Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

Well, I’m a Modder so my wishes are in this area:
1.) Give me a file like the AI_Construction_Facilities.txt for their cargo space. This way I could tell the AI exactly what units to build on a planet and how many.
2.) Let me call ship names in the AI_Construction_Vehicles.txt, not classes.
3.) A switch in the ship design file to determine if a ship is used defensively and in what fleets it should be included.
4.) Let the AI do some scrapping of buildings and old units. I already sent MM some suggestions in this area.
5.) Teach the AI how to use a medical ship.
6.) Teach the AI to scrap all research building once the tech tree is done and build intelligence instead.

With these changes I could make some cool tricks with the AI. And I really think these changes are not that much of programming work.

P.S.: Ups, that were more then 3 wishes. Anyway...

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

Small : ability to show where all system wide abilities are on the system map.

Med : The ability to filter reports ( all of them )

Large : The ability to chose stragetic or tatical combat in multi player games on different computers

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

Trivial: Seeing enemy movement in your system

If I have a presence in a system, and an enemy ship moves in that system, I should be able to see it. Currently, an enemy ship suddenly appears in a system, and the following turn it disappears. You don't know where it came from or where it went. You should be able to see enemy movement during that enemy's turn in your systems.

Small: Straighten out the engines/supplies

It's silly for the same size engines to power escorts and battleships and for an engine to have the same amount of supplies as a supply bin twice its size. My solution would be to have the engines proportional to the hull size in size, cost, supply storage, and supply usage. Also, cut the supplies carried by engines in half, and double the supplies in each supply bin.

Medium: Fix the ministers

The reason the AI's aren't any better is that they have to use all the ministers. This includes the exploration minister that keeps sending ships through damaging warp points and the resupply minister that jerks your fleet back just before it reaches its objective. (Add your favorite minister stupidity here.)

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

Good responses so far, but keep in mind the criteria for the effort categories: trivial (a few hours of programming), small (a few days), and medium (a few weeks).
Also remember that we're discussing HARD CODE changes -- stuff that can't possibly be modded.
Lastly remember that we're discussing "most-bang-for-the-buck", not pet peeves. (E.g., fixing Enter and Escape in dialog boxes would be nice but would not give a substantial "return on investment" in terms of improving the game.)

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

I'm not sure if this is trivial, medium, or huge, but here goes:

Diplomacy. Right now, either you can move safely through ALL of an empires systems, or you can't move safely through ANY of an empires systems. I would like to have an option to make systems as "hostile" or something. That way, if I set up a trade alliance with the Phong, but only want them to be allowed into the first two systems (closest to them), and not go parading through the depths of my empire, I can set up space stations, mines, or whatever, and stop them.

General John

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Small: Straighten out the engines/supplies
It's silly for the same size engines to power escorts and battleships and for an engine to have the same amount of supplies as a supply bin twice its size. My solution would be to have the engines proportional to the hull size in size, cost, supply storage, and supply usage. Also, cut the supplies carried by engines in half, and double the supplies in each supply bin.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>See my Pirates & Nomads v2 mod. You will be very happy, and realize that those fixes need no hardcode changes.

------------------
The latest info on Pirates & Nomads (forum thread).
-&lt;Download V2.3&gt;- (just extract to your SE4 folder)
-&lt;Download P&N Classic&gt;- (The final release of P&N v1.x, just extract to your SE4 folder)
-&lt;Download compatible EMPs for P&N v1.2 through v1.7&gt;-
-&lt;Download SJs latest AI Patcher&gt;-
Visit My Homepage

Other Links:
-&lt;Play By Web&gt;-
-&lt;Schlock Mercenary&gt;- (great space-based webcartoon) -&lt;First Strip&gt;-
-&lt;8-bit Theater&gt;- (fun comic with the pixellated FF1 characters)

&lt;SE4Code&gt;
MpN R*-A RM(L) RP+ TCP- Fq++ FR!++ P? A+/- Sf+ Nd- L $ M++++ Pw!+
&lt;/SE4Code&gt;

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

more than 20 races at a time

and of course the civil war http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

The ability to launch ships from other ships and planets.

------------------
Assume you have a 1kg squirrel
E=mc^2
E=1kg(3x10^8m/s)^2=9x10^16J
which, if I'm not mistaken, is equivilent to roughly a 50 megaton nuclear bomb.
Fear the squirrel.

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

For us non-modders (some of us don't like to tinker remember)

small AI to use & invade planets w/troops not just glazing all of them & build base-ships (I know baseships is moddable, but remember not all of us like to tinker)

med Do something on missle vs planet. Give wp's weapons that can reach ships that just sit off and hit your planet with missles. It should not be this easy to take out a planet. Increase range & mounts for planet based weapons or have specific tech to build them & have AI build & use more Starbases at wormholes and over planets.

Major Ai to use and upgrade research better,
have ai upgrade buildings, storage, etc, also have ai use different ships for different things, ie; close attack support, wormhole defense, etc, currenly almost always use same weapons on each ship, very seldom defends a wormhole with exception of a small amount of mines, never puts mines over its planets, Increase amt of ftrs they put in Groups, currently only in 5's. This includes AI using Wormhole open & close weapons more often, (now very seldom if ever)
this would add nice touch and make things a little more interesting later in the games

just some ideas mac



[This message has been edited by mac5732 (edited 23 August 2001).]

Re: Most bang-for-the-buck hard code changes
 

Mac,

One of the easy things to do with missiles vs planets is to build weapons platforms and satellites armed with PDCs. The PCCs, when in range, will stop missiles. That makes it much harder to just stand off and blaze away successfully.

General John