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Known Harpoon Classic Issues


Herman

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At the request of Ivan Rapkinov, here is a list of known 'Bugs' for Harpoon Classic Gold. Not all the behaviours described below are 'bugs'. Some are simply an explanation of how the game or scenario editor works.

 

If anyone believes that a particular bug has been fixed or is in error, please feel free to notify GameSquad so that this list can be amended.

 

Please note: This list is not meant as a criticism of an excellent and enjoyable game. The sole purpose of this list is to inform players of currently known issues and possibly help them to avoid problems.

 

EDIT: ONLY BUG/ISSUE POSTS WILL BE ADDED TO THIS THREAD - ANYTHING ELSE WILL BE DELETED!!! - IR

 

 

'Have Nap' AGMs --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

Certain types of AGMs have a 'man' in the guidance loop. In order for "Have Nap" AGMs and similar weapons hit their target, the firing unit needs to remain near the target to offer guidance.

 

[EDIT] The firing unit also needs to remain pointed at the target. Other weapon examples are the AGM-130 and Walleye.

 

Have Nap malfunction --- SE HCCE B11

 

AGM-142 Have Nap cannot hit the target. This missile has the Command Guidance and Mid-Course Guidance flags. Under manual control, they can hit if the player remains in the area. However, under AI control, the attacking aircraft launch and immediately turn for home base so the missiles always miss.

 

Adding aircraft in SE --- ScenEditor 16b3

 

Aircraft can only be added to ships and bases. Any attempt to add aircraft to an empty group or to a unit that cannot accept planes will crash the Scenario Editor.

 

Aircraft guns --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

Aircraft guns are currently enabled only for aircraft with Intercept and Escort loadouts. Guns fire automatically when a shot can be taken.

 

ECM Area --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

ECM (i.e. EA-6B Prowler) model is presently dismantled. Chaff, flares, and own platform ECM for missile defense still works.

 

Note: This bug has reportedly been solved for the HC2005 Beta release but has been included here for those still playing with the 2003.16b3 Engine.

 

Minefield Group --- GE 2003.16b3

 

If the player has a group with >8 mines in it, the game will crash when the group is selected.

 

Work-around solution: Keep mine groups with <8 mine units.

 

Nuclear Release Authorization --- ScenEditor 2003.16b3

 

Timing parameters are not saved for nuclear release event. The GE also evaluates nuclear release events improperly (off by 27 hours and a factor of 2).

 

Work-around solution: Set the nuclear release event. Save the file. Re-open the SE and scenario. Re-set the parameters and save again.

 

Separating air patrols from bases --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

Air patrols cannot be detached from bases.

 

Ship-to-ship torpedoes --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

Ship-to-ship torpedo attack does not function. PT boats can only use guns.

 

Sub SSMs --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

Submarines will very rarely fire missiles. Possible requirements: Submarine must have a firm fix on the target. Submarine must have a pretty good idea that the enemy isn't detecting him. Submarine must be out of Torpedo range(?) Then if the stars align correctly the sub may take a shot.

 

Tankers refueling tankers --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

This is currently not possible.

 

Weapons Display for bases --- ScenEditor 2003.16b3

 

The SE will crash if you select a base in the Unit window, hit the Display button, and then ask to see the Weapons for that base.

 

Weapons allocation menu --- Game Engine 2003.16b3

 

When ordered to fire on an enemy unit, the Weapons Allocation window will sometimes open even if no weapons are available/able to attack the enemy unit.

 

Autosave time setting not saved --- GE HCCE B09

 

The default for autosave function (Control+K) is 2 minutes. If you change this and then quit the game, upon re-start, the autosave time limit has re-set to 2 minutes. In previous versions, the new time default would be saved.

 

Keyhole spots submerged objects --- GE HCCE B09

 

Keyhole satellite is able to detect submarines and mines.

 

Erroneous Staff warning message --- GE HCCE B09

 

Staff gives false warning message for aircraft launched from Kola airfield. Fingers of Death #2 [EC2003 NACV] Red side - No blue units are within range to have the red plane under its SAM range.

 

Red reports to Blue --- GE HCCE B09

 

OpFor [Red] detects a Neutral unit and reports it to Blue.

 

Neutral reports to Player --- GE HCCE B09

 

Neutral side detects a Red unit and reports it to Player.

 

Bearing-Only Launch Weapons --- GE HCCE B09

 

The Staff Assistant will allow the player to attempt a BOL-attack even when no such weapons are available. Also, when weapons are available, the range circle depicted is often much larger than the range of the actual weapons.

 

Game crashes from flame-out --- GE HCCE B09

 

Game can sometimes crash when aircraft run out of fuel or flame-out.

 

Planes in limbo --- GE HCCE B09

 

Sometimes, planes land and are then made unavailable to the player. He may neither re-arm nor re-launch them.

 

Cruise at full speed --- GE HCCE B09

 

Throttle shows Cruise consumption when unit at full speed.

 

EW planes do not jam --- GE HCCE B09

 

EW aircraft that do not have a radar system will not jam enemy systems. The Jamming symbol shows up, but the aircraft are not jammed. They see everything.

 

SE Count bug --- GE HCCE B09

 

Test scenario has ViCond set at the destruction of two bases. Victory is granted after just one base is destroyed.

 

Shot down during landing --- GE HCCE B09

 

The first aircraft in a group to land are left in limbo if the last aircraft in the group is shot down before it can land.

 

Very High Altitude --- GE HCCE B09

 

When a plane is in flight and the player orders it to fly at a speed slower than loiter speed, the altitude displayed is VRY. I don't know if this means Very High Altitude, but the plane appears to be invincible. Nothing appears to be able to intercept it.

 

Manual Sonobuoy deployment --- GE HCCE B09

 

When an aircraft is flying at high altitude and the player orders it to manually deploy a sonobuoy with the "." hotkey, the plane dives to low altitude. However, the player must hit the "Deploy" hotkey again in order to actually deploy the sonobuoy.

 

Null groups --- SE HCCE B09

 

When using the SE, if a designer creates a group (Cntl+G) and then fails to add any units to that group, a Null Group is created. Unless it is deleted, the Empty group will remain in the scenario and crash it when a player attempts to open it with the Game Engine. This behaviour was run down and isolated in collaboration with Brad Leyte and Thomas Ponta.

 

MiG-17F gun engagement --- GE HCCE B09

 

Aircraft will not conduct 'normal' interception procedure unless manually placed in proximity of target.

 

Sonobuoy hotkey --- GE HCCE B09

 

When the "." hotkey is depressed for Helos and Planes not currently at low altitude, the unit will drop down to low altitude. A second use of the hotkey is required to activate the dipping sonar/deploy sonobuoy.

 

Dipping while cruising --- GE HCCE B09

 

Sonar range circle can be activated while helo is still at cruise speed. Only the range circle appears. The dipping sonar does not actually function until the helo is brought to hover. This can be misleading for players who might believe that the range circle indicates that the dipping sonar is actually operational.

 

Dipping at Med Alt --- GE HCCE B09

 

Helos are able to operate dipping sonar at Med altitude.

 

Unable to maintain depth --- GE HCCE B09

 

Sub orders are to cruise at Int. depth. The sub is able to start here, but then invariably alternates between Deep and shallow depth even if the orders do not specify either depth. I was originally trying to test to see if a MAD contact could be made against a sub at Int, but couldn't do the test since the sub would not remain at Int depth so that I could try to find it.

 

Helo drops to low --- GE HCCE B09

 

When a helo is cruising at med altitude and the player orders it to hover, it automatically dives to low altitude.

 

MOAB release --- GE HCCE B09

 

MC-130 loaded with MOAB will not attack air base even though loadout is rated for Surface.

 

Target already destroyed --- GE HCCE B09

 

When a target is destroyed by leading groups, subsequent groups continue to fly to the target's position.

 

Neutrals cannot be engaged --- GE HCCE B09

 

Neutral units cannot be attacked either intentionally or accidentally.

 

 

Self-refueling Tanker --- GE HCCE B09

 

As the tanker runs low on fuel, it will attempt to 're-fuel itself', fail to do so, and then turn around for home. The Fuel store is used up and wasted even when the re-fueling attempt fails.

 

 

AAA altitude unlimited --- GE HCCE B09

 

Small AAA like 57mm S-60 and 23mm ZSU-23 are capable of killing aircraft at high altitude.

 

 

Displays incongruent --- GE HCCE B09

 

Information displayed in the Unit Window is often inconsistent between the [F]ull display and the [D]isplay buttons.

 

 

BSL & Active Sonar --- GE HCCE B09

 

Active sonar detects all sub targets at maximum range regardless of size or BSL levels. Mines, small diesels, SeaWolf,... all detected at maximum or near maximum range of sonar. Also, even though BSL [base Sound Levels] have been exposed in HCCE so that Platform editors can modify them, they appear to have no effect on active detection ranges.

