Re: finalizing new mod...
 

and is there a way to generate the general.txt file in rder to have it cmpatible with the .emp ?

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

General file is used when the race is selected randomly as an AI race.

AI files are not normally needed to play the race, only by AI (and ministers).

To start, for the first release, my suggestion is to copy all AI files from any other race that uses technologies appropriate for your race, and edit the descriptions in AI_general, and make .emp files, and perhaps a custom design names file.

Then you can then edit and refine Research, Design (the most defining ones) and the other files to make it more unique (for example you can’t make them start with armor, but you can make them research and start using it very early), but that is not as easy as it seems and takes a long time of editing and playtest to get it right. I have made several races and consider myself somehow an expert in that matter, however I’m still a relative newbie when it comes to AI.

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

You can make the Generic file first, start a game using another race (repeat this step until your race is selected as an AI race), change to players to play with your race and save the empire.
However it’s sometimes easier to just copy the data and descriptions between the .EMPs and the AI_General and for example get the right values for your racial characteristics.

IMHO we’re using .Emp files to cover an important missing function in the game, that is the “add default data from this race general file”
Empire files should only be used to save starting options for your race, and setting up multiplayer games.

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

There are "generic" Versions of all the AI files in the Ai folder; they're all named Default_AI_&ltsomething&gt.txt

Another time that the AI files are used is in multiplayer games like on PBW. If you miss a turn deadline, the AI ministers take over for that turn.

There's a setting in (F11) Empire Status/Empire Options that's supposed to "turn off" the ministers in simultaneous games, but it doesn't work very well. It inspired Geo's "No AI" mod on PBW, which does a better job on that.

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

But your custom AI files will only be used in multiplayer games if the host has them installed, something that does not normally happen in PBW.

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, I usualy edit general.txt file first, then start SEIV with some default race and max. number of random AI -restart till you get lucky and the race you are modding is selected, convert the race to my control and save EMP file ! No conflicts between emp file and AI_general file !

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, I usualy edit general.txt file first, then start SEIV with some default race and max. number of random AI -restart till you get lucky and the race you are modding is selected, convert the race to my control and save EMP file ! No conflicts between emp file and AI_general file !</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">How can you convert an AI race to your control ???

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Go to the left game menu, one that has "save game", "load game", etc. Click on "players". It will show you the list of all races in a current game. AI controled colored green. Click on one and will convert to your control. Click on "end turn" and you will get a former Ai race to yourself.

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">To test new IA strategy files, the good method is to chose the race and let all the ministers active to do the job... it has the same effects as seeing the race played by IA player ?

Re: finalizing new mod...
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Basically yes. There might be some discrepancy how AI proceeds with grouping ships for attack (just my observations) but research, designs, ship building, colonization, etc. are absolutely identical either it is formal AI player or it is "your" race with all ministers on.

[ October 11, 2002, 01:32: Message edited by: oleg ]