Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Doh! It was originally too big to upload, and then I pared it down to just the text files, but forgot to note thatit was now uploadable here. The file is 1064524735.zip

Several significant caveats: this is NOT Timstone's Babylon 5 Version 2.0, though there are some similarities.

This is NOT either Val's nor Pathfinder's original concept for the Gold Version. The fighters have been heavily modded to use QNP, and the engine system is completely new.

There are many AI files that got shoved into places for safekeeping and never got trimmed (although I trimmed by far the bulk of them). They don't affect the game.

Some races are both major and neutral races - that is in accordance with the uncertain status of them in the mod as a whole. The game treats them all as minors.

The Ai still puts excess cargo capacity in some of its designs. Cargo holds were reduced from 70 to 45 kt for a number of reasons (like my desire to get rid of the vessels that "cheated" on QNP) and that has made for some strange AI effects that I haven't yet tried to track down.

Colonizers now lift 50 pop vice 4. This is deliberate, as the AI now gains useful colonies almost as fast as the human player.

There are some minor tech tweaks, such as making Shadow-based and Vorlon-based techs findable, as opposed to reasearched (for the case of the EA and SBT, anyway). However, there are no components or facilities assigned to VBT and few to SBT.

There are new hulls for Unique Hull Design tech, and new Neurotech Education Centers for Ancient Neurotech that are just in the playtest phase. They are almost certainly too powerful, so if you want to eliminate those techs (by making facilities and hulls that use them require higher-than-possible levels of the tech) that's fine. Alternatively, you could just eliminate those hulls and facilities.

However, the game DOES play in Gold, and play pretty well. That was the objective. It ain't pretty, but it works.

Note that you still need all the other graphics, sound, and text files to play.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Crap Grumbler, you took post 3500!! Grr... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Concerning the progress of 2.0, I've had some time to numbercrush my way throught this week and I'm pleased to say I'm halfway throught the most important help file for 2.0. I'm afraid I can't explain within a few sentences, but it has something to do with the weapons of 2.0. I've completely rewrote the weapons (damage, size, range and cost).

G-Machine:
Why do you want to stay anominous?

Edit:
At least I got post 3501.

[ September 28, 2003, 11:09: Message edited by: Timstone ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I know i've asked this b4 but it got lost in the 224 pages this thread holds...does anyone have the necessary files to make the b5 mod gold compatible...thnx!

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Timstone:

I wanted to remain anonymous because I didn't want other people who are playing the pbw game with me to know which race was pumping out the great machines. But seeing as I can't seem to build them at all, I don't know if it matters, I guess they can know that I have dumped a ton of research into developing the great machine and now can't build it. Doh!!

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Yeah, annonymous hey?? I know who you are, and I'd like to renegotiate our original agreement in light of the fact that I could spill the beans on you. My silence will cost you 1 extra machine (bwahahahaha)

Other PBW Players: could we update everyone's component files to allow the use of the GM? I've got an interest in having this fixed, as does the "annonymous" member who has invested research points in this little device.

Edit: Oh, and my files are probably corrupted again. I'll need a day to delete and replace B5 mod. can we suspend the next turn by just one day (say Tuesday 6 pm) please? I promise I'll get on this quickly.

Cheers all,
Jimbob

[ September 29, 2003, 16:47: Message edited by: jimbob ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

can anyone make the B5 mod work in SEIV Gold?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Check out grumblers recent post, there is a link to the Gold Version there. It is playable, based on the pre-gold mod, but is still a work in progress.

