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Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/10/2012 10:35:39 PM

harley

Posts: 1700
Joined: 10/13/2005
Status: offline

Hi, all...

Firstly, let me thank all of you for your patience over the past 3 years. Both Ron and myself have had significant real life issues to overcome, meaning our passion for this game took a back seat for some time.

As for the patch status, I have done a lot of the work we have talked about, and the current beta has had a lot of testing by a couple of our PBEM testers, so both sides have been thoroughly worked over. You've seen screenshots for some of the changes, but here's the list for you to contemplate:

I've put in the new data bits for the "days since last mission" (DSLM).

in the "Assign Patrol" & Assign Intercepts screens I have:
added fatigue and "last" columns for days since last mission
fixed the scroll to always go to the top of the list
set the numeric types to ascending (good for fatigue, DSLM, delay - bad for xp, ready, morale)
added a sort button for the units to sort by unit ID (so all the JG 1's appear together).

in "Unit List" I have:
added DSLM
set the numeric types to ascending (good for fatigue, range, DLSM, - bad for xp, ready, morale)
added a sort button for the units to sort by unit ID (so all the JG 1's appear together).

In the "add lead units" list I have:
added DSLM, Fat, combined base and command.
added filters for FB, Med, Buff and moved the "fighter attack" button.
set the scroll to go to the top when sorting
set default ascend/descend for the numerics

In the "add units" list I have:
added DSLM, Fat and command, with command combined with base
set the scroll to go to the top when sorting
set default ascend/descend for the numerics

On the Unit Page I have:
Added DSLM
added missions (whenever any plane or group of planes takes off it adds one to the missions)
added sorties (adds one per plane TO)
fixed some misaligned text
renamed "real range" to "ferry range" It just sounded better.
added toggle for auto-upgrades per unit.

On the "List Air Units" page I have:
added filters by role
added "show enemy" button
added show total units, losses, replacements for player
added show losses for enemy <without any replacement or pool details>
added "upgrade type"
added research %

On the "Set Bomber Doctrine" page I have:
added toggle for global auto upgrade (WIP - my final task for this release is to expand this to both sides)

rebuilt the prod pages from the ground up. Yeah, baby.
Added priorities for AC prod

Others:

fixed the unloadable save issue
fixed a minor error in the loading of buttons
found a bug in the AI prod routine that may have caused too many new AC to be built when the old type was needed
reduced priority of multi-engine aircraft production
changed the unit upgrade message to show the old AC type as well
added minimum CH chances for increased damage CH and one-shot-kill CH. Makes a difference for the low-effect weapons mainly
added a bucket load of XP increments
added code to limit units to one strafe attack per mission
rebuilt the research code. Now AC are given a fixed at-start value required to research, with the daily counter decremented to keep them on path
limited research to 10/day per AC type
added automatic allied research to counter player research

so...

I have spoken to Matrix about a release timeframe, and I may not be able to get it packaged and released before the Christmas shutdown. With that in mind, I'm setting myself a deadline to release of January 31, 2013. I'd like to get it done earlier than that, but I'm not making promises. It's a deadline, and I do work to them quite well. ;)

So again, thanks for your patience, I hope you find it worthwhile.

harley...

< Message edited by harley -- 12/11/2012 12:13:47 PM >

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/11/2012 8:04:52 AM

john_txic

Posts: 78
Joined: 12/21/2007
Status: offline

This is an excellent Xmas/New Year pressie - thanks!

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/11/2012 10:41:13 AM

cohimbra

Posts: 632
Joined: 10/15/2011
From: Italy
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: john_txic

This is an excellent Xmas/New Year pressie - thanks!

A little question: what it means DLSM?
thanks.

< Message edited by cohimbra -- 12/11/2012 10:58:38 AM >

(in reply to john_txic)

Post #: 3

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/11/2012 11:58:29 AM

nelmsm1

Posts: 1041
Joined: 1/21/2002
From: Texas
Status: offline

I think it's a typo and he meant DSLM which is Days Since Last Mission

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/11/2012 12:12:43 PM

harley

Posts: 1700
Joined: 10/13/2005
Status: offline

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/11/2012 8:46:23 PM

mikkey

Posts: 3142
Joined: 2/10/2008
From: Slovakia
Status: offline

Excellent news. Thanks for update, harley.

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/11/2012 10:06:00 PM

Gunnerchimp

Posts: 23
Joined: 4/4/2008
From: Lincoln UK
Status: offline

Nice one Harley; so good to see the game moving forward at last. Really appreciate your efforts in bringing the patch to fruition.

(in reply to mikkey)

Post #: 7

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/15/2012 12:45:59 PM

littleike

Posts: 159
Joined: 10/3/2007
Status: offline

Many thanks for this patch.

