Frequently Asked Questions
(In no particular order)
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Q: I just won a game in a ranked game but GPGnet gives me a disconnect/draw. Why?
A: There are several scenario's which can result in GPGnet incorrectly reporting your stats. For example, there is a 20 second delay after you destroyed your enemy's commander to give him/her a chance to kill your commander. If he/she succeeds, then it'll result in a draw. Because of this, exiting the game in this 20 second time frame will result in a draw. So you'll have to wait for the Score button. For more information, you can go to
this thread made by
SonofShagrat.
Q: What is the latest patch and where can I get it?
A: If you just (re)installed the game, then you have build 3189. Build 3260 is currently the latest version. If you log onto GPGnet (it comes with the game) it'll automatically download and install the latest patch for you. If for some reason you can't use GPGnet then you can download the retail (3189) to 3260 patch
here and the 3255 to 3260 patch
here.
Q: Somebody used an exploit, where do I report such activities?
A: In GPGnet go to Help -> Report an Issue. Please give as much information as possible.
Q: Why can't I use the new downloadable units in the campaign?
A: The campaign runs "a special balance mod that makes the units work correctly for the campaign scripts (correctly in that if their functionality changes it can cause the scripts to fail due to timing issues.)".
Click here to go to squidbot's post.
Q: My Replays/Savegames/Mods don't work anymore. How do I fix this?
A: After patching your game, your replays and savegames won't work correctly anymore and are automatically disabled. There is a "Replay Chooser" program
here that'll revert your game to the version of your choosing. It does require at least 2GB though.
Q: I can't find a replay in the Replay Vault anymore, why was it deleted?
A: After every patch the Replay Vault is emptied because (As mentioned above) older replays don't work anymore.
Q: My system meets the minimum/recommended requirements, but I still get an error message. What's wrong?
A: This issue breaks down to the following:
- Check here if your video card meets the minimum specifications (green or yellow).
- If your video card meets the minimum specifications, update or reinstall your video drivers. Make a clean (re)install using the help of Driver Cleaner. Xenoc made a helpful post about this.
- If your video card meets the minimum specifications, check if the vertical resolution of your screen is >= 768. Also SupCom won't work with any rotate function of the driver enabled.
- If your video card is in the orange part of the list, you can start SupCom using the /novalidate command line argument (as proposed in Xenoc's thread). Video performance won't be well though.
- You can always try the /novalidate command line argument anyway.
- If you are still not able to start SupCom, seek for help in the SupCom Tech Support Forum. But of course only if your video card is not in the red part of Xenoc's list.
Q: I have a multi core CPU but the various cores aren't being used a lot, and/or the videos stutter while playing. Isn't SupCom designed for multi core CPU's?
A: It is, but any version of Windows that is older then Vista wasn't designed to be used with a multi core CPU. However, Microsoft does have a fix that you can download
here.
After installing it, you need to edit your registry in order to activate this fix. Here are some instructions: (Slightly edited from the KB page)
1. Click
Start, click
Run, type
regedit, and then click
OK.
2. Right-click
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager, point to
New, and then click
Key.
3. Type
Throttle for the new key name.
4. Right-click
Throttle, point to
New, and then click
DWORD Value.
5. Type
PerfEnablePackageIdle for the value name.
6. Right-click
PerfEnablePackageIdle, and then click
Modify.
7. In the
Value data box, type
1. Make sure that
Hexadecimal is selected in the
Edit DWORD Value dialog box, and then click
OK.
8. Restart your computer.
UPDATE - 12/June/07:
MadBoris made a little program related to this and posted it in
this thread. It edits the affinity of the various files used by SupCom in such a way that the load is spread across the various cores in your CPU.
Q: Is there a list of all units with their specifications somewhere?
A: There is:
http://147.28.0.58/supcom/.
Q: Where can I get a list of all the console commands with descriptions?
A: Open the console by pressing the ~ key (above TAB, next to the 1) or Shift+Ö and enter "Con_ListCommands".
Q: I'm confused, what do all these acronyms mean?
A:
Xenoc made a nice list of the acronyms used on this forum in
this thread.
Q: How do I get one of those signatures that automatically updates with my ranked game statistics?
A: Go to
this page and enter your GPGnet username. Copy the PhpBB code into your signature field in your
profile. (Thanks
IN-Agent911!)
Q: Does SupCom have a build-in benchmarking tool?
A: In your SupCom shortcut properties (If you don't have a shortcut then you'll need to make one) add " /map perftest" without the quote marks at the end of the target field. You can also add " /nosound" to disable sound to see if your sound card is affecting your performance.
Q: What ports do I need to open for SupCom and/or GPGnet?
A: Open port 6112 to allow UDP traffic for SupCom itself. Ports 9103, 30350 and 30351 (also UDP) are used by GPGnet.
Q: If the host is defeated/disconnected in a game with more then 2 players, will the game continue?
