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-   -   Babylon 5 Mod (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=4494)

Timstone November 26th, 2002 11:41 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Does anyone knows when the second seasons comes out on DVD? I can't wait.

pathfinder November 26th, 2002 01:13 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Timstone: Depends on the shipset. If no pattern or whatever, maybe a month or so. B5 easier in a sense as there are at least outlines and the sometimes picture. Plus I don't worry TOO much about being "canon". I get as close as I caan within my abilities, send both the DOGA savve file and the rendered images to Val. He does the finishing touches....

also before B5 MOD I had done 3-4 shipsets of my own so there was a bit of experience before doing these.

Only thing I would (which you have done) is get an idea of what you want to do, kind map out or plan what "look" you want. Not sure if you have the AoG book which has a number of .pdf with the Ipsha outlines and weapons data. If you don't I could email them to you (I have them on a CD).

[ November 26, 2002, 11:24: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

Timstone November 26th, 2002 03:45 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
well I don't use DOGA, I use my own 3D program (SolidWorks). I know how to handle that program very well, so that solves the problem of not knowing how to use a new program. I can't render with it, so I'll just have to figure out a good way of giving the ships a nice color and stuff. Don't expect great things for this first try.
I have a AoG book with the outlines for a few ships, but they don't help very much. I have to watch at pictures from the serie, pic from the web and my own imagination.

grumbler November 26th, 2002 04:28 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
In August, JMS said the schedule was April 2003 for season 2, November 2003 for season 3 (this from the Lurker's guide, http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/misc/dvd.html)

Timstone November 26th, 2002 09:39 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Damn, that's a hell of a wait. That sucks!

mlmbd November 27th, 2002 02:36 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Timstone, there a couple of freeware renders out there. Grab one of these:
http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com/order.htm

I don't know if it renders, this one does;

http://home.earthlink.net/~jiverson782/Siren.html

mlmbd http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Urendi Maleldil November 27th, 2002 05:55 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
POVray is one of the best renderers out there freeware or otherwise. Since it's just an engine and there's no built-in modeller it can be difficult to get the hang of.

Timstone November 27th, 2002 11:15 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
But can it also cope with the fileformat given by SolidWorks? Forgive me if it all sounds a bit rediculous,, but this is the first time I embark on such a journey. I've never been to render-country. If you know what I mean.

Fyron November 27th, 2002 11:36 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
So... Tesco says he cannot get the mod to work. He asked that we play the PBW game without him.

Timstone November 27th, 2002 11:45 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Hmm... that's a pity. BTW, nice avatar. I like it.

Urendi Maleldil November 27th, 2002 05:17 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
SolidWorks? I have no idea what that is. At school I use 3d studio max which uses the renderman engine. It's slower for raytraced stuff and nowhere near as high quality as POVray.

Timstone November 27th, 2002 05:24 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Haha... you don't recognise it? well that's okay. It's a 3D program to make models of machines, layouts of pipes and more of those industrial uses. It's a program for the engineers (like me). I can do almost everything with it, it just takes soem time to do it right. It does have a renderer, but I don't have it installed. So I'm searching for that right now. The renderer can render cool stuff like mirrors, wooden surfaces, all kinds of metals (like Hg) and more. You can also make your own decals, but I haven't tried that yet. First step is to make some nice models. But do you know if POVray can handle the fileformat of SW (*.sldprt and *.sldasm)?

[ November 27, 2002, 15:25: Message edited by: Timstone ]

AGoetz November 28th, 2002 12:29 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
This won't stop the RCEs, but it worked on my most recent one : Make sure that in all of your *Design_Creation.txt files that the section

Name := Ship Builder
Design Type := Space Yard Ship
Vehicle Type := Ship

has a Minimum ship size of greater than 500.

Most recent RCE occured when the Shadows researched Propulsion 6 and tried to design a Cruiser sized Space Yard - it can't fit a Space Yard on a Cruiser in the B5 Mod and so it filled the space with engines and hence overflowed the engine total power variable.

pathfinder November 28th, 2002 12:42 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Thanks, I'll check that AGoetz!

Nomor November 28th, 2002 01:55 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Val: Any chance of reducing the requirement for fighter bays on Carriers so that they can have some sort of defensive weapons http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif or even repair drones. At the moment it's set at 40%; 30% might be better. Also, when the AI upgrades my Carriers it turns all the Cobra Bays into Expanded Fighter Bays http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif , which can't launch.

There is a flaw in using the auto or Strategic combat mode and Carriers. Using the Strategic option as opposed to the Tactical mode the Carrier launches its fighters in large Groups of fighter wings e.g. 5 per wing. A shadow opponent simply swats these down 5 at a time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif , and wins, whereas if you manually launch fighter units one at a time the Shadow can only destroy them one at a time thus allowing you to swamp the Shadow http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif and take him apart. I take it that all combat in the PBW will be of the Strategic kind and not Tactical?

(Is it not possible to allow repair drones on some of the larger capital ships?)


I just completed my first Stella Balancer and ended up with a Black Planet, http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif however regarding the construction of these Devices, could we not make use of Carrier Hulls. We could have a Version of the Carrier Hulls that would have to contain an Ancient Device as opposed to Fighter Bays thus allowing them to be constructed at Planets and then "driven" to the target Star. You could have a technology level of say "Ancient's Device Ship Hull ConVersion" if you wanted? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif Just a thought. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ November 28, 2002, 00:00: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Dead Meat November 28th, 2002 02:45 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Quote:

whereas if you manually launch fighter units one at a time the Shadow can only destroy them one at a time thus allowing you to swamp the Shadow and take him apart.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks I'll keep this in mind http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Quote:

I take it that all combat in the PBW will be of the Strategic kind and not Tactical?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Correct. PBW games are just like PBE games. All combat is handled by the AI (for better or worse). What about checking the amount of units (grouped thingy, i forgot its name in the empire options) launched. Or is 5 the lowest number? (can't remember)

AGoetz November 28th, 2002 02:50 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
I've never built a Stellar Balancer, so no comment.
If you want defences on your carriers, build bigger Carriers http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Regarding the Shadows swatting your fighters, maybe if you had bigger carriers so as to launch even more 5 member fighter squadrons you could overwhelm the Shadows point defence. Also, try putting some armor on your fighters.
example (all figures are from Version 33)- a Shadow PDF Multiphased Cutter X at minimum range does 257 points of damage. Light Armor Class 6 absords 15 points/kT. If you put 18kT of light armor on a Heavy Fighter it will survive a direct hit (though with only 7kT left over, won't be good for much else). Putting 9kT on means that the first fighter in the stack is toasty - but the second will survive that first salvo and hence may get to fire it's own weapons.

Krsqk November 28th, 2002 04:02 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
RE: Stellar Balancer/Black Planet

Do you mean a planet with no graphic and atmosphere/conditions of N/A? This sounds like the "null planet" problem SJ and some others have had when creating new planet sizes.

Of course, I'm assuming that a "Stellar Balancer" is a component to create a small constructed planet around a star to prevent it from exploding, and that a "Black Planet" is what I've described above. I could just be spouting useless nonsense, though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Fyron November 28th, 2002 07:12 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Ok... I sent Tesco a zip of my B5 mod folder, so he should be good to go.

Timstone November 28th, 2002 11:58 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Does anyone knows which fileformats POVray can handle?

AGoetz November 28th, 2002 01:55 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
After further experimentation, I think that the AIs Space Yard Ships possibly should be pumped up to 700kT in minimum size - as after the AI throws on sensors, ECM, armor, engines etc it doesn't leave enough room for a Space Yard on a Heavy Cruiser Hull.

Timstone November 28th, 2002 03:59 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
PF: Thanks for the link. I've had a quick peek at it, but it isn't usefull for me. You have to make the whole model all over again. POVray only accepts files from MORray or you must rebuilt your model anew. SolidWorks works with solid forms which it manipulates in different forms. POV ray works with triangles and the like. Bottom line is, the two aren't compatible. I guess I'll have to keep waiting until I can get my hands on PhotoWorks (the renderer for SolidWorks). And that will be soon, next week I think. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

pathfinder November 28th, 2002 04:45 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Timstone: Ah, well such is life. Looking forward to the shipset.

pathfinder November 29th, 2002 02:46 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Timstone: the Pov-Ray web site is kinda vague but this is what i pulled offf of it:

"Usually it's saved in TGA or BMP format (it depends on the settings) with the same name as the source code (so if the source is named CHAIR.POV, the image will be named CHAIR.TGA or CHAIR.BMP or whatever). The location is either the same directory where the .pov-file is or else a common directory for images (which you can set up in the main povray.ini file)."

Here is the URL:

http://www.povray.org/

AGoetz: I wonder if there is a way to make the space yard a higher priotity than say armor, ecm and such (but lower than engines and reactors)? Wonder what other problems would be faced by doing this... UPDATE: *pathy bangs head on desk* Shadows had a bad(?) entry for the ship yard ship, the other races had it as "ship builder". DOH!

