HELP !
 

Ive just put together a shipset for my own personal use using my fav ships from other sets. It has no AI as it will be for me as a player. I then created my race with the usual method in the game, by choosing the set, giving names and traits etc. I even saved my empire for future games. But when I go to Start Game, it comes up with a whole list of errors about missing ai from the 'settings' ai file.
Ive tried various minister on and off option etc but now Im stuck.
Whats going on? Id really appreciate some help.

Thanks.

Re: HELP !
 

Just pick one of the other AIs and copy the missing files from there.

Re: HELP !
 

Thanks SJ.

Does that mean a race HAS to have some ai in it? (like settings)
I thought you could just have a shipset and no ai if your the player?
And does the aio I copy come from ANY race ? Wont that make a difference?

Im also reading on another thread that it might also be the default ai not being Gold updated, but I installed from the gold cd.

Re: HELP !
 

If you look at all of the default races and even the neutral races will see that each have a few AI files.

From what I know, if you are missing an AI file the game will use a genetic file. That is unless you are using a mod. Even then it is suppose to use default AI. I am sure someone with more AI knowledge will post about it.

Even if you make a set for private use, you can still post it in the downloads section for others to use. You never know when something you make for yourself will be enjoyed by others. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Just include a credits file if any of the images are custom made.

Re: HELP !
 

Thanks atro.

Ive tried starting a game with just one race. Mine. And that loads and starts fine. So that wiould indicate that my race (with NO ai files) is working, and using generic ai. But if I include ANY other races, it says theres all sorts missing. Ive also tried starting a game with a couple of other races (even just two default ones), and that came up with the same errors. Now if the other races have stuff missing, then why dont THEY use the defaults? I wondered if I had accidently copied over my updated gold ai default with old ones, but Ive tried that and that doesnt work either.
Its really odd, as one thing points to the default ai, and another points to the race ai.
Im really stumped here!

Re: HELP !
 

I think I might have come up with a lead here....

Ive just tried restarting my game with various paramaters...
The only thing that creates errors, is if I say yes to "Generate Random Computer Contolled Empires".
If I switch this off (even leaving Neutrals ON) the game starts ok.

This leads me to think (in my newbie 3 days with se4) that its the default ai thats stuffed http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Has anyone got the most recent unmodded Gold Version (TDM?) set of default ai ?

Ive tried overwriting my default ai folders with the TDM pack I have, but that didnt work.

Re: HELP !
 

Right. Ive checked the TDM page. I have the Lastest TDM pack v3.30, which states in one of the update lines...

"(35) Settings.txt modified to make "Quick Start" option available for all races - including 4 additional default races and all new races and increased default max units/ships (modified by Tampa_Gamer and Mephisto)."

Could this be causing it?
Im not using the Quick start option, but maybe theres a prob or link with the settings ai file?

I have no idea.

Re: HELP !
 

If I have my guess right, the game is saying that certain AI files are missing specific lines in their files--such as "Can't find 'Max Systems Distance for Drone Attack' in C:\Games\Space Empires 4\Pictures\Races\HappyRace\HappyRace_AI_Settings.t xt" or some sort. Is that right?

If that's the case, the AI files are for pre-Gold SE4. Capt. Kwok (IIRC) has instructions for converting pre-Gold AI to Gold AI, and it's not all that difficult. SJ may even have a proggy to automatically do it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: HELP !
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, pretty much. The executeable requires it, probably to let you know if there were a catastrophic error in your folders. Like you've already experienced in one mod you found. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Consider further, if you had no AI files, and you turned on a minister, what would the game do?

Re: HELP !
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wrong captain. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif See the link in my sig.

Re: HELP !
 

Can you post what race produces the error and one line of the error as an example? Thanks!

Re: HELP !
 

Hmmm...ok.....

So...if a shipset has no ai, it uses the default..so....if I switch on a minister, wouldnt THAT default to a standard ai too?

Secondly, If I bought the gold disc, and updated with the latest tdm pack v3.30, then surely my default ai's would be gold?

