Four Seasons with Models

[ArmouredLion]

I was playing your mod--very, very cool BTW--and I noticed once I upgraded my specialist infantry (Commandos, Recon, ect.) to level II they production cost became 999999 and were unproducable. I am using Steam version... which I'm finding out isn't optimal. I purchased AT through Matrix when it first came out, then lost the info, so I bought it again on Steam so I wouldn't lose it-- now I'm in another predicament. I don't want to buy this game a third time--although I love it greatly-- to fix the issues, so I'm hoping there's a remedy for this Steam version... if that's the issue. Excellent mod. As a commander who loves his infantry, it was a lot of fun to see so many different infantry types. Thanks for the hard work.

[Ormand]

I will take a look at this tonight. I have to get to work.

I think I have a handle on the AI passivity as well, but I have to test it through a few games. In a nutshell, I mistakenly changed a rulevar to make the AI garrison cities. This takes too much of the AI force off the front, so it will never feel that it has the ability to challenge you.

I am seeing a lot of trials and tribulations from the Steam community because how long it takes to get the private betas into the Steam main stream. I will see if I can deprecate to the latest Steam patch.

However, you should be able to recover your matrix version, or any matrix purchased product. I have done this myself a couple of times after having to do a virgin install of windows. Log in to your matrix account on the www.matrixgames.com (edit: silly me stupid misspelling!!!) web site. Then click on "My Orders" in the righthand panel, this will show all your Matrix purchases and allow you to download them again. Then, click on the "My Serial #" link to get your serial numbers for the games. At which point, you will likely have to install some patches. This is a real nice feature!

[ArmouredLion]

I'm trying t get a battle with ernieschwitz going, so AI isn't an issue for me... yet. I'll def. starting playing your mod for my AI games, but right now trying to get it rolling in a mono e mono game is my concern. I've tried to get the Matrix download, but you need to know the last few digits of your CC... I have trouble remembering my name most days, and that card is long since defunct. I emailed a query to try and get it through solely my email. I wished I had known Steam can be a hassle... ohh well. Thanks for your effort and a excellent mod!!

[ernieschwitz]

.. and by Ernieschwitz he means Bombur See... he really can't get names right

[ArmouredLion]

hahahhaha... Not too bright, but truthful. :O

[Ormand]

ORIGINAL: ArmouredLion

I'm trying t get a battle with ernieschwitz going, so AI isn't an issue for me... yet. I'll def. starting playing your mod for my AI games, but right now trying to get it rolling in a mono e mono game is my concern. I've tried to get the Matrix download, but you need to know the last few digits of your CC... I have trouble remembering my name most days, and that card is long since defunct. I emailed a query to try and get it through solely my email. I wished I had known Steam can be a hassle... ohh well. Thanks for your effort and a excellent mod!!

Funny, I can download ATGold-SetupRelease-v200c.exe without any trouble at all, i.e., them wanting anything from the CC. Also, all my Serial Numbers show up when I click there.

I'll try to look at the issues tonight. I suspect that it might be difficult to deprecate. The reason being that in 2.26, new data is added to the SFT's, so I am not sure how that would work. It might ignore it, but it is a question of how they are stored and read back in. It is likely that there will be an alignment problem in the read. It will take some time to check this.

[ArmouredLion]

The set up wasn't a problem... well until after I read I needed to load the graphics separate. The only issue I have is with the infantry at level II... the specialty infantry of Commandos, Recon, Light, and Combat Engineers have a production value of 99999 and are unproducable. I lose two or three graphics using 225, but that's no problem. The production of the infantry though is a big one. Not sure if it's because I'm using Steam version, or 225, or on your end. Thanks... and my issue with the code is I don't remember the last 4 digits of the CC because it's been years. Tanks brother.

[Ormand]

OK, I believe that issue is fixed. I have uploaded v1.1.2. This came about because I didn't want you to be able to build the "rifle infantry model" since it already exists. I screwed up the logic and didn't check for an SFT upgrade, so it changed the cost for the upgraded unit to 9999 as if it were a new rifle model to be altered.

