So am I supposed to be writing up details of a flaw of the "stock" game, or of a beta version that I don't even have?

 

Let me go back a step even further -- does this redesigned gun system even exist in the "stock" version, as opposed to upgrades that are only available here?

 

I'm concerned that there are two diverging Harpoon "cultures". I've been playing this game for probably 20 years -- I remember buying it and finding it to be the most bug-filled computer game in the history of the world. But seeing such great potential, I bought more versions over the years, hoping the potential would be realized.

 

And in all that time, I only recently stumbled on this site, once someone referred me to it in one of the Matrix forum threads. So now, I am becoming constantly confused whether any comments made about tech issues refer to the game that Matrix is selling, or the game you folks have modified.

So am I supposed to be writing up details of a flaw of the "stock" game, or of a beta version that I don't even have?

What version are you currently running? Let's establish that much.

 

Let me go back a step even further -- does this redesigned gun system even exist in the "stock" version, as opposed to upgrades that are only available here?

The redesigned gun model was introduced prior to the Ultimate version released at Matrix. It wasn't present in more recent betas, but I can confirm that it apparently has appeared in 2009.076.

 

I'm concerned that there are two diverging Harpoon "cultures". I've been playing this game for probably 20 years -- I remember buying it and finding it to be the most bug-filled computer game in the history of the world. But seeing such great potential, I bought more versions over the years, hoping the potential would be realized. And in all that time, I only recently stumbled on this site, once someone referred me to it in one of the Matrix forum threads. So now, I am becoming constantly confused whether any comments made about tech issues refer to the game that Matrix is selling, or the game you folks have modified.

I'm getting the impression that the underlying structures and people behind Harpoon is confusing you. AGSI is the owner of the game. We advanced the development of the code (having been involved in previous versions), provide the database, and provide tech support and further development. We're not just another fan site. And Matrix is simply the publisher. Does this clear it up at all?

 

What version are you currently running? Let's establish that much.

 

 

I'm running what Matrix is currently distributing. For HCE -- that shows on my screen as Build 2009.050. Does this version have the gun upgrade?

 

 

The redesigned gun model was introduced prior to the Ultimate version released at Matrix. It wasn't present in more recent betas, but I can confirm that it apparently has appeared in 2009.076.

 

 

Was 2009.076 ever distributed by Matrix? If not, I don't have it, at least not yet. I have not downloaded anything from this site except a few scenarios to play around with. What exactly is the "current" build version? And if Matrix doesn't deliver it, does that mean the button on their little screen box to "check for updates" is meaningless? I have pressed that button and been told I have the most current version, but I don't know whether that button is checking with the Matrix site, or checking here.

 

 

I'm getting the impression that the underlying structures and people behind Harpoon is confusing you. AGSI is the owner of the game. We advanced the development of the code (having been involved in previous versions), provide the database, and provide tech support and further development. We're not just another fan site. And Matrix is simply the publisher. Does this clear it up at all?

 

What I'm mostly confused about is why this site exists seemingly as an entirely separate entity from the "community" and "forums" that the Matrix site supports for these games. Why aren't you running those parts of the Matrix site, or why don't they just put up a notice that the community and/or forum for Harpoon is hosted separately, and provide a link to this site. If there is such a notice and link there, it's not very prominent.

 

I'm running what Matrix is currently distributing. For HCE -- that shows on my screen as Build 2009.050. Does this version have the gun upgrade?

As mentioned earlier, the gun model was changed to its current iteration in 2009.037, so yeah, that's the way it was in 2009.050.

 

Was 2009.076 ever distributed by Matrix? If not, I don't have it, at least not yet. I have not downloaded anything from this site except a few scenarios to play around with. What exactly is the "current" build version? And if Matrix doesn't deliver it, does that mean the button on their little screen box to "check for updates" is meaningless? I have pressed that button and been told I have the most current version, but I don't know whether that button is checking with the Matrix site, or checking here.

2009.076 is now the most recent upgrade distributed here, not at Matrix (the storefront). The current build versions and betas are here:

 

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/2049-current-files/

 

What I'm mostly confused about is why this site exists seemingly as an entirely separate entity from the "community" and "forums" that the Matrix site supports for these games. Why aren't you running those parts of the Matrix site, or why don't they just put up a notice that the community and/or forum for Harpoon is hosted separately, and provide a link to this site. If there is such a notice and link there, it's not very prominent.

We do answer the tech support inquiries at Matrix, as you found out. But since all of the behind the scenes work gets done here (as was the case before Matrix), we prefer to do it here. Just makes our lives easier.

2009.076 is not the most recent upgrade distributed here, not at Matrix (the storefront). The current build versions and betas are here:

 

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/2049-current-files/

 

 

Should this say "2009.076 is *now* the most recent..."? I mean yes, it's technically a beta, but that's what many of us who come here are using.

When, if ever, does Matrix release the current version on its site?

 

I ask this because of that little quickstart box Matrix provides with the game, so you can open the game, the manual, the scenario editor, the order writer, etc. Among the choices is "check for update". That's a meaningless button, or perhaps worse than meaningless, if they don't distribute any new builds that get gone here. And from earlier comments, they're apparently not doing their old builds.

 

And let me restate a previous question more clearly now that I have a better understanding of what's going on. Is there any point to writing up a defect in an old build that people in this community aren't using anymore?

