Future Patches Release Rate?

[WW2'er]

Matrix has been great giving us new patches approximately every two weeks or less since release! :p


I understand that future patches will be slower in coming as priority work is being shifted to development of War In The Pacific and other game titles. With UV stable, that is to be expected and I do not have a problem with that.


I would like to know though, an approximate rate of release for future (the next 12 months) patches to Uncommon Valor. Should I be looking for a new patch every month?...two months?...every 4?....or no steady rate, just whenever?

[thantis]

I wouldn't expect to get another patch anytime soon - unless something horrible/game-breaking is found. With WiTP moving forward, I'd expect that the majority (if not all) of the staff has been reassigned and is currently working on the full campaign.

Support to this point has been excellent, and I can only assume that it will continue to be so. There may be a few tweaks, but I doubt we'll see another large-scale patch.

[David Heath]

Never under estimate the Matrix

[pasternakski]

1.5 be comin' baby, just like me and Wanda Rae out on the railroad tracks. The train was comin', she was comin', and I was comin', and I didn't know which one of us was gonna get there first!

[Joel Billings]

Version 1.5 is in test now, but we expect it to be in test for another several weeks as there are 35 changes to test and we want to make sure we don't screw something up. I'll try to post a patch list soon so you can see what is likely to be changed in the patch.

After this patch we will have fixed just about everything that we can without repeatable saves. Future patches will depend entirely on bug reports and our ability to repeat the bugs. No new features are planned, but as WitP develops, it is possible that things added to WitP will be retrofitted into UV. So my take is expect 1.5 around the end of September, and future patches to be very infrequent (ideally I'd like the game to become stable, but Mike may find some things to add to UV down the road).

[WW2'er]

Thanks for the update Joel. You're a good man!

Can't wait to see the list of fixes!

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Originally posted by Joel Billings
Version 1.5 is in test now, but we expect it to be in test for another several weeks as there are 35 changes to test and we want to make sure we don't screw something up. I'll try to post a patch list soon so you can see what is likely to be changed in the patch.

After this patch we will have fixed just about everything that we can without repeatable saves. Future patches will depend entirely on bug reports and our ability to repeat the bugs. No new features are planned, but as WitP develops, it is possible that things added to WitP will be retrofitted into UV. So my take is expect 1.5 around the end of September, and future patches to be very infrequent (ideally I'd like the game to become stable, but Mike may find some things to add to UV down the road).

Thanks for info Joel!

We will all be "on needles" waiting for your 35-item to fix list because, as
you said, this upcoming v1.50 patch is most likely to be with us for long
time...


Leo "Apollo11"

[Joel Billings]

Here's the current list we are working form. It is quite possible that one or more of these won't get included if the fix doesn't test out.

