Re: System Wide Launch or Auto-Launch ???
 

Geo: Since it's a percentage of "total satellites", maybe you had some satellites in cargo on other planets that totalled up to 40%? Or maybe the game counts satellites in the build queue as part of the total?

Or maybe the satellite minister doesn't check the "percent total satellites to keep in planetary storage" value? (i.e., maybe the unit build minister checks that value...)

Re: System Wide Launch or Auto-Launch ???
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well in the couple of games I have been using the sat minister I had no sats in cargo anywhere on any planet.

I did try some tests the other day and got all confused. I had planets that would launch all their sats, and planets that wouldn't launch any sats. And it wasn't the total percentage thing because I scrapped/jetisoined all the sats every where and then tried it just on the planets that were refusing to launch and they still would not launch their sats while on minister control. I could order them to and they would just fine, but the minister couldn't for some reason. And the planetary minister was on for those planets.

So something else is going on here that I can't figure out. I kind of gave up. I might have another look at it another time though.

Geoschmo

Re: System Wide Launch or Auto-Launch ???
 

Another good way to launch them is to build some satellites, order them to be launched and then set the "repeat order" button. This will stay until you cancel the planets orders.

Re: System Wide Launch or Auto-Launch ???
 

Here's an odd thought on the minister: does it check the 40% against the total number of satellites called for in the construction files? i.e., if the file calls for 10 satellites per planet, the minister waits until there are at least 4 satellites per planet before launching? And if there are NO calls for satellites (or some minimal number, like maybe a "must have" line of 2 satellites; or even a missing unit construction file), the minister calculates the 40% as 0 satellites and therefore launches all satellites.

I'm really reaching on this one, and my theory doesn't necessarily account for planets that don't launch satellites at all. I'm assuming you had the non-launching planet's cargo capacity more than 40% full, just in case that was the determining factor.

Re: System Wide Launch or Auto-Launch ???
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, this works. But this was not added until 1.60 IIRC. Maybe even 1.67. Not an option for non-Gold games.

EDIT: ANd now that I think about it, does it work at all? If the order to launch is executed before the order to construct it won't work in simultaneous games. I'll have to check that out.

Geoschmo

[ July 11, 2002, 16:28: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: System Wide Launch or Auto-Launch ???
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I would say, you found the solution to this mystery. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Geo: Yes, it will work, I do it all the time. The only thing is you must have unit already present on the planet otherwise you cannot give the launch order. After that it doesn't matter if you actually have a unit present to launch, the planet will try it every turn again.