A: Yes. SupCom, like most RTS games, uses Peer-To-Peer (Everybody connects to everybody) instead of a server. The downside to this is that if one player has a dodgy connection the game will lag for all players.
Q: Where can I browse the release notes from the various patches?
A: When you start GPGnet, you should see the latest news items. In there you should find the release notes from the various patches.
Q: What is does "Cartographic View" mean and how do I enable this?
A: Cartographic View gives you a heightmap/elevation instead of the normal terrain. To enable this press Y. In this menu you can select which screen you would want to enable the cartographic view on. (And a few other things)
Q: How do I make those fancy screenshots/video's where the camera is tilted and the UI is gone?
A: To remove the UI, press Ctrl+Alt+F1. To tilt the camera and hold it in that position, press Ctrl+V and move the mouse while pressing on your spacebar. Ctrl+F takes a screenshot and places it in your Gas Powered Games\SupremeCommander\screenshots folder..
Q: I've seen people name their units online, how did they do that?
A: Select a unit and press Ctrl+N.
Q: How do I self-destruct a unit?
A: Select a unit and press Ctrl+K.
Q: How do I add a custom beacon into the map?
A: Move your cursor to the location where you want the beacon, and press F8. Press Ctrl+Shift+RMB on the beacon to remove it again.
Q: Where can I get a list of all the shortcuts?
A: Press F12 while playing a game or you can go to
this page. (Thanks
hondaman!)
Q: Why can't my Tactical/Strategic Missile Launchers and my Strategic Missile Defences fire any missiles?
A: In these structures, you need to build the missiles manually. If you right-click the build missile button it'll automatically fill up the silo, so you won't have to tell it to build each missile individually.
Q: How do I make Tech 2, Tech 3 and experimental units?
A: In the build options of your Naval, Air and Ground factories there is an upgrade option at the end of the build options. Once upgraded, they'll be able to build Tech 2 units and engineers (Which can make Tech 2 buildings). Upgrade your factory(s) again to build Tech 3 units and engineers. Tech 2 engineers can also make Tech 1 stuff and Tech 3 engineers can also make Tech 1, Tech 2 and experimentals via the upgrade menu (4 buttons under each other in a row). Tech 2 factories can also make Tech 1 stuff and Tech 3 factories can also make Tech 1 and Tech 2 stuff.
Q: How exactly does the Intel/Radar/FoW system work?
A: To activate your Intel Overlay, press Ctrl+T. If line of sight revealed a unit, then the unit type will be remembered, unless it moves out of sonar/radar range and back in again, or if you lose power (which deactivates your radar/sonar). Buildings that have been uncovered by line of sight will be remembered even if there is no radar/sonar coverage over them. To see which unit has what, you can consult the
Unit Database.
Here is a chart of which intel tool can detect what:
Q: How do I give units, mass and/or energy to my ally?
A: Press F4 to open the Diplomacy screen. In here you can give the selected units and some of your mass/energy that you currently have stored to your ally. The share resource option gives your excess resources (That being resources generated that don't fit in your storage anymore) to your ally.
Q: Is there a way to see the maximum simulation speed of everybody's computer in a multiplayer game?
A: Yes, open the console by pressing the ~ key (above TAB, next to the 1) or Shift+Ö and enter "ren_ShowNetworkStats". A new window should appear in the top-right corner showing everybody's "maxsp", these numbers should always be above the current gamespeed, this is usually 0. The simulation will always go at the speed of the slowest computer, so if for example PlayerA has their maxsp at +4, PlayerB at -3, PlayerC at +1 and PlayerD at -1 then the simulation of the multiplayer game won't go faster then -3 even if you adjust the game speed.
Q: After opening the console, it'll close as soon as I try to enter text. How do I fix this?
A: Try entering the letter A first, it should stay open and an à should appear. Just use backspace to remove this character and enter the desired command.
Q: Whenever I play very large skirmishes on 81x81km maps with 7 AI players, the game will crash after x amount of time. Is this a known issue?
A: Yes, this is because the virtual address space for processes is limited to 2GB by Windows.
MadBoris made a fix for this in
this thread.
Q: Are there different retail versions of this game?
A: Yes, europe has 3 faction packs that include a bonus DVD and a poster related to the faction you chose. NA has just one version, this just includes the bonus DVD. The australians/NZ have a Collector's Edition in a large tin case which includes the posters from all 3 faction packs and 3 tech tree posters. This version also contains some other stuff, like a SupCom badge.
This thread contains some pictures of these items.
Q: I have a french tech tree and galaxy poster but I live in the UK, is this a known issue?
A: Yes, go to
this thread made by
ScubaTron for more information.
Q: Is there a map editor for this game?
A: There is, login on GPGnet and click on Tools -> The Vault. Open the Download tab and search for 'editor'. (Be sure to read the legal conditions before downloading!)
Q: I am planning to make a SupCom video but my computer isn't fast enough to use a program like Fraps. Is there another way?
A: Yes, enter the console command (to open the console press the ~ key (above TAB, next to the 1) or Shift+Ö) "dump_Frames". After entering this command the game will freeze, you'll have to Alt+Tab out of the game and select an output folder for the BMP images. I recommend you change your resolution to something like 640x480 to increase the writing speed. After you are done you can use VirtualDub (You can download this program
here) to combine the frames simply by going to File --> Open Video File and selecting the first BMP image.
Q: Is it possible to control 2 armies at once, attack yourself and see what the results are?
A: It is, open the console and enter "ui_DebugAltClick". Alt+LeftClick on an enemy AI's unit and you'll be in control. You can use Alt+A to toggle the AI on and off in skirmish mode. You can also copy the selected units/buildings using Control+Shift+C and paste them again where your mouse is pointing with Ctrl+Shift+V. "AI_Instabuild" will instantly build everything and "AI_Freebuild" removes the need for energy and mass. For these commands to work you need to have cheats enabled.
Q: What/when are these Tech Talks that I keep hearing about?
A: Two times a week the developers answer questions about various subjects for about an hour. They are on Tuesdays at 4PM Eastern (9PM GMT) and Thursdays 8PM Eastern (1AM GMT) in the GPGnet chat. Press the balloon with the exclamation mark in it and you'll automatically join the Halcyon channel (or Freeport if Halcyon is full). Click on the drop down menu above the userlist and choose "Select Channel...", in there you should see the Tech Talk channel.
Q: Why is my keyboard switching layouts when playing SupCom?
A: The default shortcut in Windows XP to change layout is Left Alt+Shift, which is used quite a lot in SupCom. To change or disable this go to your Control Panel --> Regional Option --> Language --> Details.
Q: What does the text "Forum Scout/Engineer/Commander" under some users' names mean?
A: Go to
this thread made by
isnt to get more information about Forum Ranks.
Q: I heard somewhere that GPG was planning to include DX10 support in their first patch, what happened?
A: In
this thread SonofShagrat explains why this was delayed.
Q: Is it legal to download a no-dvd crack while having bought the game?
A: You don't have to, download the latest patch and the SecuROM check is removed.
Q: Where are my Replays/Savegames/Screenshots stored?
A: For WinXP and depending on your settings, they are either in your
username\My Documents\My Games\Gas Powered Games\SupremeCommander folder, or your
username\Local Settings\Application Data\Gas Powered Games\SupremeCommander folder. ("Local Settings" and "Application Data" are hidden folders.)
Q: What is this "Solar Bean" thing I keep hearing about?
A: It first appeared in
this thread. After that it spread throughout the forum.
Q: Is there an FPS counter build into the game?
A: Yes, press / (on your numpad) to activate it. It should appear in the top-left corner.
Q: Why does force fire make my units move to the indicated location instead of firing there?
A: You have to put the unit(s) on Hold Ground for force fire to work.
Q: How do I send taunts to other players in multiplayer games?
A: Enter
a number in the chat. The 'head' that you'll get depends on your settings.
Q: After starting a second custom game in GPGnet, my friend(s) can't find it while they could find the first game we played. What is going on?
A: This is a known bug, using a different name for the second custom game usually fixes this.
Q: I've heard somewhere that some mods work while you're not the host and other players don't have it, and even work in ranked! Is this true?
A: Yes, UI only mods (unlike sim mods) can be run even if other players don't have it. This is because these mods doesn't actually change anything in the gameplay but rather change the way it looks. To enable a user side mod, go into the Extra --> Mods menu and select it there. The mod (if it's user side) should be active even in ranked games.
Q: What are all these Game## folders in My Documents?
A: GPGnet makes them, you can change where these are saved in GPGnet: Tools --> Options --> Supreme Commander --> Statistics Save Folder.
Q: Why do I keep getting kicked from game lobbies for no reason at all?
A: This usually caused by one of 2 things, one being that you have a nil ping. Opening the correct ports for SupCom should fix this problem. The other reason is you having a ping of 300 because you live for example in australia and the host in europe/america. This is normally
NOT a problem as the game simulates a ping of 500 anyway.
Q: Is there a way to select all units in a selection box?
A: Yes, hold Ctrl while making the selection box. That'll select all units in there (That includes buildings) regardless of type.
Q: Which units count towards the unit cap and how do I view the unit cap?
A: Everything (including buildings) count towards the unit cap. The only exception for this are walls, 10 wall sections counts for 1 unit. Pressing F2 brings up the scores in the lower right part of the screen, it also includes the unit cap and the amount of units that you currently have.
Q: Is there a way to turn off the screen shaking effect?
A: Yes, enter "cam_ShakeMult 0" in the console. To bring it back enter "cam_ShakeMult 1".
If you have any questions/answers you would like added or any suggestions feel free to PM me or post in this thread.
. More detailed help is found in the tech support forum.
Nice work. Hopefully it will be sticked and hopefully it will help get rid of repeated questions.
