Next big thing
 

Many things have been created for SE4: Mods, PBW, scenarios, maps, even PBEM and LAN helpers.

What problems are still unsolved?
What should the next advance be?

Write it, and they shall come...

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The latest info on Pirates & Nomads (forum thread).
-<Download V2.3b>- (Fixed rare RCE from AI; just extract to your SE4 folder)
--<Download my HomeComing scenario>- (For P&N v2.3b)
--<P&N V2 AI patch>- (V2 only, for the AIs included in ZIPs from v2.0 to v2.3, prevents rare RCEs)
-<Download P&N Classic>- (The final release of P&N v1.x, just extract to your SE4 folder)
-<Download compatible EMPs for P&N v1.2 through v1.7>-
-<Download SJs latest AI Patcher>-
-<Download my FTL propulsion map>- (ships can travel FTL StarTrek/B5/StarWars style)
-<Download my LAN helper>- (Auto-searches for new turns on a filesharing-enabled LAN)
Visit My Homepage

Other Links:
-<Play By Web>-
-<Schlock Mercenary>- (great space-based webcartoon) -<First Strip>-
-<8-bit Theater>- (fun comic with the pixellated FF1 characters)

<SE4Code>
MpN R*-A RM(L) RP+ TCP- Fq++ FR!++ P? A+/- Sf+ Nd- L $ M++++ Pw!+
</SE4Code>

Re: Next big thing
 

Tactical ground combat, maybe similiar to the old system used in SSI's Star General or at least along those lines.

just some ideas mac

Re: Next big thing
 

I think you guys have done pretty much everything you can aside from making hard code changes, and of course thats on MM to do.

Has anyone ever heard anything about an expansion pack?

Re: Next big thing
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Has anyone ever heard anything about an expansion pack?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

well, there the TDM-modpack for example, which you can dowload somewhere around here you'll also find many other expansion packs there, all free http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...s/rolleyes.gif



[This message has been edited by LemmyM (edited 17 September 2001).]

Re: Next big thing
 

thanks lemmy but i was thinking more like big features that needed hard coding something we'd pay for

i haven't posted in a while but i have been checking in from time to time so i have most of the latest stuff mod wise

Re: Next big thing
 

Is there anything on the order of :Mods, PBW, scenarios, maps, even PBEM and LAN helpers?
Auxiliary programs, moddable stuff, that sort of thing; not hardcode changes.

Re: Next big thing
 

well, im still trying to work up a viable option for a multiplayer scenario where different types of races have to rely on trade with each other (resource races and construction races, or planetbased races and spaceborne races). It was originally inspired by Kodos's corporations concept, and im going to try to support some of the basic functionality in the PCM mod, but there is alot still to be worked out.

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"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

Re: Next big thing
 

I suggested a SE4 spin off game (ie space invaders using images from the pictures/race directory=-) to kill time between turns but everyone hated the idea and it sank w/out a trace=-(

There's a thread about it somewhere but I'll be damnd if I can find it...

&lt;sulk&gt;

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SE4 Code:
L GdY $ Fr- C- Sd T!+ Sf-- Tcp-- A% M&gt;M+ MpD! RV Pw Fq+ Nd- Rp+ G-
/SE4 Code
Go to my meagre SEIV pages to generate your own code.

Re: Next big thing
 

i think there already is something for AI research, i think it was called a tech queue modder, it should be somewhere in the archive.

this weekend i made a tech-tree browser, maybe i'll expand it to a full tech mod tool, but i don't think i'll have the time to do it anytime soon.

Re: Next big thing
 

How about an update client gizmo that looks through your game directories & works out what Version of each mod / race you are using by looking at the readme files (or Matryx's modinfo file format, or a specially designed new file format).

It then goes Online (using the URLs listed in the readme / modinfo file) and checks to see if there are more up to date Versions available for download. A big "Automatically Download & Install" button would be handy at this point.

It would probably require that racemakers / modders put a special file in their zips which points to another special file on their website, which in turn details Version numbers and file locations for the update client program.

Or is this just sad?

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SE4 Code:
L GdY $ Fr- C- Sd T!+ Sf-- Tcp-- A% M&gt;M+ MpD! RV Pw Fq+ Nd- Rp+ G-
/SE4 Code
Go to my meagre SEIV pages to generate your own code.

[This message has been edited by dogscoff (edited 18 September 2001).]

Re: Next big thing
 

i like that idea dogscoff, but it will only work if you have the modmakers cooperation, and you need someone to make the program, but i don't think that will be a big problem.

Re: Next big thing
 

I think most (some?) modmakers now use Matryx's modinfo format in order to make full use of the mod picker.

