Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Good day,

Haven;t been around of late been busy playing.

To make this short, During a PBEM Campaign at the end of battle 4, an assault, two things occurred:

First: my last Arty Strike after the battle was over hit my opponent in the next battle in the 1st and 2nd turns, (I have no arty scheduled as we have a three turn delay in our rules)

Second: A lot of my old dead units are now showing up in my list (only) I cannot use them, but they are there.

I'm attaching the last several turns and will PM my Password to DRG, so you guys can take a look. BTW THIS GAME STILL ROCKS!! and this is not reflection on your hard work! BZ!!!



Bob out

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

\
"Still getting ghost problems" ??

"STILL" would indicate this has been a repeated, ongoing problem ( that nobody else has ..)so just how many times has this happened in the past year using the latest EXE's ??

Methinks you simply have a corrupted save game file. It happens

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Thanks for your reply DRG.

The copy of MBT I use for PBEM is only used for the one game. I did this at you suggestion a couple Versions ago. Would playing on an new copy updated to V 5.0 possibly fix this? ( I know it would have to be a restart) The game is still playable although I'm more concerned about the ghost arty especially if it is doing damage to my opponent.

Bob Out

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

If this folder is not updated to the latest version then there is no point in us debugging it, since it is that one which has all the fixes. And it is the latest version that is loaded in my C++ Builder development rig for source code debugging.

Therefore we are not interested in bug reports for older versions of the game.

Cheers
Andy

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

..so yes you're still going to get the ghosts becasue you haven't installed the upgrades that fixed the problem ! :banghead:

Sorry but I thought that would be dead obvious

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Good day, Guys

Yes I have updated all my copies to V 5.0, when they came out.

I was wondering if a fresh reload updated to v 5.0 would make a difference or not??

Thanks Bob out

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

No, if you started the game in 5.0.

If you started in an earlier version - you may have carried the bug over.

IF it was the result of a corrupted savegame file then restart as well, after a disk defrag and repair. I'd reccomend a defrag and repair anyway - if it reports lost clusters repaired then that may have been the problem. A full surface test of the hard drive is also worthwhile every 6 months or so as an overnight run (it is a tediously long operation!). Any report of dead clusters would be another indicator of possible file corruption (not necessarily with our game - any old random thing may have been messed with by lost clusters or dead sectors).

Cheers
Andy

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Hmmm OK Never thought of that I'll let you how it goes.

OH, one more thing can I do the scan/frag work without stopping the game in progress?

Many Thanks, Bob out

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Yes you can, how are you Bob we miss your AARs was always great fun playing you with the atmosperic emails

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Welcome back PZBob,

Haven't heard from you awhile,i see you are still aggarvating the dev's.:):doh:

Back to normal eh?

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

It was not my intention to bug them.

Are you PBEMing these days?

Bob out

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Bob, when you said "Would playing on an new copy updated to V 5.0 possibly fix this? " BOTH Andy and I read that to mean you hadn't patched that copy of the game.

We rely of clear information to deal with these issues and as the old saying goes, "garbage in, garbage out"

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

.......so lets make sure we are all on the same page by answering one simple question

Were those saves made from a PBEM game that had been patched to the latest version AND had been started AFTER that patch had been applied ?

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

YES

I've also done a surface test and defrag. No difference either. Hope this clarifies my earlier lousy description.

Thanks Bob

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

It sounds like a corrupted save game file but we'll look into it. If anyone else has seen this happen since the patch don't be shy, let us know

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I have seen ghost crews, but only after Bob mentioned seeing them in his army. Still, what's important is that I have.

We are talking about long large campaigns.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Just so I'm clear here..... are you Bobs opponent in his campaign game?

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I don't know how many games he plays, but I am in one of his yes and he is one of mine (out of 3 current).

He first noticed the problem and after a turn or two (perhaps it was also right after the end of a battle of the campaign, I don't remember) ghost crews appeared in my army too.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

It's not surprising two players would see similar problems if the save game file has been corrupted. So the question that needs an answer is has this problem surfaced in any other game you have played with anyone BUT Bob ?

