Slitherine

I have a game on t20 vs Munt, I asked him to keep playing to at least t25 to see if we can get past it.

Since this bug didn't seem to exist or happen often in v15, I guess there seem 3 relevant possibilities:

1: Some change afterwards in v16 or v17 is causing the bug, and has gone unnoticed during your crosscheck. (possible solution: some other people can doublecheck as well, to try and find it.)
2: Bug exists in v15 as well, and just went unnoticed or wasn't triggered as often for some reason that might or might not be related to changes made in v16 and v17
3: Bug is caused not by a particular change, but rather by the mod having gotten too big (I know this from older games I used to mod as well, like Total War for example, where if you added too much stuff, the game would crash eventually, despite it being added in the proper code.)

damn... it also crashes after the replay of Ententes 25th turn, during the convoy phase. Sorry Robotron :/ this really sucks.

Robotron wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:21 pm It's Friday the 13th what a perfect date to release the new version just in time before anybody decides to defect to Strategic Command WW1...
here it is: V17
h

Great efforts on this mod!

As an aside, is Strat Command WW1 a game you would recommend?

TrUIster wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:52 pm

Robotron wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:21 pm It's Friday the 13th what a perfect date to release the new version just in time before anybody decides to defect to Strategic Command WW1...
here it is: V17
h

Great efforts on this mod!

As an aside, is Strat Command WW1 a game you would recommend?

be careful what you say

he wrote this about Strategic Command not so long ago:
https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewto ... 47#p990747

Robotron wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 1:49 pm No crash report in log...same as with "AI crash bug". What can I say?

Did that happen in turn 25 by any chance?

i've narrowed down the location of the bug to be a in file in one of two folders. Either it's in:

Commander The Great War\data\scripts

or

Commander The Great War\data\scripts\game

Unsurprisingly "Data\scripts" does indeed contain all the lua scripts.

What makes you think the faulty script is in scripts\game though?

Robotron wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 6:17 pm Unsurprisingly "Data\scripts" does indeed contain all the lua scripts.

What makes you think the faulty script is in scripts\game though?

I meant it's a script in Data\scripts, not in a folder in data scripts, except if that folder is Data\scripts\game.

I tried to play the broken saves on v15.2, and I can continue the games past the turns where v17 crashed. So then I started figuring out which files worked and which didn't. First I replaced all scripts with v15.2 files, and I could pass the turn, so I assume the problem is in that folder. Then I replaced all the scripts that were directly in Data\scripts, and the game didn't work at all, until I also added the files that were in Data\scripts\game. And the game worked and I could move past the turn.

So situation is like this:

v15.2
Data\scripts
+
Data\scripts\game
+
rest v17 files

and I can move past the broken turns.

I assume, therefore, that the bug is located in a file in one of these 2 locations or a combination of files in these locations, because if those files are replaced with v15.2, the game works.


To clarify, with v15.2, I can continue the game if I load a save 1 turn before the crash turns I uploaded here. If I load the crash turns, the game also crashes in v15.2, I guess something is remembered by the save. I don't really know why or what that means, but it might mean something to you.

With v17, the game crashes still, even if I load 1 turn before or 10 turns before, or start a new game. It also crashes if I move past the initial crash turn with v15.2 (aka go from turn 25 to 26 with v15.2) and then play the next turn with v17 (aka play turn 26 to 27 with v17).

With v17+v15.2 hybrid, the game functions as v15.2 does, at least in relation to this bug.


In itself, not a huge revelation, because as you say, most files that have been changed are in those 2 folders. However, i does show, I think, that a fix can be applied to running games if the problem is found.

I did find another small thing, that doesn't seem to have affect on the game but which was a bit odd to me. But in the AI file of 15.2 called Misc.Lua, there is a line which was removed in the v17 version of misc.lua. The 2 versions are identical, except for this one line. Replacing only this file doesn't seem to fix anything, so it doesn't seem related, but just wondering if it was intentional or accidental removal of the line?



