Misc Tech Support Issues III

[Spuzzum]

quote:

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Originally posted by Epsilon 5:

Spuzzum : you can't play with cargo pods with a cc.

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Yes, I know that (I remember him saying something along those lines a while back)... but I'm curious if he was planning on changing it, or whether it was simply a mistake in the manual.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Epsilon 5:

CONCLUSION : the effect of "tractor drag" doesn't work as it should with a/p on.

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Seems like it. The a/p always had relaxed rules anyway. OK, one more hole to plug then.

[Spuzzum]

Well, I'm going to make a rebuttal here. If I sound rude, that wasn't my intention (seriously).

Nah, rebuttals are fine. Leave the other part out.

quote:

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If its not in the manual, you can't do it.

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That clarifies things somewhat, but I'm curious why I can dock with an SOS starbase, then. The manual mentions starstations, but doesn't mention starbases at all.

In any case, it doesn't matter, because its usually more satisfying to watch the starbase go up in flames! Burn, Raiders, burn!!!

You can dock with a station or starbase, regardless of whether they are emitting SOS or not. The only difference being that in order to capture a station, it must be emitting an SOS. You cannot capture starbases. At least not in the current version of BCM.

quote:

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And the problem is what, exactly?

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...that the menu for the supply station pops up but I can't click on any options. I'm still looking into it, though, so I'll keep you posted.

If they don't have any engineers or spares at the time, you can't do anything. The same code used for stations is the same for starbases. There is no distinction - apart from the fact that starbases don't service capital ships - since you can't dock with them.

quote:

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Works as designed

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I'm supposed to fire off one shot once I step through a DJP? That's one shot of ammo I could've spent downing a Raider!

No. Activating the DJP menu should not cause a shot to be fired. In fact, that was addressed a while back. Are you using the latest version of the game? Anyway, I just tried it and it works fine here. No shot was fired and I was holding the ZS10 in my hand at the time.

And you could always holster your weapon first.

quote:

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See manual p68 (first line).[snip]

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I can live with that. It makes sense, I suppose, but it seems like a lot of work to transfer to a shuttlecraft and then to a cargo pod -- it muddles the usefulness somewhat, IMO.

Not a problem, anyway... there's no point in dropping cargo pods in space right now, because the nearest Commercial or Trader will come and nick it.

Commanding a capital ship is a lot of work. Besides, if you could do everything in a CC that you could a shuttle, you wouldn't need shuttles.

quote:

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So why'd you post about it if you wanted it to be ignored?

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I sense an explanation coming!

I beta test for Dantom Intl. and if I find a problem but can't find a possible cause, I'll still warn them about it before making up a test case that attempts to reproduce the problem accurately. The warning doesn't help them fix it, but it lets them know that I might suddenly pop in with a cascade of errors, or it indicates to them to hold off suddenly releasing something to the masses that has a fatal flaw somewhere.

If that method is erroneous here, I won't do it any more. I'd like to be as helpful as I can!

Ah OK. I understand. Makes sense, somewhat

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[exazoid]

Hi. I have encountered a quite serious stability bug. It is "reproduceable" every time, but I cannot describe any clear road to do it.

One scenario: I fly between GalcomHQ and Polaris2-station (can't remember its name) with cargo in a shuttle MK1.

Approx. between 13:45 and 14:05 (first day) the game crashes and exits to the windows desktop.

Usually (but not always) it's when enemy craft enters or something blows up.

It also happens if I try other stuff, so I don't think it has anything to do with my activities.

By now, it has been tried on several systems having the same problem (and the problem has occured several times on each).

I think this properbly rules out hardware problems - it might still be an W2K/DX8.1 issue, as this is the only common thing of these systems.

After CRASH no savegame exists (well, haven't exited the game to save).

This is very annoying, is it possible to turn on some sort of full logging, so that I (or some 3000AD-employee) can figure out what causes this.

System 1:

Asus A7V

Athlon 1GHz

640 Megs RAM

SB PCI 16

Matrox G400Max

Windows 2K US-edition fully patched accordingly to windowsupdate.

DX 8.1

all drivers current stable release

BCM version 1.0.0.2

System 2:

Asus L8400C laptop (url to specs)

PIII-800MHz

256 MB RAM

Windows 2K US-edition fully patched

DX 8.1

all drivers current stable release

BCM version 1.0.0.3

System 3:

Soltek 75AKV motherboard

AMD Duron 800 MHz

RAM 512

SB AWE 64 (ISA)

Asus GeForce 2 (7100 series)

Windows 2K US-edition fully patched

DX 8.1

all drivers current stable release

BCM version 1.0.0.3

Thanks in advance and happy X-mas

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: exazoid ]

[Meldan]

Hi all:

I'm having a problem with BCM that I have run out of ideas with. I dont think it is a problem with the game itself.

