Combining Mods
 

Hello to all!

This is, probably, a question for some of the SE4 Gurus around here:

Fact: I made a "Custom Mod" with a lot of ideas taken form other mods as well as some (I think) of my own...

Fact: It was base in Proportions v2.X (a mod I like a lot because it makes homeworlds very powerful in relation to newly colonized worlds).

Fact (unfortunate): The Ai sometime in the long process of modding stopped acting in a challenging way...

I have a new idea, but I need some advice:

I would like to start over, using a mod with a challenging AI (I think I should use TDM or AIM) but I would like to use the facilities as they are used in Proportions (specially the homeworlds full of cultural centers). Can the mod I choose + proportions be merged?

After that,I would like to add an Human Player Racial trait in order to add all my modifications, without touching the part of the data files used by AI. Is all this possible??

I would like to hear some advice! Thanks!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Combining Mods
 

AI Campaign is the answer. Proportions based, though with some key differences, with highly optimized AI.

Combining Mods
 

Thanks! This means a lot of work is already done!
Does it include the FQM Dlx Mod?

Re: Combining Mods
 

OMG.... you're from argentina.... we are two now!!!

Re: Combining Mods
 

Yeppers, well, not quite sure if it is the original Deluxe, but there are a lot of FQM quadrants implemented. I have yet to find another mod with that many quadrant types to select from BTW.

Re: Combining Mods
 

...I thought you were from the delta quandrant.

THE BORG HAVE LANDED!!!

Combining Mods
 

Yes, 100% from Argentina. Happy to see we are well represented in the SE4 Universe... But we must all consider ourselves as only one "species" that is the Space Empires Fan Species...

Thanks to all of you folks for your assistance!
And here is the last before I start playing & modding...

Is it necessary to upgrade with the latest Deluxe patch? Or not? Or is it the same? Anyone knows?

Re: Combining Mods
 

There are a couple of bug fixes with the Deluxe patch, plus a new music system that lets you use .mp3s etc. Other than that it's the same as 1.91 Gold.

Re: Combining Mods
 

Oh yes we have landed, and we are closing on your position Narf, prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

Re: Combining Mods
 

'Oh no! What shall I ever do? Shall I push this button? Yes, I think I shall.'

/me pushes the shiney red button.

'Thank you for pushing the shiney red Borg Elimination Button. Our quantum attack picoprobes have been dispatched. Please wait 5...4...3...2...1. Borg eliminated. Have a nice day. Shiney red button will no longer work.'

/me gets to work on a re-fill.

And that's the big, single defence that didn't get identified in the Murphy's Law specs.

Re: Combining Mods
 

bah, that was only the first wave, we now put a giant cheese outside and we await to Narf to come out.... muahahahaha

Re: Combining Mods
 

/me stands on one leg, hops, and pushes the fire button.

Nothing happens for 3.4 seconds, after which a single 'Blast-Hand' fires.

Oh well. The moon can be put back together. Eventually.

Re: Combining Mods
 

Ok, ok, i give up.... cant beat narf afterall he's a cartoon cant kill him, assimilate or anything. maybe i can burn him.... mmmm....

Re: Combining Mods
 

Not flamable. Nope. Never. Uh-uh.

Re: Combining Mods
 

/me glowers at Narf

See? He cannot do *anything* against that. Should he do something... well, he's bound to run into trouble.

Re: Combining Mods
 

...Obviously you missed my subtle wit. Narf is made out of *Paper*.

Re: Combining Mods
 

/me fires a flame thrower at Narf

Re: Combining Mods
 

*SJ ducks as the flamethrower zooms through the air just past his head.

Yeesh. People will put anything in a gun or cannon these days.

Re: Combining Mods
 

/me catches the flamethrower and dumps it in a convenient vat of lava.

Re: Combining Mods
 

/me tie Narf to the flamethrower

Re: Combining Mods
 

<font color="purple"> *Turin glances over at Fyron and they roll their eyes simultaneously </font> whilst muttering something about the futility of post-counts.

Re: Combining Mods
 

/me burns to ash.

/me floats around.

Combining Mods
 

By the way... Anyone knows if there is a newer version of AIC mod than the v4.191a that I have? If the answer is positive, where can it be obtained?

Re: Combining Mods
 

You've already got the last release, but in general you can stop by http://www.spaceempires.net and check the downloads section. Fyron tends to have most mods available for download there.

Combining Mods
 

Thanks Capt Kwok, I will do so...