The passivity might be fixed as well, but I haven't had time to test this.

Hopefully, I didn't induce any bugs in the EU and SH versions. Since I made several core changes, I had to modify the rulevars for the regimes all over again.

I also advanced the month by one, so that it starts in May in the northern hemisphere, and November, down under.

[ArmouredLion]

SWWWWeeeet. Built a Battalion of Combat Engineers... can't wait for them to torch a bunker or root out a city full of enemies. I'll get that battle with Ern... err, I mean Bombur--played a little too much football in this life--going and toss my two cent to you as we go. Thanks for all the hard work to give me a good time! Really looking forward to this...

[Ormand]

Just fixed a new bug that I hadn't noticed. It likely would affect AI regimes, but there were two items as jeeps, but one was pointing to the dive bomber concept.

I am still working on the AI issue.

[ArmouredLion]

I saw the jeep in aircraft, but didn't want to hassle you with small fry stuff. I'm putting together a 4 way game with your mod and that will offer more feedback. I'm also playing an Ai game right now. Thanks for the hard work... I did notice that by turn 4 no AI declared war and there are 5 of them... not sure if that's normal or not.

[Ormand]

That's not the way it is intended to be. I peaked in a game after four turns and discovered that the AI was having a severe supply problem at four turns. It had also done something strange by utilizing a faraway HQ as the main HQ, but did not have any trains, etc, in it, just 2(!) trucks. So, I need to figure out what I might have modified to make the AI so stoopid.

[Ormand]

I believe the passive AI problem is solved. I uploaded a new version of the at2 files, this is version v1.1.3.

I also included an attempt to modify the AI-regime behavior depending on how things are going. In particular, if losses are too high, to become conservative and to defend in depth.

Please give feedback. Especially how artillery is working/not-working.

[ernieschwitz]

If you want or need some inspiration as to how to modify the AI and its ability to declare war, then take a look at the 2nd Civil War scenario. I did some good work in it, with the AI. At least I think it was good. Modifying the AI is not something a lot of people have looked into.

[Ormand]

I'll take a look!

I tried to do two things here.

First, I increased the likelihood of declaring war with each turn via rulevar 903.

Second. Using ExecAIConservative, I tried to make all AI regimes aggressive to start with. Then, each turn, I check the losses and the loss ratios to see if things are going badly or not. If losses are close to 1:1, then I keep it as is. If starts to go against the AI, I dial down the aggressiveness to normal. If it starts going badly for the AI, I make it very conservative and increase the defensive in depth rulevar parameters. If it ever gets better for the AI, then they shift back to normal. These checks are done at the start of each turn, and for the rulevars, these are set during each regime's turn. I don't know how well this will work, but it is the way to interact with the engine.

[Ormand]

Oops. Sorry, I left a debug feature on, which was showing regime variables 50 and 51 that I used to determine if the regimes were at war and if a message should be sent. I uploaded again with these turned off.

[Ormand]

Fixed some relatively minor terrain issues. Some terrains weren't correctly overlapping plains/spring/storm. Kept the same version number.

[ArmouredLion]

Spent the last couple of days moving to a new house and didn't have internet to reply. I'm catching up with things, so I'll get back to playing your mod and reporting what I find. I have found two others to join in a game of your mod...interested in being #4? If not I'll break it up into two games.

[Bombur]

I think the trouble of AI with supplies also happens in vanilla game. In my mod it seems to be alleviated by allowing the factories to produce supplies.

[Ormand]

ORIGINAL: ArmouredLion

Spent the last couple of days moving to a new house and didn't have internet to reply. I'm catching up with things, so I'll get back to playing your mod and reporting what I find. I have found two others to join in a game of your mod...interested in being #4? If not I'll break it up into two games.

Interesting idea. I haven't gone mano a mano. To tell the truth I spent so much time modding and debugging I probably stink at it. What is your schedule like in playing? PM me, and let me think about it.