Saturday, February 9, 2013

Strange Bugs

I have just spent a day trying to sort out a bug for the game. I was developing fixes and some new code and suddenly the house system broke, and quite a few other areas too.

I use a series of classes with inheritance for common functionality. I found the constructor system was failing
eg
class Housing inherits from class Place, inherits from SlaveModule, inherits from BaseModule
each of these constructirs explicitly calls the parent or super constructor, BUT it did not happen. only the constructor Housing was called, traces for the constructors for Place etc showed they were never called.

It took ages and I am still not quite clear but I had added a variable to BaseModule, a reference to the core SlaveMaker object. For some reason this completely broke the inheritance structure! I am still checking WHY but I have fixed the issue (made it a Object instead of the explicit class).

This was a hugely frustrating issue to sort out, there seemed no logic to what was going wrong (and there still seems no logic). I hate these sort of bugs.

I also found a lot of problems trying to debug this. If people are familiar with the concept for C/C++ of precompiled headers, Flash has a similar concept where it precompiles classes. I kept getting a lot of weird errors, due to trying to copy older versions of the classes to try to sort this out.
For any other developers reference, the precompiled objects are .aso files and are stored in a path like
C:\Users\youusername\AppData\Local\Adobe\Flash CS3\en\Configuration\Classes\aso
You can manually delete the files to force a recompile. The path will vary depending on your Flash version, possibly radically for the current version.

PS
my home phone is still not really working. It is intermittent. For some reason when I receive a call, I get a lot of static on the line and for a little while I can make outgoing calls, but then after a bit the phone loses it's dial tone.
A service technician is due out on Monday, but their scheduled time is 8am to midday. Not a very convenient time range.

At least my Internet access, while a bit erratic, is mostly working.


95 comments:

  1. well, we really appreciate the hard work. BTW, just a quick question/comment: have you ever tried to get some "commissioned" artwork to slowly replace some of the "cruder" artwork and get some kind of unified look? I'm sure the community would pitch in (I would). just a thought and keep up the good work

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are a huge number of images in the game is you include slaves.

      Do you have any images that you consider the cruder ones?

      Delete
    2. Not any per se, just some of the images from shampoo, princess peach, aeris seem a bit "lower quality" than some of th others. However, it's probably an "eye of the beholder" thing and my own sense of aestethics (and they ar way better than anything I could do myself). It was more of a passing suggestion than anything else. If you felt that some of the images weren't to your liking, I was only suggesting that we could commission an artist to "update" them, 's'all.

      Delete
    3. Just a suggestion, but while I personally like most of the images, I'd appreciate a more homogeneous and harmonious look too.

      That said, it surely is an enormous enterprize if you think about the sheer nr of images to elaborate. I'm dobious, but if some artist want to do it and the images he is submitting are worthy, maybe you, distinguished author, can make a post soliciting such an effort?

      Even if no one offers, surely you haven't lost anything exept the ten minutes needed to write the aforementioned post.

      Delete
  2. You reminded me so much of The Oatmeal with this post.

    http://theoatmeal.com/pl/state_web_winter_2012/google_fiber

    ReplyDelete
  3. You should take a look at the "decorator pattern" if you don't already know it. It is often a far better and a more robust solution than depth inheritance and may be usefull in your case.

    This should help you to keep your code clean and avoid hundred of inheritance issues at the cost of few modifications ;)

    keep the faith !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was not familiar with that term, but I know the style well. Some of the structure I am doing is to preserve backward compatibility and not require developers to change their interface with the core game.

      Also actionscript is purely interpreted, so you want to keep intermediate functions to a minimum where possible. The is one reason I was adding reference variables for maximum performance at a slight memory cost.

      Stil I had been considering a structure like that, some of the classes I have are reasching the 32k limit for their compiled bytecode

      Delete
  4. Good evening.
    Links to a torrent of the FULL version of game 3.3.03 all are invalid. :( Upload please.
    And to swing from that file hosting service it is unreal (1.5-2 hours on each part of archive).

    P.S. The interesting worked game, is a pity only there is no plny high-quality translation into Russian. :( It is clear nothing in dialogues, and without them it is lost an atmofser of game. :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. "but their scheduled time is 8am to midday. Not a very convenient time range."

    ....Why does that sound like telstra lol??

