Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Just to refresh your memory. This might be relevant to current discussion. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif


This is a list of the PF 1.8 Gold Mod Facilities and their build times relative to population quantities. All are jubilant. All times are number of turns. 10 turns are equal to 1 year.Game Time.

_____________________Homeworld_Rock__Tiny-Domed__Domed
.................................................. ...2000m....... 500m..........100m.........4m...

Colony Hub I.....................................8........... .....52..............147.........191
Homeworld Hub...............................20.............. 148..............367..........477

Listening Post..................................2........... .......9...............25............33
Covert Ops Center............................3............... ..17..............47.............61

Manuf. Colony I................................6................ .35..............97............127

Military Outpost I.............................4..................2 7..............74.............96
Adv. Mil. OP I..................................7.............. ....41.............115...........150

Trading Port....................................2......... .........13...............35.............46
Recycling Center.............................3.............. ....16...............44.............57

Atmospheric Adjuster I.. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif ........11.................. 69 ..............193...........250 .....( + 600 to convert i.e. 60 yrs) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Medical Center I..............................2.................. ..9................25.............33

Archaeology Site I...........................1....................7 .................9..............25.....(
Educational Center I........................3...................17... ............47..............61

Mining Colony I...............................2................. ..10...............26..............34
Aggressive MC................................1............... .....5...............13..............17
Agricultural Colony...........................1................ ....6...............17..............22

Ship Yard I......................................4.......... .........25...............70.............91
Ship Yard II.....................................5.......... .........33...............93............121

Depot I...........................................7..... ..............43..............122............158

If playing PBW and one turn is taken per day then all the figures here represent the # days for construction of named facilities.It gets worse as the later levels appear. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif
Yes I know.. sorry for the wonkey lines again.. didn't have time to test "code" key

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I agree with Fyron. I'm playing a solo game, having to almost deplete a homeworld of it's population to populate other worlds to try to cut down on some time is ridiculous. I'm finding myself cutting down on transporting my transports so that my homeworld can build up it's population again before I send more people out. I don't have any suggestions, but surely some method can be done to improve on this.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Just to go off topic a moment: Heavy Bolter ; Medium Bolter ; and Light Bolter under General and Particle Weapons . These have no description in components file.

I take it that this is a Plasma Bolt firing weapon ??? I've come up with several descriptions that I tried to shoehorn into the components.txt file.

However I'd like to be sure that I'm on the right track. Here are three Versions. I tend to go for the shorter but the longer might work for the first variant of each type?

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif Fires self-contained bolts of plasma. Less range than beam weapons , slow delivery is countered by impressive damage even against a technologically advanced enemy. Incoming bolts are traceable with radar. (Bold may be removed to make even shorter)

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif The mainstay weapon of low-tech fleets: Firing super charged bolts of plasma maintained by a self- generated containment field. Less range than beam weapons, slow delivery is countered by impressive damage even against a technologically advanced enemy. Incoming bolts are traceable with radar.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif Fires super charged bolts of plasma maintained in their shape and density by a self- generated containment magnetic field. Less range in respect to the beam weapons, plus slow delivery are countered by impressive damage even against a technologically advanced enemy. Incoming plasma bolts are traceable with radar.


Comments please: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

[ June 14, 2004, 23:02: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Back on topic: There's actually nothing wrong with most of the facilities for Single Player if they can be regarded as late tech for advanced /mature colonies.

With the exception of the Trading Port and Atmospheric Adjuster which I feel should be quick constructs.

However we need Smaller, Quicker constructed facilities that are purpose built for fledgling Colonies. We need mining facilities that can be erected in 2 or three turns by >100m, that don't have to be hard to destroy and don' produce massive amounts or have multi purpose abilities.

eg. Research Station; Mining Station; Organics Farm; Comms Relay Post; Gas Station.... etc.

I'd also like Listening Posts to have ranged scanning abilities and for Asteroid fields to have a low level cloaking effect on ships that "park" in them, so that we have to place satellites or have ships close by to inspect Asteroid for hidden ships. Early on in the game this would allow you to hide if you had a bad reaction to your diplomatic fumblings, with Dutchman with Polish Girlfriend, or other such folk. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif
..
I must be going mad did someone re-edit my edit?? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

[ June 17, 2004, 20:22: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I talk to the trees... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

A Question for the Mod guru's: How does one make troops have a maintenance cost of say 1kT organics per turn. I want to imply a requirement to feed and supply troop in the field.
At present there is very little forcing one to have any need for organic production over what the homeworld provides. Each troop regardless of "rank" should require some sort of maintenance cost and this might as well be organics.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

i dont think troops can be made into units that require maintaince. IMHO fighters, troops, mines, sats and weapon platform have no maintaince, which is hardcoded. I would be glad to here this is wrong though.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

How and where are the maintenance values for ships determined then?
I searched all the files I can think of but can't find any setting that could be manipulated...
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

The only way to simulate maintanence on units is to set negative value for Generate Points Organics ability on units. However I don't think it would work on units in cargo. It has been discussed a while ago and don't remember the exact result of this. Try to search for latest patch wishlist tread. It should be where.

