Hi again,

Well, first I would like to say that I am truly sorry for the fact that Cold Steel gave up here, he could have fought on a bit more I think. I feel that the towel was thrown in too soon. None the less, there first time for everything and now my first defeat in this regard is finally here – an install-case which I could not solve.


The Cold Steel case: final notes

In order to find out what might have gone wrong in this case I actually downloaded the files myself (and put up a fresh install of VI) just to triple check the files one last time – and as expected - the files worked perfectly. Thus we can once and for all completely rule out any possibility that whatever went wrong in this case - it had to be external of the redux files, assuming that the correct files were indeed used. The files work so the problem is not located there. That leaves us with only two other possible scenarios that created this sad outcome.

1. Human error of some kind.
2. Other external software that fouled things up.

I’d guess we never find out which of the two (potentially both) it actually was, since Cold Steel decided to give up here. But the error-messages do limit the possibilities drastically. In all other cases when the relevant error message was displayed - redux lacked or had a wrong component applied of some kind:


The Novgorod Message:

-------------------------------------------------------
COLUMN_building_faction_association

unknown faction specified: column 20 , row 8

Novgorod
-------------------------------------------------------

If we have this error-message some of these alternatives have been done:

1. “MTW-VI+Redux 1.0b+VI-upgrade 1.0+Spanish fix (A)”
2. “MTW-VI+Redux 1.0b+Spanish fix (A)”
3. “MTW-VI+Redux 1.0b”
4. “MTW-VI+Spanish Fix (A)”

NOTE: these are WRONG installations that create above error-message!

Essentially we have a MTW1.1 “CRUSADER_BUILD_PROD13.TXT” that is expected to used and run by a VI-.EXE. It won’t happen of course, and this is the first file that turns up on the “protest-list” for you trying it - so to speak. Thus you got to have a VI/2.01-EXE to be able to generate this kind of message – that is how I understand it at least.

And if we happen to do the following combinations....

1. “MTW-VI+VI-upgrade 1.0” Game the game starts but will soon crash or freeze.
2. “MTW-VI+VI-upgrade 1.0+Spanish Fix (B)”. Game starts but will soon crash or freeze.
3. “MTW-VI+Spanish Fix (B)”. Game the game starts but will soon crash or freeze.
4. “MTW-VI+Redux 1.0b+Spanish fix (B)”. Game starts but is missing files…


The FN_Novgorod message:

-------------------------------------------------------
COLUMN_building_faction_association

unknown faction specified: column 20 , row 8

FN_Novgorod
-------------------------------------------------------

You get that message from the following combinations:

1. “MTW1.1+VI-upgrade 1.0”
2. ”MTW1.1+ VI-upgrade 1.0+Spanish fix (B)”
3. ”MTW1.1+ Redux 1.0b+VI-upgrade 1.0+Spanish fix (B)”

NOTE: these are WRONG installations that create above error-message!

Essentially we have a VI/2.01 “CRUSADER_BUILD_PROD13.TXT” that is expected to used and run by a MTW1.1-.EXE. It won’t happen of course, and this is the first file that turns up on the “protest-list” for you trying it - so to speak. Thus you got to have a MTW1.1-.EXE. to be able to generate this kind of message – that is how I understand it at least.

If you for some reason decide to install: “MTW1.1 +VI-upgrade 1.0+Spanish fix A” the game won’t start at all and just jump back to front-end after showing two error-messages. I can’t remember exactly what they are but one is about an “Artist Studio.bif”-file or something like that. The other got plenty of zeros in it. It’s wrong and won’t work regardless. You are constantly directed to front-end again….

Finally, there are also other different versions of these error-messages if we were to install on unpatched raw copies of MTW. As in MTW 1.0 and VI/V2.00 they too generate messages of this kind. However, I think there should be some sort of god-given limits in how much people can foul up in not following the instructions and not read the provided information, so I won’t go into that….

So, after this little display on how to foul things up. Here is the only reasonable theory I can come up with as for what went wrong in the Cold Steel case: I suspect that he by mistake downloaded the Spanish fix (A) when he should have downloaded the Spanish fix (B)-version. He did not think much of it and thought he had the right file. If this is the case - then he should get the following message:

-------------------------------------------------------
COLUMN_building_faction_association

unknown faction specified: column 20 , row 8

Novgorod
-------------------------------------------------------

This is also what he first reported in, post:8 (and he did report it later as well). So far so good, this I can recreate with a VI/V.2.01-.EXE.

Then he claims that he got the “FN_” -version of the error-message. That I can’t reproduce – not with a VI/2.01-version of MTW. So by this point, reason is out the window because this is not possible to get that message without another kind of .EXE altogether which only leaves us with MTW 1.1 or possibly a MTW 2.0. So something is extremly wrong with this picture. Still, I find it highly unlikely that Cold Steel would do such a blatant and obvious mistake. After all, he did report in (after double-checking it) that he did have a V.2.01-version. The only problem is that it can’t generate such an error-message. So, if that is true, my initial theory goes out the window and reason tags along for the ride.

Thus I suspect that he must have at some point used another kind of ”.EXE” in order to be able to produce a “FN_” kind…. So either MTW 1.1 or a VI/2.00 then. That is the only reasonable explanation I can come up with. Because I firmly believe that he was able to apply the files in the correct manner. Otherwise he would have never been able to successfully start redux on another PC. So, that is not the problem – it must be wrong .EXE or wrong files or possibly not enough files applied, and even if they was correctly applied he would still get message of this kind. So, he changed install at some point, he even said so himself, but he must have forgot to check that he had the right version going this time – as in VI/V.2.01? And I suspect that this is how he managed to conjure up a “FN_”-message. This the only reasonable and plausible explanation for it, based upon the information I got available. Some information is missing here and as long as it is like that – I can not go any further with this and do no more in this case.


- Case closed….