Aces High III 3.07 test release: Crew Chief

[hitech]

Version 3.07 is ready for testing, and I'd like as many of you as possible to try it before it goes live.

The big one is Crew Chief, an AI crew chief you can talk to. Hold R and ask out loud: "How do I start my engine?", "Where is the nearest enemy field?", "Set my flaps for takeoff." He answers by voice and on screen, can set things up for you, and can fly you toward a field on autopilot. He knows your plane, your screen and where you are. New pilots also get Crew Chief lessons for the arena list, tower, hangar, first flight, vehicles, mouse flying, gunnery and bailing out.

R is Crew Chief's key by default. If you already use R for something else, your key stays as it is, and you can give Crew Chief a key (or a joystick button) in the Key Map. Air Show Smoke used to be on R, so it now needs a key of its own if you use it.

Downloads

• Patch from 3.06 Patch 9: https://dload.hitechcreations.com/AHIII3609TO3700.EXE
• Full install: https://dload.hitechcreations.com/AHIII3700.EXE

Good to know

• The program files now live in an ah32 folder inside your Aces High folder. Your settings, films and terrains stay where they are. The patch moves everything and fixes your Start menu and desktop shortcuts, including ones you made yourself. If a shortcut of yours still fails, point it at ah32\aceshigh11.exe.
• Crew Chief's voice needs 64-bit Windows and Microsoft's 64-bit Visual C++ runtime. If your PC doesn't have the runtime, the installer offers to download it.
• Uninstalling now keeps your films and screenshots, and asks before deleting anything else that isn't ours.

Also in 3.07

• Supply lines matter: a destroyed convoy, train or barge now hurts the field it was supplying.
• 18 new and 12 updated default controller maps.
• Microphone fixes, and Auto Mic Volume settles faster.
• Fixed the ground around fields flickering.
• Terrain downloads now use HTTPS, which may fix the download trouble some of you have had.
• Chat lines wrap properly, the clipboard map mouse-over is fixed, and some buttons no longer show a dark band.
• "Patch Failed AcesHighBrowser.exe" is fixed.

What I'd like tested

• The patch on your normal install, and the full install on a clean folder.
• Talking to Crew Chief: questions, setting things up, the lessons, and channel 6 ("Chief").
• Your own shortcuts and pins after patching.
• Anything that looks or works differently from 3.06.

Please post what you find in this thread. Include your Windows version, and for Crew Chief problems, what you said and what he answered.

Thanks!

[Dadtallica]

I was only able to briefly test chief. I talked to it and it was pretty neat! It takes somegetting used to with timing but once you figure it out its nice. It does say the letters of keyes like CTRL instead of saying control +...

It does not put your gear down! lol

It called me H1637B.. so apparently I am a varient of some robotic series of humanoids. I am gogint o check intot his for myself.

My exe's in my task bar still worked fine.

Nice stuff so far Dale. I did nto have a chance to shoot any trucks but cannot wait to mess witht his later! I will send you the ahf film.

[Spikes]

• Fixed the ground around fields flickering.
• Terrain downloads now use HTTPS, which may fix the download trouble some of you have had.

I am on W11 26H2.

I thought the first point may fix some odd bugs on SEA terrains where sometimes fields look "underwater" and flicker when they are at sea level. I tried to make a custom arena with the luzon terrain. It creates, but when I go to enter it, it does nothing and kicks back to the main CBM screen.

I also tried to download the luzon terrain from Choose Terrain, but clicking download also seems to do nothing.

[hitech]

I am on W11 26H2.

I thought the first point may fix some odd bugs on SEA terrains where sometimes fields look "underwater" and flicker when they are at sea level. I tried to make a custom arena with the luzon terrain. It creates, but when I go to enter it, it does nothing and kicks back to the main CBM screen.

I also tried to download the luzon terrain from Choose Terrain, but clicking download also seems to do nothing.

Can some one else try the same terrain? It came down for me and also downloaded terrset01.res

HiTech

[popeye]

Installed Patch ok.

Wasn't able to install Visual C++, still running Win7.   I know.   I know...      So, was not able to test Crew Chief.

Was able to download Luzon and fly it ok.

[Spikes]

I gave it another try just now and worked, strange. Not sure what the deal was earlier.

[-gg-]

great! Looking forward to this.

[AKIron]

No squeakin' Betty? Pull UP! Pull UP! Now! Come on, do it!         

[hitech]

Installed Patch ok.

Wasn't able to install Visual C++, still running Win7.   I know.   I know...      So, was not able to test Crew Chief.

Was able to download Luzon and fly it ok.

Aces High 3.07 still ran for you , yes?

HiTech

[popeye]

Aces High 3.07 still ran for you , yes?

HiTech

Yes, AH 3.07 runs normally.  Crew Chief function returns:  Crew Chief can't hear you: voice is not installed.

VOX works normally with other players.

[CAV]

Been playing with this. Asking Numerous questions.

It seems to do well answering Button questions about what button does what.

Not knowing its limitations I asked a few random questions.
Such as how many members of my squad were online currently. It could not answer that nor did I really expect it to.

Ask for the current down times at a44.
It gave me a good range and heading to the base. It Could tell me the base was currently up But...
It said the base was currently neutral and not owned by anybody? It was currently owned by the bish at the time.

And once I ask for heading to the nearest Friendly base. And it tried to send me to an enemy base. Re-asked the question that got it right the second time.


All in all it seems to be doing pretty good.

[hitech]

Been playing with this. Asking Numerous questions.

It seems to do well answering Button questions about what button does what.

Not knowing its limitations I asked a few random questions.
Such as how many members of my squad were online currently. It could not answer that nor did I really expect it to.

Ask for the current down times at a44.
It gave me a good range and heading to the base. It Could tell me the base was currently up But...
It said the base was currently neutral and not owned by anybody? It was currently owned by the bish at the time.

And once I ask for heading to the nearest Friendly base. And it tried to send me to an enemy base. Re-asked the question that got it right the second time.


All in all it seems to be doing pretty good.

There is a system logs questions that it can not answer, we will be scanning that to fill in the holes.

HiTech

[hitech]

Also as a feather in my cap, I may be the first to have a system like this in a game.

HiTech

[Eagler]

Neutral bases sound interesting...

Base switch to neutral if a player doesn't launch from it in an hour..every hour...maybe 30 minutes..

Maps could be smaller, bases fewer, fights closer..

Sorry kinda off topic..

Eagler

[Oldman731]

Also as a feather in my cap, I may be the first to have a system like this in a game.

So make sure you tell the world.

- oldman