The default maintanence is defined by the
Empire Starting Percent Maint Cost := xx(25 in stock) string in the Settings.txt. You can adjust it directly on ship hull with Modified Maintenance Cost ability.

[ June 17, 2004, 20:42: Message edited by: aiken ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

What would one have to modify to cut the build time for facilities? Costs (as in minerals, organics, radioactives?)?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">This line in Settings.txt determines the base maintenance rate:

Empire Starting Percent Maint Cost

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">pathfinder,

- either decrease the costs for the facilitys (usually especially minerals)
- increase the basic build rate (in settings.txt)
- increse pop modifiers (so more pop will increase the build rate
- increase build rate for spaceyards (so planets with spaceyards can build way faster)
- decrease cost for spaceyards (so planets can get faster spaceyards which enable faster building.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Guys, I couldn't download the expanded facilities file from the Babylon 5 site, for the great war. Could someone email it me please?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Nevermind, it was my download manager causing the problem.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Bumpski!
Grumbler must still have problems with his internet. Last time we spoke he told some stupid electrician had cut his telephoneline. Hope he'll be back soon.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Okay, back in battery. Some sewer maintenance guys (I think one of them was Ed Norton) cut my buried phone line and the interim "hand-laid" line had so much noise my modem couldn't connect at speed. Some fora I could get to, but this one kept timing out.

I managed in the meantime to fix some facilities problems, and found that i could get the Ai to build small ships, but still have this major problem: the AI will build escorts now, but still seldom anything larger (but occasionally up to Heavy Destroyers). What is the limit 9for I can only think there must be one) on the time that the AI will spend on building any ship?

Here is the crux of the mystery, as far as I can tell: the AI will design every ship its tech allows. However, even though AI_D_C calls for all warships to be called "Design Type: Attack Ships" the resulting designs are ALWAYS called by their hull size, e.g. Light Cruiser (and once one gets past HD, it is always the hull size next above the one it is actualy using). Naturally, since the AI_C_V never calls for the construction of anything with a Design Type of "Light Cruiser" the LC design cannot enter the construction queue. I believe that all the designs that are e.g. "Heavy Destroyer" I have seen are upgrades to existing ships - but how can the AI upgrade to a design it cannot build?

This has been a real show-stopper. In three months of testing and tweaking I haven't found the solution. Can it be that there can only be the single design type of Attack Ship (size 10 kt - 5,000 kt) as in the core game? I cannot believe this, as I remember this function working in the base B5 mod, and it had as I recall a bunch of attack ship types.

however, I cannot make it work, and would appreciate any help anyone can give.

I do have a workable "prototype" for everything else, barring weapons (which Timstone has a great design model for). Facilities work, but need to be "racialized." Engines, reactors, and all of the ship, base, and unit components work. Even the "discovered" technologies now seem to work, except the "unique ship class" which the AI won't build because of the aforementioned problem.

Does anyone have ANY thoughts on the lack of AI-built larger warships? It will build battleship-and-above-sized troop transports, minesweepers, and whatnot but not warships.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Well, this is what I’m doing in my adaption of the Star Trek Mod with the AI design creation files and AI Construction vehicles files for warships. The AI builds the three class of starships without a problem.

AI Design Creation file:
Name := Explorer Class Starship
Design Type := Attack Ship

Name := Medium Class Starship
Design Type := Attack Ship

Name := Heavy Class Starship
Design Type := Attack Ship

AI Construction Vehicles file:
AI State := Exploration
Num Queue Entries := 22
Entry 2 Type := Explorer Class Starship
Entry 2 Planet Per Item := 120
Entry 2 Must Have At Least := 2
Entry 5 Type := Heavy Class Starship
Entry 5 Planet Per Item := 30
Entry 5 Must Have At Least := 2
Entry 6 Type := Medium Class Starship
Entry 6 Planet Per Item := 60
Entry 6 Must Have At Least := 4

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Grumbler: On construction of ships---make sure that you put the larger ships size on top in designcreation. Take note how the B5 Version Val & I did ( eg battleship is "on top of battle cruiser). Had similar problem in "original" B5 mod until I got that order straight.

