SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

Thankyou. Responses are appreciated.

...more comments to come at a later date...
More problems and questions from others are welcome .

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Using SEIV unmodded version 1.95.

1. I made a defense ship with one movement point and called it a Guardian. So far, these are the only ships that I don't get the "Sentry" option for; or "Repeat Orders" option. Why? This is distressing...

2. I know the advice is not to use "Distribute Points Evenly" for research. Well in other games and in SE5 there are percentage sliders/swithces. Will we want one always at 100%? Anyway, in one situation with SE4 I tried "distribute points evenly" and observed how the times for the projects would play out. Each time I end turn the option is switched off again. "Distribute Points Evenly" is not working. Why?

3. Why can I put Troops and Population in a Satellite Layer? It only has Satellite Bays and not Cargo Bays. There are some other similiar annomilies with Cargo that I'll have to try to recall.

4. I've been letting the ship design minister do it's thing so that I could get ideas with new technologies. This doesn't seem to be helpful. I design a single Transport and keep the Troop Transport(extra supply) and obsolete the Population and Cargo Transports. The AI insists on reversing this each turn.(I guess I'll disable him.) Is there a reason to have both a Population Transport and a Cargo Transport?

-Wade, 6-11-06

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

1. I don't know. Perhaps you need more than one movement.

2. Never has happened to me. Check to see if you have the Research Minister on. If you do, turn him off.

3. Because satellite base are cargo bays just with the ability to launch satellites. They have cargo ability thus population and other can be loaded on them.

4. This is why most skilled players do not let the Ministers design our ships. You can look at the races file in the design creation file and see the designs that they AI will use.

Hope it helps Wade.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

I think I can help with a couple of these items...

3) The game does not distinguish between cargo types in that way... a component that has the Cargo ability can store any kind of unit or population, up to its maximum capacity. The difference comes into play when deploying the units (i.e. a mine-laying component can hold any cargo, but can only launch mines). In a pinch, I've used out-of-service sat/mine-layers to drop troops and move population..it's all cargo to the game.

4) I personally don't trust the ministers to do things the way that I feel they should be done (then again, i'm the kind of ruler that wants to know exactly what all of my colonies are producing, and to direct the course of all of my fleets http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif). Occasionally I've tinkered with an AI's designs (to get a feel of how/why the designs were made), and I've noticed that the AI will overwrite whatever changes I might have made to their designs..even if mine might have been more efficient. From what I can tell (and I might be mistaken, there are quite a few people here who are much more knowledgeable about the AI's than I am), you'll either have to design all of your own ships or have to deal with whatever your minister cooks up..it'll tend to use its designs over what you might have made.

edit: pleh.. I took to long to write up my reply, and AT beat me to it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

1) The sentry order is not available because your ship has the low supply warning. That is one of the conditions which clears the sentry order, among others, such as enemy ships sighted.
1b) The repeat orders button is only available if the ship has orders in its list. Order the ship to do something first, then the order will become available.

2) Eh? I'm not quite sure what you mean, but might the research minister be turning it off for you?

3) Cargo is generic. You can put whatever you want in the hold. The satellite bays let you *launch* satellites, while fighter bays let you *launch* fighters. And so on.
Troops can be dropped in combat without need of a special component, and anything can transferred between the cargo of ships and planets at no cost.

4) The design minister dosen't like people poking their noses into his work. The minister clears out and redesigns things on a regular basis.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Thankyou everyone.

"You can look at the races file in the design creation file and see the designs that they AI will use."

I can't find this. Where after this?: C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Space Empires IV Deluxe

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

<SE4D root>\Pictures\Races\Race\Race_AI_DesignCreatio n.txt

that's the default directory.. it'll be in a different directory usually if you are using a mod.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

"<SE4D root>\Pictures\Races\Race\Race_AI_DesignCreatio n.txt"

OK. Thanks I found this. "\Race\" being a particular race.

