http://www.spaceempires.net/forums.html Latest 25 posts on the SpaceEmpires.net forums. en-us admin@spaceempires.net admin@spaceempires.net Sat, 19 May 2012 03:20:47 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69544.html#69544 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69544.html#69544
I checked the ship stats for both of these races, and I don't know why they hate each other so much and are at War, but it appears there has not been any actual combat because neither side has lost any ships, nor do they show any tonnage destroyed.

So... seems a bit odd, but I guess I'm OK w that. Other races that get into actual shooting wars (or shooting conflicts without War status) do seem to change AI State as expected and start researching military tech.]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 02:01:02 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69543.html#69543 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69543.html#69543
Mostly this has seemed to be working as I expected, but just now I checked on one of the Neutral Empires and found them to be in a state of War with one of the regular empires - and still researching their regular path for Exploration and Infrastructure!

If actual War doesn't trigger a change of AI State to Attack, Defend, Prepare for Attack, or one of those other similar ones, I don't know what should!

Any ideas?]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 01:34:30 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69542.html#69542 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69542.html#69542 Sat, 19 May 2012 01:11:52 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69541.html#69541 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69541.html#69541
Just now finished rewriting the Research file so the AI now know what I think the best order for research should be based on AI State, including the several new techs that I have added, and now the AI will research them as well.

Getting into the DesignCreation and Construction_Vehicles files now, very necessary not only to incorporate new techs but because I reorganized some of the weapon families that give the AI priorities for what weapons to include in its designs.

*** So now we come to my question: when the AI loses ships or units in combat, does it build replacements for the lost ships/units or does it just keep on blindly following the Construction file? ***

In other words, if you have a type of Attack Ship that the AI was supposed to build one of for every three planets it had, and it had 30 planets and built 10 of these ships, then sent them out and all were destroyed, will it build replacements or consider that it already satisfied that requirement by the first 10 that were built and then lost?

What about troops, if I can actually persuade the AI to use troops for planetary assaults, will it eventually run out of troops due to losses or will it build replacements?

I'm thinking about these issues for the Construction_Vehicles file, as it makes a difference if they need to build X number of something and then will replace losses, or should be told to keep on building that thing in greater numbers because I expect losses.

Thanks,

SB]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 22:28:43 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69540.html#69540 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69540.html#69540 Fri, 18 May 2012 21:30:23 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69539.html#69539 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69539.html#69539
here is the Space Raiders emp for space empires IV(4).

http://files.spaceempires.net/user/3177/SR.rar



enjoy 8)]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 21:23:41 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69538.html#69538 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69538.html#69538
I've been running a game for the mod on PBW2, and so far nothing like this has popped up anywhere.]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 18:12:14 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69537.html#69537 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69537.html#69537 Fri, 18 May 2012 17:15:16 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69536.html#69536 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69536.html#69536 Fri, 18 May 2012 16:23:38 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69535.html#69535 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69535.html#69535
Find the SectType.txt entry for the image in question (it will be one of the entries with "unusual := true"). Duplicate it to increase the percentage of warp points on the map using that graphic.

Since the entry for warp points with abilities is chosen at random from all of the "unusual" SectType entries, you can increase the odds of the blue one appearing by listing it more times. I think there are like 5 or 6 unusual warp points, but I don't have the files so I can't count them.

If you want, say, 50% of the warp points to use the large blue picture, make sure there are an equal number of entries using it as using the other pictures. If there are 6 total unusual warp point entries, you would need to make 4 duplicates of the large blue entry (meaning there would now be 5 entries with that picture, plus 5 more unusual entries with the other pictures).]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 16:14:57 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69534.html#69534 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69534.html#69534 Fri, 18 May 2012 15:40:18 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69533.html#69533 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69533.html#69533
My basic question is what part of the SEV install is public domain? Virtually all of the various configuration files are in text format and since he has encouraged modding I would think that we would be free to use them as we see fit. The graphics are more of a grey area.

The way I see it almost all the data is sitting free and clear out in the open. All we have to do is figure out how he did certain things. I particular we have to figure out how(in an algorithmic sense)he does his turn processing.

Now, we are not obligated to do things in exactly the same we he does them. Software is like cars. Many people don't care how an automobile works as long as it gets them from A to B safely and efficiently. Same with software. Peeking under the hood when dealing with software is a little more difficult but not daunting.

If we want this game to go to the next level then appealing to S1st or Aaron probably will not work. I know that there is a long laundry list of things that people would like in SEVI. Unless someone has a fairy godmother who is also a programmer SEVI will forever remain vaporware. If that is what you want then so be it. Keep asking for the next patch that will never come. Keep wondering if SEVI is in development.

In 5 years you will still be waiting... or perhaps not...]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 15:15:57 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69532.html#69532 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69532.html#69532
Is there a way to do this?]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 12:59:00 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69531.html#69531 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69531.html#69531
I was originally following your advice from an older thread Fyron

http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopict-9525-fqm.html

But then they all showed up as the artificially created ones.
So I guess the only option is to change the abilities? Kinda flies over my head, but I'll try it. I just wanted to reduce the number of stranger looking warp points like in stock, and have more of the Large stable warp points, using the new images in FQM.]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 12:48:48 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69530.html#69530 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69530.html#69530 Fri, 18 May 2012 12:33:51 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69529.html#69529 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69529.html#69529
A glitch in a file name was preventing Orions from building ANY freighter based hulls.

