Official Napoleon's Campaigns Code Patch 1.07

[Pocus]

[color="Red"][SIZE="5"]Updated patch, resolving the confusion about versions.[/size][/color]
Content unchanged from March 13 patch!


Dear Players,

Here is the new Napoleon's Campaigns patch.

Given the vast amount of modifications and improvements (not to say some bug fixes) in the engine since the last patch, there is no comprehensive list, still a partial readme is posted below. Suffice to say that the game logic is now updated to the latest.

Points of interests, entrenchments are back in NCP. All interface windows have been retested to be sure they are working correctly.

http://ageoddl.telechargement.fr/latest/NCP_Patch.zip

Modders are welcome to rework the historical data, if they believe glitches and errors exist. There is always room for improvement, as this is mostly a code patch. Don't hesitate to publish your own mod, with proposed fixes and improvements.

If major bugs are spotted by the community, the patch will be uploaded again with the fix, but it will bears the same version. This is the latest official patch, version 1.07, period

================================================== ========================
[font="]Napoleon's Campaigns Code Patch [/font]Update 1.07
March, 13th, 2011
================================================== ========================


This code patch only contains the latest additions in the code.
SAVE ARE NOT COMPATIBLE – YOU NEED TO RESTART A GAME
This patch is comprehensive and can patch any version since v 1.01.

Interface
Battle report now display the actual generals stats, not the ones from the database

Game logic
* Hits recovery procedure improved.
* Fixed: a bug in determining victory level (major vs minor victory)
* ZOC don’t prevent retreat anymore
* Retreat damages algorithm improved with variables exported for modding (see AGE Wiki)
* It is no longer possible to make a breach with any unit (like cavalry). You now need at least one artillery or engineer element or a unit with a siege ability or a unit/leader with a special trait (‘Breacher’).
* If you are in supply when besieged with at least one supply wagon or a depot, you can only surrender if you fail your discipline test AND you fail a 5% chance to a percentage roll.
* If you are besieged, weaker than the besieger, with a breach in the structure and only in partial supply, then your troop discipline will get a -3 modifier (more chance to surrender).
* Entrenchments are back

AI
AI will be less aggressive (parameters exported for modding)
AI will regroup better corps with army HQ (‘flocking behavior’)
New AI algorithm: concentrate, can apply to all threatened stacks.
Leaders now redeploy slightly better toward candidate stacks
It is now possible to define an affinity for each leader toward certain stacks (modding)
Fixed: Theaters ratio miscalculated sometime, leading to too aggressive behaviors in some cases.


Events, Modding & Scripting
Show the Eagle option revised
Commander in chief class ability added
Winter quarters / Recon & Raid can be disabled by flag
Prisoners scripts commands added
Region dynamic graphics commands added
EvalRgnWeather command added

[Omnius]

Pocus,
Thanks for bringing back entrenchments to NCP! Plus I'll be interested to be able to Show Napoleon the Eagles in 1813 and 1814! Thanks for finding some time to put out a smaller patch for NCP despite your very busy workload!

[Omnius]

Pocus,
I just tested out the new 1.07 patch. When the program was loading I did notice that it still said 1.07 release candidate 3 so was a tad worried something in the update process went awry. However I started a new 1813 scenario and the military option to Show Napoleon the Eagles worked perfectly and regenerated the next turn and that worked perfectly as well. I checked the 1814 scenario and Nappy was happy to see his eagles and then it took several turns to regenerate and that also worked perfectly. I had an old copy of the 1815 file and when I tried it it didn't even show the military option. Then I tried the new 1815 scenario file and sure enough it worked perfectly.

I really like seeing entrenchment back. I tried one battle in the 1815 scenario after showing Napoleon the eagles. The entrenchment level works as advertised in the manual by never exceeding level 1, even though it tries to calculate the time to reach the next level. The entrenchment icon shows nicely on the side of units as it does for BoA and the AACW demo. Plus the entrenchment icon also shows up down below on the unit panel just like it should.

I had an 83 rating for my entrenchment when looking at the battle report, which looks correct for a level 1 entrenchment. I sent Blucher with the entire Prussian army against Nappy sitting in his starting hex with the starting units. A rather brutal beating as the Prussians lost about 35,000 troops to a tad over 5,000 French losses.

