Modding settings.txt OK for stock PBW games?
 

Does anyone know of a way to take two maps and combine them? From what I can tell, it doesn't look possible at all, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask...

Thanks,

Alarik

EDIT: clarification: I want to end up with one map made from the other two. Don't ask why...

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Nope.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Sure, it's no problem at all. Open one map and look at where all the systems, planets and warp points are. THen open teh second map and create systems, planets, and warp points in all the same places.

Of course it will take you six months, and the utter repetitios monotony will drive you completely bat-stuff insane. But it's certainly possible to do, and isn't even that difficult. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

I have a few more questions for all youse mpa editing vets out there:

If I place a nebula, and I place planets, asteroids, etc in it, will they ever become visible to the players? AS I understand it, they would become visible when the players have a sensor that can get through Level 3 claoking - so at that point they will detect the planets in the nebula and then be able to colonize them?

And, in the same vein, to make those planets invisible do I set the "Mask Background Objs flag" on, or off? If I set it on, they will be hidden, if I set it off, the planets will be both visible AND colonizable?

Thanks!

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Planets will remain invisible in the nebula until the player has a sensor strong enough to beat the nebula's cloaking effect.

Not nessesarily level 3; anywhere from 1 to 5 for stock nebulae.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

The "mask background objects" setting doesn't make invisible objects visible. They are either visible or invisible depending only on game factors like the obscuration of the nebulae and the players sensor level. What the mask background objects does is when they do become visible due to sensors they will have a funky square around them if they are in a nebulae unless you turn that on.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Ok, next set of questions:

If I make a PBW game, can I modify the everything in the "settings.txt" file and the players won't have to worry about having the same modifications? ie: can I tell the players it is a stock game, but when I begin the game can I use custom settings.txt data and it won't be a problem? I guess I'm asking if the settings.txt data is only used a startup or map generation...

And how about all the other map type data? For example, can I mod secttype.txt, quadtypes.txt, when I create the GAM and not have the players worry about it? Ie: still be a stock game?

thnaks,

Alarik

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

You can't change everything in the settings.txt file, but you can change some things. I don't have a complete list, maybe someone else has compiled one, or you can use trial and error. Stuff like planetary resource values and default number of ships and units won't cause a problem for players using the stock settings.txt file. Things like population modifiers and number of mines per sector definetly will.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

If a player turns on "Show Planet Names", the hidden planets' names will reveal their positions. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Are you sure? I'm in the Star Trek pbw game (quadrant of conflict) with a custom map which includes some hidden planets - in nebulas or storms. And I havent seen any planets or their names before I've developed necessary sensors. I had "show planet names" on.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Pretty sure that this was fixed in one of the later Gold patches.

Yes. Masking refers to transparency masking, not making images invisible.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

This doesn't look good... I was making a list of which settings are safe to change and which are not, but ran into some bizarre problems. I created a multiplayer game in stock SE4 and a test mod where I planned to change various settings to see what causes incompability and what does not do so. No matter what I changed in the test mod, I could always load the savegame. Planet Value settings, Pop Modifier settings, Characteristic Cost settings, etc. I even processed some turns with the stock game data files and could still load the turn in my test mod. When I loaded the savegame in the test mod, the data from Settings.txt was read and used. So, my planet would have 10 times the production it should. When I processed the turn with the stock data files, the resources actually generated were what they should have been, not reflecting the increased value in the test mod.

SE4 does not seem to check anything in Settings.txt when loading the savegame. Can someone please confirm this?

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

You're right. It doesn't check for changes in settings.txt file. I changed Mood Jubilant Modifier in adamant mod for the sake of visual obviousness, loaded a pbw game and now my jubiliant planets have +900% production.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

I don't think there are many cheaters out there at all... It is not that bad anyways. The settings data used for the actual game values is from the host mod's data files, not whatever a player would do to their own copy. Unless the host is processing the turn manually (which you can see from the news logs, as there is a different message when the host uploads a turn as opposed to PBW doing it automatically), there is nothing to worry about. A mod with wacky settings would have to be installed on PBW, and the PBW admins are quite willing to hunt down cheaters and such...

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Yeah, this is a head scratcher. I thought for sure that the game checked for some of these changes. Apparenlty not. But this can't be used to cheat in any way that I can see. I've confirmed what Fyron saw that the settings file used by the host is what controls the actual game results. Could make for some confusing situations though, if the player expects a construction queue to be done at one point and it actually takes till this other time to finish. I don't understand how this happened. I was quite sure it gave you an error. I'm going to have to dig out my old Versions and see if this is something introduced to 1.91 or something.

Geoschmo

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Is is so for *all* lines? I guess so, since the game probably either fully checks a file, or does not check it at all (I will check that out of idle curiosity)

I am thinking of one specific line which would give a major edge to the player, but I hope the game makes sure this one cannot be changed.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

The host data files are what are used for the actual game data, so it doesn't matter what a player changes. Well, other than characteristic costs, but the host can not load an empire file created with bogus characteristic values anyways, due to point costs and limits.

Re: possible to combine two maps using map editor?
 

Map editing = time consuming, mind boggelling boring work of epic proportions. We need a better map making system for sure. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif