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Author Topic:   Air Drop Bug - Wrong Square

dbatty posted 02-17-99 01:28 AM ET
I scanned through the list of topics and did not see this bug mentioned yet. After installing the 2.0 patch I have trouble using the airdrop command. To be precise, when I drop troops they actually drop into the square above and to the right of where I place the cursor. This happens about 90% of the time. The remaining 10% of the time the troop will drop into the correct square or into another random adjacent square. I believe I can provide a save game which demonstrates this problem. Thanks in advance for any information regarding this problem.
Stormhound posted 02-17-99 08:41 AM ET
I have the best success in airdrops when I put the little parachute directly in the center of the square. This can be quite difficult, if not impossible, with squares that tilt away from you (guess I could kick in 2D terrain at that point, though).
As for random errors, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a percentage chance of the drop being off-target...even though I don't see such mentioned anywhere.
dbatty posted 02-17-99 04:39 PM ET
It worked perfectly before I installed the 2.0 patch. Through dozens of airdrops (I'm a big fan) I had no trouble dropping troops precisely where I wanted them. After installing the patch there is a consistent problem.
By the way, in my initial post I should have said above and left not above and right.
akathisia posted 02-17-99 06:54 PM ET
I have the same exact problem with drop pods landing above and to the left most if not all of the time. I have only used 2.0, so I can't compare versions but I know that I'm trying to be precise as possible when clicking the mouse. Can anyone at Firaxis confirm if this is a feature based on probability or just an annoying bug?
evil_conquerer posted 02-17-99 07:53 PM ET
The cursor is kind of vague... it looks like the "pointer" end is where it really isn't. I think you have to click with the center of the parachute, not with the bottom.
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS posted 02-18-99 11:40 AM ET
I'll see what I can do.
jkm
firaxis games
bene4 posted 02-18-99 02:19 PM ET
Parachute?
Right click and select "Air Drop Here...". Accurate EVERY time, unless I have selected the wrong square (easy to do in bases, since the base graphic is often bigger than the square). So aim for the base of the base.
Works in original and 2.0.
Has anyone noticed that you can airdrop even when you are out of movement points? Airdrop units should NEVER be left out in the open if they can get back to a safe base!
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS posted 02-18-99 04:42 PM ET
Fixed for next patch... .
jkm
firaxis games
armadillo posted 02-20-99 07:32 PM ET
I have the same problem with my bombardment attacks.
Dan Scheltema posted 02-20-99 11:46 PM ET
I think it would be nice to have the square's border highlighted in addition to the little parachute or targetting cursor (for bombardments). That would help in insuring we're aiming at the right place, at least.
Also, on a similar note, I have real trouble getting the patrol command to activate to the right square. It too often ends up left and high. Here it seems to be related to some "jitter" in the cursor placement. If I do it very slowly, choose the square, then let the cursor hang motionless a couple of seconds, I generally get what I want. If I quickly point and quick, I'm almost always one or two squares left and up which throws out my patrol pattern, and screws up the range.
Rambar posted 02-21-99 02:00 AM ET
Don't forget you can zoom in by pressing z at any time (x to zoom back out). If you make the squares incredibly large its hard to miss.
Provost Pyrexian posted 03-01-99 09:07 AM ET
Hate to revive such an old thread, but this has been a serious peeve in my latest game until I figured out what was wrong. Especially with the artillery cursor-- it looks like a big bullseye, so you'd think the hotspot was right in the middle. Wrong; the hotspot is actually outside the outer circle, above and to the left. Likewise with paradrop, above and to the left of the chute. Once I figured this out, I hit every time with both options.
Tripod posted 03-06-99 12:46 PM ET
thanks I had problems with drop before...
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Author	Topic: Air Drop Bug - Wrong Square
dbatty	posted 02-17-99 01:28 AM ET I scanned through the list of topics and did not see this bug mentioned yet. After installing the 2.0 patch I have trouble using the airdrop command. To be precise, when I drop troops they actually drop into the square above and to the right of where I place the cursor. This happens about 90% of the time. The remaining 10% of the time the troop will drop into the correct square or into another random adjacent square. I believe I can provide a save game which demonstrates this problem. Thanks in advance for any information regarding this problem.
Stormhound	posted 02-17-99 08:41 AM ET I have the best success in airdrops when I put the little parachute directly in the center of the square. This can be quite difficult, if not impossible, with squares that tilt away from you (guess I could kick in 2D terrain at that point, though). As for random errors, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a percentage chance of the drop being off-target...even though I don't see such mentioned anywhere.
dbatty	posted 02-17-99 04:39 PM ET It worked perfectly before I installed the 2.0 patch. Through dozens of airdrops (I'm a big fan) I had no trouble dropping troops precisely where I wanted them. After installing the patch there is a consistent problem. By the way, in my initial post I should have said above and left not above and right.
akathisia	posted 02-17-99 06:54 PM ET I have the same exact problem with drop pods landing above and to the left most if not all of the time. I have only used 2.0, so I can't compare versions but I know that I'm trying to be precise as possible when clicking the mouse. Can anyone at Firaxis confirm if this is a feature based on probability or just an annoying bug?
evil_conquerer	posted 02-17-99 07:53 PM ET The cursor is kind of vague... it looks like the "pointer" end is where it really isn't. I think you have to click with the center of the parachute, not with the bottom.
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS	posted 02-18-99 11:40 AM ET I'll see what I can do. jkm firaxis games
bene4	posted 02-18-99 02:19 PM ET Parachute? Right click and select "Air Drop Here...". Accurate EVERY time, unless I have selected the wrong square (easy to do in bases, since the base graphic is often bigger than the square). So aim for the base of the base. Works in original and 2.0. Has anyone noticed that you can airdrop even when you are out of movement points? Airdrop units should NEVER be left out in the open if they can get back to a safe base!
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS	posted 02-18-99 04:42 PM ET Fixed for next patch... . jkm firaxis games
armadillo	posted 02-20-99 07:32 PM ET I have the same problem with my bombardment attacks.
Dan Scheltema	posted 02-20-99 11:46 PM ET I think it would be nice to have the square's border highlighted in addition to the little parachute or targetting cursor (for bombardments). That would help in insuring we're aiming at the right place, at least. Also, on a similar note, I have real trouble getting the patrol command to activate to the right square. It too often ends up left and high. Here it seems to be related to some "jitter" in the cursor placement. If I do it very slowly, choose the square, then let the cursor hang motionless a couple of seconds, I generally get what I want. If I quickly point and quick, I'm almost always one or two squares left and up which throws out my patrol pattern, and screws up the range.
Rambar	posted 02-21-99 02:00 AM ET Don't forget you can zoom in by pressing z at any time (x to zoom back out). If you make the squares incredibly large its hard to miss.
Provost Pyrexian	posted 03-01-99 09:07 AM ET Hate to revive such an old thread, but this has been a serious peeve in my latest game until I figured out what was wrong. Especially with the artillery cursor-- it looks like a big bullseye, so you'd think the hotspot was right in the middle. Wrong; the hotspot is actually outside the outer circle, above and to the left. Likewise with paradrop, above and to the left of the chute. Once I figured this out, I hit every time with both options.
Tripod	posted 03-06-99 12:46 PM ET thanks I had problems with drop before...