Compiled Questions/Bug List/Wish List

[Instar]

Send these off to MM, especially the bugs! (Because you cant complain about them if you dont submit them!)

[Arc.Smiloid]

Here's a new thing that bugs me..

EMERGENCY BUILD!!!

This is simply waay too useful, and the slow build penalties are too minor. If its really emergency build, make it only effective for real emergencies!

Simple Math, ten turns emergency, ten turns slow. If a planet builds with a rate of 2...

(4 x 10) + (1 * 10) = 50 production in 20 turns.

Now, if you built normally for the same amount of time..

2 x 20 = 40 production in 20 turns..


In the long run, EB is too effective. Make the slow build time triple, or turn slow producion into NO production at 1.5 turns per 1 turn on EB. In the long run, EB shouldn't produce more than an equal amount of time on normal build, in fact it should be less. Plus, the AI doesn't use EB does it?

(Waiting for AI to be patched)

Also, I think it would be best that construction ships only be able to build things that are stored in cargo like troops and such while moving. If a ship or base is at the top of the queue the c.ship should be immobile.

[Courageous]

You can implement these suggestions yourself.
There are settings for them in your data
directory.


C//

[Tampa_Gamer]

OK here is the latest compiled list of bugs/solutions/ideals that I attempted to mail to Malfador (of course as others pointed-out, his mailbox is currently full). Posting here for posterity!

QUESTIONS/POSSIBLE BUGS

(1) [AI Strategy] There are currently two "Strategies" files - one in the \Data subdirectory and one in the \AI subdirectory. There are a number of additional strategies in the \Data file. Perhaps it would be easier to use one? Also, the AI will only use the default, even if you place a "[RaceName]_AI_Strategies.txt" in their particular \Pictures\Race subdirectory.

(2) [AI Design/Strategy] The Strategy "Kamikaze Attack" is not used by the design files, they make a call for the strategy "Ram" which is a movement strategy. However, even when I change the design to use "Kamikaze Attack" or other user-defined strategies, the AI always picks "Optimal Firing Range" - are these files broken?


AI RELATED PROBLEMS WITH SOME SUGGESTED FIXES

(1) [AI Intel Projects] The AI needs a file similar to their research file, but for intelligence projects. This file would look to the same AI states and cycle through available AI projects BUT limit the number of simultaneous projects similar to the research file (i.e. 25, 33, 50, 100, etc.). This would result in (A) certain races using neutral, aggressive or defensive intel projects in line with their demeanor and (B) prevent the current problem of AI races having 12 projects at a time running!!!

(2) [AI Planet Types] The current file appears to rely upon a "relative" comparison. I have been trying to tweak this file for the past month with no luck. I realize you left it relative b/c the "Settings" file allows players to tweak the max/min resources for planets (but are people really tweaking this parameter?). However, the AI choices for planets are not as efficient as they could be (and frankly most of us cannot figure out how they make some of their choices). I would suggest fields for "static" comparisons so that if a planet is "Mineral 125%" (regardless of other resources) the AI player will logically make it a mineral planet. I think the majority of fans would gladly sacrifice the ability to tweak this particular Settings parameter in return for a much more efficient AI.

(3) [AI Construction Queues] Even if the AI has ample resources available, it does not fill up its construction queues for either planet facilities or vehicle construction - this results in considerable inefficiency. I often use the "Players" options to verify my modified AI files are functioning and for all empires this is true - most of the time they are completely empty. Perhaps when the AI construct files, it only executes a set number of entries at a time for its empire?

(4) [AI Diplomacy] Add a short distinct .wav file that plays when the button is pressed on the log file for a message from a particular race. I think this would be fairly easy to implement, but will go a long way to developing distinct personalities among races. You can put a placebo empty .wav file there for now until you have time to expand the music (the modders will fill in the music in no time for you!).

(5) [AI Diplomacy] Should be a penalty for asking for a treaty every turn. I know the xenophobic races have this built in, but even the Eee should be pissed-off if you ask for a treaty every turn for 20 turns!

(6) [AI Diplomacy] Players can promise to trade xx resources with a race, but actually not have that amount available to transfer when the turn executes. The race currently makes a decision based on the amount promised, not amount the will actually receive.

(7) [AI Diplomacy] Players should be penalized for ignoring any message (even if it is a general message, players should have to send a general message back). This would make diplomacy better.

(8) [AI Diplomacy] If I accept to break a treaty or declare war, have it automatically happen.

(9) [AI Diplomacy] If I promise to support in war, the AI should at least take a look and see if I have had a battle with the target race in xx # turns.

(10) [AI .emp Files Missing] The Last patch did not cure the problem of several .emp files missing for 8-10 of the races - I can provide list if needed.