Edit: narrowed it further down to either 1 or a combination of the following files in Data\scripts

constructions
factions
technology
units


Edit2: narrowed it down to technology.lua

after replacing this file and only this file (If I don't replace the file, the game always crashes in v17, while never crashing in v15.2, regardless of where I load the game), I've been able to continue the game for at least 5 turns on my own games, although only when I load 1 turn before where the game crashed on v17.

Entente46 crash game
Test70 crash game
Ostmars44 crash game However, Wolf's Entente game still crashes. Perhaps because I only have an endturn save file, and not a proper previous turn save file, saved by the player.

and I still can't continue my MP game vs Munt.

So the technology file might be responsible for 1 type of crash but not others, or related to all crashes but not solely responsible. Idk yet, or the issue might be with requiring an uncorrupted save or a fresh game, neither which are available for Wolf's game and the MP game vs Munt.


Edit3: narrowed it further down to most likely the stats on entrenchment upgrades. if I change only those 3 numbers back to the same value as in 15.2, but keep the rest of the changes in the technology.lua file the same as v17, the game can be continued past the crash dates, at least in my game.

when I change all 3 values back to v15.2, the game works
when I change only dugout back from 5 to 4, the game crashes
when I change dugouts and pillboxes, reducing both by 1, but keeping barbed wire at 3, the game works.
when I change only dugouts from 4 to 3, but keep rest the same, the game crashes.
when I increase barbed wire from 3 to 4, but reduce pillboxes and dugouts by 1, the game works.
when I increase barbed wire from 3 to 5, but reduce pillboxes and dugouts by 1, the game crashes.

I have no clue why that is, but you might @Robotron. It seems like there's a limit to how high entrenchment can be.

I tried the same method by replacing scripts with older versions during the weekend but came to no results because it did not occur to me to try a savegame from 1 turn before the crash.

You might be on to something, good work!

Can confirm I was also able to continue your test70 game after replacing the technologies.lua with that from 15.2 and then start from test69.

Now I've to check why higher entrenchment modifiers cause a crash.

That uncommented line in misc.lua had no functionality btw.

I've gone back to V15.2 and loaded Wolf's Rupprecht that Robotron uploaded for me. Last time I was only able to progress for one turn and the game crashed. The save Robotron uploaded started on turn 25 I've now been able to play up to turn 40 without the game crashing. The only strange thing that happened was the Crisis in Gallica event triggering on turn 38.

Here is the save if anyone wants to see if they can progress the game to.

Good to hear that.

Not sure why it causes crash either, but upper limit seems to be 4 for barbed wire, 3 for pillboxes and 4 again for dugouts

I tried a fresh game, waited for entente to trigger gallieni, and if barbed wire is set at 5, the game crashes upon gallieni, at 4 or less, it works fine

Hi.

I think the Russian full mobilization event bugged.
After of a half day to restarts or loads cant played this card.
The Organize Defense of Galicia or German Army redeploys was played by CP..

Munt wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 1:26 pm Hi.

I think the Russian full mobilization event bugged.
After of a half day to restarts or loads cant played this card.
The Organize Defense of Galicia or German Army redeploys was played by CP..

my game vs you is bugged btw, I can't continue it. Let me know if you want to start a new one. We can play 15.2 or play v17 with the modified technology.lua file I uploaded a few posts back.

Munt wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 1:26 pm Hi.

I think the Russian full mobilization event bugged.
After of a half day to restarts or loads cant played this card.
The Organize Defense of Galicia or German Army redeploys was played by CP..

You are correct, thanks for reporting!

Wolf001 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:28 pm ...

can't send files in PM. so I'm adding it here.

Thanks Umeu!

Good news everyone! I just managed to finish a full singleplayer match without encountering any serious problems. This means that this mod is not doomed after all and work on it can continue.

After I've worked through a list of minor issues I'll have another go at releasing the all-new V18 next Saturday.

Glad to hear it Robotron! Looking forward to trying V18 this weekend.

