Map Editor Manual or Readme

[Tnarg]

Does any one have a clue if there is a readme file or a manual to explain the map editor. I'm trying to figure out how the planet abilities, system abilites, and if one can connect one system to another in the editor. Also I read a post by the Taz-in-Space fellow, saying that you can place ring and shere worlds on the map. That would be cool. But when the computer places players, will any of them be likely to be placed on the world to start with.

I'm trying to make a gem of a system populated eons ago by an advanced species, but they're dead now. So I want it as a prize planet, maybe with some ruins, and other goodies. Thanks! And thanks for the great idea Taz.

[Tnarg]

O.K., I think that I have some items ironed out, but here are a few questions.
1. What is Warp Point-Periodic
2. What is Warp Point-Ability Required
3. What is Point Generation Research
4. How do you add the ancient ruins to a planet and actually make it work
5. Same with Ancient Ruins Unique
6. Can you put specific technology in those ruins

These are all under the abilities window for a specific item ie, Warp Point, Planet, Asteroid.

Also I noticed in one of my previous games the computer set up two homeworlds of different races in a "Star is forming system" Looked pretty cool, although I don't know how this would work in "real" life. So I guess my next question is how am I able to utilize one of these extra system types in the editor. It only allows for planet, black hole, and nebula system choices.

I am trying to set up a map for my self that has a star that went nova or is just dead. Leaving behind one or two ring worlds or a shpere world with ancient technology on them. Obviously the inhabitants are long dead, and the only way to get to this system is through the discovery of a warp point that requires the "ability required"(I'm assuming that that is what Warp Point-Ability Required means), either that or it is just connected to a periodic warp point. I'm also considering on making this prized system as a sort of hub to the extreme ends of the galaxy; but advanced stellar ability is going to be required to finish connecting the hub to the rest of the galaxy.

So if anyone has a bit of advice on how to make this work, that would be great. Thanks.

[pathfinder]

When I want a ringworld or sphereworld I usually generate a random universe then change one of the worlds to ring/sphere. to make it a starting point (or any others) there is a button at top left called"starting points). The drop down has a list of numbers. The numbers correspond to the number of the race as you make them in creating the game.

Hope this helps.


Not sure about the other items as I haven't made many maps...

[Taz-in-Space]

As to your first two questions...I don't know.
I've never put abilities on warp points.

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3. What is Point Generation Research

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I have seen this, and I think it refers to a bonus
to research on that planet.

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4. How do you add the ancient ruins to a planet and actually make it work

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Add abilities by editing planets to get ruins. There is one for normal ruins. The number associated is the number of techs found.

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5. Same with Ancient Ruins Unique

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The other ruin ability is the ruin unique one, the value associated is the unique tech found there.

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6. Can you put specific technology in those ruins

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With the right value you can put the desired unique tech wanted. But as far as I know, you cannot determine what tech found in normal ruins.
only the number of techs...the choice of techs given seems purely random.

I started with a random generation of the stars and modded the map. That random generation gave a few special system types.

You can cloak a planet to hide it from normal sensors, but I don't think you can hide a warp
point that way. note even the red nebula ( which I think has max sight obscuration) will not hide a warp point. You can make a one way warp point, just don't create the link back.

Well I hope this helped...

[Q]

"1. What is Warp Point-Periodic"

Where did you see this ability??

[Tnarg]

I found these abilities listed under specific objects in the system editor. Warp point has I believe eight different abilities, planets have a whole smack of em, star, asteroids, ect. ect.

I'm guestimating that periodic warp points come and go, like a real worm hole. The warp point-ability required I think refers to having specific technology for one to utilize it. I think, makes sense, kind of like in "Contact".

Taz, you mentioned that by adding a number to the value in the ancient ruins corresponds to the amount of technology found. So would that mean if it has 15, that would be 15 new technologies gained, or perhaps 2 level 3, and a handful of level 1 and twos. I went hunting around in a computer generated map to find planets with ruins on them already and discovered that a great many of them had high value numbers like 13 or 15.

Also, have you figured out any correspondense to the unique ancient ruins and number system as far as which number gets you what tech. Thanks.

[Gandalph]

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Originally posted by tnarg:
Also, have you figured out any correspondense to the unique ancient ruins and number system as far as which number gets you what tech. Thanks.

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If you look in the techarea.txt file, you will find the unique tech's and their unique number. This is the number referred to.

[Taz-in-Space]

While I'm not 100% sure, my guess is that the number of tech on a ruin ability would be tech levels. That is just based on my observation
that I have never gotten more than about 6-8
techs on a single planet.

[Tnarg]

Taz, do you happen to know if there is anyway to edit in facilities on a planet. Kind of like stumbling across a planet with ancient ruins and maybe some of them are grand and majestic facilities like a replicant center, or temporal space yards. Long since been used as the previos Users are now resting under three layers of sediment turning into crude oil.

Also what about editing in abandoned space bases and ship yards, or derelict vessels floating in space waiting to be discovered?

One Last also, in the abilities section for planets there are quiet a few options, couple of them happen to be: planet intelligence bonus, resource bonuse, defense bonus, ect. ect. do you by any chance know how this works?

[Tnarg]

Anyone know what the palace is for planet abilities?