HyperKat Support and Tester Forum
Mars Challenger V1.0 => Mars Colony:Challenger => Topic started by: rditto48801 on May 09, 2013, 12:50:22 PM
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Hello.
I recently purchased Mars Colony Challenger, and have enjoyed it fairly well so for, a few annoying bugs aside, overall feeling it is well worth the $30 I paid for it.
I first found out about the game on Steam Greenlight, and liked what I saw with the videos, giving it an up vote.
MC:C appeals to me due to having an interest in space games. Such as Space Station Sim, Space Station Manager (missed out on the 'sequel' ShortHike), Outpost (more 1 than 2), and a rather amusing space/flight simulator and rocket/aircraft design game called Kerbal Space Program.
I have tried looking around for the information relating to a few things I was wondering about with MC:C, but I have not had much luck. Due to that, I have a few questions.
Is there any way to create/acquire more Nutrients for Worms and Mushrooms?
Is there a way to create/acquire extra 'starters' for Worms, Mushrooms and Algae?
Is it possible to create/acquire extra charges for the Ground Penetrating Radar?
What kind of medicines are made with Algae? Is it random? Does it make more than one?
I ask because my efforts to make the map a connect the dot nightmare for soil samples is slowly but surely depleting my radicium stocks.
While I am usually a solo player, if I were wanting to try multi-player with MC:C, where would I look for info on finding multi-player games for MC:C?
Is there any special trick to deploying Augers in Phase 6? I keep getting hit with a message to clear the area of equipment when I try to unload them. One auger had to be put a good 30m away from a test drill site. Another I gave up on when I was 100+m away from a test drill site and it still refused to unload the auger, still giving me a message to remove equipment from the area first. In both cases, the only things present were the 'ring of dirt' leftover from the test drilling, and the rover carrying the Augers.
Would darkness late at night, or being in a small radio dead zone, be possible causes for these issues?
Speaking of radio dead zones, do the two large radio towers near the base count as relays, or otherwise work with relays? Or will my relays need to have line of sight of the base or of another relay that has LoS with the base? I am trying to figure out why there is a small radio dead zone in the first place in the area where I failed to deploy my second Auger.
I do have some notes of some bugs and possible bugs I have encountered, along with some things that cause a little confusion with game descriptions due to wording, or where descriptions seem to have an error of what can be done. (e.g., the bio lab processes says it can accept mushrooms, but rejects them)
Do I post the bug reports here, or is there somewhere else I should send the report to?
Is it alright if I mention a few suggestions, or will future updates be limited to just bug fixing?
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Welcome to the crew.
Is there any way to create/acquire more Nutrients for Worms and Mushrooms?
<HYPER> you shouldn't have to need any more. The trick is to not harvest them to 0 level. The more they grow the more they produce. at 50% density or more just take one unit out. After all you can eat that much and thats mostly their only purpose. You can use worms to feed the fish.
Is it possible to create/acquire extra charges for the Ground Penetrating Radar?
<HYPER> One thing we face on Mars is conservation you should have enough shots to uncover all 20 resources so dont waste them. Locate things, take your best guess as to where to sample and you should be fine.
What kind of medicines are made with Algae? Is it random? Does it make more than one?
<HYPER> I think it makes a couple of each or one of each, will look into it.
I ask because my efforts to make the map a connect the dot nightmare for soil samples is slowly but surely depleting my radicium stocks.
<HYPER> plan your missions better. While inside the base you naturally lose radiaiton without the meds. They are there for emergency. I go out and run a leg of the geology, like hit all east, then come back and take care of plants etc till the rad meter drops.
While I am usually a solo player, if I were wanting to try multi-player with MC:C, where would I look for info on finding multi-player games for MC:C?
>HYPER> Advertise the fact here and swap messages with others interested.
Is there any special trick to deploying Augers in Phase 6?
<HYPER> That should have been fixed. Try to remove anything else in the rover then drop the auger. I had to do that because people were unloading the auger inside the base. Any item in the rover or near the rear will trigger that.
do the two large radio towers near the base count as relays
<HYPER> no, they are main transmission lines from Ares to each base, the local tower at the base is the line of sight for the mini towers.
Is it alright if I mention a few suggestions, or will future updates be limited to just bug fixing?
<HYPER> I will start a forum for release bugs. Since you bought into the game early I will give you upgrades at no cost.
Rember the game is a challenge. Limited supplies, time and possible failures will be our test.
