BFM8 Testing

[StealthDP]

We are setting all of the maps up now... it will probably take another hour or so. We will leave the maps running on the server until later this evening, so get the latest copy of the BFM8 beta and jump on in! I will try to group some of the custom maps so we can test the map switching features.

Sorry for the delays; it has been a hectic weekend!

[Phanataz]

Please get this version before testing!

http://www.phanz.com/files/BFM8-Build-20.exe

I've tried my best to make sure this version was ready for today's test, but because it is beta, we will most likely encounter problems. That is why we have been asking people to test BFM8 as much as possible and then to post their feedback here in these forums:

http://www.phanz.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=3

When you get it, add the GA server IP:66.98.160.70:14567


Whats supposed to happen?

Bascially you should be able to launch into GA from BFM8, BFM8 should be able to download the custom maps and have them install automatically.

If you are in the BF1942 game and a new map loads on the server that you do not have, BFM8 is supposed to minimize BF1942 so that you can see the download progress. When the download is complete, it is supposed to launch you back into the server.

[StealthDP]

I am starting up some custome maps now... lets test this out this afternoon!!!

[stapuf]

I downloaded this version and got the same graphic errors that I emailed you today.

Also I have MadMikey in my buddy list. He shows up as being online on GA, but no players show in the server list?

I haven't tried to d/l a custom map yet.

[SuperDank]

Lovely!!!!...

[Phanataz]

I downloaded this version and got the same graphic errors that I emailed you today.

Also I have MadMikey in my buddy list. He shows up as being online on GA, but no players show in the server list?

I haven't tried to d/l a custom map yet.

Stapuf, I saw your picture. I have NO idea why the background in BFM8 is off center like that. Does BFM8 work as far as launching you into the server, downloading maps, etc..? What OS are you using?

I think Mikey was installing maps, so he might have been joining and leaving the server when you were checking. Sometimes the server will still report someone being on when they are not.

[StealthDP]

This works awesome! Great job, Phan!

[SFT]

Handled quarry fine, but it got stuck during uncompressing with Twin Rivers. Does it check for subfolders within the file? Tried it 3 times but no good.

Oh, and there is a slight windows repainting issue if you have other windows open, but not a biggy. Probably can be fixed in the handler.

[SFT]

I can't find the twin rivers map in the file area so I'll be back later (can't do a manual load).

[stapuf]

Stapuf, I saw your picture. I have NO idea why the background in BFM8 is off center like that. Does BFM8 work as far as launching you into the server, downloading maps, etc..? What OS are you using?

I think Mikey was installing maps, so he might have been joining and leaving the server when you were checking. Sometimes the server will still report someone being on when they are not.

It works to launch, but there weren't custom maps running when I tested it. In case I missed it, is there a readme to explain mapwatch, etc.?

[Phanataz]

Handled quarry fine, but it got stuck during uncompressing with Twin Rivers. Does it check for subfolders within the file? Tried it 3 times but no good.

Oh, and there is a slight windows repainting issue if you have other windows open, but not a biggy. Probably can be fixed in the handler.

So it just froze on "Uncompressing"? Were you able to press Cancel or did BFM8 just freeze up?

Can you see if you can do a search for DCM_Twin_rivers.rfa in your BF1942 folder? I have not yet tested .ZIP files that contain subfolders. This could have been the problem, but doesnt explain why others were able to join the twin rivers map.

BFM8 does check to make sure a directory exists before extracting a file to it.

[Phanataz]

It works to launch, but there weren't custom maps running when I tested it. In case I missed it, is there a readme to explain mapwatch, etc.?

Not at the moment.

But mapwatch simply monitors the server for a map change. If it finds that you do not have the map, it will start downloading it. BF1942 is supposed to minimize so you can see the download progress.

The whole intent is to make it so that the player does not have to go close out of bf1942, download a map from a web site, extract it into the right folders, and then relaunch BF1942.

And I did find a problem with the buddy list feature. That has been fixed for the next future release.

What OS are you running, Stapuf?

[Salyavin]

BFM8 worked fine for me. The only weirdness was that it asked for Map Watch to be off when I tried to launch after having already been in the game. Does BFM8 call CreateProcess() to launch BF1942 and track it by PID or handle? If so I may have confused it when BF did a CTD and I restarted it from the shell and not from BFM8.

I did have trouble with the custom maps. I was in Quarry and it was okay even when driving the custom vehicles (big truck, moped), but toward the end of the match I got a CTD and CTDs reconnected (in the map for a second and then boom). TwinRivers gave me a CTD as soon as I spawned the first time but after that it was okay.

Cheers,
Salyavin

[SoBeiT]

In Quarry, I was kicked due to a high ping.

Had to be the map itself, I don't ping high here.

[SFT]

Phan, the Uncompressing box came up with the time bar in the completed position and it just sits there. It isn't locked because I can hit cancel. The map doesn't make it to the directory. Where does the zip file get parked (Windows temp directory)?

[Phanataz]

The zip file gets downloaded into the BFM8 folder as a temp file called mapdl.zip. Ill try to look at the code to see if I can figure out why youre having that problem.

[Phanataz]

I did have trouble with the custom maps. I was in Quarry and it was okay even when driving the custom vehicles (big truck, moped), but toward the end of the match I got a CTD and CTDs reconnected (in the map for a second and then boom).

lol.. Quarry was a hoot. I loved all of those vehicles. It's hard to tell if the custom maps are causing trouble or if its BFM8. I assumed the maps were created when DC .6 was around.. so I dont know if DC .7 makes them crash or not.

For BFM8, theres still quite a bit of room for improvement. Thanks to everyone that helped test this afternoon.

[stapuf]

What OS are you running, Stapuf?

I figured out how mapwatch worked when the first custom map popped up...DOH.

I am running WinXP Home.

[SFT]

Phan, I found something. It made a folder called twin rivers in bf1942/levels/. It contains a counter.dat file but nothing else. Still can't find any map file. Hope that info helps.

[Salyavin]

Phan, I found something. It made a folder called twin rivers in bf1942/levels/. It contains a counter.dat file but nothing else. Still can't find any map file. Hope that info helps.The map file should be in \Mods\DesertCombat\Archives\bf1942\levels\DCM_Twin _Rivers.RFA
You can try a search for the map file and see where BFM8 put it. I have a LoadCounter.dat file in \bf1942\levels\dcm_twin_rivers\ too so that must have been part of the package.

Cheers,
Salyavin

[SFT]

Yes, thanks, I know where the map file is supposed to be, I just didn't think I needed to say it here and no, like I said before it's not there. Yes, you can do a search "*.rfa" and find the maps, but I didn't find them, so I asked where Phan put them. The reason I mentioned it built a folder "Twin Rivers" and placed a file "Loadcounter.dat" was to let him step through with a debugger and when he got to that point he would know what to look for. I was just giving him any info he needed to debug. That's all.

I just tried loading op sid ii or something like that and I had the same problem.

Is there anyplace to manually dl these maps?

[StealthDP]

I will place them on the web server... give me a few minutes to upload them...

[StealthDP]

OK, Shirl, here they are... all of the custom maps in the rotation, in one nice little zip file...

http://www.gamingasylum.net/file.php?id=236

[Phanataz]

I dont think thats BFM8 making those folder, SFT. I'm not sure yet why youre having this problem. I tried the op sid II map on GA and it worked fine.

There should be a bfm8.log file inside your BFM8 folder, that might contain some information. You could post it here or email it to me at phanz@phanz.com

I'd like to get with you and see if I can locate the problem. I think it would help me alot and any one else having this problem. It's hard to figure out because I havent experienced this bug yet.

Maybe get into the new IRC channel?

[SFT]

Got it. Thanks, Stealth.

Phan, here's the log file:

5:49:01 PM 2/8/2004 - Successfully received dcm_quarry into F:\Games\BF1942\Mods\DESERTCOMBAT\archives\bf1942\ levels

That's all there is.

[Phanataz]

Got it. Thanks, Stealth.

Phan, here's the log file:

5:49:01 PM 2/8/2004 - Successfully received dcm_quarry into F:\Games\BF1942\Mods\DESERTCOMBAT\archives\bf1942\ levels

That's all there is.

So at least one file made it. SFT, can you try adding this to your BFM8 favorites:

12.22.203.29:14567 and try connecting to that server and see what happens?

Are you running NTFS? Im wondering if there is some weird file permission problem.

[SFT]

OK, I just opened all the zips and looked at the contents. Check this: The map that loaded had '.rfa' and the two maps that didn't load had '.RFA'. Could there be some kind of case sensitive thing happening here. I'm using Win 2000 sp 4 (I think). Yes, NTFS.

[StealthDP]

Windows should not care about case...


Win2k??? C'mon Shirl, quit dickin' around and install WinXP... :D :D :naughty:

[SFT]

Yes, and a week after installing XP I'll have to install Longhorn and then... Bill Gates is the Devil!

I tried that address Phan and the same thing happened with "A Sliver of Hope" map. The uncompressing window was up for 5 minutes until I cancelled it.

[StealthDP]

What is the path to your BF install, Shirl? Did you use the default \Program Files\EA Games\BF1942???

[stapuf]

Mine got stuck in 'uncompressing' once. Teh only difference is that I had Outlook open(?)

So, I quit out of BFM8 and BF...then restarted and the map was in there and working. It originally was stuck on quarry.

puf

[-F7]

Kickass Phan!

[SFT]

No, I never use the default. F:\Games\BF1942

But it did load Quarry, so I don't know. Does BFM8 have to be in the BF1942 directory?

[Salyavin]

Is your account in the Administrator group on your PC, Shirl? It could be the privileges that BFM8 is running under, with read permissions to the map directory but not write.

Are you running a virus scanner or firewall software with some kind of file protection? Some of those lock active files and directories when they do a scan.

Cheers,
Salyavin

[Phanataz]

SFT, i think that if we can figure this out, we could fix anything in BFM8..lol

Try this version that i've been working on:

http://www.phanz.com/files/BFM8-Build-21.exe

I've added some special code for the purpose of debugging. Please tell me EXACTLY what happens when you try to download a map using BFM8.

Install BFM8 in a seperate folder from BF1942. Uninstall the BFM8 that you have now, and try this version.

[SFT]

Sal made a good point. It could be the privileges. I'll have to check that. My anti virus is disabled and I set the firewall to handle it.

I try that new on Phan. Give me a few (phew) minutes.

[SFT]

OK, here's the good NEWS. It worked for Twin Rivers. I got a message box telling me about the unzipping, i CLICKED ok, it loaded and the game started. I also launched into the game clean to check that too and it worked (build 21).

Bad news: both times the map crashed, but this is most likely the map and not BFM8.

What I did differently this time is I let the program install where it wanted in program_files/BFM8. So it's either something you changed or the program wants to be installed in that directory (last time I installed it on my F drive).

[Phanataz]

WOOT! But where did you try this at? Doesnt look like GA or my test server was running twin rivers..?

Yes, I think twin rivers just has problems. Theres where I started crashing too. Can you try installing it to f:\bfm8-beta (or something similar on your F: drive) and see how it does on the test server (12.22.203.29:14567).

Thanks for helping a frusterated programmer out.

[SFT]

ok, give me a few minutes.

[SFT]

I loaded it as F:\BFM8 and it worked. I went to your site and dl'ed A Sliver of Hope and then entered the game with out a problem. Left the game and BFM8 was still there. It had been disappearing previously (was it supposed to do that?).

One thing: check the link you build. The properties look correct, but I was getting a message - couldn't find mswinsck.ocx. I opened explorer and clicked directly on the executable and it ran without a problem. Other than that it worked great.

Oh, and I cleaned the registry before this last install and there were 4 entries still hanging around from build 20.

That's all the testing I can do for tonight. The water pipe went going to my house and I have water coming up in the front lawn, so I'll be digging all tomorrow. Later.

[Phanataz]

Are you saying that mswinsck.ocx wasnt included? It should have been.

Hehe..sorry about the pipe, SFT. Looks like you traded one problem for another. Thanks again :D

[SoBeiT]

Isn't the ground frozen where you are Shirl...jeeze, what a job!

[SFT]

Yes, the ground is frozen about 5-6 inches deep. I had to go out and buy a pick axe to get through it. I dug for 6 hours and I still haven't found the damn pipe. The point where the water came up isn't where the leak is. I guess the water traveled under the frozen ground for a bit. Well, I'm certainly getting a good work out today. Can't wait for tomorrow. :)

Phan, that file was there. It just said it couldn't find it when I used the link from the start button. When I ran the executable directly there was no problem. That might have been an administrator security thing like Sal mentioned earlier. I'll fool with it and try to make it work. Looking good Phan!

[stapuf]

Phan.

Possible bug.

I tried to install the 21 build and kept getting 'can't write file' errors. WinXP said i could 'abort, retry, cancel'.....

I tried a couple of times to install. I even uninstalled the previous version.... Nothing worked well. Nothing was running (so I thought). I opened taskmgr and BFM8 was running, even tho I had it closed. Funny.

I stopped it with taskmgr. Then installed 21 cleanly.

...the graphics glitch I had is now fixed.


Thx.

[Phanataz]

Let me know if BFM8 is still remaining in memory. It shouldn't, though. Might have gotten hung up trying to download a map and didnt want to die until it did. At least its persistant. :D

Did Quarry get played tonight? I was only able to join a game on one of the default maps for a minutes tonight.

Stealth, you should sneak in some more custom maps to try to catch us off guard. That would be a good test of BFM8's abilities.

[SFT]

Yes, Quarry was played. Got my big truck time in.

[Phanataz]

Dammit!

I wanted to line up a bunch of cars and roll over them in the monster truck. :bash:

[stapuf]

I don't want to rain on the monster truck fest....but,

can we skip the custom maps in prime time during the week for a little while? At least until we advertise the awesome power of BFM8? Has anyone contacted EA or Trauma studios about the utility?

The custom maps kill player loads....then you get me and paladin doing circles in quarry.....:)

[StealthDP]

Yes, we might have to do something. I have placed notices in the DC forums... peeps seemed really excited, but have not exactly swarmed over to try the utility out.

[Phanataz]

The problem is that if we take off the custom maps at prime time, then even the people that DO use BFM8 can't get on because they are at work, school, etc.

I say keep the custom maps on (at least one or two).

- You can post something on the front page of GA about BFM8.
- You can add server announcements about BFM8 so people will see where to get it while they are playing
- Put something in the server title like "Gamingasylum.net - Get BFM8 now!"
- Try to organize playing times with all of the regulars so more people appear to be playing custom maps.

Having BF1942 custom maps on servers will be a transition for most people. Thats why we need to help spread the word. If GA just sticks to default maps all of the time, then why should people bother to get BFM8 or download custom maps?

[stapuf]

Maybe give the non-forum regulars 2 weeks notice or something??

Hey! I installed it....and only use BFM8 now. :)

[Salyavin]

Yes, we might have to do something. I have placed notices in the DC forums... peeps seemed really excited, but have not exactly swarmed over to try the utility out.The DC forum thread links to the GA front page but there's no mention of BFM8/BRU there. They have to go into the forums, scroll down to the Battlefield 1942 section (it takes me two page-downs to get to it at 1024x768), and find the right thread. It should probably be made more prominent on the front page because people tend to give up to easily (the web being an instant gratification thing y'know :)). Make it really easy to find at the top of the front page with bold text, a link to the downloads (server side and client side), links to the servers that are running it, and a link directly to the GA and phanz forum threads where folks can get help. Phanataz has created a great utility here...it just needs <shudder> marketing.

Cheers,
Salyavin

[SoBeiT]

Front page link sounds good.


Also maybe make BFM8 it's own stickie at the top of the BattleField Forum page?

[Phanataz]

Comments like these will only improve BFM8. Thanks! :D