Newbie Editor Questions

[reverend]

hoplitis said:
You can build “straight” roads” in the Up/Down direction if you click the road “start” (hex A)hex and then go to the adjacent hex (hex B) and click again ( road “end”hex). Now use the “end” hex (hex B) as a new road “start” hex and choose your next “end” hex (hex C). If hex A and C are on the same vertical your kinked three hex road will become straight! The same technique for hedgerows results in a wavy pattern, though.

Interesting. Doing it hex-by-hex indeed places straight road. The automated function (end hex several hexes away) produces wavy patterns.


Perhaps I shouldn't have used 'north-south' as a qualifier. It was meant more as an orientation on the game map than actual directions. Sometimes, however, no matter how you rotate a map, you end up with a straight pattern that should run up-down ingame. And since some features (fields, pavement, roads) have straight up-down sprites, I thought I was simply doing something wrong.

You're right: Makeshift airfield made of bare / red earth look indeed a lot better than with a central road down the runway.



I know the AI isn't the most intelligent in this game. Still, the basic coding either works in favour of attacking or defending - for one mission I have to do more during scenarion design, for the other less. I'll try defending first, though.

[hoplitis]

reverend said:
...
I know the AI isn't the most intelligent in this game.
...

Maybe... but it's getting better all the time. AI creation, testing and fine tuning isn't a priority in most commercial games (believe it or not). One reason is that you have to have an almost complete game engine and player interface to develop and test the AI. And having those usually means that the "release date" is approaching fast.
But this game (long past its initial release) continues to evolve, its AI included.

[reverend]

Well, thankfully there are exception, such as Stardocks Galactiv Civilisations. By not including multiplayer, they could focus on building the (IMO) best AI yet.

I just found out something incredible helpful: The copy/paster function of the map editor not only works on the same map, but you can also copy stuff from one map to another!

That should allow me to build a couple of features alone (such as airfields) and when needed, copy them to the 'real' map. That feature alone was worth the CD order.