Another question: Is there a size limit for the data files?

In the case of CompEnhancement.txt, I reached a very definite limit, when I added one more mount data, it was not read by the program. It was simply like it was not there... I checked and it was not the known "double blank line" problem...
Maybe is it a mount quantity limit or a file size problem?
I expanded this file to 208 Kb aprox. On the other hand, my Components.txt file exceeded 2 Mb without a problem.
Some knowledge anyone?

Re: Combining Mods
 

Components.txt is known to not take more than 64k components (65536). But that will run you over 50 megs worth.

You should definitely avoid too many mounts just for playability reasons. Too many means its really hard so sort through them when designing a ship.

Re: Combining Mods
 

You can only have 255 mounts. From my experience, the extra mounts are actually read, and offset what is displayed in mount information and which mount is actually applied. Its like part of the code keeps reading the new mounts, but resets back to the first one for where it writes information in memory... most peculiar. But yeah, don't use more than 255 mounts.

Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

Hi again!

Now is for some Fighter propulsion tech questions:

I would like to mod fighters with tactical combat movement only. My idea is that fighters can go from earth to moon, but if you want to send them from earth to a base in one of Jupiter's moons, you have to use a Carrier or a Transport to take them where you need them. So it comes...

Is there a way to limit fighters to combat movement only, but still use a QNP system for them. I saw the Data files from AI Camp Mod (where it is said that fighters lack "strategic" mobility) and the fighter engines comps have the "generate standard ship movement" ability but they seem to be very low values. Is there a way?

In case I am stuck with using the "combat movement point" ability only (which are absolute values and don`t combine with the "Engines per move" value) I have a question:

The comps with "combat movement point" ability dont add they values as long as they are from the same comp family?
Do two comps from different families add those values (example: An engine combined with an afterburner comp). I was a long time out of SE4 universe and my knowledge is a bit rusty.

In case it is not possible to use tactical movement fighter with QNP system I think it is still posible to simulate a similar sistem using various engines sizes combined with specific mounts for each fighter hull size. Another question is: This (I think), will render every fighter a single engine one. That would be no problem as a two engined fighter is no more "survivable" as a sigle engined one, because if I remember correctly, fighters are totally destroyed in combat when hit, and not partially damaged in part of its components. Is this true or am I wrong?


I would really appreciate some help here!

Re: Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

"The comps with "combat movement point" ability dont add they values as long as they are from the same comp family?"

Only the best is used.

"Do two comps from different families add those values (example: An engine combined with an afterburner comp). I was a long time out of SE4 universe and my knowledge is a bit rusty."

No. Only the best is used, irregardless of family numbers. You'll have to use different sized/ability components. Since they do not stack, there is no reason to use mounts. It will only increase design time. Just make sure that the components are clearly labeled as "only best is used, no stacking."

"fighters are totally destroyed in combat when hit, and not partially damaged in part of its components."

I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but... Fighters do take partial damage, and are not destroyed in a single hit. There is no damage to components for any type of units, just an overall hit point amount, and a shield point amount.

Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

So, this confirms that it is not posiible to use QNP engines components for fighters and besides restrict them to tactical movement only? In others words, if a unit has a comp with the ability "generate standard movement points" it WILL move in the "strategic" (star system) space, there is no way to prevent this?

Re: Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

You can not get combat movement without strategic movement from the "ship standard movement" ability. The only way to get this is "bonus combat movement."

Re: Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

Indeed.
See Carrier Battles mod for some nice stuff.

Using the afterburner ability in varing amounts, and scaling the engine size as appropriate works great.
You pick the tiny speed-2 engine, or the big beefy speed 5 engine, or whatever in between you want. One per ship.

Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

I am going to read the data files from CB Mod for sure, there are a lot of interesting things in it. I know it because I was reading the "Training Courses" on Fighter Design an so on in some (forgotten location) web page...

I downloaded the mod also, but I noticed there were two files, one for SE4 Gold and the other for SE4 Deluxe, with different version numbers. What are the main difference between them?

Back to the fighter engine system: The system I "designed" uses mounts because as engines generate an Absolute mov point quantity regardless of the size of fighter they are installed, they can be scaled using mounts to sizes in relation to the fighter size. In example: If an engine comp generates 4 combat mov points and takes 2 kt of space in a 20 kt fighter, I would like to see that the same engine will yield the same 4 mov point in a 40 kt fighter but taking 4 kt space.

