Madmatt

doWnSizer, you mentioned that members of the support team have been rude to you, but in your four posts to date, neither myself or any other Battlefront.com staff member has ever directly replied to you here on the forum. I see replies from other people, but not any from us. Your problem, from what little you seem to have posted to date, is that you are getting low framerates? I would encourage you to wait for the game patch that should be coming out soon and see if that rectifies your problem. Of course, posting more details on your problem and your full system specs and what you have done to date would go a long way in us getting you the help you desire. We are more than willing to work WITH you on this problem so that the game you bought ends up working as it should, but you need to talk TO us, not AT us. Accusing us of stealing your money (as you did in a earlier post) is really not going to do that very well and is untrue. Madmatt

We are checking with the makers of eLicense to get the full process for you. I know that running that uninstaller removes all of its components but I need to check to see whats required to get the service entry removed as well. Madmatt

Hmm, I *think* what 1C means is that a squad could be given a waypoint (since its treated like one unit) but a player created group couldn't. Thats a good question though and i will get it clarified. Madmatt

Thats sort of a "Overall stability" issue which is also of course being looked into. I just didn't have specific updates or progress to report with that yet. Seems a lot of issues are actually interconnected so when a fix for one is implemented, it may very well result in other issues being resolved as well. Madmatt

My understanding was that a conflict between the game and the AMD chips was detected and was being fixed but I don't have specifics other than 1C said it looks like the fix should reduce crashes and put performance back to the level it should be. I will try and get more details though. Madmatt

You tried to run with all these tweaks? In the Sound Panel, disable EAX In the Video Panel, disable Shadows (seems to have best results!) In the Sound Panel, disable Music Disable any Virus Protection Software before launching the game (has worked for some people) Unload or shutdown any other background applications/programs (Chat programs, email, internet browsers, etc...) Optimize the Windows Page File (see below) We have been getting very good results with some slight tweaks to the Windows Page File. The Page File is used by Windows to cache frquently accessed information and data on your hard drive. For everyday use, you usually do not need to change the default settings for this Windows managed file, but by tweaking the its' configuration, you can gain performance and stability in Theatre of War (as well as other games and applications). Usually the Page File size is set to "dynamic", meaning that Windows enlarges and reduces the size of this file as it see's fit. However, that can lead to occasional file fragmentation which then leads to system performance issues. We suggest setting a specific size for this file. In XP, the page file settings are accessed by going to: Start Menu > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced tab > Performance Settings group > Advanced tab – Virtual Memory. Once there, click “Custom size” and set both the “Initial size” and the “Maximum size” to at least 2000 MB, 3000 is MUCH better. With this fixed size, the page file is now “locked” so Windows will no longer dynamically control the size of the file and as a result also reduce file fragmentation and improve performance. Note: You will need to make sure that you have enough free space on your hard drive to accomodate the new Page File Size. We also suggest defragging the Page File and the hard drive its located on from time to time. This can be done with either a 3rd Party Defrag Program (usually used on your hard drive) or with the Windows Defrag Program ( Start Menu>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Defragmentor).

I just posted the current Patch Status. See the top thread. Madmatt

I have played MP between XP and Vista people, so OS does not matter. With the first ToW patch, we hope to have far more stable Multiplayer as well as we have discovered a host/client bug that cuased some lockups. Madmatt

Hello everyone! I want to try and keep everyone updated on where things stand with regards to the patch and the DVD's. The DVD's have arrived at the warehouse and are being packed and prepared to ship right this moment. We hope that at least some will begin to ship tomorrow but the warehouse said that it may be Monday that the bulk go out. We will send an email when you DVD is mailed though, so be looking for that. Now then, when you get the DVD, you will notice a sticker on the case advising you to go to www.battlefront.com/tow-patch.html for a patch. THIS IS A SPECIAL PATCH JUST FOR THE DVD VERSION! All this patch does is update the game to the same version as the download version thats been out since the 19th. The DVD's were mastered earlier last month but the download version was made a little later and ended up being slightly newer. As such, this DVD patch is needed to just bring up both versions to the same level. Okay, so while on the topic of patches, what about the REAL patch. Yes, that is being worked on right this minute. No, I don't know how long it will take, but I can go over some of the issues we are working on and their current status, so here they are (this is not a complete list either and not all items may be fixed in this first patch). Problems with AMD Multi-Core CPU's and AMD 64 chips:[problem confirmed and a fix is being tested] SaveGame/LoadGame File Corruption/Crashes: [problem confirmed and fix is being tested] Multiplayer Game Crashes during load: [problem confirmed and fix has already been inplemented and is undergoing testing] Gun Crew Animation Bug (unit non responsive to commands): [issue reported by 1C as now fixed.] Running game with Shadows enabled causes crashes: [1C currently reviewing the problem] Adding a Logging Function so that when game crashes or fails to launch, it will report info on WHY and give you a way to send us the info for tracking/fixing. In addition to those crash/bug type issues we are also working on the following gameplay changes and enhancements which may or may not be featured in the first patch. * Better AI vehicle behavior when issued the Reverse Command * Better Vehicle Pathfinding when given the Move command (less likely to run over tree's etc..) * Add the ability to issue command waypoints (will not work for group selections, only individual units) * Trees and Bushes will provide better cover and concealment. (Note, due to the nature of this change, it could dramatically change overall scenario balance!) * LOS/LOF Tool (1c is currently looking at how best to incorporate some type of LOS/LOF tool) * AI are now 'smarter' about autotargeting enemy turrets when target is hulldown. * AT Guns are now harder to spot * Difficulty level of Training Mission #4 decreased a little * Added Hotkeys for Hold Fire and Hold Position * More authentic British Voices (if we can get them recorded in time!) * Various mission tweaks So as you can see, there is a lot stuff we are working on, and even more thats not listed yet (I didnt have info on all the fixes being worked on). As I said, I don't know how long the first patch will take but we want to get it out as soon as we can once all the major crash related issues are resolved. As always, we appreciate your patience, we appreciate your comments and I will try and keep you guys as up to date on developments as I can. Madmatt [ May 03, 2007, 02:05 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

