Civ3 1.29 beta 2

[Brad Oliver]

Thanks to everyone who sent me a crash log from 1.29 beta 1. Turns out there was a memory-trashing bug in the PC version that hit MacOS 8/9 users pretty hard - it would crash the game whenever a wonder splash screen or new era splash screen was displayed.

As a result, I've uploaded beta 2 here:

http://www.ahart.demon.co.uk/files/Civ3_1.29b2_Installer.sitx

Updated AlanH Sept 25 2004: The original link was broken. With MacSoft's permission I've uploaded it at the new link above. Control-click this link and download the installer.

Although this fixes the crashes for 8/9 users, I also recommend this beta for OSX users. There's no telling what odd bits of memory were getting thrashed under OSX.

Note that if you're playing a GOTM, you'll want to make sure that the proper .txt files get installed into your Civ3 "Text" folder. This installer may overwrite the GOTM-specific text files you already have in there, so watch out for that.

 

[Txurce]

Thanks a lot, Brad. I'm sure that the OS8/9 guys are beside themselves as they read your post.

Cracker (or someone else) may correct me on this, but I think that each GOTM comes with new text files, so this patch shouldn't create any problems for someone playing the next GOTM - 20. On the other hand, it could affect someone replaying the start of GOTM19 and GOTM 18. Someone like me, in the next couple of days.

I'll report back.

 

[elpadrino87]

It would appear to be another attempt by PCer's to sabotage Mac user's enjoyment of computer games(and most other applications as well).

Thanks again Brad for working only who knows how long on this, especially since IIRC you began working on this during your spare time, and ended up receiving support from Westlake to crush the PC monopoly.

 

[Gottesfreunde]

How does this work with saved games under version 1.21? Do the added features of the game work on these games or must one begin a game under 1.29?

 

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by Gottesfreunde
How does this work with saved games under version 1.21? Do the added features of the game work on these games or must one begin a game under 1.29?

The old games will open w/ the beta1.29_2 patch.

 

[Naboo]

Thanks!

Ha Ha! I just finished a long 1on1 deity game on 1.21g about 20 minutes ago. Need to show my face around the house for at least a day or two. But will be enjoying the new version, for sure.

So now we have a cleaner version than the PC?

Did I mention:

Thanks!

 

[Brad Oliver]

Originally posted by Naboo

So now we have a cleaner version than the PC?

Compared to the PC 1.29f patch, most likely. They did fix this bug in PTW though.

 

[ChrisB]

Bug report 1.29b2
1. Can now build wonders. Wee!
2. The game keeps erasing the top 20 pixels (the MacOS 8/9 menu height) on the screen. Pause resume will redraw them, but they will shortly dissappear.
3. When I got a leader I got a message "Please name leader" or somesuch. In the edit box was the name of the unit that created the leader "Bowman". I hit enter and the unit was given another name Agum or something.
4. All autosaves have the wrong file type...and are corrupt!!!
5. Crash prone.

 

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by ChrisB
Bug report 1.29b2
.......

Did you send Brad any save files?

 

[ChrisB]

>Did you send Brad any save files?

I am not sure he would be helped by them. Some errors occur all the time, like the blank 20 pixel at top (I do have a screenshot but it feels kinda unneccessary), the bird chirping (reported earlier) and the corrupt autosave (I could send one of them, but I hope/assume it's reproducible on any machine).
Other errors occur at odd times (about once an hour) and are not reproducible with any certainity. I have had the message '"archer.ini" missing'. I once zoomed to a city, forgot was I was going to do and clicked the "X", remembered what I was going to do and ctrl-clicked in and got a crash with an empty error message dialog. I would assume they are the result of some kind of memory handling error.

 

[Brad Oliver]

Originally posted by ChrisB
>Did you send Brad any save files?

I am not sure he would be helped by them.

I would be helped by all of them. The bugs you are reporting are all new to me, and you're the first to mention them. If you have a crash log, that would be fantastic as well. I would recommend totally wiping your Civ3 install, then reinstalling from the CD and immediately patching to eliminate any possibilities that the patching process went haywire. Also, it would be good to know if the oddities you've seen have been while playing games that were started on a version less than 1.29.

If I don't get any other info and no one else reports these bugs, then the best I can do is assume they're a fluke with your setup, since I haven't seen them occur in my playtesting.

 

[cracker]

Naboo and others.

One really big culture shock factor for you to watch out for when you switch up fro v1.21g to v1.29 is the tech rate difference particularly on diety. The way the bonuses are shifted results in a 67% increase in the cost of technology research which will have a fairly large impact on your lifestyle that you have adapted to in v1.21

 

[ancestral]

Originally posted by ChrisB
>Did you send Brad any save files?

