Need advice on H3:ANW

[Poor Old Spike]

Hi guys, which Harpoon is this forum talking about, H3:ANW or Larry Bonds Classic Harpoon (or whatever it's called now?)

I recently got H3:ANW v.3.700 and need clarification on a couple of points -

1 - Shall I just slap upgrade 3.900 on top of it, or must I install the 3.800 intermediate patch first?

2 - When I select a ship and hit 'Picture', I sometimes just get an empty picture frame. Does that mean there's no pic available in the database for some ships, or is my PC glitching?

Thanks

[Herman Hum]

Hi guys, which Harpoon is this forum talking about, H3:ANW or Larry Bonds Classic Harpoon (or whatever it's called now?)

I recently got H3:ANW v.3.700 and need clarification on a couple of points -

1 - Shall I just slap upgrade 3.900 on top of it, or must I install the 3.800 intermediate patch first?

2 - When I select a ship and hit 'Picture', I sometimes just get an empty picture frame. Does that mean there's no pic available in the database for some ships, or is my PC glitching?

This forum discusses both versions of the game. In fact, we're free to discuss any of the Harpoon forms -- miniatures/paper rules, old versions of Harpoon2, ANW, HCE, etc.

Congratulations on your acquisition. You can go ahead and skip the 3.8.0 patch and just install the 3.9.0 patch. However, you must have the original game installed (3.7.0) or else you will be missing some files.

That is correct. Not all platforms have images attached to them. Some guys are working hard to correct this, but not all databases have an image for every platform.

Welcome aboard, shipmate. Drop me a line when you want to try out the MP aspects of this game. :smoke:

[Herman Hum]

I forgot to mention that if you are going to install 3.9.0, you desperately need to install

Harpoon ANW users can get the:
Complete Harpoon ANW Library (http://www.harpdb.com/h3/pdb/scen/Complete_ANW_Library.exe)

The current release of ANW has a huge bug in it and you can't drop bombs. The PlayersDB has found a work-around for it. It's the only one that presently works.

[Poor Old Spike]

Okay mate thanks, i just downloaded the 'Complete Harpoon ANW Library'

As for the long list of H3:ANW bugs and issues, that's disappointing news, H3 has been out at least a dozen years and it seems they still haven't cleaned it up..
At the moment there's a graphics bug that's bugging me because the game sometimes loads with freaky rainbow lines messing up the orders toolbar, and I have to exit and reboot.
Even worse, during games if I click 'Picture' to see a unit, ALL the graphics are skewed when I exit the pic to go back into to the game. (weird colours and hues replace the stock pallette, think 'photographic negative') and I have to abandon the game. (Trying to reload the stock pallette doesn't correct it, the colours all stay shot)
I updated my vid drivers but the prob still won't go away.
Any suggestions?

[Herman Hum]

From my experience, the weird rainbow hues and 'tie-dyed' colours appear when you are playing in full screen window and do alt+Tab to switch between functions. I don't bother quitting. Sometimes, hitting ESC will fix it. However, most other times, I just use the alt+Tab function to get out of ANW. When I use the alt+Tab to get back into ANW, I just alt+Tab to the ANW selection and then hold the keys down for a few more seconds to let the computer "set up" in ANW before letting go and it usually fixes the problem.

[Poor Old Spike]

Nah, I tried it mate but the graphics bug is still there and my patience is running out fast, it's got more bugs than fleas on a hound dawgs back..
No sweat, it was a free review copy from Matrix anyway and didn't cost me a penny..
I'll just have to tell them I couldn't get it to work properly and therefore can't do a review..

[Herman Hum]

Guess they're pulling out all the stops to try and bolster their buggy image by sending out review copies all over... ;)

I think that you are a bit too harsh, though. This game isn't about the graphics. However, I won't disagree on the overall bugginess of it, at times. I did hope that you would have a bit more patience with it. However, your review/comments will be valid because you are objective.

[Poor Old Spike]

I think that you are a bit too harsh, though

Believe me mate, I diplomatically pulled my punches..:)
The games unplayable as far as I'm concerned and should never have been released in such a buggy state, and it won't do Matrix's reputation any good at all..

[Herman Hum]

At least no one can say that you have bias. :)

(We pariahs need all the friends we can get!) :clown:

[Poor Old Spike]

At least no one can say that you have bias. :)
(We pariahs need all the friends we can get!) :clown:

Ha ha ha Matrix recently made me a Press Reviewer for their games so that I can review them on all the gaming websites; so far they've sent me Winter Storm/ Adv TacsWW2/ CC Modern Tactics/ and H3ANW.
The first 3 were fine and I said so in my reviews, but i've just told Matrix H3ANW is unplayable in its current state and i wouldn't be able to review it til its fixed.
I also advised them to withdraw it from sale to protect their reputation til then.
I'm hoping they'll appreciate my honest straight-talking, and that they don't want fawning yes-men reviewers..;)

[Herman Hum]

Congratulations to you.

For your entertainment, you might want to check out the lastest discussion on UseNet. It is highly entertaining.
http://groups.google.ca/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical/browse_thread/thread/69c3e1e72f957355#

[Herman Hum]

Oh, here's another suggestion if you are game to try it. Play the Game in "Windowed Mode". This will run the game in a reduced window. Select "Run in Windowed Mode" under the Sound and Video option of the configuration launcher. I am told that this can solve your problem, too.

[Poor Old Spike]

Oh, here's another suggestion if you are game to try it....

Thanks but no thanks mate, that might cure the graphics bug, but there are still a list of gameplay bugs as long as your arm so I've given up on H3ANW and uninstalled it.
Maybe i'll try it again in the future after new patches come out, it certainly needs them..
Heck I was playing Harpoon a dozen years ago and it was bugged even then but nowhere near as bad as it is now, its got worse not better!

[Poor Old Spike]

Good news -
H3 v 3.7 (patched to 3.8) seems to be working fine for me at the moment, it was just when I upgraded it to 3.9 that the trouble started, so I uninstalled 3.9, re-installed 3.7 and patched it to 3.8..:)

PS - Does that mean I won't be able to play anybody if they're using v 3.9?

[Herman Hum]

That is correct. The community ANW server operated by Tony and HarpGamer has been patched to 3.9.0. If you only have 3.8.0, you won't even be able to log in.

If you are willing to operate as the host server, I'll be happy to downgrade to 3.8.0 to play a match with you. Unfortunately, I cannot be the host server due to my limited computing capacity and connection.

[Poor Old Spike]

If you are willing to operate as the host server, I'll be happy to downgrade to 3.8.0 to play a match with you..


Thanks mate I might take you up on that but I want to check out 3.8 thoroughly first just to make sure it really does run okay (I only installed it today) and that any possible bugs/glitches are not too intrusive or that they can be ignored or worked around..:)

PS -what's the AI opponent like in H3, any good?

[Herman Hum]

The AI opponent is only as good as the scenario designer. It's a bit limited, IMO, but a good designer can help the AI get around problems. Stick with the PlayersDB scens for the least number of problems. They may not be perfect, but they are far better than the official offerings.

Here is a simple solution to your problem. Install ANW to your computer twice. Just use two different folders. Label one of them 3.8.0 and the other 3.9.0. Then just apply the 390 patch to one of them. This way, you can play 380 all you want. When you want to try the 390 MP, you can just fire up the 390 version. It is a simple and easy way around the problem. I often do something like this when the versions are in flux.

[Poor Old Spike]

Label one of them 3.8.0 and the other 3.9.0. Then just apply the 390 patch to one of them.
..When you want to try the 390 MP, you can just fire up the 390 version..

But 390 won't work for me (I kept getting graphics breakup) that's why I had to uninstall it and go back to 380, or have I misunderstood you somewhere along the line?

PS - I hear other people are experiencing graphic glitches with 390 too

[Herman Hum]

I have not heard anyone with problems as severe as you are describing. If you like, we can meet up for online chat. I am on MSN, Yahoo, and can use IRC, if you are interested. Just choose a method and I will meet up with you to see if we can work through it or not.

If you do not use chat, that's no problem. There are other ways to communicate, too. Just let me know if there are problems.

[Poor Old Spike]

Er...I'm PC-illegitimate, that might be contributing to my probs because i'm just a grunt wargamer not a geek..;)
Tell me how this online chat thing works and i'll have a shot..:)

As for the graphics, 390 is usually fine until I click 'Picture' to see pics of ships and planes etc, but when I exit back to the game the colours are all shot and psychdelic, much as the world no doubt appears through Geordie LaForges visor, or through the eyes of a hippy on an LSD trip)..

[Herman Hum]

Here's a very fast way to get into chat with us. Go here and type in your username then hit the "Chat" button to enter the room. I am there, now.

http://www.harpgamer.com/chat/phpMyChat.php3

[Poor Old Spike]

It won't work mate, it only allows me to type in 10 letters of my screenname (pooroldspike is 12 letters), and when I click 'chat' nothing happens

[Herman Hum]

Well, there's a first for everything, I guess. You should try a shorter name, then. When you clicked "Chat", you appeared in the chat room. I saw you enter, twice. I think that you were on your way to chat with me, but you never responded to my messages.

If you prefer, you can download this small file and run it. it leads to a bigger/different chat room.

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?autocom=downloads&req=download&code=confirm_download&id=281

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=281