Blitzkrieg Banzai? (SP1 Conversion)

[MarkSheppard]

So I think I've figured out what happened with the differing file formats in SP2; after trying to convert a SP2 map in WW2Map -- it gave me an error: "This is not a SP2 version 1.1...file!"

I think now with that, plus some looking in at the SP2 patch history for version 1.1:

PBEM games can now be saved to any open save slot. With this change, the old "E-Mail" folder becomes no longer available from the save menu. A result of the change to the PBEM function is that the "Player Preferences On/Off" switch no longer appears on the preferences screen. Preset player and realism preferences are now automatically locked in when the user selects to play in two player mode, as in STEEL PANTHERS III: Brigade Command.

I think they switched PBEM compression on to everything as a stock function, due to the popularity of PBEM.

[Karagin]

I am giving this scenario a run now. I recall the original, it was fun, well right up to the point of your air-support coming in and NOT hitting anything you selected for it.

So far what I have seen, playing as the Germans, is that I have taken the upper VP in the village from the Japanese, who took but didn't leave anything but one tank and one Halftrack to guard it.

The bottom VP village is under contestation and the infantry of both sides is slugging it out in that area.

Overall it's been fun and I am enjoying the contrast of forces.

One thing I do find to be a pain is the game asking if I really want to take my tanks up a hillside of rough terrain that has a road on it. No Karl, I really don't want to, I would rather they fly to where I want or need them, but since they can't...

[scorpio_rocks]

Originally Posted by Karagin

One thing I do find to be a pain is the game asking if I really want to take my tanks up a hillside of rough terrain that has a road on it. No Karl, I really don't want to, I would rather they fly to where I want or need them, but since they can't...

This "issue" was fixed in the 2018 Version 11 patch - are you sure you are using latest version?

[MarkSheppard]

When SP2 originally shipped, it came with two sets of RAM recommendations:

8 MB of RAM (16 MB for PBEM replay)

The minimum RAM needed was about 6~ MB.

Additionally, they had special unique email-only save slots:

Regular save games got saved in \STEEL2\SAVE\
PBEM save games got saved in \STEEL2\EMAIL\

When SP2 was patched to version 1.1; they removed the "save email games only in special slots" requirement, and made all save game slots email useable.

Also, what I think they did (as an undocumented feature); was they introduced PBEM savegame compression in v1.1 as a result of feedback from PBEM players asking them to please do something about file sizes!

1996/1997 have been so long ago, a lot of us have forgotten modem speed limitations.

But back then at 14.4 kbit/s:

690 kb = 7~ minute download/upload time.
190 kb = 2~ minute download/upload time.

Additionally, AOL (remember them?) and others used to charge by the HOUR of connected time.

Because the SSI programmers were lazy, when they made all save game slots email compatible; they also by default made save game compression the new defacto standard.

The compression routines might been "backported" from the SP3 codebase, which was actively being developed at the time; and some SP3 stuff was actually put in SP2 v1.1 per the README:

The patch automatically provides the user with enhanced infantry and artillery routines much like those used in SSI's new Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command, which, without compromising any of the playability of Steel II, allow a more effective role to both.

Unfortunately for programmers like me, the capability of SP2 v1.1 to read both compressed and uncompressed SP2 save game files meant that SP2 scenario/save files can be of two types (Compressed/Uncompressed) because in pre-internet days, not everyone patched/updated to the latest game; so you had a frankensteined scenario collection, some being compressed, some being uncompressed.

Fred Chlanda's WW2Map.exe only can take SP2 v1.1 compressed files for input; so in order to convert a SP2 map to SPCAMO for use in SPMBT, it has to either be in 1.1 format or converted before hand. Otherwise, Fred's program throws: "NOT A VALID SP2 v1.1 or SPWW2 FILE!"

So I'm looking at having to make a map converter so people don't need to run SP2 v1.1 in DOSBOX to get a map converted over...

[Karagin]

Originally Posted by scorpio_rocks

This "issue" was fixed in the 2018 Version 11 patch - are you sure you are using latest version?

I just bought the game, last week since I couldn't get my older version to work with WIN10, so I would think that the lastest patch would be with the full CD version yes?

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Karagin

I just bought the game, last week since I couldn't get my older version to work with WIN10, so I would think that the lastest patch would be with the full CD version yes?

NO it will not....... you need to patch any game bought they are not automatically updated. Start your game and look on the bottom of the page that appears and will probably be winSPWW2v10-CD...... if you just got it, it won't be V13 which is the update we release at the beginning of the month and that updates any game from Version 9 and up to Version 13

Go here http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Wo.../WW2_page.html

and DL the winSPWW2 V13 Upgrade (2020) patch. If you installed the game into the recommended directory the patch will go there too but if you put it someplace else the patch needs to go into the same place

There are three patches that update the game right from the first windows version to the most current. You need to check which version you have then apply the patch that falls within that range. In your case because you just bought it the link I provided to the 2020 patch should do it and when you install it you will find you suddenly have twice as many scenarios and a lot of updated graphics and added zoom in levels

[MarkSheppard]

Finally cracked (I think) the leader assignment code in SP1.