I am not sure he would be helped by them. Some errors occur all the time, like the blank 20 pixel at top (I do have a screenshot but it feels kinda unneccessary), the bird chirping (reported earlier) and the corrupt autosave (I could send one of them, but I hope/assume it's reproducible on any machine).

NEVER assume something is reproducible. Send your corrupt files IN! If anything, if there are 20 people like you, it'll be all that more signifiacnt and Brad will see that it is more of an issue.

 

[josephtate]

Just went to play the 1.29 beta 2 tonight only to find that a PowerBook resolution is gone (DVI 15inch TiBook): 1280x854. Any chance of getting this back? A resolution of 1440x900 would be nice as well for users of either the 17inch iMac or new 17inch PowerBooks.

Otherwise, thanks for all the work the beta, Brad.

 

[Naboo]

Originally posted by cracker
Naboo and others.

One really big culture shock factor for you to watch out for when you switch up fro v1.21g to v1.29 is the tech rate difference particularly on diety. The way the bonuses are shifted results in a 67% increase in the cost of technology research which will have a fairly large impact on your lifestyle that you have adapted to in v1.21

Cracker are you sure? I thought (nay, Prayed!) it would be the other way around. See the "old-school deity"thread

Haven't had a chance to test beta2 yet; maybe this evening.

 

[Txurce]

Oh, he's sure, Naboo. in 1.21, the human research rate stays even, while the AI received an increasing bonus from monarch through deity. In 1.29 this has been reversed, so that the AI research rate holds steady, and the human is saddled with an increasing handicap in the three highest levels. One of the side-effects of this is that the AI puts a higher value on the worth of a tech, and is less likely to settle it to you (or another AI) on the cheap. While this makes it harder to buy your way along on the higher levels, it also makes it easier to trade what you do buy.

 

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by Txurce
..... One of the side-effects of this is that the AI puts a higher value on the worth of a tech, and is less likely to settle it to you (or another AI) on the cheap. While this makes it harder to buy your way along on the higher levels, it also makes it easier to trade what you do buy.

Although techs become increasingly expensive from monarch to deity, I especially like the fact that the AI's are more prudent when trading among themselves. I find this to be much more realistic, and its made the games more enjoyable.

 

[Naboo]

Originally posted by dojoboy


Although techs become increasingly expensive from monarch to deity, I especially like the fact that the AI's are more prudent when trading among themselves. I find this to be much more realistic, and its made the games more enjoyable.

Ok, so it balances out? From what I've read the overall tech pace slows down. What scares me is the idea that it could SPEED UP! I got this picture in my mind....


So far I'm testing on Monarch. Tech does seem more expensive but overall pace seems ok. I'm not seeing the instant trades between AIs (one has it; they all have it). That is, it looks like they're charging each other at least something rather than giving stuff away to each other.

Regards

 

[n8mac]

I started a new game with this patch (chieftan, OCC) and completed it with a 20k culture win without problem. As far as tech goes I did notice that the computer paid more for them, got up to 78gpt for an average tech .

One thing that I noticed (or maybe didn't notice it in the past) is that the computer varied its tech rate in this game (keep in mind it was a cheiftan game).

Example: Once I learned a tech I would check the other 3 civs for trade. Some times a civ had no gold or gold per turn to give, and the next civ would have 20, 30, or 40 gpt and would give every cent of it for a tech. The next tech I learned the civ that had the gold had none and the civ that had none had plenty (per turn).

It seems that the the computer was setting their slider back and forth in order to buy techs.

n8mac

 

[Naboo]

Midway thru a Monarchy game on OS9.2.2. Wonders are working. My autosaves load ok. "Wake all" and "Fortify all" are sweet!

I've only noticed 2 small things; and not sure if these were already present:

1 - the menu buttons at the top left (main, 'pedia, and advisors) seem to have a slight masking problem. The other buttons (fortify, etc) look ok.



2 - Playing as America and have conquered Zulu. I find that I can't build my Forbidden Palace in Zimbabwe - apparently because it was once the enemy's capital? I'm not sure if that's anything new; I usually build it in one of my own cities. Also can't get it in Mpondo, which was also one of their capitals. There are still other former Zulu cities which were ALSO capitals where I CAN build the FP. Yes they went through a lot of capitals Again, not sure if this has been the case all along or not. But it does seem odd and is somewhat limiting. Maybe I'm missing something? I put the save file here