Madmatt

Winecape, Patience is indeed a virtue, but since when have you guys known me to be virtuous? Anyway, best to move this to the General Forum. You will probably get a better cross section of reponses there anyway although I also sent you an email detailing some *issues8 you might encounter with this idea... Madmatt

Cute.. Well I have already addressed the L3/33 texture issue in the other thread. The MG-34 issue, while unfortunate is still rather minor. The Thompson vs. Sten thing, again a minor issue at best. It's 6 firepower points difference at VERY close range (less than 40 meters). The point I am making is that the things that Michael mentions are not in of themselves worthy of us making yet another patch. Sure, it's a shame they didn't make it into 1.01 or 1.02 or 1.03 but that's how it goes. I know that's not what you want to hear, we all love patches for our favorite games, but that's the truth. At some point, the patch cycle for a released game must come to an end so focus can be re-applied on the future and that time is now. Now, if some kind of show stopping bug rears its ugly head, well then we may have to release a new patch and it's possible that we could throw in a few extra changes and fixes to that patch (yes, like the Mg-34 thing), but as it stands now, v1.03 is the last patch for CMAK. Madmatt

Ah, this issue is an easy fix. Go to the following link which will download the needed file. Then simply extract its contents into your CMAK's BMP folder. That should do it. I will also update the official v1.03 patches with these files as soon as I can. Textures for Aussie Captured L3/33 Madmatt

Since the LMG-34's are still present in the squads themselves, its not a huge issue. Madmatt

We actually discussed this a great deal internally. We were able to locate enough video footage of life fires of Panzerfausts to determine that it did not pose too much of a hazard to the firer. One video I recall was taken during the last days of the siege of Berlin and clearly shows a solier firing several from slightly inside a doorway at some advancing Russian tanks. Another video shows a soldier lying prone in a foxhole and firing one and there is no noticable backblast, just a loud POP noise and smoke trail from the projectile itself. As I recall, Panzerschreks are a different matter. Madmatt

Um, I AM actually still a doorman (well bouncer), at several clubs here in town. I recently came back out of retirement to work at a few clubs again a night or two a week, just to work out some *frustrations*. Madmatt

One more thing that will come from this patch Mr. Tittles is that it has reminded me to reban you once again "Lewis". Yeah, we knew it was you for some time but were too busy to take care of you in the manner needed. Remember, bans are non-negotiable and it doesn't matter if you re-register with a new name or not. Your still the same old Lewis, and that means your still banned. Bye bye... Madmatt

Refresh that page (F5). It looks like your browser is showing you the older cached version. Madmatt

Tim contact me via email and I can see what I can do to help you out. Madmatt

The 1.03 patch is now up and linked. The Download page may have still mentioned the 1.02 patch but the files themselves were deleted and the links removed so you would not have been able to get it.

We just released the 1.03 patch so let me know how it works for you. If it still locks up, please email me directly at matt@battlefront.com and describe EXACTLY what you see, what software you are running (version #'s etc..) so I can try and duplicate the same situation on my end. When it comes to firewalls though, there is little we can do and more than likely the workaround will be to simply disable it outright. Madmatt

Tim...Hmmm, yes its possible to do that but it would not be easy at all and would require the use of a dedicated installer program, similar to what I use, which is Inno Setup. You would need to first devide up all the new files for each language version, plus all the shared "common" files. The you would need the installer to key its install locale on CDV's registry entry which defines where the game is currently located. Lastly, you would need the installer script to try and look into the registry and id the language version that Windows is running. All of this is very possible, but I simply don't have the time to do it for you. Madmatt

