QS have released Patch info! - Page 2

Alex-C · March 17, 2003, 16:53

Why yes i am, perhaps you should have mentioned that small fact in your above comment, but i understand that you may have been somewhat enraged at that point by the looks of your grammar

Windows 98: The ultimate operating system

Vince278 · March 17, 2003, 19:39

I occasionally see the DirectX error as well when alt-tabbing and never saw it any other time.
My solution? Don't alt-tab.

Quote from Hee-Haw:
Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this!
Doctor: Then don't do that!

(I'm using WindowsME. Not the best version there is either...)

william1664 · March 17, 2003, 21:47

Running MOO3 on a Dell laptop under Windows 2000 with no other active programs, I get the DirectX surface problem after I get a message from Windows saying it's out of virtual memory and in the process of increasing the file size. Happens after a couple hours of game play.

Only fix I've found is to kill MOO with Task Manager and re-launch using the last save file.

I'm not a developer so take this for the little it's worth...

Vince278 · March 17, 2003, 23:18

Only time I see that error at work is when too many other programs are running. Try using task manager to close everything but Explorer and Systray and see what happens (this works for win98, me, and nt. Not sure about 2000 or xp).

tomte · March 18, 2003, 18:44

I don't know what your problem is kahn, but I think it's your problem not theirs. I am on 4rth game over a 1000 turns never 1 crash and I love it.
old compaq 550 athlon
ndvidia mx2 board 32mg
256 ram
win 98 SE
and run max mem in background

CharlesBHoff · March 18, 2003, 20:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Kahn
HELLO!?! Is anyone awake at Quicksilver/Infogrames?

With over half of the poor schleps taken in by the slick spin doctoring not even able to run this piece of crap for more than a couple of turns before the now infamous "DirectX surface not available" make an appearance, followed by a crash to the desktop, and this is all QS/IG has to say in response:

What planet are you from??? Fix the errors in the game before you begin "tweaking the AI". The errors are not the result of improper "{Alt}{tab}ing", nor the result of bad drivers. It results from anyone having a video card with less than 128 megs of RAM (and even that only gives you a 50/50 chance of being able to run @#$ thing)!

It's quite apparent that no beta testing was done before this "release" was shoved out the door. If this is any indication of what this studio is capable of producing, then I suggest that next time they attempt to hire programmers that were not asleep during "Introduction to C/C++" class!

Go to the opion menus in the game than change the graphic settleing from hight to medium or low. It work for me.

Stuie · March 19, 2003, 09:58

More patch info from the "official" forum:

Quote:

Removed code which degraded ground unit experience while in the delay box or the reserves, so that it is possible to get a unit higher than "experienced".

Modified ground combat results so that capturing a planet also gives you a random tech from the other empire.

Fixed a bug in the colonization AI that was not properly reducing the desirability of systems containing colonies of other empires.

Fixed a bug in military construction AI that was improperly calculating the amount of transport capability in the empire, therefore causing it to build way too many transports. (It wanted enough capacity to hold 80% of ground forces, but did not calculate the existing capacity correctly).

So capturing techs will be in, and too many transports will be out.

Jamski · March 19, 2003, 10:07

I wondered why my troops were stuck on "Experienced" the whole time. I though it might have something to do with taking minimum combat picks, but I was wrong. Good.

-Jam

The Rusty Gamer · March 20, 2003, 03:23

The only time I received the Direct-X error was after I had tried customising the game. I quite clearly had put in an invalid entry. Once I removed my customised file, the game ran fine again.

Are we sure that these mods aren't causing the Direct-X problem?

Which version of DX is being used by the ones with the errors? Version 8.1 or 9.0?

CharlesBHoff · March 20, 2003, 04:11

Quote:

Originally posted by The Rusty Gamer
The only time I received the Direct-X error was after I had tried customising the game. I quite clearly had put in an invalid entry. Once I removed my customised file, the game ran fine again.

Are we sure that these mods aren't causing the Direct-X problem?

Which version of DX is being used by the ones with the errors? Version 8.1 or 9.0?

The Mod have nothing to do with Direct X error I got then before I have Mod install. When I change my graphic settleing to medium from hight that when I stop getting Direct X error message.

Todd Hawks · March 22, 2003, 01:31

Quote:

Added buttons to both the Planets screen and System Econ panel to go straight to the build queue(s) (without having to drill down manually).

[...]

Added loading and saving of Dev Plans to external file.

Modify galaxy screen so that star names and empire flags remain visible up to the halfway zoom point when zooming the galaxy map out.

[...]

YAY! Exactly what I wanted (ok, there's more that I want, but that hopefully will show up on the list soon).

BobD · March 22, 2003, 04:59

Has anyone seen an update on when the patch is expected to be released?

Stuie · March 22, 2003, 07:31

All they are saying is it will be released when it's ready. Some other things I was happy to see:

Quote:

Dated 03-21-2003 10:44 PM

Add turns left to completion to the display on the System Econ panel for the items currently being built by the planet.

Fix Dev Plans UI such that it acts more dynamically in the adding, replacing, and removing of plans.

Fix Ship Design screen so that the pulldowns do not reset when attempting to start a second design.

Correct a problem which caused the AI to build system colony ships when none were needed (or usable).

Nirvana_CN · March 22, 2003, 07:37

I Have updated the main post to contain all current fixes, looking pretty good so far

Sarxis · March 22, 2003, 07:54

Some nice fixes. Probably not enough to get me playing again, especially with GalCiv right around the corner.

bloopy · March 24, 2003, 22:29

any word on the patch containing a fix for the dx surface error?

