Q&A Session with Aaron Hall. (Offline Edition)
 

Hello, People

FYI Aaron Hall will be visiting the #se4 Channel over at irc.us.gamesurge.net on Friday the 13th of August for two chat sessions. (to accomidate both the north american and european fans.)

The scheduled times are 11am to 11:30am PST and
6pm to 7pm PST.

I hope to see you all there, spread the news please.

NOTE: If you won't be able to make it, you can post your questions here and I will compile and forward them all to Aaron. He will then do his best to answer as many as possible. The final Q&A from the questions posted here will then be posted for all to see, and transcripts of the chat sessions will also be made available.

..let the countdown begin..

Cheers! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I'll release the companion before so that anyone who are like me IRC incomptent can access the chat.
Everything is predefined so it should be just to press ok a few times and start chatting.

I'll be there!

[ August 04, 2004, 20:25: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Sweet! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
Someone sticky this! (sorry Fyron http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif )

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Damn so much going on that weekend. Thanks david for posting this.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

For connection information, visit the official #se4 Web Site.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

take the tourney off sticky and add this...

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Question: Hotkeys? Please?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I don't think I can make it, but I've got a few questions:

1) What will be the maximum number of ships per empire? Will we still be able to create 400 ship fleets? [edit: answered]

2) Will ships be movable in 3 dimensions, or only two like in Starfury? [edit: answered]

3) Can we expect any new stellar manipulations? (planet moving, galaxy destroying doomsday device, more terraforming options - change ice worlds into rock, change planet size, etc.)

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

- any more controll of a ships position in formation? i.e. which ship is read as 1, 2, 3, etc.

- any non-wormhole movement between systems? built-in jump or warp drives? ability to plot a vector across the strategic map?

- any chance to move away from pre-defined hull types (see the suggestions thread)? where ship construction tech improves the mass:cost ratio, and there is a constant mass:propulsion formula, with better propulsion systems providing more thrust to move the larger mass...

- any details on the planned diplomacy model?

- if Aaron ever has a free minute to spend with the fans, I'm in the city and will buy him a pint of his choice some night.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I have a question, but Atrocities says I should not ask it, so I won't. Since this is his computer I will wait until FRIDAY THE 13th to ask it.

Oh the hell with it, he can shoot me later.

Can I have a FREE copy of the game? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Seriously, what can we except in the way of marketing, design, game play, system requirements, etc.

Will the game have the same look and feel as SEIV, or will it be as differant from SEIV as SEIV was from SEIII? (A Duh question, but I am just curious.)

[ August 05, 2004, 07:42: Message edited by: CNCRaymond ]

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I can't login!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

Okay, I've registered myself at GamesNET, but now I can't do anything. Please help me.
I followed the guide on spaceempires.net.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I use trillian. Can't help you, although it would be nice having someone to talk to.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I'll search for Trillian. Might be useful.
I won't be able to DL it untill tonight. Thanks for the suggestion. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">#se4 is on Gamesurge now... I don't think Gamesnet even exists anymore http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

If you're using Trillian, once you're connected you should be able to right-click the grey circle which stands for IRC and hit "Join Channel", then type in #se4 and you will be in the channel.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Ugh... I could have sworn I had already updated the site to reflect the server network change... it should be Gamesurge, not Gamesnet. The site has been updated. Sorry for the confusion.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

My humble questions:
1. What kind of AI for SE5 is expected? a) same as in SE4 but adopted; b) entirely new with great improvements; c) other?

2. Some more details about scripting language, pretty please?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Great to have Aaron on, don't know if i'll make it live, so if you could ask him the following

In regards to music, could there be music from more then l theme? The music could change when change happens in the game?

Also if the AI will at least build Baseships or its equivilant in the game along with defending wormholes

Tks David

[ August 06, 2004, 02:19: Message edited by: mac5732 ]

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I plan to be at both.

An "export to video" button would be very nice for the combat replay, and main screen even http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ahem!, SJ, that's not a question, that's a request. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif Please rephrase if you hope to get an answer. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Unfortuantly i will be out at said time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif But could someone ask for me will SEV be using Music from the CD Itself or will it do what starfury does and have the Music mp3 files installed on the computer itself?

The main reason is I hate having to burn new music cd's to listen to music ingame (i could use windowes media player or winamp but it gets annoying). The other reason is i want to have combat in game with the music from B5 at the battle of the line playing http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Do you really mean PST? That's GMT-8, but we're on Daylight Savings Time, or PDT, which is GMT-7 now, so that might be a bit confusing for people in the US... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

11:00am to 11:30am PST (Pacific Standard Time) California time (Aaron's time) GMT -12:00
2:00pm to 2:30pm EST (Eastern Standard Time)Montreal, NY Time (My time) GMT -8:00

and..