Unzip it overtop of the files from Rambies SE4 Shipyards, there is a readme.txt in the zip. You will also have to delete/rename the Yolu_AI_Fleets.txt and Yolu_AI_Settings.txt files as these seem to have been missed.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Why delete those files? Just fix them yourself. All you need to do is copy some lines from the default AI files into those 2 files. The game tells you exactly what the lines are, even. Just open the default AI files from stock SE4 Gold and those from the Yolu (those missing lines) and copy over the lines missing. There are not many of them.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Swordsman: Da Path is me. I worked on the MOD until maybe March. I feel that I do not have the required knowledge to do the fixes to some fexing problems that the B5 Version I was working on AND the weapons balancing most players wanted. *shrug* Not a programmer here nor much of a B5 fan either. Another factor was "canon" vs non-canon and which data was which.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Path! Good to hear from you again. Agree that the problems are pretty much as you outlined them. Your AI files were brilliant, though. I had to slightly mod a couple of them and was very impressed by the thought you put into them.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Grumbler: Thanks.

All: I may yet dive back in as recent play has reminded me of a coupla things that MAY help a couple of problems. No guarantees but I'll try. Still won't do much with the weapons as I honestly don't have a clue as to how to fix them. I do have a comment: I personally like the wide variety, especially the EA weapons. Mainly because the player is REQUIRED to THINK about strategizing research and getting most bang for the credit/time spent.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Aha, I am now enlightened!

I am a programmer, a B5 fan, and willing to help where I can, but I may have play and learn the game a lot more to become useful.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Oh. Didn't think of that http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

I thought it would be the same as the earlier AI problems I was having with the pre-gold Version, but apparently not.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Da Path is back!

*Croud cheers fanaticly*

Good to see you back. How´s life treating you?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Timstone: Other than hurricane Isabel, things have been fine. You?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Previously I posted:
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Thanks IF! Everything's fine now. I appreciate everyone's patience.

Also, any response on that whole Great Machine connundrum?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Doesn't seem to be any response, unless there was some on the PBW forum. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif But then, the players in this game are not very responsive...

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Alright then, I'll restate my position. I'd like everyone in the PBW game to go into their components file and use find to locate the Planetary Gun. The line:

Vehicle Type := Ship

needs to be changed to

Vehicle Type := WeapPlatform

That's it really, and it will make the Great Machine usable for those of us that found the ruins and have researched it and/or are purchasing said devices from those who have spent the research points on developing this device. We will all need to make the text file change simultaneously with PBW however, or we will start getting errors (I guess this is sort of obvious). When can we make the change?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Okay, yup, lots of you are okay with the change (just checked the B5 PBW forum again). I guess we just need our illustrious leader (IF, that's you, as if there was any doubt http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ) to coordinate the PBW side of things and get back to us on the timing.

Edit: Hey punk, I'm doing all the work here, I want an additional discount on my machines!

[ October 02, 2003, 15:43: Message edited by: jimbob ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

No time to check PBW... but if a majority of the players (at least half of them) have posted in support of this, send an email to Geoschmo about it, as he is the one that handles the mods on PBW. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Have you changed the stats for the Great machine weapons platform? Because if you haven't, trying to deploy the GM will be kinda hard...

It is 20,600 kt http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif A huge planet (with homeword atmosphere) has 16,000 kt of cargo space. Adding in a HH and depot gives a total of 26,000 kt, leaving little room for anything else. Colony Hub plus Manufacturing colonies plus depot does the same. Frankly, I only ever built one, just to see it in action, and it crippled that planet for use as a staging area. I suppose you could just build several depots to allow it to be housed (or get a bit more slack if you have AST), but ...

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

The whole point is to cripple the planet as a staging area. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

yah, that's what I'm hoping for, cripple me up baby http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Whoeps, sorry for the not so speedy reply. But I'm fine, a bit busy, but fine. Work on 2.0 continues during my spare time (I haven't got the chance anymore to work on it during working hours (yes, I'm evil!)). Any damage due to Isabel?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Just a couple of trees down. Minor water damage to the master bedroom and den due to some bad siding.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hmm... that doesn't sound too good if you ask me. Were you right in the path (excuse the pun) of Isabel?

Damn, I thought I had the correct formulae for calculating the weight in relation to the damage of a weapon, but it prooved to be a misser... again. This is driving me mad, I'm busy figuring out the correct aproach for this problem for weeks now. This is really getting teadious.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Timstone: yes, eye passed just to the west of us. I am a bit inland so the winds were only 40-45 mph. Trust me....at least the trees did not hit the house. Plenty of others had trees fall on their houses or similar calamities.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Glad you made it out without too much damage.

Question to all: Do you think it would gameplay greately if I change the whole weapon damage calculation (together with the weight stuff)?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Here is a Version of the spread sheet Val made when he was making the weapons:

B5 Weapons.zip

It is not the Last Version he made, but it has all the formulae in it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Thanks IF! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
Too bad it doesn't have the formulae for calculating the weight of the weapons, it doesn't show the weight of the weapons at all. Ah well, better something than nothing, right?

SJ: How about that armor thingie I asked you about some time ago? Do you have any cool ideas?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

*an entire orchestra fills a tight room and plays as loudy as possible a very bombastic symphony*

Success! I have completed the biggest hurdle in the one file that is really going to help me build the biggest part of the 2.0 Version. The file in question determines weight, cost, damage, and accuracy of the weapons in The Mod. Once I've completed this file I'll be able to produce the weapons in a very short amount of time.
Coming weekend I'll have absolutely no time to continue on this great file, but in the weeks after that I'll have plenty of time to continue on it again.

Sight, I wish I could work fulltime on 2.0.

Suggestions, remarks, criticism, questions, all are welcome. Just post 'em here (or send me a pm).

Edit: Stupid typos, there are always more!

[ October 17, 2003, 10:00: Message edited by: Timstone ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Oop. Get back to you right after this midterm exam, k?

[ October 17, 2003, 11:51: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Here's the file I found on it:

1066408792.txt
I thought there was something more on the walkers and the energy-guys, though.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Thanks SJ!
I'll check them out and place any comments/questions after your midterms.
Good luck with your midterms.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Tim,

Care to share the basis for the weapons rebuild? It might save some grief later on if we could hash out the basis for the values you want to assign to weapons before you actually assign them.

For instance, are you planning to have the same numbers of "generic" weapons, or will each race have a completely race-specific set of weapons (with perhaps advantages and disadvantages in the given weapons tech areas)?

Are you plannning to fill all the gaps in the existing weapons sets (lots of races have few or no mega/ultra weapons and/or advanced weapons)?

I would love to cover this on the forum or via email or PM if you want to. It's been something that has needed doing for a long time.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hey there Grumbler! Good to hear from you again.

I've been busy on a fairly big Excel sheet to calculate all the things you need for a weapon. Because I was absolutely not happy about the way Val decided to do things I wanted to change that. I wasn't aware of the enormous labor this required (which only made my admiration for modbuilders and Val bigger).

I decided to stick to a proven game; Babylon 5 Wars 2nd Edition. Val more or less coupled his values (damage, cost, weight) to all the weapons in this serie of playmanuals. To discover which method Val used to calculate his weapons, I set out to evaluate his values. In the end I more or less found the formualae Val used. I adjusted these for my own use and according to my own sense of logic. Then I had to decide how to implement each race into The Mod.

After much debating with a friend of mine and talking to you guys and girls, I decided I should go for the original set up. Each race has the same techtree. Each race has a tiny, light, medium, heavy, mega and ultra weapon (there can be more than one weapons in a given weapon class). I'm still in doubt wether I should give one race more weapons in total then the other. I compensate this by making the cost ofthat race higher.

This Excel sheet takes up much time to fabricate (I do have my work in real live too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif ). Therefore work progresses slowly, but surely. I say around 75% of the sheet is done. After this Version I plan on making a Delphi Version, althought I haven't got the skill to do that very quickly, maybe I strugle a bit more with Excel. Who knows. But to cut to the chase, I'm not planning to release a unfinished Version of this Excel sheet just yet. After it's done, I upload it here and everyone can give his or her comments on it. Untill this glorious day, you're all free to give advise, suggestions, demands and the like.

I don't mean to be blunt in this Last piece of text. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
Just sit tight and I'll deliver.


Edit: typos, typos, typos...

