File Lookup data mod which needs implementing.

[Atrocities]

I am no modder, but I think I understand what you are saying.

If you create a new ship, your tanker, you have to put a bitmap image of it into each race file. Man that takes time.

But what you propose is to make it go to a single directory where a single bitmap image can be used by all the races.

This would make modding a new ship into the gam a lot easier however, every race would have the same new ship.

Am I close?

[henk brouwer]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Atrocities:
I am no modder, but I think I understand what you are saying.

If you create a new ship, your tanker, you have to put a bitmap image of it into each race file. Man that takes time.

But what you propose is to make it go to a single directory where a single bitmap image can be used by all the races.

This would make modding a new ship into the gam a lot easier however, every race would have the same new ship.

Am I close?

---

That's exactly what the game does right now. Let's say it's looking for a cruiser picture, it will first look in the races directory, when it can't find the file it will use the picture in the genericrace directory (hope that is the right name). This is for example why the neutrals all use the same ships, if you put a shipset in a directory of a neutral and rename it properly the neutral will no longer use the generic shipset but it's own.

::Joins the fight about what Markavians was thinking::

I think what he means is that the game should look for a file in the races directory, and if it can't find it just use another suitable picture from the same race. This way you can make the program look for pictures for a large satellite (not included with original races), and if it can't find it can still use the standard satellite picture. If this is implemented you could make pictures for your own shipset for additional hulls, but you don't have to do it for all the races. The other races will still use their own pictures, and not some out of style generic picture.

But I can't read John's thougths maybe he should answer this one himself..



[This message has been edited by henk brouwer (edited 08 February 2001).]

[Markavian]

Your there Henk!

You've got just what I mean. I think you've explained it well now as well.

Now all I need it the support to get it implemented!

Has anyone seen those baseships pics in some of the game directories?
Wouldn't you rather play with those instead of Starbaes?

[ColdSteel]

I'm with you John, it does sound like a useful change.

I think all you need to do is send the suggestion to Aaron at MM. If he likes it and it's pretty easy to do, it may likely make it into the patch. If it's not such an easy change, or if he doesn't see a big benefit, it might take a while. He's got a big stack in front of him.

[Markavian]

I have sent several emails to MM's e-mail, but have not had a response :-\

I think something is up with my mail server (pop.ntlworld.com) and so I'm getting a friend to forward a message to them and ask about my other e-mails.

Whats the normal response time on these sorts of things? I used to get an e-mail back sorta the next working day, but since the release of SE4 - I don't know.

Any one else prepared to forward an SE4 winamp to them as well?

[ColdSteel]

John,

I sent in a suggestion on mods a while back and Aaron answered me promply. Since then I've sent in some more email suggestions and haven't gotten a response on those. The poor guy must be totally swamped with emails at this point.

Just take a look at all of the changes and fixes he's done for the next patch so far and how many suggestions there are on this board alone to wade through. I'm wondering how he even finds time to sleep and I worry that he'll burn himself out.

So, I think he probably got and read your email but just doesn't have much time right now to respond to every one. He's just one guy with a lot on his plate. I don't mind this, myself. I'd rather him spend his time gainfully programming than answering each and every email. I want that next patch out ASAP.

[Tomgs]

I've sent in a few bug reports. I haven't gotten a response this year but I have noticed that all of the bugs I reported got on the patch list. Either he found them another way or he read the E-mails. I am happy either way. The next patch looks like it will answer a lot of needs. Now a lot of my my wants on the other hand haven't gotten on the patches yet so either he didn't like them or hasn't got time to implement wants because of pressing needs at this point.

[This message has been edited by Tomgs (edited 09 February 2001).]