Combat Mission engine 4 patches released

[Redwolf]

Not hope, couldn't try after Elvis' change yet. Will let you know.

[Redwolf]

Sorry, no change in CMMG with the same key. I don't understand why Commonwealth works but CMMG does not.

I know one is a "module" and one is a "pack" or whatever the word used is. Do I need to purchase a separate CMMG 3.0 update?

(to remind people, when the tree is at 2.x both Commonwealth and CMMG work, it's just that the 3.x update nukes the latter but not the former)

(also as a reminder, the tree I am currently working with is not updated from 2.x, it is an install with just the full 3.x installer, has never seen any other code)

[Elvis]

Sorry, no change in CMMG with the same key. I don't understand why Commonwealth works but CMMG does not.

I know one is a "module" and one is a "pack" or whatever the word used is. Do I need to purchase a separate CMMG 3.0 update?

(to remind people, when the tree is at 2.x both Commonwealth and CMMG work, it's just that the 3.x update nukes the latter but not the former)

(also as a reminder, the tree I am currently working with is not updated from 2.x, it is an install with just the full 3.x installer, has never seen any other code)

Both Market Garden and Commonwealth are modules.

https://battlefront.mojohelpdesk.com/

[Redwolf]

Well, I have given up and play other things now. It was just a burst of nostalgia to play CMBN because of the D-Day anniversary. I'm over it.

Even with BFC's help neither CMMG in 3.x nor CMRT anyversion would run on that computer (which is my dedicated gaming computer, and no, I don't reinstall Windows so maybe fix some game).

I didn't even bring up CMRT here.  My CMRT install had its license "run out" because of a hardware changes. I went through the official support and "gsCleaner" thing, but it doesn't do anything about the problem (same way that Elvis doing something with my CMMG license didn't do anything). The irony here is that I practically never played CMRT and I have literally only ever installed it on one computer once. Hardware changes kept using up the license count, and now BFC can't reset it. Quite the "thanks for nothing" if it wasn't for all the wasted time.

I am sure the dollars I gave BFC are still working fine...

[Redwolf]

OK, to sum up the state of things. I have two things not working:
- The Market Garden module inside CMBN. CMBN and British do work. CMMG works if I downgrade to 2.x, but not in 3.x.
- CMRT is disabled with licenses used up with a single install on a single machine that had hardware upgrades over the years

To the best of my ability to guess the technical problems here are:

CMMG: the key I have is a short-format key that came with the physical packages. My keys for CMBN and Commonwealth are long format. Since CMMG works when I use version 2.x I guess that the problem is that the 3.x code doesn't correctly process short format keys, where the 2.x upgrades did.

CMRT: BFC's DRM works by doing unclean install/uninstall.  Normally when you install and uninstall software all the components should be gone - files and registry entries and all other modifications to the OS.  Of course that doesn't work for DRM. BFC's DRM anchors the license key in the OS install in a secret place, and it does not get undone when uninstalling the game. When you run out of license activations they send you a cleaner program that should remove that secretly held old key. This doesn't work on my machine. I suspect that is because there have been too many hardware and OS upgrades which somehow put the key somewhere where the game sees it but not the cleaner (WTF?).

Note that I could (probably) solve the CMMG problem by buying  it again, which would give me a long-format key.

CMRT never asks for a key and cannot be made so even with BFC support's help. This means even if I bought the game again it would not help. I will never be able to enter a CMRT key on this PC again, ever.  I did make a test that my CMRT key works for a new install on a different computer that has never seen CMRT, which works. That isn't my gaming computer, though.

This is precisely why people say that drastic DRM screws up the paying customers. The pirates never see the DRM since they download a pirated version of the game that has the DRM removed. This business modeling behind this looks questionable to me.

The patching is incredibly messy but did not contribute to these two problems. Clean installs from newly downloaded composite installers did not do anything about the problems.

[ArizonaTank]

Note that I could (probably) solve the CMMG problem by buying  it again, which would give me a long-format key.

:o

That would just encourage them... :'(

[Elvis]

I cannot (and will not) try to diagnose what is going on with your activation process like this anymore. I suggested opening a Help Desk ticket (and supplied a link). If you had done that from the jump you'd be playing. If your preference is to vent rather than get up and running then I won't stand in your way.

There are multiple things that you have wrong and much of what you are saying doesn't make sense. And i don't mean not sense in that "it doesn't add up". I mean it literally. Some of that is the vernacular that you are using. Nuttin wrong with that but if it were a Help Desk ticket I'd have different resources that I would have access to that could decode some of what you're saying. Short of asking you to post here your real name, your order numbers, log in email address, etc....information that allows me to have the big picture and succinctly address your issues. Me sitting on a forum trying to flail at my best guess about what you are trying to say isn't a good use of anyone's time.

Also, regarding the Market Garden key, the length of the keys digits is irrelevant. I could use a 2 digit code, that I make up myself, to unlock everything Battlefront ever made if I wanted to. It is all about the assets assigned to the key. But, if you'd prefer to repurchase the module I won't stop you. I get paid a %. :-)

[Yskonyn]

Does he even know YOU are the official helpdesk guy?
It seems like he might be thinking you're just the general forumite pointing him towards the helpdesk of the game company? :shrug:

Venting sure does lighten the load, though. As does repurchasing does for your wallet! 😜😊

[Elvis]

Does he even know YOU are the official helpdesk guy?
It seems like he might be thinking you're just the general forumite pointing him towards the helpdesk of the game company? :shrug:

Venting sure does lighten the load, though. As does repurchasing does for your wallet! 😜😊

Yes, he does.

