PON Latest patch 1.03e and public beta 1.04 RC 2 (updated June 20th)

[Kensai]

We will decide soon what is the next project anyway and how PON inserts into that.

Crossing fingers it's a 1914 DLC for the Great War anniversary next year! It makes perfect sense from a business point of view:

• you provide a game title that deals with WW1 with a release exactly on the 100th year of the start of hostilities, many companies will probably do this anyway, so why not the best as well?
• you provide a DLC for Pride of Nations which adds content to the most complex AGEOD game so far, including some missing functionality everyone will appreciate! since it's a DLC, people will need to have the basic PON anyway, so you sell both titles; Paradox does this all the time, nowadays, it's the new system and it works! (see DLC and new stuff!)
• you can work on the smaller issues of a PON patch without feeling you don't work for a new project!

Philippe(s), I really apologize if I keep returning to this matter, I have no idea if PON sold good for you or not, after all you need to survive and prosper as a company to deliver us future titles. But I am very confident that a Great War DLC is a win-win scenario in this case for the reasons stated above.

Who's with me?

[Franciscus]

Crossing fingers it's a 1914 DLC for the Great War anniversary next year! It makes perfect sense from a business point of view:

• you provide a game title that deals with WW1 with a release exactly on the 100th year of the start of hostilities, many companies will probably do this anyway, so why not the best as well?
• you provide a DLC for Pride of Nations which adds content to the most complex AGEOD game so far, including some missing functionality everyone will appreciate! since it's a DLC, people will need to have the basic PON anyway, so you sell both titles; Paradox does this all the time, nowadays, it's the new system and it works! (see DLC and new stuff!)
• you can work on the smaller issues of a PON patch without feeling you don't work for a new project!

Philippe(s), I really apologize if I keep returning to this matter, I have no idea if PON sold good for you or not, after all you need to survive and prosper as a company to deliver us future titles. But I am very confident that a Great War DLC is a win-win scenario in this case for the reasons stated above.

Who's with me?

Sounds good...

...BUT if turn resolution time is not very much improved no PON DLC will ever be successful, IMHO

Regards

[vaalen]

.

Who's with me? [/QUOTE]

I am!

[Kensai]

Sounds good...

...BUT if turn resolution time is not very much improved no PON DLC will ever be successful, IMHO

Regards

You mean, people will not be buying the DLC or PON because it is slow? It is like saying, people will not buy AGEOD titles because they don't have Battlefield 4 graphics. It is expected that such a (complex) strategy game will have less than ideal characteristics. Being slow is understandable given its whole-world approach. Btw, if things are impossible to do, then instead of a 1910 Grand Campaign starting date we can simply have a 1914 Europe-campaign as a scenario. In this, special case, it is not slower than any other AGEOD game. But honestly, the GC is where the real interest lies!

[Mirandasucre]

i don't think that the low sells of PON has something to do with the slow turn resolution time....really.....the problem is that it's the most ambitious Ageod game and it's only accessible and enjoyable, due to its complexity, to gamers that have already played other Ageod games...i really hope for others PON DLCs.....the best game i know...

[coturnix]

After applying the latest beta patch i can´t see the unit models (those pictures of the different units on the screen when you check assault value etc...). They are in the "models" folder but i can´t see them ingame (atleast with France and Austria, the ones i have checked).

Turn resolution time is very important in my opinion. This is a very slow paced game, where you can´t take tons of decision every turn. Long term planning is essential, and this is why long turn resolutions just kill the game. Fanatics of the theme will cope with it, but every other people will just switch to another game. It would be the same even if the game was supersimple, nobody will endure minutes of waiting between turns.

People usually complains about unexplained features in AGEOD games, except this one. Here 99% is "turn processing takes too damn long".

[czert2]

any chance for anotehr test/final version of 1.04 ?

[Kensai]

No idea. Personally, I was bored waiting so I restarted my PBEM/AAR. I have to admit that even with v1.03d it is extremely stable, albeit the various smallish issues I have reported.

Actually, having a stable game that does not corrupt the saves is actually more important than more experimental features so I guess I am pleased. Especially as in my game I am at a point where a new resource is becoming available soon: cars!