6:00pm to 7:00pm PST (Pacific Standard Time) California time (Aaron's time) GMT -12:00
9:00pm to 10:00pm EST (Eastern Standard Time)Montreal, NY Time (My time) GMT -8:00

I hope this helps clear the time zones thing.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Montreal and New York uses Eastern Standard Time. Halifax, New Brunswick, and possibly Maine uses Atlantic Standard Time.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Ahem, thanks to the "Edit" function, I can honestly say that you have miss-quoted me my friend. :P LOL

Your turn to edit your post. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Muahahahahahaha Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Hmmm trying to get the wording right,

Will there be some kind of galatic council thing ??

Will there be the ability to send Messages to all players/ all partners/ all enemeys

Will there be different ways to view the maps. (Such as sphere of influence )

Will I get my sortable reports with the ability to filter the results/querry http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif

Will there be a dipolmatic history report ?

hmm... cool idea... sorry for dropping it here... A automated momument creater... ( Say a big battle between two empires ) that square in space or the nearest planet gets a little momunment marking the occasion. Who thought who and what the losses where... Just pure RP.

Now to word that into a question. Add Will there be to be beggining of it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Well thats all for me

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Could you ask him this, specifically, please.

"Is iy going to be possible to play the game without the mouse, or with only limited mouse usage? Can we navigate the lists and bring up windows with just the keyboard?"

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

No mouse? Careful, you might get Narf mad! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I have been periodically spamming MM in email with my suggestions, and one of my Posts was about 'In-game Communication' with most of these diplomatic ideas included in the list. He says that he plans to do something like this, but it's not actually implemented yet. So, requests for details are no use. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif But at least he sees the need for better communication between multiple players.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

oh yea one more

what options will be available for game setup

(ie. will their be the abliity to turn off and on options such as no tech trade, no analyzse ships, no ship trades.... cannot use colony tech from other empires... detail of Fog of war ... etc... Also will we be able to set what techs are available in a game and their cost ? without creating a mod each time we want to adjust something )

What scale will SEV be in comparisions to the other Versions of the game.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

hehe one more.

In the previous games of SE the weapons and combat have favoured beam weapons over missles and units. Will the SEV series continue with this or have you created more balance in the different styles and weapons that ships and fleets can use in combat. If so can you briefly explain the concepts of combat balance for sev.

Will mines be more usefull in SEV and if so how?


What game or style of game would you love to create?

And Last

Over the years I am sure you have had your share of crazy emails from distraut fans do any humours ones stand out that you would like to share with us ?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Okay, so if I understand this right, I must login at:
- 24:00 to 24:30
or
- 7:00 to 7:30

I live here in London time +1.
Correct?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Erh, I don't have my table ready, but wouldn't EST be at around -6 and Pacific Time at -8 (possibly -9)? -12 would be at the other side of the globe, which would be New Zealand.

If I am right, it would make for about 8 pm/9 pm in Europe for the first time, and in the small hours of the night for the second time (4 or 5 in the morning). Did I get the maths right? *Curses time zones*

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Ok, a nifty little chart to help people with their login times..

Global Time Chart

I hope this helps, Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

You could always log into the channel today (or tomorrow, or some day before friday) and ask someone to tell you their timezone and local time. Most effective would be someone in the PST time zone, as that is where Aaron is located. There are a number of channel regulars in the PST time zone, including Tevlik, Puke, Will^, Narf, myself, and others. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Daylight savings screws with timezone calculations pretty badly... Not every place in every time zone does Daylight savings, and most places start and end it at different times (different days of the year). Arizona, USA, for example, does not do daylight savings at all.

Of course, to be safe on Friday, log in an hour early. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

hehe... one more

Will you have the option to retreat from combat if the situations are just right to get away ?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

and one more.

Will you be able to cloak in combat and have the abilty to decloak , fire and recloak....

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

You could post a countdown timer on your website giving the exact time till the chat starts. Many people are probably anxious enough to keep checking it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Hmm... want to make such a timer? I don't know how to do it... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Edit: Ok, I think I found someone to make one... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Okay, I think I've found it!
Damn, I'll have to go out of my bed early! [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]
Fortunately it is for a good cause. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif
HTe thing that really confused me is that freaking annoying 12 hour PM and Am stuff. That is really man's most stupid way of indicating time!
Anyway, these are the times that I will be able to talk with you guys and with Aaron:
- 2:00 to 2:30 (yes, at night)

and

- 9:00 to 9:30 (in the morning)

I live in the Paris timezone.
Can somebody confirm this?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Dont get me wrong please, but why cant people specify times in GMT, especially for events that are supposed to be international.

GMT is universal (actually, it equals UTC), independent from Daylight saving and other confusing elements, and as every other timezone is specified as GMT+x, its logical to use GTM when specifying times.