    ReplyDelete
  6. Okay, I've just spent 2 hours on Yoruichi only to realize that there is NO way to get any other ending then Forever slave in freelancer. There is also no "special skills" as the hints in the Combat Training seem to indicate.

    I feel thoroughly ripped of considering that at the beginning there was a message from the creator saying that Yoruichi is finished. How in the world is this "finished"?

    This might not be the best place to complain, but I'm probably not going to take time to register for the forums just to see it and possibly post one comment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The developer had been uninterested in developing a freelancer set of endings or variations for Yoruichi. He has discussed the possibility, but a matter of him getting around to the changes. So no estimate of when or if

      Delete
    2. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 11, 2013 at 9:04 AM

      Yoruichi was also 'finished' before the Freelancer option is avaliable in-game. So, at that time, she's had no ending problems.

      Delete
  7. Hey C Mac
    I've been playing your game since it branched off from princess maker. When I get obcessed I delete the game entirely from my system then log back after several months and begin again with the newest version with the least bugs :) I just wanted to thank you and all your contributors for your hard work. I've enjoyed watching the work evolve and the discovery of new plot twists, kinks and images. I remember when the game consisted of only a couple compressed files! V3 is HUGE! I hope you are proud of your labor of love.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Do these bugs go hand in hand with one of mine maybe? I was playing as a freelancer and 'recruited' certain minor slaves and slaves via the love confession to permanently be available to me and one day they just vanished what appears to even be globally. Not all vanished, just some but even at an older save game they disappeared. Any clues on how to fix that? -.-"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The bugs I mentioned were purely in my development code, they were not in anything released.

      I am not familiar with the issue you are reporting. Which slaves vanished?

      Delete
    2. Ryo, Kyon and Sakura. I figured it might have something to do with cache in flash or something like that since I'm way over the given 'training time' due to beeing a freelancer but that's obviously just an uneducated guess.
      I'd love to help out more in that regard though, if I can that is.

      Delete
    3. If you can, please upload your save game to a filehot like Rapidshare/mediafire/exoshare etc. I'll check the situation.

      I do not think it likely a cache issue

      Delete
    4. http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=8KAYAKQA
      These should hopefully be all the right files. Sorry in advance, if I messed that up. -.-;

      Delete
  9. In my case. The game has suddenly stopped allowing characters to go beyond 50 points on catslave, resulting in no completion. The one sailor scout that actually wants to be a cat-slave can bypass that if the trainings maxed.. but it keeps reverting back to 20 up until somehow it hits 100. Then it finally sticks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your slaves mac in the training is dependent on your slave makers skill level in 'Cat Slave Trainer'. But also to pass some levels events are needed
      - meet the catgirl at the farm
      - a party event

      Delete
    2. 1) fully aware of the training part. I start out with level 1

      2) I have the newest download. But up until last week with the newest download, I never needed the party event. Either that was a glitch and it corrected itself which means I have to find the event. Or the game glitched.

      Delete
    3. As a Cat1 trainer you'll not get past 60

      Once a catgirl reaches 50, she is stalled until the party event where she Accepts being a catgirl (and will refuse to permanently take off her ears and tail other than swap for a dress with them built in). Take note that the party event can be used at anytime to gain 3 points, and Acceptance can trigger as early as 47.

      If you were getting Acceptance and past Fiddy without the party *that* was a bug.

      Delete
  10. Please,there is no working download link for the game!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A new upgrade is close to ready, so might as well relax for a week or so.

      Delete
    2. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 16, 2013 at 1:51 AM

      For Anonymous.

      If you really can't wait, here is some mirrors links.

      Torrents for version 3.3.03a
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=0BTTRLMD
      Upgrade to version 3.3.03b
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=OYVWGHRP

      Delete
  11. by default the classes in c++ are private, so are their constructors, maybe it's because of this that only the class constructor is called...

    betatester

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am using actionscript not c++. The sort of thing you report would be detected at public/compile time

      I still am unsure why the constructors were not called and have left aside working out why as I have the issue resolved and I could not find any references via google to similar issues

      Delete
  12. I don't know if this error was already reported but, after training several slaves on freelancer mode, i start to lose money (about 400 gp) every day, with no reason... it happens when i try to execute the tasks for the morning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Under "take potions" is "Home Details" look in that at the Upkeep cost

      Delete
    2. Expenses: 7 GP / Income: 25 GP.

