v1.78 bug?

[dumbluck]

Ah-HA!!!

This is definately a bug. I was able to recreate the error with a simple mod (I deleted MinMiners 1 and 2).

• Started game in testmod.
• hit End Turn 4 times.
• Saved game as test.gam.
  

Then I...

• restored to default data files.
• attempted to open test.gam with the modpicker.
• game spit out "Data Files don't Match" error, as well it should.
  

However...

• Started unmodded SE4.
• Chose Load Game from the main menu.
• Chose test.gam.
• test.gam ran "normally".
  

Test.gam ran, but it used the modded facility numbers applied to the default facility list.
In the modded game, I simply had Research Centers instead of MinMiners on my homeworld. In the "illegal" unmodded game, I had the following facilities (med tech start):

• 1 x MinStorage 1
• 1 x SY 3
• 1 x MinStorage 2
• 5 x MinMiner 3
• 1 x RadExtracter 3
• 1 x OrgFarm 3
• 5 x ResCenter 3
  

So this is definately a bug. Isn't it?

[ August 28, 2002, 11:18: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[dumbluck]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Krsqk:
I've had the same problem since I joined the PBW Junkyard game (Classic SEIV), and since the first Proportions upgrade. I can load the game from within SEIV, but I can't load it from the launcher.

From what I can tell, you definately have the wrong data files. I remember in one of my PBW games (I'm in the junkyard with ya), there was a shipset with a modded culture file. We all had to mod our culture.txt data file. But I can't remember if it was for JYW2 or not. Have you noticed any erratic actions? Any possible AI run turns?

EDIT: Hmmmm. The player stats for JYW2 say that you have only had 1 AI run turn, and that was quite a while ago... But I don't think that JYW2 was the game with the modded culture file. At least, I couldn't find mention of it in the game forum (and I know it's mentioned in the forum for the game it affected...)

---

Any comment on Krsqk's problems? I couldn't recreate it with my little test. I seem to have jumped to the wrong conclusion. It now seems most likely that what I noticed was just a (perhaps intentional) oversight. Who knows, maybe MM just didn't want to bother with making turn based games check for matching data files? But from what Krsqk described, his manually loaded simmove games would (will?) load with the wrong data files.

[geoschmo]

No, on the surface I don't have any idea on Krsqk's issue. It sounds just like what you were describing originally. But if he wants to give a few more details and doesn't mind a few dumb questions I can try to help figure it out.

Krsqk?

[dumbluck]

Originally posted by Krsqk:
I've had the same problem since I joined the PBW Junkyard game (Classic SEIV), and since the first Proportions upgrade. I can load the game from within SEIV, but I can't load it from the launcher.

From what I can tell, you definately have the wrong data files. I remember in one of my PBW games (I'm in the junkyard with ya), there was a shipset with a modded culture file. We all had to mod our culture.txt data file. But I can't remember if it was for JYW2 or not. Have you noticed any erratic actions? Any possible AI run turns?

EDIT: Hmmmm. The player stats for JYW2 say that you have only had 1 AI run turn, and that was quite a while ago... But I don't think that JYW2 was the game with the modded culture file. At least, I couldn't find mention of it in the game forum (and I know it's mentioned in the forum for the game it affected...)

[ August 28, 2002, 12:59: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[geoschmo]

Ok, forgive me if this is a stupid question, is this a simultaneous move, or turn based move game? The data file checks were designed for simultaneous move games and actually shouldn't be functioning at all in a turn based move game IIRC.

It sounds like a bug, but if its a turn based move game it's not the bug you are thinking. It shouldn't be giveing you the error when you launch into your turn or when you manually load.

Geoschmo

[dumbluck]

My tests were all run in turn based games. I could run a SimMove test game... So, you're saying if it's a turn based game, SE4 doesn't check to see if the current data files match those for *.gam? In that case, you're right, I shouldn't see the error message, even with the modpicker.

So, does the modpicker use the same command line prompts that PBW does? If so, maybe that's what I'm seeing. Perhaps SE4 only checks for matching data files if there are commands in the command line prompt?

I'll be back with the test results in a few minutes...

[dumbluck]

Ok. Changing the experiment only by switching from turn-based to SimMove, the expected results occured. SE4 gave me the "data files don't match" error on both game-starting methods (via the Modpicker, and via the in-game Load Game menu option). Therefore, my "bug" is independant of the command line prompt, and seem sole to be dependant on the Turn Style. Why turn based doesn't check for matching data files is beyond me, tho.

Krsqk: Hmm. I just did a quick test in v1.49 (I moved my JYW2 savegame over to my unmodded savegame folder). I got the "data files don't match" error on both game starting methods that time, too. So I don't know WHAT'S up with you!!!

[ August 28, 2002, 12:49: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[dumbluck]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
When manually loading the game you will get the players screen before the data mismatch error screen. If it were the other way around the game host could nto ever load the game and process with a different Version and games would never be upgradeable under any circumstances.

...

Geoschmo

Heh. No wonder you thought I didn't know what I was talking about. The above only applies to simmove, and I was playing turnbased....

[Krsqk]

Figured out the problem. JY mod doesn't come with a Savegame folder, so I extract everything to the default. Move it to the (new) JY mod Savegame folder, and it works just fine. Thanks for the help.