Patch Notes for 1.50

1) Subs should no longer fire torpedoes at barges and PT boats. They should surface to fire guns at barges.
2) The next/previous buttons for IJN carrier air groups should now work correctly in all instances.
3) The TF orders screen now shows the number of ships in the TF.
4) Air units will not upgrade plane types until the number of new aircraft in the replacement pool amounts to 125% of the needed aircraft for the upgrade of an IJN unit and 133% of the needed aircraft for the upgrade of an Allied unit
5) American dive-bomber groups, which begin the game on aircraft carriers no longer, increase their max ready size when transferred to a land base.
6) The aircraft loss screen now allows all aircraft losses to be shown.
7) PT Boats don’t use fuel when set to patrol (if they don’t move out of their hex). This is as intended.
8) After clicking on an option in the TF orders screen that would display a short message, the player could experience problems if they clicked on another option before the message finished. This problem has been fixed
9) A nationality column has been added to the ship sunk display.
10) A message is now displayed when coast guns are attacking transports. The map is now centered and a naval gun icon is placed in the hex. Specific hits are not reported.
11) Air units on Port Attack will attack without a specific target assigned used to attack ground targets. Now they will attack a port.
12) A new integer based random number generator is being used that may increase the accuracy of the replay in PBEM play.
13) The map is now centered and a naval gun icon is placed in the hex when a naval bombardment is in progress.
14) Coastwatcher spotting is now reported in PBEM play.
15) A phantom mouse hotspot reporting a non-existent base in the upper left corner of the map has been eliminated.
16) Fuel and Cargo capacity should no longer appear on the same line in the ship detail screen.
17) A victory screen will now appear to report an IJN auto victory.
18) A stand down button has been added to the Secondary Mission list on the air unit orders screen. This will set a unit to the Training mission with 0%, thus resting the unit.
19) Duplication of P-39 units in the combat animation screen should no longer occur.
20) Sometimes transport task forces attempting to unload, especially at an invasion hex were not allowed to unload and head home, when they should be allowed to unload. Surface action task forces, carrier task forces or shore batteries may still chase off transport task forces, but if nothing untoward occurs, they will now be allowed to unload.
21) The F2 toggle, which has displayed shallow water hexes, now displays an ‘s’ for shallow water hexes and a ‘c’ for coastal hexes. Coastal hexes are considered to be shallow water hexes for all purposes, except that they contain some land. The player may now load and unload at any coastal hex, but not in a shallow water hex (by definition these contain no land).
22) It has been realized that instances of what appeared to be units suddenly appearing in an enemy base were caused by AI controlled TF’s picking up enemy units. This bug should have been fixed in version 1.40.
23) Casualties to ground units caused by air and naval bombardments have been reduced. Casualties to ground units caused by strafing aircraft have been greatly reduced.
24) Routine Convoys should no longer pick up ground troops.
25) Counter strikes by aircraft that originate at a carrier just sunk, should now function normally. They used to go to the combat animation screen but no actual combat would occur.
26) IJN ASW effectiveness has been reduced by 50%.
27) Aircraft skip bombing or strafing TF’s should no longer overconcentrate on one ship.
28) A6M2’s now upgrade to A6M5’s instead of A6M3’s. Japanese aircraft at the start of the August 1, 1942 scenarios should now be A6M2’s instead of A6M3’s.
29) Ships were using a maximum of 900 op points to load troops (saving 100 for supplies). Now they can use up to 1000 op points to load troops if at a large enough port.
30) The scrollmouse function should now work properly.
31) The bomb load out of Val’s and Judy’s have been changed (increased) and the range of Val’s has been shortened.
32) When the Japanese player captures Brisbane or Noumea, the artificial intelligence for the Allied player will no longer continue to send out routine supply missions and use Japanese ships, if they are in port.
33) The in game data base should no longer show American torpedo bombers using 250kg bombs for extended range missions, instead of 500lb bombs.
34) The range circles for aircraft located on ships now function in the same fashion as range circles for land based aircraft.
35) The bombing and general quarters sound should no longer play when a patrol plane spots and identifies a surface ship.
36) Noumea now provides automatic supply to bases that have a clear road path to it.
37) Ground units should no longer be assigned to a base.
38) Damaged planes in an air group that is transferred will always cause a new sub group to be formed (they will not automatically merge with another air unit). This may alleviate some of the problems with too many pilots in an air unit.
39) Still working on fixing three items (hope to fix them for 1.50): LR-CAP over carriers too good, AV air units overload the AV’s and Allied ships continue to arrive in Noumea when owned by the IJN.

[XPav]

5) American dive-bomber groups, which begin the game on aircraft carriers no longer, increase their max ready size when transferred to a land base.

Amazing how a misplaced comma changes the meaning of the sentence.

27) Aircraft skip bombing or strafing TF’s should no longer overconcentrate on one ship.

Yay!

38) Damaged planes in an air group that is transferred will always cause a new sub group to be formed (they will not automatically merge with another air unit). This may alleviate some of the problems with too many pilots in an air unit.

Yes it should! Whoohoo!

Great work Joel & all of 2by3 & Matrix.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Sounds very good, Joel but where's the list of the new bugs you plan to introduce with the next patch?

hehe.... joking...

List is fantastic, but please take your time and test it as thoroughly as possible...

O.

[Gabby]

There is some really good stuff on this list. Thanks guys.

[RevRick]

I cannot believe the response you folk at Matrix have had to the gamers - it is simply fantastic!! Even when I had to restart a campaign because your patches changed enough game parameters - like the DD depth charge load outs in the early patch - it was worth it. Now, happily, it does not appear that these changes will change the OOB or the TOE for the units enough to warrant a restart - which means that I have to hurry and get some P-38's in the game before I have to build 32 of the bloody things before they start squadron service.

