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Richard
February 19th, 2001, 10:14 PM
Guys,

I think you will like this one and the patch WILL be released in the next few days. Here is everything since 1.19:

Version History for Space Empires IV
---------------------------------------------------

Version 1.26:
1. Fixed - "Bits Index Error" when generating a quadrant map
while setting up a new game.
2. Fixed - Access Violation sometimes when exiting the Units
Launch\Recover window.
3. Fixed - The Retrofit selection window should only show
designs that you have the technology for.
4. Fixed - You should not see the "Blockaded" text on a planet
report if you cannot actually see the planet directly.
5. Fixed - In the Ships window, sorting by Size would not work
correctly for ships.
6. Fixed - Ground combat would not change the statistics of the
troops.
7. Fixed - The text "Blockaded" would not show on a planet which
had enemy troops on it.
8. Fixed - Mothablled ships will not count towards your score.

Version 1.25:
1. Fixed - The meteor strike event was happening every turn.
2. Fixed - Fighter Bays had an incorrect description.
3. Changed - Fighter Bays now launch 4 fighters per game turn.
Satellite Bays launch 4 satellites per game turn.
Mine Layers launch 2 mines per game turn.
4. Fixed - Simultaneous Game: The movement replay log would
cut out when a combat occured.
5. Added - Game Option: No Ruins on planets.
6. Added - Game Option: Can only colonize planets of the same
planet type as your home planet (regardless of
technology).
7. Added - Game Option: Can only colonize planets with the same
atmosphere as your home planet.

Version 1.24:
1. Fixed - Intelligence project "Order Snafu" should effect only one
ship, not an entire fleet.
2. Fixed - Ground Combat: Satellites, Mines, Fighters, and Weapon Platforms
do not get to defend in ground combat.
3. Fixed - Ground Combat: Troops should target other enemy troops first
before firing on satellites, mines, fighters, etc.
4. Fixed - Multiple minefields will show up sometimes when you try to
lay mines where a minefield of yours already exists.
5. Fixed - AI was not updating its ships with the latest engines late
in the game.
6. Fixed - AI should check if the planet already has the desired atmosphere
before building an atmospheric converter.
7. Fixed - AI should scrap any atmospheric converters if the desired
atmosphere has been attained on the planet.
8. Fixed - AI should fill up remaining space on designs with basic armor.
9. Changed - Increased the rate at which fighters and satellites can be
launched during a game turn.
10. Fixed - Meteor strike event would sometimes cause no damage.
11. Fixed - Cluster quadrant layout would not quite work with system amounts
greater than 200.
12. Added - Added a log message which is sent to an empire for each construction
queue which fails to build an item because of a lack of resources from
the empire.
13. Fixed - Fighter Groups were not moving at the speed of the slowest fighter.
14. Fixed - Simultaneous Game: Fighter Groups would sometimes launch from planets
without full supplies.
15. Fixed - Population modifiers in Settings.txt were limited to 20 entries.
16. Fixed - Combat Simulation: In the Fleet Transfer Window, the fleet picture
would not show up sometimes for a fleet in the list.
17. Fixed - Integer Overflow during Finite Resources games on the AI's turn.
18. Changed - Increased the damage for the Anti-Proton Beam family (thanks to
Daynarr).

Version 1.23:
1. Fixed - AI should only build one sensor buoy at a time.
2. Fixed - Some of the empire files were saved with all of the ministers
turned on.
3. Fixed - In some circumstances, the AI will design Base Space Yards with
more than one space yard.
4. Fixed - Cloaked ships were triggering population unhappiness.
5. Fixed - A race that has been destroyed should show "Conquered" for the
treaty in its race report window.
6. Added - Added a new tab to the Strategies window called "Damage". This
tab allows you to set the percentage damage you want to inflict
on different kinds of enemy ships before moving on to a new
target. So for ships, if it says 80%, then your ships will
damage the ship up to 80% and then will switch to a new target.
If no other targets are available, your ships will go back and
finish off those remaining ships. There is also a setting for
"Damage targets until all weapons gone". If this is set true,
then your ships will fire on enemy ships until all of their
weapons are gone, regardless of the percentage damage setting.
7. Fixed - Sometimes the AI Resupply minister would give a Divide by Zero
error.
8. Fixed - The Last patch caused the display of the letters "RSY" in the
system window to not work.
9. Fixed - The AI was not balancing armed and non-armed ships correctly
when considering a trade.
10. Fixed - Typo in the SectType.txt file.
11. Fixed - Mothballed ships were blockading enemy planets.
12. Fixed - Improved the AI's use of seeking weapons in combat.
13. Fixed - Improved the AI's firing of weapons before or after moving.
14. Fixed - Sometimes the AI would not fire seekers on a target.
15. Fixed - Tactical Combat: When a seeker destroyed a colony, there would
be no explosion.
16. Fixed - Tactical Combat: When seekers were launched by a planet, the
selection icon would show for the planet and all of the seekers
at the same time.
17. Fixed - Maximum Weapons Range strategy would sometimes cause the ship to
move closer to the target.
18. Fixed - You should only be able to scrap satellite Groups and fighter
Groups if a spaceyard is present.
19. Fixed - Combat Replay would show the shields for a ship that was hit with
a shield skipping weapon.
20. Fixed - You should not be able to add a minefield to a combat simulation.
21. Fixed - Vehicles in the Combat Simulation design list were not being
sorted by name.
22. Fixed - Improved the AI's determination of when to skip an item in its
purchase list if there is no cargo space available to hold it.
23. Fixed - The AI would try to build defense bases at planets without
spaceyards.
24. Fixed - Mothballed ships should not effect happiness at all.
25. Change - Increased the amount of happiness troops on a planet generate.
26. Change - Increased the amount of happiness a ship in orbit generates for
the planet.
27. Fixed - Added the field "Maximum population for abandon planet order" to
Settings.txt. This will prevent people from abandoning a planet
with a full population of rioting people.
28. Fixed - After an abandon planet, a new colony on the planet would start
at the same happiness as the Last population.
29. Change - Changed the starting happiness of colonies to "Happy" instead of
"Jubilant".
30. Fixed - A mothballed ship that was the only ship in a system could not be
attacked by the other players.
31. Fixed - Simultaneous Game: Reasons for a ship failing to load cargo, drop
cargo, or lay mines were not being added to the log.
32. Change - Cloaked ships cannot lay mines, launch units, or recover units.
33. Fixed - System level point modifiers were being summed instead of max'd.

Version 1.22:
1. Fixed - Fixed a few memory leaks.
2. Fixed - AI was not using cloaking correctly.
3. Fixed - Fixed up some of the constraints on what a cloaked ship
can do.
4. Fixed - AI will choose Stealth Armor for its designs instead of
Cloaking Devices.
5. Fixed - AI would fill up remaining space on its designs with
regular shield generators (not phased shield generators).
6. Fixed - Maximum number of ships and units per player in a game was
not being enforced correctly. In Game Setup, Maximum number
of units (in space) has been changed so that the units can be
in space or in cargo. Increased the starting maximums for
units.
7. Fixed - Games using Multiplayer Save Game Path would try to get
the combat replay and statistics file from this location,
instead of where the savegame was loaded from.
8. Fixed - Ships destroyed with ramming were not providing experience.
9. Fixed - Ships destroyed with ramming were not add in to the design
statistics.
10. Fixed - Units carried by a ship were not being tallied in the unit's
design statistics.
11. Fixed - If an item that is in a trade has been lost, destroyed,
captured, etc. before the trade is excepted, it will be listed
in the trade as "unavailable".
12. Fixed - Jettisoned units weren't being tallied in that unit's
design statistics.
13. Fixed - Ships or Units that are received as gifts, will also have
their design available as an Enemy Design.
14. Fixed - The notes in the Galaxy Window would allow you to see the
names of systems that you had not explored.
15. Fixed - Planets that are in systems that you have seen, were not
showing a green or red star if they were colonizable.
16. Fixed - Omnipresent view of systems would allow you to see
cloaked ships.
17. Fixed - Added a new restriction that you cannot edit a prototype
design if it has been added to one of your construction
queues.
18. Fixed - Change directory in the Load Game window would error if the
Multiplayer Save Game Path was invalid.
19. Fixed - Improved the AI ship design based on the terrific "Mephisto
Mod".
20. Fixed - Transports with a "Capture Planet" strategy were not attempting
to drop troops on the planet.
21. Fixed - Colony planets in the Combat Simulator window were showing the
incorrect player color for the population bars (or possibly no
bars at all).
22. Fixed - Planets should not show up in the Combat Simulator's Fleet
Transfer window.
23. Fixed - Type priorities settings for targeting were not working in
certain situations.
24. Fixed - The Ship\Planet report for a piece in a combat simulation
would sometimes show the wrong status icons.
25. Fixed - Sometimes multiple stats and event files would be copied for
each savegame.
26. Fixed - For a Launch All Units order, if a unit failed to launch
early in the list, then all later units in the list would
not be attempted.
27. Fixed - Sometimes the treaty grid would show two races having two
different treaties with each other.
28. Fixed - If a unit group was at a location in space with other unit
Groups, then the unit Groups amount number and the number
of space objects present would overlap.
29. Fixed - Sometimes the Colonies Window (Facilities tab) would list
the same facility type on multiple lines.
30. Fixed - Ai was not checking correctly for nearby enemies to potential
colonization sites. Improved the AI colonization determination
a bit.

Version 1.21:
1. Fixed - Range check error when you have 255 systems and you give
a ship orders to move to another system.
2. Fixed - Increased planet finite resource starting values.
3. Added - Added default values in the Settings.txt file for the
Maximum number of ships and units in the game.
4. Fixed - AI was not always using damaged ships or sending them
to be repaired.
5. Fixed - Increased the speed of combat execution.
6. Fixed - AI was not spreading out targeting of seekers based on
anticipated damage to target.
7. Fixed - Fleet leaders were still not detecting correctly when they
were surrounded in combat and should break formation.
8. Fixed - The Drushocka and Praetorian were building fighters with
only Shield Depleters.
9. Fixed - Jubilant has been mispelled for quite a while.
10. Fixed - Added empire files for all empires.
11. Fixed - Krill, Terran, and Toltayan empires were not always using
all of their racial points.
12. Fixed - Combat Replay would not show the vehicle report when moving
from a fighter group to a new fighter group.
13. Fixed - Improved AI's use of fleets.
14. Fixed - Improved AI's used of Planet creators.

Version 1.20:
1. Fixed - A colony with no population could still suffer from
a firestorm event.
2. Fixed - Ground combat would continue on the turn that a surrender
took place.
3. Fixed - High numbers of systems would not work correctly using the
Cluster quadrant layout.
4. Added - Added fields to the Settings.txt file to specify what values
and abilities a newly created storm will receive.
5. Fixed - Changed the text for the Cloaks to say the correct level
of scanning/detection it prevents.
6. Fixed - AI vehicle design files were not using the new ability
names for Combat To Hit Add and Combat to Hit Dec.
7. Fixed - Sometimes a damaged ship that was retrofitted would
result in undamaged components.
8. Fixed - If the order of a construction queue was changed, it was
not clearing the time for the item currently under
construction.
9. Changed - Changed Emergency Build Rate to 150%.
10. Fixed - When you exit a combat replay, the combat music would keep
playing.
11. Fixed - In Tactical Combat, Clear All Group Assignments would not
redraw the display to clear the group icons.
12. Fixed - "Bad Index" error from the Colonies window.
13. Fixed - If a race had a treaty of Subjugation or Protectorate, their
research points would be capped at 50,000.
14. Fixed - The Up Arrow on the Report window would display over the
Comps or Cargo display when closing the Scrap window.
15. Fixed - Fill Build Queue was not checking if the items were valid
for the empires current technology level.
16. Fixed - When loading a previously saved empire into a different player
number than previously, their designs would be messed up.
17. Fixed - Simultaneous Game - The Seeking Attack order would not cleared
if it was targeted on a planet and the colony had been destroyed.
18. Fixed - Improved the AI's scrapping of uneeded facilities in a finite
resource game.
19. Fixed - Remove tech area Ship Construction level 10 (it was empty).
20. Fixed - Decreased the AI's armor usage on their designs.
21. Fixed - Increase the AI's point defense usage on their designs.
22. Fixed - AI was not using its AI Strategy file correctly.
23. Fixed - AI was not giving the Kamikaze ships the correct strategy.
24. Fixed - In a finite resources game, planets would still produce resources
even after they had reached a value of 0.
25. Fixed - If a player's fleet encountered enemy mines in the same sector
as his own mines, he would receive a message about his minefield
being triggered against "enemy" ships.
26. Fixed - Improved the description for the Boarding Parties and Security Stations.
27. Added - Added fields to the Settings.txt file to specify a maximum number of
mines or satellties that a player can have in a sector.
28. Fixed - The Colony Window would display a patch of white if there were a large
number of displayed facilities.
29. Added - Added a confirmation message when you try to send a surrender message.
30. Fixed - Improved the Transport Minister so that they only move populations to
planets with atmospheres they can breathe.
31. Changed - Changed the Path.txt file so that it now lists a new directory to use.
This directory can contain replacements directory for all of the
directories that SE4 uses. If a directory is present in the mod
directory, all of the files that SE4 needs must be present. So if you
replace the Data directory, your new directory must have all of the
data files present. The only exception to this rule is for bitmaps.
If a bitmap cannot be found in a mod directory, the game will then
look back into the original SE4 directory to find it. In this way, you
can replace everything in the game, but not need to include all of the
graphics as well.
32. Fixed - Range check error during combat.
33. Fixed - Point Blank strategy sometimes would cause ships to run away from the
target.
34. Fixed - Range Check Error with a large number of units in a group during combat.
35. Fixed - Range Check Error with huge numbers of shields being generated during combat.
36. Fixed - Range Check Error with a fleet of more than 256 ships during combat.




------------------
Sarge is coming...

Richard Arnesen
Director of Covert Ops
Shrapnel Games
http://www.shrapnelgames.com

tictoc
February 19th, 2001, 10:40 PM
Wow..you guys have been busy, excellent work and kudo's to all involved. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon10.gif
tic

Emperor Zodd
February 19th, 2001, 10:42 PM
I'm glad to see this option.


6. Added - Game Option: Can only colonize planets of the same
planet type as your home planet (regardless of
technology).

taterbill
February 19th, 2001, 10:42 PM
drool....

Emperor Zodd
February 19th, 2001, 10:45 PM
I'm glad to see this change.
I would like to see more refinements to weapon play balance in the future.

18. Changed - Increased the damage for the Anti-Proton Beam family (thanks to
Daynarr).

Daynarr
February 19th, 2001, 10:47 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>6. Fixed - AI should check if the planet already has the desired atmosphere
before building an atmospheric converter.
7. Fixed - AI should scrap any atmospheric converters if the desired
atmosphere has been attained on the planet.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Tenryu
February 19th, 2001, 10:51 PM
Thanks for information Richard.

Mephisto
February 19th, 2001, 11:44 PM
Ah, that's great! Nices fixes. This will help the AI a lot.
Congratulations, Daynarr! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif
It seems that MM is really open to the MOD-Community.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Richard:
Guys,
5. Fixed - AI was not updating its ships with the latest engines late
in the game.
6. Fixed - AI should check if the planet already has the desired atmosphere
before building an atmospheric converter.
7. Fixed - AI should scrap any atmospheric converters if the desired
atmosphere has been attained on the planet.
8. Fixed - AI should fill up remaining space on designs with basic armor.
18. Changed - Increased the damage for the Anti-Proton Beam family (thanks to
Daynarr).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

HreDaak
February 20th, 2001, 12:01 AM
Excellent... excellent!

pathfinder
February 20th, 2001, 12:35 AM
Yeah buddy! Thank you sir!

Nyx
February 20th, 2001, 01:25 AM
I think this one is aimed at modders too:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>15. Fixed - Population modifiers in Settings.txt were limited to 20 entries.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>There were what three threads about modding the population bonuses on the forum here?

------------------
Compete in the Space Empires IV World Championship at www.twingalaxies.com. (http://www.twingalaxies.com.)

Dravis
February 20th, 2001, 02:24 AM
Yes!!! Some of those things I have been wating for since SE3.

Instar
February 20th, 2001, 03:56 AM
You know, I think this is the greatest game community ever. We get excited like 5 year olds over a patch, when in other games, patches are inconviences at best.
Goodness I love this game!

Atrocities
February 20th, 2001, 06:24 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>18. Changed - Increased the damage for the Anti-Proton Beam family (thanks to Daynarr). <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Way to go Daynarr. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Thanks for posting this info on the up coming patch. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Its news like this that keeps people very interested in this game. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

------------------
"We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats! They invade our space and we fall back -- they assimilate entire worlds and we fall back! Not again! The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!" -- Patric Stewart as Captain Picard
UCP/TCO Ship Yards (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/cnchome/Shipsets.html)

Sinapus
February 20th, 2001, 06:28 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Version 1.25:
1. Fixed - The meteor strike event was happening every turn.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Er, that must have been interesting for the beta-testers. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Commander G2
February 20th, 2001, 08:38 AM
I like this one: 6. Added - Game Option: Can only colonize planets of the same
planet type as your home planet (regardless of technology).

This will eliminate that mass frenzy in Multiplayer games to trade colonization technology.

[This message has been edited by Commander G2 (edited 20 February 2001).]

JLXC
February 20th, 2001, 08:47 AM
Great, now WHEN! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon12.gif

Just a waitin'

------------------
I'm an Idiot? Well if that's not the kettle smelling the pot's back!

Daynarr
February 20th, 2001, 01:18 PM
Thanks guys. I am really honored.

Samurai
February 20th, 2001, 01:47 PM
Rats. I liked this. I thought it was a *feature* -- not a bug.

17. Fixed - Added a new restriction that you cannot edit a prototype design if it has been added to one of your construction queues.

Dime Greenback
February 20th, 2001, 03:03 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Samurai:
Rats. I liked this. I thought it was a *feature* -- not a bug.

17. Fixed - Added a new restriction that you cannot edit a prototype design if it has been added to one of your construction queues.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, I also considered it a feature. Also you can probably still upgrade prototypes in construction, it is just a bit more hassle involved. Just change all production queues to another design, edit the prototype, and change the queues back. So where's the sense in 'fixing' that? (Of course I assume here that changing the object being built is still possible like it used to be.)

Spyder
February 20th, 2001, 03:24 PM
I have just (nearly) finished my first full game and I have some observations involving the interface that fit here:

1) When I go down the Event List at the beginning of the turn to find out what's going on so that I can respond to different triggers, I will highlight a selection (say, Atmosphere Converted) and then hit the Goto button. This works great, but, when I return to the Event List, not only do I have to scroll all the way back down to the event I went to to continue looking at the remainder of the list, I have to REMEMBER which event it was to which I went (God, I mangled that sentence http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif ).

Please do one of two things, or both if it pleases you http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif A) Leave my Last selection highlighted. B) Leave the list pointer where it was Last viewed and give us a top/bottom button so that when I open the list, I'll be where I was.

2) When I am looking at my build list, If I am at the bottom and I click to delete that item, the list automatcally jumps back to the top...this causes me to delete the wrong stuff when I am trying to delete multiple items. If you can, please have the list stay where it is when I click on an item.

Paul E. Mason
Senior VMS Systems Administrator

God Emperor
February 20th, 2001, 04:19 PM
Hmmm, have to agree with Samurai on 17. I liked to be able to edit prototypes.

Also, has the research queue problem (AI always having 4 items in queue) been fixed, or the cause identified?
Tampa_gamer said that he had not encountered it on his Darloks but I havent been able to reproduce his finding in any of my games.

