DescentBB

I cannot reproduce the D1 exit crash bug. As long as I cannot reproduce it, I cannot determine the cause. As long as I cannot determine the cause, I cannot fix it. My last word on this, because repeated complaints are not helpful with this.

Yeah...

Let me add that I believe you regarding the existance of this bug. I just cannot pin it down.

Just grabbed 1.5.79 and it knows of no pilots and no save games. The first screen I get is the select pilot window with new pilot highlighted and no names shown. I entered my pilot name, but there were no savegames to be found!

going back to 1.5.78 for the moment ......... Yep! all games and pilots as should be!

Heh... fun stuff happened!

I ran d2x-xl in the MSVC Debugger, and the exit sequence was perfect! When I tried again without the debugger, it crashed again.

Escorter wrote:Heh... fun stuff happened!

I ran d2x-xl in the MSVC Debugger, and the exit sequence was perfect! When I tried again without the debugger, it crashed again.

Thanks Escorter! That gave me an idea...

Diedel,
I added the "-debug" command-line option to my shortcut to D2X-XL... and then promptly romped through 3 levels of Descent: First Strike (D1 default SP mission set) without ANY exit crash. Running 1.5.78

Will test more.

Weyrman,

fixed.

Escorter,

the debugger initializes (sets to proper values) stuff that would remain uninitialized if the application didn't contain code to init it. Furthermore, if you compiled dle-xp in debug mode, no code optimizations are performed (which usually make a program more sensitive to coding errors).

Techpro,

'-debug' only leads to more messages being output to the game console. It doesn't have any comparable effect to running dle-xp in a debugger.

few more things (cause I'm picky ^^):

1) I just remembered about an old feature that use to be in D1X....it was an option to set how many lines of messages can be displayed at one time. The default is 3 lines, but it makes sense to be able to display more because of higher resolutions

2) No more multiplayer GUI bug with the weapon hotkeys....but they still don't remember if they are set or not after each D2X-XL run. I have to enter the weapon hotkey menu every new instance....gets to be a pain after a while

3) still not sure if those \"Shields boosted to %\" and weapon pickup messages are suppose to be shown in multiplayer....because right now, they are not :/

Diedel wrote:'-debug' only leads to more messages being output to the game console. It doesn't have any comparable effect to running dle-xp in a debugger.

I'm betting you meant D2X-XL

Yes, That's probably all '-debug' is supposed to do, but here's what I'm seeing:

I've seen the D1 level exit crash so much, that I made two batch files to make it easier to deal with by allowing me to upgrade or downgrade my D2X-XL version easily. Before ending a level, I'd save my game and then exit the game, run the batch file to downgrade my D2X-XL version, run the game and load my saved place, exit the level, save my spot at the beginning of the next level, exit the game, use the other batch file to upgrade my version of D2X-XL, re-start game and load saved game to continue playing the levels.... oy

After I finished the full set (ok,ok, I've already done that a few times previously ), I deleted all of my saved places (since the newest versions were not compatible with older saved games) and upgraded to 1.5.76 (newest version at the time) and have continued to upgrade since.

Yesterday, I tried D1 with the '-debug' command line option and was able to go through 3 of the first strike levels one after the other without any crash and only stopped because I needed to go to bed. I was elated! D2X-XL had not stayed in the game with exiting D1 levels that reliably before (for me, anyway).

Today, I tried the same thing (but running 1.5.80). Only this time I ran the program 5 times. Twice with the '-debug' command line option and it stayed without crashing through three levels, each time I exited the program normally after finishing 3 levels. The third time, I ran D2X-XL by running the executable in my C:\\Descent2 folder (did not use the '-debug' option) and as soon as I finished Level 1, it crashed to the desktop. I ran the program a forth time and this time I ran it with the 'debug' option and I went through 3 levels and exited the program normally. Lastly, I ran D2X-XL by running the executable without the '-debug' option... and it did not crash on the level exits, but I only did two levels that time before I exited normally.

I don't know why it happens, I do know it appears to be happening less, I don't know why you never see the error, but I do know that the '-debug' option appears to help even though it should have no effect.

The darn thing is it doesn't crash for me. I wish it would, because then I would know what's going wrong, and fixing that wouldn't be a problem, believe me.

Just a thought... and it may have nothing to do with it...

I recently learned about a graphic intensive program used with designing interiors... that will not function on systems where an integrated video card is used. Apparently, there is memory/resources/code/etc that may not be truely released and consequently gets \"stomped on\" by other functions. For that program, a decent add-on video card is required to ensure stability in the program.