I start a new career, select the ship etc, and launch from the station. I get to the screen that loads all the zones, and get to the 'load complete: standby' in the lower corner just before the bridge screen comes up. Then everything just hangs and the game goes no further. I need to hit the reset switch.

System specs are:

1hz AMD Athlon

768m RAM

Visiontek Xtasy TI 500 with nvidia detonator 23.11 drivers

Soundblaster PCI 500 with latest drivers

Win98 SE

DirectX 8.1

Media Player 7.1

I have reinstalled Win98 over existing install. I have reinstalled video, sound and DirectX drivers. Reapplied 1.0.2 patch (havent tried 1.0.3 yet - will when I get home).

Any ideas as to what to try? What is it not finding that it needs to?

Thanks

[Tyrn]

quote:

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Originally posted by exazoid:

Hi. I have encountered a quite serious stability bug. It is "reproduceable" every time, but I cannot describe any clear road to do it.

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Have youy followed the stability steps in the BCM FAQ? (Look under DOCS in your BCM program group)

You need to follow the ALL the directions given in this thread.

If you need any help with this, feel free to contact me.

[email protected]

[Cytruss]

Hi there,

I have a save game that is about 12 hours in. And guess what? When I go to load the savegame now, it runs out of memory? I have...

1.9Ghz Pentium 4

512M of RAM w/4000G Swap

30G HDD

It was working fine, been playing this save game for a couple of days now. After upgrade to the latest version.

Is there anyway to get this fixed?

Thanks.

--

Dan

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by exazoid:

Hi. I have encountered a quite serious stability bug. It is "reproduceable" every time, but I cannot describe any clear road to do it.

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Without a saved game, there is no way to investigate. So, if you are certain. Try saving the game prior to the occurence. Since you assert that it is reproducible, you should be able to tell when to save it.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cytruss:

Hi there,

I have a save game that is about 12 hours in. And guess what? When I go to load the savegame now, it runs out of memory? I have...

1.9Ghz Pentium 4

512M of RAM w/4000G Swap

30G HDD

It was working fine, been playing this save game for a couple of days now. After upgrade to the latest version.

Is there anyway to get this fixed?

Thanks.

--

Dan

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Send in the saved game. Be sure to check the announcements thread for details on how to pack up and send saved games.

Make sure that you are running the LATEST version of the game (1.0.03) and that the saved game is from that version. i.e. not carried over from any previous version.

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[exazoid]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Without a saved game, there is no way to investigate. So, if you are certain. Try saving the game prior to the occurence. Since you assert that it is reproducible, you should be able to tell when to save it.

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The reason for the quotes around reproduceable is, that I cannot tell, when it happens.. But I am gaming now with a game, saved now and then...

Wierdly, I have passed the point, I never reached before (15:00 on day 1).

[Spuzzum]

quote:

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If they don't have any engineers or spares at the time, you can't do anything. The same code used for stations is the same for starbases. There is no distinction - apart from the fact that starbases don't service capital ships - since you can't dock with them.

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Yep, I can understand that. Out of curiosity, though, what would be the likely factors in a starbase not having engineers available to repair my OC? (I'm reminded of the Gammulans-smoking-near-the-O2-tanks joke for some reason.)

The "supply station" I was referring to was the literal sense of the word, though... the first-person supply stations. If I do something wonky while going up to it or some such, it'll pop me back into first-person view and pop up the Medical/Weapons/Repair menu, but then I can't click on the menu (or, in fact, do anything) because the keyboard functions are disabled (as they're supposed to be) -- unfortunately, the mouse is also disabled (though it shouldn't be).

I tried it in Training Academy (that is, I hit F9, walked to a supply station, hit /, and hit Y) and it worked. It's for that reason I suspect I might have done something a little more insidious before.

I've been too busy having fun conquering the galaxy to test it out recently, though. Besides, it's Christmas Eve! I'll stop dinking around, install the latest patch, and then try to break it.

[exazoid]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Without a saved game, there is no way to investigate. So, if you are certain. Try saving the game prior to the occurence. Since you assert that it is reproducible, you should be able to tell when to save it.

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Ok, now I have sent in a bug-report. Feel free to ask for more safegames (my current game crashes approx 4 minutes from current state - every time).