Should this say "2009.076 is *now* the most recent..."? I mean yes, it's technically a beta, but that's what many of us who come here are using.

Yes, thank you. Typo fixed.

When, if ever, does Matrix release the current version on its site? I ask this because of that little quickstart box Matrix provides with the game, so you can open the game, the manual, the scenario editor, the order writer, etc. Among the choices is "check for update". That's a meaningless button, or perhaps worse than meaningless, if they don't distribute any new builds that get gone here. And from earlier comments, they're apparently not doing their old builds.

I'll leave this for Tony.

 

And let me restate a previous question more clearly now that I have a better understanding of what's going on. Is there any point to writing up a defect in an old build that people in this community aren't using anymore?

Because the bug also appears in 2009.076.

When, if ever, does Matrix release the current version on its site?

When we get a version we are mostly happy with we package up all of the changed files and send them to Matrix. 3-9 months later they release on their website that often makes it into the "check for update" application.

 

And let me restate a previous question more clearly now that I have a better understanding of what's going on. Is there any point to writing up a defect in an old build that people in this community aren't using anymore?

Yes. The only issues not worth reporting are ones that already appear to be fixed from reading the ReleaseNotes.txt from the most recent beta version here or issues that don't exist when you try to replicate them in the most recent beta version here.

I went to this page (http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/2049-current-files/) to test drive the newest "stable" version people have referred me to, build 2009.076.

But I'm confused by the comments accompanying the two attached files. The file names are: 2009.072GESEOWBSDLL.zip and HC2009.076GE.zip. The comments are:

2009.050+GE will get you the Ultimate level stable fixes & improvements

2013.### gets you up to the current (very experimental) beta (currently unavailable).

Both files have "...GE..." in their titles, neither has "...2013..." in their titles. The second title suggests the stable version, but the Winharp file in it has a more recent modification date, which suggests the newer, testier version. Also, somewhere up thread I was given to understand (or maybe misunderstand) that updated battlesets came with the ".076" build, but the only battlesets appear in the "...072..." zip file.

I dunno what happened here. Perhaps the file names were changed after your thread comments were written, but I'd rather not guess just what I should be downloading for the current "stable" version. Please clarify for me.

Also, if the "...076GE.zip" file is the stable version, can (or should) I use the battlesets from the other zip file with it? If not, where do I get the updated battlesets?

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/20912-battlesets-where-fighters-seem-to-have-no-guns/&do=findComment&comment=41924 is the correct instruction.

I have a couple of things to update.

 

1. The bad news... My experience of the last few days reminds me of why I started looking for online answers. I bought a 64 bit machine when my 32 bit machine started started blue screening on almost every startup and repeated every half hour to an hour. So I can no longer run Scenario Editor, and won't be able to create a scenario to demonstrate the problem.

 

2. The good news... perhaps the problem is not in the .076 update, but a function within the battlesets. At least, you seem to have a fix in place in the USNI-GIUK battleset, where the new guns appear in the loadout and work as they are apparently supposed to. You can see this by opening up the first scenario, "No Man's Land", select base ABA, "Ready Aircraft", and choosing either fighter type on the base. The gun, number of bursts, and damage will appear among the weapons in the loadout box.

1. The bad news... My experience of the last few days reminds me of why I started looking for online answers. I bought a 64 bit machine when my 32 bit machine started started blue screening on almost every startup and repeated every half hour to an hour. So I can no longer run Scenario Editor, and won't be able to create a scenario to demonstrate the problem.

 

If you are desperate for the Scenario Editor, "Windows-XP-Mode in Windows7" might be of help.

This is a useful tool on 64 bit machine anyway.

Unfortunately the Microsoft addon is only available free of charge to users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate.

 

Installation guide: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/install-and-use-windows-xp-mode-in-windows-7

 

Once you get XP-Mode running, either install a copy of HCE under the XP virtual machine or copy the HUCE directory to the Virtual machine C drive and start SE from there.

 

When, if ever, does Matrix release the current version on its site? I ask this because of that little quickstart box Matrix provides with the game, so you can open the game, the manual, the scenario editor, the order writer, etc. Among the choices is "check for update". That's a meaningless button, or perhaps worse than meaningless, if they don't distribute any new builds that get gone here. And from earlier comments, they're apparently not doing their old builds.

I'll leave this for Tony.

 

And let me restate a previous question more clearly now that I have a better understanding of what's going on. Is there any point to writing up a defect in an old build that people in this community aren't using anymore?

Because the bug also appears in 2009.076.

 

More good news, for people who get their updates here rather than the Matrix site. I downloaded version 2009.076, and the guns are back. They appear among the loadout items listed when readying aircraft, and they are among the choices to select in the weapons box when you are about to engage a target. And I have fired them successfully against other aircraft.

 

This was in WestPac. I have not checked the other newer battlesets at this point I am curious, CV32, have you witnessed this bug in the .076 version? Or were you assuming I was running it when I reported the problem? When I reported it, I was still running the .050 version, which is how Matrix continues to distribute it.

I am curious, CV32, have you witnessed this bug in the .076 version? Or were you assuming I was running it when I reported the problem? When I reported it, I was still running the .050 version, which is how Matrix continues to distribute it.

I am not seeing an air to surface attack with guns as an option in 2009.076.