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Last update: 10/12/98 Join the Crusade Auto-updated: 03/31/99
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CRASH
(aka Patch & Status Page)

I read the intro already ... skip to Patch 1.4 Info!

This page will be the focal page for providing paying MAX2 customers with a report on known MAX2 problems and fixes. It has been over three months now since MAX2 was released. Patch 1.4 has been released but multiplayer games now crash/fail virtually 100% of the time. (please send your reports to CaptComal@hotmail.com).    The HEAVENS are not happy about this and thus thunderstorms have remained! (you can hear the thunder, can't you?)

playing THUNDER sound

MAX2 was released WAY TOO EARLY.  Even after four patches (1.2, 1.3, 1.31 and 1.4) we are hearing reports of problems with the game itself as well as multiplayer games CRASHING.   I was on the beta test team and can confirm that our beta team was never allowed to test the Sheevat Units, Capture the Flag or any form of Multiplayer games prior to MAX2 being declared GOLD (final).   MAX2 went GOLD on June 18 ... a beta release to test Sheevat and Multiplayer was released 7 days later on June 25 (same day as someone saw MAX2 on a store shelf and the same day as the MAX2 sever first came online to the public). Beta testers never got to see a single MISSION or CAMPAIGN and only saw TWO of the maps (and both were not final as they did not include YELLOW or ORANGE grid squares).   Does that help explain why there are so many problems? Don't blame the MAX2 Beta Testers!!

Read about the BUGS and CRASHES (a separate page just for them).

Download the current patch: Patch 1.4

Problems that Patch 1.4 fixes (per Paul 8/21/98):

We're currently testing version 1.4 and should be able to release it sometime next week for the US version. (Europe and rest of the world version will take a little longer.)   Here is a list of the changes/fixes that are included:

1. Several multiplayer crash bugs. (MANY multiplayer crash bugs are still in 1.4)
2. Invisible units when given a path from a factory.
3. Units near left edge would sometimes crash game.
4. Bridges would sometimes become stuck in up position.
5. Player name could disappear in custom game.
6. Units emergency stop not in sync in remote play.
7. Knibs would not attack power generators.
8. Trash sometimes appears in password edit box.
9. Campaign 2 - Mission 3 end game fixed.
   NOTE: In patch 1.31 they changed the number of turns required as the goal from 25 to 75, but apparantly it still was not possible to win in Turn Base or Sim Turns. Now it is fixed again. Did anyone at Interplay actually play each mission in SIM mode to verify that it can be won?
10. Editing name of unit when it's being destroyed would crash game.
11. Fixed bug with using duplicate names on the same server.
12. Fixed bug with host migration on server.
13. AI would sometimes unload dead units. (now transports will simply refuse to unload your units at recreatable times)
14. Player name not initialized for non-red team players.

These are the new features we've added:

1. Added alliance buttons to chat menu:
   ......both sides must agree to alliance.
   ......alliance can be broken at any time by one player.
   ......units will not autofire on allied teams.
   ......units will not retreat from allied units.
   ......units not harmed by allied mines, gas clouds, area effects
   ......hidden units remain hidden from allies.
   ......alliances saved in save file.

   Putting ALLIANCES into the game as advertised.
   "One thing I think many people (including myself :) will be happy about is that the next patch will contain the long awaited Alliance feature. It will be very interesting to see how people incorporate this into their strategies." - Paul Kellner, Interplay, 8/4/98

2. Chat menu stays up until canceled. (not true ... if a turn ends, the window is cleared without letting you send your message)
3. Added text status for custom victory units:
   ......"X" means unit must be killed.
   ......"L" means unit must live.
   ......"D" means unit must be disabled.
   ......"C" means unit must be captured.
4. Appended unprocessed packets to save file.
5. Added message for internet games played under 5 minutes.
6. Expanded Capture the Flag text in host/joiner options menu.

   Displaying the four FLAG SETTINGS for Capture the Flag games in the Game Setup screen.
   "This should make the next release." - Zach, Interplay, 8/5/98

7. Can toggle ranking on/off in options menu in internet play. (not true ... this option is not there from what any of us can see)

   Making RANKING on MAX2.NET optional.
   "We have decided to make ranking optional. This should make the next release. We are adding a Ranking enabled/disabled button to the options screen." - Zach, Interplay, 8/7/98 ... Interplay has now clarified how this will be implemented: It will turn off the ranking number for *YOU* on everyones display. This is good and what we need.

8. Can load files in internet play. (ranking is forced off)

   LOAD game will be put back in for MAX2.NET games.
   "We are also going to allow you to save/load games in multiplayer. If the host decides to load a game, the ranking system will automatically be disabled." - Zach, Interplay, 8/7/98

9. Added animals to remote play options menu.
10. Added trees in multiplayer mode.
11. Changed in-game chat to remain visible for 15 seconds. (not true ... often in a game chat message recieved are erased nearly immediately)

Read Pauls original message

Problems that Interplay has not acknowledged yet:

