M.K.P Huusko

Thanks for the tip. I'll try netstat next time this problem occurs. And yes, I do check whether the IP address has changed.

I've tried ping with my regular finnish opponent, but never with anyone else. If I remember correctly, ping didn't find my opponents IP. Our standard practise is that the hosting player reboots his machine after each game, or else the connection does not work. We both have cable modems, without fixed IP address, and both use ZoneAlarm as firewall. I suspect the "won't connect even after reboot" - problem is caused by some component, be it software or hardware, "remembering" the lost connection.

Yes, it has happened more than once, and with different opponents. Connection cannot be established whether starting a new game or restoring from autosave. This affects only that opponent one was playing with when the connection was lost. Notice: Usually rebooting helps, but if it doesn't there seems nothing to be done.

Problem: After a "lost connection" it seems to be totally impossible to continue a TCP/IP game. Example: Players A & B begin a TCP/IP match. Suddenly the connection is lost. BOTH A & B reboot their machines. A restarts CMBB and informs B that he can reconnect. However, B cannot connect A's machine, nor can A connect B's. This is very annoying problem! Has anyone found a working solution to it? I've tried everything (rebooting, disabling firewall etc.) except a virgin sacrifice, but no use. Once the connection is lost, it will work no more.

Just thought of... One problem with my proposed event trigger & command sequence memory system occurs when the unit is forced to go back in the command sequence chain. Example: AFV is shot at. It reverses back to the previous waypoint in the command sequence memory. What happens next? How to prevent the AFV from continuing the order chain, driving forward again, being shot at, reverse back, drive forward... and so on.

Benpark, I didn't mean these new features to be scenario designer aid, but to be used by the player(s) during the actual game. Sorry if I presented my ideas in an unclear manner.

Herein are some ideas of mine for the upcoming new CM engine, presented to the merciless scrutiny of this board of fellow gamers. It is my humble opinion, misguided as it may be, that should these suggestions be implemented, they would greatly enhance gameplay, and bring great joy and happiness to the CM gaming community. IDEA 1: USER DEFINED AI BEHAVIOUR Each unit has certain generic EVENT properties, which trigger user selectable behaviour. In a way, it is like "a conditional command system", governing what to do if something happens. For example: AFV type unit has EVENT property "SHOT AT". Under this property there is a dropdown list, with following actions. - Shoot back and retreat out of the line of sight. - Retreat out of sight. - Stay and fight. - Reverse to last waypoint. - Fast to next waypoint. Thus, with the selected action "Reverse to last waypoint", the AFV would stop and reverse to the last waypoint when shot at, instead of blissfully continuing forward. The "Shoot and retreat out of sight" - option would be really handy for setting ambushes, and then getting away before the enemy turns the ambushers into a mincemeat. To reduce micromanagement, there should be global preferences, which could be overridden by company level, platoon level, all the way to a single unit. With this model, the player could first set global preference for ALL AFVs SHOT AT = "Reverse to last waypoint". Then he could set overriding preference to a platoon of tiger tanks SHOT AT = "Stay and fight". The behaviour system represents conditional orders given to a unit and also its common sense. In my opinion it would increase realism and playability. Consider a real life commander telling to an AFV: "Ok, scout ahead, but if you encounter the enemy, retreat and come back." You can't do that with the current system, but with the EVENT trigger / action system it would be possible. *** IDEA 2: UNIT MEMORY Unit memory would be a great improvement over the current system. As we all well know, the units in CM don't remember what they've been doing, or what they've seen. Well, the game is absolutely great in spite of that flaw, but imagine how much better it would be with unit memory? Units should remember at least CURRENT COMMAND SEQUENCE and ENEMIES SEEN. CURRENT COMMAND SEQUENCE contains all the commands given to a unit, until it has executed the last one. After the final command has been done, the command sequence memory is emptied. With the command sequence memory it is possible for a unit to reverse to the last waypoint for an example. ENEMIES SEEN contains all the enemies a unit has seen and their last know location. This would allow commands such as MOVE TO LINE OF SIGHT. An example of the ENEMIES SEEN memory in action: Player's AFV has spotted an enemy AFV and retreats out of its line of sight. Player selects MOVE TO LINE OF SIGHT command, and selects the previously seen enemy AFV from the unit memory as target. If the enemy AFV has not moved from the position where it was when the player's AFV last saw it, the player's AFV quickly acquires it as a target. However, if the enemy AFV has moved, the player's AFV may waste time searching for the intended target. *** IDEA 3: NEW COMMANDS MOVE TO LINE OF SIGHT: Units moves until it has a line of sight to a unit or location. ATTACK AND RETREAT: Similar to shoot and scoot, except the unit moves forward until it has a line of sight to a selected target, shoots, and then backs out of the line of sight. *** IDEA 4: PRIORITY ORDER It would be nice to be able to set a command as a priority order, which would enforce a unit to carry out the command with the utmost effort. Only very serious threats (also depending on the unit experience level) would make the unit to deviate from the priority order. Morale: I'm the top brass commander, and if I order for example a tank to fire something -- even if it would be a total waste of ammo -- it well should do so, not "conserve ammo", or "decide it was useless to shoot at". You're not supposed to think in the army soldier! You're supposed to obey! *** That's all folks. Now, some opinions please.

