Rallying call for all interested: Colonisation of the Moon mod!

[woodelf]

I know I'm not a programmer, but I use the Scientific Method every day and have 6 sigma training. Troubleshooting experiments isn't that different. And I really thought XML loading errors would show up before the game ran. If that isn't the case then uh-oh!

 

[GeoModder]

The following link contains new background screens and 6 screens for when starting up a game. (replacing Nimoy's fluff). The few tests I did show that mosttimes only 3-4 will show before a given game starts.

If you create screens to replace them, Belizan, I have no objections or something. Go ahead, I would say.

http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1VK8AUPFGJUIT35OQ6KWO9RTJQ

Something else: I started a game on standard map with attrition on, and I enabled after a few turns national alert. Things really buggered up there. Worker animations screwed up, I needed to select a second civic to get out of national alert, I got 5+ digit numbers for my unit movements, and finally the game just froze. No ctd, but froze.

Do you want a save of this game?

 

[Belizan]

The following link contains new background screens and 6 screens for when starting up a game. (replacing Nimoy's fluff). The few tests I did show that mosttimes only 3-4 will show before a given game starts.

If you create screens to replace them, Belizan, I have no objections or something. Go ahead, I would say.

http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1VK8AUPFGJUIT35OQ6KWO9RTJQ

Something else: I started a game on standard map with attrition on, and I enabled after a few turns national alert. Things really buggered up there. Worker animations screwed up, I needed to select a second civic to get out of national alert, I got 5+ digit numbers for my unit movements, and finally the game just froze. No ctd, but froze.

Do you want a save of this game?

I did notice some weird behaviour with National Alert a while ago, but it was only triggered by choosing National Alert, and it didn't cause a CTD, so I haven't followed up on it yet.

 

[GeoModder]

Ok, just to know if it was related with the ctd.
Appearantly not.

 

[matthewv]

Which handicap file are you using?

It crashes fairly often with both so I think we can rule that out.(Not to say you save was a complete waste it may be very useful as it crashes almost 50% of the time for me)

When the game crashes in turn 2, we can rule out 99% of the game. Buildings, units, everything built can't be done in turn 2.

I think we can rule out any art references or anything like that in this case.

You arn't a programmer, woodelf, so maybe you don't understand. The XML gets loaded before the game starts. My guess is that there is an error in the XML which causes the game's resources to get loaded incorrectly, causing random things to get "corrupted", which is why the symptoms are so problematic--It's whatever got corrupted this time around. Which is theoretically attributable to the idea that every resource gets assigned a different address in memory each time.

now that you mention it this seems very reasonable.

Could it be a name or description is too long, Matt? (That seems far fetched to me)

now that you mention this I think it related to either having to many types if something(techs buildings, etc.) Before I was having a CTD when I had to many techs(civ 4 only allows around 100 right now)

 

[matthewv]

I know I'm not a programmer, but I use the Scientific Method every day and have 6 sigma training. Troubleshooting experiments isn't that different. And I really thought XML loading errors would show up before the game ran. If that isn't the case then uh-oh!

Only certian types of XML errors will show up on startup.

 

[woodelf]

So having a building and the same building_xxxx for the trait could be adding up to too many?

 

[matthewv]

Ok, here's the thing Matt. On my machine, I have two (many more really) copies of SoM. One has all the new code changes, and the new xml. The other has all the new code changes, but the old xml.

The copy with the old xml has never CTD'd through 100s of turns. The one with the new xml has CTD'd on me about a dozen times, at least. I'm pretty sure it's the XML.

Now, I took my "clean", working copy, copied it, and started moving xml files over in distinct groups. Global Defines and ArtDefines_Interface didn't seem to cause a crash (in 100 or so turns). Unit/UnitClasses did. Which was the basis for my saying that the bug lay in Unit/UnitClasses.

Can I have your old unit files which seemed to work I would like to compare then to the new ones and to test to see if I still get the bug with the old unit files.

 

[Belizan]

Buttons. Check the buttons.

It just occured to me that the MainInterface loads all the buttons for everything--units, techs, buildings, promotions, etc. When it first starts up. You might try checking the button defines, Matt, see if they are all proper.

 

[Belizan]

So having a building and the same building_xxxx for the trait could be adding up to too many?

Overall I removed buildings with my changes.

 

[Belizan]

Can I have your old unit files which seemed to work I would like to compare then to the new ones and to test to see if I still get the bug with the old unit files.

You want me to bundle the whole thing, or just the xml files?

 

[matthewv]

You want me to bundle the whole thing, or just the xml files?

Just the xml files

 

[matthewv]

just a thought, but could it be because we are going over the limit for promotions? we have quite a few more promotions than vanilla

Edit: forget that thought

 

[Belizan]

Alright, this xml is "clean"

 

[matthewv]

wow!!, I can now repeat the CTD every time on the start of turn 24, whether I start a new game or load a saved gaved. I do exactly the same thing every time.

I start a duel map, fortify all my starting units, hit enter until it says the computer has one the game. click past the end game stuff and select end Just..one..more..turn and then hit enter till turn 24. when I hit enter at the end of turn 23 the game CTD.(every single time) If you do something different from this, the game will not crash on turn 24.

I tried it with the XMLs posted above and get the same results.

Now that I can repeat the bug very successfully, I should be able to find it, though that will have to wait till Monday.(see you then)

I am curious whether you guys can repeat my results.(you have to follow what I did exectly or it will not CTD on turn 24)

 

[woodelf]

Great news. I guess. I won't plan on adding anything for at least a day now.

 

[GeoModder]

Patience grasshoppa, you'll be able to add that "blaster tank" soon enough.

 

[woodelf]

Matt - Do you want me to see if Thunderfall will give you control on the first post in the Song thread? He said he would change the title too so it doesn't have the version number in it.

 

[woodelf]

In the vein of the Mushroom farm building how about Container Gardens and Underground Poultry Farms? We need + generating buildings badly.

 

[GeoModder]

Call it Poultry Cave Pens instead, and I'm with you.
Container Gardens? Like in growing tomatoes and salads?

Where would you put them in the tech tree? Colonial-Isolation era?

Could be good if glasshouses became a tier 4-5 tech. This would accentuate the late(r) expansion outbase for enlarging the foodproduction base.