New v1.21.04 Hotfix for Public Beta

[pzgndr]

Hello, the public beta installer appears to be fine and folks are able to play. I've fixed a few issues related to sieges and blockades, and made a few other little enhancements. Unless there are some showstoppers with PBEM that I need to look at, I'd like to move towards an official game update using v1.21.04. There are still plenty of bugs on the list, but I'd like to lock this down and get a final package to Matrix.

I suspect a lot of players are holding off trying these hotfixes and public betas, waiting instead for an official release patch. Once that happens, we should get some more players back and more feedback about going forward. Or arguments, whatever.

Below is a list of latest improvements. Please save a copy of the v1.21.03 EXE and paste the attached v1.21.04 EXE into your game folder. Let me know if sieges and blockades are better. Thanks.


Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars - 1.21.04
=============================================
- 0000541: [Rules Deviation] Incorrect interpretation of separate peace in the game - resolved.
- 0000576: [Game Bug] Enemy Depot in City blocks occupation - resolved.
- 0000646: [Game Enhancement] AAR battle marker - closed.
- 0000759: [Game Enhancement] Instead of an AAR battle marker, simply indicate number of factors involved in a battle in the log - resolved.
- 0000811: [Game Bug] Forces in city and out of city somehow switched - resolved.
- Game bug with port guns firing without enemy garrison present - resolved.
- Game bug with naval attack upon enemy fleets in a blockade box - resolved.
- Added political shading on/off toggle for main map based on mini-map selection.
- Added additional checks for besieged cities using sea supply to verify no blockades.

[76mm]

Excellent, thanks, will try to start another game next week.

[Pans]

thanks a lot for this improvements. I am just gonna start a new 7-players PBEM game and we are struggling with this hot fix. I receive an error message concerning the Serial number. Any idea?

[pzgndr]

Pans, welcome back! The hotfix EXE should work; there's nothing specific to serial number. I copied it into my regular installation and it worked. So maybe an issue with your installation or perhaps multiple installations stepping on each other? I recommend a clean install.

[Pans]

thanks for the fast Reply.
I installed a complete new EiA game with no other on my machine. Than I made the upgrade to 1.21.03 - which worked fine. After that I exchanged the eianw.exe against the 1.21.04. Is that the way?

[pzgndr]

ORIGINAL: Pans
I installed a complete new EiA game with no other on my machine. Than I made the upgrade to 1.21.03 - which worked fine. After that I exchanged the eianw.exe against the 1.21.04. Is that the way?

That should work for everyone. The v1.21.03 public beta is a comprehensive update. The v1.21.04 hotfix just updates the EXE.

I will update this latest hotfix for the official release pending any PBEM issues. I've been working on resolving a pesky problem with British AI making too many frivolous amphibious invasions. Hopefully I will resolve that for the official release.

[Pans]

do you know this web page? possibly some good Infos and ideas.
http://www.boardgaming.info/EIA-archive/scenarios.php

[pzgndr]

ORIGINAL: Pans
do you know this web page? possibly some good Infos and ideas.
http://www.boardgaming.info/EIA-archive/scenarios.php

Indeed I do, and I have copies of various other references too. I spent a bit of time researching and developing the different 1805 campaign scenarios for EIA v3.1 and EIH v4.0. Hopefully this will appease most players of the original boardgame to some extent, and provide players a choice. My next challenge is to implement the 1812 scenario. The biggest problem was not being able to place the Confederation of the Rhein minors outside their countries, which severely limited the French setup for invading Russia. I need to make code changes for that in the next update and then develop the data files and setups for EIA and EIH versions. Trying to make the game flexible enough to handle those earlier scenarios with OOB changes and leader rating changes over the years might not be doable? Maybe as stand-alone scenarios perhaps. The game editor also has quite a few limitations that maybe I can resolve so that players can better work on custom scenarios themselves. I tried to make a couple of adjustments to the editor code but didn't get too far, so ended up using a hex editor to modify the data files manually. damieiro was trying to develop a hex editor tool for scenarios? I haven't heard from him lately; that may be a more efficient way to go.

