Retrofit Q

[jim]

Does component order of the new design versus the old design make a difference?

That is, does the algorithm compare the two designs for deltas on a strict and literal box by box basis?

Or does it look at the new design component by component and then hunt the old one for an exact match and then, if it finds one, not count it as a changed component?

If the former, then component placement within a new design is very important. For example, if encountering a psychic converter race, then deleting the bridge+lifesupport+quarters on, say the front of a design, to be replaced by a MC at the end would be impossible. Instead, one would have to either think ahead to likely retrofits, or try to avoid position changes in retrofits.

I ask because I seem to have gotten some odd Messages lately in one game when I have gone to retrofit.

[Suicide Junkie]

Order of components dosen't matter.

Sliding them around is free, but different mounts will require a full break/repair.

[Kamog]

I seem to remember that I once tried to retrofit from one design to another, and the only difference between the two designs was the order of the components (I think I wanted to change the weapon firing order or something). The game wouldn't let me retrofit because it thought they were the same design.

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Kamog:
I seem to remember that I once tried to retrofit from one design to another, and the only difference between the two designs was the order of the components (I think I wanted to change the weapon firing order or something). The game wouldn't let me retrofit because it thought they were the same design.

Yeah, that's what happens. You need to add/subtract/upgrade at least component.

[Arkcon]

Also Jim, I don't see the problem in your example. Here's what I think I'd see. You have a ship design with b+ls+cq. You add an mc. The design window complains that the design is too big for the hull (I'm guessing that's the problem?). You remove the b+ls+cq, and the warning goes away. You have a design now that has the mc as the Last component. That's not a problem, the ship doesn't behave any different for this "out of order" design.

What is the message you're getting when the retrofit fails?

[jim]

I had done things along the lines of deleting the B+LS+CQ and appending the MC at the end. The message was that I had exceeded cost limits. You know, the one that says something like "we cannot build an entirely new ship."

I "solved" the problem by brute force, putting the MC in front and two armor IIIs in the other two slots. It was a pain to do, but it worked. Of course, I am not playing Gold, so maybe that is the difference.

What I'd really like would be a Platinum, with the Last patch Version on the CD, and the updated mods. I especially would like the TDM one. Such a pc wuss, I am ....

[Arkcon]

Yeah, I should have realized what the problem was, the master computer is much more expensive than the other command and control components. I've often had the "I just met the psy-race" retrofits refused. Usually, I build from scratch in that case.

But, I think you'll find that it's easier to match the prices of a cruiser or larger -- the doubled components add almost enough cost, I might have to drop a PDC or am armor, but then it goes through.

[Paul1980au]

Here is hoping we get a final SE4 Version 2 patch say the same time SE5 is nearing completion.

[Randallw]

Originally posted by Paul1980au:
Here is hoping we get a final SE4 Version 2 patch say the same time SE5 is nearing completion.

I don't see why we would. If Aaron was nearing completion of SE5, he surely wouldn't have been spending time writing a patch for SE4.

[AMF]

OK, can someone educate this poor slob about how retrofitting *really* works?

I have been trying for two turns now to retrofit some ships I have in the Quadrants of COnflict game, and I've had similar problems with other games. basically it doesn't do the retrofit, sometimes with a "lacking resources" explanation sometimes without. In all cases, I have double checked and I have had what I thought were plenty of resources.

I am assuming that the way retrofit works is that the new (target ship's) components get destroyed and then repaired, and that the cost in resources is the cost of the components that are repaired. In the cases where I have been screaming at the damn game I have had 3 ships that I am retorfitting, the new ship class to which I am retrofitting them has had only a SINGLE component different between it and the prior class, AND I have had more than enough surplus resources to repair said components. It's been extremely aggravating for me and now I'm behind the power curve. Help! Can someone educate me?

thanks,

Alarik