Trouble with altering DefaultStrategies.txt file

[True_Blue]

Hi, I've been modifying a handful of the files in the DATA folder to create a few minor customizations to my preferences (changing number of AIs, systems, MEE, etc. etc.), essentially creating my own mini mod I guess.

Any ways, I modified the default strategies text file to include new strategies (The one I use on most of my ships), I wanted to put it in cause I'm tired of constantly having to re setup my favorite strategies every time I make a new game (and also to modify the default strategies a bit, namely fighter attack to prioritize enemy fighters over enemy ships). After starting the game up I got these new strategies to show up in the strategy menu once but they never showed up again after that game, why is this? It's quite annoying really...

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[Urendi Maleldil]

I'm not sure why the default strategies won't show up, but have you tried creating a separate strategies.txt for the specific AI ship set you're using?

It may also be because the ship set you're using has a custom AI strategies.txt file that's identical to the old default one. I'm not sure if it works that way, but it wouldn't hurt to check.

[Captain Kwok]

You should also be making these changes in a mod folder and not on the default files.

i.e. Space Empires\YourMod\Data

[True_Blue]

Urendi Maleldil said:
I'm not sure why the default strategies won't show up, but have you tried creating a separate strategies.txt for the specific AI ship set you're using?



Not sure what you mean by this part, but adding the strategies to the specific [race]_AI_Strategies.txt file doesn't seem to have worked either.


Captain Kwok said:
You should also be making these changes in a mod folder and not on the default files.

i.e. Space Empires\YourMod\Data



I am using a mod folder, not the originals, and using a mod launcher to activate them.




This is really frustrating, my custom Colony types and Ship types show up, as well as formations I added in, all the changed files seem to be working except the strategis.

[Fyron]

You must create a new empires. Strategies are saved in the empire file, so any changes to the default file will never propagate to existing empire files.

[True_Blue]

Thanks! That worked, however, that means, short of recreating every empire file in my game, I can't modify the AI's default strategies huh? Damn... Oh well, too much of a bother really.

Is there anyway to change the default settings on the "New Game" "Game Setup" menus? its annoying to have to reclick the various options (quadrant size, racial points, etc.) every time I start a new game because I ended up in a system whose star's description says its going to explode or something like that. (Or that time my system only had one warp point leading straight to a black hole!)

[Fyron]

No, but you will be able to in a certain game that shall remain nameless.

[True_Blue]

Damn, I assume I can't change the Quick Start settings either?

Maybe in this nameless game? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Fyron]

You can change the races that are used in quick start game in settings.txt.

[True_Blue]

I didn't mean the races, I meant the actual game settings (Quadrant type, research costs, allowed tech (usually take out mines since the AI doesn't handle em well), etc. etc.)


What are the Quick Start Settings anyways? I suspect they're the default settings on the Game Setup menu, which would be a bad thing since the AI difficulty is set to medium (in addition I prefer larger games, I usually modify mine to about 150+ systems and 15min15max AI empires in large games, dislike nuetral empires too).

I can always use the game set up of course, but I'm lazy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif

[capnq]

True_Blue said: What are the Quick Start Settings anyways?

They control which races are available to choose from on the Quick Start screen. In the unmodded game, you can't Quick Start as the Piundon, Sallega, Sergetti, or Toltayan.

[True_Blue]

I meant what settings does quick start use as in Quarent Type, size, starting resources, etc. etc.

[capnq]

Quick Start games use the same settings that are pre-selected when you open the New Game screen (medium-sized mid-life quadrant, etc.). There is no convenient way in SE IV to change most of those defaults.

Some of them can be changed my modding the files that the lists are generated from, e.g. you could edit QuadrantTypes.txt and put the type you want first in the file (where Mid-Life is now).