3rd party software request

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by dogscoff:
A little proggy would be cool though, that went through all AI files in pictures/races/* and either corrected or flagged up all missing/invalid lines in the files.

specially since I might be interested in repairing some of them if the missing piece is small. And if its a kewl ship-set without any personality then maybe I will ask the creator for permission to flesh it out as my own.

Something Im noticing though... there is no way to create "yourself" without a chance of meeting "yourself" in a game? I mean, if I create an empire and save it to be "me" in a game, I cant do it with a porttrait/shipset that will never show up as another race?

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by Mephisto:
It will search for the correct path to install to all by itself and will add an Icon for the Modlauncher in your Start-Menu if you wish so. In short, TDM should be everything you wish for. All other "standard" races you wish to install should also be installed to the TDM-Folder. This way your SE4-Basis will be kept clean.

That all sounds good. So TDM just adds things without rewriting the game? DevNull sounded like that also. I was trying not to use a MOD at all but its beginning to sound like a catchall for added things so I dont make the mess I did

[JLS]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
specially since I might be interested in repairing some of them if the missing piece is small. And if its a kewl ship-set without any personality then[/i] maybe[/i] I will ask the creator for permission to flesh it out as my own.

Something Im noticing though... there is no way to create "yourself" without a chance of meeting "yourself" in a game? I mean, if I create an empire and save it to be "me" in a game, I cant do it with a porttrait/shipset that will never show up as another race?

Sure have all 20 races of just youself - or is it me? " dang - what folder did I put it in this time "
- - -

So basically, you are looking for Ship Sets of others: so you may personally change (rewrite) their AI files - OK

Most of your questions can be answered by reviewing the TDM AI and with a little home work invested - you will see how fine the TDM AI is, the fact that they deal with many situations that an AI will face and the personality they possess add so much to our games.

Modding Aaron Halls Space Empires is indeed an endless joy, have fun.

= = = = = =

Gandalf Parker, I have noticed just today that you work for Shrapnel Games and you are (Director of Community Relations and Tech Advisor for Shrapnel Games Inc)

Perhaps as a Shrapnel Tech Advisor you can provide a 3rd (or would it now than become a first party?) (as not to get off topic to the topic of your thread originate) and also, perhaps to achieve the points that we Players and that of yourself - addressed?

- - -

As a Director of Community Relations; again, I have just now followed all your recent Posts thru-out the forum to include this thread and I wish you great success in most of your endeavors.

At this time I would like to thank you and Shrapnel Game and it does appear personally: in your fine representation of and for - one of the Worlds most fascinating and enduring games and that being Aaron Halls Space Empires and Star Fury series



[ July 06, 2004, 16:45: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:

That all sounds good. So TDM just adds things without rewriting the game?

Gandalf Parker.
As a tech adviser for Shrapnel; Perhaps you could explain how a MOD rewrites the game.

Actually, by changing AI Data or any-one other file - does this in fact constitute a rewrite?

- - -

DevNull sounded like that also. I was trying not to use a MOD at all but its beginning to sound like a catchall for added things so I dont make the mess I did

As Shrapnels Community Relations guy - perhaps I should chime in so you do not create an uproar…

DevNull in not a "catch all" and strays very little to that of the stock se4 AI Player that you would like to mold, and is a fantastic game (opps sorry, modified) that many of us still very much enjoy.



[ July 06, 2004, 17:13: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Perhaps this may set the tone you are looking for Gandalf.

What I and many others and perhaps yourself Gandalf - is a Thread and one that Mephisto
could lead where Players with question regarding the (STOCK AI Player) would be answered professionally.

I would like to ask the next stock se4 AI question.
- - -

With se4 v1.91, would it behoove me to reduce the AI Research Colony percentages in the AI Planet File as to slow the stock AI Players growth - in a low to med bonus game.
And retain the integrity in late Med Bonus and High and not to over degrade this AI in the LOW bonus (Resulting in Higher Resource in None and Low) and as to have a closer equality to that of Human Players in regards to AI Ship Construction and that of its armament.

