I have always wanted to play FoW in Skirmish mode where I got to pick my force, perhaps pick an enemy force (or just know what they are), and play on a map I selected I know about DCG, but it is heavily bugged. The enemy units in that MOD simply don't act intelligently. Some maps even have game-ruining bugs. Perhaps that isn't even map, but mod-related! Then again, I was using DCG 1.4, whereas 1.5 is out. However, I don't know if all of those problems have been fixed and improvements made. Perhaps if someone were to script different forces for the built-in maps?

kotic: DCG 1.5 uses more waypoints, so in the new version the computer may appear to do more intelligent things sometimes. Otherwise it relies on the built-in FoW AI, which does a decent job in most situations. In order to get a good challenge, I personally find that it is necessary to play with fog of war turned on and with the longer sight and gun ranges (I included a small mod for that in 1.5).

I also keep looking for scripting changes to make the computer appear smarter, but there isn't much info on this out there. One other thing you can try is KrisJohann's DCG Accessories mod - it makes changes to the game files to try to make the computer appear smarter. Vecchiounno's DCG-VBNET mod uses Krisjohann's files also, so you could try that, too.

Could you post more info about the other bugs you mentioned? I keep trying to track them all down...

quote:

Originally posted by Jason111:
kotic: DCG 1.5 uses more waypoints, so in the new version the computer may appear to do more intelligent things sometimes. Otherwise it relies on the built-in FoW AI, which does a decent job in most situations. In order to get a good challenge, I personally find that it is necessary to play with fog of war turned on and with the longer sight and gun ranges (I included a small mod for that in 1.5).

I also keep looking for scripting changes to make the computer appear smarter, but there isn't much info on this out there. One other thing you can try is KrisJohann's DCG Accessories mod - it makes changes to the game files to try to make the computer appear smarter. Vecchiounno's DCG-VBNET mod uses Krisjohann's files also, so you could try that, too.

Could you post more info about the other bugs you mentioned? I keep trying to track them all down...

If you buy an artillery piece, and in-game you order your units to leave it, those units don't get added to your force list in the left. If they re-enter the arty piece, it does not appear on the left again.

I 'stole' an artie piece during the mission, put 2 guys on it, and they, and the artie piece, show up in all the future battle prep screens.

Seems the bug will be only if you 'purchase' the piece.

I'd guess that is fixed in 1.5 because I changed that code, but I'll test it out this weekend and see...

Like I said Jason, it did not appear playing my version, 1.5 - When I picked up the artie during battle, I did not try to replicate the bug he mentioned, 'purchasing' the unit.

I can varify there is no bug in version 1.5 when you pick the artie up during battle/when you 'steal' it.

quote:

Originally posted by RJMurphy:
Like I said Jason, it did not appear playing my version, 1.5 - When I picked up the artie during battle, I did not try to replicate the bug he mentioned, 'purchasing' the unit.

I can varify there is no bug in version 1.5 when you pick the artie up during battle/when you 'steal' it.

We are discussing different actions. When I say appear on the left, I mean the in-game thing that lists the units/squads you control.

Ahhh, much clearer, sorry I missunderstood.
Amazing you even noticed that 'bug' kotic!

I'll fire up my version and check it out....actually I'm just looking for an excuse to play again, the wife is a little upset with me lately...lol...

OK..did some quick checking.
It appears when there is LOTS going on...the units do not appear on the left side of the screen during game.
Not only the Artie, but the tanks, trucks, or any units.
When it got really busy, some of my occupied vehicles didn't even show up.
I'm not sure if this is Jasons code, or maybe a lack of available RAM or maybe a cashe problem. I have no idea. The fact that they show up in the beginning of the campaign, but not towards the end, or when it's 'busy', indicates to me, it may be a 'game' problem and not a 'mod' problem, but like I said, I beta test, I don't code.

One thing for sure, it's not a game stopper for me, I don't use the icons on the left very much during the game. If you do, it could very well be a big problem.

You may have trouble testing this Jason, as I don't think it will show up at the start of a campaign, you may have to be 'deep' into a campaign before it shows up, and it's been my experience that coders don't like playing their work too much .
I'll check that out this weekend, I'm almost done with the campaign I'm on now. I'll have time to start a new one, and get some serious hours into it. I owe you at least that much Jason....

Nice catch kotic , yup..it's a 'bug'.

quote:

Originally posted by RJMurphy:
OK..did some quick checking.
It appears when there is LOTS going on...the units do not appear on the left side of the screen during game.
Not only the Artie, but the tanks, trucks, or any units.
When it got really busy, some of my occupied vehicles didn't even show up.
I'm not sure if this is Jasons code, or maybe a lack of available RAM or maybe a cashe problem. I have no idea. The fact that they show up in the beginning of the campaign, but not towards the end, or when it's 'busy', indicates to me, it may be a 'game' problem and not a 'mod' problem, but like I said, I beta test, I don't code.

One thing for sure, it's not a game stopper for me, I don't use the icons on the left very much during the game. If you do, it could very well be a big problem.

You may have trouble testing this Jason, as I don't think it will show up at the start of a campaign, you may have to be 'deep' into a campaign before it shows up, and it's been my experience that coders don't like playing their work too much .
I'll check that out this weekend, I'm almost done with the campaign I'm on now. I'll have time to start a new one, and get some serious hours into it. I owe you at least that much Jason....

Nice catch kotic , yup..it's a 'bug'.

Actually, it happened in the first or second mission of the DCG mission creator. I was playing, the arty piece was there (along with my other units from my infantry squad), I rolled it up to waste an enemy group. I saved right before it. Then, I sent the troops out to collect the equipment and had them take control of the arty again to move it. I played for a few mins and was stumped because I couldn't find the units on the left. I loaded that earlier save and pinpointed the problem afterwards.

