Has Deployment Changed?

[A_Wal_]

Did a recent update change the way deployment works? I want to upload the mod I made months ago because I don't know if I'll get around to finishing everything I wanted to do so I thought I'd just upload it now like I should have done in February but I tested it just to make sure everything's working and one side never gets to deploy.

I know there's a toggle deployment option in the map editor but it was set on the right setting before so it should be right now. It seems there's three options, deploy with both, deploy with one or deploy with neither so how can you change which side gets to it if it's set to only one of them gets a deployment? Very strange.

In the map file there seems to be only one toggle variable for deployment and with the one where both should be able to deploy and the one where only one of them should be able to deploy it's set to DEPLOY TRUE and the one where neither of them deploying is set to FALSE but the FLAGS and PMASK variables are different in the two that are DEPLOY TRUE.

When it's set to both can deploy: DEPLOY TRUE, FLAGS 1, PMASK 4. When it's set to one can deploy: DEPLOY TRUE, FLAGS 3, PMASK 0. When it's set to neither can deploy: DEPLOY FALSE, FLAGS 1, PMASK 0. Why are three variables involved? Maybe I accidently changed something else in the editor without realising but I don't think so.

Also I've lost the ability to concede in the test games where I accept my own challenge, although I was able to yesterday. Everything happens the same way but the game stays with the active games and if I select it then I'm replaying the same turn.

You've been having tournaments! Looks like I missed out on that. Will you be running more?

[A_Wal_]

Okay, so if I set it to only one gets to deploy then it allows both to deploy and if I set it to both get to deploy then only one side can.
That's annoying, I don't know whether to upload it now. If I fix it and this bug gets fixed in an update then that update will break it again.
Presumably this is a very simple update to do so should I wait or upload it? How long do you think before this will be fixed?

[pipfromslitherine]

PMASK is not relevant to the deployment. DEPLOY and FLAGS contain all the information for the game. There have been some small changes in the deployment code, but nothing that would radically alter how the deployments work. Perhaps the UI isn't as obvious as it should be.

Cheers

Pip

[A_Wal_]

Thanks for the reply but I respectfully disagree. Maps that's are supposed to let both sides deploy only let one side deploy and maps that are supposed to let just one side deploy now let both deploy, it must have got switched over in a relatively (after February) patch.
I saw in another topic that people were having trouble in the tournament because they didn't get a deployment phase, I think this is why.

It's easy to fix my maps by setting them to what used to allow only one side to deploy but if I release it now and you fix it with a patch fairly quickly it's not worth it because then my maps will be back to only letting one side deploy. But if it's going to be while because you're not really supporting this game any more then I might as well release it. Hopefully having new content get some players back and we can have another tournament because I missed out on that.

[Paul59]

I saw in another topic that people were having trouble in the tournament because they didn't get a deployment phase, I think this is why.

No, it was a design decision to have some scenarios without a deployment phase. I regret that now, and will probably have deployment phases for all tournament scenarios I design in future.

I did find the UI quite misleading, but put that down to my unfamiliarity with adding deployment phases. I mostly design historical scenarios for Field of Glory 2, where deployment phases are undesirable, it wouldn't be very historical to allow players to change the deployment! But I always tested each scenario to make sure the deployment phase was working as I intended, so I know there were no errors.

[A_Wal_]

But I always tested each scenario to make sure the deployment phase was working as I intended, so I know there were no errors.

Okay, but that just means the maps you made for the tournament weren't affected by this but every map made before that must be.

Here's the situation, I edited two of the SP campaign maps to use for a mod and they worked fine before but now I've come back to it some months later they're set to only let one side deploy. So a simple fix is to go into the editor and set change the deploy option to the icon that used to be used to let both sides deploy and everything works again.

However, the older MP scenarios won't work the way they used to now (unless they're set to neither gets to deploy which hasn't changed). I know that it's wrong now and was right before because the icon that shows two pawns with deployment arrows now sets it to one getting to deploy and the one pawn icon with deployment arrows now sets it to both get a deployment.

[Paul59]

But I always tested each scenario to make sure the deployment phase was working as I intended, so I know there were no errors.