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spuzzum:

The "supply station" I was referring to was the literal sense of the word, though... the first-person supply stations. If I do something wonky while going up to it or some such, it'll pop me back into first-person view and pop up the Medical/Weapons/Repair menu, but then I can't click on the menu (or, in fact, do anything) because the keyboard functions are disabled (as they're supposed to be) -- unfortunately, the mouse is also disabled (though it shouldn't be).

I tried it in Training Academy (that is, I hit F9, walked to a supply station, hit /, and hit Y) and it worked. It's for that reason I suspect I might have done something a little more insidious before.

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The game is not designed to be played in an external cam view (F9) (its not a third-person game), thats why the mouse is disabled in that view. In fact, from an F9 view, you will notice that NONE of the mouse commands (e.g. button1 for fire, button2 for move forward etc), work.

It is a first person perspective game and all those external camera views are just that: external camera views.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by exazoid:

Ok, now I have sent in a bug-report. Feel free to ask for more safegames (my current game crashes approx 4 minutes from current state - every time).

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I have just replied to your submission. Here it is again.

This saved game is not compliant with the latest 1.0.03 version of the game.

Also, the files you sent are not the ones required. Please read this thread

and re-submit this problem report.

You might want to read this thread and re-submit the saved game if you continue to have problems.

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Jerrai]

I played the BC3k 2.09 free and though it was the best game out there, and I played the E2 demo, and thought BCM was off the hook, so I preordered it. Mad props to SC for his hard work.

I was away till now, so I just now got to install it. Had no problems, but when I went to run the game, the SafeDisk splash screen came up and went away after a few seconds. Nothing else happend after that. The game never starts or asks for the CDKEY. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling a few times, even used the .msi to install, no problems there either. I patched the game with 1.0.03, and all I got was the BCM logo splash screen. No game start at all.

iv read the VCF, FAQ, manual, and quite a few other threads, and followed what they said to fix my problem (with no luck), iv got the latest drivers for my video card, Windows Media Player 7.1 and DirectX 8.1

[ 12-25-2001: Message edited by: Enigma ]

[exazoid]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

I have just replied to your submission. Here it is again.

This saved game is not compliant with the latest 1.0.03 version of the game.

Also, the files you sent are not the ones required. Please read

this thread

and re-submit this problem report.

You might want to read

this thread

and re-submit the saved game if you continue to have problems.

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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I downloaded the patch again and this time its size was different from the first. Does/did the patch exists in multiple versions ?

I really never ran any other version than 1.0.03 - which produced the savegames in question.

I suppose not sending the required files means "you shouldn't have sent the log-file", but as a developer myself, I know every bit of info i important. Is that, what you meant ?

I will try to uninstall and reinstall the game again. I guess I cannot use the savegames as they are not compliant with the latest 1.0.03 version.

[Dee-Man]

OK - I've got an issue "right out of the box" if you will. I've scanned all the tech forums and have not run accross this.

After installing the game, I try to launch it and the following happens: (1) Safe Disc screen appears. (2) I get the 3000ad Logo. (3)The following Fatal Error message appears: "Failed to open objclass.dat". (4) I press OK to close and I'm back at the desktop.

Ar first I thought it was my NEC 16xDVD/22xCDROM causing a conflict with Safe Disc, so I put back in my old(?) 40X Sony CDROM. I completely deleted the program, reinstalled, and got the same error message. Also tried installing the 1.003 patch which produced the following error message: "Verify of new file failed. Possible internal error." I pre-ordered this game on-line in October and have a vaild code, but at no time was I asked for it. System specs:

Gigabyte P3 866

VIA chipset with updated 4 in 1.

Win 98 2nd Ed

512mb PC 133 SDRAM

Voodo 3 AGP with Latest Drivers

SB AWE 64

Any ideas. Thanks in advance.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by exazoid:

I suppose not sending the required files means "you shouldn't have sent the log-file", but as a developer myself, I know every bit of info i important. Is that, what you meant ?

I will try to uninstall and reinstall the game again. I guess I cannot use the savegames as they are not compliant with the latest 1.0.03 version.

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Thats why I pointed to that thread. I detail what files are required in order to send a compliant saved game set.