[flecha]

So far, how the game is with 1.04 last RC ? Is the problem with sieges fixed ? Ive been playing for 5 years with spain using the save game dir and the game lacks the corruption present in 1.03 por save files.

[loki100]

problem is that 1.04 sorts out a lot but has brought back the immortal garrison bug and produced a bad lag when accessing F4 etc. If there is a major war, you'll want to swap back to 1.03 (the saves work either way) so its a bit of a trade off

[flecha]

problem is that 1.04 sorts out a lot but has brought back the immortal garrison bug and produced a bad lag when accessing F4 etc. If there is a major war, you'll want to swap back to 1.03 (the saves work either way) so its a bit of a trade off

A great war began with Rusia vs (UK+France+Turkey) but I felt no lag, however the war never ends, 3 years of war with no ending. If the only consequence for the inmortal garrison bug is some lag in F4 I think 1.04 is a good patch

[Kensai]

In my opinion people should run the latest stable version of a game. Beta patches are known to have glitches and bugs, so your mileage may vary. That said, I really hope Pocus finds some time to deliver a final v1.04 so this cycle of development/improvement closes.

[Pailhead]

I am not sure if what I am about to say belongs here.

As you can see, this is my first post and I spend most of my time lurking on these forums.

19th century gaming is my favorite. PON is the best 19th century computer wargame, IMHO.

The 1.04RC2 is buggy. The unit pictures DO disappear (for one). There are other problems too numerous to mention here. That would normally mean just wait until the bugs were all worked out and a stable version was released. However...

I am upset that it appears that PON is abandoned by AGEOD. I am upset that it appears that Slitherine is calling the shots now.

Arguments about turn length make no sense to me. When playing something like Civ 5 or Rome 2:Total Stupid the turns can be quite long. This game (PON) appeals to generally older gamers who are more concerned with detail and accuracy than finishing a game in an hour or two. Most 14-year-olds can't even tell you when the Crimean War was (as an example) let alone want to game it.

Please fix this game. Most of us (the 19-century gamers) are fanatical. If you consider that plus the older gamer factor, that means you can charge us more and we will happily pay. Grigsby's WITE is like eighty bucks or something, and it sells.

On a side note: I have purchased Birth of Rome, RUS, WWI, and Civil War II. Birth of Rome would be better with a grand campaign (like the Sword of Rome boardgame) and the WWI game is great, but the interface makes me want to tear my eyes out. Civil War II is excellent, but has crashed on me twice. Sending logs feels like work, but I guess I will get around to it. Do any of you remember when games shipped in a working condition and patches were infrequent (because they were not needed)?

[czert2]

pail - just report here bughs you did have with rc2 - if teh yare allready not reported here, and just hope we will have final 1.04 in some time. This game is so great to be "killed" by immortal garrisons. (well it is very ok if you want to gridn exps for your troops/leaders and have small causalties ).

[Jim-NC]

@ Pailhead

Welcome to the forums. We're glad you have decided to post.

All are welcome, as everyone has a different experience, and the developers need to know what is going on to make corrections. When you see a problem, report it, as it can help others out.

[vaalen]

Good to hear from you, Railhead. I have many of the same feelings you do about PON, and I deeply hope it will not be abandoned. It is hard for me to believe that PhilThib and Pocus would do that.

And there has been some positive feedback on this issue from Slitherine, who said they would look into the issue and see if there was a way to get some progress on the patches, though it seems that the Ageod team already has a full plate. I still have hope that Slitherine will support this game, which I agree is the best.

[Christophe.Barot]

Good to hear from you, Railhead. I have many of the same feelings you do about PON, and I deeply hope it will not be abandoned. It is hard for me to believe that PhilThib and Pocus would do that.

And there has been some positive feedback on this issue from Slitherine, who said they would look into the issue and see if there was a way to get some progress on the patches, though it seems that the Ageod team already has a full plate. I still have hope that Slitherine will support this game, which I agree is the best.

I confirm it is NOT abandoned, still historical/s data flow of game improvements are many - so it takes/will take time
task has been taken by a dedicated team - fact the team is largely unpaid volunteer fans does NOT means it has not support - it HAS ! - have a look at improving PON, some people are actually scripting

other part of team, professional, is investigating code to improve it - will take time, is a huge task ! - don't expect 5 seconds turns anyway - game is too complex for that

so something is coming - be confident !

it's coming slowly - you have been warned !