I did notice that Bohemond's spiffy new bridging pontonnier symbol didn't make the cut but sure hope that his database corrections and other fixes make a future patch. Plus I'd love to see my many English spelling corrections make it so that things read more correctly.

Thanks for breathing some new life into an older game that really needed them!

[BigDuke66]

Well I would be happy to join the cheers but my game still keeps crashing with the old error I described here:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showpost.php?p=197438&postcount=19

At least the tooltip seems OK now.

[Pocus]

I tested the unit (actually model) detail window for this bug and made sure it was gone, for me... so it comes as a surprise. Can you try a fresh install? Or perhaps someone else can try to see if he gets it?

Omnius, I'm happy to please you... Yes this is a code patch, I don't have the expertise to produce an 'historical data' patch, as it would need the validation stamp of something knowledged enough in the team. I removed the RC3 label though, so I'll check why you still get it.

[Omnius]

BigDuke66,
I looked at your mainlog.txt files and noticed something odd. In your link to your old original complaint about crashing I saw your version was 1.07 release candidate 3. Yet in your new mainlog.txt file it shows version 1.07 release candidate 1. I'm wondering if you've gotten your NCP versions mixed up somehow and that Pocus's advice to start over with a clean installation might not solve your crash problem.

[Omnius]

Pocus,
I know your area of expertise is programming but I was sure hoping that Bohemond's many database and event corrections plus my spelling corrections would have made it into the official 1.07 patch. While the code fixes are greatly appreciated the program suffers from many scenario problems related to database and event errors.

My question is who do I pester to get that Validation Stamp of approval to get Bohemond's and my work included so NCP is even better than ever before?

[BigDuke66]

Did a reinstall after first crash and applied the patch from the link above but that didn't help.

Indeed the log mentions 1.07 release candidate 1 and on loadup I see that too but EXE seems to be new as the details shows last changed on 13.3.2011.
I just downloaded & installed the patch again just in case but it's still RC1.
And the problem I saw with the FUBAR tooltip is also gone so it doesn't look like the wrong patch.

[Pocus]

Pocus,
I know your area of expertise is programming but I was sure hoping that Bohemond's many database and event corrections plus my spelling corrections would have made it into the official 1.07 patch. While the code fixes are greatly appreciated the program suffers from many scenario problems related to database and event errors.

My question is who do I pester to get that Validation Stamp of approval to get Bohemond's and my work included so NCP is even better than ever before?

The problem also is that we must be sure the data are corrects, not that I don't have a serious doubt, but this should be that way, imagine otherwise if we were to accept the data modifications from any player as 'official patch material', and then some days ago, people start to report they disagree with the changes, we would be in troubles.

First, Bohémond should wrap all his modifications in an archive, with the source XLS modified and a readme indicating what he changed. Then he can send this stuff to PhilThib for validation.

[Omnius]

Pocus,
I agree that AGEOD has to be careful adding in changes made by customers, but if AGEOD does not itself decide that scenarios chock full of errors should be fixed then that's a bad sign. We customers should be able to expect stock scenarios that are well done. Just because scenarios are moddable does not relieve a game company from putting out the best scenarios it can and when errors are reported by customers with a clue then hopefully the company responds by making appropriate changes.

I applaud your diligence in making programming code changes to the AGE engine, I just wish whoever does the scenario designs would have the same diligence. A lack of scenario design corrections ends up diminishing your code changes. My biggest problem with AGEOD becoming Paradox France is that I have seen how poorly Paradox works on making good scenario designs an important issue. I should be able to expect a certain level of competence from standard scenario designs and I would hope that over time a company would respond to customer complaints regarding poor scenario design decisions by fixing them.

There's hardly a scenario in NCP that isn't flawed and some are flawed badly. Why should I have to learn the modding scripting to fix what should be fixed by the company putting out the game? Why should having fun be so much work? Granted I do like to fool around and tweak standard scenarios to make them more fun as a hypothetical but if I have to tweak standard scenarios to make them historically accurate or to fix numerous little errors that should be fixed by the company then I'm not having fun.

