Cyrano

Thanks, as always, for the prompt reply. 'Swat I feared. Still, it's worth it for CM . Oddly, I didn't remember this happening before with CM:BO or BB...I'll take your word for it, tho. Best, Jim "Cyrano" :/7)

I'm now installing a CM game on my FIFTH computer...has it been so long old friend?...but I, for the first time, have a problem: 1: I set my desktop to 1024 and enter the freshly-installed and patched CM:AK. 2: I "accept" when asked if I want this as my screen resolution. 3: I enter the game. play a scenario to make sure all is well and to play CM. 4: I exit the game using the exit button. 5: I reset my desktop to my preferred 800X600 resolution. 6: I attempt to reenter CM:AK. At this point, the game asks me if I want 800X600 as my resolution. I have a PIV 3.6 Dell, 2g system ram, and a 256 Mb ATI card. I KNOW I don't get fog. Why doesn't the prefs file remember my resolution settings? Help appreciated, Jim "Cyrano" :/7)

First of all, let me say I enjoyed reading X-00's original post. I found it informative and to the point. I will also note that his #6 point is one I have wondered about since trying to first understand CM:BO. Further, I have recently become very angry with "Tour of Duty's" handling of mortar fire and have done a fair amount of reading on the topic of late, albeit in a later era. That said, are there any board or (more relevantly) miniatures games that have successfully modelled artillery at the level of detail envisioned by this post? I can only speak to Command Decision and a few homebrew games I got dragged into over the years and none seemed (IMHO) as detailed as even CM:BO (a few extra +1's on a CRT does not constitute detail, I'm talking about mechanics.) I get as rankled as the next guy about the difficulty in using mortars in both CM games, but I wonder if anyone else has shown a "better way" that strikes a better balance between reality and playability. ...makes a body all that much more eager for CM2. Regards, Jim "Cyrano"

Actually, I took the good corporal's question to mean, "What happens if 1.02 isn't backwards compatible to 1.01?" (which I assume it won't be). I'm certainly nothing even approaching an official in all this ('tho a happy participant) but it seems reasonable to require all games to finish with 1.01...no matter the lovely changes our heroes at BFC are coming up with. Regards, Jim "Cyrano"

Dispatch from the Front, or at least that bit of it occupied by III, III, 1. Numbers reflect the number of the last file SENT, not the turn... 1. Hosszupalyi: 20 2. The Beast: 18 3. Rear Guard Action: 11 4. The Christmas Battle: 31 5. King of Debrecen: 21 Many Regards, Jim "Cyrano"

Report from the front: All games started and turns sent. III/III/1 looks to be a well-organized bunch. Proud to be among 'em. Regards, Jim "Cyrano" :/7)

E-mail replied to. I am locked, loaded and frosty . Many regards, Jim "Cyrano" :/7)

Lifelong cheesehead (Ami Footie/demographic reference for those the other side of the briney) sends taunts southward to silly Bear people...one presumes your facility with tanks surpasses that at operating an offense . Warm wishes from someone who will be watching his team play after the next 3 weeks are up. Jim "Cyrano" [ December 19, 2002, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: Cyrano ]

BOOYAH! Game on, as it were... Regards, Jim "Cyrano" :/7)

First, let me say, I LOVE Dell computers. I have four of them at home ranging from a P3500 (my first, much loved CM:BO machine) to a flame-throwing 2.53MgHz beastie...so this is NOT Dell-bashing... That said: Dell owners, do your CM:BB soldiers stand at curious attention during set-up and orders phase? Do your soliders, when they move, move in a herky-jerky fashion? Does your game clock get all wierd during replays? Do your tanks suddenly wander all over the field during replays that run well past 1 minute? Based on other comments made in this forum, I made a number of inquiries and believe I have, indeed located the problem, at least for SOME Dell users. There's an internal Uptime Clock (hereafter UC) in the innards of these PC behemoths. Its function is extremely confusing to me (and I've tried to have tech-savvy friends 'splain it to me) but the bottom line is that on SOME Dells, this clock does not reset properly. This affects more than CM:BB and CM:BO. It screws up Cossacks and Crimson Skies as well (and there may be more). How can you tell if this is your problem? Download a teeny executable called "Uptime" from www.cnet.com. It is not a TSR. It just calls your UC and checks how long the UC THINKS your PC has been "up". You may be surprised at what you see (I sure was). Solution? Regrettably, I have not been able to find one other than leaving your PC up for 45 minutes to an hour at which point your PC resets the UC and all is well. My question, and the real reason for this post, is, hey guys at BFC, what does this clock DO that so cocks up CM:BO and BB? I honestly don't expect a fix since the flaw isn't fatal, but, frankly, it's so wierd that I got curious. Any insight much appreciated. Regards, Jim "Cyrano" :/7)

