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Frequently
Asked Questions
1.
What's
new in HCGOLD?
2. System
Specs: What works and what won't
3. Using
the Scenario Converter
4. Using
the Platform Editor
5. How
to report bugs or unusual game behavior
1.
What's new in HC2002 GOLD
This
list highlights some of the major changes you will find in HCGOLD but
is by no means comprehensive.
- Platform
Editor added: First ever in the 14 years of the Harpoon Classic Series
- Database
updated using best sources, primarily Larry Bond’s H4 annexes
- Mobile
Land Units now modeled for the first time ever in computer Harpoon
- New
BattlesSets Added: WESTPAC and EC2003 (both featuring the player-editable
DB)
- USNI
BattleSet returns to the Classic series
- Scenario
Converter: Converts original
and user-created EC2000 scenarios to EC2003
- New
Orders Utility: makes adding orders to user-created scenarios a breeze
- SE
Repeat Patrol and Repeat attack fixed (had been disabled in most versions)
- Message
Log added as new window
- AI
now more aggressive, particularly for subs and aircraft
- HARM/ARM
code: No more H/ARM-ing a ship or airfield to death! Many changes
here.
- SAM
code: Enhanced “per target” missile allocation model; Variable ROF
for Player
- Land/Sea/Surf
Weapons: Introduces “ship” and “land” only target classes
- Simultaneous,
Multi-axis attacks enabled for air and sea AI
- Sonar
model: Vastly improved
detection algorithm and user-configurable noise signatures
- Radar
Cross Section now user-configurable as well
- Electronic
Warfare model improved
- Aerial
Refueling problems fixed
- Weather
report time display fixed with game consequences for daylight/night
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2.
System specs: What works and what won't
HC2002
GOLD will run on:
- Windows
95 all variants (even without Internet Explorer) [tested Win95 original,
95b, 95c]
- minimum
of 32MB RAM if possible, though 16MB can work. If you have
virus scanners and other clutter, double or triple that amount.
- Windows
98 all variants [tested 98 upgrade, 98 original, 98se]
- minimum
of 32MB RAM if possible, though 16MB can work. If you have
virus scanners and other clutter, double or more that amount.
- Windows
ME (ME's reputation aside, it does support HCGOLD)
- minimum
64MB RAM, double or more if possible.
- Windows
NT 4 all variants (tested on sp3 and sp6a)
- minimum
64MB, double or more if possible (use common sense, a bit more may
be needed if you are running Exchange server on the same machine...)
- Windows
2k all variants (tested on original, sp1, sp3, workstation, server...no,
we didn't test on DataCenter version)
- minimum
64MB RAM, double to be reasonble, triple or better is ideal.
- Windows
XP all variants (tested on Home, Pro, Server release candidate 2)
- miminmum
128MB RAM, double if you ever want to accomplish anything; 1GB to
be happy.
HC2002
GOLD Platform Editor has been run on:
- Access
97
- Access
97 Runtime
- Access
XP
- Access
2000
- Access
2003
*Notes:
- The
Platform Editor (PE) requires the MS Text ISAM be installed to import
and export properly. If not already installed, the ISAM can be installed
via your MS Office Installation CD.
- If
you can run Windows 95 (or newer), you can almost certainly run HCGOLD.
How fast it will run is up to your system specs.
- HCGOLD
may run on x86 Unix/Linux machines running newish versions of WINE.
HC2002 ran ok on RedHat with WINE, HCGOLD likely will too.
HCGOLD
will not run on:
- Windows
3.1x or older will not run the game (with the possible exception of
a thorough win32s configuration).
- Windows
NT 3.x probably will not run the game but we haven't tried.
- Mac
OS of any type will currently not run the game without an x86 emulator.
- Non-x86
instruction set based machines will not run the game unless you have
a good x86 emulator (bochs anyone?).
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3.
Using the Scenario Converter
First,
copy the four pairs of RES/RSR files for EC2000 (hdsd, hdse, hdsf,
hdsg) from your hard drive or HC97 CD-ROM to your HCGOLD root directory.
Then:
a) The "Read-Only" attribute of the above files may need removal. Right-click
their icons to reveal PROPERTIES. Uncheck the "Read-Only" tick box if
checked.
b) Start HCGOLD
c) Use the Battlesets button to find your HCGOLD root directory if it
isn't already pointing there
d) Locate the commondb.res file in your HCGOLD root directory, double
click on it and return to normal game play. Then exit the Game Engine.
At this point you should be able to run the Scenario Converter and bring
any EC2000 Scenario up to the EC2003 format, enabling you to apply the
upgraded database.
Note:
The scenario you are looking to convert must be present in the HCGOLD
root directory. Please copy it (and any others you want to convert for
now) from it's existing location, and paste into the game root directory,
before trying to start the Scenario Converter.
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4.
Using the Platform Editor
Please
see the PE User's Guide for
how to edit and export data back to the Game Engine and Scenario Editor.
Joe
Lanza has produced a DB Worksheet
for laying out platforms prior to data input. An excellent and very
useful tool.
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5.
How to report bugs or unusual game behavior
We
plan to post a "Known Issues" section under the "Tools
& FAQ" button. So before compiling a bug report, please check
there, and if you've found something new, consider including the following
information in your report
a) Windows version
b) HCGOLD version (check the about box for build date)
c) Whether you were using an official HCGOLD commondb
d) Which battleset you were in (i.e., WESTPAC, EC2003,
HDSII, GIUK)
e) Which scenario is causing the trouble
f) Any error message you received
g) Steps we should take to reproduce the event
h) Your system specifications
Post
your report in the . Please identify the game component affected in the
subject line of your email (GE for Game Engine, SC for Scenario
Converter, PE for Platform Editor, SE for Scenario Editor,
DB for Database issues).
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subscribe to the HarpGamer Forum, please visit:
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