game idea: junkyard wars - Page 3

Puke · #21 July 12th, 2001, 11:30 PM

this looks like it has taken a turn for the worse. I can get rid of research, and stop research facilites from bing built on your planet. you still get the initial 5000 point bonus on the first turn, so i guess it was a lie when i said 'not even a little bit'

the problem is that as soon at the .gam file is opened on a machine without the tweaked research settings, they will be available to research.

now, what I CAN do is set it so that the first level of applied research is not available on a medium tech start, and that SHOULD fix the problem. the game would generate, no one would get research facilities, and no one would have the ability to build them since they have AR at level 0. the free 5000 starting points isnt enough to buy level 1 AR, so that should be fine. everyone will get one free cheapie tech at the start i guess.

edit: i am not sure how to work around the problem of someone getting a level of AR from a ruin. I think it can be made unavailable through ruins, but ruins are generated when they are uncovered, not at game start. ideas?

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

[This message has been edited by Puke (edited 12 July 2001).]

Suicide Junkie · #22 July 12th, 2001, 11:46 PM

You could always just remove the research centers from the facilities.txt.

That is the easiest solution to your problem

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Puke · #23 July 12th, 2001, 11:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
You could always just remove the research centers from the facilities.txt.

That is the easiest solution to your problem

that will get rid of it initially, but when the game is being run on an unpatched server, it wont stop people from finding the ability to build them. the easiest way would be if i could beseach the PBW admins to add the TRUE switch to the 'can be removed' variable. it would not impact anything else and would not jepordize the 'unmodified' nature of the game..

LazarusLong42 · #24 July 13th, 2001, 12:27 AM

Puke, if you set "can be removed := True" when you generate the game, then use that game where "can be removed := False," would that allow the game to be played?

LL
http://seiv.pbw.cc/

Puke · #25 July 13th, 2001, 01:00 AM

quote:
Originally posted by LazarusLong42:
Puke, if you set "can be removed := True" when you generate the game, then use that game where "can be removed := False," would that allow the game to be played?

LL
http://seiv.pbw.cc/

tried that, as soon as you run the turn on a copy of the program where =false, it becomes available for research again. this isnt a problem if 1) all the players set it to false and are unable to research the tech or 2) the server has it set to false and ignores their attempts to research it.

problem is that (1) still lets players find the tech in ruins.

Lupusman · #26 July 13th, 2001, 04:01 AM

I don't get it.

If the turns are processed with a False setting, no AR levels can be found, right?

Also, if a player does build a research center, won't it just cause an error with the turn.

Or else, we all go on our word not to build them, and someone will need to check all the player files periodically and make sure no reseach points are being generated.

Quikngruvn · #27 July 13th, 2001, 06:25 AM

Puke, how have you changed the chances for a planets to have ruins? I've changed StellarAbilityTypes.txt so that every planet has a ruin, but most will just give one tech.

Quikngruvn, trying to prepare....

Puke · #28 July 13th, 2001, 08:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Lupusman:
I don't get it.

If the turns are processed with a False setting, no AR levels can be found, right?

right, but the pbw server is currently using the standard files, and cant just be set to false. It looks like I will have to run the turns by hand in order to make the game go.

Puke · #29 July 13th, 2001, 08:15 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Quikngruvn:
Puke, how have you changed the chances for a planets to have ruins? I've changed StellarAbilityTypes.txt so that every planet has a ruin, but most will just give one tech.

Quikngruvn, trying to prepare....

that is indeed the way to go. the file seems to be read top-bottom, so if you want there to be any chance of things like unique ruins at a lower probablity, they need to go to the top of the list. then, you can have a couple ancient ruins at the bottom of the list each at 50% or so. ability value 1 for a ruin determines how many techs you will get for that ruin, so if you added 100% odds on the first one on the list and left the value at 1, thats why you are only getting that many techs. I will have them set between 3 and 7.

unique ruins will stay at 1/2% chance for each type, but they will move to the top of the list so there is actually a chance of them showing up. the value on them represents the specific tech you will get, not how many techs.

hope this helps.

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

Puke · #30 July 13th, 2001, 10:56 AM

man, this is going to be one crowded game! I am going to have to use an extra large map to make sure there is enough opportunity for someone to win!

When i set the start date for a week from friday and said we would start earlier if the game filled up, i was sort of joking. but hell, now we have 14 players and 7 days to go. i figured 5 or 10 people would show up, this is astounding.

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)