quote:
Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
How does pointing out that there are still mentions of Argon atmosphere currently EMBEDDED IN THE EXECUTABLE require a rewrite of the game engine? Is it really such a huge leap of logic to suggest that the game might still recognze the Argon atmosphere? Planets can be found for either the argon or chlorine atmosphere by editing the planet types file and reassigning some of the current pictures. Lots of those green "Carbon Dioxide" planets look more like chlorine planets to me.
When you see a value in a text file which has a value of TRUE, you assume you can turn off that feature by modifying the text file and setting the value to FALSE. That's a pretty safe assumption.
When you ask that space monsters be added to the game but don't see any mention of them in the text files or by using a hex editor on the game executable, it's safe to assume this would require some serious mods to the game executable.
I think the idea of adding a fourth atmosphere Argon falls somewhere in between these two. Because you had to use something other than a text editor to find a reference to 'Argon', I would tend to place this one more on the space monster side of the scale.
I hope I'm wrong. But your reference to a hex editor was followed by a comment by PathFinder to programming Languages. I think *he* thought he was going to have to do something other than use a text editor to make this change.
Personally, I think it *will* require a change to the se4.exe file because of the significance of the atmosphere types. For example, you can choose the default atmosphere for your race at the start of the game. Which text file are you going to modify so that you can see that as a choice for an empire at the start of the game? That issue is 90% of my feeling that this one is going to be pretty hard. Then, too, there are other relatively minor issues. For example, you can't choose a gas giant with 'none' atmosphere. Does Argon work like 'none' or is it just like H, CO2 and Oxygen and Methane? Are these values in text files somewhere or are they embedded in the EXE? Does the atmosphere mod plant know to convert Argon into your race's default? Does the game know to make a domed colony if your race doesn't breathe Argon?
Did you see the known atmosphere types in close proximity to Argon in the executable?
Hopefully, Argon meant atmosphere type in the executable. Hopefully! But what if it meant something completely different? You yourself said that Argon is a pretty weird atmosphere type since it is an inert gas?
Of course, I hope you know that I picked your Last post at random to respond to so I could make a poor attempt at a reference to the movie which is your namesake. For the less fortunate folks reading this, the movie is called: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Here is a link to a review of this movie by Roger Ebert:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_...03/343110.html