Planned quickfix for PON

[Pocus]

So far the next QF for PON will include revisions/fixes related to:

a) replacement system and garrisons not receiving them
b) some (or all if lucky) of the issues of thread http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?50269

If we are missing a very important issue, please ring a bell here. We can't fix everything at once, our time on PON is limited but we will do our best to improve PON over the next weeks.

[Siegfroh]

Great to hear, thanks !

Have a look at this as well, it is tedious to micro-manage gold acquisitions:

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?50271-glitch-with-Caribbean-Maritime-Trade-Box

[Siegfroh]

And you might consider correcting the 1850GC.scn file:

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?50161-PON-official-1-04-patch-corrections-for-the-1850-GC-scn

[vaalen]

It seems a number of units are missing that were included in all the earlier versions of the game.

There is no French Foreign Legion, for example, and no way to recruit them. The legion added a great deal of color to the game, and was very useful in colonial situations. There no light cavalry brigades that can be recruited, as far as I can tell. In the previous versions, you as France could construct three types of unspecialized infantry corps, in both 1850 and 1880, Heavy, plain infantry, and light. Now you can recruit only Heavy and Plain infantry in 1850, and only Heavy and light in 1880. I have only had a chance to look at the unit rosters for France, but this may affect other nations as well. I am actually afraid to look at the British unit roster, as they may have taken out the Gurkas, highlanders, etc, and that would enrage me.

There are a number of other units that seem missing as well. It should be easy enough to restore them, as they all existed prior to the new patch.

Please do restore them. When you are running a nation in this type of game, every unit has its place and function, and I used all of them for a specific purpose.

A great deal of the color and feel of this game comes from the extensive unit rosters, and cutting them is a terrible mistake.

[Siegfroh]

It seems a number of units are missing that were included in all the earlier versions of the game.

Probably that is only due to the latest installation routine, which deletes and omits a lot of files. I installed the last patch as described here (message #20):

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?50152-Pride-of-Nations-has-been-updated-to-Version-1-04!

and just checked: French Foreign Legion brigades, light cavalry divisions and brigades, heavy, ordinary and light infantry corps are all recruitable from the very start of the 1850 campaign.

The British also can recruit highlander brigades and gurkha regiments right from the start (in the military submode select "brigade sized units" and scroll to the right, beyond the balloon corps.).

[Lemoni]

So far the next QF for PON will include revisions/fixes related to:

a) replacement system and garrisons not receiving them
b) some (or all if lucky) of the issues of thread http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?50269

If we are missing a very important issue, please ring a bell here. We can't fix everything at once, our time on PON is limited but we will do our best to improve PON over the next weeks.

Please don t forget to look after the issue with the flags ( both left and right are the same ) in the diplomacy screen.
Thanks for continuing supporting this game!

[vaalen]

Probably that is only due to the latest installation routine, which deletes and omits a lot of files. I installed the last patch as described here (message #20):

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?50152-Pride-of-Nations-has-been-updated-to-Version-1-04!

and just checked: French Foreign Legion brigades, light cavalry divisions and brigades, heavy, ordinary and light infantry corps are all recruitable from the very start of the 1850 campaign.

The British also can recruit highlander brigades and gurkha regiments right from the start (in the military submode select "brigade sized units" and scroll to the right, beyond the balloon corps.).

Thank you, Siegfroh. That is good to know. However, I lack the somputer skills to follow the procedure that you described in your link. That makes it vital that the deleted files be reinstalled by the quick patch.

[vaalen]

Siegfroh has just explained my above issue as being caused by the deletion of files by the patch, and the failure to replace those files.

That makes it vital that the quick fix replace all the files the patch deleted, else I and others who are not skilled at moving files around computers will be unable to enjoy the game.

Please do this, as I am suffering from LOPON {Lack Of PON}

Regards, Vaalen

[cwegsche]

And please, when the QF will hopefully come out, also post an installation routine so that we know exactley in what order we have to install game/dlc/patch/quickfix

Thanks very much!

[Random]

With regards to order of installation, had major issues after wrecking PON and trying to re-install and updating everything. One issue was that I had bought PON on release and the Paradox-provided authorization code is not supported by Matrix/Slitherine. That said, the tech-support people were a great help in getting PON v1.04 Final (that is not a final) and all the associated DLC running successfully although with the v1.04 Final problems noted above and elsewhere. I have nothing but praise and appreciation for the assistance provided in addressing my help ticket.

What worked for me follows, offered with no warranties express or implied:

1. Uninstalled PON. Used Win regedit from the Windows Start menu to manually delete all of the PON related registry entries. For some reason CC-Cleaner was unable to remove these two registry folders, one for PON and the other for Struggle for Africa.