[76mm]

I just did a quick classic 1805 campaign with v1.21.04; generally all went well, but a few minor comments:
--minor thing, but the bug with clicking on the light ship icons is still there;
--the Brits still make an amazing number of pointless amphib attacks, especially on Lille.
--not sure if this matters, but I noticed that there are two "Area3" on the map: one is the sea area midway up the Norwegian coast, and the other is the sea area just south of Sveaborg. I'm guessing these aren't highly-trafficked areas, but I'm guessing this could lead to some weird bugs...
--I just noticed in this game that often when I chose flank attack, I was not given the chance to choose my flanking force before the battle started...seemed to usually happen with a "cordon" defense--I guess this is a feature, not a bug?

[pzgndr]

ORIGINAL: 76mm
I just did a quick classic 1805 campaign with v1.21.04; generally all went well, but a few minor comments:
--minor thing, but the bug with clicking on the light ship icons is still there;
--the Brits still make an amazing number of pointless amphib attacks, especially on Lille.
--not sure if this matters, but I noticed that there are two "Area3" on the map: one is the sea area midway up the Norwegian coast, and the other is the sea area just south of Sveaborg. I'm guessing these aren't highly-trafficked areas, but I'm guessing this could lead to some weird bugs...
--I just noticed in this game that often when I chose flank attack, I was not given the chance to choose my flanking force before the battle started...seemed to usually happen with a "cordon" defense--I guess this is a feature, not a bug?

For light ships, is this trying to build light ships and double clicking the icon? I still need to find how this problem is happening to fix it, but the work-around is to just double click below to undo it. And there aren't any light ships or transports to build in the classic scenario. I did just fix a bug for naval unit display, to show both heavy and light ships in heavy fleets that have both, in the alternate EIH scenario.

I've been experimenting with blocking British/Russian amphib landing into France and Holland prior to 1813 and this seems to be helping some. At least it redirects them to other areas and maybe northern Germany region. Long term, I need to add naval transport code to reinforce or withdraw as necessary.

Area3 duplicate near Sveaborg looks like it should be Area700? This error has been around since v1.00! Fixed now.

Cordon defense blocks Outflank attack. See rule 11.2.2. Working correctly.

[76mm]

Thanks; again no big deal with the light ship thing, just wanted to mention it.

Area 700 looks to be correct!

[Michael T]

What a shame this game was not at the level it is at now when it was released. Too many players and potential players put off, permanently.

If I could convince my mates to play again I would try it out. But this game lost all credibility with them long ago....sad.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Michael T
If I could convince my mates to play again I would try it out. But this game lost all credibility with them long ago....sad.

After following the game for a few years after release, I too had written it off, but I decided to pick it up for $20 during the recent sale.

I'm glad I did; as mentioned in my post above, against the AI anyway the game plays fine, although the AI is a weak opponent. I'd like to get into a PBEM game but doubt I'd be able to find the players... Some of the previous bugs involved PBEM play, however, so it would be good to get confirmation that they've been fixed before trying to get more people to buy it...

[pzgndr]

ORIGINAL: Michael T
What a shame this game was not at the level it is at now when it was released. Too many players and potential players put off, permanently.
If I could convince my mates to play again I would try it out. But this game lost all credibility with them long ago....sad.

I hear you. I cannot undo the past, but I can do something about moving forward and making the game better. It's challenging but I am slowly making some progress.

At its heart, the Empires in Arms game itself remains a great wargame for grand strategy Napoleonic warfare. I like the scale and scope, compared to, say, Crown of Glory or Wars of Napoleon or others which have a bit too much micromanagement for my taste. I know players have been put off but I'm optimistic that getting an official update out shortly might re-energize enough players to get back into the game and help move us toward the next update.

[Michael T]

The original board game is an all time classic. One of my favorites. And with a lot of others too. It strikes the perfect balance.

[bazjak]

[/quote]

I hear you. I cannot undo the past, but I can do something about moving forward and making the game better. It's challenging but I am slowly making some progress.

At its heart, the Empires in Arms game itself remains a great wargame for grand strategy Napoleonic warfare. I like the scale and scope, compared to, say, Crown of Glory or Wars of Napoleon or others which have a bit too much micromanagement for my taste. I know players have been put off but I'm optimistic that getting an official update out shortly might re-energize enough players to get back into the game and help move us toward the next update.
[/quote]
Wow
I do hope so
Thanks very much

[76mm]

Pzgdr, another small geography bug--there are two area 253s--one just north of Crimea, and one the easternmost area in Crimea. I think that one of them should be 251 or 252.