The Gorn names file had blank lines in it which was causing the Gorn to give ships blank names...

any OTHER glitches I need to know about? O_o']]> Fri, 18 May 2012 11:18:23 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69528.html#69528 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69528.html#69528
When a warp point with no abilities is added to the map, it will always use that single SectType, regardless of how many more are defined with "unusual" set to false.

When a warp point with an ability is added to the map, it will randomly choose a warp point SectType entry with "unusual" set to true.

Artificially created warp points never have an ability. They always use the "unusual" false SectType entry.

In FQM, I wanted artificially created warp points to look like Babylon 5 jump gates. I did not want any seeded at map creation to use that graphic, though. Thus, I had to set the "unusual" false warp point to use it, and make all warp points have an ability.

In SystemTypes.txt, there are a few classes of warp point used:

Unstable Warp Point - This is the default class of warp point. It has no abilities that can disrupt movement (i.e. no damage). It only disrupts shields, sensors, or sight. 37.5% of these warp points have an ability with a value of 0, meaning they effectively have no ability as far as game effects. They still technically have an ability as far as graphics go, so they will use an unusual true SectType instead of the Babylon 5 jump gate.

Turbulent Warp Point - This is the equivalent of stock's "Unstable Warp Point." It is used in black hole type systems, and has damage abiltiies.

Chaotic Warp Point - Used only in a special chaotic quadrant type, basically a quadrant with more dire systems and warp points.

So to accomplish what you want, reducing the number of abilities on warp points, you have two options:

1) Modify the chance values on Unstable Warp Point. Reduce the chance of the effective abilities, and increase the chance of the last, valueless ability, by the same amount, so that all the abilities on that class total 1000.

2) Modify the Normal Warp Point class, and use it on systems. Copy the value 0 ability onto it, and give it a chance of 1000. Make sure to set the ability number fields appropriately.]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 10:01:13 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69527.html#69527 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69527.html#69527
I really hate to be "that guy" raining on this parade, but writing "our own exe that exactly duplicated what Aaron did" is a tremendous task!

As a novice hobby programmer, I know its not my place to assess the difficulty of such a project, but i know that, for me, already struggling with something as simple as an application to visualize commodity trading for a space sim, jumping to (essentialy) rewrite SEV would be like going from sandcastles to actual skyscrapers (with nothing but a bucket and a shovel as tools).

I can, literally, not fathom the complexity of such a project.

You might already know this, majorgreg, if so, im sorry for pointing this out.


That being said, I would love to see this done. With enough determination and "knowing what one's doing", I know this idea can become reality - it's been done with M.A.X.R., which is essentialy the same thing for an old DOS TBS classic.

After about 5 years of development by various free-time contributors, it has recently celebrated the milestone of being stable for 200 turns in a row (the "rewrite" begun for the original becoming unstable after about 400 turns)


I would be happy to contribute my meager knowledge of C/C++, in what little free time i can spare. However, i'm afraid that my skills are so low that i would be of little to no help.


Disclaimer: English is a foreign language to me. I'm sorry for any badly worded sentences!]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 09:07:59 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69526.html#69526 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69526.html#69526
Just change the text so it doesn't mention "artifically created". If the picture is also objectionable, give this entry the same picture number as a warp point you do like. Problem solved. :wink:

EDIT: I think maybe the problem was that you removed the only non-unusual (stable) warp point entry. The game needed some kind of stable warp point and got sick when it didn't find one. Just modify the entry to suit your tastes and it should be fine.]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 08:55:51 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69525.html#69525 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69525.html#69525
That's the real problem though - since Aaron couldn't have sold the game as successfully as SF did, he was essentially at their mercy in terms of what they could offer him. It's even worse with patents, because if you invent something useful but expensive to replicate (e.g. a new drug), you can't make any money on it on your own, so you're even more at the mercy of whoever you sell it to!]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 07:39:54 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69524.html#69524 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69524.html#69524 Fri, 18 May 2012 00:41:25 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69523.html#69523 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69523.html#69523
I started a game and most of the warp points were coming up as the artificially created ones. It's just personal preference but I wanted use just the regular looking ones, so I went into SectType and removed

Physical Type := Warp Point
Picture Num := 580
Description := Large stable artificially created warp point.
Warp Point Size := Large
Warp Point One-Way := FALSE
Unusual := FALSE

I started a new game and got an access violation error. So I restored the warp point and that seemed to fix it. I'm fairly new to modding so is it possible to remove that one? I'm guessing I'm missing a step.

I'm really enjoying FQM by the way. I love all the new additions.]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 00:40:30 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69522.html#69522 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69522.html#69522 Thu, 17 May 2012 22:59:31 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69521.html#69521 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69521.html#69521
What if we wrote our own exe that exactly duplicated what Aaron did in his?

Ok, stop laughing... :roll:

Look at what we already have...

The data files are in text format and in my mind are fully in the public domain. The graphics might be more questionable but we could always replace the stock graphics with our own versions. We know what the game interface looks like and how everything works from the users point of view. We have the game user manual and modding information that Aaron provided which gives us further insight into his code.

So, if we created our own exe that recreated(and improved upon)the functionality found in his would that be illegal? The resulting code would be unique and would belong to the SEV community. Strategy First could keep the original code because ultimately we would'nt need it anyway.

I have done some programming in Delphi as have others around here I am sure. We can leverage the talent found in the SEV community. Lets face it, no more patches are coming any time soon. The game still has bugs and tweaks that need to be attended to.

If we don't step up who will?

Just because S1st has forced Aaron to roll over does that mean we have to as well?

Is it doable? yes
Will it be difficult? yes
Is it impossible? no]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 22:55:50 GMT http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69520.html#69520 http://www.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-69520.html#69520