Or would this best be served with a properly timed spacing with that of the TECH within the AI research Files or the Combination of both?

[ July 06, 2004, 17:53: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Gandalf Parker]

Heehee. Surely in a fantasy/scifi gaming environment we all know what titles are good for.

Customer Relations would often be an advance on the unit known as Moderator. Not that this forum needs any kindof Master Moderator. It would often be simply a paid moderator with a wider territory such as keeping an overview eye on all of the forums here. The area of customers who have gotten past the sales-and-complaints area. Supporting happy customers who already have their game (an area that many companys tend to drop). But in this case Im happy to also include newsGroups and many other forums around the net where Shrapnel and Shrapnel games would be good to be mentioned.

A "tech advisor" to a company is not the same as a developer. Think of it as an advance on the unit known as a System Administrator. I can do SysAdmin things like setting up the Avatar arrangements that David wanted, but I also get to provide input on new hardware/software.

Truthfully, Dominions 2 brought me here. Im still trying to get up on all the other games. Mostly to better provide in those other areas altho SEIV is a game I would have gotten into eventually anyway.

[Gandalf Parker]

Yes, STOCK might have been the word Im looking for. But so far Im having fun with the stock game and the stock AI. Im just in a hurry to increase things like my choice of races, events, neutral races, design names, components. Anything I can add-on without finding myself in a different game or suddenly facing a whole new level of enemys.

Im sure that will come just as it did for the advanced players here. But I keep getting suggestions of MODs. And MOD is something I tend to hold off from for awhile. Most games MODs tend to be peoples rewriting the game to their idea of improvements, or turning it into something completely different because they had played the stock to death. No problem with those, I just dont seem to need them yet.

Where do I go for the biggest add-on collection to the stock game? I think my mistake before was in finding Tescoma(?) before I knew what all of the compatibility notes refered to.

[JLS]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Most games MODs tend to be peoples rewriting the game to their idea of improvements, or turning it into something completely different

Not to press the Issue but to state an observation.

If something is modded or as you say (“ rewritten “) slightly from default se4 and you are comfortable with this - its ok in your opinion and not a rewrite but is truly authentic to that of se4 Gold and its Version releases.
And you state that MODS that have “ rewritten “ DATA or a "catch all" that is not to your taste; in my interpretations, is a gross change from the authenticity of se4.

Your comments would not interest me if you were not representative of Shrapnel Games (Title standing in full) and therefore less weight may be applied to your statements and or opinions.

Yet you yourself - want to change the DATA that deviates from the defaults that se4 offers, and in fact will change the outcome that the default AI’s must bare, if released as such (hypothetically of coarse) - would this now be considered a mod and is this not as gross of a change: if the default AI suffers in the coarse of my game allowing my outcome to be determined by your modded ("Rewritten and your preceived "idea of improved") AI?



[ July 06, 2004, 19:44: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Gandalf Parker]

To me there are add-ons or expansions, and there are MODs (modifications). In SEIV it seems that the line isnt as clearly defined as in some games.

I was seeking expansion sets without mods. I dont want to change the game, just increase the options of whats there. Obviously if a MOD changes it into purely a StarWars game, or a Babylon % game, or an AI upgrade for advanced players, then those are mods I dont want yet.

Atrocities says that I can set the game to use a MOD. As I understand it I can make my own MOD directory, tell the game to use it, and copy all new things there. That makes it easy to turn off anything that I do which seems to go too far. That kindof blurs the definition of MOD but I can see the sense in it. I also got the impression that one of the downloaable mods was already along that line. A collection of many peoples projects which basically expanded what the stock game already had.

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by JLS:
Your comments would not interest me if you were not representative of Shrapnel Games (Title standing in full) and therefore less weight may be applied to your statements and or opinions.

Kindof like pestering the janitor for algebra answers because he "represents" the university?

Im sure you are probably correct and Im using the wrong terms. It is your area. Or I could ask the developers. We have those.