I was really chagrined that AGEOD sold out to Paradox but decided to give you guys a chance by buying NCP. I've seen the same kind of complaints about poor scenario designs in more recent releases so I'm rather dubious about buying any further Paradox France products. If your games are going to contain hundreds of typos and mispellings in your English version then I'm not inclined to buy further products because I expect a modicum of expertise in language skills. Heck in the USA most books, magazines and other printed material contain a few typos so that tends to be the norm now, but I found several hundred errors in NCP alone. I was even nice enough to spend 15 hours making spelling and typo corrections that PhilThib has with a notepad file detailing every change and why I made the change. Bohemond made a lot of corrections to the database and scenario files that would make NCP scenarios far better than ever before and they're the generic kind that I doubt any would disagree with. I take it you do know the saying about looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[Taillebois]

For the price of a pizza this game is great.

Just started reading a book called "The Fields of Death" by Simon Scarrow. First chapter is about crossing the Danube in 1809. Anybody else read this? Lannes did well after initially being repulsed.

[Pocus]

I understand your frustration Omnius. But I can return you the argument, the patch is somehow a gifted horse, as the game is out since 3 years and the team is hard pressed to polish PON (we are mere weeks before release). The truth of that is in order to make this NCP patch (and the WIA patch, plus I intend to do the same for ACW and ROP), I worked only the week-end on it (in addition to the regular PON work I do all week-ends) ...

But I understand you... I'll see with others teams members if they can survey and validate the historical work of Bohémond.

A question though, why Bohémond is not posting a comprehensive mod that would work over 'vanilla' NCP? I provide the bug fixes, he fixes the data, everybody should be happy this way... After all, I think I never played a single game of Civilization IV without a mod on top of it, and Civ 4 is perhaps one of the game I most played since some years... So is it really a problem to have to add a mod to NCP to enjoy it completely? I don't think so.

Don't forget the team is basically made of 3 persons, and we are handling game support for 5 already released games, plus the release of PON.

[BigDuke66]

I can understand both points of view.
Pocus can't throw something out that isn't checked internally and Omnius & Bohémond want that their work reaches the players especially when some things like events fixes would fix scenarios that otherwise are maybe unplayable or at least not playable the way it was intended.

The mod idea is very good but maybe it won't really reach many players, at least I usually start a new game without mods just to get the right view of the game and to then decide what mod if any I need.

I wonder if there can't simply be made a... "Beta Beta" if you want it that way.
Currently in another game(WitP:AE) there is also Beta outside of the usual companies process of making patches to test certain things.
With an additional thread in the "Help to improve NCP!" section that describes all changes in detail and works as feedback place all interested players could go thru the changes, discuss those that are maybe not so clearly, confirm the validity of all those changes and maybe even improve that Beta further wuth feedback from test plays(almost all scenario are short enough to simply test them out).
That would also buy time and hopefully also make it easier to check those changes internally in some months and make it finally an official patch.

[Taillebois]

1. I've just re-read ltr213's tutorial for Austerlitz and realised how much you guys put into this game.

2. Surprised Pocus's most played game is Civ4. I would have lost a lot of money on a bet about that.

3. Napoleonic era has traditionally attracted the most fanactical breed of wargamer; hence the strident criticism if a uniform button is wrongly placed.

4. I don't know why companies are so coy about sales figures. Civ sells millions? AGEOD - thousands? AGEOD games are basically handmade furniture, not IKEA factory produced, but have to compete at the perceived price level.

5. Next time I'm in my campervan near Lyon/Meylan I may ambush you guys just to make sure you are working hard.

6. Manuals, manuals, manuals, tutorials etc. I think NCP is miles (kilometers?) better than it is perceived or reviewed. The first 20 minutes (OK, 10) for a new player are critical in my view. There are several games I have bought (too many actually) but Advanced Tactics is an example. I just didn't get the game/HQ system. Got fed up and said it was rubbish, but got converted by a couple of forum guys who told me to re-consider. You can keep the depth in a game for the grognards, but the initial experience has to be tailored to keeping the newcomer. Try it out on your granny.

7. Er, that's it...............continued on page 94.

[Consul_Mateus]

is this patch compatible with Gamersgate version, since there's no patch at all there for NCP?

[Pocus]

Yes, Gamersgate version is fully compatible.

[Bernadotte]

First of all: Thank you very much Pocus for the Patch !
Could you also please change the Patch Infos (and maybe Links) on the Forum-Mainpage ?!

Pocus,
I know your area of expertise is programming but I was sure hoping that Bohemond's many database and event corrections plus my spelling corrections would have made it into the official 1.07 patch. While the code fixes are greatly appreciated the program suffers from many scenario problems related to database and event errors.