Hello everyone! I want to try and keep everyone updated on where things stand with regards to the patch and the DVD's. The DVD's have arrived at the warehouse and are being packed and prepared to ship right this moment. We hope that at least some will begin to ship tomorrow but the warehouse said that it may be Monday that the bulk go out. We will send an email when you DVD is mailed though, so be looking for that. Now then, when you get the DVD, you will notice a sticker on the case advising you to go to www.battlefront.com/tow-patch.html for a patch. THIS IS A SPECIAL PATCH JUST FOR THE DVD VERSION! All this patch does is update the game to the same version as the download version thats been out since the 19th. The DVD's were mastered earlier last month but the download version was made a little later and ended up being slightly newer. As such, this DVD patch is needed to just bring up both versions to the same level. Okay, so while on the topic of patches, what about the REAL patch. Yes, that is being worked on right this minute. No, I don't know how long it will take, but I can go over some of the issues we are working on and their current status, so here they are (this is not a complete list either and not all items may be fixed in this first patch). Problems with AMD Multi-Core CPU's and AMD 64 chips:[problem confirmed and a fix is being tested] SaveGame/LoadGame File Corruption/Crashes: [problem confirmed and fix is being tested] Multiplayer Game Crashes during load: [problem confirmed and fix has already been inplemented and is undergoing testing] Gun Crew Animation Bug (unit non responsive to commands): [issue reported by 1C as now fixed.] Running game with Shadows enabled causes crashes: [1C currently reviewing the problem] Adding a Logging Function so that when game crashes or fails to launch, it will report info on WHY and give you a way to send us the info for tracking/fixing. In addition to those crash/bug type issues we are also working on the following gameplay changes and enhancements which may or may not be featured in the first patch. * Better AI vehicle behavior when issued the Reverse Command * Better Vehicle Pathfinding when given the Move command (less likely to run over tree's etc..) * Add the ability to issue command waypoints (will not work for group selections, only individual units) * Trees and Bushes will provide better cover and concealment. (Note, due to the nature of this change, it could dramatically change overall scenario balance!) * LOS/LOF Tool (1c is currently looking at how best to incorporate some type of LOS/LOF tool) * AI are now 'smarter' about autotargeting enemy turrets when target is hulldown. * AT Guns are now harder to spot * Difficulty level of Training Mission #4 decreased a little * Added Hotkeys for Hold Fire and Hold Position * More authentic British Voices (if we can get them recorded in time!) * Various mission tweaks So as you can see, there is a lot stuff we are working on, and even more thats not listed yet (I didnt have info on all the fixes being worked on). As I said, I don't know how long the first patch will take but we want to get it out as soon as we can once all the major crash related issues are resolved. As always, we appreciate your patience, we appreciate your comments and I will try and keep you guys as up to date on developments as I can. Madmatt [ May 03, 2007, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

Try and turn off Music, EAX sound support and most importantly Shadows. Now see how it runs. Most people report greatly enhanced stability once shadows are turned off. Madmatt

Hey Speedee, did you email me directly at the suppport address too? I am working with a couple of people in email, but wasnt sure if one of them was you or not. You had a Nvidia card right? You did the tweaks I listed specifically for Nvidia cards from my guide? You got the very latest drivers? What about setting Anistropic and Anti-Aliasing to "Application Preference"? Lastly, see my latest guide update about setting the Page File, it could be that the game is running out of memory and immediately exiting. Setting the Page File as I mentioned in the guide could help with that. Page File Optimizations We have been getting very good results with some slight tweaks to the Windows Page File. The Page File is used by Windows to cache frquently accessed information and data on your hard drive. For everyday use, you usually do not need to change the default settings for this Windows managed file, but by tweaking the its' configuration, you can gain performance and stability in Theatre of War (as well as other games and applications). Usually the Page File size is set to "dynamic", meaning that Windows enlarges and reduces the size of this file as it see's fit. However, that can lead to occasional file fragmentation which then leads to system performance issues. We suggest setting a specific size for this file. In XP, the page file settings are accessed by going to: Start Menu > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced tab > Performance Settings group > Advanced tab – Virtual Memory. Once there, click “Custom size” and set both the “Initial size” and the “Maximum size” to at least 2000 MB, 3000 is MUCH better. With this fixed size, the page file is now “locked” so Windows will no longer dynamically control the size of the file and as a result also reduce file fragmentation and improve performance. Note: You will need to make sure that you have enough free space on your hard drive to accomodate the new Page File Size. We also suggest defragging the Page File and the hard drive its located on from time to time. This can be done with either a 3rd Party Defrag Program (usually used on your hard drive) or with the Windows Defrag Program ( Start Menu>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Defragmentor). Madmatt

