Master of Orion: Fix Known Bugs

AntMag.NET

Master of Orion is remarkably bug-free compared to many games. However, a patch is available to fix the more serious issues. This patch (version 1.3) can be found on the MicroProse Bulletin Board at (410) 785-1841 (settings 8,N,1, up to 14.4 Kbs) as moov13.zip, or at ftp.uml.edu in the /msdos/Games/Patches directory.

New copies of the game may already include this patch.

Bugs Present in Version 1.0

Program Bomb: The game may crash with a message like "BACKGRND.LBX[xx] exceeds number of LBX entries" on machines with 7MB or more of EMS memory. The patch fixes this, or you can configure your machine to use less than 2MB of EMS memory.
The Diplomat Bug: Access to diplomatic functions may be lost, sometimes after a counsel vote or when someone accepts tribute. Saving and restoring the game is a workaround. The patch also fixes this.
Slow Mouse Response: Mouse response can become very slow until all sound is turned off. This was reportedly fixed in version 1.3.
The Gaia Bug: The high technology discovery for incredibly fertile plants does not convert planets when the ECO bar is cranked up. This was fixed in later versions.
Too Many Ships Bug: Having over 32768 ships causes the ship count to go negative. This is fixed in later versions.
The Doc Check Bug: The copy protection screen may present page 27 twice, leading to failure if the first instance is chosen. This issue has not been reported since version 1.2.
The Colony Ship Bug: If a planet has multiple ship types and a colony ship, the game may not prompt for colonization each turn. Moving the colony ship or other ships is required. This bug is inconsistent but was reportedly fixed by the patch.
Orion Terra-forming Bug: Terraforming Orion after capturing it, especially with the soil enrichment technology, could lead to a decrease in maximum population instead of an increase. This was fixed in version 1.2, but a similar issue (Max Population Bug) appeared in 1.2.
Base Maintenance Bug: A large number of bases (around 150 on a planet) can cause maintenance costs to skyrocket, potentially ruining the economy. Since bases cannot be scrapped, reloading a save file is necessary. This was fixed in versions beyond 1.2.
1999 Limit on Factories Bug: The game limits factories to 1999, even if population and technology would allow for more. Industry spending is not adjusted correctly at this limit. This was fixed in version 1.2 and beyond.

Bugs from Version 1.2

Maximum Planet Terraforming Bug: Some planets, including Orion, could remain set on terraforming even after reaching 300 million population, potentially reverting the colony or reducing its population. This was fixed in 1.3.
Divide By Zero Bug: The program could crash with a "Divide By Zero" error during ship combat under certain circumstances. This was apparently fixed in 1.3.
Espionage Report Bug: Enemy spies captured would not be reported on the espionage report screen. This was fixed in 1.3.
Lockup Bug: The computer could lock up depending on the galaxy and system. This was supposedly fixed in 1.3, though reports suggest it may still exist.