Okay, but that just means the maps you made for the tournament weren't affected by this but every map made before that must be.

Here's the situation, I edited two of the SP campaign maps to use for a mod and they worked fine before but now I've come back to it some months later they're set to only let one side deploy. So a simple fix is to go into the editor and set change the deploy option to the icon that used to be used to let both sides deploy and everything works again.

However, the older MP scenarios won't work the way they used to now (unless they're set to neither gets to deploy which hasn't changed). I know that it's wrong now and was right before because the icon that shows two pawns with deployment arrows now sets it to one getting to deploy and the one pawn icon with deployment arrows now sets it to both get a deployment.

I have just tested the Lost Hills original MP scenario. In the Editor it has the Deployment Mode button showing like this:



Two figures and arrows. As I said before, I have no knowledge of how the Deployment Mode button is supposed to work, but you reckon that this should mean that both sides get to deploy, and that certainly seems logical to me. Also, as this is an MP game, it is also logical that both sides should get to deploy.

However, when I tested the scenario against myself only the Space Wolves got a Deployment phase.

I then changed the Deployment Mode button in the Editor to this;



One figure and arrows. Logically this seems like only one player should get a Deployment phase, but when I tested it both sides got one!

So I think you are right. To me it looks like the Deployment Mode buttons are not functioning as intended.

[A_Wal_]

So is this going to be patched soon? If I release my mod now then a patch fixes this it will break my maps.

It should be just a case of switching them back over but any maps made after they got reversed, like your tournament maps will need to be edited so that they're correct after the fix. Unless of course you set those to neither side gets to deploy, then they should be fine.

[Paul59]

So is this going to be patched soon? If I release my mod now then a patch fixes this it will break my maps.

It should be just a case of switching them back over but any maps made after they got reversed, like your tournament maps will need to be edited so that they're correct after the fix. Unless of course you set those to neither side gets to deploy, then they should be fine.

A patch is above my paygrade. Let's see what Pip has to say about it. I have emailed him, as I discovered that there might be a similar issue with other games that use the same engine (ie; FoG2).

If a patch is made I can easily amend my tournament scenarios if required, but it depends upon what actually is wrong. It might be that just the button graphics are wrong, and all that would be needed is to rename the graphics files. However, your experience with your old scenarios and my example of the Lost Hills scenario suggests that maybe the coding has been altered.

[A_Wal_]

Could you let me know what he says. I don't want to release the mod and then have to tell people it's now broken and they need to download it again, unless you want to include a fix to my maps in the patch.

It should be such a simple change, just switching round the ifs.

[pipfromslitherine]

I will investigate this. It's possible that a bug was introduced.

Cheers

Pip

[Paul59]

I will investigate this. It's possible that a bug was introduced.

Cheers

Pip

The Deployment button situation seems to be the same in FoG2, P&S, and Sengoku Jidai. Which is strange as the last two games have not been updated in over three years.

Maybe we are just misunderstanding the logic behind the button graphics?

[A_Wal_]

Maybe we are just misunderstanding the logic behind the button graphics?

No, this 100% has changed in Sancus Reach at least. My maps used to allow both sides to deploy, now they don't without being edited.

That's not the problem, it couldn't be easier to fix the maps. The problem is it's being caused by a new bug in Sanctus Reach that's effecting all the maps that were made before this bug, so if this bug were to be fixed after I release the mod then my maps would be broken again.

This seems like a very simple fix so I don't want to upload it now and have my maps needing to be updated within a couple of days.

[Paul59]

Maybe we are just misunderstanding the logic behind the button graphics?

No, this 100% has changed in Sancus Reach at least. My maps used to allow both sides to deploy, now they don't without being edited.

That's not the problem, it couldn't be easier to fix the maps. The problem is it's being caused by a new bug in Sanctus Reach that's effecting all the maps that were made before this bug, so if this bug were to be fixed after I release the mod then my maps would be broken again.

This seems like a very simple fix so I don't want to upload it now and have my maps needing to be updated within a couple of days.

Yes, I understand what you are saying, it just seems odd to me that the Deployment buttons work in the same way in the older games, and they have not been changed recently.

But it's no use speculating, let's wait and see what Pip makes of it.