Modding Questions (especially need help for AI)

[LostCommander]

More than one AI is designing these, though some are not. The Sallega are one AI that have produced all three:

Name := Attack Ship
Design Type := Attack Ship
Vehicle Type := Ship
Default Strategy := Optimal Firing Range
Size Minimum Tonnage := 10
Size Maximum Tonnage := 5000
Num Must Have At Least 1 Ability := 1
Must Have Ability 1 := Weapon
Minimum Speed := 4
Desired Speed := 40
Majority Weapon Family Pick 1 := 32
Majority Weapon Family Pick 2 := 9
Majority Weapon Family Pick 3 := 1
Majority Weapon Family Pick 4 := 25
Majority Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 1 := 33
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 2 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 3 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 4 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Shields Spaces Per One := 200
Armor Spaces Per One := 1200
Majority Comp Spaces Per One := 1200
Majority Comp Ability := Weapon
Secondary Comp Spaces Per One := 500
Secondary Comp Ability := Weapon
Num Misc Abilities := 12
Misc Ability 1 Name := Point-Defense
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One := 400
Misc Ability 2 Name := Cloak Level
Misc Ability 2 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 3 Name := Quantum Reactor
Misc Ability 3 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 4 Name := Combat To Hit Defense Plus
Misc Ability 4 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 5 Name := Combat To Hit Offense Plus
Misc Ability 5 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 6 Name := Multiplex Tracking
Misc Ability 6 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 7 Name := Shield Regeneration
Misc Ability 7 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 8 Name := Emergency Resupply
Misc Ability 8 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 9 Name := Self-Destruct
Misc Ability 9 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 10 Name := Scanner Jammer
Misc Ability 10 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 11 Name := Supply Storage
Misc Ability 11 Spaces Per One := 500
Misc Ability 12 Name := Standard Ship Movement
Misc Ability 12 Spaces Per One := 45

[Rollo]

ah, I see now. my suspicions were confirmed .

these lines causes the design minister to makes illegal designs:

Misc Ability 12 Name := Standard Ship Movement
Misc Ability 12 Spaces Per One := 45

That will cause to 'fill' the design with engines. I assume you got that from a mod with quasi-newtonian-propulsion (QNP) like Proportions or P&N Mod.

I suggest deleting these lines from all designs. Does your mod have QNP also? In that case I would raise the 'Desired speed' to 255. If I recall correctly that will make the designs as fast as possible without making them illegal or causing errors.

Hope that helps,
Rollo

PS: a sidenote... IIRC, 'Minimum Speed' is better understood as 'Minimum number of engines' that are placed in a design. whereas 'Desired Speed' takes into account the standard movement points of the engines used. In the unmodded files all engines provide one standard movement, so speed and number of engines are the same. In some mods engines produce more movement points. For example, desired speed of 40 might give you 8 engines with 5 standard movement.

Hope all is clear now... if not, ask again

[LostCommander]

Ah HA! Much better! Thanks Rollo. Yes I think I probably did get that one from P&N mod.

[LostCommander]

Also, does anyone know under which circumstances the .emp files need to be remade? Settings change, racial trait change, and data file change...?

Also Also, why do the component family numbers matter (other than for upgrades and component specific mounts)? What is the effect of multiple components with the same family number and roman numeral? What determines where in the component selection screen (when making new designs) a component is placed? If components are moved around in the .txt file, will that affect the AI's ability to utilize them?

[edit: + second paragraph of questions]

[ December 30, 2002, 20:02: Message edited by: LostCommander ]

[Captain Kwok]

Empire files generally need to be remade after changing racialtraits.txt, cultures.txt, or settings.txt if you've changed the thresholds for different attributes.

[LostCommander]

Captain Kwok, thanks for .emp file note! This modding stuff is quite complicated, but lots of fun!

[Fyron]

Originally posted by LostCommander:
BTW to anyone, can combat to-hit / to-be-hit modifiers be set to more than 99% / less than -99%?

All modifiers are added up, and the number can be more than 99 or less than -99. The 99 to hit chance is applied after all non-Talisman modifiers are added. You can easily have 140 or more bonus to hit. Talismans make it 100% to hit after all modifiers.

[capnq]

Not sure about your questions about family numbers, but

What determines where in the component selection screen (when making new designs) a component is placed? If components are moved around in the .txt file, will that affect the AI's ability to utilize them?

Components appear on the design screen in the order they're listed in Components.txt . I don't think moving different families around has any effect, but the order of components within the same family may effect which one the AI thinks is the "best" available component.

[ December 30, 2002, 22:14: Message edited by: capnq ]

[pathfinder]

Rollo: So, B5 is QNP, which means I shouldn't take those standard movement lines out...what value would it be? I dropped it to 10 (from 25) and seem to have gotten rid of the RCEs in B5 due to the "many engines" syndrom; however, now some of the small ships have movements with 1-2 while larger ones have 4-7 (nothing bigger than Light Cruiser researched yet)...warships/attack ships seem to be better off while specialty ships (assult ships, mine layers, troop transports, etc) seem to suffer.

Note: B5 has the attack ships broken down to class (eg destroyer, scout, frigate, escort carrier, assult ship, etc)

wish Val would get off holiday so he'd be getting these headaches

[ December 31, 2002, 00:06: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

[LostCommander]

Thanks Fyron, that was exactly the kind of answer I was looking for! capnq, another way I could re-phrase the component family number question could be:

"Would the program snap if I had several components with the same family and, say 0 for the roman numeral? How about if there were duplicate racial tech component entries with the same family number and same roman numerals (say 2 racials and the standard ion engines I-III)? What would it do for the upgrade button when more than one component is better?"

I should also add: What is the difference between the weapon family number and the regular family number for weapon components (other than that the weapon family is used in the AI design creation files)?

Thank you all very much for the information and help. It would be alot easier on this end if I could just test random ideas on this end. Cannot until Jan-5 however...