[ June 26, 2004, 03:05: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

The ship construction is weird and has been explained in several other threads. This may not be clear, but in a nutshell, ships of the same BASIC type (Attack Ship, other hard coded values) count against the amount requested in that file, even if they have different custom names, so:

Build 5 attack ships
Build 6 MYattackShipClass
Build 17 MyOtherAttackShipClass
Build 3 MyThirdAttackShipClass

Will get the AI to build 5 Attack Ships, then 1 of the next type (6 minus 5), then 11 of the other type (17 minus 6), then NONE of the third special type, because there will already be 7 attack ships by the time it falls through to that line, and it only requests 3.

PvK

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Grumbler: If that doesn't work. Maybe look at the construction vehicle file(s) and see when larger ships can be built; sometime there are turn limits in those (eg only escort until turn 20).

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Alrighty then, Grumbler is back in business!!
Let's hear a cheer for technology and a little bit of oldfashion luck.

*Cheers loudly with a brewski in his hand*

Grumbler: I've come up with a variety of weapons everyone can live with. The Ancients (if we ever include them that is) will get fewer weapons becasue they simply don't have many wepaons, they're just hideously strong. And the younger races get a little bit more weapons. Not every race has an equal number of weapons, but they're a little bit cheaper to chose. The engines, I must admit I haven't worked on them yet.

Me being here in Italy (still), isn't helping a lot. I'm mailing from a cafe in the hotel I'm staying. Lucklily I have my beautiful secretary with me (my GF), so it isn't just work, work, work. The best thing is, I getting payed to travel around with my GF and solve cool problems. Yeah, this rocks. Too bad I can't spend as much time as I want in making nice 3D models and the B5 mod.

Oh, lately I'm busy with another little mod. Nothing special, but it might be fun when I complete it. Some cool ideas in that mod. I might add. The basis of the mod isn't my idea (unfortunately), but still it's going to be great. IF I finish it.

Edit: Oh look, my number of Posts is equal to ten times the gravitational constant;
9,81 m/s^2. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ June 26, 2004, 14:42: Message edited by: Timstone ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That sounds like a winning answer. I can see that my order is inverted from yours. Thanks - you have repaid me for the "two Living CPUs fix." http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Timstone:

Is, uh,.... Is your GF a goer,eh?

Know what I mean...nudge nudge, know what I mean, say no more?
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hahaha... I think you mean if she is a "hoer". Nope, she is not. Hahaha...
But thanks for this uplifting thought. Thumbs up for you!

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

No.. no... Don't get me wrong. Does she go.. eh, know what I mean. Is she a go - er, does she go..

Or.... Is, your , is your GF a sport, eh?

Does she like games, eh? Likes games, eh? Knew she would.... That’s good, that’s good! A nod’s as good as a wink to a blind bat!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
If the penny doesn't drop after this I'm going to have to come clean. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

[ July 01, 2004, 18:43: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hmm... now you've lost me. I thought I had a decent grip on English, but it seems I'm out of my league here. I'm afraid you have to come clean good Nomor.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I could save Nomors hide by explaining this to you timstone by PM, but i think the comedy value of this will be too rich to pass up http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I think I'm going to have to save my own hide on this score.

One more try. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

You’re a man of the world, Timstone? Yes?

I mean, you’ve been around a bit, you know, like, you’ve, uh… You’ve ‘done it’…?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Nomor: I saved you the embarassment and sent Timstone a PM, Your hide is saved. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Upon further thought i decided to delete said Private Message to see Timstones response http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ July 02, 2004, 21:17: Message edited by: Raging Deadstar ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Just two more Posts! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Timstone: Know what I mean, know what I mean...?
Yes..? No..?

[ July 03, 2004, 15:51: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hahaha.... LOL!!!
Both by RD's PM and your foreLast message I finaly got it. Now I know what you mean.

Well, let me put it this way: YES!!
I mean, what good is a relationship if you only get half the fun and the full load of misery (their periods, the constant naging about new shoes, all the crap about her being too fat, etc.)?
Thanks for this entertaining conversation. I really needed that. Haha... Thumbs up for you guys.

P.S. Nomor, you owe RD something. He really saved you there from the overwhelming stupidity of the Terrible Dutchman.

RD, Nomor, if I ever going to marry, you guys should be there too. Just wait a while, well a long while. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Lol, dammit, i'm assuming the PM was also sent by e-mail, thusly ruining my fiendish plan once i deleted it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Timstone: You'll hit yourself once Nomor announces where this entire conversation is from http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ July 03, 2004, 17:08: Message edited by: Raging Deadstar ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

SAY NO MORE!!

