AACW Public beta patch 1.10 released

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Pocus]

Thanks Gray, you spotted the error. The CSVSplitter lost some portions of an old code (I had a general HD failure some months ago and it was not backup properly), so this explains that the 'new version' was in fact missing elements.

It seems to export fine now. (see attachment)


I'll upload it into a new AACW DB archive when the work on the weather xls is deemed finished.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Franciscus]

No, without doubt, weather in this latest patch (and perhaps also immediately preceding patches) is wacked.

I tried restarting another Atlanta 1864 game, and this time most of the regions around Chattanooga, to the northeast, the east, and the southwest (as far south as Talledega, Alabama) are snow-covered--in late April! I have never seen these wacky weather patterns in this scenario before. Something has definitely changed.

I have been unable to play, due to "real-life" work, and only yesterday started a new campaign wiyh 1.10 b3; have not noticed yet anything strange in the weather, although I was not very attentive to this. Nevertheless I feel that I should say a couple of things:
- It seems logical that if the relative percentage of a kind of weather is reduced the relative probability of the others will increase. Maybe what you folks are seeing is just a reflex of this. Less mud, more snow in the months where previously there was mud.
- This weather "probing" and "tweaking" goes far in time. many moons ago this discussion started and faded away, only to be revived with the related problem of attrition, etc. I never felt like it was a big deal (maybe because I do not live in USA). From what I have read, mud was a very common factor in many of the ACW campaigns (most recently read by me, the Red River/Camden, in March/April 1864). I really feel that maybe the efforts of the devs should not be spent in this. Weather should be kept as in 1.09e, and any modifications should be maybe be a mod.
Just my 2 cents (in euros )

[Franciscus]

No, without doubt, weather in this latest patch (and perhaps also immediately preceding patches) is wacked.

I tried restarting another Atlanta 1864 game, and this time most of the regions around Chattanooga, to the northeast, the east, and the southwest (as far south as Talledega, Alabama) are snow-covered--in late April! I have never seen these wacky weather patterns in this scenario before. Something has definitely changed.

I have been unable to play, due to "real-life" work in the past 2-3 weeks, and only yesterday started a new campaign wiyh 1.10 b3; have not noticed yet anything strange in the weather, although I was not very attentive to this. Nevertheless I feel that I should say a couple of things:
- It seems logical that if the relative percentage of a kind of weather is reduced the relative probability of the others will increase. Maybe what you folks are seeing is just a reflex of this. Less mud, more snow in the months where previously there was mud.
- This weather "probing" and "tweaking" goes far in time. many moons ago this discussion started and faded away, only to be revived with the related problem of attrition, etc. I never felt like it was a big deal (maybe because I do not live in USA). From what I have read, mud was a very common factor in many of the ACW campaigns (eg, the most recently read by me, the Red River/Camden, in the barrens of Arkansas/Lousiana, March/April 1864). I really feel that maybe the efforts of the devs should not be spent in this. Weather should be kept as in 1.09e, and any modifications should maybe be a mod.

Just my 2 cents (in euros )

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Gray_Lensman]

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[arsan]

Thanks Gray! Much better looking now.

[Pocus]

weird regions problem, but it seems to be a reality, so I'll take your update.

[richfed]

I've not been downloading these betas like I used to because of their size [I'm on dial-up], but this latest projected patch sounded interesting, so I downloaded it last night.

So far, no problems. Playing nicely; seems stable.

Two things I thought I would mention:

1 - Turn resolution seems to be a little slower than it had been recently.
2 - Very, very minor: The start-up doesn't recognize that my system has Vista SP1 ... it still shows 6.000.

Thanks AGEOD for your continued excellence. I look forward to BOA2.

[Franciscus]

I confirm that turn resolution is indeed slower. Maybe it is the price to pay to have a better AI...

[hootieleece]

The Supply depot in Virginia named William on Map. Should be Williamsburg. Just thought of it now.

New patch working well, still learning from my generalship mistakes.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[GrudgeBringer]

I live in kansas City, MO and while its not a usual event to have snow in Missouri in april, It DOES (and DID this year) happen every few years.

We are about 200 miles north of the Arkansas State Line and it does sem that that area would be more muddy (as the weather systems seem to just go thru there CONSTANTLY from Oklahoma and Texas) than Frigid or with Snow. agian thats for the most part not always.

Ther is a saying in Missouri " If you don't like the weather...just wait 15 minutes and it will change" and yes it IS that volitile.

[berto]

GrudgeBringer, but would you agree that even if it does snow in April, it melts in a few days, turning conditions to mud? Much farther north (I've lived most of my life in the upper Midwest), in my experience, spring snows always melt away the next day or the day after. (A few years back, after an unusual 6" snow the first week of April, upon seeing me shoveling my sidewalk, a passerby chuckled and remarked, "Why bother? It's all going to melt away tomorrow, you know." And he was right!)

In describing the weather over a 15-day turn, we're looking for the prevailing conditions, not conditions that might apply (unusually to rarely) over just one or two days in those 15.

So, I conclude from this that any so-called "Snow" conditions in early April or later should really be classified as "Mud".

[pepe4158]

Say do you guys know if the patch really does improve Athena by any significant amounts?

[GrudgeBringer]

I agree whole heartedly!!!

I play Rugby starting in March and we don't worry about the snow but we DO know mud is gonna be there thru most of April.

If snow id there more than 1 day its usually only in shded areas that never see the sun and then its gone by day 2 or 3.

However, it seems that the ground stays soft (muddy if you like) for most of the month.

It would have been a real PROBLEM to manuver around quickly but you would only have Mud to worry about not frigid weather or snow.

[arsan]

Say do you guys know if the patch really does improve Athena by any significant amounts?

From my experience on the private betas (i have not had time to try the 1.10 betas still) yes it does.
Pocus has worked on improving very important things for the AI (HQ management, replacements and transport assets buys, stack placements...).
Now, about your Washington DC trick... hmmm i'm not so sure
Regards!

[Franciscus]

Definite improvements in AI. I am getting my a** kicked by the Union forces (corps, divisions, organized, finally...) and loving it

[pepe4158]

ok then for PvP play by e-mail a prob tho if you both are not running the same version....right?
Had soem PvP games going n was anxious to see the new AI n loaded it in but doubt they did yet?
Only thing I see now is Athenas slower, but still early n the turns

[arsan]

You can install two (or more) copies of the game on your PC and keep one with 1.09e to PBEM and another to try the 1.10 beta.
Regards!

[Rafiki]

You can also copy your installation and then apply new patches to one, while letting the other remain at an older patch version.

[pepe4158]

Yeah I didnt want to do that tho, as far as I am concerned my opponets can upgrade lol

say Raf or Ars....where would I post about a PvP patch fix about a situation I think needs to be addressed.

The question is on Conf. use of Cav, and what I consider to be dare I say an exploit of the game to any true historian.

The fact of the speed of Conf cavs seems to be a little too fast in combination with the fact that smaller units seem to suffer a smaller attrition loss, hence you have CSA cav, early in the game able to make upstate NY, which any historian could tell you is utter lunacy.

Do I use that exploit too....yes I have, but told my opponent I think it needs to be addressed, does the Confederacy really need that advantage to win I ask? Or players do it just because they can?

How the He$$ can it be so hard for the union, to substain a large sized army deep in the south...when that WAS historically possible (hence Shermans march to the sea) and in the game the south can have partisans as far as Detroit or Cav running around upstate NY...which is tottaly bogus historicaly?

Yeah still checking to see if the DC exploit still works against Athena...dunno yet.

[Rafiki]

say Raf or Ars....where would I post about a PvP patch fix about a situation I think needs to be addressed.

Well, the name of this forum is "Help to impove AACW!"

Just start a thread about it (in this forum), detailing your suggestion and see what kind of response it gets from the others on the forum

[pepe4158]

wow ...only played one game, but so far the DC exploit looks fixed too as Athena is zealously guarding her squares better, I cant exploit her even on a normal setting game, and it was a given before on normal she was dead.

[berto]

To those of you reporting improved AI:

Are you using the 1.10-beta3 release? If so, this is encouraging, because there has been some concern that all the attrition/cohesion/movement/weather changes in the 1.10 beta series might adversely affect the AI.

[Franciscus]

Using beta3. AI definitely better. ANV, fully organised in corps/divisions, with no command penalties whatsoever, just fought (and whipped) my Johnston's corps, and in the same turn Lew Wallace captured Forts Henry and Donelson (have to say that maybe now I will start to complain of a too much improved AI, as this happened in late July 1861 ).

Maybe it is too early to assess the efects of attrition, etc (and only later the snow/mud problem will be a factor), but I am having a blast !

Pocus's work is worthy of infinite praises

[Brochgale]

wow ...only played one game, but so far the DC exploit looks fixed too as Athena is zealously guarding her squares better, I cant exploit her even on a normal setting game, and it was a given before on normal she was dead.

I just tried to go for DC and got my proverb kicked. I could have sworn I seen yanks stacking at Harpers but apparently Athena devsised a clever trap for CSA. Now the Harpers stack is rapanging through NV and my wasted army is trapped at Manassass and Alexandria. No silly attacks down Mississippi either - darn? No easy promotions for my Generals in west either?

[oldspec4]

I don't know how attrition, etc. has impacted the AI but the AI sure seems to be much better at planning and executing w/o the command penalties. I'm at turn 20 (late Jan. '62) and the Union has given me a heck of a fight in the West and I have lost Manassas, Harper's Ferry, Fredericksburg, and Winchester in the East. Union AI set at normal w/ low FOW advantage.

[pepe4158]

Hee-hee yeah this is great, everytime I try my DC exploit, Athena whips my butt good lol, a reminder to me to play the game as it was intended lol Yeah cant say about the weather as my DC trick before was a kamakazie style approach at best....either I was going to win the game by turn 12, or in deep trouble, now that Athena better defends herself its the latter lol....better start grunting it out