Formations

[Samurai]

Hi,
I hope this isn't a stupid question, but is there any way to create (and save) your own formations?

[geoschmo]

You can edit the formations text file. Haven't tried it myself, but others have I hear.

[Tampa_Gamer]

Yes, works like a charm.

[Jubala]

Tampa, what kind of formations have you created? I've been thinking of trying to make a formation in which the beamers stay up front and the missile boats hang back. I haven't really messed around with the formations.txt file so I don't know if it can be done.

I have also been thinking about decreasing the size of the formations drastically to have several small formations instead of one big formation that's hard to swing around with.

[raynor]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jubala:
Tampa, what kind of formations have you created? I've been thinking of trying to make a formation in which the beamers stay up front and the missile boats hang back. I haven't really messed around with the formations.txt file so I don't know if it can be done.

I have also been thinking about decreasing the size of the formations drastically to have several small formations instead of one big formation that's hard to swing around with.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Those both sound like great ideas!

Can you hold off for about a week on experimenting with this? I was gonna see if I couldn't write at least *some* sort of computer program to help automate the process of typing in all those (x,y) coordinates. *WAY* too tedious...

[Jubala]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by raynor:
Those both sound like great ideas!

Can you hold off for about a week on experimenting with this? I was gonna see if I couldn't write at least *some* sort of computer program to help automate the process of typing in all those (x,y) coordinates. *WAY* too tedious...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's exactly why I haven't done it yet. I would be very interested in such a program. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

[raynor]

Update on a simple formation editor:

I did a lot of work on this Last weekend. The program now reads and writes a single formation correctly and displays the formation on the screen using simple bitmaps.
This weekend, I'll work on the code to let you move the ships around and set the type of the ship.

Don't know if anyone will use the program but it's been fun to write it while I wait for the next patch...

[Jubala]

If you make it available I'd at least like to try it. If I like it I'll use it. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Marty Ward]

I have a basic question on formations.
How do you set them up?
The manual doesn't explain it very well and I'm a little confused about the procedure.
Thanks

[raynor]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Marty Ward:
I have a basic question on formations.
How do you set them up?
The manual doesn't explain it very well and I'm a little confused about the procedure.
Thanks<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In SE4\Data there is a file called formations.txt which specifies all the available formations. The top of the file contains a graphical representation of many but not all of the formations. The actual file doesn't begin until you see the *BEGIN* part of the file. At that point, you'll see several lines with parameter names on the left, :=, then values. This is where you put in your own formation. I think that is pretty self-explanatory. But if you have any questions, let us know.

[Marty Ward]

Thanks