My question is who do I pester to get that Validation Stamp of approval to get Bohemond's and my work included so NCP is even better than ever before?

I'm also somehow very disappointed that all the work from Bohemond and Omnius didn't made their way into the patch !

To Bohemond and Omnius:
Could you please please please build a comprehensive mod with ALL your fixes ?!?!? So I could make a clean "vanilla" installation, install the newest patch and then your mod ?! That would be great !!!

To the Phils:
Could you please check Bohemond and Omnius work and integrate it into a patch as soon as your workload makes it possible ?!?!

Thanks again to all the people who keep this great game up and running !
Bernadotte

[Bernadotte]

Well I would be happy to join the cheers but my game still keeps crashing with the old error I described here:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showpost.php?p=197438&postcount=19

At least the tooltip seems OK now.

Oh no, how disappointing !!!
I made a clean install, patched to 1.07 and now I suffer exactly the same error than BigDuke66 !
Never had this before !

[Bernadotte]

Beside the (reproducible) bug stated above I have two minor (cosmetic) bugs.

1. There is no background anymore in the terrain panel when your mouse-pointer isn't over a region.


2. There is no "faction highlighting" anymore when you choose your faction.
In 1.07:


In 1.06:


Sorry, I know, no big deal, but if I can find those little bugs after 10 minutes playing, what else doesn't work anymore correct ?
This is frustrating, I switched back to 1.06

Regards,
Bernadotte

[Pocus]

I don't have the crash in the model detail window, this is why I did not spot it... I'll first have to reproduce it.

The highlight is gone because I had to harmonize the way the code worked over several games, and the artist did not provide the highlighting in a standard format... No big deal though... Retro compatibility has some time a cost.

[Bernadotte]

Hi Pocus

I don't have the crash in the model detail window, this is why I did not spot it... I'll first have to reproduce it.

I can reproduce the error like BigDuke66 discribed.
You open the unit-details window and then you move the mouse pointer over a special ability icon. But not in the unit-detail window (!) but at the unit marker down in the unit-panel !

When I start the patched game it says: Ver. 1.07 release candidate 1 !
Is this WAD ? Or did you maybe post the wrong link/patch ?

The highlight is gone because I had to harmonize the way the code worked over several games, and the artist did not provide the highlighting in a standard format... No big deal though... Retro compatibility has some time a cost.

Allright, if this is WAD and not a bug I'm "pacified"

Is the other "minor bug" also WAD ?
Does it happen in RoP and WiA too ?

Thanks,
Bernadotte

[Prins van Oranje]

You open the unit-details window and then you move the mouse pointer over a special ability icon. But not in the unit-detail window (!) but at the unit marker down in the unit-panel !

This game had never crashed on me once until I replicated this little scenario!

[Bernadotte]

Pocus,

can you please confirm that showing "Ver. 1.07 release candidate 1" is correct for the patch ???
Does your link above "go" to the correct patch ???

Thanks,
Bernadotte

[Pocus]

No this is odd. I'll have to check that this week end I guess. Stay tuned, and sorry for the general slowness, the big girl (Pride of Nations) is eating all our time and more.

[Bernadotte]

Thanks for investigating ! I will stay tuned

[Prins van Oranje]

... "Ver. 1.07 release candidate 1"...

I've got the same.

[BigDuke66]

@Omnius & Bohémond
While we are waiting will you two release a mod with your fixes?
I guess a fixed exe combined with your fixes would make a wet dream come true.

[Bernadotte]

@Omnius & Bernadotte
While we are waiting will you two release a mod with your fixes?
I guess a fixed exe combined with your fixes would make a wet dream come true.

Great idea !!!
But Bohémond and Omnius are the "modders in charge".
So please Bohémond and Omnius answer our prayers

Thanks in advance,
Bernadotte

[Bohémond]

Hello,

Modified files (xls, scripts and readme) are posted in Help to Improve NCP subforum since January 26th, 2011.

I will try to build a comprehensive zip file this weekend.

Spelling and Typo correction from Omnius will not be included as I don't have time to test it.

Regards

Bohémond

[BigDuke66]

@Bernadotte
Corrected, sorry for the mix up.

@Bohémond
Great news, in case we have to wait a while longer for the exe any chance you would than add Omnius fixes?