(Translation of the original text I wrote after a recent Quick Battle.) From the war diary of coloner Mikhail Huzkovitz. Year: 1943. Location: town of Vodkagrad, Russia. *** Recon tells me, that the german forces are quickly approaching our positions. They are led by the infamous sturmhauptman Karl von Lappländer, the Scourge of Bavaria, my old nemesis. Poor weather -- as it is a norm around here -- keeps our glorious air forces grounded. Also there is yet no sign of the platoon of T-34's I requested from the headquarters. They are probaly either stuck in the prevalent mud somewhere, or camping behind the front lines, drinking vodka. Drat! Thus, I have to stop the onwards juggering German Juggernaut with infantry alone. *** I've ordered my men to dig trenches in woods outside of the Town, opposite side to the german approach. Work is progressing at a brisk pace, especially after I shot a couple of the lazier comrades as a warning to the others. Soldiers of the red army are always efficient, whether they have a rifle or a shovel in their hands! The germans will have a hell of a task attacking our well fortified positions. We have machineguns a plenty, and so much infantry, that the germans will surely run out of bullets, before we run out of men. Extensive minefields flank the town on both sides, forcing the german panzers into the town, where my men are ready to serve them a metal rich dish of 14,5mm antitank rifle rounds, with a sideorder of the world famous molotov cocktails. We also have several 76mm guns, which I hope, will give the german tanks a hell. *** After an excruciating wait, I receive a report, that first german tanks have been spotted. Shortly afterwards, another report tells, that no less than THREE of the teuton warmachines are stuck in the muddy embrace of Mother Russia! Da! Da! A shot of vodka to everyone at the command post! Our celebration is cut short, as a lone PzIV has reached the outskirts of town, and speeds forward with impunity, despite the fact that brave heroes of the red army are peppering it with antitank rifle rounds. Damn huns have been clever: their tanks have metal skirts that prove to be very effective against AT-rifle tungsten ammo! Cocksure nazis drive forward with the "Ride of Valkyries" playing on the background. Unbeknownst to them, they are heading straight into a minefield. Soon, soon, I gloat, but what happens!? The damn panzer goes over the mines without any harm! Aargh! At this point I also find out, that the 76mm guns are nearly as effective against tanks, as if I used foul language. No wonder they were so cheap! Fiendish von Lappländer positions the PzIV so, that even my utterly ineffective guns can't shoot it. The tank starts pounding my hapless men into a bloody goulash with it's 75mm cannon. Not good. Not good at all. This setback is greatly lessened, when I receive word, that Tiger IE, the pride of the german army, has also bogged down outside the town. Da! Da! Yet another shot of vodka to everyone at the command post! Another PzIV tries to approach from the other side of town, but is not as lucky as it's predecessor. It becomes immobilized, and my proven-to-be-useless antitank rifle teams start shooting at it. Time and time again the rounds ricochet harmlessly at the side and back of the PzIV. Seems they can't even scratch the paint off the german kampfvagen! But then: oh voe! oh grievance! Tiger's crew fetches some of those "higly effective" antitank mines, and uses them as leverage under the track. And the Tiger gets out of the mud! Roaring, the beastly cat heads into the town, obviously meaning to avoid further bogging and minefields. My face red, I yell at the field radio: "Destroy that damn Tiger!". Men hiding in the town leap at action: they throw molotovs, grenades, bricks and pine cones (unfortunate they aren't finns) at the onward rushing Tiger, but no avail. The Tiger gets through the town unscathed, and joins it's 88mm gun into a deadly duetto with the PzIV. Together they manage to drive my men out of their positions. On the other hand, my machine guns and infantry do a fine job keeping the german infantry firmly inside the boundaries of the town. One of my heroic tank hunter teams manages to sneak into a house behind the PzIV. Soon afterwards they are slaughtered by the merciless nazi troops at a nearby building. With his last gasp, private Popokov manages to throw a molotov at the PzIV, thus ending it's reign of terror. Popokov dies as a true hero of the red army! His relatives will receive a boxful of medals! Time is running short, and von Lappländer decides to use an unfair gamey rush. He orders the Tiger move to my second strongpoint. It parks directly in front of a trench in which my men are hugging the soil of the motherland. Few shots from my pistol provide ample incentive, and two squads leap out to do battle with the steel cat. For three minutes they hack the Tiger with shovels, throw grenades and molotovs at it, and even jump up and down on the top of it. All for nothing! The fury of the sons of Rodina does nothing more, than breaks a track of the monster tank. *** Thus the battle ended in draw. Von Lappländer's troops couldn't conquer but a single victory location, one was firmly held by me, and the third was left undecided. Would the russian braves have been able to dispose the Tiger, or would they have been shot into a bloody goulash? The war goes on, and I will face the infamous von Lappländer again... and again... and again... [ October 24, 2002, 12:05 AM: Message edited by: M.K.P Huusko ]