So for my "Guardians" to have the sentry option I'll have to retrofit them with two or three or more engines to have more supplys. How does a short range, slow mover fare in combat? The Guardians will be mostly long range and missilles and carriers.

-Wade

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

IIRC, your combat move is half of your normal move (minimum 1, I would suppose). As for how a slow-moving ship would fare, it all depends on what ship designs your opponent is fielding. I personally use small, fast attack ships for planetary defense (with the added bonus that they are relatively quick to make), but ymmv...

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Slow missile carriers will probably be quickly closed in on and destroyed. In stock SE4 you generally want as many engines as the game will let you stick on there.

You could always stick supply bays on instead, though. That'd clear the low supply warning, and it'd give you more shots with your missiles.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

As Phoenix said, a slow misile ship is quite likely to be intercepted and destroyed quickly, so if you want to use it, add in some fast ships that close in on your opponent and engage him. That way your enemy will be too occupied to go after your missile ships. Set your missile ships to max range and your interceptors to short range.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

I prefer to use fast missile ships in the early game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif An Escort with max engines and a CSM I is worth its weight in minerals. I have had one single CSM I scout vessel take out over 600kT of enemy scout/combat vessels, 'cause they were armed with short-range DUC's..... I always set my missile scouts to a "Sniper" strategy; Maximum range/Don't get hurt. Works like a charm http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Alternatively, if your "Guardians" are meant for WP defence, give them really powerful short-range weaponry (i.e. Ripper Beams), lots of it. Multiplex Tracking is also handy, if you can spare the room; same goed for Combat Sensors. Don't bother with ECM; unless the enemy sends in an overwhelming force large enough for it to be reasonably battle-worthy after the first round, you won't be bothered with (much) return fire. With any luck, if the enemy fleet is small enough, you can cripple or completely destroy them in a single round.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

I have never understood the bias against "Divide Points Evenly". I find it very useful for socking away points toward a large project while still getting small projects fairly quickly. It takes a bit of micromanagement to avoid wasting points when a project is about to complete, but it's not much more work than I'd be doing anyway.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

With it off, you can just add a bunch of projects to the queue and not look at it again for several turns, confident that no research will be wasted. With it on, you have to do more juggling of projects to keep the points from being wasted. Of course, you have to go back to the queue anyways to repeat a tech area right away (assuming you have a spillover tech area after it so you don't lose points the turn you finish it, thus making "repeat projects" not viable for immediate continuation).

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

Divide points Evenly setting can burn you if fail to keep tabs on it. The points do not spill over so anything over what you need to finish a project is lost. No no divide otion spills points over, and you can always tack on a big ticket item on the end to catch the spill over, if you forget to check research status. though you can still waste alot of points, if asleep at the screen.
As for sliders in SE3 and SEV they both spill over, but with in the tech area beening researched (assuminf SEV works as SE3 in that reguard) it gives more control and you can set a side a small portion to big long term projects.
as for AI ministers, I don't use them.

gee i type to slow

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

OK.
1. How the heck do I retrofit obsolete units such as satellites, troops, etc.?

2. The empires communication\ propose trade\technologies area is obscure. The lists seem to show all possible areas but not what they don't have. Does this require intelligence projects? I notice though for choosing what I want from them there is a choice of "Any Tech Area". The rest of their list also is like my list...stuff I may already have. Am I missing some thing? Is there a better way. I'm thinking it's because of known intelligence. How can I propose a decent trade of technology?

-Wade

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

Divide points evenly is less efficient that concentrated research (ie one project at a time).

Suppose you are earning 50k points per turn. You have four projects, each requiring 100k points.

With divide points evenly, you spend 12500 points per project per turn. After eight turns all four projects will complete.

With concentrated research, you pour 100k into project 1, then 100k into project 2 and so on until after eight turns you have completed all four projects.

