TripleA 1.8.0.4 Beta has been released

[Veqryn]

TripleA 1.8.0.4 Beta has been released, download it here,

https://sourceforge.net/projects/triplea/files/TripleA_Unstable/1_8_0_4/
or: https://sourceforge.net/projects/tripleamaps/files/TripleA/unstable/

Play Axis and Allies online with TripleA!

This version is completely backwards compatible with 1.8.0.3, 1.8.0.1, 1.7.0.3, 1.7.0.1, 1.6.1.4, and 1.5.2.2 savegames.
(You can install more than 1 version of TripleA at a time, and run them all at the same time.)


The Developers for TripleA 1.8.0.4: Veqryn, Redrum


Main Updates:
1.8.0.4
- Bug Fixes:
Savegame size increasing exponentially bug is fixed.
Hosts now wait up to 15 minutes (previously only 1.5 min) for players to sync when starting a game up.
Fixed bug where occasionally the game would wait on all players to press 'OK' for certain messages before the game could continue.
Fixed lobby username muting not working.
Fixed bug where under rare circumstances air units going from sea to land would lose all movement.
Fixed bug with bid placement for Global 1940/1942 where British could not place units in UK Pacific.
Fixed bug with unit repairs not being recorded properly in history.
Fixed bugs surrounding fuel cost for units loading, unloading, and moving with carriers.
More stability improvements for hosts and bots; as well as many smaller bugs fixed.

- New Features:
New AI, "Hard AI" (also called ProAI), coded by Redrum.
BattleCalculator now multithreaded and 2x to 20x faster than previously.
Host wait time now configurable in engine preferences.


1.8.0.3
- Bug Fixes:
Crashing and freezing while hosting finally fixed completely.
Crash caused by bug introduced into Paratroopers tech fixed.
Fixed some bugs with triggers, and various other smaller bug fixes.

- New Features:
New 'Unit Stats' chart, accessible from the 'Help' and 'Export' menus.
Some new step properties for map makers to use.


1.8.0.1
- Automated Host Improvements:
Automated hosts have been fully fleshed out now, with many improvements. You can now set game options, and they now look and act more like a regular host does, with the 'Choose Game', 'Load Game', and 'Game Options' buttons all working.
They also show up in the lobby in italics, with a mark under the new "Bot?" column, and start with zero players. Lobby admins have the power to control them, including muting and banning of players inside them.

- Many New Features for Maps:
Lots of new sounds added to the engine, and the engine can now play sounds from inside a zipped map as well, including by triggers.
Units can have multiple hitPoints beyond two, variable repair rates, maps can start with damaged units, resources can now be purchased during purchase phase.
Some progress on 1914 WW1, many new phase step properties, and allowing multiple 'when' settings for triggers.
Players can be optionally disabled in some maps, allowing more flexibility for free-for-all type games.

- Some Bug Fixes:
Defending submarines no longer fire before attacking units when attack has a destroyer.
Some fixes for online game stability.
1940 China no longer affected by blockades, and airborne paratrooper bugs fixed.
Various other bug fixes for strategic bombing on a map with terrain effects, errors with max units placed, fighter carrier movement, attacking with a carrier holding allied air, comment log not updating, resource creation order, and destroyedTUV condition.

- Misc:
PBEM/PBF Improvements: New option under 'File' menu: 'Post PBEM Game', which will allow posting the game at any time, like during a battle. AI can now be selected for PBEM games.
User notifications, such as chance notifications, now be turned off in the 'Game' menu.
Big updates to included java libraries: Java 6 or greater now required, Substance UI updated and many new 'look and feel' settings available, latest included JRE, and latest apache common jars.
Major updates to Great War WW1 and 270BC.





For a full changelog see here:
https://triplea.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/triplea/branches/1_8_0_4_beta/changelog.txt



Please report any bugs encountered here:

https://sourceforge.net/p/triplea/_list/tickets


If you find bugs, I really can't do much about them unless you upload an autosave.  It will save me tons of time if you give me an autosave / or save game made sometime before the bug occured.  Also mention what map the bug occurred on, and copy and paste the error if there is one.