Timstone: http://arago4.tn.utwente.nl/stonedea...dge-nudge.html

I thought I might be going a bridge too far; but all's well that ends well. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

I was looking forward to my Last line. But the journey was half the fun.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[ July 05, 2004, 18:39: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I knew where you got the line from. Who doesn't know that?!

Going a bridge too far? As in, me getting mad or something? Nah, I know who talks to me. Better you guys than people who are actually wired correctly in their heads... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Bumpski!

Why what do you know?! My 1000th post!! Jippie!
1000 Posts of total nonsense and gibberish. Off to the 2000 Posts!

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Lol, I got there a few weeks ago http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif Here's too more gibberish Timstone!

Drop in the cantina to celebrate if you have time! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Wow, thanks RD!!
But I'll have my brewski here. I can't make it to The Cantina, too much trouble getting in with my gearbox and all... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Sorry for the little personal intermezzo, but I'll be away due to unforeseen factors in reallive. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

You guys hear from me when I can................

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

any news on the mod ?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

My ... you can hear a pin drop.

[ July 18, 2004, 22:33: Message edited by: Nomor ]

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Unfortunately, I have gone as far as I can with Version 2.0. I would certainly like some input on "racializing' the planetary facilities, but the ship components, systems types, et al seem to be in place and working, bar the weapons. I cannot do anything with the weapons because I lack the books on which it has been agreed (sensibly) that they be based.

So, here we are. If anyone wants to push this through to a final stage, send me a PM and I will send all the relevant files.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Wow, talk about a thread-stopper! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Does no one want to further discuss the facilities? Racialized facilities are a key to the flavor of the game, IMO.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Hi Grumbler,

I'm still busy with RL. Sorry. These days I'm nothing more than a lurker.
I'm of no use anymore. Damn, I'm getting old... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif
However, I'm still busy with a little mod of my own, it reaches more advanced stages right now. Give me another month or two, and there will be another mod for SE IV Gold. No promisses of course.

Till soon... I hope!

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

well i would certainly like to continue the work, unfortunally im busy with my own mod, too.

Grumbler, why dont you think up new racial facilites bases on the race instead of books or something. So Minbari would get research / tech facilites. Narn maybe combat or war based facilites...same for centauri.. ?! anyone ?

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Just a quick question, has anyone expeirenced a problem with the comp AI? I've been playing a single player with the the B5 mod, and the AI never seems to colonize anything.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I don't think so, at least I'm not seeing any

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Is the AI designing/building colony ships? I remember there was a bug some time ago that kept the AI from successfully designing colony ships, and it may have crept back in.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

I have a question to all you Bab5 types out there. I've never seen the series, but I noticed tonight that netflix has up to season 5 and "the gathering" (whatever that is). Every now and then, when my wife is out of town, I have time to watch things like this. Realizing I might be asking the converted, Are these worth getting into? Is the long-term time investment worth going through all 5 seasons to the end? And how many seasons were there (I don't want to rent them if I can't follow it through to the end)? And what is the gathering? And please don't give me any spoilers, just the facts ma'am...

I tried FarScape and found it a bit too corny for my tastes. I much prefer linear and epic plotlines, with beginngings, middles, ends, and character development. Farscape really didn't seem to have that...I'm hoping Bab5 does...

thanks in advance for any advice,

Alarik

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Only thing I can tell you for sure is that there were 5 seasons. I only got to see 1-2 shows which were pretty good.

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

There are a few movies made from Babylon 5.
The first is Babylon 5: The Gathering
The second is Babylon 5: In the beginning
"The Gathering" was the pilot episode and "In the beginning" is the story in a nutshell. The other movies are (chronological): "Thirdspace", "River of Souls" and "A call to arms", but there isn't a DVD Version of those yet (there will be in a short period of time).
There are 5 seasons of Babylon 5, but there are at least one season (I don't know how many) of "Crusade". Crusade begins with the end of season 5 of B5. The Earth is infected with a nasty virus and is quarantined, a crew is going to look for a cure. There is also a spinnoff which has the name "The legend of the Rangers". I've never seen anything from that serie, so I don't know how or what.

If you want a more complete explanation of Babylon 5 and it's episodes, go here:

Lurker's guide to Babylon 5

Re: Babylon 5 Mod
 

Damn you Geo, you took post #4300!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Ah well, I think I´ll have to settle for #4301. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif