Modding Questions (especially need help for AI)

[LostCommander]

Graeme Dice, Thanks! I am not sure why I could not figure that out. Even listed in the SEIV modding 101 page... *shakes head* better get some sleep I suppose.

BTW to anyone, can combat to-hit / to-be-hit modifiers be set to more than 99% / less than -99%?

[Rollo]

hmm, not sure why you get illegal designs with the changes you mentioned, but i have a suspicion...
what AI causes this? can you paste the design from the ..._AI_DesignCreation file. that would help a great deal to track the problem.

[LostCommander]

More than one AI is designing these, though some are not. The Sallega are one AI that have produced all three:

Name := Attack Ship
Design Type := Attack Ship
Vehicle Type := Ship
Default Strategy := Optimal Firing Range
Size Minimum Tonnage := 10
Size Maximum Tonnage := 5000
Num Must Have At Least 1 Ability := 1
Must Have Ability 1 := Weapon
Minimum Speed := 4
Desired Speed := 40
Majority Weapon Family Pick 1 := 32
Majority Weapon Family Pick 2 := 9
Majority Weapon Family Pick 3 := 1
Majority Weapon Family Pick 4 := 25
Majority Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 1 := 33
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 2 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 3 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 4 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Shields Spaces Per One := 200
Armor Spaces Per One := 1200
Majority Comp Spaces Per One := 1200
Majority Comp Ability := Weapon
Secondary Comp Spaces Per One := 500
Secondary Comp Ability := Weapon
Num Misc Abilities := 12
Misc Ability 1 Name := Point-Defense
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One := 400
Misc Ability 2 Name := Cloak Level
Misc Ability 2 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 3 Name := Quantum Reactor
Misc Ability 3 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 4 Name := Combat To Hit Defense Plus
Misc Ability 4 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 5 Name := Combat To Hit Offense Plus
Misc Ability 5 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 6 Name := Multiplex Tracking
Misc Ability 6 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 7 Name := Shield Regeneration
Misc Ability 7 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 8 Name := Emergency Resupply
Misc Ability 8 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 9 Name := Self-Destruct
Misc Ability 9 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 10 Name := Scanner Jammer
Misc Ability 10 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 11 Name := Supply Storage
Misc Ability 11 Spaces Per One := 500
Misc Ability 12 Name := Standard Ship Movement
Misc Ability 12 Spaces Per One := 45

[Rollo]

ah, I see now. my suspicions were confirmed .

these lines causes the design minister to makes illegal designs:

Misc Ability 12 Name := Standard Ship Movement
Misc Ability 12 Spaces Per One := 45

That will cause to 'fill' the design with engines. I assume you got that from a mod with quasi-newtonian-propulsion (QNP) like Proportions or P&N Mod.

I suggest deleting these lines from all designs. Does your mod have QNP also? In that case I would raise the 'Desired speed' to 255. If I recall correctly that will make the designs as fast as possible without making them illegal or causing errors.

Hope that helps,
Rollo

PS: a sidenote... IIRC, 'Minimum Speed' is better understood as 'Minimum number of engines' that are placed in a design. whereas 'Desired Speed' takes into account the standard movement points of the engines used. In the unmodded files all engines provide one standard movement, so speed and number of engines are the same. In some mods engines produce more movement points. For example, desired speed of 40 might give you 8 engines with 5 standard movement.

Hope all is clear now... if not, ask again

[LostCommander]

Ah HA! Much better! Thanks Rollo. Yes I think I probably did get that one from P&N mod.

[LostCommander]

Also, does anyone know under which circumstances the .emp files need to be remade? Settings change, racial trait change, and data file change...?

Also Also, why do the component family numbers matter (other than for upgrades and component specific mounts)? What is the effect of multiple components with the same family number and roman numeral? What determines where in the component selection screen (when making new designs) a component is placed? If components are moved around in the .txt file, will that affect the AI's ability to utilize them?

[edit: + second paragraph of questions]

[ December 30, 2002, 20:02: Message edited by: LostCommander ]

[Captain Kwok]

Empire files generally need to be remade after changing racialtraits.txt, cultures.txt, or settings.txt if you've changed the thresholds for different attributes.