Super Settlers in my GoodMod?

[ETB]

I have been unable to complete a SAP v2.0/GoodMod v1.0 game during the past few weeks. The game will either crash or stall during an AI’s turn after about 200 turns or so (it varies) – just when it starts to get interesting. I have re-downloaded the mods from the Apolyton directory before each game and I have performed a complete uninstallation and reinstallation of CtP2 each time.

The other odd thing that I have noticed is that settlers (and slavers) have special buttons for building airbases, forts, and other special tile improvements. See the graphic below for a sample. These are super settlers indeed!

I have started just a SAP 2.0 game and the settlers and slavers don’t have the special buttons. So I plan to see how far I can take my SAP game. Has anyone else noticed anything with the SAP/GoodMod setup? Is it just me? I’m not even using the ultra-large map option! I have tried to figure out what caused the prior crashes or stalls, but /reloadslic doesn’t help and cheat mode isn’t useful to me either. I get the same results on my Win2K and my XP machines. SAP v2.0/GoodMod v0.993 ran just fine on my machines, although I think I only played 2 games with that version. So I am now stumped! Any input will be appreciated.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by ETB
The other odd thing that I have noticed is that settlers (and slavers) have special buttons for building airbases, forts, and other special tile improvements. See the graphic below for a sample. These are super settlers indeed!

I wouldn't call them super settlers, the buttons don't work if you don't have enough PW these tile improvements and the necessary advances. I just can't disable them, if you don't have everything. Also other units have them but in most cases other orders lay over these ones.

For the crash problem I have to look into the script files Pedrunn gave a hint somewhere in the forum where the problem could be. For 0.993 version did you used any updated slic files I provided here in the forum.

-Martin

[ETB]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
For the crash problem I have to look into the script files Pedrunn gave a hint somewhere in the forum where the problem could be. For 0.993 version did you used any updated slic files I provided here in the forum.
-Martin

Yes, now that you mention it, I used the mg_betterai.slc file! Maybe I should pull it out of the archives and give it a try. At least now I know that the special units are supposed to have those extra buttons. I was beginning to wonder about everything the way may games have been going.

I have made it through 187 turns in my SAP game – no crashes so far. But things are just starting to get interesting in the game too.

[ETB]

SAP v2.0 Game Update

I have managed to do it again! I am at turn 286 in my SAP v2.0 game and it crashes during the Chinese AI’s turn. I tried loading Martin’s apol_slics file and /reloadslic, but the crash occurs at the same point. I can find no evidence of the AI attempting to pillage a neutral tile anyway, so I don’t think that is the problem this time. I was, however, able to locate a problem – the Chinese have a stack of 3 canons and an infantryman 2 tiles due south of Dordrecht, but the units are invisible even in cheat mode! What’s more telling is that if I make myself Chinese and try to select the invisible units, the game crashes immediately. The odd thing is that during the AI’s turn, these four units attack Dordrecht (a city of 1 on a mountain), I can hear the sound of the city being destroyed, and then the cannons being destroyed right as the game crashes. So I am convinced that the 4 invisible units are the source of the crash. I do not know why or how this happens, but I am wondering if it is similar to the crashes/stalls that I encountered in my GoodMod games, but I just didn’t know that I should have been looking for invisible units!

I can turn off the fog of war in cheat mode and run through the Chinese AI turn without crashing – and they do attack and destroy Dordrecht while losing the 3 canons. I plan to run this AI turn through its completion, save it as a scenario, and try to pick it up from there. But I would like to know why the game crashes. If any of this sounds familiar or makes sense to anyone, I would sure like to know what you think! The game file is attached and it is pure SAP v2.0, with no additives.

[ETB]

Update

I was able to get beyond the crash by going into cheat mode, turning off the fog of war, running the AI’s turn, then I saved the game as a scenario, and loaded it as a new game. The city names reset back to the beginning and I imagine a bunch of other things were reset as well. I am up to turn 444 and it has been smooth sailing. I am wondering if I will run into problems again around turn 500-600?