Thanks again for your help and support.
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Thanks again for your help and support.
You're welcome. :)
During my auger deployment issues, my rover had the tool kit, portable light, and both augers in the rover (I was surprised it allowed me to load the second auger in the first place).
I did remove the tools and light during the first attempt, which got the auger to finally unload some 30m away from where I wanted it. I had again removed the tools and light when I ran into the same problem at the second location, where I got 100m away and still couldn't unload the auger. The only other factors I could think of at the time was that night had fully fallen by the time I had gotten to the second site, and the fact it turned out to be in a small radio dead zone.
At least now I know that I shouldn't stare at the radio towers and ask myself why I have no connection with the base for map data.
If I was in such a position, I would probably try to tie/anchor/bolt/chain/duct tape a relay to the top of each tower.... ;D
Or using the equivalent of a broom handle and some spare wire to give relays a higher set antenna...
Although, if the main base communications and local/relay communications use different frequencies, it would make sense if the main towers could be equipped to also double as relays. (possible in game upgrade option?)
Nothing like a little unauthorized in the field modifications to improve work conditions as the CO's based somewhere else complain and fail to come up with a solid reason for not doing so... (Bah, bah, Black Sheep, or the MacGuyver approach...)
We're only human, after all, adapting is one of our strong points.
Although I can understand the difficulties with trying to implement such potential and flexibility into a game... one can hope and dream, anyways.
I can understand the need for limited resources, but one goal for self sufficiency should include a way to establish backup plans with whatever is on hand, 'just in case'. Utilizing existing mushroom, worm and algae growth to create backup starters, 'just in case'. Sort of relating to how we can mine and get resources to make parts in case something else goes horribly wrong with the base equipment.
I would assume if things went 'horribly wrong', help or resupply would take a considerable amount of time to arrive from even the 'nearest' outpost.
I am in no danger of running out of worms or mushrooms at the moment. I never touched either unless their densities were over 20-30. I am just curious of if there were ways to get nutrients.
I kept half of the starters/nutrients for worms and mushrooms unused, 'just in case' something bad happened.
Something bad, like I had happen in the demo. I had a mushroom bed 'die off' without warning, and one I started later also ended up with 0 density, along with the worm beds. I figured it was a demo thing or demo only bug, or else I had messed up. Although with the demo, I think I had Heater 2 at only about 10 or so, maybe it was to cold for the mushrooms and worms. I'm not very used to Celsius.
Full game I went 20 on Heater 2 once at Phase 5.
It is understandable if there is no way to get more GPR charges made on site. Probably a lot of specialized skills and equipment needed for that kind of stuff.
I do plan my missions fairly well, with plans to take a few soil samples while I am out... sometimes (well, more like very often) unplanned and occasionally long detours occur... ::)
I consider Tools and Plibs to be 'standard issue' for one of the rovers... especially when just repositioning relays, or early on when first deploying weather stations and testing relays. Of which detours occurred that usually leads to the 'connect the dot nightmare'. I tend to start making my way back to the base about the time the radiation bar hits yellow. As of Phase 6, I got over 100+ soil samples, but only got maybe 20-25% of the map covered with soil samples...
The med bed usually suggests to take a unit of radicium and to stay in the base once it gets to like the 20+ range. My longer trips usually get it up to the 20-25 range for radiation, closer to 30 on one trip when I got slightly lost at night, with higher than normal radiation, with trying to find a safe path back to base without wrecking the rover on steep hills.
I still have like 10-12 radicium left.
So, there is no harm in just letting radiation go down by itself over time?
I went with Food and Plastic in mind for my first Algae batches... although I am up to my eyeballs in veggies now, with plenty of seeds, and stockpiling fish now... so I guess I can drain the food algae and start one up for medicines.
It again comes down to wanting to keep something in reserve, although it is less of a concern since there are plenty of starters for algae.
For now, I am technically stuck in Phase 6. Next time I got some time for MC:C, I will make another attempt to deploy the second auger. I got some Tetrahedrite (sp?) I really, really want to mine... (initial 'backup supplies' planning needing copper and lead among other things... )
Thanks for making such a fun and interesting game.
Edit:
Due to the fact I last saved and quit not long after getting hit by the auger issue, I decided to stop playing MC:C for the moment, in case the save data will prove useful for troubleshooting/debugging.
I didn't do much after being unable to deploy the second auger. I had basically packed up the portable light and tools back in the rover with the second auger, drove back to base and parked the rover in the 'garage' area. Then I did my usual rounds of checking stuff in the farm and bio lab hubs before doing a save and quit for the night.
If I knew where the saves were, I would just back them up and do a little trouble shooting myself, or otherwise see if just exiting and restarting MC:C would have fixed the issue. Since I don't know how to back up the saves, I decided to just stop playing, in case the cause happened to be also saved within the game save data, or within whatever logs the game might keep.
Please let me know if you will want any of that info (and how to provide it and where to send it), or if it will be better for me to just continue on in the game and see if the issue persists.
End Edit:
Edit 2:
Is there any need for my save data or logs or anything?
Or would it be safe for me to continue on with MC:C and see if the auger deployment issue persists?
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Sorry to post a second time in a row on this topic (some forums don't like double posting to much), but it seems this thread kind of got forgotten about or something.
My main concern is as before when I edited my previous post.
Is my save game data, or some sort of game logs, going to be useful with looking into the auger deployment problem I had?
I have not played MC:C since after the issue popped up, since I have no idea how to backup the game save data or any possible logs used for troubleshooting/debugging.
Or is it safe for me to just continue on with my game and see if the issue persists?
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The game saves it's data kinda weird, you will have to ask hyper where it is stored. (IE as far as I know there is no Game.sav file or anything like that)
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Try to replicate the problem, after it happens and you can set the auger down. There is a console.log file in the root directory of the install location. Send me that file.
The game should be saving positions and such, is this not the case for you?
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I should have some time to get to MC:C today.
Should I start a new thread for the other bugs I have encountered? I got a list of stuff from since I started the game.
If I did start a new thread just for bugs, should I put the troubleshooting stuff with the auger issue here, or there?
I have had problems with the game not saving positions, or not properly updating them, mainly rover position. Happens if the game crashes when trying to save and quit, and in one instance when I force terminated the game when a bug ate my Plibs in an earlier phase.
Is the log something constantly added to, or does the game restart/reset it at the start of each session?
I copied the present log file just in case (which should be up to a point shortly after I got hit with the bug previously).
I believe I understand correctly with my basic troubleshooting goals.
Play the game, try to get the auger unloading bug to happen again, go until the auger does finally unload onto the ground (even if I have to drive a good ways to do so), then save, quit and save the log file in order to send it?
I guess I should also provide the log if for some reason the auger remains stuck in the rover.
If I can't get the bug to happen again, I will probably go pack up the first auger again, and try again, since the issue first popped up when I had both augers on the same rover (along with tools and a portable light)
EDIT:
I got around to playing MC:C this morning. I headed back out to the area I wanted to deploy the auger, but eventually gave up after a bit of driving around and at least a dozen or so attempts to deploy the auger, with many times trying to unload multiple times in one spot before driving the rover a little farther away.
The auger seems to be stuck in the rover.
I saved and quit, then exited the game. Log is 50kb.
Basic rundown of what I did.
I went out at night, tried to deploy on and within 10-20m of the spot with no success. A portable comm I brought along this time was deployed at edge of 'radio dead zone' to ensure comm coverage existed.
I also removed the portable light and tools, put them next to the test drill site, so nothing was left in rover besides the auger.
I drove away from the desired location on paths both north and east, getting upwards of 100+m away, and still could not deploy the auger.
The sun rose during testing, so night/darkness seemed to be ruled out as a possible factor.
I parked on one of the more 'level' areas to try and rule out any sort of incline being a factor, and I still couldn't unload the auger.
I then turned rover around and pointed it at where I wanted to put it (the light post being just behind the test drill site), saved and quit, and exited the game. I then copied the log for backup purposes.
EDIT 2:
I was peaking in the log, and noticed something unusual.
SAVING ROVERS 3
SLOT 1 IS Auger0
SLOT 2 IS pLight3
SLOT 3 IS CTower2
SLOT 1 IS GprUnit0
ROVERS SAVED
Contents were tools, portable light, auger, comm relay. While I had a GPR in the rover previously, I unloaded the GPR from that rover before I loaded the augers onto it.
With only Auger left left in the rover.
SAVING ROVERS 3
SLOT 1 IS Auger0
SLOT 1 IS GprUnit0
ROVERS SAVED
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Since my save data might be of use in dealing with this issue, and since I am not sure how to backup the game save data, I have not played MC:C since I finished up with my troubleshooting run the other day.