The Templar · March 26, 2003, 21:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Nirvana_CN
I Have updated the main post to contain all current fixes, looking pretty good so far

Yeah, looking like a whole new game

Stuie · March 28, 2003, 07:25

More patch stuff from this thread...

http://www.ina-community.com/forums/...43#post3695843

Quote:

Increased range and frequency of target acquisition logic for point defense weapons.

Added sitrep information to the save game.

Fixed an error that would allow a fifth, invisible leader to be acquired via a rescue leader special. Limit is now hard set at four. Any additional leaders will not be acquired.

Added min and max luck range values to the leader spreadsheets so that each leader can have a different, moddable lifespan. Modified code to use those values and allow the lifespan to be greater than 127 (previous limit).

Added code to remove the Rescue Leader and Random Tech specials after they are used.

Modified military AI so that it will check for an orbital to build before deciding to build a ship building capacity building, and will only build the capacity building when a design is chosen (for whatever kind of ship) that is too large for the planet.

Modified military AI to not keep ships in the reserve automatically. This greatly helps the problem with one or two ships dribbling out each turn to defend a planet.

Fixed the alarm clock to pay attention to the am/pm setting and allow it to trigger again in the same game if the time is changed in the options.

Fixed a bug on the Shipyards - Fleets screen where the name of an unexplored star system would be shown as a task force's destination if the star was the only one that task force was going to.

Fixed a bug where you were unable to scrap system ships of more than one design on the fleets screen.

Fixed a bug where victory conditions wouldn't be displayed properly on the Victory Conditions screen after loading a save game.

Added menu item to game menu to view the race picks chosen for the current game.

Modified sitrep so that clicking the hyperlinked system name on the sitrep issued when the task force has reached it's destination will center the map on that star (shift-click will open the system screen instead).

Added magnate species to environmental preference lists on both the Planet and Planets screens. Changed the planet environmental panel to default to the dominant species on the planet.

Changed the code to set the Orion senate presidency election vote immediately when the player casts their vote, removing the ability to change your mind, but fixing some cases where it was not cast.

Fixed a bug where clicking again on a bill or law would cause the details of it to disappear.

Changed the default of the Leaders screen to be the Espionage tab. After the first visit it will default to the last visited tab.

Moved the migration/colonize/outpost command buttons to the main panel on the Planets screen and removed the tabs.

Nothing very exciting in my opinion. Hopefully as the changes get more minor the release date is getting closer.....

Jamski · March 28, 2003, 08:05

Nothing very exciting?

Sounds almost fixed to me.

Quote:

Increased range and frequency of target acquisition logic for point defense weapons.

Does it for me.

-Jam

Stuie · March 28, 2003, 09:22

Actually reading through it again, it will be nice to have the sitrep saved when I save a game.

ACEofHeart · March 29, 2003, 03:06

Did I miss where they said "Diplomacy" would be patched ??
As it is now,, it's like a 6 yr old with a labatomy !!

Until that gets fixed I see no reason to play it anymore.
It's a MAJOR part of the game !! Otherwise it's just Click,, Click Click,,with Warp drive !!!

The Rusty Gamer · March 29, 2003, 04:24

Who needs to click click click? Set the turn timer as low as possible and turns are automatic!

ACEofHeart · March 29, 2003, 13:18

hehe.. that's true..
hmmm,, now to figure out how to tie the AI's hands and put duct tape over their mouths !!

The Rusty Gamer · March 30, 2003, 02:21

It would be nice to switch off the viceroys on each screen so you could have TOTAL control. Or can it already be done and I've missed it?

BobD · March 30, 2003, 04:54

I suppose it's safe to assume that the DirectX Surface problem will be fixed with the code patch. I haven't read anything about a fix for it but I sure hope they fix it fast. I've been having a lot of trouble with it, despite trying all of the (user) suggested fixes.

CharlesBHoff · March 30, 2003, 06:39

Quote:

Originally posted by ACEofHeart
Did I miss where they said "Diplomacy" would be patched ??
As it is now,, it's like a 6 yr old with a labatomy !!

Until that gets fixed I see no reason to play it anymore.
It's a MAJOR part of the game !! Otherwise it's just Click,, Click Click,,with Warp drive !!!

Diplomacy isnot broken you are dealing with alien with than
alien mind set different from your. When I was working for IRS back when star war the moive was first out than worker tell me She didnot right the moive as most of the people in the moive didnot look human. I told her their where alien's and most alien's are not going to look human to use.

The Rusty Gamer · March 30, 2003, 07:37

Direct-X 9a is now out. The "a" fixes some problems with some programs. You think maybe this one?

BobD · March 30, 2003, 08:38

Just installed DirectX 9.0a. Still had the DirectX Surface error before playing one turn.

Hope this one gets patched soon.

Doomed · March 30, 2003, 09:37

Only once had the directx problem, and that was when I had not let windows 'settle down' defore playing. Which version of windows are you using, and what is your machine spec?

Using win 98SE on athlonXP 2000, asus motherboard (one of the early 333fsb ones) 512Mb 2100DDR Ram and Geforce 4600 (I dont only play stratagy games!)

ACEofHeart · March 30, 2003, 13:30

Okie,,
I'll buy into the fact that an alien might not have an Arkansas accent or speak like an Oxford graduate..

The points I was trying to make is..
(A) Why would a species that intelligent and advanced talk like a 3rd grader. But I guess a diplomat learning English is much harder than Intergalactic travel .
(B) The constant repetitive and useless treaties, as they still will declare war for reasons unknown..

I didn't expect diplomacy as good as AC, but at least equal to MOO2...!!

On another note, will they patch "Intial starting points".
Why did they insist on clupming everyone together even in every large galaxy. It does not give you time to learn the basics and almost makes you build "obsolete" ships..