You sure we can't find a way to stop production of something really useful, like the TBD and P-400, maybe even the Wirraway, for example, and waste that capacity on some luxury items, like P-38's, B-25's, or heaven forbid, B-17E's before October 42?

[pasternakski]

Yas, I am severely gruntled. Denkew.

[RevRick]

of ruthful business people.

[tanjman]

Joel,


Thanks for the update on 1.5!

1) Will the missing editable field for leaders in the "Pilots" section be added to the editor soon? I reported this back before the 1.11 patch was released.

2) No. 79 Sqn RAAF is equipt with the Spitfire IX (delay of 396) yet there are no replacement Spitfires. I would suggest a rate of 3 - 5 starting 1 June 43.

Thanks again for a great game and support!

[Caltone]

Originally posted by Joel Billings

23) Casualties to ground units caused by air and naval bombardments have been reduced. Casualties to ground units caused by strafing aircraft have been greatly reduced.

31) The bomb load out of Val’s and Judy’s have been changed (increased) and the range of Val’s has been shortened.

Hmmm,

On #23 I'm not seeing tons of casualties in 1.4 unless the troops are in a small base (little or no fortifications) are others expierencing heavy casualties? Also I would expect the losses to mount after repeated or very large attacks.

#31 I hope its not shortened by too much I think normal is 9 now and 8 for Kates will both be 8?

Thanks for the updates and hard work guys.

[Wilhammer]

Just what are you doing to the Val bombload? Are you making it so that a t long range it carries a single 250 kg instead of 2 - 60s?

LR-CAP over carriers too good is on the 'maybe' list?!?!.

That is a game killer, I would expect it to be a critical must-do item.

[Joel Billings]

The LR-cap item would be a redo if it happened every time and we knew what was happening. Gary is trying to tone it down, but the one save he was sent does not consistently show killer LR-CAP.

I think the editor has been changed to deal with leaders (at least in WitP) but I don't know when it will be released.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Thanks for list Joel!

Nonetheless I have few questions/comments...

7) PT Boats don’t use fuel when set to patrol (if they don’t move out of their hex). This is as intended.

Why is this Joel?

I reported this a s a bug and this was fixed in v1.30/v1.40 and
now you are returning it back?

This is not OK because you can park (as I did when I posted
this bug first time) the PT TF for days/weeks/months at one
place and they would stay there. This is simply unrealistic...

23) Casualties to ground units caused by air and naval bombardments have been reduced. Casualties to ground units caused by strafing aircraft have been greatly reduced.

Great!!!

Another one of "my" bugs (i.e. the ones I hate most) eliminated!

27) Aircraft skip bombing or strafing TF’s should no longer overconcentrate on one ship.

Yes!!!

One more of "my" bugs (i.e. the ones I hate most) eliminated!

38) Damaged planes in an air group that is transferred will always cause a new sub group to be formed (they will not automatically merge with another air unit). This may alleviate some of the problems with too many pilots in an air unit.

Superb - thank you for listening!!!

I am still trying to find out the name of the UV player who first
suggested this (and then I, from memory, posted his idea to
Joel)...

39) Still working on fixing three items (hope to fix them for 1.50): LR-CAP over carriers too good, AV air units overload the AV’s and Allied ships continue to arrive in Noumea when owned by the IJN.

I hope that those will be fixed as well (especially the LRCAP over
Air FT which is really bad one)!


BTW, any hope for stratospheric air combat bug/issue?

The air combat above 20000 ft in south Pacific was not historic
in 1942/1943. The warring sides lacked proper equipment and
gear for such kind of combat (and B-17s flying at 33000ft, and
they couldn't climb that high anyway in humid atmosphere, didn't
have accuracy as if they were dropping LGBs).


Leo "Apollo11"

[HannoMeier]

Thanks Joe,

I am especially looking forward to the pilot / damaged planes solution and the LR-CAP over Air Combat TF issue.

Matrix Games and 2by3 Games commitment is simply great. UV is the best wargame I played for years.

Hanno