Realism- and gameplay-related hardcode fixes for SH3.EXE

[h.sie]

@Fitzcarraldo: I have tested your Supplement-Mod you sent me some days ago. I installed it using JSGME into a fresh GWX3 with 16km environment, loaded the Wolfpack mission 10 times and waited until the convoy was in visible range. Then I sent a contact report and waited for the reply of the BDU. Result:

7 times I was ordered to shadow
3 times I was ordered to attack alone.

I was not able to find any problem in the code. All worked as intended.

In the next time, I will reduce the response-time for BDU messages and thus reduce the chance for lost messages for the time-period until 1942. For 1943 and later chance for lost messages will rise.

[fitzcarraldo]

Originally Posted by h.sie

@Fitzcarraldo: I have tested your Supplement-Mod you sent me some days ago. I installed it using JSGME into a fresh GWX3 with 16km environment, loaded the Wolfpack mission 10 times and waited until the convoy was in visible range. Then I sent a contact report and waited for the reply of the BDU. Result:

7 times I was ordered to shadow
3 times I was ordered to attack alone.

I was not able to find any problem in the code. All worked as intended.

In the next time, I will reduce the response-time for BDU messages and thus reduce the chance for lost messages for the time-period until 1942. For 1943 and later chance for lost messages will rise.

Hsie: I have two questions about your test:

1 - When you tell "waited until the convoy was in visible range": I load the Wolfpack mission and I have the convoy visible from the start of the mission. Only a few seconds (without time compression), and the convoy is visible; I sent the contact report no more of one minute from start the mission, without TC. Do you wait some time before the convoy is visible? I think in MEPv3 20 K environment I use; the range for visual detection is greater than others atmospheres.

2 - I made several test in a paralell installation of SH3 plus GWX plus MEPv3 20k only. I have more packs in this configuration than in my normal heavy moded installation. I´ll load mod-to-mod the pure GWX installation, there is a mod or mods altering the pack patch, evidently.

Please, I request more feedback from the mates using a heavy modded SH3 and the results of the wolfpack pack patch.

Another question: I obtain, in the pure GWX installation (plus MEPv3), more packs attacks with the option "less contacts" active.

Many thanks for your support!

Fitzcarraldo

[h.sie]

@fitzcarralo:

1) Yes, it takes some time until the convoy comes in visible range. But environment should not influence the mod behaviour.

2) what was your question here?


Answer to "Another question": Yes, if less contact reports required, of course you get more attacks. That's exactly the intention of that option

[h.sie]

Reducing the chance of lost messages isn't as easy as I initially thought, but it's possible. Thus, it seems to make sense to first ask for your opinions, BUT: I ask only those who already tested the wolfpack mod.

POLL:
Do we need to reduce the chance of lost messages or not?

Note 1: Poll will end at Wednesday!

Note 2: I can only reduce the chance of lost messages by reducing the average response time of the BDU to your contact reports.

Note 3: I will especially consider the votes of people who helped in the past with testing and reporting and so on.

Note 4: A special option "Reduce chance for lost messages" in the Options Selector for individual configuration is not planned.

Chance of lost messages should not be too often or every third that is lost..
You could expect bigger chaos in messages of land battles rather than in oceans.

[Robin40]

strange

I tested Wolfpack mission....very well!

Now I am on career
GWX
Dec 1940
soutwest of Cadiz

Convoy
Report contact sent

CTD

This is how I edited the Campaign_SCR file

[Unit 5695]
Name=GE Medium Hansa Combifreighter#3
Class=KMSSHansa
Type=102
Origin=German
Side=2
Commander=0
CargoExt=1
CargoInt=0
CfgDate=19380101
DeleteOnLastWaypoint=true
DockedShip=true
GameEntryDate=19400404
GameEntryTime=0
GameExitDate=19410101
GameExitTime=0
EvolveFromEntryDate=false
Long=978516.000000
Lat=6421465.000000
Height=0.000000
Heading=322.899689
Speed=0.000000
CrewRating=3
DelayMin=0
ReportPosMin=-1
ReportPosProbability=100
RandStartRadius=0.000000
NextWP=0
[Unit 5696]
Name=Wolf1
Class=SSTypeVIIF
Type=200
Origin=German
Side=2
Commander=0
CargoExt=-1
CargoInt=-1
CfgDate=19380101
DeleteOnLastWaypoint=false
DockedShip=false
GameEntryDate=19380101
GameEntryTime=0
GameExitDate=19451231
GameExitTime=0
EvolveFromEntryDate=false
Long=-10000000.000000
Lat=7000000.000000
Height=0.000000
Heading=0.000000
Speed=0.000000
CrewRating=4
DelayMin=0
ReportPosMin=-1
ReportPosProbability=100
RandStartRadius=0.000000
NextWP=0

As you see, there is no
last waypoint of the last Unit 5695

The convoy was signalled to me from BdU at 14.00
I interceptrd the convoy at 16.00 and I sent contact message...CTD

[h.sie]

@Robin: Did the CTD occur in the same moment you pressed the "Send contact" button, or some time later?

Please, try to REPRODUCE the CTD. If that is possible, I need details of your Mod setup.

I guess you have a HUGE Mod-List - right?

[Robin40]

Originally Posted by h.sie

@Robin: Did the CTD occur in the same moment you pressed the "Send contact" button, or some time later?

Please, try to REPRODUCE the CTD. If that is possible, I need details of your Mod setup.

I guess you have a HUGE Mod-List - right?

send contact button pressed...CTD

reloaded the game

send contact button pressed...CTD

Mod list not so HUGE
GWX 3 Wilhemshafen,St Naz,Schluese and xtra ships V6
GWX - Axis Mediterranean Aircraft Skins
GWX - Enhanced Damage Effects
GWX - Integrated Orders
GWX - Late War Sensors Snorkel Antennas
GWX - Main movie - 'Das Boot'
GWX - No Medals on Crew
GWX - Open Hatch Mod
LifeBoats&Debris_v2_A
WideScreen_SH3_V1
Loading Screens Mod 2
MFM-Interim-Beta
MFMBeta-EnglishNames
MFM-EnglishNames
USS_LongIsland
OLC's Modified Searchlight Beams for GWX3
OKW_Funkmod_v_1_2
EAX_Sound_Sim_SH3
SH3_oggvorbis3
Hitler Speaks
M.E.P v3
M.E.P v3-Patch
MEP v3 VisualSensors for gwx3
SH-5 Water for GWX 3.0 V0.9 20 Km Atlantic campaign (default)
Damage_caused_by_fires_TheDarkWraith
Aces' Crew On Deck - Stand alone mod v1 GWX Version
GWX-SmartKeys
Rbs1_SH4_Effects_GWX_30_71
Rbs10-enhancedoilexplosion
Rbs2-Forsoundsandstarshells
O2-Gauges v2
Bad Weather Fix V1.1 (FORTE)
MFM-v3-Neutral-Skins-1940
Supplement to V16A3 (JSGME)
MFM-v3-US+UK_Skins19401101


I think that it is not the mod list to cause ctd as Wolfpack mission works fine

[h.sie]

@Robin40: CTD is reproduceable - very good.

Again: Does the CTD occur IN THE SAME MOMENT you press the button or some seconds later?

Does the game show a CTD window "Program has caused an error and must be closed" or similar? If so, please send me the additional detailed information of that window: Module, Offset and so on. Screenshot for example.

Could you also send me your savegame?

"Hitler speaks mod" isn't supported by me.

[Robin40]

Originally Posted by h.sie

@Robin40: CTD is reproduceable - very good.

Again: Does the CTD occur IN THE SAME MOMENT you press the button or some seconds later?

Does the game show a CTD window "Program has caused an error and must be closed" or similar? If so, please send me the additional detailed information of that window: Module, Offset and so on. Screenshot for example.

Could you also send me your savegame?

"Hitler speaks mod" isn't supported by me.

Hitler mod disabled...always CTD

CTD after some 5 secs

CTD window "Windows is searching for a solution"

No additional detailed info

Give me your e-mail in order to send you the save file

[fitzcarraldo]

Originally Posted by h.sie

@fitzcarralo:

1) Yes, it takes some time until the convoy comes in visible range. But environment should not influence the mod behaviour.

2) what was your question here?


Answer to "Another question": Yes, if less contact reports required, of course you get more attacks. That's exactly the intention of that option

1) In my test installation, the convoy is visible from the start. No delay from the mission load and the "Ship sighted" message from the bridge.

2) Do you know what mod could produce the malfunction of the pack patch? I think in:

SH3 Commander? (I start my full modded installation ever with Commander).

SH4 Effects for SH3?

The Merged Campaign from Wilhelmshaven mod?

Best regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[h.sie]

@Fitzcarraldo: OK, I could reproduce your problem related with M.E.P v3!

There is no problem neither with M.E.P. v3 nor with the Wolfpack Mod.

Reason for the problem:

Wolfpack Mod needs approx 2-3 game minutes to read in the scripted AI-Wolfs (See savegame rules in 1st post of this thread). If you send a contact report BEFORE the AI-Wolfs are read in, the BDU does not have any available Wolf and thus orders to attack alone. In a 16km environment, it takes more than 3 minutes until convoy comes in visible range, but in a 20km environment, convoy is visible immediately after game load. If you then send a report, no Wolfs are available and you'll be ordered to attack alone.

In the next version, I'll change the Wolfpack mission and enlarge the initial distance to the convoy so that this problem won't occur.

Sorry that I at first didn't believe you!

[Depth Charger]

POLL:
Do we need to reduce the chance of lost messages or not?


H.Sie

I think we are OK to keep as is. Messages might get lost but they don't break anything or affect your chase. Just keep on going until you get the next message.

The only time it can affect the game is if the final attack order is late but you can use your noodle to cope with that.

This adds to the confusion and that's what I like about your and Stiebler's patch. It adds to the realism and so does this.

Kindest

DC

[h.sie]

@Robin40: I sent you my email address. Please send me your savegame so that I can reproduce the CTD. Let us continue the whole bug searching procedure via PM or email, since that is not of interest for the others and would spam this thread.

[fitzcarraldo]

Originally Posted by h.sie

@Fitzcarraldo: OK, I could reproduce your problem related with M.E.P v3!

There is no problem neither with M.E.P. v3 nor with the Wolfpack Mod.

Reason for the problem:

Wolfpack Mod needs approx 2-3 game minutes to read in the scripted AI-Wolfs (See savegame rules in 1st post of this thread). If you send a contact report BEFORE the AI-Wolfs are read in, the BDU does not have any available Wolf and thus orders to attack alone. In a 16km environment, it takes more than 3 minutes until convoy comes in visible range, but in a 20km environment, convoy is visible immediately after game load. If you then send a report, no Wolfs are available and you'll be ordered to attack alone.

In the next version, I'll change the Wolfpack mission and enlarge the initial distance to the convoy so that this problem won't occur.

Sorry that I at first didn't believe you!

Great!!! I read in this thread about "no problems" with MEPv3, but - it´s not a problem at all - the 20k environment "impulse me" to send the contact report at first sight of the convoy! There are some seconds of loading the mission, and the convoy is sighted.

Now I´ll make the contact report 3-4 minutes (or more), from the convoy sighted. I post the feedback tomorrow, securely.

Thanks for the support, and the testing: it´s the way of discover the problems.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo