nato module pbem clrification ?!

[wdraker]

I recently got NATO (1.30) and am playing PBEM with someone still on 1.21. We are passig files BUT the file number is not being handled properly - and the game time is not changing. Please clarify : EXACTLY WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO CONTINUE PROPERLY? (FROM EITHER SIDE IF POSSIBLE. Read your installation note but you don't SAVE in PBEM???

[Schrullenhaft]

At this point I would suggest UNLICENSING and then UNINSTALLING the NATO module, reapply the 1.21 patch (making the appropriate selection for the modules you have installed). Now make a copy of the 1.21 executable file and rename it from 'CM Shock Force.exe' to something like 'CMSF121.exe'. So now you have two executable file names for the game. You may want to launch the 'CMSF121.exe' file and see if it works properly. If it does, then make the appropriate shortcuts to it and make sure the settings you have set for it are what you want to use.

Now install the NATO module and then license it. The normal shortcuts should launch 'CM Shock Force.exe' and it should be version 1.30. Your other executable 'CMSF121.exe' should still work and that is the version that you should play with your partner until the 1.30 patch is released.

[eniced73]

Schrullenhaft,

I did what you said and copied the .exe for version 1.21. I can open the game and it says 1.21 but it is only showing the core game and only allowing me to play core scenarios or pbems. I currently have a pbem going with the marines but it is greyed out and telling me I need the pack installed to play. I do have all modules. Is there something else I need to do?

[stoex]

eniced,

Yeah, I tried copying the .exe as well with the same result. Doesn't seem to work the way it's intended and indicated in the installation note. I also got weird errors when trying to load v1.21 games (PBEM or otherwise) in v1.30, including continuous sounds of multiple CAS roaming the battlefield (when there wasn't any CAS in the battle) and graphical errors like buildings not displaying correctly.

What I have done to continue playing PBEMs from before NATO is to do a full reinstall of CMSF Base, Marines, and British, patched to v1.21 - in a different folder than my Base+Marines+British+NATO install of course. It does not ask me to license again when I first start it and my old games work fine there. Good luck!!!

[Schrullenhaft]

If you have the disk space, then reinstalling in a different directory (with the correct order of installation), will allow you to play your 1.21 PBEMs and it may be the best solution. As long as the installation is on the same computer in the same OS installation, then you will not be asked to license the game/modules since there is an active license already associated with that computer/OS setup.

I'm not sure why the copied 1.21 executable didn't work. It has to be in the same directory as the rest of the CMSF install. If you are trying to copy it AFTER a 1.30 NATO install, then the NATO unlicensing and uninstallation would have to be done first followed by REAPPLYING the 1.21 patch. During this process you would have to make the correct selection during the patching process. I believe the newest patches will automatically select updating the base game and all modules. Older patches will default to updating just the base game executable. If this doesn't work, then I'm not sure what the NATO patch is doing differently from previous patches to cause this incompatibility.

[stikkypixie]

For what it's worth, here's how I manage to get a 1.21 PBEM going in 1.30.

1) Open PBEM file sent by opponent

2) Watch movie, press red button to order phase in 1.21

3) Make a save game in 1.21

4) Exit battle, exit game

5) Go to save games and copy save game into save game folder of 1.30

6) Load save game in 1.30

7) Issue orders

8) Press red button to make a PBEM file for my oppponent

9) Send