CW2 Public Beta Patch 1.01 (release candidate 1)

[Pocus]

Dear players,

Here is the release candidate of the first official patch to Civil War II. It has been tested for several days and it fixes a lot of things. If no showstopper is spotted, then it will be the first official patch.

It is recommended to restart a new game with this patch, as some events need to be re-initialized. You can continue a current game, it will works, but you'll probably not enjoy all the fixes.

Also, as a bonus you get a new scenario, a mid-sized campaign. You are welcome to read the details of all the changes here. These details are also in the patch and added as a file in this post.

Happy gaming!

http://ageoddl.telechargement.fr/CW2/Patch_CW2_v1.01PBrc1.zip

Civil War II Updates

Patch 1.01
Release Date: September 26, 2013

How to update your game:

This patch is a comprehensive patch. It can upgrade to latest version any previous version of CW2.
Exceptionally, you'll be prompted again for your serial key. This is because we are updating the file storing it, so we can disable turn compression by default for all users (increased stability). Sorry for the inconvenience.
[h=1]LIST OF CHANGES[/h]
Bonus Scenario
There is a new mid-sized scenario proposed in this patch, the West Campaign, featuring the operations of famous generals Grant, Sherman, Johnston and a few others well-known faces. This campaign lasts 24 turns and is a great stepping-stone for people wanting to prepare for the Grand Campaign!

Interface
Flag fluttering is stopped during hosting.
Scrolling is now done 3 messages at a time in message panel (half of message panel height).
Leaders masking others stacks in region get more informative tooltips
Boot icon tooltip fixed
Tab in ledger renamed
Changed the look of some CSA flags
Very slow or under recruitments units get a brown ribbon.

Gameplay
Battle planner will trigger often (there can be false positive, i.e it triggers but no battle ensues)
Blockade Runner 'income' increased (were suffering from the reduction from 'easy OMB handling')
Development level increases moderately movement cost (-20% speed in wild region, -10% in cleared, no change above)
Weather will be more variable depending of the grand weather zones.
Neutral units can't pillage your regions.
Battle planner will only trigger if a battle is certain. At most 5 deployments shown and usable.

AI
Recon&Raid max distance from 5 to 2 regions
AI Aggressivity down, overall and in Mid-Atlantic particularly
AI dismiss brigades more often resulting in improved formations with more punch!
Optimized slightly AI recruitments

Events
Added events (USA) for Indian Home guard units in KS (thanks Ol'Choctaw)
Unlocked Tennessee in July
Union River Ironclads can be built earlier
KY neutrality event cancelled
Added event for Texas-Mexico border trade
Several new flavor events added for CSA and USA
Fixed CSS Alabama construction events
Fixed volunteers options
Fixed Slaves options
Improved Industrial Options (icons on the map)
Divisions can now be formed from October 61 only (no limit)
Corps can now be formed from March 62 only (no limit)

Data
Naval Engineer ability added (explains they speed up ship construction/repair)
Added rail repair fastest attribute (x2) to engineers and pioneers
Fixed movement type of rangers (and 'light' units) to avoid their frequent 'walk on water' capabilities, plus a terrain cost was fixed
Fixed links between AZ OMB and map
Fixed some VA multiple entry ports
Fixed intermixed images of J. Palmer (admiral and general were swapped)
Reduced Defensive Works decisions trenches level from 8 to 4 and increased its duration to 2 turns instead of 1
Fixed some wronged weather names on terrains
Fixed wrong elements names of Longstreet and Cocke's brigades
Added Nashville force + Zollicoffer in April campaign (June reinforcement missing)
Removed double Central California garrison
Fixed wrong Army names at start
Union cottonclads are now Tinclads
Brigades OH/PA are in the game
Minor Map fixes (St Paul MN)
Added initial shipyards in Cairo IL and Saint Louis MO
Fixed Models for erroneous abilities and pictures (siege art)
Fixed Units for erroneous zones of construction (siege arty)
Fixed some abilities displayed wrongly
Fixed regions for proper city sprite position displays
Minor Terrain fixes
Added Dynamic Graphics to give more feedback on region structures to player
Fixed some upstate NY cities wrong location
Fixed Indian territory settlements and forts
Added some CSA redoubts (Camden AR, Ft Pillow)
Fixed Eastern TN unionists + added Knoxville and Chattanooga as strategic cities

[Templer]

Surprisingly extensive in the set of changes for the short time.
Thank you.