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Yes, but I am not sure if it is only after it first surfaced with the game with Bob or not. I think later, but I can't be 100% certain.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

The problem surfaced with another on going PBEM game.
I attach save files sent to me at the end of a battle of an on going campaign. I am player 1, Greece. I am not sure if my opponent has ghost crews or not, I am going to ask him when I send him the files.
I noticed that they appear in the purchasing screens and during deployment and they appear to count towards my core limit, but in the screen where I can upgrade/repair units they do not appear so I can't actually "upgrade" them to units to save them. If I try to delete them, then I lose the whole platoon they appear attached to, for example from a company of MBTs of 3-4 platoons, they appear right under one of the platoons and if I try to delete them then I delete the MBTs too.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I got a reply, he has them too, though no idea who got them first or anything.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

This is probably going to be a ***** to find/repair/solve/etc so, very big good luck from me.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

We will look at this save game and we will try to reproduce it when we start work on the games again but before I comment further I am awating a PM reply from PanzerBob to a question I asked him that is highly relavant to the issue

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

ok thank you. I will let him know about the PM, he tends to reply sooner by email.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

The problem we have is the ONLY reports we have of this happening are people playing against you. You are the common denominator for this "bug". In a PM message I received from another of your opponents he told me he HAS seen ghost units but ONLY when playing you. At no other time, with any other opponent, has he seen them.

So my question to everyone who reads this is.....

has ANYONE seen ghost units appear in ANY game - USING THE CURRENT RELEASE EXE -where your opponents IS NOT Wdll ??

I think I know the answer to that but for now we'll wait and see who replies.

Then we'll try and figure out what your doing to cause this. The simple truth is we cannot "fix" something if we cannot recreate on our master copies of the game.

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Don, my game with Bob started with me having the new version and he the older one.

The game with the other opponent we both use the current one, but we started it after I started the game with Bob.

Both cases they are PBEM campaigns, I mention this to make it clear I have never seen any ghost units in single battles.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I play a third PBEM campaign, I don't know how I forgot to mention it, but I don't remember if I have seen any ghost crews there. I will check it when it is my turn and I will ask my opponent.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

You can't play pbem with a opponent with a different version of the game or upgrade in a LC,AFAIK,chaos always happens.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

No sorry, Wdll, that was not the case we both had updated before the start of present campaign or the last. I'm well aware that 2 different versions do not work. It was part of the reason we started again. I'm the one whose memory is fading with age.:rolleyes: LOL;)

Bob out

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Hmm, if we use the same version then why do I get the error message that one gets when one uses the latest patched version and the other one uses the widescreen patch version? Or am I remembering wrong? I will update when I receive my turn.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

You can if we are talking about the widescreen version.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Bob, I was right. We started the campaign with the latest official full patch. Later, and way after the ghost crews appeared for the first time in this game, I changed the files to the widescreen files.

I don't see how this can affect the issue since the issue appeared before the change to the ws files...

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I'm bad Wdll,:doh: I forgot about the wide-screen patch, like I said I'm the one with the failing memory. However, I don't recall it causing the problem, if the ghosts had occurred at the same time I/We would have figured the WS patch to be the problem.

Bob out :cool:

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Oh no, I am sure the problem is not with the WS patch, this is a much older issue.

With yours, I am in the middle of 3 PBEM campaigns. What I am planning on doing is as I finish each of them I will start the next on a new installation of the game, so at the end I will have 4 installations of the game, I hope that won't cause any problem.
This way I will start 3 new PBEM campaigns, with an installation for each one and see if the problem repeats itself over time and if yes, on how many of them.

Devs, am I right to assume that if a save game corrupts an installation, it will only do so the one used to play the game in question, right? There are no common files or registry data which could ever possibly affect this?


The reason I said 4 is because I have no idea how I could uninstall only the oldest (the current) installation, without affecting the other 3 (yet to be) installations.

Of course this will take several weeks if not months.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I wish you would use some of that bad memory to hold your tactics against me lol.

