PROJECT: Playtest

[kaan]

Hi folks

Several ppl have requested a binary with the result of our efforts until now. Here it is

Please remember that this is for playtesting porpuses only so dont count on it working for anything other than finding more bugs.

Please also remember to read the apolyton_README.txt included for a list of changes and other usefull information.

Feedback is most welcome both when something we changed works and when it doesnt.

Edit: Removed link. The latest version of the Apolyton Edition can be found here.

Have fun
Klaus

[centrifuge]

Thanks Kaan,

Downloading as I type

[Maquiladora]

Hehe great, will try it when i get home.

[Tamerlin]

Thanks Kaan but how can I use it? Do I have to install the source code or can I simply unzip and replace the files in my CtP2 folder?

[kaan]

unzip and replace is the right answer.
just treat it like a mod that isnt made for modswapper.
be carefull to install it on top of a vanilla ctp2 install and dont expect ANY mod to work with it.

oh, and read the apolyton_README.txt

klaus

[Fromafar]

Reports on the playtest release:

The readme file does not match the actual game. The code changes of 10-12-2003 are listed in the readme file (the last 4), but appear to be missing from the executable.

The path of upsg001.tga in the ZIP-file is incorrect. This file should be moved from ctp2_data\default\gamedata\graphics\pictures to ctp2_data\default\graphics\pictures to get it to display.

The screen layout of the start-up screen has to be updated.
The "THIS MATERIAL [...] ACTIVISION" message is partially hidden by the hotseat button, and in its turn obscures the version number.

I had no problems playing it.

[kaan]

thank you Fromafar, ill update later tonight.

[Maquiladora]

To clarify - does it go over the unpatched vanilla CtP2 or over a patched install?

edit: this might be embarrassing considering i havent read the readme yet, downloading sloooooowly

[Maquiladora]

Ok first thing

[FIX]

"Neptun Map", it has the wrong description next to it, it says its east to west connects, obviously thats Earth, should be north to south connect only. Dunno if this is posted elsewhere

By the way i extracted over the vanilla game with 1.11 official patch on, so tell me if this is wrong asap.

edit again:

Okay i got it on now and the Neptune map description is still wrong, but disbanding units in the city mananger now works properly, woohoo.

[kaan]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
To clarify - does it go over the unpatched vanilla CtP2 or over a patched install?

edit: this might be embarrassing considering i havent read the readme yet, downloading sloooooowly

unpatched vanilla CtP2 it is

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
"Neptun Map", it has the wrong description next to it, it says its east to west connects, obviously thats Earth, should be north to south connect only. Dunno if this is posted elsewhere

Well this copy and paste stuff.

Use the file in the attachment instead of the ldl_str.txt.

Note for users of the German version of the game the string is already correct so you don't need this file.

For the disclaimer on the start screen I prefer a string like the version info, you have to consider that I don't want to have an English disclaimer in a German CTP2. You can remove it with the same work as you would replace such a string, and the scenario editor disclaimer is also just a string. Of course for now it is ok but for later builds we need the possibility to localize it, without replacing 900 kb large images.

-Martin

[kaan]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann


Well this copy and paste stuff.

Use the file in the attachment instead of the ldl_str.txt.

Note for users of the German version of the game the string is already correct so you don't need this file.

For the disclaimer on the start screen I prefer a string like the version info, you have to consider that I don't want to have an English disclaimer in a German CTP2. You can remove it with the same work as you would replace such a string, and the scenario editor disclaimer is also just a string. Of course for now it is ok but for later builds we need the possibility to localize it, without replacing 900 kb large images.

-Martin

That and more has been adressed in the updated file above.

klaus

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by kaan
That and more has been adressed in the updated file above.

I don't see that this with the disclaimer has been addressed, it is still an image of 960 kb. But actual I expect this needs some more time but not ages either.

-Martin

[kaan]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann


I don't see that this with the disclaimer has been addressed, it is still an image of 960 kb. But actual I expect this needs some more time but not ages either.

-Martin

doh, sorry, i meant the ldl_str.txt issue

[kaan]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann


I don't see that this with the disclaimer has been addressed, it is still an image of 960 kb. But actual I expect this needs some more time but not ages either.

