new race/ship set
 

I posted this on the Mod Forum, but I thought I'd post it here, too.

I've got a new race/ship set [my first] that I'm about ready to make available to anyone who's interested, except that I have no idea how to do so.

I'd appreciate it if someone would explain how to do this.

Re: new race/ship set
 

Go back to the race download forum (where you made the similar post). Hit "reply". Even better click "edit" you Last post. On the left there should be short notice "upload file form". Click it, then browes your computer to locate the zip file with all race files (you must zip them first of course). Click upload. Once it is finished, you will have a link in the window. Copy it (automaticly highlited) to the main body of the post. Now you done it !

p.s. you can insert the link into this thread as well.
p.p.s. I can't type http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[ June 07, 2003, 06:48: Message edited by: oleg ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

Thanks again, Oleg. You seem to always be around to answer my questions! I appreciate it.

This race is sort of an homage to the pulp SF magazines of the '30s and '40s. Not being an artist myself, I took all the images from pulp magazine cover scans [from mags like "Planet Stories, "Startling Stories," and "Thrilling Wonder Stories"] which I found on the net and modified them to make them usable in SEIV. For this reason, the various ship graphics are less homogenous than those of other ship sets, but I still think there's a certain similarity in style due to them all belonging to a particular era in SF illustration. However, in the race description I did attempt to justify this graphic variation, by portraying the race as both rag-tag refugees from another galaxy and part of an extremely decentralized society. This seemed to fit the ideal of anarchic freedom which was so prevalent in pulp-era SF.

I based my AI files on the TDM Modpack files, with a lot of modifications to get the effects I wanted. My limited playtesting indicates that at least the 5k Version is competitive. I think it would work best in a large galaxy with not too many other empires, but, right now I'm testing it in a medium galaxy with eight other empires and 6 minors [TDM Modpack races], and the race is still hanging on after 350+ turns.

Anyone who is familiar with the SF of the pulp era will probably recognize where the names come from.

IGNORE THIS LINK. THE LINK TO THE CORRECTED FILE IS FIVE POSTS UP

1054966558.zip

[ June 07, 2003, 23:01: Message edited by: Hrothgar ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Don't know what happend to me, but I get up at 6:30 am (England time zone) and login. Now I did it, I come sleepy again http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif see you later in few hours...

Re: new race/ship set
 

Do svydaniia, Oleg. Spacebo bol'shoe

Re: new race/ship set
 

Pozhalusta http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif But I am not a sleep yet http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif
----------------

Fantastic shipset !!! carrier and battlestaion portraits should be renamed from "pulps" to "pulp" though.

"Beware of strange cathode ray tubes!"

Now, THAT is true http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: new race/ship set
 

Oh, please include pulps.txt too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: new race/ship set
 

Thanks, Oleg--glad you like it.

I posted the corrected zip [fixing the errors in the names of the two ship files] on the mod forum. Here's the link:

1055021044.zip

I also noted there that I wasn't sure how to proceed with the design name and speech files. I had intended to use titles of pulp magazines for the design name file, but that's only a few dozen choices--there were hundred's of them, but I don't know all the names--plus, most of them aren't SF mags--"Railroad Stories," "Love Stories," etc. I still may do this, if I get the time.

As for the speech file, I started making changes, but quickly became daunted by the sheer number of lines and my lack of a clear idea of how I wanted to proceed. So, after a couple of changes, I ended up just eliminating mentions of senates or councils and substituted "Constituent Assembly," which is what I decided to call Duke Kutt-Nur's legislative and advisory body.

[Note to Shrapnel: there doesn't seem to be a storage space problem, but there's no reason to keep a file with errors available, so please feel free to remove 1054966558.zip]

[ June 07, 2003, 22:54: Message edited by: Hrothgar ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

Still, it would be nice to have design names file. Even if it is short. As it is, one must assign some file manually before starting game or will have to type names of every ship - very inconvinient !

don't worry about obsolete files - pathfinder posted 1024 AI files for bab5 mod. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Your stuff is just a drop in the ocean !

Re: new race/ship set
 

Oleg,

When I made the emp files, I chose the "ravager.txt" file as the one from which names would be picked. I'm surprised you've had to name the ships manually.

Anyway, I put together a "pulp.txt" file with 390+ names--mostly pulp magazine titles, plus a few dozen authors and artists from the pulps. Here's the link:

1055036835.txt

Hopefully I can do some work on the speech file.

Re: new race/ship set
 

Hrothgar, I like your shipset very much. When you have come to a definitive Version, would you mind me to host it on my site ? (If you aim for fame and fortune, it's the place to be http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )

[ June 08, 2003, 09:06: Message edited by: trooper ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

Certes, Trooper! I'd be happy for you to host the race. I'd like to make some more changes to the speech file, but that's all I have planned for now. With more experience, I'm sure I could improve the AI, but that's beyond me right now.