Changed all designcreation to read 690 kt (battle cruiser size). We shall see if it works http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

*scratches head* Wonder why the designcreations are different sizes (178/200kb)? something smells and it ain't just mah b.o. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ November 28, 2002, 13:51: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

Timstone November 30th, 2002 08:23 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Me too. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

pathfinder December 1st, 2002 04:22 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Val: e-mailed you a set of Dilgar AI files plus an update for the Vree AI_research file.

Timstone December 1st, 2002 12:30 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Vree?! Did you say Vree?! Good, good, I like the Vree. Hehe http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Timstone December 1st, 2002 06:48 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Good work PF! I'm not exactly steaming ahead with the Ipsha shipset. I'm still crushing numners for the right sizes of the ships. And the only model that is nearing completion is that of the famous Battleglobe. Other than that, nothing is done yet. I told you so, I'm very slow because of the lack of inspiration. But as soon as the groundwork has been doen (figuring out the right sizes of the ships), I'll be able to move much faster.

pathfinder December 1st, 2002 07:10 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Kewl, good luck! IMHO, don't worry about being strictly "canon". As long as the ships are close and show similar design or textures.... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Rambie December 1st, 2002 10:43 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
RE: PBW Game and v33 MOD Probs... HELP!!!

Ok, so while I've been waiting for the PBW game to start (assuming it still is) I thought I'd get in a few rounds of single player.

So, I installed ver v33 of the MOD and setup a game. The only thing you I can construct from the start is a Weapon platform!

After messing around, I completely removed SE4 and reinstalled from CD then patched it, then installed the MOD from v30 up to v33.

Still, the only thing I can build is weapon platforms.

Anyone else have this problem? Is this by design?

pathfinder December 1st, 2002 11:09 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
No Rambie there seems to be a problem. Did you set a separate folder with the B5 stuff in it to inclue folders data, ai, designname, empires, pictures, sounds and the modinfo/readme?

in others words an install similar to TDM...

and which AI?

Also did you state what racial traits for the race? eg Minbari MUST have BOTH Minbari AND B5 standard as racial traits. especially the B5 standard. All general research (eg general weapons, physics, chemistry, etc) is enabled by B5 standard, B5 Ancient, B5 Nomads...etc

was the facility file in the data folder? Guess the bottom line is...did you install the "core"?

[ December 01, 2002, 22:43: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

pathfinder December 2nd, 2002 02:07 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Timstone: Yeah, I tweeked the research file for the Vree to get their anti-matter weapons sooner and to get propulsion researched faster. I may still have to get ship construction going faster too. Also have re-done the fleet pic and going to get the weapon platform mini's done.

also thinking about getting at least fusion utilization moving up faster too, to get better reactors and engines earlier for all the AI (except Vorlons & Shadows since they already have advanced engines).

[ December 01, 2002, 15:54: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

pathfinder December 2nd, 2002 02:09 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Ack...5 races updated, 10 more to go...*bangs head on desk* ahhh....ah feels bettah now http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Rambie December 2nd, 2002 03:16 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Quote:

Originally posted by pathfinder:
No Rambie there seems to be a problem.

Also did you state what racial traits for the race? eg Minbari MUST have BOTH Minbari AND B5 standard as racial traits. especially the B5 standard. All general research (eg general weapons, physics, chemistry, etc) is enabled by B5 standard, B5 Ancient, B5 Nomads...etc

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">DOH!!! OK, so I'm an idiot. I forgot to select the B5 Standard racial trait, I better get this to the PBW before it's too late. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Thanks, Pathfinder

pathfinder December 2nd, 2002 03:59 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
No problem Rambie. I know most of the boo boos since i have made most of them http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Gah... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif ...3 AI more done with 7 more to go...I thimk http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

[ December 02, 2002, 02:01: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

AGoetz December 2nd, 2002 05:06 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
I've got a nice fresh RCE (as long as I haven't wiped over it anyway) which I have failed to pin down the cause for. The Gaim AI gets Battleship tech and Propulsion 10 (from memory) on the same turn and then RCEs during the Minister processing. Who would be the best to send it too? Val, Pathfinder, someone else?

While on the subject of the Gaim AI, their bases have Particle Concentrators (at a reasonable level too) but their ships are coming out with Packet Torpedoes I. They don't appear to be research Balistics and is there anyway to get them to mix and match the beams and missiles?

pathfinder December 2nd, 2002 05:44 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
AGoetz: only way to get them to mix/match beams & torpedoes is to make one primary, the other secondary weapon in AI_designcreation. I normally do NOT see the secondary weapons installed. As for ballistic reasearch, I'll check into how much and when I have it done in the AI_research file. May have to modify (I know I have to modify the Dilgar to get more ballistic levels).