It may be a far reach, but I wonder if there could be something with that that is related to the unpredictable (and not necessarily reproducable) D1 exit crash.

I'm a bit of a cheapskate , most of my systems have integrated video, some of them use shared video ram. I'm betting Diedel has a good video card (not integrated).

... just a thought.

There is an integrated video card in my girlfriend's machine, but the D1 exit sequence was perfect. I has a non-integrated card, but it crashes...

I think there is no relationship between integrated cards and the D2X-XL crash.

The problem is very likely some uninitialized data (some memory D2X-XL uses that should contain certain stuff, but doesn't always).

Edit:

I have worked over the menu rendering code. Get some detail info in this DBB thread.

Escorter, mind trying it and telling me how the new menus work on your machine now?

Kirby wrote:3) still not sure if those "Shields boosted to %" and weapon pickup messages are suppose to be shown in multiplayer....because right now, they are not :/

They won't if -playermessages is enabled. They will if it isn't.

If this isn't working straight, then yeah, we have a problem.

Aus-RED-5 wrote:Diedel....Using v1.5.77 and joy stick config.......I have notice while playing ingame. Hit the primary buttom and you'll get the no weapons sounds plus the cycling sounds at the same time.

Can you have a look at this please?
Thanks.

v1.5.?x to v1.5.81
Using a joystick

Diedel, when starting a multiplayer game. Once in the game, if you shoot with your primary weapon. I keep getting the "You have no proximity bombs!", "You have no Smart missiles!", and "You have no Mega missiles!" message.

This only happens in multiplayer and with the primary weapon. To fix it you have to go into joystick config menu and back to game. But to do this all the time is getting to be a pain.
I have uploaded a demo of it if you wish to see it.
DEMO
Hope this helps.

I will look into it. No demo needed, I believe you.

The new menu now fast enough. But when I checked the \"Play D1 missions\" then go to \"New game\", it crashed without any message.

Escorter, Aus-RED: both bugs fixed. v1.5.82 available.

love the speedups with the menus

Some problems with the mission briefings just popped up:

D1 Briefings:



D2 Briefings:



also these problems do not happen every single time, so you might have to restart D2X-XL a few times before you do notice

Diedel, when I try to open the GB menu (with the new menu style), the program crashes.

And a palette problem: in the D1 briefing, the supervisor robot is green, but he has no other palette problem. The other bot textures are totally weird.

v1.5.83 available.

The new release had a lot of problems on my machine...

The load game menu:

I see the thumbnail, but no text.

The second problem: D1 mission doesn't work at all.
When I go to New game -> Descent: First strike and I press enter, the program crashes.

When I try to load a D1 savegame, it crashes...

Old or new menu style? Fast menus on or off?

New menu style, fast mode on.
But I noticed 10 minutes ago, it crashes with D2 missions, too...
So the new version is absolutely useless in my machine.

Calm down. Fixed.

Thanks Diedel!
Much better.
Now one more thing. Using window MOD 1024x768.
Its nothing major. Just wanted to point it out to ya.
The end game score is not right.


Thanks

Nice work, no more menu crashes!
But I discovered the program locks up when I exit from a D2 mine.

Currently also hangs when invoking the help screen. Will fix tonight (GMT+1).

Sorry, Diedel, it's me again...
When I load a D1 savegame, nothing happens. I hear the level music in the main menu, but that's all.

I *love* your computer ...

I know, my computer is not the best. But I'm a poor man

Escorter,

Please specify menu style, fast menus.

I have no problems here with new menu style and fast menus on.

I'm using the new menu style in fast mode.

Escorter,

unfortunately, I cannot reproduce the d1 save games and d2 level exit related problems you are having now.

When end level with new menu style - game freese.
Menu detail level - not work. Game exit.

detail level menu crash bug fixed.
d2 level exit bug not reproducable here.

Strange things happened with D2X-XL. The old D2X-W32 works great for me (no D1 mine exit crash, no D2 mine exit lock-up, Wingnut is not stupid, etc)...

Looks like when one bug gets fixed, two other bugs comes...

MSVC Rulez

I need to change to the Linux version

What's wrong with the guidebot?

He comes back to get me, stops in front of my ship, and starts shooting flares insanely to me.

The guidebot always returned and shot flares at you if you told it to lead you somewhere and you didn't follow ...