1. While playing a SIM game, an opponent sends you a Chat message. When you hit the CHAT button to reply, the game crashes.
2. MAX2 is NOT CHESS.
3. ALT-TAB still crashes MAX2 while in CHAT rooms (Chris has told us to not use ALT-TAB ... but wouldn't it be better to fix it so we can use ALT-TAB so we can do other things on the computer while waiting for someone to come in to the Chat room?)(Now ALT-TAB can cause system problems even when done from within a game in progress)
4. Capture the Flag games with Mobile Flags where a unit carrying the flag is not displayed with the RED FLAG over the unit (thus the opponent can't tell which unit has the flag).
5. Once an enemy unit has been destroyed, some attacking units do not recognize the fact that the enemy is gone ... click on them and the game says "ATTACKING" ... even after a turn has ended and a new turn started! (This is still happening in 1.4)
6. Engineers and Constructors sometimes refuse to build. They let you choose what to build and place it on the map ... they move onto that spot (which is a green grid square with no rubble in it) ... and the games says "building xxx complete in xx turns". However, even with plenty of power and material, after every turn it still says that it has the same number of turns left to completion. (still happens with 1.4)
7. In SIM TURN games with unlimited turns and 30 second end turn timer, the game will OFTEN acknowledge that a player has clicked their END TURN button by saying "Blue team has ended their turn" ... but the time is stuck at 30 ... or 23 ... or 0. Sometimes clicking the PAUSE button over and over will get it going again. (still happens with 1.4)

Interplay says they are working on these things (but they are not on the list of things fixed in patch 1.4):

1. Phantom Units --  Units left on the map after battle that don't exist (this is not in the list of things fixed in patch 1.4)
2. Fog of War  -- redraws to be improved (not in the list of things fixed in patch 1.4)
3. Unit Activate Child = 0 -- Crash (umm, what?)
4. Units on Patrol -- can cause out of sync problems if they are attacked  (not in the list of things fixed in patch 1.4)
5. Possible crash if Host has AutoSave turned off.  (not in the list of things fixed in patch 1.4)
6. Random Multiplayer Crashes associated with constructor (not in the list of things fixed in patch 1.4)
   (note: originally they said this was fixed, but removed it from their list)
7. Opening Preference Menu pauses Multiplayer games. (not in the list of things fixed in patch 1.4)
   (note: originally they said this was fixed, but removed it from their list)

Interplay (Paul) announced that Patch 1.31 (released Aug 4) included:

1. Scenario Editor: Can now set Individul Units Custom Victory Conditions.
2. Clan Stats and Unit Stats Redraws.. Sometimes the text displayed would be garbled.
3. Aircraft in Turn Based no longer have unlimited movement.
4. Fixed the problems with planes not attacking.
5. Random Multiplayer Crashes associated with constructor.
   (note: these are no longer considered fixed on the latest list of 1.3.1 fixes)
6. Net Game: Using cheats in Turn Base Capture the Flag game would crash.
7. Animals switch sometimes set incorrectly on joiners machine.
8. Victory Condition switch sometimes was incorrectly reset to 'kill all mining stations' when playing cature the flag.
9. Crash: If host loaded saved game, the Joiner could crash when he joined the game.
10. ALT-TAB into windows should no longer cause problems. In single player the game will pause, in Multiplayer the game will continue.
    (note: Chris told us that we should not use ALT-TAB, so I guess this will not be fixed)
11. Capture the Flag victory condition was not being properly set on remote machine.
12. Units on and under bridges are now displayed properly. (not true, under a bridge is not visible at all)
13. Foreign language map names are no longer diplayed in network games. (If french version was the host, a joiner playing english would see french text for the map name.)
14. Chat strings no longer flash in Join Menu.
15. Capture the Flag - Multiple players announced as the winner bug fixed.
16. Using 'next unit' keys when no unit is selected no longer crashes.
17. Opening Preference Menu no longer pauses Multiplayer games.
    (note: this is no longer considered fixed on the lateset list of 1.3.1 fixes)
18. Long pause for Joiner when Host loads from a saved game fixed.
19. Chat commands fixed:
     /whisper now allows up to 256 characters.
     /clear now works correctly
    (Note from the Heavens: item 19 is not fixed in this patch ... it is already working with 1.3 ... must have been a fix on their server rather than in our program)

Patch 1.3 (released July 10, 1998):

Interplay has informed us that the 1.3 patch will contain an auto-updater! This is how it will work... once you have installed the 1.3 patch (now scheduled for release Friday or Saturday), everytime you log onto the MAX2.NET free Internet server (via the multiplayer game Internet option), your game will automatically be updated to the latest version.  Version 1.3 fixes some major crash bugs and shoul be much more stable in multiplayer games! Assorted miscellaneous bugs fixed plus these:

1. added 256 char. limit in chat edit boxes.
2. autopatch functions now in place. (but are implemented strangely ... causing problems when patch 1.4 was released)
3. constructor interrupted while building crash fixed.
4. campaign endgame fixes for: 1-3, 3-5, 3-8, 4-1, 4-9.
5. name changes in hotseat game fixed.
6. modem overloaded with packets fixed.
7. 30 sec. log-in timeout removed.
8. rank adjustment if game under 5 min. corrected.
9. reformatted options menu in host/join screens.
10. build list empty crashes fixed.
11. server timeout crash fixed.
12. non-logging of rank fixed. Occurred in 1.2 patch only.
13. word wrap added to chat screen.

    Note: Patch 1.3 also includes an Auto-Patch that will automatically install any applicable future patches for you any time you sign on to MAX2.NET.

Patch 1.2 (released July 2, 1998):

This patch fixes the following problems:

1. AutoSave now works correctly.
2. Units on patrol will now automatically attack and enemy units it encounters.
3. Fixed Path Display Bug when using ALT-S and ALT-L.
4. IPX Crash fixed.
5. Mission 2 End Game Victory Conditions fixed.
6. AutoSave crash fixed (game would crash if joiner quit the game at the exact moment the host was doing an autosave.)
7. Repair Unit Crash fixed.
8. Building on water crash fixed.
9. Join 'Jar' fixed when loading saved game.
10. Joiner click on Player Name field crash fixed.

MAX2 Retail was on store shelves June 25, 1998 (it went GOLD on June 18, 1998).

If you find any errors please report them to CaptComal@hotmail.com so they can be corrected. Thanks.


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