[Pocus]

despite the cliché, French work a lot

[PhilThib]

And we listen a lot to player's requests (when reasonable of course! )

[ajarnlance]

Thanks for the timely update guys!! However, just one thing I have noticed: my laptop touch pad can no longer zoom in and out on the main map. Before the patch I could zoom by dragging my finger along the right-hand side of the touch pad. Could you fix this or include a button to zoom in and out for us laptop users? Thanks!

[vaalen]

despite the cliché, French work a lot

Certainly you and Philippe Thibaut do, Pocus. Thank you for listening to us and fixing so many of our concerns. It looks like you have fixed the deep AI raids issue which was the biggest problem in ACW 1, and so many other things.

No doubt about it, AGEOD Rules!

[vaalen]

And we listen a lot to player's requests (when reasonable of course! )

Does that mean that we might have an option to get the old style leader portraits back? (one can hope)

[PhilThib]

This not reasonable.. You are allowed to mod that, it will be easier because the graphics have kept the same names as the previous ones. But you'll miss all the new additions which did not exist before, so it will require some modding skills to fix minor issues.

In all cases, graphic modding, unless a major improvement approved by us, will not be made officially by Ageod. There are hundred of tastes out there and we shall always find people who 'like' or 'don't like' whatever we make.

[Gen.DixonS.Miles]

I propose the addition of a new general for the union in 1861, who was most promising but got the shaft for something he wasn't entirely responsible for: General Charles Pomeroy Stone.

[Templer]

despite the cliché, French work a lot

If they do not hunt Romans or eat wild boar.

[vaalen]

There are hundred of tastes out there and we shall always find people who 'like' or 'don't like' whatever we make.

Philippe, that statement is so general it can be true about anything. You could use that logic to turn your games into an arcade abstraction, though I know you would never do that.

Yet it seems to ignore the fact that some Ageod veterans really prefer the old portraits. I am talking about people who have bought all of your games, supported your work in forums all over the strategy world, stuck with you through problem times like the initial release of PON, etc.

If it is not practical to restore the old portraits, all you had to do is say so. I have no technical expertise, and no way of knowing how practical this request was. I asked the question to find out. I can accept "no".

Yet I found the statement that you can always find people who like or dislike what you do somewhat surprising, especially when directed to someone who has been with you from the beginning. And I will continue to buy your games and support you.

[PhilThib]

See post #8 above again, I believe it was quite clear: we won't make official mods to go back to old look(s), but won't mind if our fans want to do that.

Your statements also seem to ignore that there are people who like the new look (starting with me!), and we know by experience that people who are not liking things are more vocal than those who do... it has always been so. But it does not mean they are more numerous or that they are "right", wathever 'right' could mean here (hence my statement which was based on the well-known 'des goûts et des couleurs!' French statement, which was more or less - happily - translated by what I said... nothing more than that or personal).

We made a design choice that we felt good. We of course accept some people don't like it and welcome all mods to change it, but we can't just go back on that work because it suits the tastes/likes of some better...because then the fans of the new looks would start complaining, and the process would just become both unmanageable and endless..that's all I meant by this statement, nothing personal.

As the mods threads show, things can be changed, just keeping in mind some limitations because resources are inexistent (like portraits of leaders that were made only for the last game in the latest look).

[vaalen]

[quote="PhilThib"]See post #8 above again, I believe it was quite clear: we won't make official mods to go back to old look(s), but won't mind if our fans want to do that.

Your statements also seem to ignore that there are people who like the new look (starting with me!), and we know by experience that people who are not liking things are more vocal than those who do... it has always been so. But it does not mean they are more numerous or that they are "right", wathever 'right' could mean here (hence my statement which was based on the well-known 'des goûts et des couleurs!' French statement, which was more or less - happily - translated by what I said... nothing more than that or personal).