Am interested in any feedback on this issue.
Regards,
God Emperor

raynor
February 20th, 2001, 06:11 PM
Have you also noticed what a pain it is to add ships to a fleet? You click on one to move it over. Then, it resets you to the top of the list. So, you scroll down a couple of screens, and add the ship. Bam! Back at the top of the list. Because of this extremely annoying user interface BUG! (You can't call it anything else!), I usually just add ALL my ships to the fleet and then subtract off the bases and stuff I don't want.

dmm
February 20th, 2001, 09:07 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>6. Added - Game Option: Can only colonize planets of the same
planet type as your home planet (regardless of technology).[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

This doesn't sound like it will do what (some) people really want, which is to prevent rock-dwelling species from colonizing non-rock planets (and similar colonizations that some gamers considered unrealistic).

From what I've read, everyone still wants to be able somehow to obtain populations that can colonize other planet types.

So, unless this option is being explained incorrectly, it won't get used much and gamers will still have to use house rules and the honor system. Unfortunately, that won't work with the AI.

raynor
February 20th, 2001, 09:24 PM
Could you perhaps explain yourself a little better? Maybe my brain isn't working so well after a big mid-day meal.

I read that option to mean that if my empire's default planet type is rock, then that is all I will ever be able to build colonies on regardless of technology. I won't be able to colonize ice worlds or gas giants. Sounds pretty good to me.

In other threads, some folks have complained that they had too many planets to manage. One solution is to alter the maximum number of planets per system. This option is yet another alternative. I think it will probably get quite a bit of use--especially in multiplayer games where folks don't want to face the tedium of managing a 300 planet empire with an interface designed for managing at most 60.

dmm
February 20th, 2001, 09:36 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by God Emperor:
Hmmm, have to agree with Samurai on 17. I liked to be able to edit prototypes. ... Am interested in any feedback on this issue.
Regards,
God Emperor<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

GE,
The reason for this fix is that construction queue rules have been changed. In the upcoming Version, if you replace the top queue item, then you lose all construction credit for it. So the above change is just closing a loophole in the new rule.

That's kind of a pain if all you're doing is adding a sensor. The intent, though, is to prevent people from constructing some big-ticket item for a bunch of turns and then suddenly switching it to a totally dissimilar big-ticket item (which maybe they just researched). So, in the upcoming Version, you won't be able to construct for 5 turns on your latest ship, and then edit it just before completion to contain armor, engines, and weapons that were unknown when construction started. You'll have to choose between starting construction from scratch, or finishing the old Version and then upgrading.

I must admit, I like to exploit the current system. But I think the new rule is more realistic. (Think about it: with the current system, you can be constructing a warship and replace it with a computer complex or an organics facility, with no construction penalty. HUH, WHAT?? Really, it had to be fixed.)

dmm
February 20th, 2001, 10:03 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by raynor:
Could you perhaps explain yourself a little better? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
In the threads discussing colonization of planetary types, people were complaining that it was unrealistic to think that rock dwellers could ever colonize ice or gas, that gas dwellers could ever colonize rock or ice, or that ice dwellers could ever colonize rock or gas. But the argument was not empire-based, it was species-based. So if an empire of rock dwellers captures a gas planet full of gas dwellers from another empire, there is no logical reason why those gas dwellers can't be used to colonize other gas planets (provided the empire has the Gas Colonization tech).

My point is this:
An option implementing the species-based restriction was asked for but what is (apparently) being given instead is an empire-based restriction. Many people were hoping for the former. The latter is not as useful and is totally arbitrary -- there's no logical basis for it.

The same arguments can be made regarding the new option to restrict colonization to homeworld atmospheres.

If the idea was simply to reduce the number of colonies to manage, then you've already pointed out the obvious (and logically consistent) solution -- reduce the average number of planets per system. Or just play in an ancient galaxy.

raynor
February 20th, 2001, 10:07 PM
Thanks!

I completely forgot about conquering a species whose home planet type is different from yours.

Nitram Draw
February 20th, 2001, 11:25 PM
I love the idea of only being able to colonize one type of planet.
This could go a long way toward creating some valuable systems.

Talenn
February 20th, 2001, 11:53 PM
On the subject of changing prototypes etc...