I am an American who wishes he was born on the 4th of July. I believe the Declaration of Independence is the only document to rival Magna Carta and the Petition of Right in the pantheon of scraps of paper defining man's freedoms. I get all oogy just thinking about George Washington. That said, I like good wargames. I like some eras more than others (no one, of course, is ever going to create a good 3-d, WEG0 ECW game, so I've learned to cope) but what matters to me is design, concept and execution. CM:BO and CM:BB have all 3 at a level that honestly beggars the imagination. I admit, I PREFER to play allies (Brits count here (to me, anyway) as do Aussies, Poles, Canadians, etc.) and am having a hard time warming up to Uncle Joe. On the other hand, I do not trivialize the sacrifices or service of any of the lunatics who actually got into some of these odd tanks (TANKETTE??!!) and defended their nation with bravery and honor. I get the point that started this thread. I think it's good food for thought. Given the way markets run, the focus of CB:BB could well cut into sales (you'll note a certain other game is called "GI" Combat). This, however, did not stop me from buying 2 copies...man's gotta have him some LAN games, right? This will not stop me from prostelytizing all my friends. I hope it does "broaden the horizons" (I'm amazed how much this phrase is used as snide invective) of some purchasers. For me, it will serve as a reminder of just how much we spoiled children of the "best generation" owe our forefathers. Many Regards, Jim :/7) Who is only able to write this because his copy of CM:BB is at HOME...

Got it here in Milwaukee, WI. Regards, Jim :/7)

The clock wonkiness is usually also associated with strange, stilted running on the part of your soldiers...almost as if they're skipping frames of animation. Why do I know this? Because I have TWO Dells running WinME at home. This is a "known issue" and I agree with the original poster that the only sure solution I have found is to run your PC for about 1/2 hour. Works every time. I will admit, though, I was very sad to note the problem when I booted up the CM:BB demo. Ah well, cheap at twice the price. Regards, Jim :/7)

The clock wonkiness is usually also associated with strange, stilted running on the part of your soldiers...almost as if they're skipping frames of animation. Why do I know this? Because I have TWO Dells running WinME at home. This is a "known issue" and I agree with the original poster that the only sure solution I have found is to run your PC for about 1/2 hour. Works every time. I will admit, though, I was very sad to note the problem when I booted up the CM:BB demo. Ah well, cheap at twice the price. Regards, Jim :/7)

I swear to God...any of you guys cause Steve, Charles, Matt, et al. to have an aneuryism thereby delaying CM:BB one SECOND and I'm calling down all sorts of horrid mojo on ya. Steve, you have a singular ability to type ANGRY. Those of us possessed of auditory (sp?) conceptualization skills were flinching through the whole FAQ. Please know that there is a legion of people out here who are fans of this series (I have one friend who is preparing for a 2-year GoodWill mission to Haiti and is paranoid that he won't get CM:BB before he leaves.) and who regard it as one of the "last-best" hopes of genuine wargaming. BTSAK? Not Guilty. I just do what I can to remember and support those things for which I'm grateful. Questions, clarifications, etc., strike me as valid matters for a forum of this type...apocalyptic ranting about the demise of the "true spirit" of BTS and how the filthy crypto-Nazi censors are invading Britain is obfuscatory waste. Regards, Jim

I TRIED removing the Nvidia drivers using add/remove program, but... a) It wanted me (on re-boot) to specify a location where my drivers might be found...28.32 is only available in an auto-executable as far as I'm aware so there was no "folder" to point to for those... When I put in the 29.40s and re-booted, it came up with a missing driver, one that apparently 28.32 has because since applying the 28.32s BACK over the 29.40s, the rest of my system works, but CM is, I guess, odd... Yes, I once had OEMs in for the Dell card which is what motivated the add/remove uninstall method. Thanks for your help, Jim

