(0.7.16) Bugs

[SoulBlazer]

Started playing today a new game with the new 7.16 patch and ran into two bugs:

1) This one was weird, the game wouldn't let me plan a mission for some reason even though I have the money and all the equipment:

2) And this one, you can see the screen on and I've already opened the program for doing a two man (Gemani) direct landing, but clicking on the buttons to plan any missions doesn't do anything:
(I'll post the picture for that one in a reply)

[SoulBlazer]

Here's Bug 2, this one is fatal cause you can't do a lunar landing. Somehow the problem with Bug 1 got worked out with going forward a few seasons and doing a reload.

[Nacho84]

Hello SoulBlazer,

Thanks for the feedback.

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

Started playing today a new game with the new 7.16 patch and ran into two bugs:

1) This one was weird, the game wouldn't let me plan a mission for some reason even though I have the money and all the equipment:

This is not a bug. You got a random event saying that X mission component won't be available for a Y number of turns, that's why you cannot schedule this mission. The random event should have been displayed in the news screen.

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

2) And this one, you can see the screen on and I've already opened the program for doing a two man (Gemani) direct landing, but clicking on the buttons to plan any missions doesn't do anything:
(I'll post the picture for that one in a reply)

Sorry, I'm not following you on this one. You say that the program is already opened but, based on the screenshot, it hasn't been opened yet. You need to click the green "Open Program" button and you'll get a pop-up asking you to confirm your decision.

Cheers,

[SoulBlazer]

Thanks for the quick response!

In regards to Bug 1: No, I DID NOT get a message about that random event. I even went
back and checked my saves.

In regards to Bug 2: I DID try clicking on the Open Program button, but nothing happens.

[Nacho84]

Hello SoulBlazer,

Really strange about the random event. We'll keep an eye on it and see if we can reproduce it while we're testing the interim builds internally.

About bug #2: can you send me a savefile so that I can reproduce it and troubleshoot it?

Happy Easter!

Cheers,

[SoulBlazer]

Sure, but where does one find the save files at?

Another thing -- I noticed that some of the tasks are duplicated at both the Earth Based
Two Man Capsule program and the Moon Based Lunar Landing programs. I did all my opening
of programs and research and flights from the former. Could that have caused issues with
the latter?

Finally, a side note -- I really like the option of being able to pick and choose rockets,
but I wish you had more information available as to WHAT a rocket could launch. It's
frustrating spending time and money to RD a rocket thinking you can use it for a while
and then find years later it's not strong enough. I know the weights and everything are
available, but going back and forth all those screens to find that and keep that in mind
and all that is tedious and annoying. I'd rather spend the money early in to RD a rocket
that can be used for many things (like the Saturn V). Something telling us which capsules
that a rocket can launch would be great!

[Nacho84]

Hello SoulBlazer,

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

Sure, but where does one find the save files at?

Please, see this link.

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

Another thing -- I noticed that some of the tasks are duplicated at both the Earth Based
Two Man Capsule program and the Moon Based Lunar Landing programs. I did all my opening
of programs and research and flights from the former. Could that have caused issues with
the latter?

Might be, I'm not sure. I really want to get my hands on that savefile so that I can reproduce the problem [:)] We did quite a bunch of internal testing before releasing 0.7.16 and, so far, the only critical bug reported in both the Matrix and the Slitherine forums was something related to random events. This is the first time someone reports an issue with a program that cannot be opened.

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

Finally, a side note -- I really like the option of being able to pick and choose rockets,
but I wish you had more information available as to WHAT a rocket could launch. It's
frustrating spending time and money to RD a rocket thinking you can use it for a while
and then find years later it's not strong enough. I know the weights and everything are
available, but going back and forth all those screens to find that and keep that in mind
and all that is tedious and annoying. I'd rather spend the money early in to RD a rocket
that can be used for many things (like the Saturn V). Something telling us which capsules
that a rocket can launch would be great!

Yes, I see your point. OK, we'll think of something. I like the idea of telling which capsules can be launched by each rocket, I'll squeeze a button somewhere in order to show that info in a popup. Notice that in the next patch (0.7.17) the VAB will be the one that will determine whether you can open a rocket program or not, so hopefully the initial rocket list won't look very intimidating.

Cheers,

[SoulBlazer]

Okay, thanks for the instructions. I have attached the last 3 autosaves from my game
(All in 1973). If you need anything further back, please let me know.

And thanks for being willing to include a button for the rockets!

Something else I said in earlier thread -- your astronauts stick around WAY too long.
Guys were not going into space in their 40's. (With the exception of John Glenn). Maybe
in a future version this can be changed so they stick around to their early to mid 30's
and then retire.

Thanks for the quick and friendly help and feedback!

[Nacho84]

Hello SoulBlazer,

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

Okay, thanks for the instructions. I have attached the last 3 autosaves from my game
(All in 1973). If you need anything further back, please let me know.

Thanks for the autosaves. Indeed, there was a glitch in the spreadsheet. It's fixed now, the solution will be shipped in 0.7.17.

ORIGINAL: SoulBlazer

Something else I said in earlier thread -- your astronauts stick around WAY too long.
Guys were not going into space in their 40's. (With the exception of John Glenn). Maybe
in a future version this can be changed so they stick around to their early to mid 30's
and then retire.

Yes, I think your suggestion makes sense. Mid 30's is a bit too young, though: Neil Armstrong was 39 when he walked on the Moon and Shepard commanded Apollo 14 in his 40s. I think 55 is a nice number. Historical trivia: John Young remained an active astronaut until his retirement in late 2004. He was 74 back then, so 9 years older than GSA's retirement age! In any case, his last flight was in the 1980s.

Cheers,

[SoulBlazer]

Glad you guys were able to find the bug! I KNEW I wasn't dreaming when I couldn't do
anything there. I figured it was fine cause I knew the program was open, but the game
wasn't registering it for some reason. Guess I'll need to wait for the patch until I
play again. It's become MUCH harder in this version to do the moon landing by 1973. Money
still seems to be the low side and prestige given way too high. There's no incentive or
reason during campaign mode to do any of the 'optional' stuff (other Earth satalites,
plantet flybys, Viking, etc.) cause your time and money is so short and you're on a strict
deadline to get stuff done. Lower prestige given out would encourage you to do some of
that stuff so you can get the budget increases.

I swear also that the other bug (not being told about that random event for equipment
not being available) is valid also. And it wasn't just a rocket that was affected --
ALL my stuff was shut down, didn't matter what I tried to launch. All probes and rockets
and capsules were affected. I recall clicking through various rockets and programs trying
to find something that would work. I assumed it was a bug, kept playing, and it cleared
up in a couple turns.

I had forgotten that about the flyboys ages! Good catch. I'd suggest 50 for a retirement
age. That seems fair.

[nico7550]

50 is fair, but don't forget John Glenn last fly at 77...

Another idea is:
Starting at 50, a really slow decay of the mental skills and a slow decay of the physical skills.
But in exchange, some "Granddad" achievements (60 copper, 70 silver, 80 gold, 90 platinum...).