CW2 level freezes up

[Coin_Star2]

I have encountered a rather aggravating problem in one of my custom CW2 levels. In the editor, my field simulator stops running at t=172 when using auto advance, and the creeper simulator stops then, too. If I uncheck "auto advance" on the field simulator, the creeper starts moving again. Rechecking the field simulator's "auto advance" freezes up the creeper, and advances the field simulator by 18. Constantly checking and unchecking it will keep advancing it by 18. While the simulators are frozen up, the editor works normally, except for the previously mentioned symptoms.

When I enter CW2 to play my level, the game runs normally until about 5 seconds in, which is when time "stops running". I can still construct things at this time (though without the animation of the structure being "dragged along" with the pointer), but the constructs just get stuck there, and are not built by the liberation ship, because nothing can move, including packets. I also cannot scroll once the game has frozen; my scroll bar moves, but the visible part of the level does not change. The tech window can still be opened and closed, I can switch between the 'weapons' and 'systems' tabs, I can open the in-game menus, and can adjust the game speed (although this doesn't actually do anything).

While trying to figure out what else I am able/not able to do, I found out that pressing the pause/play button twice advances the game the same amount of time that the "auto advance" check box did in the editor when selected and then deselected. This play-pause technique does not actually enable one to play the level; the liberation ship will not send out packets (I imagine the liberation ship and the things it builds cannot move, either, but the layout of my level prevents me from determining so). Also, while paused, the game acts as it should, with the dragging animation, the screen scrolling, etc. The liberation ship will not, however, respond to any terrain chosen to be destroyed, or structure chosen to be built while the game is paused.

I cannot figure out what the cause of this problem is and would really appreciate any help I get.

If you need any more information about the problem, please say so.

[mpete]

my uneducated guess is that a field action is doing something weird, is there anything that starts at t=172 and repeats every ~18 frames? also, the map file and/or a save of when its frozen could be useful.

[Coin_Star2]

After systematically destroying fields in a copy of the world, I can say that: Yes, it was a field (well, actually, it was several similar fields), and no, nothing starts at t=172 and nothing repeats every 18 frames.

Despite knowing what the problem is, I still am not sure what exactly is causing the problem.

I am willing to post my level for examination, but, having not used forums much, I do not know how. Could somebody post instructions on how to do so, or tell me where I could find out?

[CobraKill]

Get the reply text box open. Click the additional options underneath the space you can type. It will expand to show choose file. Click that and find your map. It will attach the map to that post so others can download.

Hope I helped :)

[Coin_Star2]

Thanks for the directions, Cobrakill.

Alright, here is my level. I have determined that the problem is caused by fields "drip 1" through "drip 6". Can anybody figure out what is going on, and hopefully offer me a solution that allows me to keep these fields?

[J]

I don't know exactly why the game freezes, but the drip fields aren't working correctly. I've fixed that and you can continue building your map (no more freezing). Good luck (and don't forget to take a look at the 'fixed' drip fields).

The freeze might be caused by an out of bounds error (outside the map) or a field moving to a position it already is at.

[Coin_Star2]

Yes, it works now. The error probably was caused by the fields being unnecessarily large.

Thank you for your help, everyone.  :D

[J]

Yes, it works now. The error probably was caused by the fields being unnecessarily large.

Thank you for your help, everyone.  :D

The game never had any problems with large fields. I often use fields as big as the map. Now I'm thinking about what actually caused it. Fields could move out of the map, no problem, has been done before. You had drip mode on, then it will grab creeper data and store it. Creeper data is only stored in cells that are on the map. Not being able to get that data might have caused the freeze. Just a random idea.

Note you could leave the drip mode off. It doesn't (shouldn't) have any effect the way I create drip fields =P. You must use turn field on/off to renew data. The drip mode stores how much creeper was in the cell when it turns on, the field won't pick up any more creeper until it loses some or the field is turned off and on again. This guide perfectly explains what drip mode does (page 32).