(11) [AI Fleets] Non-direct combatant mine-sweepers, transports, colonizers, boarding ships, troop transports, etc. do not appear to be joining fleets for protection. Could there be a toggle or flag field in the design file to indicate whether a design type should seek a fleet? - however, I suppose this might confuse the ministers. . .

(12) [AI Fleets/Design] Since the design types for the AI are rather strict, we need one additional - call it "Support Ship" this class would always be assigned to a fleet (perhaps limit # in the fleet) and would contain supplies, solar collectors, repair facilities, quantum reactor, etc. - More in line with what human players do.

(13) [AI Design] The AI appears to make a new design for Attack Ships, Satellites, Defense Ships and Weapon Platforms just about every turn (for some races - I have not isolated why yet). This in turn leads them to run out of design names very quickly (as well as taking up processing time). Also, when design names run out, they stop making designs is this the intended result or perhaps they could call them I, II, II, etc. with each successive loop back to the beginning of the file.

(14) [AI Design] There is no "defense ship" design in the AI even though there are calls for it in the construction ques. I made a design nonetheless (AA and repair), so its not a big deal to me personally.

(15) [AI Design] If the AI places larger mounts in a design and still has enough space for normal mounts, it will not "flip" back to normal mounts to fill the extra space.

(16) [AI Design] Design files are still using the old ability name for "Combat to Hit" modifications. A search and replace needs to be done on all the files to replace them with the new ability names.

(17) [AI Design/Construction] AI should re-evaluate xx number of years whether to (i) retrofit ship to newest design type, (ii) auto-upgrade facilities and (iii) re-evaluate planet type and production after significant amount of time passed to make sure still efficient.

(18) [AI Pathfinding] When the AI encounters a blacked path (e.g. non-combat ship entering warp pint with enemy sats) it will use all remaining points going back-and-forth between two points next to it.

(19) [AI Game] The AI does not appear to be cloaking its ships/sats when it has the ability. I suggest that the AI always leaves their ships cloaked until such time as they trigger the "low supplies" flag- at that point they can be turned over to the Supplies Minister for resupply.

(20) [AI Strategies] Should be a "Target Priority" for Weapons Platforms - this would solve the problems of (A) ships killing planets prior to landing troops and (B) ships killing weapon platforms and population (i.e. planet priority) while being bLasted by a defense base.


BUGS

(1) [Game Settings] Finite resource game - planets still producing after countdown to 0k.

(2) [Game] Resupply should occur after (A) entering sector and (B) deducting cost to move into sector.

(3) [Game] Appears to be a memory leak either upon executing turn or during one of the AI race turns.

(4) [Game] If a planet is rioting, resupply and spaceport facilities (system modifications) still function - should this be? If so, could you provide an option in the set-up to have these non-functional during a riot?

(5) [Game] If my fleet encounters enemy mines in the same sector that I have mines. I get a message that my minefield triggered.

(6) [Game] If a ship is destroyed in a blackhole during a turn, the graphics in the upper left-hand of the screen are corrupted (I have a 19inch monitor with resolution at 1078).

(7) [Tactical Combat] I can see enemy mines during combat even if I do not have the proper sensors.

(8) [Tactical Combat] If a ship uses a "Boarding Attack" during a turn, all of the components are used in the attack and destroyed this is fine assuming the multiple components gives them additional % success - is this the case? Please clarify in the description. Thanks.


WISHLIST

(1) [Game Setting] Ability to "purchase" via points certain techs for starting. This would simplify creating races with say Intel or Stealthiness to start (like the Darloks) instead of creating "modified components" around it. B/T/W - I did make a "Stealthy" racial trait with earlier cloaking technology if you want to include it.

(2) [Game Setting] In the "Settings.txt" file - add a line item for how many organics per population/per turn to deduct from storage or production. This would end a long debate and allow players to actually think about building organic extraction facilities again.

(3) [Game Setting] In the "Settings.txt" file - add a separate user-defined maintenance % for each of the following (similar to what we now have for ships): fighters, troops, sats, weapons and facilities. By letting everyone tweak their own maintenance % - it would end the long debate on this subject.

(4) [Game Setting] Option to limit effect of weapons fire to maximum of one weapon/one kill.

(5) [Game Setting] Max. amount of mines and sats per warp point/per race or maybe two restrictions - one for human players, another for AI players.

(6) [Game Sounds] Separate volume controls for music and sounds (many players like their sounds high, but music low in background)

(7) [Abilities] Need abilities added similar to "Combat Modifier - System", but limited to Sector or Fleet (this would allow a lot more facilities/components variety - say command ships)

(8) [Abilities] Please put a subroutine in so components can use the point generation abilities (i.e. research and intelligence).

