Loss of Control

**Faust|** · 02-25-2006, 06:37

My controls went bad during a particular mp game this week. The cavalry could no longer turn around on a dime, units were marching to random locations, and halt orders could not be given. The problem did not right itself afterward, and I was forced to reinstall. I did this. The first few games I played afterwards were fine, but later the problems reemerged, and that is where I am now.

*EDIT* I will describe the problems more clearly: The ALT + clicking action still has the effect of retaining facing by the end of a unit's move, but during the move unit form and facing are not kept constant. So the familiar scenario where you give an ALT + click command and the men in a unit each retain their relative position (with regard to the ranks/columns) while the whole unit moves in the intended direction without rotating to face the direction of movement, does not occur. Instead the unit changes its facing while the rank/column positions of the men are reordered. So quick changes in direction of movement, for example with cavalry in the skirmishing phase, are impossible.

Furthermore, units sometimes begin and carry out movements when no order has been given. At these times the 'halt' command is unavailable, and issuing a new movement command has no effect. Even units that were engaged in combat have done this.

I've tried a simple reinstall and a reinstall to a new directory. My keyboard is not the problem. Has anyone had these problems before? Anyone know how to deal with this?

Thanks

**CBR** · 02-25-2006, 12:33

Maybe I dont understand what you mean but if you give an army an ALT click move the individual units will still turn to face their direction of moving. Only when they reach their destination will they turn to the original facing.

Units can start moving by themselves if they overlap another friendly unit.

CBR

**Faust|** · 02-25-2006, 20:50

Hi CBR, I'll draw a diagram:

Normal movement
1)+++++++++++++++++++++2)++++++++++++++++3)+++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(Alt + click)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
_____/\_____++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|L+++F++++R|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|++++++++++|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|l__________r|++++++++++++++____________++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++|L++++F++++R|+++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++|+++++++++++|+++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++|l___________r|+++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++||+++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++||++(movement)+++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\/++++++++++++(facing)++++
+++++X+++++++++++++++++++++++++X++++++++++_____/\_____++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|L+++F++++R|+
+(Destination)+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|++++++++++|+
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|l__________r|+
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

L indicates the position of the man who is originally in the 1st rank, 1st column position. R indicates the man who is originally in the 1st rank, last column position. l indicates the man who is origianlly in the last rank, 1st column position, and so on. F indicates the flag bearer.

You see that the unit does not rotate in order to move to its destination. Each man retains his rank/column position while individually each rank/column position rotates to face the direction of movement. It is most familiar to imagine this as a skirmishing cavalry unit.

Afflicted movement:

1)+++++++++++++++++++++2)++++++++++++++++3)+++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(Alt + click)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
_____/\_____++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|L+++F++++R|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|++++++++++|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|l__________r|++++++++++++++__________++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++/L+++++++R\+++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++\l____F____r/+++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++||++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++||+++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++||++(movement)+++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\/++++++++++++(facing)++++
+++++X+++++++++++++++++++++++++X++++++++++_____/\_____++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|L++++F+++R|+
+(Destination)+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|++++++++++|+
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|l__________r|+
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You see that as soon as the movement command is given the individual men reorder themselves as shown and then begin movement. Before the unit moves backward they wait for the flag bearer to move to the unit's rank that will be the leading edge of the movement. Once the entire directional movement is completed the men form up around the flag bearer so he ends up in his original position. I think this is similar to what happens if you only left-click. However, unlike left click, the unit does ultimately retain its original facing.

And yes, the spontaneous movement is similar to the movement that happens when two units overlap, but that is not the cause, and the resulting movements are over long distances.

**Faust|** · 02-25-2006, 21:43

Could the problem be fixed if someone sent me the files responsible for movement and formation and I replaced mine with those?

**Faust|** · 02-25-2006, 23:27

I've tried replacing the 'formation data' folder. That didn't work. I've also noticed that when I alt + click behind a moving unit, the destination does not end up as far back as it did before... in fact the destination sometimes ends up in front of the unit.

*EDIT* I know this can happen with a group of units but it has never happened before with an individual unit.

**Tomisama** · 02-26-2006, 03:25

May or may not be relevant in this case.

But once I had a game control problem that was driving me crazy.

It was totally intermittent and random in it appearance.

It ended up being the keyboard, as unlikely as that may seem.

I got a new one, and the nightmare stopped.

Worth giving it try if you have a spare.

**Faust|** · 02-26-2006, 04:29

hm that's interesting. Recently my keyboard has been through some abuse too.

**Faust|** · 02-27-2006, 23:05

Well I've tried an old keyboard.. no luck. After that I reinstalled windows and restored my hard drives to factory condition... amazingly no luck either

. The problem surfaced in the middle of a gaming session... i am lost as to how that could have occured. It looks like SA will be one stronger in the BI lobby soon (which is not bad, but I will miss VI... I was just reaching another level there)

**Puzz3D** · 02-28-2006, 13:31

It sounds like what your seeing on the screen doesn't match what the game is seeing internally. Make sure your mouse driver and video driver are correct, and you could try reinstalling DirectX.

Undiciplined units, such as chiv knights, can attack enemy units on their own, and the men in a moving unit do reform facing the direction of movement with the flag bearer moving to front center when I use ALT + left click.

**Just A Girl** · 02-28-2006, 15:23

its not Slowdown caused by memory leak That cuases a delay in what you see is it by any chance?

**Faust|** · 02-28-2006, 20:16

Thank you all for your input. I will look into these things.

**Puzz3D** · 02-28-2006, 21:09

I'm not aware of a memory leak in MTW. You will get lag with too many men in the battle, and that will cause the game to miss mouse clicks.

**Just A Girl** · 02-28-2006, 21:45

it dosent neciseraly haft to be MTW thats leaking memory..
but if memory is being Abused by a program or a background task..
it could be a possibilaty.