Okay, the updated v1.03 patch complete with PBEM gameplay fix is now ready. You can patch ANY earlier version of CMAK with it (1.0, 1.01 or 1.02). Download the v1.03 patch HERE!!! November 17th. 2004 Combat Mission: Afrika Korps v1.03 Patch Readme... IMPORTANT PATCH INFO The CMAK 1.03 patch is all inclusive and includes all the fixes and changes included in the earlier 1.01 and 1.02 patches. It can be applied to CMAK version 1.0, 1.01 or 1.02. VERSION COMPATIBILITY NOTE Games saved in v1.03 can't be loaded in by the older version. If you are playing others by email or TCP/IP, make sure you all upgrade to v1.03. TRANSFERING PBEM FILES FROM VERSION 1.0, 1.01 or 1.02 to 1.03: 1.) In CMAK version 1.0, 1.01 or 1.02, load the PBEM file. In an orders phase, save the pbem file as a saved game by clicking on the little SAVE button on the command bar at the bottom of the screen. 2.) Repeat Step 1 for all pbem files you wish to convert. 3.) Install the 1.03 patch. 4.) Open CMAK Version 1.03. 5.) Open the saved game file from step 1. 6.) Choose Email as the startup option for the saved game. 7.) Place your orders as you normally would in a PBEM, and press "GO". Congratulations! You have now converted your pbem file. Repeat as necessary for any other files you need to convert.. Patch Version History v1.03 Fixes/Changes * Fixed PBEM issue introduced in v1.02 patch v1.02 Fixes/Changes * "Labels" indicate tired or exhausted for infantry. * Fixed a problem that erased the facade textures of large buildings when "hide roofs" option is on. * Churchill V shows proper camouflage in Europe. * Availability dates of Elefant changed. * Jagdpanzer IV upper hull side armor is 30mm. * Minor changes to armor on Pz IV/70. Silhouette and ammo load increased for model A. * Italian availability of German 75mm ATG starts January 1943. * Cleaned up some gun icons and new Italian-theater 25pdr textures. * Staghound III crew changed to 4. * MMG Carriers are available to Commonwealth troops. * ATR Carriers are rare after North Africa. * Canadians may use the Humber III LRC (representing the Otter). * Stug IIIF (early) shows the proper camouflage in Italy. * German 28mm heavy antitank rifle is treated as a little larger (than previously) for transport purposes. * Light two-level buildings on pavement now face properly as indicated in game editor. * Italian 75/27 and 75/32 guns may use a HEAT round starting September 1942. * Corrected a problem that caused some "pure armor" QBs to appear with no allied troops in North Africa. * Rarity increased for captured PAK97/38 75mm antitank guns before mid-1942. * Introduction date of German-use Russian 76mm AT gun is April 1942. * Valentine ammo load changed: 79 (2pdr), 53 (6pdr) * Vickers MMG shows correct graphic in the player interface area. * Updated graphics for 37mm Bofors AT gun. * Various small updates to Australian TO&E. * All PzIIIJ models are available as originally in v1.0 (the fix in v1.01 was incorrect). * Churchill tanks removed from Canadian service. * In Italy the Sherman II (early) and Sherman III (early) have a platoon size of four tanks. * Germans have use of captured Italian M42 and M43 Semovente vehicles starting in October 1943. * Grant and late-model M3 Medium have crew of 6. * Churchills from Mk.V and on have their appearance dates moved later in the war. * PzIIIF is reintroduced (it had been removed in v1.01) but is rare and only available for a few months starting March 1941. * South African mechanized troops arrive in Italy in April 1944. Regular infantry does not participate in Italy. * SMG used by British and Australians is Thompson before Italy, Sten in Italy. New Zealanders use Thompson for whole war. * Twin Bren AAMG added. * New Zealand may use the Stuart I and II. * Corrections made to Commonwealth armor crew "portraits". * Early Commonwealth infantry battalions use the twin Bren AAMG not the Bofors cannon. * New Zealander 1945 infantry battalion adds an MG platoon. * New Zealand does not have access to Staghounds in 1945. * Pillboxes use their 'snowy' graphics in snow. * Early Commonwealth battalion TO&E uses a landline mortar FO rather than one with a radio. * Wasp is available Nov 1944, correcting a points problem with the Commonwealth infantry battalion. * South Africans may use Stuart V. * US Rangers first available February 1943. * Corrected a small ammo roundoff problem when rejoining split squads. * Pillbox firing slits are a little harder to hit. * Fallschirmjaeger Battalion '41 uses 42mm lePaK41 AT gun. * German panzerwurfmine introduced May 1943. * Italian 75mm HEAT ammo penetration slightly reduced. v1.01 Fixes/Changes * German Airborne won't get conscripts in a QB set to medium quality troops. * Corrections made to US Airborne TO&E. * Fixed a crash problem in TCP/IP games experienced by the CDV version. * Dust clouds appear when mines explode. * The small arms types and numbers will not be shown when clicking on an enemy 'last known location' marker, even if the unit was previously "fully spotted". * Firing panzerfausts from within a building does not suppress the firer. * Italian L3/AA does not button up when under air attack. * PzIIIF (37mm) not available for QB purchase in North Africa (though still available in editor). * US M3A1 halftrack available November 1943, and mechanized TO&Es no longer try to use it before this date. * Updated rarity/availability data for British M5 halftrack. * Canadians stop using Churchill tank after August 1943. * British 37mm AT gun available earlier, and 2pdr AT gun is rarer in 1940. * British airborne has access to 75mm artillery. * Platoon size of British Cruiser and Churchill support tanks is two. * Platoon size of Mk. VIB is three. * New Zealanders do not use the Valentine tank. * German Tiger tank and 75mm AT gun first available in North Africa in November 1942. * Of the Pz IIIJ variants, only the long-barrel model with spaced armor is available in Africa, starting May 1942. * German long-barrelled 75mm PzIV tanks not available in North Africa until June 1942. * Italian M14/41 has 145hp engine. * Italian C.202 Folgore aircraft first available September 1941. * Italian Fiat CR.42 carries two 220-pound bombs, not one 550-pound bomb. * Italian Semoventi begin use of 75mm HEAT ammo in September 1942. * Grant tank slightly more common in May/June 1942. * French troops have rifle grenades in Italy. * French version: Operation parameter screen in editor allows '-' button for nr. of flags. * French version: Exit zone graphics are not swapped. * 88mm flak gun model does not rotate its base when the gun rotates. * German forces first available in North Africa in March 1941. * Reloading a saved game maintains the 'portrait' graphic of bailed tank crews. * Bazooka and Panzerschreck teams take suppression when firing from within a building. * Corrected an ammo loadout problem on the StuG IV. * Increased lethality of HEAT rounds (e.g. Bazooka). * Force Mix types are displayed in the briefing of a two-player Quick Battle. * The sight of captured units does not cancel a Move to Contact. * When ordered to button up, a vehicle crew will remain buttoned for at least a full 60 seconds. * Australian/New Zealander names that start with "O'" are displayed properly. * Corrected a bug that could inflate an individual unit's "kill count" of mortars and guns. * Crewed guns move across river fords at a slower speed. * Corrected a problem with building graphics when using the "All Combined" region type. * The British 3-inch mortar and 4.5-inch artillery spotters without radios are properly named. * New Zealand may use the 2pdr Portee vehicle and Mk VIB light tank. * Stuart Recce won't fire its bow MG when hull-down to the target. * German aircraft not available after May 1944. HS129 aircraft no longer available in Italy. * Corrected rarity/availability of Allied ATG pillboxes. * Small correction to French 1940 TO&E. * French and German versions: Minor typos fixed.