Kotic,

I think this "bug" is more a Faces of War bug rather than a DCG bug. You can avoid the bug, by simply not removing all crew from the vehicle/cannon. As long as there is at least one crewmember left manning the piece, it will be left in the "left icon row". Me, personally would prefer to be able to remove the icons permantly --- I hate having to see them.

Also, if I aint mistaken, if the bug occurs, and you then re-mans the cannon, the icon will appear in the next mission. This also happens when you capture any enemy vehicle. And if you leave any vehicle unmanned when you save the mission and restarts, you´ll lose it (but not always, this is a bug). Only vehicles/cannons that is manned and with no grey damaged sections will be transfered over to the next mission. As always there is a exception to this: Tanks with damaged tracks (red condition) and hulls (not sure on the last one though) will not be carried over. Turrets with red condition will be carried over.

And regarding the mapbugs... Since I am one of the mapcreators (all maps located inside the map_zekewolff folder) --- could you please tell me what errors/bugs you have gotten? They all work on my setup but there is a glitch on the maki_25 map. I forgot to add a piece of the destroyed trenchline near the river. This has been corrected in the next version of DCG (which also hopefully will see some new vehicles).

~Zeke.

Yes, quite a bug, I'm seeing it more and more as the campaign progresses.
I'm at the last map, to the far right of the placement screen. Now, in game, I only see 3 Icons and I've occupied six vehicles. Three of them don't show up at all.
I can't quite pin it down yet, as to when it fails to display the Icon, at what point. I stole a king tiger the first mission, and it displays it now, the last mission. But I've picked up two other tanks, a tiger and a panzer, and neither of these shows up. The Icon never did appear. I'm thinking it displays the Icon when you first start a campaign, and maybe the first mission. But after it displays the first three, it will not recognize any new ones, and when you abandon one of the Icons it will not recognize it again. Maybe.
Then again, maybe it will only display 3 Icons, and no more. But it 'never' displays the men attached to the Icon. That is a bug also I believe, probably all the same one.
The good thing is, even though they don't show up as an Icon, they do carry over to the next mission, when you end the mission. You don't lose anything.

I'll do some more testing tonight....told the wife it's 'mandatory' when you download the DCG for free......is this great or what!....lol.....

It appears this is going to be an 'elusive' bug. If it exists at all. I think it's exactly like Zeke says. I went back to the same mission, where I had 3 tanks, 1 halftrack, and 1 150mm Artie.
All together - 5 'units'.
I had 3 Icons showing, the three units I went into this mission with, showed up.
I saved using my DCG save name, ending that mission, and giving me the purchase/placement screens, I placed all 5 units, Re-started a new mission, and I had all 5 Icons. I fought through that mission, kept all 5 units, they 'displayed' Icons all through the mission.
I completed that mission and started a new one, still have the 5 units, still have the 5 Icons displayed.

It tells me that the only time I did 'not' see the 5 Icons for the 5 units, was when I first 'stole' the units, it did not display the ones I stole 'during that mission'. It does not display the Icon for a newly stolen unit until you save/start a new mission.
So far.
I'll test it all weekend, if I find something different than you see here, I'll post it.

I've never had so much fun....looking for trouble.

Let us know when you fix it so I can download the fix. Right now, it's really hard to play with such a problem (I use the troop list on the left a lot).

I've been playing all weekend kotic, and I don't think there is a bug with the Icons.

When I exit the unit, all my men out of it, the Icon disappears for that mission. When I re-enter the vehicle, it does not always appear in the left side of the screen for the remainder of that mission. When the next mission starts, it's back. IMHO it has nothing to do with the DCG, I'm on the second 'operation' of my campaign and all the icons appear on the left, during all of my missions.

quote:

Originally posted by RJMurphy:
I've been playing all weekend kotic, and I don't think there is a bug with the Icons.

When I exit the unit, all my men out of it, the Icon disappears for that mission. When I re-enter the vehicle, it does not always appear in the left side of the screen for the remainder of that mission. When the next mission starts, it's back. IMHO it has nothing to do with the DCG, I'm on the second 'operation' of my campaign and all the icons appear on the left, during all of my missions.

Right, but as you said, they disappear and don't reappear in-game. Perhaps that has to do with issuing the "ownership" of the vehicle? Can it perhaps be fixed by placing the vehicles/arty pieces without a crew and just having the player buy them separately? I don't remember this happening in the built-in campaigns regularly is what I am saying.

How is it coming? Have the bugs been fixed yet? Any updates on a skirmish mod?

I fixed a bug with drag and drop on the unit management screen and there will be a patch for that soon.

As for the icon disappearing when you exit during a mission, that is a FoW issue; maybe there is something that can be done to the .mi file, but I don't know about it yet. I have never seen them disappear permanently though.

quote:

Originally posted by Jason111:
I fixed a bug with drag and drop on the unit management screen and there will be a patch for that soon.

As for the icon disappearing when you exit during a mission, that is a FoW issue; maybe there is something that can be done to the .mi file, but I don't know about it yet. I have never seen them disappear permanently though.

If it were an internal FOW problem, then it would happen in the campaign all the time, as well. Since I don't remember having it happen often (or at all) in FOW, that must mean that you can do something to your MOD most likely that fixes it.

It's a fine point, but basically DCG generates an .mi file - that's its main function. The .mi file describes the mission to FoW; it can only do what FoW allows. I don't know of a way to generate an .mi file where what you describe doesn't happen, but if someone could tell me what I am doing wrong, I would be happy to fix it.

I only played some of the early missions (I thought the SHOWW2 campaigns were great, but wasn't happy with the FoW ones.) If you can give me an example of an original FoW mission with a comparable situation (and tell me about the situation), I might be able to figure it out by looking at that mission's .mi file.