-Martin

Actually i just made this, was it something like that you were searching for?

[Martin Gühmann]

Something like that. The string just needs to be exposed in ldl_str.txt and it is localized as it should be. But I would like to have to additional empty strings that can be filled by Modmakes, so that they can include their own email address or contact information and disclaimer.

-Martin

[Martin Gühmann]

I just took another look on the code of that *ldl file. The font should be red like in Locutus image, for the date I would like to see something like this format: 11. 12. 2003 well of course for the German version that means this string should also be exposed in the ldl_str.txt.

-Martin

[Maquiladora]

Using the date is asking for trouble isnt it? especially 11.12

[MrBaggins]

Not if you use the word for the month, followed by the date...

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Using the date is asking for trouble isnt it? especially 11.12

And as long as it just appears in the German version like this not.

-Martin

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by kaan
unzip and replace is the right answer.
just treat it like a mod that isnt made for modswapper.
be carefull to install it on top of a vanilla ctp2 install and dont expect ANY mod to work with it.

oh, and read the apolyton_README.txt

klaus

Thanks Kaan, I will give it a try as soon as possible...

[Martin Gühmann]

Well I experimented with the version string and accidently stared the default game, what ever I enter there it gets replaced by v1.1, so it is also hardencoded into the patched ctp2.exe, however I think we don't need "fix" this.

But I think in the end we have to find another solution for the disclaimer, it is very tiny.

-Martin

[kaan]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
Well I experimented with the version string and accidently stared the default game, what ever I enter there it gets replaced by v1.1, so it is also hardencoded into the patched ctp2.exe, however I think we don't need "fix" this.

But I think in the end we have to find another solution for the disclaimer, it is very tiny.

-Martin

Its big enough in my opinion and placed very prominently too, i dont think that could be a problem.

as for the version number i dont have that problem so i dont know what is causing it.

klaus

[Solver]

Has anyone managed to downgrade his version of CtP to unpatched? I'm somewhat weary about installing this on my patched version...

[Maquiladora]

I installed it on my patched ctp2 install at first and it didnt make any difference in the 20 or so turns i played, then i reinstalled ctp2 and extracted the zip over an unpatched install.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Solver
Has anyone managed to downgrade his version of CtP to unpatched? I'm somewhat weary about installing this on my patched version...

The main difference between the patched and unpatched version is the ctp2.exe, of course there are also some text file changes but these are minor and therefore there is no problem for the unpatched version to use them, only the slic files might be a problem but as long as you don't use a mod, and actual we already added stubs for all the slic functions of the patch, so there shouldn't be a problem except if the mod uses database accept like CTC. So just replace the ctp2.exe of course not without making a backup before and you are fine.

Originally posted by kaan
Its big enough in my opinion and placed very prominently too, i dont think that could be a problem.

In my opinion it is small so that you can overlook it.

Originally posted by kaan
as for the version number i dont have that problem so i dont know what is causing it.

As you quoted me I talked about the patched ctp2.exe the ctp2.exe that is actual version 2.1 and not 2.0.

-Martin

[Fromafar]

Originally posted by Solver
Has anyone managed to downgrade his version of CtP to unpatched? I'm somewhat weary about installing this on my patched version...

If you mean the official Activision 1.1 (or 1.11) patch, don't bother with downgrading. Installing over the patched version works for me.

At the moment, we have been concentrating on the vanilla game. For mods and scenarios, there will be some text files that have to be updated. E.g. you have to insert a line in const.txt setting MAX_MATCH_LIST_CYCLES to some value. IIRC it was 6 in the original game, and the new line should be after the one setting RIOT_LEVEL in const.txt.

[Solver]

Martin, please correct your last post. You have three quotes there, all attributed to me, but only the first one is actually mine - to help avoid confusion.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Solver
Martin, please correct your last post. You have three quotes there, all attributed to me, but only the first one is actually mine - to help avoid confusion.

Well I fixed this copy and paste problem.

-Martin

[kaan]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann

In my opinion it is small so that you can overlook it.

I think its more than enough to satisfy the legal obligations Activision has set, but then again IANAL.

Klaus