A testing guide for the various releases of Jane's Longbow. The Glide versions of Jane's Longbow Gold and Anthology are not perfect. In order to test alternative emulation or compatibility approaches this guide details a number of testing scenarios that were particularly prone to crashing or problematic in the past.
Tests for all versions
These tests are applicable to any version/release of Longbow.
On base mouse clicks
Use the mouse click on base screens. Some versions experience mouse click issues where a single mouse click will be interpreted as multiple very high speed mouse clicks. This can make navigating between base screens very problematic.
To test successfully, mouse clicks should behave normally.
Read Jane's
On the pre-mission options screen there are various choices, mission planning, arn chopper, fly or trash mission and read the Jane's book. Selecting the 'Read Jane's' option has been problematic and caused crashes to the desktop.
To test successfully, the option should open the vehicle database and allow navigation through the various vehicles found in the game.
First mission planning
Navigating to the mission planning screen before ever starting a mission (and sitting in the Apache) will cause a crash to the desktop after a short while.
To replicate, start the game and navigate to: historical missions, any mission, mission planning. After a short time the game will crash to desktop.
To test successfully, the mission planning should function correctly for an extended period before ever starting a mission.
Workaround this issue, by starting a mission without navigating to the mission planning screen, once on mission, quit and the mission planning will function correctly.
Later mission planning
Navigating to the mission planning screen having previously started a mission and quit back to the base.
Start a mission and quit immediately, returning to the base. Navigate to a mission planning screen.
To test successfully, the mission planning should function correctly for an extended period.
Fly mission
Trying to fly a mission without suitable emulation or compatibility fixes can cause a crash to the desktop.
To replicate, navigate to a mission planning screen, for any mission, and select the fly mission option.
To test successfully, the fly mission option should function correctly, loading the mission and starting it, player should be in the Apache.
Early mission view switch
Once a mission had started, switching the views to either internal or external views would cause a crash to desktop. The view switching should take place within the first 10 seconds of the mission starting.
To replicate, start any mission, within the first 10 seconds switch to internal views (F2 and/or F3 keys) or external views (F5 and/or F6 keys).
To test successfully, the views should be able to switch internally/externally multiple times without crashing within the first 10 seconds of the mission starting.
Early mission options
Once a mission had started, opening the in mission options within the first 10 seconds, would cause a crash to desktop.
To replicate, start a mission, open the mission options (alt-o) within 10 seconds.
To test successfully, mission options should be able to be opened/closed without crashing.
MFD mouse
Can the in-mission mouse cursor reach every part of the MFD's? Required for creating priority fire zones (PFZ) within the right MFD of the Apache D, which is a necessary game mechanic.
Start a mission that uses the Apache D and move your mouse, should see the mouse cursor move. It should only be bounded by the MFD panels edges and can move between panels.
To test successfully, the mouse cursor should be able to reach every part of both MFD's in the Apache D.
First load scenario
Before starting a mission, switching to another geographic area (e.g. free flight to Panama), will cause the replacing of the current geographic terrain textures with new ones. It will load terrain (low, medium and high detail), and may crash at or near 100% of the final high detail terrain load.
To replicate, choose the free flight mission, start the mission and if it loads, quit the mission and game. Restart the game and choose any historical mission and choose to fly the mission. The scenario will begin to load.
To test successfully, the scenario should load and mission start, without any previous mission having being started.
Workaround this issue, by ending the game session by loading and quitting the free flight mission. When starting a new game session, start a free flight mission and quit before starting any other missions.
Later load scenario
Start a mission that requires a scenario load, having previously successfully started an earlier mission.
To replicate, start a mission that does not require a scenario load and quit the mission, returning to the base screens. Start a mission in a different area that does require a scenario load.
To test successfully, the scenario should load and mission start.
Longbow Gold
Tests applicable to Longbow Gold only.
Corrupted videos
To replicate, start the game, the intro video will play for a couple of seconds in a corrupted state before ending early. The game continues to the on-base screen. Other videos throughout the game show similar corruption.
To test successfully, the intro video should run correctly to completion.
The workaround is to disable intro and end credit movies with the on-base options. Leave the game alone at the on-base screen for 60-75 seconds. This seems to fix the issue and other in-game videos should play without issue.
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