Rats, forgot... I have tried uninstalling my Dets, reinstalling 8.1, then reinstalling the Dets. I have also tried various versions of the Dets including 28.32 and the newest WHDQ release (which number escapes me at the moment). Oh, and, of course, the PC is actually a 2 MHZ system. Thanks again, Jim

For purposes of comparison, my system: Dell 2mg 512Mb RAM WinME GeForece3 Ti200 with 28.32 Dets DirectX 8.1 Again my troops are starting "at attention", doing an odd 2-step instead of walking/running, and my timer displays all manner of wierd information if I try to "replay". My reading of the board suggests this is a Dell/ME problem or maybe a power management TSR issue. Has the problem been isolated and/or a fix found? For those it affects, does this problem, in your opinion, affect the outcome of the game, i.e., is the result "wrong" or is it just aesthetically unpleasing. All help appreciated. Jim

Happy good morning! Although I didn't, at first, attempt the full registry flush suggested, I DID do a "VGA-install" uninstall that I remembered from, oh, a PC or 2 ago...I removed the drivers, reinstalled DX8.1, reinstalled the 28.32DETS and... ...no more problems... My thanks, Jim

Many thanks for the reply...answers follow: a) Windows ME Yes, I sometimes get "odd" times during my 60 second replay...usually involves at least one hyphen. Figured it was a LAN anamoly. c) Yes, I installed my 28.32's "over" the old drivers. Thanks again, Jim

My set-up: PIV, 2g, 512MbRAM, 60g HD Xtasy GeForce3Ti with (I'm pretty sure) 28.32Dets installed My problem: My infantry looks to be losing frames of animation or something because they're legs are moving REALLY fast during turn resolution. Again, when they're NOT running (I had em sneak just to be sure) they look like something out of a silent film. My questions: a) Can this be remedied? More importantly, is it affecting the resolution of the game, i.e., is my turn resolving "faster" than it should or does CM:BO compensate for faster systems? Will this be an issue in multi-play? Obviously, I CANNOT be without CM, so, any help appreciated. Regards, Jim

Just a note to say thanks a bunch for DFDR...really good work and a nice change of pace...

This, at least, is the link to the matrix announcement for its Desert Fox MegaCampaign. Sounds like a neat idea and it's being done by people with a real love of the genre... Now if I can only convince SOMEBODY to love The Thirty Years War this much... http://www.matrixgames.com/games/megacampaigns/whatsnew.asp Regards, Cyrano ------------------ "Watching others make friends, as a dog makes friends. I mark the manner of these canine courtesies and say, 'Thank God, here comes another enemy'" -- Rostand

A while ago, some fellow Nvidia owners and I had some significant problems with lock-ups. I downgraded back to (now nearly year-old) Dell drivers and the problems went away. Now, with Det3/6.5 out there, I'm wondering if I should take the plunge? One cannot, of course, live without CM soooo...my system: DellP3 750, 128 20g HD Dell proprietary GeForce 256, 32 megabyte Any help MUCH appreciated, Cyrano ------------------ "Watching others make friends, as a dog makes friends. I mark the manner of these canine courtesies and say, 'Thank God, here comes another enemy'" -- Rostand

I'm certainly not the expert here (my own experience ended largely at GI Anvil of Doom and COI) but, having now played a fair number of the ASL-2-CM games against my regular opponent via TCP/IP, a couple of observations: 1. Most of the ASL scenarios are VERY little. An armor piece or 2 per side is not uncommon...perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised, bein' it's titled SQUAD leader and all, but, still... 2. In part because of #1, many scenarios (notably the Market Garden pack) come off as "tactical problems" rather than full-on scenarios. In a couple instances (opaque prose here inserted to prevent spoilers) the fate of one or 2 units really turns the entire engagement. This can (and did) make a few lucky shell bounces extremely important...perhaps more important than typically warranted. 3. Compromises (necessitated by the broader reach of ASL in terms of equipment modelled) litter the accompanying text. Certain units you expect to find (if you played the originals) won't be there because, well, CM doesn't have them. 4. Still and all, they're quick plays and (with one exception) proved FAR more fun than frustrating. The services of Col. Klotz, et al. are missed... Regards, Jim ------------------ "Watching others make friends, as a dog makes friends. I mark the manner of these canine courtesies and say, 'Thank God, here comes another enemy'" -- Rostand