2. Installed PON 1.01 using the old PrideOfNation_efg.exe executable. Tested and found correct.

3. Installed _1880SfAC-v103e.exe executable. This updates to PON 1.03e and installs the 1880-Struggle for Africa DLC. Tested and found correct.

4. Installed remaining DLC in the following order:

- Franco-Prussian War
- Spanish-American War
- US Civil War

Tested and found correct.

5. Installed PrideOfNations-Update-v104.exe executable. Tested and found correct.

Getting this far took much time and many trial and error installs and uninstalls that became really tiresome pretty quickly. Nothing else worked for me so good luck. I think that PON is worth the effort but am very much looking forward to the fixes necessary to finish v1.04 at last.

-C

[vaalen]

With regards to order of installation, had major issues after wrecking PON and trying to re-install and updating everything. One issue was that I had bought PON on release and the Paradox-provided authorization code is not supported by Matrix/Slitherine. That said, the tech-support people were a great help in getting PON v1.04 Final (that is not a final) and all the associated DLC running successfully although with the v1.04 Final problems noted above and elsewhere. I have nothing but praise and appreciation for the assistance provided in addressing my help ticket

What worked for me follows, offered with no warranties express or implied:

1. Uninstalled PON. Used Win regedit from the Windows Start menu to manually delete all of the PON related registry entries. For some reason CC-Cleaner was unable to remove these two registry folders, one for PON and the other for Struggle for Africa.

2. Installed PON 1.01 using the old PrideOfNation_efg.exe executable. Tested and found correct.

3. Installed _1880SfAC-v103e.exe executable. This updates to PON 1.03e and installs the 1880-Struggle for Africa DLC. Tested and found correct.

4. Installed remaining DLC in the following order:

- Franco-Prussian War
- Spanish-American War
- US Civil War

Tested and found correct.

5. Installed PrideOfNations-Update-v104.exe executable. Tested and found correct.

Getting this far took much time and many trial and error installs and uninstalls that became really tiresome pretty quickly. Nothing else worked for me so good luck. I think that PON is worth the effort but am very much looking forward to the fixes necessary to finish v1.04 at last.

-C

Wow, what a nightmare. I am so sorry you had to go through this.

I and others are not comfortable trying to delete registry entries, so I hope that the quickfix will re install all the deleted files so it will not be necessary to uninstall and reinstall the game.

[Pocus]

From what I read the order is sensible, even if convoluted. Random installs first the base game, then a DLC provided separately (Struggle from Africa). Then others DLC he has, and then he tops that with the latest patch. I don't see how to include the DLCs to the patch or a new base game. And I'm not allowed to propose a full setup for free download, it must be a patch.

[Siegfroh]

And I'm not allowed to propose a full setup for free download, it must be a patch.

Easiest would be to create such a patch quickly and let us download it.

All the beta patches were complete (but witout the additional DLCs) and had only to be installed over the initial installation. They worked without problems.

It is only the "official patchwork 1.04" which has been messed up.

For those of us who can deal a bit with computers, a quickfix just containing the new .exe would do as well, until the bigger latefix can be prepared. This would reduce a little bit the slowly increasing general level of discontent in the world. At least in those parts of the world which have to do with PON.

If you can do this today, I would be willing to write a simple instruction with illustrations on how to install everything (for non-steam users only, I don't use steam).

[vaalen]

From what I read the order is sensible, even if convoluted. Random installs first the base game, then a DLC provided separately (Struggle from Africa). Then others DLC he has, and then he tops that with the latest patch. I don't see how to include the DLCs to the patch or a new base game. And I'm not allowed to propose a full setup for free download, it must be a patch.

Please clarify. Are you saying that if we installed the official patch, the only way to fix things is to uninstall and reinstall the game, and the DLC, using the method described by Random, and then apply the patch and the quckfix, once it is available?

[vaalen]

Easiest would be to create such a patch quickly and let us download it.

All the beta patches were complete (but witout the additional DLCs) and had only to be installed over the initial installation. They worked without problems.

It is only the "official patchwork 1.04" which has been messed up.

For those of us who can deal a bit with computers, a quickfix just containing the new .exe would do as well, until the bigger latefix can be prepared. This would reduce a little bit the slowly increasing general level of discontent in the world. At least in those parts of the world which have to do with PON.

If you can do this today, I would be willing to write a simple instruction with illustrations on how to install everything (for non-steam users only, I don't use steam).

Siegfroh, that is a very generous offer, and very much appreciated, by me.

