How do I ...?

[Rik81]

Trying to start up a PBEM game, but can't figure out how to get going. I get asked for a Password, and then for a File Name, and then the game just exits? I can't find the file any place? How do I get to a set-up screen? Etc.? (Using version 1.11).

[JohnO]

Check for a folder labeled "Outgoing Email" in the Game file folder. The file should be located there. You may want to zip that file before sending it to your opponent.

[Rik81]

There is nothing in any of those folders. I think the problem I'm having is deeper (or simpler?) than that. I never get into the game? Not able to do a setup or take a turn or anything.

If I want to play a single player game then it works just fine. But when I tell it up front that the game is to be 2 player by e-mail ...???

[Kwazydog]

There is nothing in any of those folders. I think the problem I'm having is deeper (or simpler?) than that. I never get into the game? Not able to do a setup or take a turn or anything.

Rik, the process is different from previous CM games and you wont actually do a set up until you and your oponent have entered passwords and exchanges an email two. The benifit of this extra swap though is that you will get to see a replay and do orders every email.

The PBEM should ask you for a password and save game name, and then the first turn you need to send to your opponent should be in your outgoing email directory under that name...

Dan

[Rik81]

But I am not getting this:

Can some one give a like step by step?

After doing the preliminary through password then what?

If I go to LOAD game, I can see a file, I can do something with it, like Setup/First Turn, press "red" button, watch play out.

Now what? I can "save", it gives me a file (seen in the LOAD screen) but I can not find that file in ANY of the game folders??? Certainly not in the obvious one that says something about email's (there are actually two as you know one for out one for in. Those folders are EMPTY.

[Sergei]

I think Vista can put your save files somewhere to My Documents or some such. So if they're not in the usual CMSF subdirectory, search your hard drive for *.ema (that is the file extension for PBEM files).

[Mikkey]

if you have Vista try search for this folder C:\UserName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Battlefront\Combat Mission Shock Force\Game Files\Outgoing Email\

[TheVulture]

But I am not getting this:

Can some one give a like step by step?

After doing the preliminary through password then what?

After you enter your password, you have to email the file to your opponent. There is nothing else to do - no orders to give or any such thing.

[Yskonyn]

With the possible risk of making things less clear, here's my step by step:

You select the map, the side you want to play and when the game asks for a password enter the one you want to use. After this it is NORMAL the game will exit, because it now waits for your oponent to do the same.

So you have to first send the .ema file to your oponent. He will see the same, send it back to you and only then will you be able to first enter the game to do the setup of your units.

If the file is not located in CMSF\Game Files\Outgoing Email\ then look in the location given above (Vista users). It's in either location.

[Rik81]

if you have Vista try search for this folder C:\UserName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Battlefront\Combat Mission Shock Force\Game Files\Outgoing Email\

Thanks for this suggestion I will see what I might find.

[Rik81]

That was my problem! Thanks for the help, have now found the illusive files, and should be able to get on with the game (hopefully). I would guess when I "receive" a file from my opponent, I stick it that same location (except incoming not outgoing) and then when I start the game turn it will show up in the LOAD game screen. Thanks again.

[sfhand]

Rik, running both CM:SF and my email client as Administrator has allowed this vista user to use the default incoming and outgoing directories. The easiest solution for me is to use the quick launch bar with shortcuts that are pre-enabled to run as Administrator. This solution adds a popup when the program is selected, but I find that less annoying than being forced to use non-intuitive directories.

And before you invest too much mirth in blaming vista, I would suggest that BF could fix the issue, yet I won't advocate for that because 1) I'd rather they fix/add to other aspects of the game and 2) the solution I've mentioned works seemlessly - even though running ones email client as Administrator could lead to disaster if one isn't careful about how one handles email content...

[stikkypixie]

I'm running Vista as well, but I never had this problem. I think it is because I set my user account permission to read and write in the standard installation folder.

[Rik81]

I'm running Vista as well, but I never had this problem. I think it is because I set my user account permission to read and write in the standard installation folder.

Could you clarify that statement. Is that something you did when installing CMSF? How?

[stikkypixie]

Could you clarify that statement. Is that something you did when installing CMSF? How?

I set up my laptop with two accounts, one administrator account that can change anything and anywhere of the computer (e.g. delete files, add files) and a user account that cannot change things except for certain part of my files without permission of the administrator account. So for example my user account cannot delete anything or add more files to the "program files" folder. It can also not change security settings or install software. For every day use I log on with the user account, and should my pc get infected by a virus or something similar (in theory), the virus cannot cause too much damage because it cannot change only a limited part of my computer.

My guess is, because CMSF is most probably installed in "C:\Program Files\Battlefront\CMSF", which is off limits for most user accounts (assuming you logged on with user account), each time a save file or PBEM file is created it cannot be stored in the "save game" folder of inside the CMSF folder. So Vista moves it to somewhere weird (appdata something).

What I did was to right click on the "Data" folder inside the CMSF folder, and there you can change the "read and write" permission, and I change it so that my user account can write new files or delete files there (you need access to the administrator account for this). So I think that's why I don't have that problem. Any case you found where your computer puts the files, which is the most important thing. All you have to do is create a shortcut to where these things are saved and you don't have to mess with these things .

[Rik81]

I guess by default I am logging on to my User account, though I don't know why it wouldn't be the Administrator (I am the only one who uses this computer, at all!).

However, it seems the simplist solution is setting up a "shortcut" to that weird places Vista wants to tuck the files. Thanks for that suggestion.

[Falconander]

Someone freaking help me before I lose it...

I could not find the PBEM file at this location

if you have Vista try search for this folder C:\UserName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Battlefront\Combat Mission Shock Force\Game Files\Outgoing Email\

I have looked in the game folder as well as searching by .ema and Thin_Black_Line etc... Keeps only finding the 001 file. I am up to 004 in the setup part but cannot find the game to e-mail back.

Eager to play so please help me....

[Falconander]

When all esle fails look for the easiest answer.....

Went to the Shockforce folder, saved games, outgoing e-mails and found it there.

Interesting that my computer could not search for it there and find it.

Anyway, I am good to go now..... sorry for the moment of panic....