I imagine the procedure for my suggestion would be something like:

-Launch program.
-Program searches through directories and finds (for example) Vikings directory.
-Program looks in Vikings directory for updateinfo.txt
-Program finds Vikings/updateinfo.txt and gets the following data:
Current Version: 0.92
URL: http://www.sandman43.fsnet.co.uk/fil...ate_viking.txt

-Program goes to specified URL and finds another text file. That text file gives the following information:
Latest Version: 0.93
File location: http://www.sandman43.fsnet.co.uk/files/viking0_93.zip
Size: 0.61meg

-Program has all the data it neds: Reports back to user.
"There is a more recent Version of the
Viking race style.
Current : 0.92
Latest : 0.93
Filesize : 0.61meg
Location : http://www.sandman43.fsnet.co.uk/files/viking0_93.zip

Do you want to update it now? [Yes] [No]"

- User clicks "yes", and the program downloads the file and unzips it to the correct location. Bosh, job done.

Obviously the program would search for more than one update at a time, and the interface would be a bit more sophisticated, but you get the idea.

The racemaker / modder would be responsible for putting an accurate updateinfo.txt
in their zip file, and for maintaining the update_XXXXXX.txt file on their website. Just a couple of text files.

It all sounds plausible to me (but then I'm not a programmer=-)

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SE4 Code:
L GdY $ Fr- C- Sd T!+ Sf-- Tcp-- A% M&gt;M+ MpD! RV Pw Fq+ Nd- Rp+ G-
/SE4 Code
Go to my meagre SEIV pages to generate your own code.

Re: Next big thing
 

Suggested non-critical features (Gimmicks) for update client:
- stored settings for each download, ie always update / never update this mod/ race.
- Ability to display a few images from the race styles (So you can see what you're updating.)
- Ability to update from local file locations (networks etc)
- support for "backup" URLs in the local txt file (in case the first one in the list is out of date/ unavailable.)
- Predefined list of popular SE4 URLs/ servers which may have updates for "unknown" downloads. (Shrapnel, USy, Kuat etc)
- Ability to locate ordinary readme files and display them to the user (so the user can try to find a URL in it)
- Ability to accept a URL directly from the user and reverse-engineer a local txt file
- If no local txt file is found, ability to locate and search through ordinary readme files for probable URLs.
- If no local txt file is found, ability to locate and search through modinfo files for probable URLs.
- Ability to search probable URLs for probable downloads.

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SE4 Code:
L GdY $ Fr- C- Sd T!+ Sf-- Tcp-- A% M&gt;M+ MpD! RV Pw Fq+ Nd- Rp+ G-
/SE4 Code
Go to my meagre SEIV pages to generate your own code.

Re: Next big thing
 

dogscoff,
really like your idea http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif.

This is not a big thing, but I just had this idea, when posting on another thread: It would be really handy, if you could run automatic turns without human players for a certain numbers of turns. Say run for 100 turns and make a seperate save every 10 turns. This would make AI testing a lot less time consuming http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif.

Rollo

Re: Next big thing
 

Yes it was me that made the mod launcher.
As for the component editor along the same lines that's been put on hold as I've been on holiday to visit my girlfriend and other important business.
Anyway... everything programming wise is also on hold for the next couple of weeks because I'm moving to a new flat http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Dogscoff : I like the idea. All I need to do now is to work out how to implement it.
it is certainly plausible... and definately doable...
and maybe while I'm at it I'll make a ModInfo editor so people don't make little mistakes that ruin everything.
now.. the second post you made has more complicated stuff.. but that all sounds doable as well (eventually).

------------------
The Unofficial Space Empires 4 Mod Utility V2.0
------------------
Download as a .ZIP &lt;HERE&gt;
Download as a .RAR &lt;HERE&gt;
Download as a .ACE &lt;HERE&gt;
Check a Screenshot of it&lt;HERE&gt;

Check an Alpha Shot of my Mod Editor (Unreleased) &lt;HERE&gt;

Re: Next big thing
 

Having to tediously modify AI files by hand is really... tedious. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif How about an AI file "compiler" that will take rules/settings and then re-write the AI files to suit those rules? This would save a lot of manual editing. For example, if I want to change the research behavior of an AI now, I have to edit the AI_Research file for that race, cut-and-paste things around, create any new entries I think it needs and delete anything that I don't think is necessary anymore. It can take 20 minutes to adjust the file for one conceptual change. What if I could type in the techfields that the AI should research and assign both a 'priority level' and a 'step size' (number of levels to research at a time) to each tech? Then click a button and the program would write out a text file with all the techs in order. It might take some imagination to design something like that to work like you would expect it to. Maybe more rules are needed then I have thought of in the example. But that's the direction that SE utilities need to go. Automation of the chores of managing the huge amount of text.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 18 September 2001).]

Re: Next big thing
 

I think it was MATRYX that put out the SE4 Mod launcher. If I am wrong, please forgive me. At that time I saw a picture about a component modder using the same design style.

I would like to see more tools like these.

COMPONETN MODDER
AI DESIGN TYPES
AI RESEARCH
AI CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES
AI FLEETS

As long as these tools will also create and/or modify the text files.



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Never Give up, Never Surrender!