to try and go through them ad nauseum to find all these little buggers.

Derek "Skandranon"