In-turn And end of Turn saves!

Al Boone · Post by **Al Boone** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 10:14 pm

Please reinstall this feature for all Megacampaigns. I agree with others that this is the worst feature of MegaCampaigns. If I am playing solitaire, there is no reason to play computer police with me. There are just to many variables that can distract one during a long game turn. It would be even acceptable to lock out this feature for PBM or Head to Head, although an end of turn save seems to be desirable even here. Even a return to beginning of turn feature would be better. Things are very awkward the way game saves are regulated now. Hopefully this would help the apparent problems with scoring.

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:54 am

Motion Seconded!

tmac · Post by **tmac** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 2:01 am

It would be nice

simulacrum · Post by **simulacrum** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 5:20 am

It would be nice

"Nice" is an understatement. Intra-turn/inter-turn saves would make MCs eminently more playable.

said46 · Post by **said46** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:48 pm

1. SAVE
press "Quit", press Alt-Tab, copy 3 files from ...\Megacam\save\*.* to your directory, press Alt-Tab, load save...

2. LOAD
press "Quit", press Alt-Tab, copy files from your directory to ...\Megacam\save\ , press Alt-Tab, load save...

So possible do anytime although how many times.

Excuse me for bad english.

soren · Post by **soren** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:35 pm

Originally posted by said46
1. SAVE
press "Quit", press Alt-Tab, copy 3 files from ...\Megacam\save\*.* to your directory, press Alt-Tab, load save...

2. LOAD
press "Quit", press Alt-Tab, copy files from your directory to ...\Megacam\save\ , press Alt-Tab, load save...

So possible do anytime although how many times.

Excuse me for bad english.

this one works perfect. No need to complain.
It takes only 5 seconds

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 10:09 pm

And I suppose you two know exactly when your system is going to crash so that you can do this simple 5 second procedure immediately before your crash. :rolleyes:

said46 · Post by **said46** » Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:03 am

> And I suppose you two know exactly when your system is going to
> crash so that you can do this simple 5 second procedure immediately
> before your crash.

I use this way more year. No problems was not. And be must not.

simulacrum · Post by **simulacrum** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:54 am

For the cost of the Mega Campaigns, clunky workarounds are no better than the clunky save system of the MCs. Please revert to the standard Steel Panthers save capability.

lexxan · Post by **lexxan** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:59 am

I agree; maybe an option/preference like the "Ironman-mod" used in other type of games (basically the present system in the megacampaign) would be a wise solution. I still make it with the classic alt-ctrl-del (and then re-open the program restarting from the last save) but I would prefer to avoid it. I'm always playing the solitarie mod so makes no sense , in my opinion, the present system and sometimes makes me upset [:@]. Why do that then? Does somebody know the reasons behind this choice?

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:42 pm

As project coordinator for three of the mega campaigns, I wish to clarify this matter.

During the first MC we did, Rommel in North Africa, I approached the programmer of the Mega Campaign system, Mr. Michael Wood.

I felt that saves per turn was an option that should be added. He disagreed. His reasoning was that the player was committed. If he screwed up, he should suffer the consequences of a bad decision.

In other words, saving per turn was not really a fair way to play. In spite of my arguments to the contrary, Michael, as the author of the system, felt very strongly that this was how it should be. And so it was...and is.

Now, with the problem of a possible crash and the loss of part of a scenario or an entire scenario being skipped, saving per turn is still a viable issue.

Unfortunately, I do not have the expertise to do that. I am not a programmer. Michael Wood has moved on...way on to another gaming company and other projects. So having him change this is not a possibility.

Soren's workaround is a good one. It is the best I've seen yet. This can work for multiple saves too as long as they are moved out of the save directory to another spot. I do that sometimes.

No, one cannot predict a crash. So just how vital are the saves would depend on how much you are willing to take the time to do them.

I wish the feature were in the game. I really do. But that is the reason that it is not. And without being a mind reader, I don't think Mr. Wood would want it changed.