- and for official communication (this is absolutely UNofficial) you'll have to wait Pocus Philthib or Generalisimo to talk, i'm just part of the volunteer team

go on expressing support for PON to Ageod and Slitherine, it can't hurt

[vaalen]

Thank you, Christophe, this is excellent news! And I will do my best to be patient.

My deep gratitude to you and the other volunteers, who are doing a great thing!

[Edorf74]

This is great news. I`d love to get into PON again. And thanks to those capable and willing to improve the game.

[czert2]

well i think that delays with info pop up (mainly famous f4 screen) are more game-feel breakingthank long-procesing tursn, after all if you look at it, many games e.q. total war serioes have similar long procesing turn,it just have "moving stuff" to show in time of procesing turn.

[Quirk]

Great to hear that the support is going on. I haven't even touched PON, yet, in spite of owning it since its release, as the bugs and glitches I have been reading about diminished my interest. So hopefully new patch will come out with even more improvements and fixes

[Lindi]

Great to hear that the support is going on. I haven't even touched PON, yet, in spite of owning it since its release, as the bugs and glitches I have been reading about diminished my interest. So hopefully new patch will come out with even more improvements and fixes

Now, you can really play the game, (for me with the 1.03 full), but because yes is long the turn delay to play this game with a other game in a other pc

And do that because is very fun build army, colony and defence and use that in World War, and watch your people and revolte ( for revolte not love that, but now I understand, and I try new tactic for that, garnison in each city for my own country. )

[squidelica]

on my new laptop it seems to run really fast, about 60-90 secs per turn, although i;m still early on in a GC

[Kensai]

It becomes slower as the years go by since more units appear on the map and the save games accumulate idle information.

[cwegsche]

Great to hear that support is going on! Had to step back from 1.04r2 because (for me) of the invincible garrison bug which was really a shame because for once the AI seemed competitive with their colonial decicions (in 1.03e the AI is still very unproductive regarding colonial decicions) which makes the colonial thing too easy for the player.

Please go on volunteers, really admire your support for the game!
And please go on AGEOD/Slitherine, cause the code (garrison bug, no pictures of units or leaders, ...) in 1.04r2 really needs fixing, otherwise it's only playable till you engage in a war!!

Cheers Chris

[Kensai]

Is the unification game by Prussia and Sardinia-Piedmont completely broken in v1.03e? How many years into the game before the AI starts playing its cards? If yes, then the v1.04 is imperative to fix this...

[loki100]

Is the unification game by Prussia and Sardinia-Piedmont completely broken in v1.03e? How many years into the game before the AI starts playing its cards? If yes, then the v1.04 is imperative to fix this...

Hi Kensai

for an AI Italy the problem is it only plays the cards on Rome so fails the tests for the alternative chain - hence the set of events I wrote last week. One of my projects in the 'long event chain' evaluation is to work out where the German chain is falling over - from my own game, its certainly before any mid-1860s tension with Austria.

[Kensai]

Understood. I just noticed this in the new game of mine that the Germans/Italians do not play any cards to the minors-to-unify. It is 1852 and no cards whatsoever. The rest of colonial cards are played by the AI, but the unification ones are remarkably missing. Big issue if it has been added later in the patches, it wasn't always like that.

[vaalen]

Kensai, I have never seen AI form Italy or Germany when I played other powers. They may have played some cards, but the nations were not formed. This is a real problem, and seems to have been made worse by the patch. Have you ever seen the AI form Germany or Italy?

[loki100]

Kensai, I have never seen AI form Italy or Germany when I played other powers. They may have played some cards, but the nations were not formed. This is a real problem, and seems to have been made worse by the patch. Have you ever seen the AI form Germany or Italy?

Its clear that for the AI, both chains are falling apart. I think I've worked out where Italy is not even doing the alternative chain (which should be all but automatic) and have written a couple of events to help it on its way. With those, I reckon an AI Italy will form south of the Po some 95% of the time. I have a suspicion where the German chain is breaking (quite early in the sequence), but need to spend a wee bit of time on it. We'll get there, even if it is by adding events to nudge the process along that you can simply add into your game.