Robotron wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:14 pm Good news everyone! I just managed to finish a full singleplayer match without encountering any serious problems. This means that this mod is not doomed after all and work on it can continue.

After I've worked through a list of minor issues I'll have another go at releasing the all-new V18 next Saturday.

Did you figure out why entrenchment limit causes crashes?

But glad to hear you can finish the mod. Should I post my list of bugs and tweaks from mp and sp games in v17 now, or wait to see what v18 fixes (and breaks )

Umeu wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 1:10 am Did you figure out why entrenchment limit causes crashes?

Not yet, it seems to be buried as a hard limit somewhere in the AI files. Which is quite unusual as the game is quite happy to process any other changes applied to the technology script without problem. Or maybe it is a consequence of some other stuff conflicting with altered entrenchments stats in a manner yet unknown to me.

Umeu wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 1:10 am But glad to hear you can finish the mod. Should I post my list of bugs and tweaks from mp and sp games in v17 now, or wait to see what v18 fixes (and breaks )

Yes, by all means. I'll gladly jump upon any chance to postpone the new and exciting buggy V18 and have you guys still stuck with that old and boring buggy V17.

Seriously, why are you even asking: BRING IT ON!

lol idk XD but here we go!


They're actually mostly tweaks, most bugs from v17 I already listed in the previous post.

v17 bugs:

In Singleplayer, the Russian steamroller bonus doesn't work like it does in MP. The limit for unlocking Von Francois is reached very quickly, and the bonus seems a lot smaller than you get in MP or what the AI gets. This is probably WAD, though in that case, it might be increased slightly by extending the duration before Von Francois is unlocked, though it's perhaps not necessary. But there's another issue, in my game, the AI triggered Hinderburg saves the day without killing even a single Russian unit on hexes that can trigger Tannenberg, and thus immediately ending the bonus.

Wolf mentioned there's a bug with Cadorna failed offensive, but I've not been able to replicate it. Might be Rupprecht scenario related.

When you pick wave of Patriotism on the turn that Russian steamroller is active, they don't stack. Instead, wave of Patriotism takes primacy, and the attacks don't seem to count toward the Steamroller bonus increasing, and Von Francois is not unlocked.

in v17, can't send Goeben anymore from t3 onwards, before you could send it until like t6 or even later. WAD or bug?

In the Ostmars scenario, parts of the French army are still immobilized as if they were surprised by a German attack into Belgium. WAD or bug?

In the Rupprecht scenario, when playing SP, taking German hexes as Russia brings Italy closer to the Entente. But in MP, this doesn't seem to happen, or at least, the effect is so much smaller that I didn't notice it.

France enters Belgium won't cede forts and cities according to the PDF, but in game everything is ceded, including Antwerp and Ypres which aren't needed for railway access. All Belgian armies are removed as well.)


Proposed v17 to v18 tweaks:

Been seeing the political buff event a lot lately. Not sure if it's new, hadn't seen it ever before. It's a decent event early in the game, but it's quite useless later on. I propose that it gets discarded if not used after a certain amount of turns (let's say 3?) or discarded at the start of 1915, like a few other events.

Another idea regarding making mud a bit more interesting and relevant, it could lower trench levels by 1 factor as long as the hex is affected by mud (symbolizing how muddy trenches were almost impossible to repair and maintain), either by default, or if a unit attacks/is attacked. Potentially, entrenched dugouts can cancel this effect, but might not be necessary.

I've played a few Rupprecht and Ostmars starts, and in MP, these aren't as well balanced as the Schlieffen/Moltke variations. The Entente army starting positions in both these scenarios require slight improvements, especially in the Ostmars variation.

For Rupprecht, I suggest:
Wille unlocked by default in MP, just like Albert is unlocked when Entente in MP, but not in SP.
Lanrezac should start in Nancy so he can cover the unit that is between Nancy and Belfort. Now, it takes serious losses, and can at times even be destroyed if it doesn't spawn at 10 strength. Since the Germans have both a better and bigger army than the French, as well as more PP in the bank and PP production, losing an army corps as France as well as losing that hex, is a blow very hard to recover from vs a good player.

