Riddle me this

[Elowan]

I'm running 1.78.

I've designed 4 new ships, made the bmps, named them, changed VehicleSize.txt to add these to the bottom of the file, ensured that each had unique 2-letter codes, tech areas, etc.

Each time I tried to Create>Ship>newship I got an error to the effect that SE can't find generic_portrait_newship.bmp.

When I dutifully copied the minis and the portraits to the RaceGeneric folder and renamed them to generic_*.bmp - the error went away and the ships display. At least the portraits do.

Wazzup widdat? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Krsqk]

Where did you put the BMPs? I think you need one in the RaceGeneric directory, so races which don't have that BMP can still display the ship.

[Elowan]

They're special ships that no other race can construct. I set a special racial trait that worked in 1.67.

[ August 27, 2002, 04:15: Message edited by: Elowan ]

[Suicide Junkie]

Anything that one race can build, can also be built by a race using a different shipset.

All they have to do is pick that special racial trait.

[Elowan]

Are you saying that the AI can pick any trait off the list? If that's the case - how can you make anything race specific?

[ August 27, 2002, 06:40: Message edited by: Elowan ]

[Phoenix-D]

The AI can be *made* to pick any trait. Players have no restrictions. You cannot make something race specific except by agreement with the players not to take that trait.

Phoenix-D

[DirectorTsaarx]

Originally posted by Elowan:
Are you saying that the AI can pick any trait off the list? If that's the case - how can you make anything race specific?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As Phoenix and SJ point out, if you play multi-player, other humans could choose your special racial trait. And, since you can't force players to use a particular shipset based on using a racial trait, you have to have at least a "generic" Version of special ship hulls.

[Elowan]

Everthing you say about multi-player is all well and good. However - I play alone.

I established a racial trait for the soul purpose of being able to display specialized ship designs. Call it 'role playing', whatever. I am not aware that the various AI's pick their traits at random or that the AI will pick random traits to generate one of the 'neutral' races.

Having said that, let's get back to my problem.

Before I installed the update - SEIV would display my designs just fine. Since the update - it complains that it can't find generic_mini/portrait_whatevership.bmp. It only complains about the specials and only the Last 2 on the list.

Why is it asking for a 'generic' pic? Did Malfador restrict the number of vehicles in VehicleSizes.txt? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

- Even single-computer, sequential turn games can be played hotseat multiplayer. AI players can be switched to human control at a moment's notice. SE4, really can't tell if you're playing alone.

- As for why it is complaining, probably a safeguard for modders who might forget to add a generic image.
As far as SE4 is concerned, anybody could be playing it, not just you. That isn't the case here, but it dosen't matter.

======================

If you want to avoid the complaints WITHOUT making new generic images, simply set the ALTERNATE BITMAP NAME to something that already exists, preferably something close in size to what you've added.
That will fix all the problems with using other shipsets, automatically.

[Elowan]

I tried using an alternate bmp name. Problem is - I got the alternate picture when I tried to load my new ship. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

Hrm, I see what you mean...
I'll fiddle around with this for a bit and see what I can come up with.

EDIT:
Well, my problem had to do with copying the files to the wrong place.
I don't have any problems now, even without the generic images.

My setup:
P&N - Battlemoon images:
Primary := worldship
Alternate := massivebaseship

Installed races: default AIs + Vikings (who have a unique battlemoon pic)
Even without the default images, I got no errors, and the viking's unique Horned Moon with sails appears.

Things to check:
SE4 tries to load images in the following order:
1) the pictures/races/thisrace in the mod's folder
2) the pictures/racegeneric in the mod's folder
3) the pictures/races/thisrace in the default SE4 folder
4) the pictures/racegeneric in the default SE4 folder.

If it isn't there already, try moving your race into the modfolder, so it is the first place SE4 looks, and then, SE4 shouldn't complain.

[ August 27, 2002, 17:33: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Elowan]

I appreciate your help. This folder is in the place it's always been - the Races folder under Pictures.