No, my statement did not ignore the fact that there are people who like the new look.Actually, if you look at my original comment, I asked if we could have an "option" to go back to the old style portraits. That implied, at least to me, that we could have a choice, meaning that those who like the new look could keep it, and those who prefer the old one could have that. In other words, it would be an option we could click on, like other graphics options in the options meny. That would be the best, if practical. As I said, I lacked the knowledge to know if it was practical. I did hope that maybe since you already have the database of the old portraits, it could be done without too much work.

I am perfectly willing to accept that it is not practical, but I thought I could ask.

I thank you for explaining your comment, which I obviously did not understand. And I hope you understand now that I was not asking that you get rid of the new portraits, just that those who prefer the old ones, of whom there are some, could have that choice if possible.

Best wishes, Vaalen

[PhilThib]

Fully understood. Unfortunately, due to the structure of the DB, I don't see how it could be done without some code work...and Pocus has much too many other urgencies (and new releases) to look after, so I am afraid it's going to be long in coming, if ever. But I'll ask him if he can consider putting this on his (long) task list

[vaalen]

Fully understood. Unfortunately, due to the structure of the DB, I don't see how it could be done without some code work...and Pocus has much too many other urgencies (and new releases) to look after, so I am afraid it's going to be long in coming, if ever. But I'll ask him if he can consider putting this on his (long) task list

Thank you. Whenever it comes, I will be grateful, as will others. And if Pocus is just too busy, I will enjoy his work on the urgencies and upcoming new releases. I fully understand that he can only do so much. In fact, I am amazed at how much the two of you accomplish, and always thankful for your magnificent games, which are unique in all the world, and in all time.

[B0rn_C0nfused]

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread to be posting in (I don't want to clog up this thread), but I'm not sure where else to put it.

I tried running the auto update for CW2 and it failed, so I downloaded the file manually, but when I ran the game the version still said 1.00.

I'm not very good with this stuff :/ so I was wondering if anybody could help me fix it and get the update properly installed.

[Ace]

Are the install directories of Civil war II and civil war II patch the same? Could you please verify that the installation directories match

[B0rn_C0nfused]

Are the install directories of Civil war II and civil war II patch the same? Could you please verify that the installation directories match

Which folder under cw2 should I be installing it to. I changed the directory, but it didn't seem to help.

[Ace]

You should install to C:\games\civil war II\
folder or any ...\civil war II\ folder, depending where you have placed the initial installation of the game.

[Generalisimo]

No, my statement did not ignore the fact that there are people who like the new look.Actually, if you look at my original comment, I asked if we could have an "option" to go back to the old style portraits. That implied, at least to me, that we could have a choice, meaning that those who like the new look could keep it, and those who prefer the old one could have that. In other words, it would be an option we could click on, like other graphics options in the options meny. That would be the best, if practical. As I said, I lacked the knowledge to know if it was practical. I did hope that maybe since you already have the database of the old portraits, it could be done without too much work.

I am perfectly willing to accept that it is not practical, but I thought I could ask.

I thank you for explaining your comment, which I obviously did not understand. And I hope you understand now that I was not asking that you get rid of the new portraits, just that those who prefer the old ones, of whom there are some, could have that choice if possible.

Best wishes, Vaalen

Actually, for a modder, it is more easier to do it than you thought.
To change the big portrait for example, just go in here:
D:\juegos\Civil War 2\CW2\Graphics\Units\Leader Units
(adapt that to your directory structure)

You will find inside all the big portraits for all leaders in there... just keep this to the left of your screen... now open a new window with the graphics you want to see in CW2 taken from an AACW installation... put this window to the right of your screen.
Now, what you need to do is simple in nature, just time consuming for you .... you need to replace every portrait in the left window with one from the right... and voila!, you will see the big portraits changed inside the game.

Now, you need to repeat the process for the smaller (army size) portraits...

Like I said, this is not a "complex" task for a modder... just time consuming... but with some dedication, it can surely be done by anyone that wants the old portraits back.... even better, you can later "zip" the result and offer it as a mod for all the community.

[vaalen]

Arsan, I am not even close to being a modder. Your instructions and help are appreciated, but they are far beyond my skills level in this area.