Now we have nice pretty lists of:

Sergeant Skulsky	A0: SO SMG Sqd
Major Boychuk	A Formation Leader

EDIT: Cracked P2 assignment.

Sergeant Okano	A0: JA Infantry Sq	95	76	21	24
Major Yura	A Formation Leader	69	67	60	68
Sergeant Yojimbo	B0: JA Infantry Sq	85	79	28	25
Sergeant Koyama	B1: JA Infantry Sq	54	65	20	15
Sergeant Tanaka	B2: JA Infantry Sq	39	74	33	18
Sergeant Onishi	B3: JA Infantry Sq	64	71	25	17

God, SP1 had so many "unique" situations.

[MarkSheppard]

I redownloaded all the Cyberstratege CDROMs and pulled stuff from them, Some nice gems like a SP2 Campaign with the French in Bosnia!

[DRG]

Ryan

I know you said "This is a crude version 0.5 beta" it is remarkable that you have managed to resurrect it to this point but there are issues that may be too deep to fix and it might simply be easier in the long run to open and old one. Get a feel for what's needed then recreate it using the current game because chances are there are other gotchas like this lurking

I opened it up and poked around. The first thing I noticed was all the soft sand reports as clear terrain but the other issue might be too deep to fix.

I started the scenario and advanced a BDRM and it was fired on by a TOW Jeep



We have had trouble with message overwrites in the past but not so much lately and to check that I built a quick scenario with Egyptian BRDM's US Army TOW Jeeps and this is the message shown



Just FYI

[MarkSheppard]

Originally Posted by DRG

I opened it up and poked around. The first thing I noticed was all the soft sand reports as clear terrain but the other issue might be too deep to fix.

I started investigating this and my original hypothesis was that it was an issue with Fred's old SPWW2 Map conversion utility routines that he made to convert from SPWW2v2 (aka SP2 maps) to the new SPWW2v3 map you guys introduced long ago.

However, I opened up the original scenario in SP2 and the soft sand hexes were also reporting as CLEAR in SP2.

Checking the release history, I think you guys made soft sand and snowdrifts have the "immobilize" feature and unique terrain ID numbers back in DOS SPWW2 v3.0.

So that's a note to add to my own documentation:

NOTE: Fred Chlanda's Map Conversion code is a strict SP2 map format to SPWW2 version 3.0 map format converter; in that it transfers over the data and values for the old map over to the new map, causing the map to not have the newer features developed over the years by the SPCAMO team.

For example:

If you convert a Steel Panthers 2 desert map for use in WinMBT, the converted map will show soft sand hex graphics, but will display "CLEAR" when you mouse over the hexes in question.

This behavior is "correct" for Steel Panthers 2; which exhibits the same behavior -- Snowdrifts and Soft Sand dunes in that game engine are "cosmetic" for show features to break up the monotony of large snow or desert areas.

It all depends on what you wish to do -- if you wish to recreate the straight SP2 experience of these old scenarios in higher resolutions with improved battle routines and icons; using the maps as-is is fine.

If however, you wish to add all the new terrain types that the SPCAMO team have developed since 1999, it is highly recommended that you follow the following workflow:

1.) Push the BATTLE button on the main screen

2.) Choose the nations and the scenario date and push CONTINUE

3.) At the Purchase screen select VIEW MAP

4.) Push '/' on your keyboard -- this will redraw the random map for your current opponents and time period using SPCAMO's built-in batloc routines.

5.) Keep redrawing until you find a map that closely approximates the old one.

6.) Push the 'e' button on your keyboard to save the random map into a map slot.

7.) Load that random map into your scenario and edit away.

Long term, since I have the source code for that version of Fred's WW2Map, plus a working Borland environment in a virtual machine, I might be able to compile an updated WW2Map that converts soft sand and snowdrifts. But no promises.

We have had trouble with message overwrites in the past but not so much lately and to check that I built a quick scenario with Egyptian BRDM's US Army TOW Jeeps and this is the message shown

I can confirm this error message, and I can confirm it is due to my own mistakes; and is a rather easy fix.

I tried coding in a "rename" function for my "Load from CSV into SPCAMO scenario" routines for:

Leaders
and
Unit Names

However, I screwed up how to properly format text into the binary format used by the game engine.

Looking at my code for encoding a Python text string into ASCII/BINARY format; I think what's happening is that I screwed up how to format blank space byte padding (/x00) and the closing byte (/x0A).

Finally, I was able to fix the "Tow Jeep firing on BRDM-2 summons Cthulthu" text string bug by going into the in-game editor, and:

D - MODIFY UNIT DATA
Changing the Unit Name
Cloning to all unit examples in scenario

for both BRDM-2 and TOW Jeep.

To fix this, I will depreciate the unit/leader rename function in the next version of my editor package.