COMPILE: Getting really frustrated with crash

[MrBaggins]

Isn't that a tiff or something (the startup screen?)

[J Bytheway]

Originally posted by MrBaggins
Isn't that a tiff or something (the startup screen?)

Probably. The easiest way to put it in the exe is by adding something like:

c3_error("Disclaimer", "This material...")

into the main function so that it pops up a dialog.

[MrBaggins]

Ok. Important to figure out too, since we will be producing (soon I hope) code thats going to need to be playtested...

We will need a method to fulfill the license agreement, and a place to upload the .exe

Locutus? How do you think we should handle this?

[Fromafar]

My setup information:
Windows 2000 Professional, SP 4
DirectX 9.0, libraries copied to ctp2_code\libs\directx
DXMedia 6.0, libraries copied to ctp2_code\libs\dxmedia
Visual Studio Professional 6.0, SP 5
Original sources, except for the following modifications:
- source from the "Altered source files" thread (except for mss.h)
- Miles interface from the "Success with the sound" thread, placed in ctp2_code\libs\miles
PC without sound card

The debug, release, and final versions all work for me. I even got the debug version to work in the debugger, by setting the program arguments to "nonexclusive" (without the quotes). After the black screen comes up, operating the mouse is awkward, but that is to be expected. Unfortunately, I don't have a second monitor to try the "multimon" option.

With the debug version, I do get the occasional assert pop-up, but selecting Ignore will return me to the game.

As I don't have a sound card, the first call to AIL_quick_startup will always return 0 (QSTAT_ERROR), which will cause m_noSound to be set. I did some simulation by modifying the variable in the debugger, and successfully called and returned from subsequent Miles functions, but the results is probably not representative any more.

Can someone attempt to run the debugger and report the results of the AIL_redbook_status and AIL_quick_status calls with a sound card? It could be that the values for the QSTAT_DONE and the various REDBOOK_... constants are incorrect. The same holds for the value of AIL_QUICK_USE_WAVEOUT.

DDowell: what is the message you got in the assert pop-up?

[Locutus]

A bit of topic perhaps (I'll put it in the FAQ later), but as for the fulfilling the license agreement, we have two situations:

1) Files that contains (sections of) the source code. Only people who've agreed to the EULA are allowed to have access to these. To make sure of that, we created a little script: if you put any source code files available for download, make sure the URL has the format http://apolyton.net/csd.php?{url}, where {url} is the actual URL of the file (Example: http://apolyton.net/csd.php?http://a...TP2_Source.exe -- check your status bar or right-click and select Properties to see the address (ignore the apolyton.net/go.php part); click the link to see the effect).

2) Actual executables to run the game. These indeed require the warning that they're not Activision material and author & email info. At least for the Apolyton project we can simly use 'Apolyton' or 'Apolyton CtP2 Source Code Project' or similar as author, and for email address we can use ctp2source@apolyton.net (we created that address for this purpose). As for where to put it, I guess an error message as John suggests would work nicely, though I was originally thinking of replacing the tga file itself with a photoshopped version.

Alternatively, there's a string indicating a version number in the bottom right corner of the start up screen on the patched version (it says something like 'v1.1'), maybe we could find this string and replace it with our own text (assuming that works in the unpatched version)? I looked it up once and IIRC it should be in the text files somewhere (don't ask me where though)...

Anyway, I'm at work now so can't help with troubleshooting right now...

[J Bytheway]

How's the following message:

THIS MATERIAL IS NOT MADE OR SUPPORTED BY ACTIVISION.
This version of the Call To Power 2
executable developed at apolyton.net
Contact the authors at ctp2source@apolyton.net

In the long run I was thinking we should replace the intro movie, because I don't think Activision want their name quite so prominent at the start. I'm sure we could work the disclaimer into the movie in an amusing way .

Also, I presume we'll be adding some sort of 'about box' to the main menu.

[J Bytheway]

Here it is as a messagebox (I actually had to add a new kind of messagebox because the existing ones were all using the error icon).

[MrBaggins]

looks great

[J Bytheway]

Try the version at:

http://apolyton.net/upload/files/J%20Bytheway/Ctp2.zip

I've just compiled it and it's working fine for me.

[MrBaggins]

Gottit. It works like a prince. End turn... plus sound. Thanks J.

OK... now we just need to figure out what you've done differently...

[Locutus]

Dammit, you beat me to it...

I went the Photoshop way...

To use, put http://ctp2files.apolyton.net/source/upsg001.tga in the ctp2_data/default/gamedata/graphics/pictures folder.

I guess people can use whatever they prefer (or both). I guess my solution has the advantage of being less 'disruptive'... (The actual file looks better than this low-quality jpg BTW)

[J Bytheway]

The problem with that is that it's not actually in the executable, and so you must either tell people to put it in the right place (and they won't bother) or else package it up in a zip with directories (which is too much bother for me ).

However, when we're releasing more UI mods, I guess it will be a much better solution.

[Asmodean]

So John...what you have now is actually a modified version of the game, WORKING, with sound and no crashes??

Asmodean

[MrBaggins]

Yes, he does. Well... it works for me, anyway.

[J Bytheway]

Yep, it seems to be the same as the unpatched original in every way except for the fix to the rush buy bug, and also the disclaimer dialog I've added. I haven't added Martin's other fixes.

At present I'm working on the PBEM bug, but when I want to take a break from that I'll investigate what I can do with diff to make my exact changes clear.