      Delete
    3. This was a bug related to the catgirl module and a bug in the core game. This was fixed in 3.3.03a/b.

      Delete
  13. I am a complete programming noob and I was wondering on how do I make an XML document for a slave or an event?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, should have asked google first.

      Answer: Notepad++

      Delete
  14. No working Download of game, all torrents are either full of virus's, no file found, invalid link, or torrent host not responding. So basically you've made a great game that no one can play.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.4shared.com/dir/xoMjivDl/Slave_Maker_3.html

      Delete
    2. Official links, when working, contain no virii, so those are false positives. This is *probably* true for mirrored links, but once not from C's links, no promises…

      Delete
    3. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 14, 2013 at 10:17 AM

      Here is some mirrors links.

      Torrents for version 3.3.03a
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=0BTTRLMD
      Upgrade to version 3.3.03b
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=OYVWGHRP

      With these two, you’ll get the full game. Of course, many 3rd party add-ons (like new slaves) are not included, but the download links can be found across the blog or at the Futanari Palace forums.

      Like those:
      Slave Yuna
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=0DLCQ7HQ
      Slave Usagi (aka Sailor Moon)
      http://uploadmirrors.com/download/S438BYLL/Usagi_Slave.zip
      Update for the slave Mariya
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=1FMXCJ03

      Plus some updates of my releases or 3rd party (must be ddl in order of appearance)

      New Minor Slaves Arche, Palla, Shania and Hilda
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=BVQFVFTT

      Images Update (so new images) for the assistants Alice, Aya Brea, Colette, Cure Sunshine and Mai Tokiha
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=1BINTIEP

      Text fix for Mio & Mayu, Cure Blossom & Cure Marine and for Cure Melody & Cure Rhythm
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=6VHL5USF

      Aya Brea 'No Weapons' Images Update (her images being edited to remove her gun)
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=1BGDACZY

      Minor Slaves 'No Weapons' Slave Market Images Update (same here, to remove the various weapons the slaves got)
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=13TCVYAX

      Update for Lillymon XML (new dialogs in Discuss action) and Parasoul's Images (No Guns)
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=OVJ4ZOVL

      Mini Image Update for the assistants Fiona Belli, Koudelka, Rise, Yosuke and Yukari (to replace the images that got guns or future tech)
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=1SDOP26O

      Delete
    4. thanks for the links MiA, sorry I had not got around to posting, I'll make a full post here for them tonight

      Delete
    5. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 15, 2013 at 2:15 AM

      No problem.

      Delete
    6. Can you put all your slaves releases all together in a same pack or link?

      The youna´s link don´t work

      Delete
    7. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 18, 2013 at 1:31 AM

      I did not made Youmu (or are you asking about Yuna?), or any slaves for that matter. Anyway, the link should be working... If not, the dev will have to upload it again.

      Delete
    8. Sorry i want say Yuna. The link wasn´t work but finally i could download it. Thanks.

      But i think the first question is more interesting. I think you and the others creators could put all your slaves all together in a expansion pack to download. Its a suggestion. Thanks for your excelent work.

      Delete
    9. Thanks MiA, this is much appreciated

      Delete
  15. Where is Youmu? The wiki says that she's released?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 16, 2013 at 1:29 AM

      At the FP forums, but I can post a link here.

      Delete
    2. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 16, 2013 at 1:48 AM

      Youmu link: http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=WEFTVZX7

      Delete
  16. We had to add a signal amp to our phone line.

    ReplyDelete
  17. An exception thrown in a constructor tends to cause a type to become unusable - especially when static. Anything inheriting from that type also becomes unusable. Also, check for name conflicts in the hierarchy. Sometimes, a keyword is needed for name overlaps...

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have a small technical question related to XML files.

    When I open Usagi, as an example, I get a really long paragraph that makes little sense and no code.

    When I open Snow White I get a much more organized view of the code and can actually see what the code does.

    What causes this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is more than likely that the Usagi file was filled with errors. The paragraph indicates an error somewhere inside itself and probably no one went and checked for the error.

      If you understand some code then take the paragraph as the computer screaming at you.

      Delete
  19. anyone know where to find the pictures of slaves of drekas99 your image folders no appear in the game.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The only two characters that Drekas99 released to my knowledge were Zoey (Left 4 Dead) and Grimro (Yu-Gi-Oh).

      Grimro is in the game, however, Zoey was probably removed as she had images of her with a gun. Gun's are not supposed to be in the game as SlaveMaker3 has a midevil setting.

      Delete
    2. sorry I just checked the last download that version 3.3.3b put MIA there were come supergirl, wonder woman, harley and clare redfiel are minor slaves

      Delete
    3. grimro ==> Images/Minor Slaves/Grimro
      Zoey ==> 1 picture (with gun) in wiki : http://www.otakubell.com/smw/index.php/V3:Zoey

      Delete
  20. is there any chance the Ryo Problem will be fixed ????
    Cant play for 10 weeks now...

    ReplyDelete
  21. Is it just me or are the links to the full game down, had to reinstall everything on my pc :/

    ReplyDelete
  22. No rush or anything, but ETA for 3.3.04?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not a hard date, but if health and RL remain sonsistent for a bit, about 10 days, give-take

      Delete
    2. Was going to add 30 days to cmacleod42's estimate. What to do with an LR's prediction? lol.

      (Not a diss at cmacleod42; know very well that chasing down the little issues can be hugely time consuming, because I just spent most of the day staring at what turned out to be an offset-by-a-few-undocumented-bytes problem.)

      Delete
  23. Hey. I haven't commented on your blog for a while since my natural tendency is to lurk and be otherwise invisible, but seeing you tackle technical issues is fun. There's a wonderful kind of joy in crunching down into code and figuring stuff out. Unfortunately I don't know C++. I have some friends who do, but I haven't talked with them for a while. I'll drop them a line and see if they can help out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just to make sure it's clear, the game is written in ActionScript/Flash--NOT C++.

      (cmacleod42 was just explaining the issue in a way more programmers would understand, since there are more people familiar wtih C/C++ than ActionScript.)

      Delete
  24. Been playing for a while now, but all of a sudden, some of the slaves images aren't showing up. It's like the images aren't there, and all I see is the background. And it's only for some of the slaves, like Panty & Stocking, Daisy, and Rouge, among others. Anyone else getting this?

    ReplyDelete
  25. I found a bug in the game when you select the galleon as your home. You get the swimsuit for your SM and your slave for the first slave you choose. your next slave and all other slaves that follow do not get swimsuits and the SM's swimsuit is gone. Currently using v3.3.03a.

    Really enjoying the latest version. Thanks for the work you put in on this

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well it took Me about 3 months to download the full 3.3.03, between net problems and rapidgator only letting you download 3 a day without paying, would have been fine if it was 200MB each!

    Anyway, now I'm having a few problems with the game (3.3.03B now)! 1. The love confession choices of yes, no, maybe, (Lobster), are not showing up, and I was only able to get the confession text once even thought I had 3 with full heart and 1 near full!

    2. I remember being able to get catgirl training to 30 with out any event, but I was only able to get it to 20, but then I got the a tentacl event which was added after the last full and up to date download I had (3.3.01), and got My butt kicked cuz I did not know about it!

    3. I've had a bug with Gray, she show up, I lost, went to the Onsen, told My slave not to sex serve the guy, and for some reason to did not have the Gray event, then her sister got P.O.ed as if I did not go! I reloaded, and said yes for a women and it did show up, so!

    M.I.A., I was reading the intro of some of Your Minor Slaves like Palla, and I was wondering if your going to add some of the linked people, like Palla's sisters to SM3?

    ReplyDelete
  27. ^ 3. Technically the service at Onsen is a random minor event; so to meet up with Gray for sure just put down onsen twice on your daily schedule.

    ~Anonymous

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just did a test of 15 or so trys, every time I got the event and said no Gray did not show up, but no event or say yes she dose! Which should be a bug! I did this with a no saves start, including all settings deleted!

      Delete
    2. It may be intended, though in that case a bit of text indicating you can't get away to see Lady Gray because you're too busy dealing with your disobedient slave (and placating Lady Azure) would be a good idea - that may well be coming along with the text for what happens if you agree to serve.

      Delete
  28. Just here to mention that "no bad events in forest" -background thingy clearly does not work for me. Rage quit after 5 robberies in a row. Its also absurd that if you have no money on you when you get robbed, it adds in to your debt. What does the player do, write them check or what!?

    ReplyDelete
  29. I have a quick question to ask of you, cmacleod. Is there a possible way of changing the default image for the assistant's intimite image as in, instead of having Anal-Sex acts and changing it to Fuck- Sex acts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If the Slave is xml, you may look to her Images folder, find the one you wish to replace, and replace it with the image you want. Observe the filename AND the sizes as too large an image will cause problems.

      If the slave is swf, you'd have to use a Flash compiler to extract the image and then recompile the file with the new.

      Delete
  30. i'm currently running 3.10b, and i can't seem to figure out where/what to download to either update or reinstall/download the full game. Would it be possible to point me in the right direction?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. M.I.A. (Maia Iliana Arina)February 22, 2013 at 1:33 PM

      3.10b is a old version. The most recent version is 3.3.03b, so a full download is required. Here are the torrents for 3.3.03a, plus the RAR file for the 3.3.03b update.


      Links
      Torrents for version 3.3.03a
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=0BTTRLMD
      Upgrade to version 3.3.03b
      http://exoshare.com/download.php?uid=OYVWGHRP

      Delete
  31. Is there an estimated release date for the next update?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. I estimate it will happen exactly when Cmac releases it. And not before. Is that good enough? Give the guy a break, it will be ready when it is ready. This is his hobby, he works on it when he is feeling well and has time. It is better to wait and get a relativly bug free release, than rush and get a mess.

      Delete
    2. Cmac says that, subject to RL and health, "Soon". In this case, "soon" will hopefully be within the next 10 days or so. He is in final in-house testing and polish.

      Still, I point to the caveat of "Health". So don't take this as a Hard ETA.

      Delete
  32. For your phone issue, if you are still having it.
    Unplug ALL things from the phone line. Modem, phones, surge protectors. Everything.
    Then one at a time plug in a device, preferably phones first, and check the connection and how things act.

    It sounds like something else got hit but didn't completely die on you. And if you can borrow a known working phone to help diagnose the issue, that would be great. Because then you could try that first to see if it was wiring related and not device related.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I've reached a dead end with Kitami. She asked me to find this girl called Amatsuki and convince her to become her slave then there is no next button. it's just a long string of text with no way to continue or exit. I'm stuck; does anyone have any help to offer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems to be a bug with all such "meet me" characters. Cmac is aware of the issue, and I think he has fixed it for the next release.

      Delete
    2. It's not a bug rather the event is unfinished

      Delete
    3. In that case, can we have the removal of that particular part of the event (you know the trigger for that conversation)until whoever is in charge of Kitami gets further along in it.

      Delete
  34. hey anyone know where i can get the download for Sakura as an assistant, can't find it on the forum

    ReplyDelete
  35. Just would like to stop by and say "cmacleod you are the fucking MAN"

    Thanks for all your hard work bro!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Evening,

    A little question, is the "Rich Girl" ending supposed to have priority over the "Wedding" one" I noticed this a couple of updates ago and I recall it was the other way around before. I even made tests by saving shortly before the training is over, and the ending changes depending if I deliberately spend the character's money before her training is over or not.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Can someone explain how I can download this game, fully and up to date, from scratch? I don't have any part of it at all.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Note: the second download link, which is under "full installation" says the file is deleted. It no longer works apparently.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I want Ryo fixed please...........
    waiting 3 months now....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ryo is a 3rd Party developer. It would be best to pop up onto Futanari Palace. locate his development thread, and outlay your complaints.

      Delete
    2. Ryo is maintained by a 3rd party developer, abisal.

      If the problem is with custom visit/lend, do not bug the developer, since that's apparently a core game issue.

      Delete
    3. Hmmm....the problem is that, after I found out he is a boy, he tells me every morning that he is a boy. So I have no events or something else in the morning.
      I dont know what kind of problem it is.

      Delete
  40. What will the next update fix & introduce.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Is there any way to down load this game with out having to use exoshare or any other of these torrent sites that want you to install all their malicious software. How about a good old link that could be gotten through Isohunt or piratebay. I love this game and would really like to play the latest version.

    ReplyDelete

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