With the info I edited into my previous post the other day about the log data, would I be correct to assume that my issue is due to the game thinking another item is in the same rover cargo slot as the auger?
Unless I missed something, both of my GPRs were accounted for.
It does make me think of the bug where I accidentally picked up a meteorite (Spot Radiation mission, iirc) with Plibs in hand and the Plibs was replaced by the meteorite. That was the Plibs eating incident I mentioned in my previous post, where I force closed MC:C to avoid saving and loosing access to the Plibs due to that bug.
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I am looking into that as we speak. When I tested that I loaded the auger, then equipment then unloaded equipment first then auger and it all worked fine. Let me dig into the code for a bit and I will report back
EDIT:
Ok I found the bug and will issue a patch.
In the mean time if you use the auger make sure it is the first object in the rover cargo. Then load other things. At the destination unload the objects first, then the auger. Make sure the other objects are to the side or front of the rover.
Thanks... and sorry...
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Alright. Thanks for the info.
While the issue is bothersome, I understand that these kind of things can happen. I happen to have a few games still in alpha/beta (indie games with preorder access to alpha/beta versions), so I am no stranger to running into annoying or even game breaking bugs.
Doing phase 6 is going to be slightly annoying with only having one usable auger.
Is there much I can do with my second auger stuck in the rover? Like if I could edit something to delete the phatom GPR the logs say is in the same slot as the auger? I do have some basic modding/file editing experience, at least with text based stuff if wordpad or notepad 2 can be used.
Although maybe I should double check to make sure both of my GPRs are accounted for.
I will try to remember the proper loading/unloading order for items when I get around to redeploying my first auger. Although my fuel supply is about full, so I could probably just make runs with just an auger alone in the other rover.
Is there anyway to increase the in game volume? I have the sound settings maxed, and I have to turn my speakers up a bit to high to hear anything well in game.
Edit:
I returned to the base.
both GPRs are accounted for.
I guess I was misreading/misunderstanding the logs, as I noticed one GPR was in slot 1 of my second rover.
Everything is unloaded from all 3 rovers, except the auger. The auger doesn't unload.
Log notes this after I emptied out the rovers.
SAVING ROVERS 3
SLOT 1 IS Auger0
ROVERS SAVED
Parked my guy in the base then saved and quit for now.
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I can't remember if I disabled the console. Hit the ~ tilde key and tell me if the console comes up
I can give you a command to clear it.
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it does. I have the same problem.
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Yeah, the console pops up for me.
What exactly do you mean by 'clear it'? As in 'delete' it?
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NEW GLITCH. Tool BOXes if you quit in a rover and the box is in your hand will float in the air and become unusable.
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All I can say on the toolbox is dont do that. I made it so it drops when you log out rather than disappear or go back to home position. Matter of fact dont log out with anything in your hands. I'll post it for next patch.
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Try to make it so it drops on the ground. Thanks for the auger patch.
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Well it does drop to the ground but now I see I have to add yet another boolean to see if your character is mounted.
Does the patch make the auger work for you?
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Well it does drop to the ground but now I see I have to add yet another boolean to see if your character is mounted.
Does the patch make the auger work for you?
Wait, there's a patch out now?
I must have missed mention of it being released.
Where do I check to see if a patch has been released?
Where do I get the patch? Or do I basically redownload/reinstall the game?
Were any other bugs fixed other than the auger issue?
I just found out the other day I could carry something while entering the rover. Nice to know I shouldn't save and quit while carrying something while in the rover.
Now that I think about it, I kind of forgot I got a list of bugs and other oddities I have run across playing MC:C. Should I create a new thread for them? Most of them are minor. At least one is not so minor, but is stumbled upon by accident.
I also got a list of possible suggestions of things to add or tweak.
Two things the forums could probably use.
First, a new sub-forum for tech support and bug reporting.
Second, a sticky topic informing of new releases and what has been fixed/changed. When a new update is released, a new thread is made and stickied, while the previous one is un-stickied. The release threads could double as a place for people to point out any bugs that might have slipped into a new release.
A forum for another indie game I play uses such a setup, and it seems to work fairly well.
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Yes the patch works, its was emailed to me.
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Ah, yes, email...