My issue is that it worked before I updated with 1.78.

However - I'll try putting that folder where you suggested.

Tis a puzzlement. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Elowan]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
Hrm, I see what you mean...
Things to check:
SE4 tries to load images in the following order:
1) the pictures/races/thisrace in the mod's folder
2) the pictures/racegeneric in the mod's folder
3) the pictures/races/thisrace in the default SE4 folder
4) the pictures/racegeneric in the default SE4 folder.

If it isn't there already, try moving your race into the modfolder, so it is the first place SE4 looks, and then, SE4 shouldn't complain.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That didn't work. I'd like to send the save game files, .emp files, etc to Malfador but I can't find an addr.

[Captain Kwok]

Again...I do not think this is a bug. I have added many ship designs and have never encountered this problem. Perhaps there is a typo or something in the entry.

[DirectorTsaarx]

To answer the easiest question first: try se4@malfador.com for bug reports.

Next, the SE4G patch 2 overwrites a number of files (the whole point of a patch, after all); there should be a file called "DataFileHistory.txt" that will list all altered data files (of course, looking at the files listed, none of them should be causing this error). In addition, looking at the "InstallLog.txt" file shows that the "path.txt" file gets overwritten as part of patch 1.78. So you may want to double-check and make sure you're using the right mod folder.

Finally, having a "generic" Version of the new ship pictures (or at least using an alternate bitmap that already exists) will also help if you make a mistake and choose the "wrong" shipset (i.e., one that doesn't include your special hullsize pictures) when you start a new solo game.

OT BTW - nice references to "The King and I" with "'tis a puzzlement". And that "...no old, bold space jockies" sounds familiar - I think there's a line "...no old, bold wizards" in the Bakshi movie "Wizards"?

[Elowan]

Originally posted by DirectorTsaarx:
OT BTW - nice references to "The King and I" with "'tis a puzzlement". And that "...no old, bold space jockies" sounds familiar - I think there's a line "...no old, bold wizards" in the Bakshi movie "Wizards"?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Firstly - that quote from the 'King and I' has always resonated for me. The 'old, bold ...' is a rephrasing of something my flight instructor once said: 'There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old, bold pilots'.

As to the other stuff. I don't use a 'mod' folder. I'm not playing with external mods only the changes I've made to Components, Tech and Vehicle size. Since I'm a solo player - those are revised originals.

Perhaps I need to look at the original files written by 1.78 and see if something was changed there. I backed up my original *.txt files and then re-copied them back into the DATA folder.

Hmmm - perhaps that's where the diffuglement lies. Sigh! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[ August 28, 2002, 16:49: Message edited by: Elowan ]

[Elowan]

Well ... I solved the problem. Something someone said got me thinking. But it took awhile of changing VehicleSize.txt by taking out extra ships; then shortening ship names - no joy.

Then I re-read this thread.

Hmmm. My current race was originally entitled United Federation. I changed this to Antaran Federation. For awhile - both races shared ship designs until I left off updating UF.

Tonite, on a hunch, I zipped up UF; started up a game and edited Antaran Federation.

Now all the ships show in the Design Screen and list.

Du'oh! I had made the Antaran Federation race from my original UF but the empire file was pointing to the UF folder because I didn't change it when I changed the race name and other things.

So ... there's abug alright -- buzzing around in my cranium!

I ... gasp ... need a ... vacation ... or more beer ... or ........ http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

[Elowan]

This same problem crops up if you make a civ based on another and then generate new ships in a folder dedicated to the new civ. SE4 will look for new ship designs in the old folder; that is - the folder of the race you based your civ on.

To avoid this, make sure that you copy the model civs folder, rename it and the first part of the ships file names and then reconstruct your new empire based on that new folder.

If you don't do this and you make new ship designs (as I have) with different names or add to the number of ships -- you'll get constant 'can't find generic_blah_moreblah.bmp' msgs. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[ September 03, 2002, 19:24: Message edited by: Elowan ]