Hardcore Gamer Resource Kit/Hardcore Gamer Resource Kit - Disc 2.iso/Pc/S_T/TANKS130.ZIP/HISTORY.TXT

Text File | 1995-10-27 | 21KB | 532 lines

TANKS!                                          HISTORY.TXT
Updated May 10th 1995

        This file details the history of changes to the
TANKS! program since version 1.0.

                        VERSION 1.1 NOTES

     The following items have been patched to create TANKS!
version 1.1:

1) In version 1.0, it was possible for non-fording
transports to dismount their fording capable infantry, cross
a stream, and re-mount (on a later turn) in their
transports.  This effectively allowed infantry to carry
their trucks across streams...  This has been changed.
Units can now only cross streams if all assigned equipment
types are capable of fording.

2) The effectiveness of light artillery (especially mortars)
vs. armor has been decreased.

3) There is a new menu item in the game Info menu.  The
"Info / Combat Time Delays" item allows players to select
from a range of time delays for displaying combat results.

4) A bug which could affect spotting in two player games has
been fixed.

5) A bug which allowed close assaults to continue for a very
long time in rare cases has been fixed.

6) A bug which locked the game up when creating random
scenarios or orders of battle with "mobility 10" in some
time periods / forces has been fixed.

7) Programmed opponent use of artillery has been improved.

8) Information on unit "static" status has been made
available to players.  Static units have an additional
"static" indicator graphic at center right on their icon.
In formation displays, static status is given for each unit
in the formation.  The static status is also given in
detailed unit reports.

9) The original PC speaker sound effect used in airstrikes
has been replaced with a digitized effect.

10) Conventional memory requirements have been relaxed a
bit.  Version 1.1 requires the following:

        538K (550912 bytes) No sound
        560K (573440 bytes) FM sounds only
        584K (598016 bytes) Full digitized sounds

        Some sound cards may have slightly higher memory
requirements.

11) In version 1.0 the editor did not fully initialize
scenarios saved with "fixed" objective values.  This could
cause problems when the scenarios were later played.
Scenarios saved with "fixed" values are now properly
initialized.  If you created any scenarios using fixed
(not calculated) objective values with version 1.0, you
should load them into the v1.1 editor and save them
again to patch the files.  Scenarios created with
calculated objective values are unaffected.

12) Terrain is now much more effective in protecting
units from airstrikes.  Additionally, airstrikes are
somewhat less effective against heavily armored vehicles
than in version 1.0.

13) The number of files that the game file manager boxes
can locate has been increased from 50 to 999.

                      VERSION 1.11/1.2 NOTES

Versions 1.11 and 1.2 are identical.

1) Version 1.1 introduced a bug which could freeze the
game if a "strong" computer player encountered certain
conditions.  This has been corrected in version 1.11,
and it is the only difference from version 1.1.

                       VERSION 1.21 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.21 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.21, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.21.

1) In scenarios with "some" airstrikes, there is now
only a 50% chance that from 0 to 3 new strikes will
become available on any given turn.  This means these
scenarios will now have about half as many airstrikes
as earlier versions of the game.  Scenarios with "many"
airstrikes are unaffected.

2) All scenarios are now of variable length.  There is
a 50% chance that a scenario will be continued for at
least one turn rather than ending on the nominal final
turn of the scenario.

3) Weather is now variable.  Wind strength and direction,
and precipitation can vary from turn to turn.  If there
is any precipitation, there is a chance that the ground
condition will become "soft".

4) Auto fire routines are now more intelligent than in
earlier versions of the game.

5) "Frantic fire" has been added to the game.  If a unit
has taken a loss, it may immediately auto-fire at enemy
units even if it has already fired its weapons.  Also,
there is a 30% chance that movement or fire in any
adjacent hex will trigger frantic fire.  No more
"soak off" attacks, boys and girls...

                       VERSION 1.22 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.22 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.22, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.22.

1) A minor bug introduced in version 1.21 which could
under certain circumstances cause artillery units to
fire continuously until out of ammo has been fixed.

2) If a unit takes a loss, there is now a chance that
the unit will retreat.  When a unit takes a loss, it
must now pass a morale check in order to stay in place.
If the unit fails the check, it will retreat one hex
if possible, and will not return fire regardless of fire
orders.  Units belonging to formations with poor morale
and control levels have a poor chance of passing the
morale check.  Units belonging to formations with good
morale and control levels have a good chance of passing
the morale check.

3) Many more morale checks are now made during play.
Whenever a unit takes any loss, moves through any non-
road woods, town or mine hex, or retreats after combat
there is a chance that the parent formation's morale
will be lowered.  In earlier versions of the game,
this kind of morale check was only made when a unit
was lost.

4) To partially counteract the additional morale checks
introduced in v1.22, formations will tend to recover
morale more rapidly than in earlier versions of the
game.  Previously, morale could only be recovered
during turns when a formation was "reorganizing".  Now,
formations have a chance to recover morale each turn.
The chance that a formation will recover morale is now
proportional to the formation's original morale.  This
means that formations with poor initial morale will
not recover as rapidly as formations with good initial
morale.

5) The chance that a unit will "frantic fire" as
described in above in the v1.21 notes is now tied to the
control and morale levels of the unit's parent
formation.  Units with poor morale and control will
tend to retreat if hit rather than franticly firing.
Units with good morale and control will tend to
franticly fire frequently.

6) All units' effective rate of fire is now equal to
nominal rate of fire.  Ammunition allowing, units will
now fire a number of shots exactly equal to the nominal
rate of fire of the slowest rate of fire weapon
assigned to the unit.  Random rate of fire checks have
been removed from the game.

7) Auto fire and the routine that displays "weak,
effective, or lethal fire" when you target your weapons
have been made a bit more intelligent.

8) There is now a chance that a unit will panic and
change its orders from "hold fire" to "auto fire" if
it takes a loss.  This chance is greater for units with
poor morale and control levels, and lesser for units
assigned to formations with good morale and control
levels.

                       VERSION 1.23 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.23 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.23, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.23.

I'm going to hold off on introducing new features for
a while in order to ensure that the game is once again
bug free.  This version introduces some minor
improvements, but it is primarily a bug "cleanup" update
intended to correct errors introduced during the
wholesale addition of new features in v1.21 and v1.22.

1) A line of sight bug was introduced with the retreat
routine in version 1.22.  This has been corrected.

2) Rate of fire, weather variability and retreat logic
have been improved.

3) Timing has been slightly randomized in weapon sounds
during combat, yielding a somewhat "ragged" sound to
fire combat.

4) Under standard command rules, all formations may now
be issued mass hold fire or auto fire orders using the
info/formations menu item.

5) The "crybaby" sound introduced with retreats in v1.22
has been deleted.

                       VERSION 1.25 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.25 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.25, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.25.

1) A bug which could cause a "Mel fatal error" on some
systems has been corrected.

2) Close assault logic has been improved, and a bug
in the retreat logic has been fixed.

3) Programmed opponents and auto-fire logic have been
improved.

4) Formations will recover morale slightly faster when
they are "reorganizing".

5) More units can now be "hidden" at the beginning of
a scenario.

6) Non armored units are now slightly better protected
from fire in fort, town, and woods hexes.

7) A break dialog has been added before the beginning
of airstrikes in two player games.

8) All current changes to rules have been incorporated
in the new README.TXT file, and the history of changes
to the TANKS program has been moved to HISTORY.TXT.
This should help clarify the current state of the game
rules.

                       VERSION 1.26 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.26 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.26, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.26.

1) Surviving mounted infantry and light weapons squads
now dismount after suffering direct fire losses.

2) Helicopter units no longer suffer from the closed
terrain movement morale penalty.

3) Close assault is now treated as normal move for
attacking units if all defenders retreat before combat.

4) Artillery allocations have been reduced in random
post '91 scenarios.

5) Mounted, non flying units now dismount at the start
of the second round of combat in close assaults.

6) Hidden units no longer "dig in" (revealing location).

7) Put HMG into M109 secondary weapon slot.

8) Low level speed optimizations have been incorporated
in LOS and distance routines.

9) Units with more than 9 pieces of equipment in top slot
will now be renamed (in editor) as follows- Plt->Co,
Bty->Bn.

10) An experimental 500 meter scale has been implemented.
If you start the game with the "bigscale" command line
parameter, all weapon ranges and sighting distances will
be halved (for the current play session).  Movement
rates are unaffected.  This feature is strictly
experimental.

                       VERSION 1.27 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.27 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.27, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.27.

        This version does introduce two new features,
but it is primarily a patch for minor errors in the
database and a bug fix for the assault code added in
version 1.26.

1) A number of typographical errors in the database have
been corrected.

2) A bug in the close assault free move code introduced
with version 1.26 has been fixed.  This bug could cause
the game to freeze after a close assault.

3) The "auto-dismount after losses" code has been
modified.  Mounted units which suffer direct fire losses
will now automatically dismount only if more than one
vehicle was hit, or the unit fails a morale check.

4) Artillery fire into unspotted, unseen hexes no longer
displays combat results.  The fire is resolved normally,
but you can no longer see the effects of your fire.

5) In the modern variant: several spurious sound effects
have been replaced with the correct sounds.  Also,
engineering (digging in, abatis and mine removal) have
been recoded for a better match with the modern database.

                     VERSION 1.28,1.29 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.29 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.29, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.29.

1) Any units which survive a retreat now turn around to
face their original position if they pass a morale check.

2) A minor bug which could sometimes allow the computer
player to squeeze an extra movement point out of a unit
has been fixed.

3) Additional minor changes have been made to the game
database.

4) Reinforcement entry turns are now variable.  On each
turn, there is a 10% chance that the entry turn for each
reinforcement formation will either advance or be pushed
back by one turn.

5) It is now possible to force a scenario to continue
past its nominal end turn.

6) Non armored units are now even better protected
from fire in fort, town, and woods hexes.

7) A list of command line parameters is now available
when you run the game.  To view the list, type "tanks ?"
and enter.

8) When you select a command line parameter, the program
now pauses briefly to display the effects of your
selection before entering the game.

9) An "oldbail" command line parameter has been added.
If you choose oldbail, the version 1.26 infantry auto
bailout rules will be in effect, overruling the changes
made in version 1.27.

10) A "static" command line parameter has been added.
If you choose static, variable weather and reinforcement
entry code will be disabled.  Weather will not change
and all reinforcements will enter on their listed turns.

11) A bug in the retreat code has been fixed.

                     VERSION 1.30 NOTES

IMPORTANT: Version 1.30 is an experimental, unauthorized
update.  If you run into any difficulties with version
1.30, please contact me via email (see below).  SSI
customer support won't know what you're talking about
if you mention version 1.30.

Due to a marketing decision to postpone the release of
RIFLES, I had a bit of spare time on my hands in
September and October of 1995. One of the things I did
to keep myself amused (since RIFLES was on schedule for
an October release when it was delayed by SSI) was a
major revision of TANKS. I hope everyone enjoys the
results.

1) Airstrikes now attempt to begin their run over
friendly controlled territory to avoid enemy anti
aircraft fire.

2) Fortifications, abatis and mines are now invisible
unless a) you own the hex they are placed in, or
b) you have the hex under observation (it is spotted or
"seen" by a friendly unit).

3) Artillery can now destroy fortifications and rubble
towns and villages. The chance is small, and is
proportional to the ability of the weapons to start
fires. A rubbled town or village is represented
by an abatis symbol in the town hex. Destroyed forts
are removed from play. Rubbling a town hex has no
effect beyond the addition of the normal movement
penalties associated with abatis.

4) Assaults - Engineer and infantry units have their
chances to hit in combat increased by about 50% during
assaults. Engineer units ignore the effects of
fortifications during assaults. Units assaulted from
any flank hex have their chance to panic increased by
about 50%.

5) Movement - Infantry, cavalry, and bicycle units are
now capable of forced march movement. This is treated
rather abstractly. If a unit is not "winded", it pays
only one movement point to enter any hex that it could
normally enter. Any movement or fire "winds" a unit, so
that it will be unable to use this special case of
movement until it has rested. On any turn after a unit
has not moved or fired its weapons, it will rest -
removing its winded status and allowing forced march
movement on future turns. There is also a 20% chance
for recovery even if the unit did move or fire in the
previous turn. This change effectively allows you to
get a burst of enhanced movement ability out of these
units for a turn with no penalty.

6) Pinning fire - Any time a unit takes losses due to
enemy fire, it must pass a separate morale check to
avoid being pinned. Pinned units suffer no ill effects
on the turn that they recieve the pinning fire, but
their movement and fire allowances will not be reset
at the beginning of the following turn. In most cases,
this will result in the pinned unit losing its next
turn.

7) Hidden units - Hidden units are now allowed to dig
in again (repealing the v1.26 change to the rules). In
addition, hidden units now recieve a significant
(roughly 50%) improvement in their chance to hit on the
turn when they reveal their location by firing on enemy
units. Finally, infantry and engineer units which would
normally be eligable for hidden status during scenario
creation can now hide during a scenario if they did not
move or fire during the previous turn. This allows a
unit to ambush an enemy unit, then dissappear again
into the underbrush as soon as they have time to get
back under cover.

8) Time of day - The original three lighting
conditions: day, twilight, and night, have been
replaced by four conditions: day, dusk, night, and
dawn. Dusk and dawn are treated in all respects exactly
as twilight was treated in earlier versions of the
game. Depending upon scenario design, lighting
conditions can now change during a scenario. Day and
night can last up to 48 turns (maximum scenario
length). Dawn and dusk can last a maximum of 4 turns
(20 minutes of game time). Lighting conditions will
change as follows: Day -> Dusk -> Night -> Dawn -> Day.
You can, for example, design a scenario to start during
daylight, 2 turns before dusk. The result would be 2
turns of daylight, followed by 4 turns of dusk, with
the remainder of the scenario played under night
lighting conditions. The environment button and the
game color palette will change when the lighting
condition changes.

9) The programmed opponent now attempts to avoid
stacking when possible in order to limit its exposure
to enemy artillery fire.

10) The layout of the database has been reorganized.
This will affect only those who use the OBREADER
utility. An updated OBREADER.EXE and FISTDATA.ASC are
included with this package.

11) Due to changes in the way data are organized,
scenarios created using v1.30 can only be played by
those with TANKS v1.30 or later.

12) The game now requires slightly more conventional
memory (I know: <groan...>) than v1.29, although it
still uses less memory than v1.0 did. If necessary, I
may create a special limited memory build of the game.
Such a special version of the game would place most
of the remaining core routines in EMS as overlays. As
a result, conventional memory requirements would be
significantly reduced but the game would probably be
unplayable on anything less than a Pentium 75 system.
I am not really sure how much interest there might be
in the full overlay version. If you are experiencing
memory related problems and would like to experiment
with a full overlay build, send an email note my way
(see below) with your input regarding a full overlay
version of the game.

13) TANKS runs well under Windows 95. In fact, if your
config.sys and autoexec.bat files are set up well it
will run _better_ under Win95 on many systems. What's
the best autoexec.bat / config.sys combo? Try "REMing"
out everything in both files. Unless you have a really
strange hardware setup, you will probably get best
results with "empty" config and autoexec files for
most of your dos games.

END OF CHANGES / ADDITIONS.

        I would like to thank all of you who have made
suggestions over the last year. I have enjoyed this
interactive post release tinkering process and the
changes made to TANKS have resulted in a better game.
I look forward to doing the same with RIFLES.


                Norm Koger 2.0
                October 27th 1995.

                email: [e-mail]