Re: HELP !
 

ok. heres a piccy of the errors...

http://www.bonefish.btinternet.co.uk/errors.jpg

Can Anyone shed some light on this, cos Ive been stopped from conquering the universe and its very annoying.

Ming never had this trouble. He only had flash gordon and those flying beardy blokes to worry about.....

Re: HELP !
 

Had another thought.
The cut and paste theory would work, but only if I HAD a default gold set to cut FROM, in which case I wouldnt have the problem in the first place. Its no good cutting and pasting from another race, as thats not default! (my head hurts now...)

ok, can anyone send me a set of DEFAULT GOLD AI please? Preferably the updated ones that were done/adjusted/improved? (although its these Ive added from the tdm v3.30 and have seemed to messed things up.)

From what I can tell, I think I should overwrite the default ai, and the ai's in the three folders within the main ai folder.

Re: HELP !
 

You need Gold AI files for a race to be included in a game of SE4 Gold. You have a cool shipset, or you made one, or you downloaded a pre-Gold TDM modpack race, or something like that.

You need Gold AI text files, and you can find all of them in the default install of SE4 Gold, or in the latest TDM Modpack Version.

You can use the patcher on a race that had a pre-Gold AI. You can just copy any AI from the SE4 Gold directory for your "do it yourself" shipset.

Re: HELP !
 

Right. All you got to do is get one of the AI_settings.txt file in your pictures/races/ directory (choose one of the stock race, to avoid any compatibility pb), copy it into your new race folder and rename it to myrace_AI_settings.txt.

Re: HELP !
 

Ok guys.

Dont know if you saw the earlier Posts, but I already copied the latest TDM default ai's, and that didnt work. I can also start a game with my race and 10 other, all under compuiter comtrol, with no probs. Its only if I leave the "let computer randomly generate races" that I get the errors.

Any other ideas guys?
Ive downloaded and installed 109 new shipsets, I REALLY dont want to have to reinstall the whole lot !

Im sure that a shipset can work without its OWN set of ai and its the default ai thats not working, but then why does my own set and all the others play ok?

Damnit this is confusing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Can anyone send me a set of up to date default gold ai to try? Im under the impression that using a Races ai would be no good for default, as then ANY race that resources those defaults will act like the one I got it from.

Re: HELP !
 

'Course, if you're really good at AI modding, you would then edit these default AI files, in an attempt to get the AI to behave exactly the way you wanted it to.

The ultimate goal is to have the ministers do the sorts of things you would do.

It's a pretty daunting task.

Re: HELP !
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Identify what race produces these Messages. It is obvious one or more of your 109 shipsets have pre-Gold AI. You don't need any extra "default gold AI". Use any of stock or latest TDM races.

But first find the culprit. What race was the Last you installed before the problem appear ? Try to move race folders from pictures/races folder and see if it helps to locate the problem race.

When SE tries to add random race, it goes through AI_settings files of ALL races (I think). If you have just one pre-Gold AI, you will get this problem.

[ August 18, 2003, 16:21: Message edited by: oleg ]

Re: HELP !
 

Hi Oleg. I think I must have picked up on your thoughts up there in manchester all the way down here in Plymouth.... As Ive just checked in and read your post, and Im already currently going through exactly what youve just suggested!
I took out ALL my race folders and dumped them on the desktop.
Then put back 17 (?) of the defaults.
NO PROBS.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

So...
Im now adding each race and testing the game. Very time consuming.
Ive already found a problem with the "Spacesharks".
What I'll do is compile my findings and let you all know (if you all wish to know that is!)

I'll post an update to this asap.

Thanks guys....

Re: HELP !
 

Cheers http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Strange that you have problems with Spacesharks.
AFAIK, all Trooper' races have SEIV-Gold AI !

Re: HELP !
 

Tested 60 races so far.
My head hurts, and one eyes gone blurry....
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: HELP !
 

FIXED IT !! (I think...)

In had a small handful of specific races that were not gold ai, and as the game scans ALL race folders and ai files before loading, it was giving errors. Ive removed them, and it all works.

Thanks for all the help guys....

BoneFish...