Newbie frustration.

[Elowan]

I have come to realize that part of SEIV's 'charm' stems from having to scrounge up basic game information. I suppose that situation improves one's intelligence gathering skills.

Be that as it may - here's my quandary:

I am totally unable to discover any complete (or partial) description of the zillions of techs available in the game and what they do!

I looked at tree.txt - which is a listing (albeit missing a few things) of the Tech Tree. But that doesn't reveal anything about what the particular tech does.

Is there someplace (under some rock perhaps) where this acolyte might apprise himself of these 'Mysteries'?

[geoschmo]

Well, you can go to the source, and just read the data files. Components.txt, techarea.txt, abilities.txt, and so on. A lot of it is rather cryptic, but once you get familier with the format and sytax, all the information you seek is contained therein.

Geo

[Baron Munchausen]

I hardly call the lack of documentation a 'charm' of the game. Yes, the lack of explanation for many of the features is a problem. That's why this board thrives so well. People experiment for themselves and then share the information here. So, other than reading the data files directly as Geo suggests, you have to post your questions.

[Ed Kolis]

Or, start a game on high tech level - then you start with all the techs to play with!

[Gryphin]

Ellowan,
From a practical point of view:
How much would you pay for Better Documentation?
What should it include?
What should it leave out?
How many items are in the game?
How much space should be used to describe them?

Consider the size of this forum. Subtract 70 percent, (pulling a number out of thin air) to remove redundancy of information. Subtract the “Phongs Head Cantinna” (I thought that was the reason this board thrived).
How big a manual would the remaining content of this forum create?

My point is:
I personally would rather not pay someone to provide better documentation when there is this forum and the many tools provided by the members of this community.
Anybody else feel this way, (or am I wacked as usual).

[Elowan]

Originally posted by The High Gryphin:
...
From a practical point of view:
How much would you pay for Better Documentation?
What should it include?
What should it leave out?
How many items are in the game?
How much space should be used to describe them?
...

You seem to be saying that a few extra pages oulining the techs in table form; ditto the research tree (ala Master of Orion II) would be terribly expensive? Not! I've published manuals and know what they cost.

I'm sure that it would have been a ball-buster to at least put it in the Online manual. Again - not!

Frankly - some of the drivel in the modding section could have been editted out and left for this forum. That would have provided plenty of room for what I miss.

Hence - I needs must go to the time and effort of compiling such a document myself. Sigh!

[ July 11, 2002, 23:26: Message edited by: Elowan ]