I, for one, would like to see some sort of added cost for the first ship in a class. Maybe a 'design fee' or 'prototype penalty' or somesuch. Not a huge cost, but something to encourage (and reward) a bit of preplanning and forethought. It would also help reduce some tedium as it wouldnt always be the optimum to redesign all of your ship as soon as you get one new component the way it is now.

It might make some financial sense to keep a class in production until a few changes are in order instead of for each new gadget. In fact, the cost wouldnt even have to be a resources cost (although that is certainly not a bad option) but perhaps a time cost...ie prototypes take 50% more time to construct or somesuch.

As far as a resource cost? Maybe 15-20%? I'm not sure if that would be enough to encourage some standardization or not. Perhapss a combo of the two?

Anyways, bottom line is that IMO, it should not always be in a player's best interest to constantly redesign their ships. It should go in cycles and not incessantly. This would definately reduce micromanagement and would prolly be adding some 'realism' to game as the same time.

Anyone else?

Thanx,
Talenn

SunDevil
February 21st, 2001, 12:04 AM
Talenn,

You would then have to make the ai not upgrade and update their design every chance that they get. As it stands right now, the ai tries every turn to update and retrofit their ships.

But I like your idea. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Sinapus
February 21st, 2001, 12:14 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SunDevil:
Talenn,

You would then have to make the ai not upgrade and update their design every chance that they get. As it stands right now, the ai tries every turn to update and retrofit their ships.

But I like your idea. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, one of the things I find irksome is that the AI doesn't jettison and rebuild new weapon platforms and satellites, so if you hit their earlier systems, all they have are a bunch of obsolete platforms and satellites.

Well, maybe they can keep the satellites, since they can still do a little damage, but I think that the AI should jettison the old WPs every so often and build new ones if there are no enemy units detected in that system or maybe one system away. Since those ones with large-mount DUC I's aren't as nasty as the High-Energy Discharge or other heavy weapons. Especially if you use the mod that increases range on mounts used for weapon platforms.


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"What do -you- want?" "I'd like to live -just- long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this..." *waggle* "...can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?"

[This message has been edited by Sinapus (edited 20 February 2001).]

klausD
February 21st, 2001, 12:39 AM
I for my part do like the new colonization possibility. There are IMO several advantages for it.

1. If you play a rock race for example the competition among other rock races is much greater, because of lack of availabie planets. This differentiates the races a lot more and makes their origin interesting.

2. Remote mining becomes more important

3. Troop invasion is a lot more interesting, because you need every planet with population, especially if this planet has another type than yours. In this case, the beloved genocide from outer space tactics which several people prefers is not very profiable, because you cannot resettle the planet.

bye
Klaus


Important:
It should be possible to erect several special buildings at a planet which have no colony on it. For example: Cargo facilities, scanning stations or whatever. there should be a line included with the buildings editor which allows the modder to decide if a building needs a colony or not. In the latter, just landing a troop or having a ship in the orbit should be enough to buy such a building.

KiloOhm
February 21st, 2001, 02:45 AM
Does this mean that you can't invade an enemy planet anymore???

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Commander G2:
I like this one: 6. Added - Game Option: Can only colonize planets of the same
planet type as your home planet (regardless of technology).

This will eliminate that mass frenzy in Multiplayer games to trade colonization technology.

[This message has been edited by Commander G2 (edited 20 February 2001).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



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Regards,
KiloOhm

phalen
February 21st, 2001, 03:09 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by klausD:
It should be possible to erect several special buildings at a planet which have no colony on it. For example: Cargo facilities, scanning stations or whatever. there should be a line included with the buildings editor which allows the modder to decide if a building needs a colony or not. In the latter, just landing a troop or having a ship in the orbit should be enough to buy such a building.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I like the idea of being able to drop off a scanner "module" at a planet in the enemy's area and let it say passivly scan troop movements.. etc.. with a chance of being noticed by regular scanners.. or somthig... but you would either have to make it a componant on one of the ships that is destroyed after use or has to be built by a ship yard ship etc.. kinda like a spy satalite...