 

 

Null Bases --- GE HCCE B10

 

When using the SE, if a designer creates a Base(Cntl+
B)
and then fails to actually select a base to add, a Null Base is created. Unless it is deleted, the Empty base will show up as a Weapon Icon and remain in the scenario and crash it when a player attempts to open it with the Game Engine.

 

 

Sparrows firing without radar --- GE HCCE B10

 

AIM-7M Sparrow missiles are able to fire and hit without requirement of active radar guidance.

 

Sparrows do not engage --- GE HCCE B10

 

Inbound missiles fly right over Phantoms. Staff Assistant asks if player wants to engage with AAMs or not. When player hits Yes button, only AIM-9D Sidewinders are fire. The longer-ranged AIM-7F Sparrow do not fire unless manually directed by the player. Phantom EmCon is irrelevant.

 

Launch Limbo --- GE HCCE B10

 

When aircraft are either launching or landing, if the aircraft in the group are destroyed before the group is fully launched/landed, the aircraft that have not yet launched to / already landed from the group are stranded in limbo either as launching or landing.

 

Ferry unlimited --- GE HCCE B10

 

AI can launch unlimited number of aircraft on ferry mission. If aircraft are destroyed before the flight is finished launching, the AI just continues until the original full flight is launched.

 

 

Target Saturated --- GE HCCE B10

 

Once a target has been attacked, subsequent strikers Return To Base without engaging.

 

 

Entering AAW Range --- GE HCCE B10

 

Warning message appears whenever plane launches. It is incorrect, yet always appears in WestPac scens with Neutral sides.

 

 

Hostile Neutrals --- GE HCCE B10

 

Neutral side will shoot down Red units but not Blue units.

 

Hostile Neutrals B --- GE HCCE B10

 

Blue units not engaged by Neutrals even though they enter AAW range.

 

Neutral Range Circles --- GE HCCE B10

 

Range circles for Neutral units appear to be controlled by Blue selection. They do not match Range circles for Blue. i.e. Blue SAM range circle is for Neutral SSM, Blue Active Sonar is for Neutral SAM, Blue Passive Sonar is for Neutral Air radar,...

 

 

Range miscalculation --- GE HCCE B10

 

Aircraft will launch at targets well outside of fuel range.

 

 

Blank lines in Unit Display --- SE HCCE B11

 

Blank lines for ship entries appear in the SE with recent versions of the HCDB.

 

The deal is that 16-bit list boxes (the scrolling list of units) can show a maximum of 8192 items (we can only have 2048 items so we don't hit that limit) or 65536 characters of information in the entire list box. It is the 65536 character limit we hit, when the SE gets there, the rest of the lines after 65536 characters are blank.

 

Simple math shows that to fit the max possible number of entries from the game (2048), each entry in the list box for the Platform Display must be limited to 32 characters max.

 

 

SSMs don't fire --- GE HCCE B11

 

SSMs will only fire at very close range (about 25nm) even though they have 300nm maximum range.

 

Kaman (Late) and PTM Houdong entries in the HCDB cause a crash if you attempt to look at their weapons load. -- SE HCCE B12

 

This appears to be caused by the name of the mount
CSS-N-8 Saccade (YJ-82/C802) Twin
and the fact that the vessels have two such mounts that are grouped together. When only one mount appears, there is no problem. At a guess, the problem is with either the Syntax, length of the mount name, or a combination of both.

 

Work-Around Solution: Shortening the Mount Name to "
CSS-N-8 Saccade (YJ-82) Twin
" appears to eliminate the problem.

 

Contacts magically appear --- GE HCCE B13

 

Neutral and hostile contacts may appear without notification to the player.

 

Surface engagement window error --- GE HCCE B13

 

When user selects 'Guns' for surface engagement, neither "Airburst" nor "Impact" are selected as default. Previously, the default was "Impact".

 

MAD contact by non-existent sensor --- GE HCCE B13

 

MAD Contact can be obtained by a helo that neither carries it internally nor as a weapon pod.

 

AAW fails to engage second SSM strike --- GE HCCE B13

 

AAW will engage an initial SSM strike, but not a followup even when AAMs are plentiful. Manual engagement is possible.

 

Load sequence loop? --- GE HCCE B13

 

Game appears to be caught in infinite loop while loading saved game.

 

Formation air patrol will not engage --- GE HCCE B13

 

Formation air patrol that is in range will not be allowed to engage when task group is ordered to fire on sub contact. Weapon allocation window is blank.

