SFTC

[Atrocities]

So because of this the chances for an SE V version of FQM are also limited right?

[President_Elect_Shang]

I have gotten a 66x66 hex map of a huge galaxy to generate and display very quickly. I forgot to check the time but it was under two minutes with 255 systems set as max. Scroll speed and FPS showed no lag at all. So the problem you were having [Fyron] was probably related to another issue that has already been fixed. The only problem I encountered was a zoom out issue. The map was so large I had to scroll to get to the other side. I am about to take a look and see if that can be adjusted (as with combat) but before I go does anyone know if there is a setting for that?

For the record: Code:

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System Width In Hexes                                                 := 66

System Height In Hexes                                                := 66

System Point Radius From Center                                       := 1353.0

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[Derek]

Cool!

It was quite a while ago that I did this, probably around 2000/2001 or so. Also, I never actually played Starfire, only read the fiction books, and researched it on the web.

Also, very awesome about the SBMHAWK's, I had been wondering about those. As for warp points, and warping, have you figured out anyway to simulate the massive warp point defenses, and the simultaneous transfers (resulting in some interspersed/destroyed ships), or does the SE5 engine not allow anything like that? I have not played SE5 very extensively, I am waiting for the bugs to get worked out, and I definitely have not done any modding at all for SE5 yet.

Oh, and I'm not on the Rigellan Diaries, so no to the last question.

Dave

President_Elect_Shang said:
Everything is already in the components. The only items not working right now are EDM’s which I had to convert to ED Field Generators. Those will work once a bug in how bonuses are applied is corrected. You are referring to gunboats and I left them out. I could include them at a later time and only left them out because when I started playing the gunboat did not exist. When it was introduced it created a huge imbalance in the game and I wound up tossing them out of the rules. I think they have been fixed but have not used them. A lot of the missile types were left out since SE5 uses abstract ammo. I could have created them as a type of drone and made non-sprint missile launchers fire them. If you tried this mod in SE4 you already know what is wrong with that approach; A LOT! If there are other things you would like to know about in specific feel free to ask. For example the Interstellar Command Center is out, the Courier Drone, both the half sized engines, and a few others.

Oh yes External Ordinance Weapons are in, tested, and they work better than I ever hoped for! As is the X-Ray Laser used by the Thebians, Pinnace, and SBMHAWK both of which are warp capable. Many of the Datalink systems are out as they just couldn’t be modeled enough to make it worth while. If during testing or after release players table ideas to how items left out could be included I would certainly be willing to add them. Also I intend to do house rules even for solo or MP games upon request if provided all the necessary stats.

I wish I had known you were working on this mod for SE4. I had an entire thread dedicated to the project here and eventually it wound up dying. Too many items were lost due to SE4 restrictions and I felt the spirit of the game had been lost with them. I also had one or two hard core SF fans who kept insisting things had to be “this way” (as in by the book) or not at all. One last item not working are the four versions of LT. I built them in but need another patch and then they will work as in canon.

Edited in: Do we know each other from the Rigelian Diaries with Steve?

[Phoenix-D]

Se5 covers simultaneous transits quite nicely, actually. You have to order them manually using warp transit order commands for fleets, and in stock there's a 10% chance of inter penetration.

[Derek]

Cool. Like I said, I haven't played SE5 much, still waiting for the bugs to get worked out.

[President_Elect_Shang]

As P-D said SE5 handles that nicely enough with the only exception being there is no way to simulate coming to a readiness state; so all the defenders are ready all the time. That is a small hick-up that doesn’t really rob from the game since (as I’m sure you recall from the books) the attackers should have a brief moment were there systems are getting over the effects of a warp jump and they can’t engage. In the end the two balances out since neither is a factor. Also you may recall from the books the chance for interpenetration seems a bit higher than 10%. It is actually 30% and I have adjusted (modded) this into the game, it was an easy one line change. Did you read Insurrection? You may recall the Terran Rim Federation used an un-Godly weapon called the Heavy Bombardment Missile Launcher. <cue evil laughter> He-He-He-He…

I can’t find a line that controls the zoom out so I am going to try it at 55x55 and then 44x44. What I may end up having to do is cut ice planets out. By canon they are far out there and it takes a significant amount of time to complete a round trip. Also they can’t be settled but the moons can be under extreme conditions so settling them is only useful when you trying to set up an observation outpost for those once in a blue moon warp points that appear that far out and actually connect to something meaningful. Most games I played ignored them completely anyway. Still cutting the system down to 55x55 is only 20.8% of the actual area and that means (strictly by the book) most planets in the sixth orbit and all planets from the seventh orbit ring out will be removed. Then again if I was going strictly by the books over half the components would have been tossed out already.

[Derek]

Oh, I remember the HBM's. I modeled those just by taking cap missiles in SE4 and making them much more damaging, and much, much longer ranges. Of course, the launchers were really bug.

I was able to somehow get the AI to use them occasionally, and extra long range missile duels became quite interesting!

As for the interpenetration, that works great, and yes, you are right, it does more or less cancel each other out (readiness vs warp disorientation)

Datalinks could be modeled by giving ships components that increase the entire fleets defense percentage, but making them extra large, so that it is only cost effective to give them to one or two ships in a fleet... Not perfect, but should come close. Also not sure if this is possible under SE5, I think it was under SE4.

Gunboats shouldn't be too hard to do at some point in the future, either. The warp capability is going to be the sticking point, I think.

[Phoenix-D]

The datalink thing is possible in SE5; see the Golden Eclipse mod for an example.

Units can be made warp-capable in SE5.

[Phoenix-D]

Post deleted by Phoenix-D

[Derek]

Dayum! So much possible in 5 that wasn't in 4! I'm verrrrrra happy 'bout that!