Wrong starting colony tech
 

I'm having an unusual issue w/ my newly created games. In a recently created solo game, I had loaded up my empire as normal, then decided to change the planet type (RM -> IM). After selecting "Begin Game" I noticed that I had the colonizable symbol by both Ice and Rock planets (my homeworld still being Ice), and that I had the Rock Colonization tech instead of Ice. On a side note, the "starting designs" that I had saved into the .emp file were also missing, though are visible when I select the race from Quick Start (never do, I like to fiddle with the settings every so often).

On a hunch, I switched all of the AI players over to human and checked them over. All of them had the same issue, having only the Rock Colony tech regardless of their actual starting planet type, and having the colonizable markers over both their native and Rock planet types. I set up a few more New Game starts using both manual and random selections for the AI players and choosing different ones of my own for starting...still had the same results.

This was the first game I had started since updating to 1.95 (actually since the deluxe patch came out and broke my savegames http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image.../firedevil.gif ). I am using TDM 3.60 and FQM 2.10 as my main mods (with a few comp/tech tweaks of my own, but that shouldn't affect starting planet types).

Any ideas?

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

Well, it turns out that it was the components file that was creating the issue. The game doesn't seen to like the changes I made to the colony modules. I was trying to create a component that would be able to colonize any planet type that you have researched, as per this thread. Resetting the components to normal and completely removing the "Omni-COlony" ones fixes the issue, but even leaving in versions of the 2- and 3-type components initiates the same error...you only start with the tech to colonize rock planets, regarless of your native type.

Here is the data-snippet of the most recent attempt:

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>Name := Omni Colony I
Description := Materials needed to start a colony on a rock or Ice planet.
Pic Num := 1299
Tonnage Space Taken := 200
Tonnage Structure := 200
Cost Minerals := 2000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 1000
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Colonizing
Family := 6001
Roman Numeral := 2
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Ice Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Colonize Planet - Rock
Ability 1 Descr := Can colonize a rock based planet.
Ability 1 Val 1 :=
Ability 1 Val 2 :=
Ability 2 Type := Colonize Planet - Ice
Ability 2 Descr := Can colonize an ice based planet.
Ability 2 Val 1 :=
Ability 2 Val 2 :=
Ability 3 Type := Cargo Storage
Ability 3 Descr := Provides 20kT worth of cargo space.
Ability 3 Val 1 := 20
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Omni Colony I
Description := Materials needed to start a colony on an ice planet or gas giant.
Pic Num := 1297
Tonnage Space Taken := 200
Tonnage Structure := 200
Cost Minerals := 2000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 1000
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Colonizing
Family := 6001
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Ice Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Gas Giant Colonization
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Colonize Planet - Ice
Ability 1 Descr := Can colonize an ice based planet.
Ability 1 Val 1 :=
Ability 1 Val 2 :=
Ability 2 Type := Colonize Planet - Gas
Ability 2 Descr := Can colonize a gas giant planet.
Ability 2 Val 1 :=
Ability 2 Val 2 :=
Ability 3 Type := Cargo Storage
Ability 3 Descr := Provides 20kT worth of cargo space.
Ability 3 Val 1 := 20
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Omni Colony I
Description := Materials needed to start a colony on a rock planet or gas giant.
Pic Num := 1298
Tonnage Space Taken := 200
Tonnage Structure := 200
Cost Minerals := 2000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 1000
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Colonizing
Family := 6001
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Gas Giant Colonization
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Colonize Planet - Rock
Ability 1 Descr := Can colonize a rock based planet.
Ability 1 Val 1 :=
Ability 1 Val 2 :=
Ability 2 Type := Colonize Planet - Gas
Ability 2 Descr := Can colonize a gas giant planet.
Ability 2 Val 1 :=
Ability 2 Val 2 :=
Ability 3 Type := Cargo Storage
Ability 3 Descr := Provides 20kT worth of cargo space.
Ability 3 Val 1 := 20
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Omni Colony II
Description := Materials needed to start a colony on a rock planet, ice planet, or gas giant.
Pic Num := 1300
Tonnage Space Taken := 200
Tonnage Structure := 200
Cost Minerals := 2000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 1000
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Colonizing
Family := 6001
Roman Numeral := 2
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 3
Tech Area Req 1 := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Gas Giant Colonization
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Tech Area Req 3 := Ice Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 3 := 1
Number of Abilities := 4
Ability 1 Type := Colonize Planet - Rock
Ability 1 Descr := Can colonize an rock based planet.
Ability 1 Val 1 :=
Ability 1 Val 2 :=
Ability 2 Type := Colonize Planet - Gas
Ability 2 Descr := Can colonize a gas giant planet.
Ability 2 Val 1 :=
Ability 2 Val 2 :=
Ability 3 Type := Colonize Planet - Ice
Ability 3 Descr := Can colonize an ice based planet.
Ability 3 Val 1 :=
Ability 3 Val 2 :=
Ability 4 Type := Cargo Storage
Ability 4 Descr := Provides 20kT worth of cargo space.
Ability 4 Val 1 := 20
Ability 4 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None </pre><hr />

