Custom Race Feed Back

[Atraikius]

My big points on the styles are:

No AI - the ship sets I get with no AI that still look fairly nice I've renamed and stuck in the nuetrals folders so they don't all use the same ships.

Inconsistance between files. It drive me nuts when I run into styles that expend the points on an expensive racial tech, yet don't have all the techs in their research tree (I've ran across a couple that had Religeon but didn't have the initial religeous tech in their research tree) or that are inconsistant between the general file and .emp files, and when the abilities between point seting change drastically (like the EEE)

Last would be a pet peeve thing - I hate it when the different ships (the race portrait, troops, platforms don't bother me though) are all pointing different directions, and they have masking problems. I am sort of reluctant to use those races even if the AI is good. (Atrocities - I really appreciate your efforts with the masking)

[Nitram Draw]

I've checked out most of the styles you listed. I think they are all good. I wish they all had AI's, I can only use so many for my own race and some are very hard for me to see on the screen.
Do you think it would be possible to classify the existing AI files and use them in a building block approach to give reasonable AI's to the one that don't have them, or to provide a base for a modder to work from?
I know there are definate differances in the mod-pack AI's, the X-Chung build lots of ships, the Rage are very aggressive, some research like crazy, etc. If they could be identified in a way that was consistent you could almost build an AI by picking and choosing different files.

[dogscoff]

I have been very impressed with the styles I have seen / downloaded / used, especially original ones (ie not taken from sci fi films/ shows).

My request is to webmasters offering these shipsets for download, although it will probably require the co-operation of shipset creators:

Please list compatibilities with your race styles. Some race styles seem to gnerate error Messages under certain Versions of the gam (most notably 1.35). Perhaps also note how well the race style will work with latest Versions of the more popular mod packs (Devnull, TDM, Zippy...).

(As if you weren't all working hard enough already=-)

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"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
"Uh, I think so, Brain, but balancing a family and a career ... oooh, it's all too much for me. "

[capnq]

quote:

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Do you think it would be possible to classify the existing AI files and use them in a building block approach to give reasonable AI's to the one that don't have them, or to provide a base for a modder to work from?

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A building block approach is how I'm starting my first attempt at an AI. My Tiktsin are Organic Scientists, so I'm starting off working from the Eee's Anger and Politics files and the Xi-Chung's Research and Design files. I've been taking notes on my own games to get ideas for research progressions and designs the Tiktsin would use.

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Cap'n Q

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate all of its contents. We live on a placid
island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was
not meant that we should go far. -- HP Lovecraft

[Deathstalker]

Nitram: There was a 'godsend' posted awhile ago, a link to download a program called 'ACDsee', (think it was downloads.com or something like that , Atrocities might know...) run any 'dark' shipset though it, just hit the edit button, select all for images and then hit 'plug-ins', the first option is 'adjust levels', hit it. Then you can either look at all the ships to see if you like the changes or want to change more but generally the level lightens all of the images. Works wonders for the SeorFleet, Rage, Tlaxcalan, Atrakians Chaos and other 'too dark' sets.

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"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

[Nitram Draw]

I admire your ability.
I have searched the forum and read and studied and come to the conclusion that I will never understand the research and design files .
I feel like an inventor with no work shop, lots of ideas and no way to build them.

[DirectorTsaarx]

A small request: all of you that are posting opinions about the races, please mention which races you're commenting on (i.e., list the ones without AI; list the ones with "inconsistent" AI; etc.) Just as a reference for those of us with less time on our hands, so we can get the "good stuff". And also so those responsible for the styles that need work can get a "nudge" to finish what they started...