Your save games are in a folder right next to where the maps are:

(Windows XP)  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\triplea\
(Windows 7)  C:\Users\userName\triplea
(Mac)  /home/user/documents/triplea/
(Linux)  /home/user/triplea/

[They are NOT in program files.  They are in a folder in your user account.]

When you are making a post, click the "More Options" button.  From there click "Upload a file".
Simply upload the autosave, or other save, to your post.

I really really appreciate savegames, it makes my life a lot easier.

Please also describe what happened before the bug occurred, and copy and paste the full error message, and of course say what map and what version of TripleA you were using!

thanks,
veqryn

[Veqryn]

If you would like to support or donate to TripleA, go here: https://sourceforge.net/donate/index.php?group_id=44492

[Veqryn]

If you want to run a "automated server" yourself, you can use this command:

java -server -Xmx320m -Djava.awt.headless=true -classpath bin/triplea.jar games.strategy.engine.framework.headlessGameServer.HeadlessGameServer triplea.game.host.console=true triplea.game.host.ui=false triplea.game= triplea.server=true triplea.port=3304 triplea.lobby.host=173.255.229.134 triplea.lobby.port=3303 triplea.name=Bot1_YourServerName triplea.lobby.game.hostedBy=Bot1_YourServerName triplea.lobby.game.supportEmail=yourEmailName(AT)emailProvider.com triplea.lobby.game.comments="automated_host"


you can change the PORT, and the NAME, and the SUPPORTEMAIL

you can also use one of these files to run it (change the contents as you wish):
linux: run-headless-game-host.sh
mac: run-headless-game-host-mac-os.sh
windows: run-headless-game-host-windows.bat

put these files into the same folder as where you installed triplea
(so they would be right beside the .exe [or .sh] file)
double click to run them
you can right click and make a shortcut to them on your desktop or w/e

For more complete instructions, read this link: http://tripleadev.1671093.n2.nabble.com/How-to-make-your-own-Automated-Game-Host-server-tp7583701.html

thx,
veqryn

[sean]

The new "Hard AI"

I have played several games.  It is a great improvement over the medium AI, but it's still very easy to defeat.

Small issues (probably easily fixed)

1.  It leaves bombers vulnerable to attack from enemy air
2.  It never performs SBR
3.  Builds too many factories with japan.
4. Doesn't build enough artillary.. in fact the purchasing algorithm isn't very good


Big issues (why it's so easy to win)
1.  It doesn't consider allied interaction very well.  For example:

 if UK can lose 80 unit value (landing force plus airforce) to destroy only 10 infantry (30 unit value) on germany, but this shifts the odds so that the US can take germany.

Another case might be using japanese bombers to strafe russian infantry so that german tanks can take unguarded regions beyond.

It doesn't consider moving russian troops out to leave uk airforce to die.

2.  It is bad at managing fleets.  For this reason, the computer is terrible at playing the US.  It just doesn't efficiently move troops around.

3.  It appears to only look at unit value gain for attacks, and possible loses during non-combat.   This is not enough, because sometimes you have to consider that even though your forces on a particular territory can be easily destroyed, doing so causes the enemy to avoid combat in a different place.

Another case, we know if the opponent has limited airforce, it cannot counter in very many territories.

4.  Doesn't appear to look many turns in advance to consider the outcome.  This would obviously take a lot more CPU, but make the AI much smarter.

5.  If there is a 45% chance of taking moscow, and waiting until next turn the chance will be down to 35%, the computer still doesn't take the chance, and will just lose.

I could go on, but this is a start.

I envision maybe using an AI with lots of weights (like considerations for purchasing etc) and many computer players with diffrent weights play each other over many games.  In this way the best weights for a particular player with a given set of rules on a given map could be found, and the computer would be much smarter.

[redrum]

@sean - Lots of good points. Here are my comments:

Small issues
1. Air unit defense needs improved overall. This is on the list of things to tackle.
2. SBR isn't implemented yet but will be eventually.
3. Not a big issue and the AI tends to prefer land vs naval since it plays better that way.
4. I just overhauled the purchase algorithm in the latest pre-release so this should be addressed.

Big issues
1. So it doesn't consider multiple nations attacks yet. I'm planning to eventually implement this but it will take some time.
2. Naval movement is just more complex overall. This will hopefully continue to get better.
3. This sort of goes along with #1 as it needs to consider the number of places each enemy/ally can attack to.
4. This is still just a limitation of CPU as I don't want the AI to be any slower than it already is. It will never be as good as a human in considering future turns.
5. This mostly goes along with #4 since it doesn't know that next turn its chance will be less.

The AI playing itself can only get so far. Playing against humans tends to expose its weaknesses much better. Overall, good points and several of the things are already on my TODO list. I would recommend either playing some maps you aren't as familiar with against the AI or give the AI some small bonuses to level the playing field. Also, if you have any save games that show particular turns where the AI plays poorly that always helps.

[RogerCooper]

Chrome identified the download as malicious file. Probably, a false positive, but you should check the file in case SourceForge was compromised.

[Veqryn]

What exactly did Chrome say?

Did it say it "could be malicious"?
Or did it say that "it is malicious"?

There is a big difference there.

My chrome told me that the download isn't popular, and therefore might be bad.

[RogerCooper]

 

"is malicious"

In a message dated 12/1/2014 10:43:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [hidden email] writes:

What exactly did Chrome say?

Did it say it "could be malicious"?
Or did it say that "it is malicious"?

There is a big difference there.

My chrome told me that the download isn't popular, and therefore might be bad.

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[Veqryn]

Can you send me a screenshot please?

Is there any link or anything justifying this slander?  Does chrome provide an explanation or anything?

[RogerCooper]

Here is the screenshot



Here is Google's link on the issue

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/3258249

I downloaded using IE without problem

[Veqryn]

can you upload a larger picture?
I'd like to see the error as you see it

[RogerCooper]

[Prussia]

A pretty annoying AI bug:

Whenever hard AI has a damaged factory, it repairs but then by placement turn the damages are back, so hard AI would never be able to place in that factory and causing bugs from that point onwards in a game.

I don't need to upload a save - Just open up ww2v3 against AI, edit yourself rockets advance and next round errors will begin popping up.

This basically can stop hard AI production entirely.

There is no evidence that the other AIs (easy, medium, land only) are affected by this bug.

[SB7944]

I had this same issue with Chrome. Then my Norton antivirus kept deleting the installer... I had to turn it off to get the game installed. Weird.

Anyway the new AI is a big improvement. The only problem is the game runs so slow. Sometimes it takes 20 min for the AI to finish a move. Other than that... fantastic!

[redrum]

@Prussia - Good find. There was an issue when I added simulation of phases for purchases that caused factory repairs to bug out. I fixed it and it will be in the next pre-release.

@SB7944 - Thanks. If its that slow for you then try increasing your memory.

[Adam]

It looks like source forge is having some trouble now:
When the download link is selected or even the mirror "Oh snap! We can't process this request."
Hopefully this is temporary and nothing larger.

[Frostion]

Will the final version of 1.8.0.4 have some kind of game music support/option? Mp3?

I saw this idea mentioned 1½ year ago here in the To-Do-List:
http://tripleadev.1671093.n2.nabble.com/Development-To-Do-list-td7582044i40.html

[Cernel]

A neat thing, for complex or, anyway, unusual maps, may be having a properties sheet, customized per map, in which to have an order of losses, that will be preloaded on the battlecalculator (like if you copypaste it each time you use it; but without having to).

[bluelionman]

I've only played the new hard AI a couple of times in the new beta version 1.8.0.4 but have hit a most annoying issue twice which I think is related to when you invent the rocket power - after you have damaged enemy factories from then on you get an annoying 'Java error box pop up you have to close down literally 100's of times almost after every move each nation makes - made the game so unplayable I gave up.

[Veqryn]

Please post a savegame showing the error