(9) [Game] Provide a way to toggle a planet so that it would not show-up in the "Planet" list of production queues (this would be helpful for small planets which get maxed-out early and really are not touched for the rest of the game except for auto-upgrades)

(10) [Tactical Combat] Combat results should list out units deployed/destroyed in combat.

(11) [Tactical Combat] Add a .wav file for when (A) a shield takes a hit and (B) a ship moves in tactical combat. You can put placebo empty .wav files there for now until you have time to expand the sounds (the modders will fill in the sounds in no time for you!)

(12) [Tactical Combat] Chance to discover tech when taking a planet over by troops (or alternatively, by scrapping unknown facilities on such planet)

(13) [Tactical Combat] I have been working on a solution to what I think is a major hurdle for sats and WPs - their inability to fire first when ships come into weapons range. To solve this I added the "Point - Defense" ability to a DUC II while leaving the "Target Type" the same to expirement. Theoretically, the automatic response turrets (as I call them) should fire when ships move into weapons range. They do for fighters (as they are supposed to), they cannot fire at seekers (as they are supposed to) and if unfired in a turn, they can still be manually fired (as they are supposed to) but unfortunately they do not automatically fire at ships. My theory is that the ships movement subroutine does not have the same "check" for response fire that seeker and fighter movement has. Would it be possible to add a line of code to the ship movement subroutine similar to the one already there for seeker and fighter movement (if my theory is correct). This would then provide the capability of making sats/wps (or ships) that automatically fire when a ship or fighter moves into weapons range (similar to MOO2).

(14) [Intel Ops] Ability to target intel ops on specific Groups of facilities (already have Groups based on group names in facility.txt file)

(15) [SE5 Game Graphics] Add 3-5 additional pics for each hull size - similar to in MOO2 where you could go sideways for different graphics of same hull size and up/down for different hull size (you can put placebos in for now all based on same pic, but for those that want more variety can modify their own). This would allow for more variety between support/attack ships of the same size

(16) [SE5 Ground Combat] Expand ground combat so that it is similar to space (each unit would be a battalion/division) - I forwarded an extensive e-mail earlier and there are several other earlier Posts about this on the Shrapnel Board - I have also heard many beta testers discuss this)

(17) [SE5 Tactical Combat] Allow different ship sizes (currently all are 1x1 square) similar to Armies of Armageddon where there could be 1x2, 2x2, 3x1 and 3x2 units (planets would still be larger than ships). This would allow the budding artists to take advantage of the larger canvas area and those if us with 19" monitors won't have to squint as much - and also provide some disparity between and escort and a baseship.

(18) [SE5 Tactical Combat] Initiative-based dependent on hull size, engines and experience and possible special components (similar to MOO2).

[Mephisto]

Wau! Call me a supporter, Tamap_Gamer.
BTW maybe I have the solution for your bug (3): I encountered the same problem with the AI not filling up its queues even so resources are available. I watched other AI races and found that they had storage facilities. Try to build some for your AI race and production should go up like a rocket (it did for the EA). Please confirm if this was of any use for you.

[SunDevil]

That is one hell of a list. Great job.

[HAL]

I started a separate thread before I saw this message, but with respect to (1) of the list. Has anyone tried removing all of the default AI files to see if the race specific files would then be used? I figure there is a chance that the logic in the game is reversed and that the default files are preventing the race specific files from being used. I can try it tonight, but figured some enterprising person could try it.

------------------
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

[Tampa_Gamer]

Mephisto:

Actually I have been comparing construction queues for all the races (especially the EA) and the Darlok using the "Players" option to look at them every 5-10 turns (quite time consuming) during my testing phases. At first that is what I thought the problem was (and I did correct the severe resource storage problem), but even the EA (ver 1.51)will have several turns when they don't build anything (even facilities on newly colonized planets!!) - all races are doing this. I am working with some experimental files now b/c I think the problem is related to how many construction "calls" it will review each turn.


[This message has been edited by Tampa_Gamer (edited 05 January 2001).]

[apache]

I agree with that big list completely. However, on point 13 about point defense satellites, I don't think the weapons should get these abilities, I think the satellites should have this ability by default for every weapon they can mount.
I also don't think sats get a to-hit defense bonus (correct me if I'm wrong), and they definitely should, since they are much smaller than escorts. Same thing with mines in tactical combat. First of all, they, in most cases, should be invisible to the other side, but secondly, even if they are seen, they should have a huge to-hit defense bonus.

[Snap Spelljammer]

Maybe the best idea for the auto-firing on sats etc is a "Small Targeting Computer" component that, when added to the unit, will automatically fire on ships, etc when they get in range.