Serious(?) bug

[Judicator (OP)]

My game was going swimmingly but now I have a problem. I was clicking skip 30 days as is my usual method of passing time, when I noticed it no longer passed any days at all. I go to my System Map screen and click on events and it keeps telling me "last time increment 5 seconds" even when I readjust the auto pulse and whatnot. It just keeps passing time by 5 second increments no matter what button I push. Restarting the game did not help. I tried a new game, the problem does not carry over.

Immediate help would be appreciated.

[Kurt]

My game was going swimmingly but now I have a problem. I was clicking skip 30 days as is my usual method of passing time, when I noticed it no longer passed any days at all. I go to my System Map screen and click on events and it keeps telling me "last time increment 5 seconds" even when I readjust the auto pulse and whatnot. It just keeps passing time by 5 second increments no matter what button I push. Restarting the game did not help. I tried a new game, the problem does not carry over.

Immediate help would be appreciated.

This typically means that a battle is happening someplace.  If you are not involved, then it is in between two NPR's.  The best way to deal with this is to open the system map (F3).  Along the top edge you will see a check box labeled "Automated Turns".  Check that box and then hit any time advance.  Aurora will advance the time automatically until it hits a stop that involves you.  It may take some time to work through the battle, though.  

Kurt

[sloanjh]

My game was going swimmingly but now I have a problem. I was clicking skip 30 days as is my usual method of passing time, when I noticed it no longer passed any days at all. I go to my System Map screen and click on events and it keeps telling me "last time increment 5 seconds" even when I readjust the auto pulse and whatnot. It just keeps passing time by 5 second increments no matter what button I push. Restarting the game did not help. I tried a new game, the problem does not carry over.

Immediate help would be appreciated.

First, there's a tutorial (#12) that deals with this:

viewtopic.php?f=101&t=2060

Next, please read the "Where should I post?" FAQ: viewtopic.php?f=100&t=2043  In particular, it requests that new users ask questions like this in The Academy.  As a new user, as a rule of thumb you can assume that at least 90% of the time when you find what you think is a "serious" bug that it's either not a bug or it's a known issue - there are lots of people who play the game and it works for them.  If what you've found really is a bug, then someone will ask you to log it in Bugs.

Finally, when logging a bug in Bugs, Steve has requested that people first read the "Bug Reporting (Please read before posting bugs)" thread: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1930  In particular, it requests that you NOT start a new thread for a bug report - bug reports should go in the "official" bug thread for the version you're using.

Thanks, and Have Fun!
John

[Andrew]

My game was going swimmingly but now I have a problem. I was clicking skip 30 days as is my usual method of passing time, when I noticed it no longer passed any days at all. I go to my System Map screen and click on events and it keeps telling me "last time increment 5 seconds" even when I readjust the auto pulse and whatnot. It just keeps passing time by 5 second increments no matter what button I push. Restarting the game did not help. I tried a new game, the problem does not carry over.

Immediate help would be appreciated.

There is no bug
Read the DAQ about time issues
A NPR is busy having a fight

[Shade]

For me, there would be three turns that add up to about a minute, then stop. This is with Automated Turns on. I manually clicked through it (taking many real-time hours to get through slightly less in-game ones) and eventually decided to use SM to look at what was happening. Long story short, now the game is broken and I can't do anything.

[welchbloke]

For me, there would be three turns that add up to about a minute, then stop. This is with Automated Turns on. I manually clicked through it (taking many real-time hours to get through slightly less in-game ones) and eventually decided to use SM to look at what was happening. Long story short, now the game is broken and I can't do anything.

Did you use SM mode? or Designer Mode?  You should not be able to break anything in SM Mode; it is, however, remarkably easy to break something in Designer Mode  
Just how are things broken for you?
Erik/John, any chance we could move this thread to the Academy?

[roccod]

I am having a similar problem.
I have gotten stuck in a cycle of three 60 and one 15 second updates. In SM mode I see the following event updates:
Incement length adjusted as a ship is within firing range
Increment length adjusted due to imminent action. This may involve two NPR:s fighting
If I swith to "combat" view in the event window:
Beshaba 001 - Anti-Fighter Trackng System targeting Houjian 093 at 60k km
Size 32 Plasma Torpedo (x12) reloading. 135 seconds until next missile launch.
and also, each fourth update:
Size 32 Plasma torpedo (x12) has launched a Torp 32. Reload time: 195 seconds.

When I left the game on for a couple of hours once, the cycle changed into 120 seconds turns after a while. Had to ctrl-alt-del the game to stop the automation, but then I could play normally.. for 2 more days, then it started again and know it doesnt seem to go away.

I am only using SM mode, do not have any password for Designer mode. I really not want to abandon this game, is there some way to solve it? I read here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2348&p=23794&hilit=NPR+action+stuck#p23794
that you can delete the involved NPR fleets in designer mode. I have mailed steve about this but nt received any answer. I am stuck..

On a side note: When I check automated turns and the click 20 min time advance, the automated turns does not stop after 20 min. It seems to go on forever. Is this a bug?

[Beersatron]

Automated turns with a selection of 20mins means that it will advance by 20mins, stop and do anything that needs done, then go for another 20mins... repeating until it hits an interrupt.