I bought this game a few days ago thinking to buy a dead thing
but still attracted from this ww2 air war simulation.
Knowing Gary Grisby standards ,(i own witp and WitpAE), i said to myself
that if the game was obsoleted the data base was probably not, so at least
i would have bought a planes, squadrons, theaters reference for the whole WW2 air war
over Europe.

Now i am very glad to see that this game still lives and is supported with patches and mods.

And this take me to make another request!!

Please add the screen resolution support so i could use EDTBTR on my 1440x900 screen.

WitpAE was updated to support different screen resolutions and i think that if this have been done for it this could be done also for EDTBTR due to the same original developing interface. (Ask to michaelm in the witpAe forum support to know how this could be achieved)

I own both games on my pc and it would be wonderful to see no differences switching from a game to another.

Anyway thanks again for your support, good work and my best greetings for a merry christmas and a happy new 2013 ( Maya permitting

(in reply to Gunnerchimp)

Post #: 8

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/15/2012 2:11:38 PM

Otto von Blotto

Posts: 273
Joined: 7/18/2008
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Excellent news, thanks.

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Post #: 9

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/16/2012 1:53:59 AM

bairdlander2

Posts: 2264
Joined: 3/28/2009
From: Toronto Ontario but living in Edmonton,Alberta
Status: offline

Good news,thanks

(in reply to Otto von Blotto)

Post #: 10

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/19/2012 12:48:39 AM

Mappo

Posts: 56
Joined: 6/1/2012
From: Florence, Italy
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: littleike

Please add the screen resolution support.

WitpAE was updated to support different screen resolutions and i think that if this have been done for it this could be done also for EDTBTR due to the same original developing interface. (Ask to michaelm in the witpAe forum support to know how this could be achieved)

+ 1

Please, please, please.

(in reply to littleike)

Post #: 11

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/19/2012 10:01:35 AM

yubari

Posts: 365
Joined: 3/24/2006
Status: offline

Great

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Post #: 12

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/19/2012 2:11:16 PM

cohimbra

Posts: 632
Joined: 10/15/2011
From: Italy
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: harley
- added a sort button for the units to sort by unit ID (so all the JG 1's appear together).
- added toggle for auto-upgrades per unit.
- added "upgrade type"
- added research %

As axis player (for the reason that I play japan in witpae, I can manage
production) I appreciate this points, the possibility to better 'manage'
the single squadrons upgrades is great.

(in reply to harley)

Post #: 13

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/20/2012 9:52:21 PM

AndyG1

Posts: 132
Joined: 8/29/2007
Status: offline

Great news Harley

(in reply to cohimbra)

Post #: 14

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/23/2012 3:25:34 AM

JR5555

Posts: 95
Joined: 12/19/2005
Status: offline

Hi,

Good news, one question. Has the bug where the bomber returns back to target after bombing run been fixed?

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Post #: 15

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/23/2012 5:36:28 AM

DavidFaust

Posts: 857
Joined: 9/4/2004
From: Australia
Status: offline

Great news.

rebuilt the research code. Now AC are given a fixed at-start value required to research, with the daily counter decremented to keep them on path
limited research to 10/day per AC type

Could you please explain this with more detail please?

Its a great pity that GG games have no imagination when it comes to implementing research mechanics into there games. The research mechanic used in this game is basically a rehashed version of what was used in WIR a game thats over 20 years old!!

< Message edited by kingtiger_501 -- 12/23/2012 5:54:02 AM >

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Post #: 16

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 12/31/2012 11:04:16 AM

harley

Posts: 1700
Joined: 10/13/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: kingtiger_501

Great news.

rebuilt the research code. Now AC are given a fixed at-start value required to research, with the daily counter decremented to keep them on path
limited research to 10/day per AC type

Could you please explain this with more detail please?

Its a great pity that GG games have no imagination when it comes to implementing research mechanics into there games. The research mechanic used in this game is basically a rehashed version of what was used in WIR a game thats over 20 years old!!

hey...

basically I've geared it so that at game start (or when you load an old version game) the counter is fixed at XX research required, rather than days required. Then, every day the research required is decremented by an arbitary fixed value. This maintains the status quo of how many days to research the plane. then I've changed the code to decrement this number by one for each assembled prototype (Assembly, Components & Engine). Finally, I've limited the rush factor to max the prototype production to 10 per day. Some players were able to max out on a late game type and have it in production years early. Now this will be stopped.

This replaces the original code of 100 prototypes making taking one month off the arrival date (so 1500 prots needed for 15 months early), and my rehash which made it logarithmic (100 for one month early, 15000 for 18 months early) which was still too fast as once you clicked the first month off it accelerated heaps.

hope that helps...