On the surface of it, the two methods appear to be equal: four projects complete after eight turns. However, if you look more closely, you'll see that after turn two, on divide points equally I have exactly zero projects complete. I have four partially complete projects, which are pretty much useless if I want to use that technology NOW. What's more, as long as those projects are incomplete they are vulnerable to intel attacks. Best to get them out of the labs and into production asap.

On concentrated research, however, one of my projects completes on turn two. I can be using that new technology while the other 3 projects are cooking. On turn four I get tech 2, on turn 6 I get tech 3.

For this reason it is far better to have divide points switched off.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

I understand this and tend to agree. What about having "divide points evenly" on to include several smaller projects and one large project to be working towards? This way you can be cooking the large project while finishing smaller projects. Someone stated this ealier.

For all equal techs I tend to agree with your annalysis.

Also, how about other games and SE5 where we can set percentages? Will we want to mostly have one project at 100%?

-Wade

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

"1. How the heck do I retrofit obsolete units such as satellites, troops, etc.?"

You can't upgrade units, only scrap/jettison them.

"2. The lists seem to show all possible areas but not what they don't have. Does this require intelligence projects?"

More or less. It would be very cheesy if you got buckets of free intel just by going into the trade screen. It's easier in a PBW game where you can actually talk to the other side. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

=0=

"What's more, as long as those projects are incomplete they are vulnerable to intel attacks. Best to get them out of the labs and into production asap."

What about after turn one, where you have 50k in one project? The divide evenly method would only have 12.5k lost in one project.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

1. Concerning the cycle *Fleets* swicth.
Pressing sentry for a Fleet sets the individual ships within it to sentry but the Fleet still cycles.

Is there a way to set Fleets to sentry so that they do not cycle?

I'm using version 1.95 (unmodded/stock). It seems that this should have been addressed officially by now; in one of the many upgrades.



2. Can "Robo Resource Collector" ships collect from an asteroid or planet in a system where I don't have a Space Port; or any colony at all for that matter? I'm assuming that they need a Space Port but wanted to ask for quikness.

-Wade

2. OK. I found someone's entry in the SEWiki. The answer is yes they can. They do not need a Space Port.

-Wade

3. I'v messed around with the settings in "My Home". How do I have the latest page show on a thread when I first enter it? Currently it always statrs on page 1.

4. What is the step\by\step process for placing an avatar picture. Can I use some thing from my 'Paint' program? I have a banner on Paint that I made.

-Wade

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Does Aaron Hall ever post here? If so, then what nickname does he use?

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

He posts ever once in awhile under the name Malfador Machinations.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

I use this method: I got "Latest posts first" setting on. That way, I always see the latest post(s) when I click the thread, or page 1.

Maximum size is 48x48 pixels, so if your banner isn't square it'll get deformed. Also, if it's detailed, it'll get mangled.

Step-by-step:
1. Make sure the pic is 48x48.
2. Go to the Personal settings in My Home.
3. Scroll down to the avatar panel.
4. Click "Browse" and select your avatar from your computer.
5. Make sure the radio button next to the "Upload from machine" text is selected. (I think this happens automatically.)
6. Click Submit.
7. You're done!

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

How come when I upload my avatar picture as a PNG image it sizes as really tiny? I instead used a JPEG image.

Don't PNG images have better color quality than JPEG images?

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Avatar images are sized to 48x48 here.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Yes, for that one turn (in this example) you risk losing more points. However, as time goes on, the partially-complette "divide equally" projects become more of a liability. Watch:

Turn 1:
Div- 4*12500
con- 1*50000
More to lose from Concentrated research

Turn 2:
Div- 4*25000
con- 1st project complete! No outstanding points.
More to lose from Divided research.

Turn 3:
Div- 4*37500
con- 1*50000
More to lose from Concentrated research

Turn 4:
Div- 4*50000
con- 2nd project complete! No outstanding points.
More to lose from Divided research.

Turn 5:
Div- 4*67500
Con- 1*50000
More to lose from Divided research.

