1.10 PBEM games continuable in 1.11?

[Sivodsi]

The first few patches forced us to restart our PBEMs, the later patches we could just continue playing. What about for 1.11?

I've put a few games on hold while I'm going through some torrid times at work (big apologies to all my opponents!) and as we get closer to release, I really hope that this question can be answered.

[Sergei]

No, they won't work in 1.11. Better finish them up! For games that haven't really started yet you might wait for the patch and start again, because it fixes the

[missinginreality]

the.......the......

[Sivodsi]

... the drama! What happened to Sergei? Assassination? New orders? Alien abduction?

Stay tuned for for further details!

[cmfan]

This thread is full of sudden mystery.

[missinginreality]

maybe if we read his thread backwards a clue may make itself apparent?

[stikkypixie]

The first few patches forced us to restart our PBEMs, the later patches we could just continue playing. What about for 1.11?

I've put a few games on hold while I'm going through some torrid times at work (big apologies to all my opponents!) and as we get closer to release, I really hope that this question can be answered.

Make a copy of the 1.10 exe file. I heard somewhere you can use that to play 1.10 games. Any rate you better start sending me turns again .

[Other Means]

Yes, you need to make a backup of the whole game directory, call it CMSF1.10 or sumfink and run your existing games from there.

You can have as many incremental backups as you like.

You can't run the existing games because

[Scipio]

... the problem is not only the cmsf.exe, but also a file namend 'strings.txt'. If you have the wrong version of the latter, cmsf crashes. This has caused some problems when mods altered the strings.txt and were still in the z folder after an update. The file can be found in the "../data/Version 110.brz".

So in theory you just need to

[Sivodsi]

Ye gads! What is it with this thread? Is it some sort of in joke to leave it to others to complete your...

[gdigga]

... the problem is not only the cmsf.exe, but also a file namend 'strings.txt'. If you have the wrong version of the latter, cmsf crashes. This has caused some problems when mods altered the strings.txt and were still in the z folder after an update. The file can be found in the "../data/Version 110.brz".

So in theory you just need to

build a campfire and sing a couple songs, so why don't we try that and then

[Mikkey]

... the problem is not only the cmsf.exe, but also a file namend 'strings.txt'. If you have the wrong version of the latter, cmsf crashes. This has caused some problems when mods altered the strings.txt and were still in the z folder after an update. The file can be found in the "../data/Version 110.brz".

So in theory you just need to

maybe help temporarily removed Version110.brz file from data directory...

[Sivodsi]

Make a copy of the 1.10 exe file. I heard somewhere you can use that to play 1.10 games. Any rate you better start sending me turns again .

Don't worry, I don't abandon my PBEM opponents (even if you are currently crushing me!). I've just got a cr*pl**d piled up at work at the moment, and just when I thought it would die down, something else rears its ugly head. I should be through the worst of it by mid-December.

One way or another we will finish the game!

[Sivodsi]

Yes, you need to make a backup of the whole game directory, call it CMSF1.10 or sumfink and run your existing games from there.

You can have as many incremental backups as you like.

You can't run the existing games because

Could you be more specific about which folders need to be backed up in order for 1.10 to work after the 1.11 patch?

Thanks!

[Other Means]

Backup the whole folder. Get your current shock force folder and copy it with a new name, then create all your shortcuts etc to it. You can then update the copy in the original folder and as your PBEM games come to an end you can migrate to the new version (it's definitely worth it).

I wouldn't recommend any other way because if your data files get updated and you try to run with an old version exe it'll crash.

[GSX]

Well you cant fault the longevity of the game! Just send out a patch every now and then to force everyone to re-start their games or campaigns.

This is playing havoc with the worlds first SF Tournament you know. I thought wed have a winner before Xmas, at this rate it will be Xmas 2009!

Not good at all for keeping guys attention in the tourney....

[Sivodsi]

Well you cant fault the longevity of the game! Just send out a patch every now and then to force everyone to re-start their games or campaigns.

This is playing havoc with the worlds first SF Tournament you know. I thought wed have a winner before Xmas, at this rate it will be Xmas 2009!