Sergie and Seanachai... I have this nice pockmarked wall I need you to stand up against for a moment... Now you may feel a little pain.... Madmatt

The 1.03 patch will work with earlier PBEM's just like 1.02 was supposed to. You will need to 'convert' the files (save it in 1.0, 1.01 or 1.02 before loading it in 1.03 as PBEM), but they should then work as intended. There is no need to uninstall 1.02 ahead of time or anything like that. 1.03 will install right on top of any previous version of CMAK. Madmatt [ November 18, 2004, 09:24 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]

Yes... Madmatt

Charles has confirmed that the bug was introduced very late in the developement of the patch, most likely one if not the very last build. It was an unfortunate occurance to be sure but we already have a fix for it and as soon as we run some more tests with it and build the new installers we will release it to the public. We have been very clear on where our focus has been since CMAK was released last year. That focus is with the next generation engine and this caused work on the 1.02 patch to take longer than normal. Plus, we also had to create and test the dedicated Australian Military version which chewed up a good deal of our developement time this past year. And don't forget, while Combat Mission might be our most well known title, it is not the only one. We already have four announced new games coming out in the coming months plus some other goodies we haven't even mentioned yet. Things here are very busy but we are still just a small team of dedicated people trying to work 30 hours days on a planet where the sun comes up every 24. Madmatt