As for the log file - its not a big deal because it is already included in the .sg? files. The reason for not sending bare files (e.g. that log file) is to prevent confusion because someone might send a log file that has nothing to do with the transmitted saved game.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Enigma:

iv read the VCF, FAQ, manual, and quite a few other threads, and followed what they said to fix my problem (with no luck), iv got the latest drivers for my video card, Windows Media Player 7.1 and DirectX 8.1

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Nothing I can do to help in this area. It definitely a config or driver issue and you need to investigate it and take the appropriate steps required to resolve it.

btw, I've seen tech support emails in which people swore up and down and sideways, that they actually had DX 8.1 installed (and one of them was a reviewer for Firing Squad I think). After too many emails of going back and forth, I requested his DXDIAG output. Only to find that the last time he updated his nVidia drivers, was back in November 2000 version (Det 2 or 3 I believe) and that he didn't in fact have DX8.1 installed. He had DX8.0a. Just a thought.

[ 12-25-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dee-Man:

OK - I've got an issue "right out of the box" if you will.

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1. System problem. Run ScanDisk, defrag, virus checker etc
   
2. Bad install. Read that thread I pointed to in a prior post.
   
3. Bad patch. Download it again. Goto #2
   

And I hope you don't expect much from that V3 card.

[ 12-25-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Dee-Man]

Thank you so much for personally responding to my post. Imagine my surprise!! Much to the chagrin of my wife and daughter I spent a large amount of time today (Xmas no less) re-configuring my entire machine, including a comlete o/s reinstall. Finally got BCM to install!! I am happy even though it is after 3:00 a.m!! Who cares about an 8:30 staff meeting I have to chair!!

To make a long story very short, it appears as though my problems were associated with Zip-Magic 2000 and the way it was configured, even when disabled!. Imagine that. Noting the issues with 3DFX I am going to promptly go out tomorrow (today) and buy a GE Force 3 Card. Or maybe the Elsa Gladiac.

Thanks SC for the motivation to get this done!

[Ben Zwycky]

Problem: not recieving experience points/medals for capturing hostile stations.

How to reproduce:

SNG

select ter/mil bcmk3 from wraith (lyrius) i.e. only choose launch base, don't touch anything else

tactical/cc/mines

unload all mines

tradcom

sell mines buy lots of iridium

launch, go to Lennen, capture Pixan (easy when you're cloaked)

launch, go to sygan, capture syganstar (easy when you're cloaked)

4 times out of five you won't get credit for at least one capture (no experience points/medal), not even if you wait around and play for another hour or so. Sometimes it'll give you the credit, but only around half of the time. I can understand it for destroying a station, when someone else in the region might have got the last shot, but for capturing them? Even when the region is otherwise quiet?

It doesn't matter which launch base you use, but there are more hostile stations near wraith, so it's quicker to test it there. I get the same when using a Megaron, which is my ship of choice. (can't beat it for all round firepower and combat survivability )

I've got a saved game form an earlier version where I'd captured four stations (pixan, syganstar, tulon and New America) and destroyed idan (oops) and a few carriers and cruisers along the way, and only had 2 combat shields and just over 20000 EP's, but that's from an earlier version (1.002)

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dee-Man:

Thank you so much for personally responding to my post. Imagine my surprise!! Much to the chagrin of my wife and daughter I spent a large amount of time today (Xmas no less) re-configuring my entire machine, including a comlete o/s reinstall. Finally got BCM to install!! I am happy even though it is after 3:00 a.m!! Who cares about an 8:30 staff meeting I have to chair!!

To make a long story very short, it appears as though my problems were associated with Zip-Magic 2000 and the way it was configured, even when disabled!. Imagine that. Noting the issues with 3DFX I am going to promptly go out tomorrow (today) and buy a GE Force 3 Card. Or maybe the Elsa Gladiac.

Thanks SC for the motivation to get this done!

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Ah, another one served! Kiss your life goodbye my friend.

Anyway, thanks for the support. mp is coming and its only going to get better.

ps: You are going to LOVE the game on that card. Trust me on this.

[ 12-26-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ben Zwycky:

Problem: not recieving experience points/medals for capturing hostile stations.

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Here is what I need from a new 1.0.04 version set

1. Saved game prior to the first capture
   
2. Saved game 5 mins after the first capture
   
3. Saved game prior to the second capture
   
4. Saved game 5 mins after the second capture
   

Repeat the above for all 4 captures. I will need 4 saved games which can be restored. I need each one named (in the Save screen) as

first pre capture

first post capture

second pre capture

second post capture

etc etc

And send to me with detailed email explaining the situation and why you think it is a bug.

[Charles Lindsey]

Dee-man

quote:

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Voodo 3 AGP with Latest Drivers

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That should be last official drivers. hehe

I was getting an error in BCM.exe and another game wouldn't start either. I had to install the drivers from the disk then update them to the last official 1.07 drivers.

Everything works now.