I have changed the family numbers for the new components, and even moved them to the end of the file. I'm still at a loss, but trying. Do any of you data gurus (pretty much any one compared to me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/redface.gif ) have an idea where I'm screwing up?

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

Put the Omni Colonny techs at the top of your file (well, at least above the regular colony techs) and you should be fine.

I think it's also a good idea to give each Omni Colony their own family number 6001-6003 for the dual ones, 6004 for the triple one.

PS: Oh, and make sure they are devided by an empty line. Not right after one another like in your posted code.

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

Thanks for the response. All of the comps were spaced out properly in the file, I don't know what got changed in the transfer to post. I made the changes to the Omni comps, and there are no more starting tech issues. Now though, when all three colony techs are researched, there are seven available colony modules in the design screen -- not too sure how the AI is going to handle it. I was trying to have only the most advanced one be visible (the one that uses all available colony techs), but not having the initial techs being screwed up is a plus http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif. I'll keep trying http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Any comments/suggestions are always appreciated http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9...window10qn.jpg

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

The AI will use the one that requires the most tech areas, then levels in the case of area tie. If omni requires 3 tech areas, it is "more advanced" component of that ability, so will always be used over dual or single tech modules.

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

hmm, on second thought...:
Actually you could make them one family 6001. Give all the dual ones roman numeral I and the triple one roman numeral II. Had a logic error this morning not realizing that you'd never have 2 dual ones without having the triple one =).

And no worries, the AI will handle these things just fine.

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

Bzzzzt! wrong

*whacks Fyron with the Shovel of Not-Listening

How many times do I have to tell you that number of tech area is irrelevant? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif
It's only total tech level that counts.

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

With a bit of treaking, it works now. Thanks Rollo and Fyron http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

I set up a small game with a couple of AI players to see how they work with the new component setup...pretty much me sitting on my duff hitting "End Turn" 10-15 times, and then switching the other empires over to my control to see what kind of ships they are building. With starting tech there's nothing surprising, but the designs get weird when the other colony techs start coming into play. With a couple of "research boosts" I gave the AI's the other techs to see what kind of colony modules they would use. They actually started using the dual/triple colony components, but they were making 2-3 identical ship designs -- Colony(Rock), Colony(Ice), Colony(Gas). Is this part of how the AI Design file works, or just a minor design glitch (minor, seeing as they are just duplicate designs using identical component layouts)?

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

Yes, that is way the design file works. No worries, all is well and working as intended.

*shoos bystanders away. 'Please move on, nothing to see here.'

Re: Wrong starting colony tech
 

The AI isn't aware that the omni colony module makes the other two designs obsolete. All it knows is that it can now legally design all 3 types of colony ships, so it will design and build them. The colonization minister should happily use any of them to colonize any type of planet, so you will get fewer wasted ships built overall.