A little help with time zones:
http://www.timeanddate.com/library/a...ons/timezones/

Based on that,
11AM PST (or 11:00 PST) is 19:00GMT (PST = GMT-8)
2PM EST (or 14:00 EST) is (suprisingly) 19:00GMT as well (EST = GMT-5)

6PM PST (or 18:00 PST) is 02:00GMT
same goes for 9PM EST

So the chat will be
19:00GMT - 19:30GMT (friday)
and
02:00GMT - 03:00GMT (saturday)

Because of Daylight saving, most of europe will have to add 1 or 2 hours to that, based on your timezone.

We use WEST (Western European Summer Time), which is GMT+1
and CEST (Central European Summer Time), which is GMT+2
or even EEST (Eastern European Summer Time), which is GMT+3

As Far i know, WEST is only used by Spain and Portugal, and maybe Parts of France
CEST is used by most of Europe, even in Hungary, which is quite far to the east side.

Then again, i do not have the map ahead of me, so i may be wrong. In that case, feel free to correct me.

Hope it helps
csebal

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I take it that my calculations/guesses were correct. Expect me to see/speak you guys in the second chat. The first is far too early for me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Nope, actually u were wrong.

The first chat is supposed to happen from 19:00-19:30 GMT (friday evening),
while the second one wille be from 02:00-03:00 GMT (saturday morning)

...that can vary depending on the timezone you live in.
Western European Standard Time (WET) adds nothing
Western European Summer Time (WEST) adds 1 hour
Central European Standard Time (CET) adds 1 hour
Central European Summer Time (CEST) adds 2 hours
etc...

So for the Paris timezone i think it'll be 21:00-21:30 (friday night) and 04:00-05:00 (saturday morning). Given Paris is CEST as well, which i think it is.

For my country, Hungary, it is the CEST that we use at the moment, so for me, the above schedule is correct. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

-- Is there anyone else, who could confirm what i wrote? I'm starting to get confused myself as well. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

As of right now, 11:00 PST is actually 18:00 GMT, as GMT does not adjust for daylight savings time...

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Yay, another Version...

lol..

I think you are referring to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), which is one hour earlier than Pacific Standard Time (PST)

As of right now, 11:00PST is actually 19:00 GMT, as GMT does not adjust for daylight savings time, neither does PST. The Daylight saving Version is called PDT and is GMT-7 instead of GMT-8 (which would be PST)

So Please someone tell us when that chat is supposed to happen.

at 11:00 PST or at 11:00 PDT?!?

I think we've got some nice timezone confusion for ourselves here.

The 64k $ question:
- Which one is the right answer?

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Time travel is extraordinarily complicated.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Wildcard

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

This post is a time check based on the date time posted by the forum for this message.. will edit the projections once this is posted. brb..

This post was made at 2:00pm my time which is the time Aaron will join the chat on friday for the first session. and 7 hours later for the second session. I'll let you all do the math.

P.S. I'm going to try and lurk in the chat room as much as possible today. If you want to syncronize your time, just drop in and I'll do my best to set you straight. (you tell me your time, I'll tell you maine and I'll do the math for you)

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

I were just thinking about what people living in the GMT+12 timezone do, when they work in GMT-12 (the two are next to eachother as we all know)

So practically i wake up 5:00am Tuesday and (two hours later) arrive to work at 7:00am Monday.

The opposite way is even more scary, because i'll have to wake up 4:00am Sunday (GMT-12) to be at work by 6:00am Monday (GMT+12).

Well, thats horrible to even think about.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Its 18:00 GMT now, so if you made that post 14:00 local time, you are GMT-4...
...which is either
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
or
Atlantic Standard Time (AST)

based on that the revised GMT schedule would look like:
18.00-18.30 GMT (friday)
and
01.00-02.00 GMT (saturday)

i think...

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

A link for GMT. That should explain all.

Re: Q&A Chat session with Aaron Hall. (On #se4)
 

Some more technical questions:

1) SEIV, DO, and SE:SF all had basic vanilla text files for configuration and mods. Will this stay the same for SEV? I am a little bit split as to what kind of config/mod format I would like to see: stick with text, only a bit more error tolerant? or have a front-end client to modify a more compact data file? Sticking with the text files allows much more freedom, while the client would ensure complete reliability.

2) Will the game files be similar in structre and importance as with SEIV? More specifically, *.GAM and *.PLR files will still exist and perform the same uses as before, and all other game files are of minor to no importance, correct?

3) It would be nice to have a bit of randomness show up in the game, like a mineral miner advertising that it produces 500 minerals sans-modifiers, but it could actually produce anywhere from 450 to 525. I would imagine something like this will exist with the combat engine, but what about the rest of the game?

I'll probably think of more later http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif