B14v22 troubles

[CoastGuard71]

Well, spoke too soon. The MS activation needed malware has showed its ugly fangs and is blocking my attempts to continue use. Seems MonopolySoft has a new price-gouging program called "license" seems by installing auto-updates all MS users must now have a license for a particular computer use of their software OS. No more swapping around to not pay the MS Devil its due.

Tried the BNH B15 and found it unplayable. Started a new forum similar to B14 for users to post their Beta Test Blues. Unfortunately, as seen in previous B14 versions post v17 sinking a ship causes screen freeze in B15 and in your Brit B14v24 you kindly provided. Am I hallucinating or do others also have this defect? Why me? Can't understand why the earlier versions didn't, but starting with 18, and since, this bug continues. Shouldn't someone with integrity have taken on this joust with the NH demon? Also. am I the only "perfectionist" that has issues about mislabeling items, i.e., bar shot called chain shot when the two don't even look alike? Pointed this out to the Powers that be...ignored. Guess I'm the only one bothered by this.

If anyone out there in PA! Land has a working B15 zip please send it my way via link in reply so I can get into the Beta Testing that obviously needs to be done... thanks Maties.

CG71

 

[CoastGuard71]

'ello Mate, top o' the mornin'. Tried the BNH B15 and found it won't work on a USB since the support files are only on the OS drive and the code doesn't look for them. Also, when I installed on the drive the game loaded but with no Config giving Full Screen play it's in a tiny frame on my screen?( Even worse, when I went into Internalsettings.h to personalize to my parameters it no longer loaded!( ...Disgusting, seems the code is booby-trapped to crash if altered in any way... really? Coder thinks he's got a copyright privilege in a community setting. Is Trump the mystery coder? Have you tried to run BNH? What are your experiences? Others have reported all kinds of issues. I started a BNH B15 issues forum as a sounding-board for we Beta-testers... you have an invitation to make use of it to help rescue this noble endeavor from the disaster I found when trying to use it... if you are so inclined

Thanks for the help Mr. Wizard ?)

CG71

 

[Baste]

As I don't play any Build Mod version I cannot provide detailed experiences, but from what I've heard no one else seems to have these particular problems.

I just did a quick test myself with both Build 14 and Build 15, both on an internal SSD. I haven't tried running them from an external USB drive so I cannot speak for that. My testing was performed on a computer with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.

I didn't experience any obvious problems. I can change things in InternalSettings.h, images are loading, and I can sink ships without the screen freezing or the game crashing or any other problem happening. I also didn't encounter any issues with boarding.
If these problems were widespread I'm quite sure the Build Mod developers would have done something about them. To my knowledge the Build 15 developer has not prevented the code from being modified.

Pinpointing why these problems happen for you in the newer versions but not in the older versions is difficult, but it might be because of your system environment.
It might not be an option for you, but I would secure erase the SSD and then do a clean install of Windows 7 since the hardware of your computers is intended for that version of Windows. No clone installation. Then I would also install the appropriate drivers for those models, having prepared them on a USB flash drive together with the online installer of the latest Windows 7 version of Chrome since that browser is easy to use. Firefox ESR can also be used but Chrome is easier.
It would unfortunately take a long time to install updates from Windows Update and it has become a hassle to do so, but doing all this could be the best bet to get the computers into a working state for B14 and B15.

 

[CoastGuard71]

Hmmm.... interesting. I've played on two OS, Win7 and 10 Pro... on three different Lenovo machines T61, T510, T540P. My experience with ship sink freeze began with 14v17... and has continued since. the only change was the code version. As described when I installed on the USB the game did not boot, On the SSD it boots but not full screen and when I modded the Internal settings it didn't. This makes no logical sense... does it? That's why I started the issues forum to gather info from others to determine validity. I ran Win7 on the 510 and 540 until I was able to get W10 working. The issues I've had with sinkings is on the T61 W7 and while running B14 on 510 W10. Makes no sense at all. The SSD on the 540 was new and blank I cloned W10 from the activated W10 that came with the 510. I'm leery of using Win updates since I've found they can create problems with blocking digitally unsigned drivers, etc MS has become neurotic about security to the point of obstruction, maybe just for the Pro edition?, I run the usual malware programs and use CCleaner to clear out the trash, I use Smart Game booster to close interfering background code. I also use Tweaking to keep the code valid. I also run chkdsk /f and/or /r to restore from possible corruption, Can any of these cause corruption? Lenovo claims these machines are code compatible with 10... could it be the Pro version has interfering security blocks? The complexity of systems offers too many possibilities and the resolutions are not very obvious. Are you aware of a diagnostic program to troubleshoot such situations?

Why would an install that boots stop booting when I only change numbers in Internal Settings as I have with every B14 v without issue? Do we have an assurance from the coder that he has not used a checksum block to prevent alteration?

Thanks for the help, really appreciated Mate

CG71

 

[Baste]

Indeed it doesn't make sense that it doesn't work if the only change is a newer version, but at the same time most players don't seem to have these problems. I for instance can't recreate these issues as both B14 and B15 ran fine for me.

I've never used "optimizers" and "boosters" on any of my own computers, but from what I've seen on others' computers, they are never of any help and if anything only hurt performance. It's one's own choice, but I would never use them.

I don't think there's a program that can help with troubleshooting such particular situations, but I might point to Ultimate Boot CD for help with diagnosing hardware problems: Ultimate Boot CD - Overview
That is a useful collection to have in one's toolbox. It can be burned to a CD and also be made to run from a USB flash drive. One example of a useful tool is MemTest86 to check for faulty memory - which obviously would cause problems with the operating system and other software.

Why would an install that boots stop booting when I only change numbers in Internal Settings as I have with every B14 v without issue? Do we have an assurance from the coder that he has not used a checksum block to prevent alteration?

Your first question is valid and I agree that it is strange as it should work. Your second question I would take as an insult if I were Hammie. It implies that he's acting with malicious intent and would need to assure the community that he is not, when he has been contributing and helpful in the community for years.

The entire Build 15 source code including the engine is available here:

GitHub - PiratesAhoy/new-horizons

Contribute to PiratesAhoy/new-horizons development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

GitHub - PiratesAhoy/storm-engine: Game engine behind Sea Dogs, Pirates of the Caribbean and Age of Pirates games.

Game engine behind Sea Dogs, Pirates of the Caribbean and Age of Pirates games. - PiratesAhoy/storm-engine

github.com

Anyone could look at it and compile it themselves.

Also anyone could contribute to B15 just as they can to B14. Hammie has brought it to the new engine, but he doesn't need to be the only developer.