finalizing new mod...

[Ragnarok]

"mmmm... when I create an new race, a .emp file is created. But all the provided infos (description, demeanor...) are written in this file, not in a .txt file in the pictures/race directory like default game races ?"
That is correct.

"And also :

default races have 2000 race points. how can I create 3000 and 5000^points races?"

To do this, go to "Player Settings" when you're starting a new game. (This screen has how many starting planets ans such on it) Then on the bottom box it says; "Racial points for new players." The default is "Low (2000)" just change that to Medium (3000) or High (5000). That should do it. Hope it helps.

[trooper]

So what's the use of AI_General.txt files ?

[oleg]

Originally posted by trooper:
So what's the use of AI_General.txt files ?

It is used when race is added as random choice. EMP. file worksd only when you add empire manualy.

[trooper]

and is there a way to generate the general.txt file in rder to have it cmpatible with the .emp ?

[Andrés]

General file is used when the race is selected randomly as an AI race.

AI files are not normally needed to play the race, only by AI (and ministers).

To start, for the first release, my suggestion is to copy all AI files from any other race that uses technologies appropriate for your race, and edit the descriptions in AI_general, and make .emp files, and perhaps a custom design names file.

Then you can then edit and refine Research, Design (the most defining ones) and the other files to make it more unique (for example you can’t make them start with armor, but you can make them research and start using it very early), but that is not as easy as it seems and takes a long time of editing and playtest to get it right. I have made several races and consider myself somehow an expert in that matter, however I’m still a relative newbie when it comes to AI.

[Andrés]

You can make the Generic file first, start a game using another race (repeat this step until your race is selected as an AI race), change to players to play with your race and save the empire.
However it’s sometimes easier to just copy the data and descriptions between the .EMPs and the AI_General and for example get the right values for your racial characteristics.

IMHO we’re using .Emp files to cover an important missing function in the game, that is the “add default data from this race general file”
Empire files should only be used to save starting options for your race, and setting up multiplayer games.

[capnq]

There are "generic" Versions of all the AI files in the Ai folder; they're all named Default_AI_&ltsomething&gt.txt

Another time that the AI files are used is in multiplayer games like on PBW. If you miss a turn deadline, the AI ministers take over for that turn.

There's a setting in (F11) Empire Status/Empire Options that's supposed to "turn off" the ministers in simultaneous games, but it doesn't work very well. It inspired Geo's "No AI" mod on PBW, which does a better job on that.