FAQs and Quick Resolution to problems

[calvinus]

Hi all,

I feel it's important to list here the most important remarks and rules to follow in order to get WW1 running fine:

1) WW1 Configurator tool: do not check the "Lock full-screen mode" option, unless you have no antivirus and/or firewall program installed on your PC.
2) WW1 Configurator tool: if you want to have a less jerky behaviour of the game during AI job, set the "Security Level" to 2. Thus you will be informed immediately about AI job by the usual black window inside the center of the screen. Remember also that AI can be paused/unpaused with the 'pause' key.
3) WW1 Configurator tool: Do not set the "Security Level" to 1. This could increase the risks of CTDs.

4) Scenarios: 4-players Grand Campaign 1914 has been factored for multiplayer sessions, not for single player mode. So, playing in single player, could generate CTDs, that are going to be fixed. In addition, consider that it's much nicer to play on the side of the Central Powers or of the Allies, rather than on the side of a single nation!

5) Options window: the "Give AI full time" option makes the AI calculation time very long, so avoid this option!

6) Patches: each patch will overwrite the WW1.ini file (where the serial key is stored). So, every time a new patch will be released, you will be asked to type again the serial key. I'll study a solution for this problem, of course.

Thanks for your patience,
Calvinus.

[calvinus]

Other problems reported:
- 1918 scenario : infinite AI working time (game freeze)... I'm going to investigate and fix, of course.
- Tutorial french texts wrong... going to check and fix, of course.

Thanks again,
Calvinus.

[PDF]

Thx Calvinus
Is it normal that battle AI takes 10-20 sec just to choose a corps to place on the front ... out of the Serban army which has 3 of them ??
Than in Jutland scen it's awful, 1-2 min each round, even at Long range with only half of the ships selectable.

My rig is old but meets reqs (Athlon 2400XP, 2 GB RAM)...why can it be that slow ? I *didn't* give AI full time.

[Frank]

5) Options window: the "Give AI full time" option makes the AI calculation time very long, so avoid this option!

Calvinus,

how much better is the AI if i give full time? And is it recomended to load all map at start?

[sval06]

Thx Calvinus
Is it normal that battle AI takes 10-20 sec just to choose a corps to place on the front ... out of the Serban army which has 3 of them ??
Than in Jutland scen it's awful, 1-2 min each round, even at Long range with only half of the ships selectable.

My rig is old but meets reqs (Athlon 2400XP, 2 GB RAM)...why can it be that slow ? I *didn't* give AI full time.

+1,
except that more than 3 minutes after the last round, AI still keeps secret its decision and is still processing.... ...

I also meet requirements

[Tamas]

Battle AI: that's strange, I have never encountered a slow battle AI throughout the betatest.
One thing, which is probably not the issue, but worth mentioning: in later turns, you may simultaneously get a message window (like about an AI political choice) and a battle window. In this case, the game (and the AI) is paused due to the message window. There is a big white text informing you about this, but I did stare at it for a minute one time, before realizing its implications.

As for loading all the map: PDF, in your case, I would give it a try. I do not like that option, since it DOES make preliminary loading longer, but I have a faster CPU than you do. But also, you have 2 gigs of RAM, so you could indeed fir the map there in one go.

[Seven]

Other problems reported:
- 1918 scenario : infinite AI working time (game freeze)

I can confirm this also on 1914 two-player Grand scenario.

[Johnnie]

Tamas:

How about a brief "how to" with respect to battles. What does placement in deployment and front line actually do ?? How does breakthrough work ?? The present manual is not very helpful.

[Tamas]

Tamas:

How about a brief "how to" with respect to battles. What does placement in deployment and front line actually do ?? How does breakthrough work ?? The present manual is not very helpful.

Difference between "deployment" and "rear" comes into practical consideration when you are in a Major Battle (both halves of the battle screen used). Once you send a unit to the left or right battle (be it front line or deployment) you can't change it to the other side of the battle.