Well, its not really if the game supports what your monitor can do or not. Its more of an issue if your Video Card can support what your monitor can do. The game itself will support all the video modes that your video card can do (and if you dont see one listed, there are ways to *force* the game to run in a resolution you want) so you should be fine. Just make sure your videocard and monitor drivers are up to date. Madmatt

It's a question, not a statement. To my memory, Madmatt did say during the pre-release time that angle effects are not calculated at shot time. And the game doesn't display an angle, I see no difference in the unit spec between the front hull of the Panther and a StuG. Plus I see people complain their Panthers die easily. I'd like to have an official word on this. </font>

Check the Accelration level you have set in your DirectX panel. To access that, go to Start>Run and type in "dxdiag" Once DXDIAG is open, click on the Sound Tab and try different levels of acceleration and see if they make any difference in the game. Madmatt

Okay, its done. Enjoy! http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=67 Madmatt

What speed (Client and Host) did you select in the MP config panel? Try a slower speed and make sure its the same for both of you. Make sure the host does NOT have the Smooth Movement option checked. If you havent already, try and use the "use only One CPU" option, we have seen where that setting can greatly reduce overall lag. Madmatt

We had hoped to include this feature but 1C said that while the game was *based* on the Il-2 code, it is NOT the IL-2 code, and a battle replayer was not possible to include. Madmatt

To answer the question above, we just got an ETA from our warehouse that we should be getting the DVD's back from the replication plant early next week (Tues/Weds) and so we will be shipping them out as soon as they arrive. Madmatt

Hmm, you know we didn't force you to Pre-Order the game Chazman, we didn't force you to ignore the "All Orders Are Final and No Refund" policy that we list on the order pages, and which is documented here https://www.combatmission2.com/purchasepolicy.html we didn't foce you to download the game (which costs us money for the bandwidth and storage) and we certainly didn't force you to not wait until the demo or full game was released for you to see if this was the type of game you might like or not. We would like to think that our customers are intelligent, mature individuals that don't rush into financial transactions on a whim, but if they are or they suddenly suffer a bout of misplaced buyers remorse, well then that is their issue - not ours, and as a business we have a right to enforce our policies. You ordered the game, you downloaded the game and you played the game. That is a valid transaction and it certainly doesn't grant you any special rights on these forums to constantly berate us or the game itself in a immature "take my ball and go home" type of way. But you know what, fine, I will go ahead and do as you asked because to be honest, I am really sick of your constant complaining. Just email us at elicense@battlefront.com, list your fullname and email address you placed the order under and elicense code that was issued to you and also include your Credit Card # and expiration date (we do not ever save that info so I no longer have it from your original pre-order). You must also uninstall the game and unlicense it, until that is done we can not issue a refund. Once I get and confirm all that info above, I will cancel your order and refund you the full amount minus a 4 dollar bank charge applied to all transaction cancellations. Madmatt [ April 27, 2007, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

You might want to try and run in single card mode and see what you get with that. Madmatt

Ding, Please have a look at my new Troubleshooting Guide, I think you will find some helpful info there which might answer your questions. http://www.battlefront.com/products/tow/troubleshooting.html Madmatt

What exactly happens when you try and launch it? Do you get nothing at all, or does the screen go black for a moment and then drop back to the desktop? Does the little "busy" mouse cursor appear, even for a second? Check out the Troubleshooting Guide for some other suggestions: http://www.battlefront.com/products/tow/troubleshooting.html Madmatt

So why don't you just shut up and play??? You must be in LOVE with the developers that have left so many out in the cold. You are the very definition of a DUMB ASS!! </font>

You have every right to your opinion, but this is a Technical Support Forum, and your message is not of a technical nature, so I am locking this up. I will say that I was not in the least bit annoyed by your email to us, although I was disapointed that you thought our customer support lacking (and I certainly don't agree with that opinion). There is an Announcement Message at the top of the main game forum already indicating that the game was released, but I will edit it to include information pertaining to Pre-Order customers as that makes perfect sense. General Disarray, with YOU am I growing more intolerant however. Your purchase of this game does not grant you some sort of exclusion to our forum rules pertaining to conduct, so if you want to continue to insult people, then your time on these forums will be short indeed. Madmatt [ April 27, 2007, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]