Probably asked before, but I really miss a setting for map dimensions in Quick Battles. Yes, I can import maps as wide or deep as I like, but it just isn't the same. Any chances this feature would be included in the upcoming patch? (Probably not, I guess.)

I got the US version yesterday! And it didn't cost me anything extra, as my friend, who forwarded it to me, paid the postage! (Make, you're a saint!) I was very worried of getting one of those defective CD's, but it SEEMED to install ok, and plays without problem (so far). The installer does not give any "install complete"-message or such, doesn't it? Just for the peace of mind, I'm going to compare the number of files on HD, to a list I got from the tech-support forum. Anyways, since everything probably is alright, I'm going to gloat a bit: Wohoo! I got it! No stupid waffengrenadiers for me! In your face, you nazi-censoring censorhip-nazis! PS. You people were right; the AI DID hand my ass to my at first game. "I believe this ass belongs to you, mr. Huusko." [ October 08, 2002, 12:30 AM: Message edited by: M.K.P Huusko ]

CMBB suomeksi!? Ei helvetissä!!! Please, do not localize CMBB! I believe, that majority of those who will buy CMBB (including me) would just HATE a translated version, even if it was a "perfect" translation. Every single person I've told about plans to localize CMBB, reacted VERY negatively about it. (Like, groaning in agony, gnawing the edge of a table, and vowing never to buy such an abomination.) I sincerely believe, that making a localized version would be a great waste of resources, as most gamers would still buy an english game, leaving the finnish ones gathering dust on the shelves. Thinking that a translated game would attract a broader audience is false. As previous posters have stated, finnish gamers can read english adequately. Those who can't (older people) don't play computer games, even if they were in ANY language. Don't make a mistake BTS. Finns don't like nor want translated games.