Breakthrough is quite tricky, and the game is doing calculations "under the surface". In practice, it is not the major tool you would hope it to be. I mean, it CAN result in something major, but there are lots of factors here. You can only Breakthrough with units in your HQ's reserve, which wont be much usually, but of course it means you should try and keep the max allowed number of units in reserve each turn. Then, your general actually needs to pass a check for his ability, to attain a breakthrough.
In practical terms: if you anticipate the battle to end with you winning, and you are in round 2 or later, click Breakthrough and check if you can highlight an area. If you can, you are done, Breakthrough will happen once you indeed win the battle. This is the same for Counter-attack BTW, altough thats easier to achieve.

Speaking of HQ reserve: don't forget you can pull units out there for battle.
A practical example you can encounter very fast is the AH 5th Army:
you have there your bosnian corps: a unit with Slav nationality, and worst morale possible. Add to that they get a morale check penalty for fighting fellow slavs (Serbs) and you have a unit which is very useless in direct combat.
It is still nice enough for "screening" and holding the line however. Just make sure your HQ is not too far away (I cant recall the exact max. distance, but it is pretty long for Movement War), and when the Serbs attack your Bosnians, just send in a reserve unit or two immediately.

[Johnnie]

Tamas:

Playing Palestine scenario. Big battle in south which I will win. Have units in reserve, choose breakthru areas Haifa and another, get the blinking arrows win the battles but there is no breakthru. Same happens in north, although there I choose only one breadthru area.

Do I have to do something else ??

Wait; I think I understand. The conditions may be there, but the breakthru may then fail its various tests. Right ??

[Tamas]

Tamas:

Playing Palestine scenario. Big battle in south which I will win. Have units in reserve, choose breakthru areas Haifa and another, get the blinking arrows win the battles but there is no breakthru. Same happens in north, although there I choose only one breadthru area.

Do I have to do something else ??

Wait; I think I understand. The conditions may be there, but the breakthru may then fail its various tests. Right ??

Yes! I can confirm that breakthroughs work. They are just rare.

[Christophe.Barot]

2 remarks :

tried the 3 tutorials : there is a problem for placing units in first line and you can't have 2 wings, in tutorial case is considered small battle

use of aircraft is unknown - ditto naval war isn't covered by tutorial

tried jutland - game just froze - no way to even click on the picture announcing I'm supposed to sortie my fleet to begin playing the scenario (and learning to use ships)

[igor7111]

Had to uninstall. Bad decision. Upon re-installing what I originally downloaded (I pre-ordered), then the activation patch and configuring the game, including entering my serial number, I get that blasted "Microsoft has encounter an error" box. Can't do anything at that point but decide whether to send the error report to microsoft or not. I've attached it below. Hope it tells you something (and me!!!) I know Calvinus has been working himself to death with patches so it's not a major priority for me but I really want to PLAY this damned addictive little game.

No, XP, 3MHz, 2GB RAM

[calvinus]

Mmmm... Windows Vista is a bug generator!

Open the WW1.ini & the Serial.ini files (double-click or text editor) and type manually the serials inside the proper field:

[SERIAL]
SerialKey="????-????-????"

[igor7111]

That didn't work calvinus.....sorry.

[calvinus]

Mmmm... send a PM to Philippe, who can give you the link to the full installer (no activation patch). Hope this will help you.

[Piddyx]

It is refreshing to see a developer who is honest and on top of these problems. Thank you!

[bk6583]

2) WW1 Configurator tool: if you want to have a less jerky behaviour of the game during AI job, set the "Security Level" to 2.

For those us Windows 'challenged', where and how do you check for this number?

[calvinus]

For those us Windows 'challenged', where and how do you check for this number?

Very old stuff (WW1 base), forget it.

[csdevore]

Installed Gold over older program.

Wouldn't work.

An hour later, read thread to turn off UAC.

Wouldn't work, got Debug Assertion Failed.