But I think having it depending on whether Pocus can do it today is a problem. Ageod is owned and controlled by Slitherine, as I understand things.

[Siegfroh]

Ageod is owned and controlled by Slitherine, as I understand things.

Who owns and controls a company doesn't matter for me.

Call it AGEOD, call it Slitherine, call it Paradox - what counts is whether a company keeps its promises or at least fulfills its basic obligations towards its customers. Currently the company "AGEOD" is selling the game.

My "generous" offer was but born out of self-interest ;-)

But I doubt I will yet see a patch this weekend. And I have re-thought about this game. Best for me that I concentrate on something less frustrating and leave the game for good for some more months. Or forever, I yet don't know.

I am just fed up. More than five years waiting for PON to be patched to a reasonable level and as usual being put off now to wait again for something coming in the "next weeks". Many workarounds for problems I had to find out myself, others were found by other enthousiastic volunteers, and then we are told by a representative of the company: "our time on PON is limited". It was not limited when they had to find time to accept their customers' money for this game !

It is not for the few bugs I paid, but this is not a decent way of doing business.

[Pocus]

'Quick fix' (so to speak...) will be available in 10 mn in this subforum

[Siegfroh]

'Quick fix' (so to speak...) will be available in 10 mn in this subforum

Smile. I humbly apologise for my pessimism. No offence intended.

[Pocus]

Don't be sorry, you acted as a sound reminder that PON needed our attention. You were right

[Lemoni]

Don't be sorry, you acted as a sound reminder that PON needed our attention. You were right

Ι bought PON from gamersgate gate 3 years ago. I installed every patch 1.03 , 1.04 RC ,1.04 oficial ,DLC s and Larukus spanish mod.
Everything installed fine! Never had a problem. Only secondary issues. So many pc system configurations ,so many different hardware components it is logical
for some people programs work while for other it is a complete mess!
I wonder if some people who bought PON for 20-30 USD and complain every day ,have the same attitude if their 300-400 usd or euros TV set or their 12000-15000
car has a problem.
What do they do? Camp outside company's office?
Pocus and rest devs keep up the good work
Thank you

[loki100]

Ι bought PON from gamersgate gate 3 years ago. I installed every patch 1.03 , 1.04 RC ,1.04 oficial ,DLC s and Larukus spanish mod.
Everything installed fine! Never had a problem. Only secondary issues. So many pc system configurations ,so many different hardware components it is logical
for some people programs work while for other it is a complete mess!
I wonder if some people who bought PON for 20-30 USD and complain every day ,have the same attitude if their 300-400 usd or euros TV set or their 12000-15000
car has a problem.
What do they do? Camp outside company's office?
Pocus and rest devs keep up the good work
Thank you

exactly ... I paid GBP 13 for the base game - a ridiculous price as set by Paradox. I have had so many hours of real enjoyment and depth out of PoN and try to contribute a little back with some free time.

that the game is still being supported is to the credit of the Phils

thank you

[Random]

Reading the credits in the PON v1.04 23 September update, was struck by the fact that work started on the game that would become PON back in 2004. That's pretty incredible and a dozen years on there's still interest and fixes coming. Us customers can only speculate what the final game might have looked like had it been given a longer gestation period and not released by a distributor, Paradox whose own far shallower 19th Century Eurocentric offerings Victoria and Victoria 2 were direct competition for PON.

I find the PON world a really compelling place to retreat to for a couple of hours or so each week. Like WW1G, I love it for what it is and what it does and largely forgive the game for what it's not and its flaws. Fortunately with the console commands and the ability to craft events while steering the course of your custom PON world through events perhaps never foreseen by the designers, one can tweak the world to taste. That said I doubt that any strategy game ever made can capture the essence of the Age of Imperialism and the asymmetric colonial actions that are generated between the Great and Powerful fighting to conquer the Small in far away lands where they were really not wanted.

Thanks not only to the PON team for the updates but also to the Members of the small PON community that continue to offer fixes, ideas and suggestions large and small.

Just $0.02 CAD worth of coal and machine parts and offered up with minimal militancy.

-C

[vaalen]

I have said this before, and I will say it again. PON, with all its blemishes, is the greatest game ever made, and has given me more real enjoyment and immersion than any and all of the other good games I have played, and I have played a lot of them.

And once this patch and the problems it caused are sorted out, it will be even better.

I cannot express how grateful i am to the Phils for this game, and for continuing to support it. And my gratitude extends to the wonderful group of people on this forum who have supported the game with their great ideas and knowledge.

If I sometimes get too emotional about the game, it is only because I love it so much, and there is nothing else comparable to it, not in all the world.