 

Work-around solution: Either detach air patrol else select enemy unit and hit Intercept function [F1]. Air patrol will detach and proceed to attack.

 

Group ignores speed order --- GE HCCE B13

 

Surface group ignores speed order to either slow down to creep speed or stop. Although the group obeys momentarily, it will resume cruise speed on its own initiative.

 

Long names for saved games cause crash --- GE HCCE B13

 

Long names for saved games will cause CTD when the player tries to open them. However, the game allows the player to use very long names to save the games in the first place.

 

Separating air units causes CTD --- GE HCCE B13

 

Removing all aircraft from sample unit BEA with [F8] causes CTD.

 

Base Addition --- SE HCCE B19

 

Old behavior - when you add a base from country X and then re-open the Add Base window, it opens at the last added Base. Now, it simply opens at the first entry in list so that you have to scroll down to the country you´re working on.

 

Multi-mount on FFG will not fire Harpoons --- GE HCG

 

Mk-13 launcher on the Perry is modeled as a multi-mount and there must be something wrong with that code as AI-controlled Harpoons will not fire in the GIUK battleset.

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Here's a bug I found yesterday.

 

Original GIUK battleset. Scenario "The Duel" as NATO. The NATO surface fleet does fine for about 5 seconds, then starts moving backwards at -12851 kts until it moves completely off the map. No amount of speed/course adjusting fixes it. No other scenarios suffer from this phenomenon (that I have found). I will be reporting this to the dev team as well.

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Ship to Ship torpedoes - not entirely fixed but almost there. I suspect the remaining problem lies in the coding of the dialog box for selecting missiles/guns/torpedoes.

 

ECM - will now work if ECM pods are part of the loadout.

 

Aircraft guns - Just for grinsies I tried out a custom aircraft platform built in the platform editor, with an ATA of 0 (meaning no guns) but a gun pod in the loadout. The intercept did work, the gun pods operated automatically when within range of the target aircraft (used a B-57 as the target aircraft). So this may mean that an enhancement to aircraft gun armament can be made to the database:

1. I assume, based on previous versions of Harpoon Classic, that when an ATA is specified, the aircraft has 4 gun bursts.

2. When a gun pod is specified (as in gun bursts) a higher quantity of bursts can be called out in the loadout. This is based on some of the "plagiarizing" done on Harpoon 3 databases to incorporate new platforms in my custom HC database.

3. What helps this further is that with the current HC database configuration, 8 weapon type entries can be specified in the loadout, up from the previous 4.

 

Now the only drawback with this (and I need to test this) could be:

 

After the attacking plane launches missiles/LGB's/what have you standoff weapons at a land/surface target, will the plane continue to close to attack the target w/ cannon fire?

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  • 5 months later...

Autosave time setting not saved --- GE HCCE B09

 

The default for autosave function (Control+K) is 2 minutes. If you change this and then quit the game, upon re-start, the autosave time limit has re-set to 2 minutes. In previous versions, the new time default would be saved.

 

Keyhole spots submerged objects --- GE HCCE B09

 

Keyhole satellite is able to detect submarines and mines.

 

Erroneous Staff warning message --- GE HCCE B09

 

Staff gives false warning message for aircraft launched from Kola airfield. Fingers of Death #2 [EC2003 NACV] Red side - No blue units are within range to have the red plane under its SAM range.

 

Red reports to Blue --- GE HCCE B09

 

OpFor [Red] detects a Neutral unit and reports it to Blue.

 

Neutral reports to Player --- GE HCCE B09

 

Neutral side detects a Red unit and reports it to Player.

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Bearing-Only Launch Weapons --- GE HCCE B09

 

The Staff Assistant will allow the player to attempt a BOL-attack even when no such weapons are available. Also, when weapons are available, the range circle depicted is often much larger than the range of the actual weapons.

 

Game crashes from flame-out --- GE HCCE B09

 

Game can sometimes crash when aircraft run out of fuel or flame-out.

 

Planes in limbo --- GE HCCE B09

 

Sometimes, planes land and are then made unavailable to the player. He may neither re-arm nor re-launch them.

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Cruise at full speed --- GE HCCE B09

 

Throttle shows Cruise consumption when unit at full speed.

 

EW planes do not jam --- GE HCCE B09

 

EW aircraft that do not have a radar system will not jam enemy systems. The Jamming symbol shows up, but the aircraft are not jammed. They see everything.

 

SE Count bug --- GE HCCE B09

 

Test scenario has ViCond set at the destruction of two bases. Victory is granted after just one base is destroyed.