Searched all threads for Debug Assertion Failed fixes. None applicable.

Running fairly new PC with Windows 7.

Spent almost three hours on problem, remembering why I gave up playing World War One in the first place as it was too buggy. Wondering why I just spent $19.95 to buy another buggy game.

[calvinus]

• The game must be installed and run with UAC off.
• You are requested to log in the Win7 as PC Administrator.
• Under Win7, run the game exe in Win XP SP2 compatibility mode.
• Also, disable "Desktop Composition" option.
• If the game runs slow under Win7, run the game in "single-core" mode (patch 1.08I or later required to have this new run mode).

[calvinus]

Spent almost three hours on problem, remembering why I gave up playing World War One in the first place as it was too buggy. Wondering why I just spent $19.95 to buy another buggy game.

I think it's clear we are not selling a game that even does not start.....

[suediarra]

hi

I started a new game but it gets stuck and can´t get past the event/diplomacy phase in early august 1914 (grand campaign). I can still move the mouse around, and the option giving the game all the thinking time needed is OFF.

The game was working although with a very jerky mouse, I reinstalled it and now I can´t get past early august. I´ve tried starting four different games, the same thing happens ever time. Thanks.

[suediarra]

My problem disappears if I run the game in window mode and the game runs faster too! But the mouse problem remains.The game is playable but is so annoying. I hope your next game will be playable disregarding of single core,UAC and other stuff.... Your games are great, especially this one holds paradox quality but they are often so bugged!

[Tarokaja]

• The game must be installed and run with UAC off.
• You are requested to log in the Win7 as PC Administrator.
• Under Win7, run the game exe in Win XP SP2 compatibility mode.
• Also, disable "Desktop Composition" option.
• If the game runs slow under Win7, run the game in "single-core" mode (patch 1.08I or later required to have this new run mode).

Nothing works. After application of patch 1.08L, WW1 crash at the end of the phase "intializing scenario". And when I run the game in Win XP SP2 compatibility mode, opening the game becomes extremly slow, and can't go to the scenario page.

Config is : windows 7, french version, intel core duo (problem don't disapear in "single-core mode").

Help!

[calvinus]

A guy reported a possible solution: run the game in XP SP2 compatibility mode and unset the "Quiet Office" pc mode, if set.

He discovered the cause of game slowness was the "quiet office" pc run mode.

Try also to disable the antivirus, just to check if this is the cause of the game slowness.

[Tarokaja]

A guy reported a possible solution: run the game in XP SP2 compatibility mode and unset the "Quiet Office" pc mode, if set.

He discovered the cause of game slowness was the "quiet office" pc run mode.

Try also to disable the antivirus, just to check if this is the cause of the game slowness.

I disabled the antivirus : no effect. Game crashes always at the end of "initializing scenario".

How can I unset the "quiet office" pc mode in windows 7 ? I don't find it.

[Baris]

Maybe I should post it here :
I recently find out that under windows 7(32 bit with 3gb ram) WDDM 1.1 default graphic drivers game works much and much faster.(6-7 fps increase). I have uninstalled all Ati application and that was the cure. Graphically I didnt observe any abnormal situation. I think default win 7 wddm1 drivers use less ram for loading bitmap textures.

[suediarra]

Hi!

The last time I played this game it worked fine after making some changes in my computer and configuring the game right. Now several months later I started a grand campaign for two players with the same settings, same computer and everything and I can´t get past the strategic AI phase of the first turn (early august 1914)!!!!!! The events appear on the screen, the message with "Strategic AI is thinking" or something like that and that´s it. The game doesn´t really freeze in the sense that I still can move the pointer around, it´s just that the game gets stuck in its strategic thinking, I´ve even waited for 10 minutes with no result. Any help?

/suediarra

[suediarra]

Never mind. I solved it.I just needed to pause the game while the diplomatic Ai was thinking, pick the events I wanted and unpause again. I thought I was supposed to wait till the AI was done thinking to be able to pick the events....