Ambrosia Garden Archive
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    • Possible bug in 1.0.2.

       EV Developer's Corner
      10 19 363
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      Recently, I've been developing missions for a future TR plug-in. When I tried to test them out, I ran into a very peculiar bug.

      The missions would show up out of order. Say, mission 1 would start on Planet A, and mission 2 would start on Planet B, and mission 3 would start on Planet A again. Missions 1 and 2 would show up whenever you went to their respective planets (even though mission 2 should only be available after you complete mission 1). If you do mission 1, then mission 3 would show up, even though mission 2 has not been completed yet.

      Now, I know I have the bits down perfectly. Experienced plugmakers have checked them out, they're fine. For a while, I just thought it was a bug in the plug, and work on it halted.

      But, recently, I've begun playing the Babylon 5 plug-in with 1.0.2. I've noticed the exact same problem there as well! Now, the B5 plug did not have this problem with 1.0.1, and the plug I'm working on didn't have any problems like the one I described until I started working with version 1.0.2. EVO works fine, but has anybody else seen this bug in a TR plug (no rhyme intended)? I know somebody on Blazer's alternative board has seen the same problem with B5 as I have, and two other people have noticed this bug with the plug I'm working on.

      Anybody else? I didn't want to send this to Ambrosia yet, as only four people (to my knowledge) have said they've experienced it.

      Any comments (or, if you just want to call me an idiot, that's okay too) are appreciated.

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      Have you considered the possibility that the original game content may be interfering? For example, you might be using a pilot file which you used in the original game, and some mission bits may have been set there... ???

      Just a thought,

      your servant,
      -s-

      ------------------
      Never argue with Andrew Welch
      El presidente / An Idiot
      Ambrosia Software, Inc.: They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

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      No, both new pilots both times.

      Also, that wouldn't fit. The first missions in the string show up, if I set those bits in a previous game, those missions would not show. Its just the matter that other missions besides the first one appear, even though they worked in fine v. 1.0.1. of EVO.

      Somebody told me that it might be that B5 and the plug I'm working on aren't 100% compatable with 1.0.2. But, were there changes in the way bits are read in 1.0.2? I didn't think so...if there is, could somebody tell me how to make it compatable?

      -Andy

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      Make an example plug, with 3 missions or whatever, with text saying, this is the breifing to mission one, etc... so that it demonstrates the bug. The post it somewhere, so others can look at it. If you don't have a place email it to me and I'll post it somewhere.

      Chamrin

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      I 'fixed' it, and I'm pretty sure it is a bug. All I did was add 20 to all the mission bits and the problem went away. Apparently, some of the first missions bits are already set, even when you start a new pilot file. Most other plugs, like FH, started around bit 20 or whatever. The B5 plug had some missions with bits 5, 6, etc. , and so did I. Now, the plug's missions start on bit 20 and it works perfectly.

      Or, that's my theory. I'm still not quite sure, but if some (but not all) of the first bits are pre-set then it fits my problem perfectly.

      Weird.

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      Quote

      Originally posted by Andy:
      Apparently, some of the first missions bits are already set, even when you start a new pilot file.

      No, that's not true.

      mcb

      ------------------
      Matt Burch
      (url="http://"mailto:mburch@ambrosiasw.com")mailto:mburch@ambrosiasw.com(/url)mburch@ambrosiasw.com

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      Another bug I've noticed in EVO 1.0.2, is with the SAD Modules in plug-ins. They screw up as they turn. They flash every once and a while as they go on their spinning cycle. Bad mask maybe? Screwy graphic? It never happened in EVO 1.0.1. However, this only happens in plugs, not in the actual game. Maybe EV-Edit?

      ------------------
      To Escape Velocity: Nova and Beyond!
      --------------
      Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
      Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

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      Quote

      Originally posted by Captain Carnotaur:
      Another bug I've noticed in EVO 1.0.2, is with the SAD Modules in plug-ins. They screw up as they turn. They flash every once and a while as they go on their spinning cycle. Bad mask maybe? Screwy graphic?

      This happens to me in the normal game, the SAEs and SADs show 1 frame of another weapons spin (i think SADs show a frame of the, plasma syphon) that leads me to beleive its an engine problem, not a sprite problem

      Quote

      Originally posted by Captain Carnotaur:
      It never happened in EVO 1.0.1. However, this only happens in plugs, not in the actual game.

      Indeed it never happend in 1.0.1 or 1.0.0 for that matter (and i don't think it ever will) and as i said before, it happens to me in the actual game, not just in plugins, however, in a plugin i made that adds some weapons with new spin graphics, i noticed that they just dissapear for a second (well, one frame actually) i'm going to have to try something tomorrow... i wonder if it'll work?

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      Goomeister said that if you take out the flag 0x0001 (the flag that makes the graphics spin continuously) the bug will be fixed. But I didn't exactly like that correction. I still want the SADs to spin.

      P.S. What happened to you is EXACTLY what happened to me.

      ------------------
      To Escape Velocity: Nova and Beyond!
      --------------
      Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
      Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

      (This message has been edited by Captain Carnotaur (edited 01-02-2001).)

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      quote:

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Originally posted by Andy:
      Apparently, some of the first missions bits are already set, even when you start a new pilot file.
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------

      No, that's not true.
      mcb

      -----------------------------------------------------------------------

      Well, do you know why missions seem to appear at random in certain plugs (that have mission bits set on the first few bits) in 1.0.2, but not in any other version? Also, if there isn't a problem with the first few mission bits, how come adding 20 to all the bits completely fixed it with both plugs? I have no clue what the problem is, maybe you'd care to enlighten us besides just a 'No'?