 

Shot down during landing --- GE HCCE B09

 

The first aircraft in a group to land are left in limbo if the last aircraft in the group is shot down before it can land.

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Very High Altitude --- GE HCCE B09

 

When a plane is in flight and the player orders it to fly at a speed slower than loiter speed, the altitude displayed is VRY. I don't know if this means Very High Altitude, but the plane appears to be invincible. Nothing appears to be able to intercept it.

 

Manual Sonobuoy deployment --- GE HCCE B09

 

When an aircraft is flying at high altitude and the player orders it to manually deploy a sonobuoy with the "." hotkey, the plane dives to low altitude. However, the player must hit the "Deploy" hotkey again in order to actually deploy the sonobuoy.

 

Null groups --- SE HCCE B09

 

When using the SE, if a designer creates a group (Cntl+G) and then fails to add any units to that group, a Null Group is created. Unless it is deleted, the Empty group will remain in the scenario and crash it when a player attempts to open it with the Game Engine. This behaviour was run down and isolated in collaboration with Brad Leyte and Thomas Ponta.

 

MiG-17F gun engagement --- GE HCCE B09

 

Aircraft will not conduct 'normal' interception procedure unless manually placed in proximity of target.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sonobuoy hotkey --- GE HCCE B09

 

When the "." hotkey is depressed for Helos and Planes not currently at low altitude, the unit will drop down to low altitude. A second use of the hotkey is required to activate the dipping sonar/deploy sonobuoy.

 

Dipping while cruising --- GE HCCE B09

 

Sonar range circle can be activated while helo is still at cruise speed. Only the range circle appears. The dipping sonar does not actually function until the helo is brought to hover. This can be misleading for players who might believe that the range circle indicates that the dipping sonar is actually operational.

 

Dipping at Med Alt --- GE HCCE B09

 

Helos are able to operate dipping sonar at Med altitude.

 

Unable to maintain depth --- GE HCCE B09

 

Sub orders are to cruise at Int. depth. The sub is able to start here, but then invariably alternates between Deep and shallow depth even if the orders do not specify either depth. I was originally trying to test to see if a MAD contact could be made against a sub at Int, but couldn't do the test since the sub would not remain at Int depth so that I could try to find it.

 

Helo drops to low --- GE HCCE B09

 

When a helo is cruising at med altitude and the player orders it to hover, it automatically dives to low altitude.

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MOAB release --- GE HCCE B09

 

MC-130 loaded with MOAB will not attack air base even though loadout is rated for Surface.

 

Target already destroyed --- GE HCCE B09

 

When a target is destroyed by leading groups, subsequent groups continue to fly to the target's position.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Neutrals cannot be engaged --- GE HCCE B09

 

Neutral units cannot be attacked either intentionally or accidentally.

 

 

Self-refueling Tanker --- GE HCCE B09

 

As the tanker runs low on fuel, it will attempt to 're-fuel itself', fail to do so, and then turn around for home. The Fuel store is used up and wasted even when the re-fueling attempt fails.

 

 

AAA altitude unlimited --- GE HCCE B09

 

Small AAA like 57mm S-60 and 23mm ZSU-23 are capable of killing aircraft at high altitude.

 

 

Displays incongruent --- GE HCCE B09

 

Information displayed in the Unit Window is often inconsistent between the [F]ull display and the [D]isplay buttons.

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BSL & Active Sonar --- GE HCCE B09

 

Active sonar detects all sub targets at maximum range regardless of size or BSL levels. Mines, small diesels, SeaWolf,... all detected at maximum or near maximum range of sonar. Also, even though BSL [base Sound Levels] have been exposed in HCCE so that Platform editors can modify them, they appear to have no effect on active detection ranges.

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Null Bases --- GE HCCE B10

 

When using the SE, if a designer creates a Base(Cntl+B) and then fails to actually select a base to add, a Null Base is created. Unless it is deleted, the Empty base will show up as a Weapon Icon and remain in the scenario and crash it when a player attempts to open it with the Game Engine.

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Sparrows firing without radar --- GE HCCE B10

 

AIM-7M Sparrow missiles are able to fire and hit without requirement of active radar guidance.

 

Sparrows do not engage --- GE HCCE B10

 

Inbound missiles fly right over Phantoms. Staff Assistant asks if player wants to engage with AAMs or not. When player hits Yes button, only AIM-9D Sidewinders are fire. The longer-ranged AIM-7F Sparrow do not fire unless manually directed by the player. Phantom EmCon is irrelevant.

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