Turn 6:
Div- 4*75000
con- 3rd project complete! No outstanding points.
More to lose from Divided research.

Turn 7:
Div- 4*87500
Con- 1*50000
More to lose from Divided research.

Turn 8:
Div- All projects complete
Con- All projects complete
nothing to lose

Of course, this is just the breakdown for my rather simplistic and symetrical example. You'd need some more hardcore number crunching to figure out how it balances for more complex scenarios. I guess if your enemy has broken down your intel defences and you're getting hit every turn then theoretically you'd be better off not keeping your eggs in one basket. By keeping a large amount of projects open on divided research you might just get a few of them through to maturity. But if you're letting enemy intel through every turn, I'd say you're pretty much screwed no matter what you do. (And your enemy would be far better hitting you with a combination of counter-counter-intel and economic sabotage/ crew insurrection/ PPP than measly research sabotage.)

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

"Avatar images are sized to 48x48 here. "

yes, I know. Both versions of my avatar are 48X48 but the PNG image appears in the avatar box as tiny in the upper left corner.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

With an image that small, you are unlikely to suffer from jpg artifacting. Play around with different quality settings, using the lowest you can without artifacting (for something loaded from the server so many times, it is polite to optimize file size).

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

one question , i have tried some modding ,but i have a doubt about the

"Damage Points To Kill One Population := 1500000"

as you can see i incresed the factor to hell http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif, but still the ppl dies , i mean with 4 frigates they die aroound 8-9 millions per pay, and there isnt difference with lower numbers, the variable works?? or im wrong -and how can i make it works-

thxs

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

There is a minimum 1M killed per shot, no matter how high the setting is.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Search
 

Nevermind been a while since I played SeIV: forgot you can que research..

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

dont know, but it seems that no matter how i change that variable there isnt any difference

anyway, then how can i reduce effectively the ppl casualities?, specially in early game i find somewhat unfair and weird that i can destroy complete colonies with only one escort, maybe with...

Planet Combat Defense Modifier := -200

btw what means "-200"?

regards

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

It means the planet has a -200 penalty to its combat defense amount.

The individual damage types override the value in settings.txt...

From a DamageType.txt entry:
Population Amount Killed Per Damage Point := 0.25

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

are you sure that there is an DamageType.txt in SE4, if thats true where is? i cant find it :p

about the planet combat defense amount, that is for all the planet and defense bases and stations, also for ground combat?, or is only to reduce the damage done to the planet -without counting anything else-?

im clueless i thought that with the setting variables i could reduce the ppl killed, after some test it seems that it dont work..

regards

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

SEIV doesn't have that file, no.

The -200 doesn't reduce damage, it *increases* the planet's chance to be hit.

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Sorry. Ignore my comment about damagetypes.txt - it was one of those SE:V vs SE:IV mixups. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

ok guys no problem, but you can tell me any way in which the population is effectively more tougther against ships attacks?, i have tested everything in settings txt -or i think that-, can someone tell me if "Damage Points To Kill One Population " actually works? or im doing something wrong?

regards

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Damage Points to Kill One Population works, but every hit will still get at least one kill.

So if you set it to 100..
A hit of 1 point will kill 1 population
A hit of 50 points will kill 1 population
A hit of 100 points will kill 1 population
A hit of 150 will kill 1 population
A hit of 200 will kill 2 population

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

ok , now is clear....but then the Planet Combat Defense Modifier should work (is seted to 1000), and it didnt, where is the logic in that?

also, can i design a weapon that can attack the weapon plataform , but not the planet itself?? -i was thinking in increase the Planet Combat Defense Modifier and to put a defense penalty to the weapon plataforms , but it seems that Planet Combat Defense Modifier dont work..

Re: SEIV: Problems and Questions: Not Found in Sea
 

Maybe try something less extreme, such as +200?

You can not make a weapon that damages only WPs, but not population.