Update: Gaim.....I had them use lasers (instead of particle) in smaller vessels. I'll check my source material and see why. Hmm...battle cruiser uses battle laser (bought from the Centauri). all others use packet torpedo OR particle concentrator (depending on variant); most used packet torpedoes.

and send the RCE save game file to Val, I wouldn't know what the heck I was looking at.

[ December 03, 2002, 02:33: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

Nomor December 3rd, 2002 03:54 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Val: you have mail. Or are you still traipsing the outback? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

pathfinder December 3rd, 2002 05:49 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Since me not sure when Val will be back, me gonna post the Lastest AI that I have done for the MOD.

1038887685.ZIP

[ December 03, 2002, 03:56: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

AGoetz December 3rd, 2002 07:49 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Just having a look at your latest Gaim _AI_Research file - and if I'm understanding it correctly, I have some problems with it. (Please don't take this personally - it's just that the Gaim are the side I've come to know the best)

You have Ballistics research listed only once (and only to level 7 at that), well beyond Battleship tech so for most of the game the Gaim ships will be pouring out with Packet Torpedoes I as their primary weapon. You list Gaim Mega Weapons to research - there are currently no Gaim Mega Weapons. Why are the Gaim spending all that time research Laser, Pulse, Plasma etc when they don't use those weapon families. Why are Matter Weapons researched to level 10?

The Gaim should be concentrating their offensive research into Gaim Tiny/Light/Medium/Heavy, Particle, Ballistics, Point Defence, Ship Capture and possibly Explosives. Some Matter (level 7 at most) and General Tiny covers the troops, while Matter (up to level 4) or Particle and a couple of levels in General Light/Medium/Heavy cover their early weapon requirements before they can research up to Gaim Heavy.

[ December 03, 2002, 05:49: Message edited by: AGoetz ]

Timstone December 3rd, 2002 10:47 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
I'm really getting somewhere now with the design of the Battleglobe. It's almost finished. I might be able to post a pic of it today, but that's unsure, I have mountains of work to do. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

pathfinder December 3rd, 2002 01:16 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
AGoetz: *scratches head....the newest Gaim AI_research SHOULD have ballistics to level 10 and very early on. As for the other weapons *shrug* I have repeated asked this past summer if I should leave off the majority of other weapons research and met with silence so I left it in. Do note that the Gaim also used lasers (but so far as I can tell only on battlecruisers)

I re-worked all the AI except technomages this week-end and finished Last night. Mainly on getting ship/propulsion and reactor research done a bit sooner. Plus re-worked Gaim AI_designcreation and added Dilgar creation.

Timstone: Super!

[ December 03, 2002, 11:18: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

pathfinder December 3rd, 2002 01:22 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Well poo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif it seems that I picked the wrong files to upload....bah!

1038915353.ZIP

I checked it this time and the correct files got uploaded. I just hope this set is better http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

[ December 03, 2002, 11:39: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

mlmbd December 3rd, 2002 04:24 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
PF, the changes would seem to make the Gaim more realistic. IMHO

mlmbd http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Jamorobo December 3rd, 2002 07:57 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
General weapons should on be used by the ai UNTIL they have their race weapons. I don't particularly want to see the centuri using particle cannons II when they've got ion torpedos researched and ready to use.

I myself as EA use particle weapons untill i get laser weapons, then i only use laser weapons untill i get Laser/pulse weapons up to the same standard.

I usually only research weapon wise:
particle,(advanced + normal) laser, pulse, balistic, point defence As these are the EA's "weapons of choice" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

pathfinder December 4th, 2002 02:14 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Could ya'll (lurkers and testers) give me your general feel on the topic AGoetz brought up (I agree with him but I don't want major re-write without some concensus): Take out all but 1 "general" weapon set and only leave racial weapons in?

AGoetz December 4th, 2002 03:07 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Looks better, thanks Pathfinder.

pathfinder December 4th, 2002 05:38 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
AGoetz: NP, now ifn ah could just gits rid of them typos http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif oh fer a spill chukker werth beans http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

jimbob December 4th, 2002 11:43 PM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
Quote:

Could ya'll (lurkers and testers) give me your general feel on the topic AGoetz brought up (I agree with him but I don't want major re-write without some concensus): Take out all but 1 "general" weapon set and only leave racial weapons in?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'd take out the dead end racial research stuff. It'll confuse a player who doesn't go and read through the component file.

pathfinder December 5th, 2002 12:53 AM

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 
I got a test game going with the "dead-wood" weapon research taken out of the ShagToth to see how they do...

Well, if nothing else I fixed 2 errors in the Drazi AI_research file and 1 in the Drazi AI_designcreation file.

[ December 05, 2002, 02:51: Message edited by: pathfinder ]


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