[ October 26, 2003, 07:35: Message edited by: Timstone ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hehe, just bosting my Posts... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

To get back on how I plan on releasing The Mod.
I want to release the first part of The Mod (2.0) with two Ancients and three Young races. After this first release you pepole can give comments/suggestions/demands/... and I'll see what will be implemented. After this period the big plan is to release a race at a time (like seperate module). Hope you guys and girls like this. If not, please feel free to post a post. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Damn it! Very soon now I'll have to leave for a torture day with the rest of my family. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif
Ah well, such is live. At least my GF is going with me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

I was thinking about the Nomads. Should we include them or not? I know the P&N Mod has had some troubles with the inclusion of Nomads. So, should they be included or not?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Trouble? No, just indecision.
Giving them negative maintenance ships which allows exponential growth (and makes them major players just like normals) or giving them almost-zero maintenance and a modest starting income (for almost linear growth without outside support)

It really all depends on how you want them to turn out.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Sorry for my late reply.

I haven't got a clue how I would like them to be. I think they should be a player just like any other player. Althought this isn't canon to the B5 series. This is the most playable option (I think).
Any suggestions?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Re: the Raiders. I think that if you were to give them negative maintenance (the coolest idea) they would be too much for any race located near them at the start. OTOH, if you make them just another race there seems to be little point to them (unless there are more graphics on them than I have seen). There is no shortage of normal races.

They didn't play a very big role in the B5 canon, anyway. I say fuggetaboudit for the forseeable future.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I've been playing off and on (more off than on) ever since I got my new computer and had to start re-downloading everything. I have a B5 Mod Gold file, but not sure if it's the most up to date. What is the latest Version of the B5 Mod, and where do I go to d/l the file(s)?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually, it would be the opposite. They'd grow in strength exponentially unless they are harrassed early on before they can build up their resources.
Keep them with weaker weapons so they only have a limited supply of the better (stolen) items http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ October 28, 2003, 22:01: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">found in the races/ai forum here:

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=50;t=000001

I haven't done anything really since .... March?

Timstone has a much modified Version but it has not been released yet.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, I was out of commission from February to April, so that would be about right. But now I have a yen to play that B5 mod. Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.

p.s., whatever happened to the sci-fi crossover mod? Did anyone ever complete it?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hehe... the Scifi X-mod is on a bit of a hold.
Let's say they're waiting for the part of B5. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif

Because of my slow progress (believe me or not, I hate it too) a number of people are getting more anxious by the day to see what I've had in mind for 2.0. Therefore the Scifi X-Mod is also waiting for my part. Sorry...

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Okay, another post in quick succession.

Because I've a lot of work to do. Progress on The Mod will be slow. Expect not much work of me untill the XMas holiday. During the XMas holiday I'm going to the US (cool, I've never been there. Las Vegas and LA here I come!). I'm sure I can do some work during my visit in the US. So beginning next year I'll be able to launch the first release of 2.0. So a little bit more patience please. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The problem with the Raiders is that they only exist in one area and so will only be an issue for one race (two at most). I have played games with raiders like this and can attest that for the afflicted race this is a real burden. Late in the game, the Raiders are so far behind in tech that it doesn't matter, but early (between, say, turns 50 and 150) attacks by the raiders can be very debilitating and destabilize the game balance.

If raiders were more of a universal "background" threat they would be great.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Da Path returns! Good to hear from you again!

Okay, the Raiders should have negative maintenance with weak weapons. And what about colonizing? Should they be able to colonize?
If they require too much work to do right now, I skip them for now and release them in the next Version. But by all means, keep the good ideas coming.

[ October 29, 2003, 12:29: Message edited by: Timstone ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I've been looking to implemet the Raiders quickly, but it's a hell of a job to do in a late afternoon or a lost evening. So, I'll plan them in the next Version of 2.0. Sorry for this, but please let the good ideas coming. For now I concentrate on the Ancients and the Young races.
This evening is all mine! So, I'll can spend it all on The Mod. Jippy!