SFTC Lite

[President_Elect_Shang]

First patch for the Lite version sees many changes to update to more of a SFTC feel. System generation is still on the to-do list but is lower down. AI is next on the list but the full version will be getting worked on before this version. Enjoy:

Version 0.11-B 28 January 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Changed -- Prototype Fighter Gun component name to Fighter Gun.
2. Fixed -- Formula error in Fighter Gun Component.
3. Changed -- Opening picture for atmosphere and planet types to more clearly indicate which are Not Used.
4. Fixed -- X-Ray Laser Detonation Chamber was not registering when added to a vehicle.
5. Replaced -- All bmp’s with Mineral and Radioactive icons to reflect new “MC” and Personnel icons.
6. Fixed -- New Empires were not using the strategies included with the SFTC-Lite.
7. Changed -- Intelligence Font color changed to black (0, 0, 0) to reduce attention on these numbers.
8. Changed -- DataLink and Improved DataLink so only 1 may be mounted per vehicle.
9. Added -- Personnel points for vehicles.
10. Changed -- Organics costs for vehicles to reflect crew consumption rate of Personnel divided by 2 rounded up.
11. Corrected -- A few entries in the VehicleSizes.txt reflected incorrect information.
12. Changed -- References to kT have been changed to “HS” or “tn” or left as “kT’ depending on line usage in MainStrings.txt.
13. Changed -- Select references to “Minerals” and “Radioactives” to “MC” and “Personnel”.
14. Added -- University facility type.
15. Changed -- facilities to reflect a work force.
16. Updated -- HomeworldStartingFacilities.txt.
17. Changed -- Organics Farm Facility to Protein Processing Plant.
18. Changed -- Some flavor text in MainsStrings.txt.
19. Corrected -- Assorted type-o’s in GovernmentTpes.txt.
20. Added -- Ability to “build” in personnel points to facilities and components.
21. Changed -- Organics build rate reflected SE5 Stock style; now reflects SFTC style.

[arthurtuxedo]

Not to be overly critical, but you've managed to create a 2 page thread without even stating name of your mod, much less telling us what it is or what it's about. What does SFTC even stand for?

[President_Elect_Shang]

It's certainly not being overly critical. The rest of the info you are asking about is located in two other threads, not counting the one that produced the name and opening logo for this Mod. I didn't see the point in repeating the info a third time but I will if it helps you and anyone else out in any manner.

The name of the Mod is the SFTC-Lite, pretty simple it's in the subject of the posts and the name of the thread. You will notice around the forum that naming the thread after the name of the Mod is standard procedure.

The full information on the SFTC is located in the thread named SFTC; however, I think its rude to send people on a post chase so I will cover the essence here.

SFTC stands for Solar Flare Total Conversion. If you are not aware a Mod is an adjustment to the SE5 Stock game. So when you play a Mod you will see anything from a few changes to many; however, the essence of Stock will still be there. The Balance Mod is a perfect example of a Mod. A Total Conversion is as the name implies a complete re-write. There is nothing left of Stock. The game fundamentals are still there (i.e. warp points) but nothing else remains. This TC is based off of an old board game I played years back called StarFire 3rd Edition. I took the concept of it and translated it into an SE5 format. Trying to describe what that means is just too much to go into. The infrastructure, hull sizes, colonies, simply to much for any single post to cover.

The SFTC comes in two forms. The first is the full blown hard-core version which allows options such as retro-construction of ships. The primary factor to this version is that the components progress in an SE4 style. The SFTC-Lite follows the SFTC except the components progress in a SE5 manner. Put another way in the SFTC there are three forms of ship engines each level one. In the SFTC-Lite there is only one form of ship engine with three levels. Each one is directly comparable to the other despite the different ways in which they progress. that proved to be a real challenge from a modding perspective. Many iif statements!

So where is the SFTC and SFTC-Lite? Well I pulled them both from here. Between the two there were over 60 downloads yet not a single report of anything wrong. This was in spite of the fact that I clearly stated they were both open betas and I needed help finding and fixing the problems. I thought that I could get at least one person to help while I continued work on getting the parts that had not been implemented working. Such as the planet sizes, stellar objects, and AI to name a few or three. By pulling them I didn't have to worry about keeping my progress and patches flowing. I didn't have to worry about avoiding "game breakers" as it doesn't bother me in the slightest to restart.

So does that cover it? If not try searching for SFTC or let me know here and I will link the main thread for you.

[arthurtuxedo]

Thank you. Look forward to the restart.

[Tnargversion2]

PES, I noticed that Gas Giants and Ice planets are not allowed as homeworlds; however, I one of the games I loaded up had my homeworld as a Gas Giant.

Also, No Atmosphere planets are not allowed. Is there a reason why this is, perhaps canon?

Long shot here, but are you planning on doing anything with the canon races. If so I think that the religious racail trait would fit nicely with races such as the Thebans and Rigelians. Not sure about the organic, temporal, or crystaline. Perhaps this could be adjusted and modded to account for the characteristic racial advantages of the avain races in terms of fighter usage (access to speciallized strategies or fighter weaponry) and the bugs ability to turn captured races into resources and obnoxious bonus to shipyard rates (temporal shipyards into bug mass production assembly yards) and a huge reduction in maintence. A maintence reduction component that makes maintaing those huge fleets not such a management issue.

[President_Elect_Shang]

Oh lots of questions; let me get some free time and I will address them plus that wonderful list you sent me by PM. I can't thank you enough for the critique. Between sub-ing and CN and LW I have been to busy to work on the Mod. I don't want you to think I am ignoring you here. One answer I can give you is the one about the HW on a gas giant, that is an old issue dating back from the days of SE4. The game tries to place you by finding your atmosphere type first. If it finds a match it which is in the same sector as a larger body it will place you on the larger body. I don't think Aaron is ever going to get that problem fixed. I will address everything on more detail in my next response.