There is no way I know of that a save game would "corrupt an installation". A save game file just stores data.

More likely it's the installation causing corrupted save games or SOMETHING, we have no idea what, you could be doing that would cause this corruption to occur that could include anything up to and including your purchasing/deleting habits when setting up the game.

The fact remains that , until I hear otherwise, the ONLY people who have had this problem are you and the people who play you.

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Absolutely agree with Don.

Therefore it is either your hardware, or perhaps more likely, something that you do that others do not.

How about, for example whatever you do in the repair/upgrade screen.

- Do you leave things unrepaired, if you don't have the repair points?

- Or do you maybe delete damaged or destroyed core formations you don't have points to repair, to regain some build points?. (Thinks to myself - that may be it, since the original formation delete code is for the buy screen, and may not know about damaged units (and having to discard crews for them))

Andy

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Of course, if I don't have enough repair points I don't repair all that I could. If things are going badly, for more than one turn, so a unit might be left unrepaired (whether it was damaged or destroyed) for 1+ turns)

I rarely delete damaged or destroyed core formations while in the repair screen. If I can't afford to repair them or I don't want them, I will just leave them till I can upgrade them. I am not saying that I never delete them, but I rarely do in a campaign.

A couple more things that I do:

if there is a crew left on board, from a destroyed unit from the current battle, and I can, I will retreat it on its own to save it.

When deploying units, if I have crews either ghost or otherwise, I will place them on the grey hexes during the deployment screen. Same for damaged units.

I have noticed after the end of a battle when I get the promotions "sequence",, crews to get promotions the same way that full units do.


As for software, I don't know, I use a UK installation of Vista 64 Home Premium which I try to keep updated every few weeks or months. Avira Antivir Personal, which I update every day or two. I defrag the disk every couple of months.
I don't install illegal software or any other random software. The only that I do are the occasional software that I use, like media player (last one was 1by1) and games.

I am quite careful what I install.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

-I cant see that being the problem the crews are still attached to the formation & go with it. What might be the problem is if he replaces the damaged unit with a new one as in changes it. Could it possibly be coming with a new crew if the old unit was totaly destroyed but its crew survived?

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I wonder if there are others and how many who play long PBEM campaigns, apart from myself and the 3-4 people I play with that is.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

What would you think if you got a PM like this...... ??

"Happened to me when I played him & only when I played him"

You are NOT the only opponent for people who PBEMs long campaigns

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I see. Thanks for that.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I uninstalled the game.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Am I reading this right? That by changing whole formed units,Platoons Sections etc this could be causing the "Ghost" problems, including artillery barrages scheduled to fire at the end of one battle arriving in the next battle?

Bob out:confused:

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

THAT sounds like a corrupted save game file. How the corruption occured is open to debate.

Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

In one of my three new PBEM campaigns, battle number eh, 3 or 4, in the middle of the battle, ghost crews appeared on my side (HQ list etc)
They were not there while deploying, but I think they appeared this turn. I clicked on the list of my units to choose a specific unit and show crews here and there, where there should be none.
I played my turn and sent it.

This is on a new installation and seperate installation from the other two.

Only this PBEM campaign is played and no other multi or single player games. As usual, I haven't changed anything in the game apart from the usual default settings (delays etc).

This is what I received and show the problem.

I attach the file. I unrared and zipped it so that I upload it here.
I am PRC.

Ghost crews have not appeared yet on the other two PBEM campaigns/installations, although they are in an earlier stage of their respective campaigns.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

We'll look at it but..........

At this point we know you can generate ghost crews on in a game played on your computer and that through the save game files it will sometimes transfer to your opponents game when the game files are passed back and forth

That fact has been established

We don't know why that happens and cannot recreate it on our computers so what I am most interested in now is to hear from anyone else, who is not your opponent, that this has happened to.


Don

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

I don't know if it helps at all, or if it even matters, but my opponent from this game told me that he too saw ghost crews, but he did during the first turn.

Re: Still getting Ghost Problems in PBEM
 

Where were they ? What units were they attached to? They couldn't have been dead units if he saw them the first turn

Don