TeAcH Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Now just hold up a second before you rush over and get it. Here is the deal. For those of you who have already downloaded the BER, just DL the BER.EXE file (500+ K only!!) and overwrite the old .exe file. When you run the BER next time you can right click on the title bar on the BER program window and click about to ensure you are using the latest build. Refer to the modification history on our BER site to keep track of the latest builds and features. Secure mode allows you to use the BER in all of your TCPIP and PBEM games where you can be assured no one is cheating. Secure mode requires passwords from each player before turn checks are made and the BER game file is encrypted. See the site for details. We are happy to have brought it to you, our CM friends. Use it and please tell us what you think, if you find a bug, or have a request. Thanks, TeAcH & BradleyH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Deadmarsh Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 What is "secure mode?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitzkrieg Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigdog Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Any chance of Mac ver ? Big Dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 BER can be run in BASIC mode and SECURE mode. Basic mode permits one player of a multiplayer game to setup and monitor the ending turn (by clicking on 'Check Turn' when you get to the correct turn in the game.) With Secure mode, one player sets up the BER game file, enters his password, and then sends the file to the other player. Player 2 enters his password and then can check for the ending turn. He checks once, and then the file has to be sent back to player 1. This mimics how we play CM by e-mail. Playing in basic mode is easier, and faster, but it puts one player in the hot seat for checking the ending turn. This mode is best for when you are playing with your friends. TeAcH and I appreciate your comments. We put some effort into this app to make playing CM even more fun (and less predictable). Thanks, -- Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bigdog: Any chance of Mac ver ? Big Dog<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well, probably not. Sorry. But I have been thinking about an Internet version. But Teach and I need to confer on this idea some more. We'll post additional information both here in the forums and also at http://www.badcoinc.com/ber sometime in the future. We need to get a couple more projects completed first. -- Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 I just d/l the randomizer to try it out with my friend and wow...big difference. We played to a draw which is quite unusual for us, but the randomizer made us a whole lot more cautious, and it showed. I'm very impressed with your work. Thank you for a great utility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 OK, I haven't been following up on this utility and I have no idea what it does. I assume it randomizes the turn at which the game ends right? Preventing "gamey" flag rushes, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckle Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 Hi Brad, First off, Thank-you for providing this great programme! I am using BER with a bunch of games in Winecapes TourneyII. It really makes a difference to the endgame. Now, some thoughts... say you have a 5 turn game, +/-1, the BER will say 'Battle Over - Cease Fire' on any turn of 4, 5, or 6. I think it should say 'This is the last turn, ceasefire NEXT turn.' instead . As it is, the way it reads, you will never get to play the 6th turn, the last turn would be 3, 4, or 5. I also have a (possibly very important) bug report for you that i don't want to post here, i have mailed it to you and TeAch... if you haven't recieved it then post here and i'll get it to you. -ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 20, 2001 Author Share Posted June 20, 2001 Chuckle, Thanks! Yes. Good find on the bug! We will fix it pronto! Okay lads, there is a security issue with 1.5 build 18 in secure mode. I won't say where it is, but there is one and that is not cool. In our haste to get this out, this got by us. It is not easily exploited but we want you all to have confidence in the program. That is very important to us. We will fix it right away!!!! Like right now and post tonight barring any complications. As far as your first words about the changing the comments in the BER to say "This is the last turn", we see your point. Keep in mind that the whole purpose of the BER is to surprise the players on when the last turn arrives. This is done in order to prevent the flag rush. Given the limitations of the BER with respect to its inablilty to "interface" and "control" the CM game file, combined with the concern about turns that you state above, we do not recommend that anyone use a variance of +-1. If we changed the BER to say "This is the last turn" we give the players the ability to rush a flag down to the 60th second of the last turn. We dont want that. So (using your example) you check on turn 4, BER says go on. You do turn 4 and then go back to the BER on turn 5 and check. BER says go on. You have that last turn and that is it. Otherwise, you give the player notice at that time that he has a full two turns to use and we dont want that to happen. We want the BER to tell you on turn 5 either GAME OVER or PLAYS CONTINUES. That way, you get it as random as we can give it. Correct me if I am wrong. For now on, just factor that into your understading of the BER and your games and you'll be fine. Again, pose any suggestions to the contrary and we will look at them. Now then, are there any other comments good, bad, indifferent? We'd like to know. Thanks Wolfpack for the comment. Glad you like it! It kicks butt doesn't it? Changes things up for the better. Regards, TeAcH [ 06-20-2001: Message edited by: TeAcH ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 20, 2001 Author Share Posted June 20, 2001 Okay BER build 22 is out and those security issues are fixed! Make sure you and your opponent are both using build 22!! We will release a newer version soon but in the meantime, use build 22 and the security issue is resolved. TeAcH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxm2 Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 Is this a work-around for off-topic messages? ------------------------------- "Blaming the hundreds of injuries and deaths caused by kids getting hold of adults' non-child-proof guns is like blaming a car manufacturer that doesn't put seat belts or airbags or safety glass in a car for injuries and fatalities." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenSplatton Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 As a new CMer, I just want to thank you guys for your outstanding product. I have only completed SIX, yes six, PBEM games and have already learned to dislike the flag rush with a passion. I am going to use this proggy from here on out. I also added a link and a big kudo to you guys on my page. Not that it's large or anything, but I'll make sure all the BoB ladder players know about this fine product. Keep up the great work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 21, 2001 Author Share Posted June 21, 2001 maxm2: not sure I follow you. GenSplatton: Why thanks! That was a very kind compliment. We truly appreciate it. BER was a lot of work but it makes it worthwhile when we hear comments like yours. Take care. TeAcH [ 06-20-2001: Message edited by: TeAcH ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckle Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 TeAch - Fantastic turnaround time on the new build! I am impressed. On my suggestion, i agree completely that the result should surprise the player as much as possible. My suggestion would have given the player 60s more warning than nessecary, bad idea. Hmmm, so... For me it would make more sense if the BER result was adjusted by +1. This would mean that in a 30 turn +/-5 QB the result would be in the range 26 - 36, meaning the last turn played would be in the range 25 - 35 (not 24 - 34 as it is now.) This way you could play the last turn in your battle (possibly!). I don't think this would give any more away than it does at present (ie. if you get to the last turn you know it is the last possibility). Anyhows, this is a very minor point, and my easy solution for myself is to add 1 to the no. of turns when creating the BER file . Keep up the good work! -ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxm2 Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 TeAcH, >maxm2: not sure I follow you. This is off topic and my last post on this, but using a tag line like: "Blaming crime on guns is like blaming spoons for Rosie O'Donnell's being fat." sneaks in an off-topic political opinion which is not as likely to get locked down as if it were stated separately. For example, my tag could be: "Killing criminals to show that killing is wrong is like beating up your kids to show them that they shouldn't be violent." How annoying would that be to some people? I just think funny or interesting tag lines that stay away from gun lobby propaganda (or any political agenda) are more appropriate for this forum. --Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 22, 2001 Author Share Posted June 22, 2001 Hmm...I see, well, it is meant to be funny since fat ole Rosie likes to use her celebrity to further her personal agenda. I say "Rosie...shaddup and make people laugh thats it". So, the comment is meant to be funny. I dont care what you believe and drawing a comparison to your example about beating children is laughable at best. So, spanking is child abuse? Amazing. How you see it that way boggles my mind. Please Max, leave the moderating to the moderators and don't be so sensitive. I'd like to talk about the BER and you and I can discuss this in email. Now, back to the BER. Bradley and I are finalizing the latest build. I'll let you know when it is available. Regards, TeAcH [ 06-23-2001: Message edited by: TeAcH ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 23, 2001 Author Share Posted June 23, 2001 I'd like to ask anyone else out there that is using the BER for any comments you have on it. We want to get the next build out of the door and online so any problems or suggestions that you have, we'd like to hear them to consider them for this next and possibly final build. Otherwise, the BER will be baked and completed soon. Also, if any CM site operators feel so inclined to add a link to the BER or have the file available for DL, we'd appreciate it. I hope you all find it useful. Regards, TeAcH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowMotion Posted June 23, 2001 Share Posted June 23, 2001 I just promptly tried the program a couple of times and I hope this idea will be included in CM2. There are many ways to adding some randomness to scenarios, and the number of turns is certainly one of the best. I have one wish for possible future versions: IMO installation programs should always ask the installation path, not just assume that c:\Program Files is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 23, 2001 Author Share Posted June 23, 2001 Thanks. Okay, we will try to add that option to the InstallShield program; the ability to choose the install path. And I'm glad you find the program beneficial. Yeah, there are quite a few ways to randomize the endings and during a previous discussion on this awhile back, there were some good ideas. The BER was the only way we could do it on our own, obviously, since we can't and didn't want to intergrate with the CM files. Thanks for the comment. Let us know if you all have any others. Regards, TeAcH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 26, 2001 Author Share Posted June 26, 2001 *bump* for anyone still using the old version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeburst155 Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 I just finished a PBEM with the BER. This is the only way to play guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeAcH Posted June 27, 2001 Author Share Posted June 27, 2001 Why thanks TreeBurst! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeburst155 Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 You're welcome TeAch. My donation is on the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Thanks TreeBurst! We're glad you like it and you find it useful. BTW, I'm working on a small modification to the program so it will check the compatibility of the version stamp in the game file against its internal version number. We're trying to make the build of the app as compatible as possible with the two version 1.5 builds that have been released. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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