It's been a few days since I checked that... ::)
Edit 3:
Oops, forgot I had MC:C running and minimized at the main menu, that's probably why my anti-virus was trying to stop the patch from running... re-ran the patch to be safe after exiting MC:C... *face palm*
Edit 4:
Started game. confirmed 1.05. Loaded my mission, went to the garage, backed the rover with auger out of the garage (only about 10m), got out, and the auger unloaded first try. I re-mounted it, parked it back in the garage (did a lot last session so I need to shed rads some more), went inside to 'save and quit' to make an update post... and the game crashed when exiting the session. (I backed up the log after the crash occurred)
Edit 5:
No further crashes have occurred after a few more sessions. Aside from minor issues (or just stuff with secondary factors I haven't identified yet), things seem to be working fine.
On the continuing subject of bugs, where should I put info from notes I got on bugs, possible bugs, possible text mixups/wording, etc, I have encountered through my game sessions with MC:C? Should I make a new thread for that stuff so this one doesn't get to bloated with stuff?
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any guestimate on the new patch?
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I want to report some unusual stuff with solar power since I updated to 1.05.
First, a trip to clean solar panels showed that they seemed to already be at their max output, cleaning didn't have any affect. I originally figured I might have just had some 'clear' weather that didn't cause them to get dirty.
Just now (a day or two after the 'don't need cleaning' thing), I noticed solar power on the control panel shows 0.00. I backed out and clicked on it again, and it showed just 0.18, and it was mid to late day. I went up to the roof, and noticed something odd. Some of the solar panels are reading 0.00 output, while a few others are showing 6.x energy as if they had not been cleaned in a day or two.
Cleaning the 0.00 rated panels causes them to go back to showing their usual expected power output.
Is this unusual, or are their periods where they won't collect dust, and periods where they can collect so much dust they go to 0.00 power output?
Is there a period of time in which they just 'click' from 'clean' to 'dirty'? that might explain why they were still clean before (not long enough since I last cleaned them for them to get dirty?), but 'very dirty' about 1.5 or 2.5 days later? Or is dust buildup gradual over time?
Edit:
The problem with the solar panels seems to have corrected itself. My latest check of the solar panels showed things back to normal. The ones I cleaned (both reduced output and 0 output ones) were at 20.x output, the ones previously showing 0.00 and not cleaned or that were dirty before and not cleaned, were now at 5.x output. The power control panel also showed more normal power levels (a bit over 3.x for solar, about right for roughly half clean and half dirty solar panels)
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Dirt on the solar panels is a semi random event as follows:
The wind changes speed and direction depending on the external pressure. If the wind comes from the north its more likely to clean them some. Wind from the south tends to make them dirtier. Angles in between cause various levels. Winds from the east tend to make some on the east side a bit cleaner.. etc you can see the math issue. Then I randomize that a bit since not all wind has dirt. Storms will cause more dirt or less depending on directions.. You all dont realize the math horrors I went through to make this sim...
I made a new header in the forum RELEASE BUGS and ISSUES
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Ah, so it is not unusual for dusty wind to 'bury' the solar panels so they produce 0.00 energy, even in mid to late day when clean ones put out 20 or so?
It makes me think of the two solar powered rovers on Mars (Spirit and Opportunity, iirc). I recall one having trouble with power until a bit of wind cleared off some of the dust built up on its solar panels.
It also makes me wonder if a Mars colony could recover them and/or Curiosity and refit them, or use modified versions of them, to act as couriers between outposts, or to help reduce manpower requirements for some operations by assisting with prospecting/surveying missions... Slap an RSG/RTG system in the back of a manned rover with some portable solar panels, stack of batteries, and a rack of maybe 4 Spirit/Opportunity type rovers for collecting soil and rock samples to be tested with full sized equipment back at base.
Heck, using something like Curiosity as a base for a mobile recharge station for smaller automated rovers, perhaps with deployable solar panels and such for extra power output as it sits and the smaller units wander around doing their thing before returning to recharge so they can get more done in less time without being purely limited by their own solar power limits. So many potential things that could be possible for missions to Mars.
I wonder if one proposed Moon rover (one with 'airlocks' designed for the large backpack equipped space suits) would be viable on Mars with some tweaking, as both transport and mobile ELS for teams operating far from base for extended periods of time.
Or adapting 'powered exoskeleton' tech, like the military and Japan are researching/developing for Mars use, something that could provide resistance to keep muscles toned and generate power, or use power to help support/move extra weight for heavy labor tasks.
My brain would probably melt trying to understand half the math needed in a simulation like MC:C.