You mentioned that you'll make AH howitzers work vs Swiss forts, too. And I think that's a good change. It might potentially also be balanced if it works vs Belfort, but that's something that might require testing to see if that's true.


For Ostmars, I suggest:

Currently, Warsaw can be taken in MP on turn 1 90% if not 100% of the time. This is mainly because there's a reserve corps holding Warsaw, and the Russian army corps are protecting air. There should be an army corps in Warsaw in the Osmars scenario, just like the AI has in Warsaw in this scenario.

Furthermore, I'd like to see 2 scenarios with different positions depending on Russia's awareness of Ostmars:

One position for when the Russian army is surprised, and their army deploys like it does when it goes on the offensive, with minor tweak of swapping the Reserve Corps in Warsaw out for an Army corps.

A second position for when Russia finds out about Ostmars plans (similar to France discovering that Germany will invade Belgium, though perhaps with a higher chance for Russia discovering the Ostmars plans), Russian high command then changes army deployment. The army near riga should move south, basically between Kovno and Grodno, rather than Kovno and Riga.

The army near warsaw also redploys into a better position. In the not surprised scenario, the army corps in Warsaw should be that of Samsonov. The other 2 army corps should be in Radom and the hex between Radom and Warsaw. The cavalry corps should remain where it is. The reserve corps in Radom should go to the Osovetz fortress. And the Reserve Corps in Ivangorod should take the hex of Samsonov's army corps (between Osovetz and Belostok).

Also, the all hexes should be entrenched (currently the hexes between Warsaw and Osovetz and Osovetz and Belostok are not entrenched)

Alternatively, instead of doing the above, which is probably a lot of work, you could consider unlocking industrial warfare or barbed wire sooner (as is already the case for AI, I think, but not in MP afaik.) Another alternative would be to spawn a few more army corps as reinforcements once Warsaw is taken (suggestion by Wolf, who mentioned that some armies already spawn but that this should happen sooner/immediately upon losing a major city, but I have never seen this, so not sure if that's the case.)

The German starting positon also deserves some minor tweaks if Russia gets their starting position improved. Imo, the 2nd artillery piece should start out on the Eastern front as well. And, I think 1 more army corps can also start in the East (so the West would start with just 1 army corps, the one in Strassbourg imo, instead of 2 . They can be swapped out for reserve corps.)

As mentioned previously, I think Russian demise should tie in to American War entry, especially during Ostmars, if not for history, then for game balance purposes.

Belgium joining Entente might also be brought forward a bit, but might be too much if all the other changes are added too.

The Ostmars scenario discards a lot of events, and the event pool is a bit boring. Not the worst problem, but would be fun if it could be spiced up a little, though I know you aren't keen on adding more events.

The effects of the horse massacre event aren't very noticeable, and perhaps should give a slightly bigger penalty.







Questions:

Is it possible to increase experience levels from 3 to 5?

what are the criteria for Masurian Lakes event, and what does it do / affect

Do the events related to Tannenberg, aka Wireless intercepted, Max Hoffman, Bring Hindenberg & Tannenberg still occur in the Ostmars scenario? Because I killed 2 Russian cavalry corps in 1 turn as Germany, but it didn't unlock Hindenberg or trigger Tannenberg in Ostmars. Problably WAD, but just like to confirm.

What do these events do / how do they work/unlock?
Replace Cadorna,
French Army caught Offguard,
scourge of the black sea,
race to the sea (there are 2 outcomes, but not sure what it does? only flavor?),
russia sends help to serbia (know most about it, except how big is the help exactly?),
Venizelos resigns
Ober Ost created
(any other events that can trigger in 1914 related to German invasion of France/Belgium not already mentioned in pdf)
Fort Roupel ceded to CP
Hell of verdun
Colonel Hentsch