And I agree.....venting can feel awesome sometimes.

[Redwolf]

Well, I went official helpdesk and gsCleaner with my CMRT. Didn't help. Whatever you did to my CMMG key didn't work, and as you say you are in a position to do something official.

I really don't feel like repeating the failed CMRT experience with CMMG. Apart from it not working for my CMRT I just don't like this hidden support. The games are sold to the public, solutions for problems should be public.

Since there is no documentation of what the DRM actually does there is little that can be done.

[Redwolf]

I also want to mention something ironic. The game I played instead of my D-Day reminder CMx2 fix is DCS.

Of course eagle dynamics, the maker of DCS, is famous for aggressive DRM. Needless to say, my  install needed to re-auth all the modules - which didn't work. With screen-global modal dialog boxes that wouldn't go away so less.

However, you can find the solution on the web. There is a "errr, we might have screwed up" post, and some files you download and run (registry files). They worked on the first try.

What you get with BFC instead is that you need to contact support, they privately send you some executable that does some random thing.That BFC executable has no output, regardless of whether it thinks it worked or not. Just silent, nothing. In my case I can then go through permutations of game installs to maybe make it work, something it won't help with or tell me whether it thought the game install looks like something it can repair.

[Elvis]

I really don't feel like repeating the failed CMRT experience with CMMG. Apart from it not working for my CMRT I just don't like this hidden support. The games are sold to the public, solutions for problems should be public.

Oh,I can definitely take care of you on a public forum if you would like. Please post your actual name and email address. This will allow me to access your account so that I can confirm that we are both actually talking about the same game versions. You've referred to things as something that they aren't. Like the Market Garden module being referred to as a Pack, for instance. I understand that the base game, module, Pack system can be confusing to some people and I have found the fastest and easiest way for me to help someone is if I look and see exactly what they have purchased. This clears up any misunderstanding about what we're talking about and (perhaps most importantly) the most simple way to get them up and running. Once you've sent that then I can post direct download links and also post the activation keys (along with activation instructions) to get you back in action. If you would prefer to do that on a public forum then I am fine with that. I just assumed that you would prefer not to.

Since there is no documentation of what the DRM actually does there is little that can be done.

The details of exactly how that DRM works has zero bearing on our ability to get you up and running. So, no...."there is little that can be done" is not a true statement. I don't know how the hybrid engine works in my car but I am confident that the people that do know how it works can fix it when it needs fixin.

Also, without knowing your name I have absolutely no way to go back and see what happened that last time that you submitted a ticket to the Help Desk. I had a guy on Wednesday who had lost his log in information and asked if I could help him get into his account. He said "I hope you are able to help this time because that last time I submitted a ticket no one could help me". I looked up his old ticket and the last message from him in the other ticket was (and I swear I am not making this up) "that did it! Thank you. Everything works now!"

[Elvis]

What you get with BFC instead is that you need to contact support, they privately send you some executable that does some random thing.That BFC executable has no output, regardless of whether it thinks it worked or not. Just silent, nothing. In my case I can then go through permutations of game installs to maybe make it work, something it won't help with or tell me whether it thought the game install looks like something it can repair.

What does the gsclean tool do? It resets the license state between the game and the computer that it is on. It happens in a blink of an eye. Why you would go through "permutations of game installs" I have no idea. And certainly don't understand why you blindly would take stabs in the dark trying different "permutations of game installs".

[RyanE]

The fact you need gsclean to begin with is crazy.  I have bought and played hundreds of games and have never, ever had to us a registry cleaning tool.  Let alone one dedicated to a specific game. 

I checked and have almost eight gsclean emails from BFC over a five or six year period.  On the positive side, its great that they support fixing this stuff.  On the bad side, this should have been fixed within a couple months of it happening.  But they chose their DRM tool without much consideration of their customer.

[Elvis]

The fact you need gsclean to begin with is crazy.  I have bought and played hundreds of games and have never, ever had to us a registry cleaning tool.  Let alone one dedicated to a specific game. 

I checked and have almost eight gsclean emails from BFC over a five or six year period.  On the positive side, its great that they support fixing this stuff.  On the bad side, this should have been fixed within a couple months of it happening.  But they chose their DRM tool without much consideration of their customer.

Cool. That is awesome.

I don't believe for a minute that that has anything to do with his CMBN issue and is very likely unnecessary for his CMRT issue. But if it is needed for both, so what? Ya wanna get up and running or ya wanna vent. It is what it is, bro. That's the bottom line, right? "I wanna play the game that I paid for". "No problem. Sorry for the inconvenience and I'm happy to help get you back up and running." Boom. Done. Playing the game and movin on. Or.....drag it one for days upon days with no results. The choice isn't mine to make.

Seriously, if the issue with the DRM was a rampant as some people make it sound then I would be doing nothing but dealing with it 24/7 without a break to pee. But the reality is that it isn't. Period. It isn't. It is a very small percentage. A very real percentage that must be respected but still a very very small percentage...that can be helped by simply letting us know that they need help.