Well, assuming you have a Nvidia card and use Zone Alarm, it will occur again unless you disable the firewall in advance. We are looking to see if there is a way to preconfigure the firewall to accept CMAK as an allowed program without actually running it. Madmatt

Okay, looks like the issue is with Zone Alarm and Nvidia and not CM (or the 1.02 patch) specifically. On some computer systems when the game tries to connect, Zone Alarm prevents the traffic but the video doesn't switch over to the firewall prompt, allowing you to add the program to the ALLOWED LIST. We were able to replicate this with several online games including CMBB, and Diablo 2 among others. On a ATI video card equipped system, the firewall message did pop up, but on our test systems with Nvidia cards (using the latest official drivers), the game either froze (as is the case with CM) or simply would never allow a TCP connection to be established. Once the firewall was disabled, all games connected per normal. The fix for now is simple, disable the Zone Alarm firewall. There may be some other settings to the Zone Alarm configuration which will also serve as a suitable workaround and we will report what, if anything new, we find. We are trying to ascertain if the problem is with the newer version of Zone Alarm itself, or these new Nvidia drivers, as this was not a problem in the past with those firewall prompts correctly popping up on Nvidia systems. It is more than likely that an update from either Zone Alarm or Nvidia will also resolve this issue. We will be sure to contact both companies and make them aware of the problem. Since this issue is between the Zone Alarm app and the Nvidia video drivers, this is not anything we can address in our code. I will be updating the troubleshooting guides with any new info I can come up with. Testing of the new 1.03 patch is progressing and we should be making it available to the public shortly. Madmatt

I am going to run some tests with various firewall packages and see what might be going on. Madmatt

What about the TCP/IP bug where the computer hangs after it asks for your password?????? [/QB]</font>

As the Beta Test Lead, if you want to point the blame at someone, it is with me, and NOT my testers. Obviously, I was extremely upset that the PBEM bug got introduced, but to the testers defense, Charles has acknowledged that it occured very late in the test cycle and due to some other internal changes he was making to properly support all the various versions of CMAK that now exist. As soon as I got word of a potential issue with 1.02 (less than 24 hours after its release) I strove to minimize the exposure of the patch and worked with Charles to identify and fix the reported bug. We have now done so and as soon as we run some more tests we will announce and release the new 1.03 patch. I am sincerely sorry for anyone that downloaded the 1.02 patch and might have lost a in-progress PBEM game. However, let me stress that I will not allow people to chastise my core of testers. They give of their time and resources freely and wish only to improve the games that they are assigned to. It isn't fun (I see to that!), its hard work and I am very proud of my team. A cursory glance at the past will show clearly how dedicated we are to fix problems that crop up like this and we are going to do the same this time. So, for now, sit back, let us get this all fixed and for the moment SHUT YOUR PIE HOLES!

Redwolf, You are certainly free to express your opinion and we are sorry that the public 1.02 patch managed to have the PBEM bug (which will be fixed shortly). It is never easy to decide what will or won't get addressed with any patch. Some of the issues (like the unit bases from top down views) are annoying but due to various changes in the code, are not resolvable. Others are deemed as non-essential. Then there are issues which people bring up that for various reasons which we do not see as bugs or as needing to be tweaked. In the end, the contents of a patch is at our discretion and while we can't make everyone happy all of the time, we try to do what makes sense from our perspective. A perspective I hasten to add, which has kept us at the forefront of our industry where developer after developer has either closed up shop or trimmed down their product catalogs to a large degree. CMAK was and is at the very extreme of what the CM engine can do, and this is just another poignant example of why we must now concentrate on the second generation CM game engine. So, anyway, the new (1.03 patch) will be out shortly, it fixes the PBEM issue and of course includes all the content of the 1.02 patch which offered a host of changes and additions to the game. Maybe not the changes you wanted, hoped or prayed for, but they are the items we wanted to fix, change or add. Madmatt

While we have have confirmed (and fixed already) the PBEM issue, I could not replicate any TCP crashes like Le Tondu reported. As Rune says, I would suggest looking at your firewall settings first and see if that might not be the problem. Madmatt

We will shortly have a fix for this issue, please stay tuned. Madmatt