Not much help, but a little understanding perhaps....WB

lexxan · Post by **lexxan** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:36 am

Thank you very much for the explanation, Bill [:)]. Thank you also very much for making these masterpieces of computer strtegy games. I just have a (new) dream: SPWAW with yearly new MCs (possibly made by you) and with a brand new graphic plus a good new engine. Sometimes the dreams come true, or not? [8|]

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 2:32 pm

Well, I happen to agree with Michael Woods argument. The MCs are supposed to be the toughest campaing challenges in Sp: Waw. Therefore, there should not be an in turn save. I'd like to see it removed all together, as there's really no need for it.

All an in turn save lets one do is save prior to moving a unit and then load if things don't go well. As such, it has no place in an MC. Yes, I know the argument "But, with no in turn save, I can't save if I have to leave the PC before finishing the turn." To which I counter "If you don't have time to play the turn, then don't start it."

Besides, you can save the MC as often as you like, by exiting it. When you exit, it gets saved. Yes, it takes a little longer to do it that way, if you wanna save before you move each unit, but it can be done, at any time, including at turn end. It's just a more bulky procedure, but, it's there, if you really must have it.

Alex

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 4:28 pm

I guess I look at it from the point of view that I don't need "Big Brother" telling me how to play a solitaire game. Personally, I only backup at the beginning of every other battle or so, BUT I really find it annoying when someone tries to impose their own views on how a game should be played.

Mr. Wood's way of thinking is rather fascist, my way is libertarian.

There is a workaround to the problem, and that is just the point! If there is a workaround, the ones who want to use the feature for "evil" will do so anyway, and those who want to use it for "good" are given more hoops to jump through than need be.

Thanks to WB for at least explaining the reason so I can direct my ire to the right person.[;)]

Bob

VikingNo2 · Post by **VikingNo2** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:57 pm

RB is so gentle[&o][8|]

Gentle as killing flys with a mallet [:'(]

rbrunsman · Post by **rbrunsman** » Thu Feb 26, 2004 4:05 pm

[8D]

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:36 am

Lexxan! Thank you. A most encouraging and gratifying note from you. It means a lot to me and to EVERY member of the various teams that worked with me on these three.

It was a united effort all the way. Some did so much. Others could not. Everyone did what they could. I've learned a new respect for those in this hobby by those who have worked with me and through the forums with the opportunity to know people like you.

RB, I can understnand your frustration, but you express it very good naturedly and that is how to do it.

War is hell. So is a mega-campaign...but we still love to play 'em, don't we? I know I do. Plus the pics, the articles; all of it designed to give us the feel of what is happening.

WB

Wild Bill

lexxan · Post by **lexxan** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:31 am

Being, unfortunately, near the 40s [:(] I had followed the computer gaming since its real beginning. The 1st real love was a game named "Bliztkrieg!" that is, in practics, SPWAW in its core and primitive form; since then I played hundreds games with ever growing graphics and special effects but... the playability, the game balance were not following the same trend. The result is that in my hard disks there is always a place for SPWAW/MC while games like Blitzkrieg (the new one from the russian Nival) comes and go in a week because the graphic is wonderful (For SPWAW would be great!) but there is little fun having no real "Gaming-soul" [>:] (the heart-beating before a Para-lunch or before the lunch of a major offensive ecc...) inside.It is like a stupid gorgeus woman. Spwaw is just the opposite, A charming ugly lady. I want to have a charming gorgeus woman![:D]
I wanted to write my "Devotion" to you and yr companions because I (think to) know the creative people absorb new energies from their fans, like a symbiosis; it doesn't matter if you makes books, paint or computer games!

Thanks to you Bill (and yr team).[&o][&o][&o]

John David · Post by **John David** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:44 pm

I wish that you could have in game saves as well as most here, but the most frustrating thing is that when the game crashes,and it does[:@], if you've played an hour or more, you loose all the turns from the start of your session!

If I had a choice, I would compromise and want the game to self save at the end of each turn. I know you can do it yourself by jumping in and out of the game after every turn, but in the heat of battle when your really concentrating and up to your neck in it, I don't always remember to "take a breath!".

In the end, it's up to me to remember to save after a few turns. I've played long enough to know better, but occasionally I forget.
So be it. I love this game and the MC's too much to let it bother me![8D]

JD

huhrlass · Post by **huhrlass** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 3:08 pm

I agree with the save feature, i was playing a mega campaign and i received and error loading one of the scenarios and then the game was gone after two months of playing