This one takes me to the following: is it necessary to give "tactical" fighter engine comps the ability of "standard move point" in order to be recognized by the program as "engines"? Is it safe to put the value of this ability to 0 or with a low value (1 for example) the fighters will not be able to make "strategic" movement?

The other one is about the mount effect on values:
If I have a comp with tonnage = 75 and use a mount on it with a modifier of Tonnage = 10% how the program will calculate the final tonnage number? Will it be rounded up (7.5 = 8 Kt) or down (7.5 = 7 Kt)? And what about if the mount is 8% of 80 Kt = 6.4 is it equal to 6 or 7 (rounds up or down?). Thanks!

Re: Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

I believe it will round down.

What are you trying to accomplish with the engine-ness of it?
The combat move ability dosen't stack, so adding extra engines won't help, and you can put one-per-ship in the restrictions.

I suppose if you were to give it standard move, you could more easily limit it to one engine even across separate families using the vehiclesizes limits.
If the engines per move of the fighter hull is &gt;=2 and you're limited to 1 engine point on the fighter, then it won't get any strategic movement points.

Hmm... I should use that for CB.

Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

"Au Contraire"...

I want to give the "tactical move only" engines its "engine status" for the program to recognize them as such, in case I mod some engine seeking weapons (like IR guided missiles). So, they HAVE to be treated as engines by the program regardless they cannot generate strategic movement.
The "one per vehicle" limit will be modded into it, of course...
Good tip about the "engines per move value" I will use it!

Any info about the purpose of the two versions of the CB Mod files?

Re: Combining Mods
 

I believe the different versions are because of an undocumented fix in Deluxe for anti-missile missiles. IIRC, Gold crashes when processing combat with seekers targetting seekers, but Deluxe handles it just fine. Both versions of the data files have the anti-missile missiles in them, but they're not researchable in the Gold version.

Re: Combining Mods: Fighter Propulsion Questions
 

But fighters do not take partial damage, so only-X weapons simply don't make sense against them.

Re: Combining Mods
 

That's it in a nutshell.
It only crashes gold if you try to make it generate combat replays in which missiles attack other anti-missile missiles to be specific. If you don't generate the replay, or if only one side has AMMs, it processes ok.

Starting Game Help!
 

I finally set everything up for a new SE4 season!

a)I made a fresh install of SE4 Gold v1.6
b)I decompressed the AIC Mod files in SE4 directory
c)Deompressed the SE4 Mod launcher v2.26
c)Applied v1.94 Deluxe Patch

Started an AIC game and when I fibished my first turn, clickin on the "end Turn" button a small error window (the one with the white cross inside a red circle) appaered reading only "invalid filename" and then the game froze, no button will cause any effect, and it did not processed the computer players turn either...

I checked using no mod... i.e. Space Empires unmodded game with same results...

Anyone saw something similar, any clue about what`s wrong?

Thanks!

Re: Starting Game Help!
 

Are any of your directories/files read only?
Its a common situation when copying archived stuff off a CD.

An "attrib -r *.* /s" in DOS mode can fix that quick

Starting Game Help!
 

Unfortunately, that was not the solution to the problem...

Re: Starting Game Help!
 

Can you list the items in your se4 directory?

PS: Isn't the CD version 1.5 rather than 1.6?

PPS: This probably should have been posted in a new topic.

Re: Combining Mods
 

douglas said:
I believe the different versions are because of an undocumented fix in Deluxe for anti-missile missiles.

It is documented in 1.92, albiet indirectly. I believe that both of the 1.92 fixes were different aspects of the anti-seeker seeker bug, but don't remember clearly anymore.

Suicide Junkie said:
But fighters do not take partial damage, so only-X weapons simply don't make sense against them.

To make this a bit clearer: Fighters do take partial damage, allowing it to build up until enough is done to destroy it. You don't have to destroy them completely in one shot. They do not take component damage, however. They are fully functional until the point of complete destruction is reached. Only-X weapons do not make sense because of the lack of component damage.

Re: Combining Mods
 

I have an improved version AIC 4.191, with many changes from 4.191a in almost all catagories; however, due to a recent heart attack it has been on hold.

Perhaps now that I have regained my youthful health - it is time to finish v4.194 delux. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Combining Mods
 

That would be very good, indeed... I will wait for news...
But take care of yourself!!

Re: Combining Mods
 

Yeah. A heart attack is nothing to mess with. (From what I've heard.)