Combat can take a lot of 5second increments so don't be surprised when automated turns cycles itself down to that interval and plays the engagement out. Go get a drink

if you want, I could maybe have a look since I can get to designer mode. But I won't share the password out.

[sloanjh]

I am having a similar problem.
I have gotten stuck in a cycle of three 60 and one 15 second updates. In SM mode I see the following event updates:
Incement length adjusted as a ship is within firing range
Increment length adjusted due to imminent action. This may involve two NPR:s fighting
If I swith to "combat" view in the event window:
Beshaba 001 - Anti-Fighter Trackng System targeting Houjian 093 at 60k km
Size 32 Plasma Torpedo (x12) reloading. 135 seconds until next missile launch.
and also, each fourth update:
Size 32 Plasma torpedo (x12) has launched a Torp 32. Reload time: 195 seconds.

When I left the game on for a couple of hours once, the cycle changed into 120 seconds turns after a while. Had to ctrl-alt-del the game to stop the automation, but then I could play normally.. for 2 more days, then it started again and know it doesnt seem to go away.

Good News/Bad News:
Are you using the most recent version?  ISTR Steve saying he put in code that would look for repeats like this and then delete the NPR fleets in question automagically.  Don't remember if it's in the current release or the next (unreleased) release, though.

That was the good news.  The bad news is [spoiler:3d2cwrzd]that I think Plasma torpedos are new type of weapon associated with one of the new alien types[/spoiler:3d2cwrzd], so it could very well be that this is a new bug in the AI routines that was recently introduced.

I am only using SM mode, do not have any password for Designer mode. I really not want to abandon this game, is there some way to solve it? I read here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2348&p=23794&hilit=NPR+action+stuck#p23794
that you can delete the involved NPR fleets in designer mode. I have mailed steve about this but nt received any answer. I am stuck..

I think Steve's in Vegas (without the source code) and so he won't be able to do much for you until July.

On a side note: When I check automated turns and the click 20 min time advance, the automated turns does not stop after 20 min. It seems to go on forever. Is this a bug?

No, it's what the automated turns box is supposed to do.  If automated turns is not checked, then clicking on 20 minute advance will advance time by 20 minutes and stop (under the covers it's actually taking many smaller steps, but you don't need to know that).  Automated turns was introduced so that you don't have to keep clicking the stupid button - it will click the button for you, forever, until an interrupt event happens.

John

EDIT: LOL, Beer - Jinx!!

[roccod]

Thank you for the quick rally to help I thought it should just skip NPR interrupts. The reason for the 120 s updates must have been that I pressed the 2 min button and then left the computer.

if you want, I could maybe have a look since I can get to designer mode. But I won't share the password out.

Certainly, I appreciate any help. How do I send the db-file to you? Can you PM your e-mail?

[Beersatron]

Thank you for the quick rally to help I thought it should just skip NPR interrupts. The reason for the 120 s updates must have been that I pressed the 2 min button and then left the computer.

if you want, I could maybe have a look since I can get to designer mode. But I won't share the password out.

Certainly, I appreciate any help. How do I send the db-file to you? Can you PM your e-mail?

I am using 5.14 myself but I may be able to just install 5.10 in another folder and try it.

Try and compact your DB and then see if you can attach it to this thread in your next reply. Or, if you have a google account you can upload it to google docs http://docs.google.com/ and provide a share link.

[roccod]

Try and compact your DB and then see if you can attach it to this thread in your next reply. Or, if you have a google account you can upload it to google docs http://docs.google.com/ and provide a share link.

Ok, seems like the file was just a little to big for attachment. Here is the google doc link:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0APOO ... OTFl&hl=en

[Beersatron]

This is what I have found on first look:

[spoiler:3mtxsb2u]It looks like an Invader is fighting a Swarm Queen, the invader is taking internal damage so I think that if you leave them to fight he will die from loss of structural integrity[/spoiler:3mtxsb2u]

I'll keep on looking.

*edit*

What ever way Steve has setup the Invaders makes it hard to track what they are doing.

[spoiler:3mtxsb2u]There is a Wormhole in a system with one Gas Giant and it has a Star Swarm plus a Stable Wormhole.

It would seem that the yo-yo is around the fact that the invader attacking the swarm queen is staying out of range of the queen but not doing enough damage to kill it. The damage done to the invader is probably from the soldiers that were assigned to this queen, but they have probably all been killed by the invader.

Therefore there is nothing that can kill the invader and there is nothing that can kill the queen.

Not sure if Steve has coded anything for this kind of yo-yo.[/spoiler:3mtxsb2u]

[Beersatron]

Steve, if your reading this it has good examples of how the NPR FAC creation is nerfing them badly - they get into production loops were the FAC is built but disappears (maybe due to maintenance) straight away.

[roccod]

Thanks for taking a look Beersatron. I guess I'll have to start a new game then? Any tips on what to do on order for something like this to not show up again?

I was using difficulty setting 150% in my last game, I have read somewhere that this can cause problems?

Enjoyed your story at the fiction section btw, looking forward to a chance of reading more about this "Menace".