Re: new race/ship set
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">He only says this because he wants to be the King Host of ship sets. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

And it is a nice set. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: new race/ship set
 

Atrocities : Not king, emperor ! (In my country, kings have their head cut off, whereas emperors are considered as great politicians in history books http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif !

More seriously, I think it's definitively a good way to make new material popular amongst SEIV players.

--------

Hrothgar (BTW, don't you think it's an awfull nickname to remember ?), send me the zip file when you think you won't make more changes on the pulp shipset (at least for the moment). Have you considered to make it neostandard ? (Neostandard races are the best. ) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: new race/ship set
 

Trooper,

As I mentioned elsewhere, my National Guard unit is currently on alert to go overseas to support Emperor Bush's ambitions. Consequently, I think I'll focus what spare time I have on making a few more changes to the speech file so that the Pulps can be finished as a standard race before we depart. I'd never even heard of "neo-standard" ship sets until a few days ago--I guess I never read those Posts. Perhaps when we return, or if we continue to have our departure postponed, I'll make a neo-standard Version of the race. [I looked at the pulp magazine graphics I've collected, and I found a couple more ships that could be modified to work in SEIV, so, if I can find a few more and have the time to do the modifications, it appears to be doable.]

Anyway, I'm glad you like the race. I'll certainly let you know when it's finished as a standard race, altho it's playable now, since I only need to revise the speech.txt. If we leave before I finish, I'll try to let you know so you can put it on your site as it is.

p.s. "Hrothgar" is an ancient Version of my name [Rodger] which I started using as a nom de guerre when I was playing the "Great Battles" series [Alexander the Great, Hannibal, and Ceasar] Online. I ended up using it as a nickname on lots of other forums, including this one, altho when I played "Man of War 2" Online, I fought under the name "Jolly Rodger."

[ June 08, 2003, 23:55: Message edited by: Hrothgar ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Somrthing Nordic ?

Re: new race/ship set
 

Yeah, the king/chieftain who's hall was being raided by Grendal until Beowulf came along was named "Hrothgar.'

Re: new race/ship set
 

'Hrothgar' means 'Famous with the spear' in Old English.

'Rodger Young' would also make a cool nick... unless your surname actually is Young. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ June 09, 2003, 17:26: Message edited by: Chief Engineer Erax ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

Think I'll stick with "Hrothgar" for now--it's no stranger than lots of other nicknames I see here. Plus, maybe an old opponent from another game might discover SEIV and come here and recognize me.

By the way, I posted the final [hopefully] Version of the Pulps, with the pulp.txt file for design names included and some mild revisions of the speech file. Here's the link:

1055182154.zip

If I have the time to make a neo-standard Version before we leave, I'll post a notice here.

Re: new race/ship set
 

Forgot the credits.txt, which should be included since I used the work of a number of other people to make my race. Here's the link:

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/newup...1055191582.txt

And, if you haven't downloaded it yet, here's the whole race, including the credits.txt mentioned above.

1055192306.zip

Re: new race/ship set
 

By popular demand [actually, one person--Trooper--asked for it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif ] I'm expanding the Pulp race to neo-standard. I'm also takng the opportunity to try to improve the AI, as testing it against the United Flora showed how woefully inadequate it was. I'd like to specify that certain ships use the following:

Stealth Armor
Massive Shield Depleter
Neural Network

I recall reading a post which suggested making sure the latter two are included in your ship designs, in case you discover them via ruins, but I can't figure out how to include them. I tried adding them as miscellaneous abilities, "Massive Shield Depleter," and "Neural Network," but the program gives me error Messages indicating that these values are unknown. I also tried adding "Stealth" and "Stealth Armor" as miscellaneous abilities, but both of those attempts also produced the "value unknown" error message.

If anyone knows how to get any of these things included, I'd appreciate it. I'd rather not add the massive shield depleter as one of the two weapon possibilities, because I have other plans for those slots; however, if that's the only way to get it in, there's not much I can do about it. But, the Neural Net and Stealth Armor are not weapons, hence I couldn't use that option for them, even if I wanted to.

Thanks.

[ June 17, 2003, 15:48: Message edited by: Hrothgar ]

Re: new race/ship set
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">IIRC, stealth armor can be added by ability "cloak level", Massive Ship Depleter as any other weapon - use its specific number in the list of weapon choices, Neural Network - sorry forgot the ability, something like "maximum ship experience" - take a look at components.txt, it ii listed as ability in NN description.

Re: new race/ship set
 

Oleg,

Thanks a lot. I guess I should have checked Components.txt before. It had the answer to several of my questions.

Re: new race/ship set
 

A very unique racestyle/shipset. Which is a good thing http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

BTW good luck on your deployment.

Me glad me retired in '99 so me don't got that worry any more http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ June 18, 2003, 01:19: Message edited by: pathfinder ]