HOF Questions and Answers Thread

[Sun Tzu Wu]

I've just noticed while running MapFinder:

...

EDIT3: I installed HOF-1.74.004 and now Asset Checker v2.2.2 detects no errors. Why is BUFFY-3.19.003 still complaining about Assets not matching a standard install?

I've just loaded a few Start Files into the HOF Check Start File Page. I can see a sequence of Start Files that are fine. Then I stopped MapFinder and BtS to read my e-mail. I restarted BtS and Mapfinder and all subsequent Start Files appear to have non-standard (invalid) assets. So it appears that something happened to BtS assets when it wasn't being used.

Any suggestions on what I should do to fix it? Should I uninstall Vanilla, Warlords and BtS and reinstall them? That would be a lot of effort and I'd really rather determine how it got broken to prevent it from happening in the future.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[(Pro)Peanut_P]

I suspected that would be so, thought i'd ask anyway.

Thanks Sun.

 

[Denniz]

I've just loaded a few Start Files into the HOF Check Start File Page. I can see a sequence of Start Files that are fine. Then I stopped MapFinder and BtS to read my e-mail. I restarted BtS and Mapfinder and all subsequent Start Files appear to have non-standard (invalid) assets. So it appears that something happened to BtS assets when it wasn't being used.

Any suggestions on what I should do to fix it? Should I uninstall Vanilla, Warlords and BtS and reinstall them? That would be a lot of effort and I'd really rather determine how it got broken to prevent it from happening in the future.

Sun Tzu Wu

I don't know what may have affected your machine/install. Something that is active/running may be interfering with it. Did you try to reboot? If that doesn't fix it, e-mail a save to hof.civfanatics@gmail.com so I can take a look.

 

[cabert]

@ sun tsu : I've had assets issues for years now, and didn't really get rid of them. I have reduced them to something acceptable (although very disappointing when it happens) by killing most background processes.
I suspect some bad interaction between those pieces of software and the file tables.

In one case, I had a message when loading a save (unable to load because of protected assets). I restarted the computer and everything was allright.

Not sure any of these infos apply to your case, but I thought it might.

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

@ sun tsu : I've had assets issues for years now, and didn't really get rid of them. I have reduced them to something acceptable (although very disappointing when it happens) by killing most background processes.
I suspect some bad interaction between those pieces of software and the file tables.

In one case, I had a message when loading a save (unable to load because of protected assets). I restarted the computer and everything was allright.

Not sure any of these infos apply to your case, but I thought it might.

After rebooting, I checked all processes running in the Processes Tab of Windows Task Manager (as opposed to the Applications tab). Everything running seems perfectly legitimate, but many are related to Windows services and some OEM (comes with your computer purchase) services add-ons that I don't even use or need running. I will definitely try killing and/or disabling these services to see whether that helps.

I don't recall having assets issues before, other than related to a specific Map type that was actually a false positive (assets were actually OK). Now, there really is something wrong with my assets or a conflict in accessing them with a running service/process as you are suggesting.

Thanks for the tip, cabert!

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

Denniz,

My assets issue has been fixed! Thanks!

Some how my BUFFY-3.19.003 install seems to have gotten corrupted. Removing this mod and re-installing it fixed the issue. Meaning, I created a Start File immediately after re-installing BUFFY-3.19.003 and it checked out OK by the BUFFY itself and the HOF Check Start File Web Page.

I just need to setup BUFFY-3.19.003 parameters to my preferred settings and I should set to go.

Many thanks for your help, Denniz! Your suggestions saved me a lot of unnecessary effort. I'll remember to try re-installing HOF modules next time an issue like this happens as that only takes a minute or two to do and a bit more to get the preferred settings. That's a huge difference from reinstalling three Civ IV, the latest update for each and the latest HOF mod for each (which could take a few hours, if everything doesn't go smoothly).

BTW, I have Steam set off-line always, except only when I know there is a Civ V update I want to install. Prior to this final test, I had exited Steam. I no longer think Steam was involved in my issue, but how do I disable it from running on boot up? Does it need to be running to play Civ V?

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Denniz]

BTW, I have Steam set off-line always, except only when I know there is a Civ V update I want to install. Prior to this final test, I had exited Steam. I no longer think Steam was involved in my issue, but how do I disable it from running on boot up? Does it need to be running to play Civ V?

Go to Steam -> Settings menu option. On the Interface tab there is a check box for "Run Steam when my computer starts". Steam will still start when you Launch Civ5 but at least it isn't running all the time.

 

[Erso]

well I am new at the forum but I am experienced player at Civ 4. However I newly discovered HoF

well I couldnt see anything about "save and load is forbbiden" or not. Is there any rule about it?

Also as suggest, the info for starters of HoF is not very healthy. You should put informations more clear and readable.

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

well I am new at the forum but I am experienced player at Civ 4. However I newly discovered HoF

well I couldnt see anything about "save and load is forbbiden" or not. Is there any rule about it?

Also as suggest, the info for starters of HoF is not very healthy. You should put informations more clear and readable.

Reloading a Game to re-Play even the smallest part of a turn is strictly forbidden and the HOF module will detect such play; so don't even try. Here's a reference to the Rules that clearly forbid reloading:

http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/rules.php?show=disallowed

Please read the other tabs of the above page. It may seem to be a lot of information and it probably won't be immediately clear. After playing a few HoF Games and asking questions here and getting answers, it will become much clearer, I promise.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame!

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Erso]

thanks
lets meet at hall of fame (well it is more diffucult than i thought )

 

[Quintillus]

I saw there was a Warlords WOTM within my level of difficulty this month, and I just started playing Warlords some, so I decided to play for a change. However, as has happened almost if not every time I've ever tried a Civ4 GOTM, the HOF mod won't let me load the game. I have:

*Civ4: Warlords bought as part of Civ4: The Complete Collection through Steam (thus Steam is running).
*Windows XP SP3 Pro (English) with all the latest patches running. Have always been using an administrator account for everything.
*No security software running except Windows Firewall when attempting to run the game.
*HOF mod installed to Warlords' location.
*I start Warlords, then load the HOF mod, then load the WOTM. It gives me a note about protected assets, I click OK, and then it pops up a "Load failed" dialog for a fraction of a second before the game completely quits to the desktop.

Not sure why it's not working as my XP install is fresh as of last week, and my Civ4 (including Warlords) install is fresh except playing some of the Roman and Genghis Khan scenarios and saving them a total of 4 times (combined). This is the first Civ4 mod I've installed in years, so it's not a conflicting mod install. Oddly, I had the same problem with Civ4 Vanilla (retail two disc edition with play and install disc labels swapped as many were if you bought them soon after release), at least when I tried Vanilla 1.74 GOTMs, although I think I may have been able to play one 1.52 or 1.61 GOTM. So I doubt it's Steam.

Kind of annoying that the HOF mod acts up like that, it's kept me from playing at least two previous GOTMs already. I know it's supposed to help with reloaders, but I'm really glad the Civ3 GOTMs don't have any such mod. Might be time to play Shaka of the Zulu in GOTM 109.

I might try again after rebooting. Seems like it ought to work with everything fresh, though.

 

[Denniz]

I saw there was a Warlords WOTM within my level of difficulty this month, and I just started playing Warlords some, so I decided to play for a change. However, as has happened almost if not every time I've ever tried a Civ4 GOTM, the HOF mod won't let me load the game. I have:

*Civ4: Warlords bought as part of Civ4: The Complete Collection through Steam (thus Steam is running).
*Windows XP SP3 Pro (English) with all the latest patches running. Have always been using an administrator account for everything.
*No security software running except Windows Firewall when attempting to run the game.
*HOF mod installed to Warlords' location.
*I start Warlords, then load the HOF mod, then load the WOTM. It gives me a note about protected assets, I click OK, and then it pops up a "Load failed" dialog for a fraction of a second before the game completely quits to the desktop.

Not sure why it's not working as my XP install is fresh as of last week, and my Civ4 (including Warlords) install is fresh except playing some of the Roman and Genghis Khan scenarios and saving them a total of 4 times (combined). This is the first Civ4 mod I've installed in years, so it's not a conflicting mod install. Oddly, I had the same problem with Civ4 Vanilla (retail two disc edition with play and install disc labels swapped as many were if you bought them soon after release), at least when I tried Vanilla 1.74 GOTMs, although I think I may have been able to play one 1.52 or 1.61 GOTM. So I doubt it's Steam.

Kind of annoying that the HOF mod acts up like that, it's kept me from playing at least two previous GOTMs already. I know it's supposed to help with reloaders, but I'm really glad the Civ3 GOTMs don't have any such mod. Might be time to play Shaka of the Zulu in GOTM 109.

I might try again after rebooting. Seems like it ought to work with everything fresh, though.

The Steam file structure for Civ4 is a little strange. Each version has isn't own copy of the Vanilla assets. The HOF Mod uses the registry entry to do its install and to find/check assets. Steam sets the registry to the path of the version being played. Hopefully, the HOF Mod is installed in the Warlords version's MOD folder.

There are also the changes made to Vanilla and Warlords by BTS. The GOTM site's FAQ page has a zip file with the required files.

There is an Assetschecker that you can use to figure out what is going on.

 

[Quintillus]

The Steam file structure for Civ4 is a little strange. Each version has isn't own copy of the Vanilla assets. The HOF Mod uses the registry entry to do its install and to find/check assets. Steam sets the registry to the path of the version being played. Hopefully, the HOF Mod is installed in the Warlords version's MOD folder.

There are also the changes made to Vanilla and Warlords by BTS. The GOTM site's FAQ page has a zip file with the required files.

There is an Assetschecker that you can use to figure out what is going on.

Thanks, I'll take a look at it with Assetschecker.

 

[cabert]

just a (silly?) question :
why is there a nice graphic showing the filled slots in civ3 HoF statistics and not in civ4 HoF?

 

[Denniz]

just a (silly?) question :
why is there a nice graphic showing the filled slots in civ3 HoF statistics and not in civ4 HoF?

You mean a similar home page for Civ3 as we have for Civ4?

 

[cabert]

You mean a similar home page for Civ3 as we have for Civ4?

No, I mean that the tables for civ 3 HoF are analysed in the statistics

 

[Denniz]

No, I mean that the tables for civ 3 HoF are analysed in the statistics

Ah, I suppose something could be done to provide the statistics about the tables. Are you getting tired of doing it by hand? I didn't want to automate something that you enjoyed doing.

 

[cabert]

Ah, I suppose something could be done to provide the statistics about the tables. Are you getting tired of doing it by hand? I didn't want to automate something that you enjoyed doing.

I just want to know, I don't enjoy the work

 

[cabert]

Another silly question : I tried to beat a spot in a table (yes, I do play games on non empty tables ), but only managed the exact same date. I however have more points.
Will I become the #1 (best date, then score in case of a draw) or will the other stay #1 (best date, first game submitted) ?
It doesn't matter much, I'll get the full points for quattromaster anyway, but I'm curious.

I'll check the rules in case it's written

edit : it's not written but I guess it's the first option (score as tie-breaker) because that's the way it's diplayed in the deity duel marathon conquest table (full table, all have the same finish date :crazyeyes

 

[Ozbenno]

Another silly question : I tried to beat a spot in a table (yes, I do play games on non empty tables ), but only managed the exact same date. I however have more points.
Will I become the #1 (best date, then score in case of a draw) or will the other stay #1 (best date, first game submitted) ?
It doesn't matter much, I'll get the full points for quattromaster anyway, but I'm curious.

You're right, if dates are the same score is the tie breaker but both games will get the same q-score and full points for QM.