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Post #: 17

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 1/1/2013 1:13:11 PM

Foxendown

Posts: 184
Joined: 5/17/2012
Status: offline

I got this game as a Christmas present and I'm amazed at how realistic it feels and how addictive it has become.

The one big negative for me is the fixed screen resolution of 1024x768. My monitor has a native res of 1920x1200. In a window I have a small area of screen which isn't really big enough to be useable. The alternative is a stretched, blurry and frankly ugly full screen image. The other Matrix games I have all adjust to different screen resolutions, so I hope this can be fixed.

But it's a great game, no doubts about that.

(in reply to harley)

Post #: 18

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 1/13/2013 11:14:20 AM

npsergio

Posts: 185
Joined: 1/23/2010
Status: offline

May we need to restart our current games in order to the next patch fully works?
Thanks!

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Post #: 19

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 1/13/2013 2:11:04 PM

Mappo

Posts: 56
Joined: 6/1/2012
From: Florence, Italy
Status: offline

Hi Harley, is there any news about your patch? Is still confirmed the deadline of 31 january?
Regards

(in reply to npsergio)

Post #: 20

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 1/30/2013 1:07:46 AM

harley

Posts: 1700
Joined: 10/13/2005
Status: offline

Sorry, that was my deadline. I figured if I told you all a date, I'd have to do it.

I am going to slip. Work interrupted somewhat, but I am on the case.

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 1/30/2013 2:08:30 AM

StoneAge

Posts: 1303
Joined: 2/16/2009
From: Melbourne, Australia
Status: offline

�I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.� ― Douglas Adams,

oh well, you will get there

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 1/30/2013 7:29:14 AM

bcgames

Posts: 2527
Joined: 6/2/2010
From: Bramble Rose Farm, KS
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: harley
...but I am on the case.

Great!

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Post #: 23

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 2/8/2013 7:25:30 PM

sauro brusch

Posts: 73
Joined: 5/3/2007
Status: offline

Ok the patch is M.I.A

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Post #: 24

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 2/17/2013 10:32:35 PM

cohimbra

Posts: 632
Joined: 10/15/2011
From: Italy
Status: offline

Insert data:

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown-timer/

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 2/24/2013 7:26:26 PM

kaybayray

Posts: 424
Joined: 6/1/2007
Status: offline

Hey Harley ! <S> Sir !

No worries my friend, I have been very scarce for the same time frame for similar reasons. Life took over and I had other things that needed to be dealt with. But I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge your long term dedication to this project and this community.

I have not really had the time to dig into your upgrades and changes but a fast skim was very pleasing. Thanks for your hard work and giving of your own time to do these things for us. Thank You Sir !

Later,
KayBay

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If you dont mind... It dont matter

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 3/9/2013 4:32:45 AM

jjjanos

Posts: 52
Joined: 4/11/2002
From: Wheaton, MD
Status: offline

I've been holding off starting a game since the announcement of the patch.

I am seriously jonesing to play this again, but don't want to start and have the old saves not be compatible with the patch.

So... will the patch require restarting the campaign?

(in reply to kaybayray)

Post #: 27

RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 3/9/2013 2:00:55 PM

npsergio

Posts: 185
Joined: 1/23/2010
Status: offline

I have the same question...
Anyway, although I'm not sure, I think that it won't be needed to restart the current games. Why? -> This is from Harley:
"basically I've geared it so that at game start (or when you load an old version game) the counter is fixed at XX research required, rather than days required. "

(in reply to jjjanos)

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 3/22/2013 9:18:20 AM

harley

Posts: 1700
Joined: 10/13/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: npsergio

I have the same question...
Anyway, although I'm not sure, I think that it won't be needed to restart the current games. Why? -> This is from Harley:
"basically I've geared it so that at game start (or when you load an old version game) the counter is fixed at XX research required, rather than days required. "

what happens is that on old save load the game will see how much more research you need and insert this value. it's not perfect, it's not pretty, but it does work.

I *always* try and make code changes data independent. Generally the only reason new games are required is to get changes to:

Location position, type or date
Aircraft performance stats or arrival dates
Unit dates, start locations or assignments (including pilots)

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RE: Patch News - I work to deadlines - 3/29/2013 5:06:57 AM

nico71

Posts: 121
Joined: 9/2/2003
Status: offline

*awakes from hibernation*

Patch? Did anyone mention the patch? Oh great! I'm ready to get slaughtered in PBEM again! Good to know that this gem isn't dead! Wow! Have to re-learn the game again after all those years. Looking forward to it.

(in reply to harley)

Post #: 30