CRUSADER MAC/PC v2.35 UPDATE NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS OR FIND WHAT YOU THINK IS A BUG:
WARNINGS:
1. Your updated program is incompatible with the "shipped" version, or saved games. (This also applies to CRUSADER Mac v1.1).
2. ONLY APPLY THIS UPDATE TO THE "SHIPPED" (or Mac v1.1) VERSION OF CRUSADER.
PC UPDATE INSTRUCTIONS
The patch disk contains:
1. This file: READ.ME
2. patch.exe: Program updater
3. patch.rtp: Program update info
4. patch.bat: Moves files from floppy to hard drive and executes patch.exe
5. pbemread.me: Play By E-Mail update info(also included in this file)
a. Read this file.
b. From an A: prompt, type PATCH.BAT
c. The patch files will copy into the CRUSADER directory and apply the patch.
BUG FIXES:
a. The PBEM system has been completely revamped. Please see the "PLAYING PBEM GAMES" section in this file.
b. Axis supply variants were not being saved between runs of the program.
c. Most scenarios now start on November 19th, instead of November 18th.
d. Attempting to attach Brigade HQs to Corps or Army HQs which did not begin the scenario with an attached Brigade would cause an "Attach Limit" error msg.
e. A variety of bugs related to memory accesses have been cleared up.
f. Armored units had attack strengths quartered instead of halved when attacking across wadis.
g. In Two-Player (Hot Seat) games, depots were not displaying properly.
h. The AI will not unready Artillery which it does not fire.
i. CounterBattery file will now execute.
j. VPs for cities were not being calc'ed on the last turn.
k. CRUSADER will now work with ATI Mach 64 Video Cards.
l. Plotting Artillery barrages against unoccupied hexes in friendly territory would cause arty units to unready themselves at the end of the turn.
ENHANCEMNTS:
a. The game will now prompt you to save before exiting.
b. Fatigue costs for Tactical Movement have been reduced.
c. Recon units will have a somewhat easier time exiting strong ZOCs than before.
d. Depots should be more visible now.
e. There is no longer a VP penalty for taking Replacements.
f. There is now a VP Adjust mechanism available from the Options Screen. This allows players to adjust VP levels prior to beginning a Scenario. To add or subtract from the total Adjustment, click on one of the numbered buttons in the box. To clear the display, click on the number itself. During play, the adjustment may be viewed by opening the Victory Box and looking at the "Handicap" entry for the appropriate side.
g. The combat system has been reworked. The primary difference players will notice is that higher-odds Barrage attacks will be somewhat more effective.
h. Air losses when attacking targets with Flak have been increased.
PLAYING PBEM GAMES
If you will be playing CRUSADER v2.0 via EMail, please read the following sections CAREFULLY, BEFORE beginning play. The PBEM system in version 2.0 is quite a bit different from the earlier version of the program.
These changes have been made to provide a simpler and more reliable PBEM system. There is increased checking of file data, reduced chances for corruption of data and files, and the capability to restore to a previous turn should a problem result.
The next section describes the files the game creates for each PBEM game. This is followed by a walk-through of the PBEM process, and a sample PBEM session.
PBEM Files Created By CRUSADER.
The Game File:
This file is easy to identify because it adds a .PBM extension to the game name. It contains the regular Save Game information and all current game settings.
The Move Files:
Each time you select "Execute" from the Phase Menu, the game will write your movement orders for that turn into a Move file (Exception: if you start a game, your moves will be written to the Game File; see the next section for details). Move files have either a .GER or a .BRI extension to the game name, depending on whether you are playing the Axis or Allied side. Move files need to be in the same directory/folder as their corresponding Game file.
The Backup Directory/Folder:
CRUSADER creates and places other files related to an individual PBEM game in a directory/folder with a .BAK extension to the game name. This allows the program easy access to these files, while at the same time, reducing clutter. Remember, if you move your Game and Move files to a different directory/folder, you need to move the Backup directory/folder and its contents to the same place.
The Turn Backup Files:
As noted above, these files are stored in the Backup directory/folder created for your game. Each time you select "Execute" from the Phase Menu, the Game file (and Move file for that turn if one exists) will be backed up for you automatically. To make it easier for you to identify the files, they have numeric extensions corresponding to the turn (Example: the backup file for the 9th turn of the PBEM game titled SAND will be named SAND.009).
The Backup Key Files:
When you start up a game, or receive the first-turn Game file from an opponent just starting up a game, CRUSADER will create a Backup Key file in the appropriate Backup directory/folder. When playing the Allies, it will have a .AK extension; if playing Axis, .GK. If at some point during play you and your opponent determine that you need to restore from a previous turn, you will need to exchange Key files to enable the Restore From Backup process.
Before You Start
Before starting a new PBEM game, it's a good idea to verify that you've got at least 500K bytes of free disk space. Also keep in mind that as the game progresses, the space for Backup files will increase accordingly. It's also a good idea to create the directory/folder you plan on putting the PBEM game and its files in now, before starting. This will save you the trouble of having to move files and directories/folders once the game has commenced. Finally, verify that both you and your opponent have compatible file-compression software before starting.
Starting A PBEM Game
From Crusader's Initial Options screen, select the Scenario, Variants, Options, Victory Point Adjustment, and Side desired. Then select "PBEM Opponent" from the Opponent Option box.
Select "Begin New Game." You will be asked to name the game (characters allowed in a Mac file name are different from those allowed on an IBM-compatible; if you're starting a PBEM game with a PC opponent, limit the name to no more than eight characters, and use only 'a' through 'z'). You may either Cancel at this point, or select Save to continue the process. If continuing, CRUSADER will create a Game File, a Backup Directory and a Backup Key file (if these terms are unfamiliar to you, please review the previous section, "PBEM Files Created by CRUSADER").
Note: For the sake of these instructions, we will name the game "SAND," and assume you are playing the Allies.
Plotting Your First Move
Plotting moves, saving and resuming PBEM games works just as in games against non-PBEM opponents. The one difference is that when you select "Execution" from the Phase menu, the program saves your moves for transfer to your opponent. After selecting "Execution," the program tells you that your "opponent's file for this turn is not available". Click with the mouse to proceed. Once you have selected "Execution" you may not change your moves for that turn.
After saving your moves, the program will tell you the name of the file you need to send. In this case, since you're just starting the game, it will be SAND.PBM. Click with the mouse, and exit the game. As well as saving your initial turn, the game will create a SAND.BAK directory/folder, a Backup Key file (SAND.AK), and a Turn Backup File (SAND.001).
Sending Your First Move
Using one of the common compression utilities (such as PkZip for the PC, or Compact Pro for the Mac), compress the file you have been instructed to send your opponent. In our game, we'll use PkZip to compress SAND.PBM into SAND.ZIP.
Start up your favorite communications program. For instance, if both you and your opponent are CompuServe subscribers, you can use the CompuServe Information Manager program's "Send File" facility to send the file. Send SAND.ZIP to your opponent.
Receiving Your First Move
After downloading the file you just sent, your opponent should check for free disk space, and create a directory/folder in which this particular game will reside. Once this is done, he should decompress the file and put it into that directory/folder.
To continue the game, he (your opponent) starts up CRUSADER and selects "Resume Saved Game" from the Initial Options screen. He doesn't need to set any options-the program will use the parameters set in the file you sent. The game will now ask him to locate the uncompressed file (SAND.PBM) you sent. Once he finds and selects the file, the game will look for a SAND.BAK directory/folder in the same directory/folder as the SAND.PBM file. Since it hasn't been created yet on his machine, CRUSADER will prompt him to continue or exit. He should continue. The game will then create a SAND.BAK directory/folder on his machine, along with a Backup Key file (SAND.GK--he's playing the Axis).
When your opponent has finished plotting his moves for turn one, he selects "Execution" from the Phase Menu, just as you did, and the game will also prompt him to send you the file, SAND.GER. After clicking the message box away, he will go directly to the Execution Phase. After watching the results of the first turn's Execution, your opponent can either exit the program, and send you his Move file right away, or else select "Planning" from the Phase Menu, and exit at a later point. Your opponent will then compress SAND.GER and send it to you. After decompressing the file, place it in the same directory/folder as your SAND.PBM file.
Continuing Play
From here on out, you and your opponent will be sending just the Move files back and forth. As you plot a new turn, the contents of the existing .GER or BRI file will be overwritten. When you get a new Move file from your opponent, just copy it over the existing one.
In most cases, after Executing a turn, you will be able to advance the game into the following turn's Planning phase, where you may plot moves and examine your units. If you do make any plots, make sure and Save the game before exiting.
Restoring From A Previous Turn
In the event that a problem occurs in a PBEM game, Stalingrad has the capability to restore a game from a previous turn.
a. Exchange Key Files:
You and your opponent must send each other your Backup Key Files. In our case, we'll ask him to send his SAND.GK file, and we'll place it in our SAND.BAK directory/folder, alongside SAND.RK (our Key file). He will do the same with the SAND.RK file you've just sent him. Without your opponent's Key file, the Restore process will not complete.
b. Initiate the Restore Process
Start up CRUSADER with any scenario. Then go to the File Menu and select "Restore PBEM Backup." From the dialog box, select the .PBM file you wish to Restore. In our game, we'll select SAND.PBM.
c. Complete the Restore
After selecting the game to Restore, a second dialog box will appear allowing you to select the Backup Turn File corresponding to the turn you are restoring. Since we want to restore to the third turn of our game, we'll navigate to the SAND.BAK directory/folder and select SAND.003.
At this point, the game will overwrite the contents of your current SAND.PBM and SAND.BRI (you are the Allies) files. When the update is complete, a third dialog box will allow you to restart the restored game if you wish. Note: If you created the game and you're restoring to turn 1, you will not have a Move file to restore.
Your opponent should complete the same steps as above. In his case, since he is the Axis player, his SAND.PBM and SAND.GER files will be restored.
d. Exchange Move Files
After exiting the game, send your newly-restored Move file (if one exists; see above) to your opponent. After exchanging files and executing, continue as before.
Moving A PBEM File
If you need to relocate your PBEM game files on your hard drive, remember that you need to move the .BAK directory/folder along with the .PBM file. Each time you resume a PBEM game, CRUSADER will look for the appropriate .BAK directory/folder. If it can't be found in the same directory/folder as the .PBM file you've just resumed, a dialog box will prompt you to continue or exit. Unless its turn 1 and you've just received a .PBM from your opponent, you should exit at this point and move the .BAK directory/folder and its contents.