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      **
      Well, do you know why missions seem to appear at random in certain plugs (that have mission bits set on the first few bits) in 1.0.2, but not in any other version? Also, if there isn't a problem with the first few mission bits, how come adding 20 to all the bits completely fixed it with both plugs? I have no clue what the problem is, maybe you'd care to enlighten us besides just a 'No'?
      **

      Hate to burst your bubble, but mission bits 1-20 were used in F-25, a plug-in you originally worked on. And they continue to be in use today, using EVO 1.0.2, without any problems I know of.

      _bomb

      (This message has been edited by Bomb (edited 01-02-2001).)

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      I've been using mission bits 1 and higher in my plug, Nemesis, and haven't had a problem yet. I have had bugs in the past but they were usually because I had forgotten to set or clear a certain bit or cleared the wrong one.

      Phoenix

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      (url="http://"http://commonwealth.cjb.net")Commonwealth Software(/url)

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      Quote

      Originally posted by Andy:
      **quote:
      Well, do you know why missions seem to appear at random in certain plugs (that have mission bits set on the first few bits) in 1.0.2, but not in any other version? Also, if there isn't a problem with the first few mission bits, how come adding 20 to all the bits completely fixed it with both plugs? I have no clue what the problem is, maybe you'd care to enlighten us besides just a 'No'?
      **

      Sounds like you screwed something up.

      mcb

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      Matt Burch
      (url="http://"mailto:mburch@ambrosiasw.com")mailto:mburch@ambrosiasw.com(/url)mburch@ambrosiasw.com

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      LOL! That's the best.

      You can use Plug Checker to get a list of where each bit is set and cleared and a list of all missions and where they set and clear bits. Make sure you have the latest version of Plug Checker.

      Phoenix

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      (url="http://"http://commonwealth.cjb.net")Commonwealth Software(/url)

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      quote:

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Originally posted by Andy:
      quote:
      Well, do you know why missions seem to appear at random in certain plugs (that have mission bits set on the first few bits) in 1.0.2, but not in any other version? Also, if there isn't a problem with the first few mission bits, how come adding 20 to all the bits completely fixed it with both plugs? I have no clue what the problem is, maybe you'd care to enlighten us besides just a 'No'?

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Sounds like you screwed something up.
      mcb

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      That wouldn't have surprised me at all, but when four other people say they experience the same problem, one an experienced plugmaker (not me) who knows what he's talking about and he can't figure it out, and when it comes up on a tried and tested plug that had no problems before it was played on 1.0.2...I start to wonder. I wouldn't have posted this at all if it was just me and the plug I'm working on, but its not limited to that.

      Oh, and I did use plugchecker, and all those early bits checked out fine, but then the missions still get screwed up. I don't overestimate by abilities, I thought it was some problem or another until I noticed it in another plug along. Then, when other people say they've seen the same bug...sorry, but I can't screw up somebody else's copy of a plug that they downloaded on their own.

      And forget about it, I solved the problem on my own anyway, I just thought that it was interesting because it was only with some of the earlier missions that use the first bits, and that it only showed up in the plug when it was playing on a version 1.0.2 EVO.

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      Have you looked at all the secondary BitSet/Clear fields? The EVO 1.0.2 templates plug "0" into all the extra fields when you open up a plug made for an earlier version and this can pose problems in BitSet/Clear fields. Mission Bit 0 is a legitimate bit that can be set or cleared, so you'll need to make sure that any 0's are set to -1.

      Maybe that will clear things up for you.

      ------------------
      Jon Potter
      Thank you for your cooperation. Good night.

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      I've been doing some testing on the SAD bug and here's what I've found out:
      •Sprite ID’s have nothing to do with it
      •Spin ID’s have nothing to do with it
      •Cell/Sprite size have nothing to do with it
      •Cell number (x/y tiles) have nothing to do with it
      •It has nothing to do with processors
      •Editing your data files has nothing to do with it
      •It has nothing to do with RAM size/how much memory you give EVO
      •It has nothing to do with monitor resolution

      In order to figure out what's wrong, I'd like more info on everyone’s computer. so (PLEASE!) post a reply with:

      •Your version of MacOS
      •Your computer (processor/how fast)
      •Whether or not you have the "blinking" sprite problem
      •What plugins you have in/does it do it without them in

      Oh, and even if you're just observing, PLEASE POST ANYWAY! I need as much info as possible!!

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      Even though its answering my own question which I don't need to do, I'll set a good example:

      •MacOS 8.5 (and MacOS 8.5.1 on my 6100)
      •Original series 200mhz (might be 233mhz, not sure) G3 PowerBook and a 6100/60
      •Yes I have the "Blinking" sprite porblem with the SADs on both my G3 and 6100
      •A few of my own plugins, as well as Cloak Keep 3.0 and Embigulator 1024x768. It happens with or with out them in

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      The blinking sprite thing showed up during the public beta versions too...I did report it but then re-tracted the report cause i thought It was an error on my part...hmm...

      My systems:

      iMac 350 mhz (128 megs Ram and running OS 8.6)
      iMac 400mhz DV (192 megs ram and running OS 9)
      Powerbook 3400cs (64 megs ram and running OS 8.6)
      Performa 6116 CD (32 megs ram and running OS 8.1)

      All with blinking sprites...

      PEACE YO!

      ------------------
      Damon: An Immortal! Hahaha...there are things worse than DEATH!
      Kwanza: bang...bang
      "Quoted the Kwanza Man...Nevermore"
      If you're one in a million, then there are 1000 people just like you in China.

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