Not good at all for keeping guys attention in the tourney....

Oh gee, when did it start and who was organizing it? Totally missed it.

Although, probably just as well considering how bogged down with RL I am at the mo.'

[Battlefront.com]

Just to chime in...

It should be expected that save games (which does include PBEM) won't work with subsequent patches. Occasionally a patch will come out very quickly that doesn't mess with the save file format, but those are rare. Same was true with CMx1 patches.

This is very unfortunate indeed, but it's a necessity. The save file format reflects what is in the game at the time the game was run. As things change, either the game expects different data to be in the save file and/or the save file expects the game to behave a particular way with the data it has already in it. In theory Charles could make things backwards compatible, but in reality it's a not easy and prone to error. The last thing we need to be doing is chasing down bugs that are specific to old save files.

As for Campaigns, we are aware that this poses a much more significant problem for Campaigns. Finishing up a single game before upgrading isn't a big deal, but finishing up the Campaign is pretty daunting. We're planning on addressing that, and some other unanticipated issues, with Normandy right out of the box (if we can) or soon after (if we can't).

Steve

[Scipio]

So in theory you just need to

... a) make a copy of the file "CM Shock Force.exe" and name it "110.exe" BEFORE you run the update patch.

run the 1.11 update patch

c) as soon as the update is completed, rename the file "CM Shock Force.exe" to "111.exe"

d) create a new text file in your CMSF root folder and enter the following:

cd data

rename Version?111.brz Version?111.bak

cd ..

110.exe

e) save the new textfile as 110.bat

f) create a second new text file in your CMSF root folder and enter the following:

cd data

rename Version?111.bak Version?111.brz

cd ..

111.exe

g) save the second new textfile as 111.bat

If you now want to play Version 1.10, doubleclick on '110.bat' - for Version 1.11 obviously doubleclick on '111.bat'. You can of course also create shortcuts to the *.bat files on your desktop or where ever you want to.

I can't guarantee if it works, since the 1.11 patch ain't out yet. But if my theory is correct, we have a good chance. Maybe a beta tester can check this.

[Other Means]

Just copy the folder, as above.

[c3k]

As Other Means said, I've successfully continued to use v1.08 in a campaign merely by renaming the 1.08 .exe file and creating a shortcut to the same, PRIOR to applying the v1.10 patch.

Now I have two exe's: 1.08 and 1.10. The v1.10 has no suffix, it is merely CMSF.exe. The 1.08 is named (by me) CMSFv108.exe.

When I want to use v1.08 all I do is select the shortcut to that .exe. I have not noticed any ill effects in the game by doing this.

Regards,

Ken

[Sergei]

I would have thought you'd need to move the later BRZ file from data folder while playing the older version. But if it works just like that, good.

[Other Means]

As Other Means said, I've successfully continued to use v1.08 in a campaign merely by renaming the 1.08 .exe file and creating a shortcut to the same, PRIOR to applying the v1.10 patch.

Now I have two exe's: 1.08 and 1.10. The v1.10 has no suffix, it is merely CMSF.exe. The 1.08 is named (by me) CMSFv108.exe.

When I want to use v1.08 all I do is select the shortcut to that .exe. I have not noticed any ill effects in the game by doing this.

Regards,

Ken

Actually, I'd say copy the whole folder as there may be changes in the BRZ files so it's best to copy the whole lot.

It's easy enough you just need the HDD space.

[Scipio]

Actually, I'd say copy the whole folder as there may be changes in the BRZ files so it's best to copy the whole lot.

It's easy enough you just need the HDD space.

HDD space is the point, isn't it? Not everybody is able or willing to spend about 3.5GB of HD space.

Beside that, I thought one of the basic ideas of the brz files is to update game datas by simple adding the changes with a new brz file, instead of changing existing brz files!?

[Sivodsi]

Now that 1.11 has come out I'm bumping this thread to see if anybody has tried just keeping 1.10 and a few BRZ files, rather than copy make a whole copy of the folder.