SE IV Gold: Starting tech levels? Yes or No?

[geoschmo]

I did a quick test of my idea of three seperate Fighter Tech Areas instead of one area with three levels. Works fine for the components. The only change required there is the Tech Area Requirement as I expected. Now all I have to do is repeat 500 times for all the other components.

To make the AI play well in this universe you only have to worry about two files. The AI_General file and the AI_research file. The general file is where you would chose particualr starting techs for the AI race in question. Not really a problem, just have to rewrite the files and make sure you have the points calculated right. If we prefer, or are lazy we can even leave the general files the way they are. The AI just won't "buy" and starting techs and will have to research them the regular way.

The research file has to be changed obviously, but like the components file I think it won't be so hard, just take some time. The way the file works is there's a list of techs and Tech levels desired based on what AI state it is in currently. So if the file has an entry for Ship Construction, level 4, you ould replace that by four entries, Ship Con I, lvl 1, Ship Con II, lvl 1, Ship Con III, lvl 1, and so on. It should ignore the ones it already has researched, and ignore the ones it doesn't have the pre-requisite tech for. So it work the same, just be a much, much longer file.

Once that's done, the AI should operate as normal.

Geoschmo

[ 20 December 2001: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[Mark Walton]

Does this concept require it's own thread - to make sure all of the experienced modders (the Mod God Squad) get a chance to comment?

[geoschmo]

I dunno. It appears we have taken over this thread quite nicely.

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

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I did a quick test of my idea of three seperate Fighter Tech Areas instead of one area with three levels. Works fine for the components. The only change required there is the Tech Area Requirement as I expected. Now all I have to do is repeat 500 times for all the other components.

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I really suggest you write a small program to do that work for you, or, wait a few days for me to write the program for you

[geoschmo]

quote:

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Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
I really suggest you write a small program to do that work for you, or, wait a few days for me to write the program for you

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That would be awesome if you could put something together that would rewrite the TechArea.txt and Components.txt files. Ooo, could it do the AI research files too? That would be super swell.

I am trying to learn some programming, but really just got started and wouldn't have a clue how to do something like this. Well maybe a clue, but that's about it.

A program would be great too cause we could update it easily for Gold then instead of having to do it all over again.

I don't know how Mark feels, but I don't see a big rush. I guess we could release this without waiting for the Required Trait field in the Racial Traits text file, but I don't think it will take off until then. Too many ways for players to abuse it.

Geoshmo

[Phoenix-D]

"I guess we could release this without waiting for the Required Trait field in the Racial Traits text file, but I don't think it will take off until then."

MM's fixing that? How about the other restrictons?

Phoenix-D

[geoschmo]

I don't know if he is going to fix it or not. I requested it. But I request a lot of things. Some he does, some he doesn't.

I did get confirmation though that the limit on Racial Techs is like components. 64000-something. Shouldn't be a problem for this idea.

Geoschmo