Progress Reports

CaptainKwok · Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 3:52 am Post subject: Progress Reports

Greetings.

I'm still plugging away at this mod whenever my schedule allows for it, and it's looking pretty good. I still have half of the racial weapons to add, plus all of the racial facilities, which is not too bad. I've also spent some time putting together some rudimentry AI in terms of research and ship design to help make the upcoming testing more productive. One observation I've noted is that there sure are a lot of research options!

I've made a minor switch to the propulsion system. It's still a pseudo-QNP system, except supplies have been removed from the engines and added to reactors. It's more similar to Adamant Mod now if you're familiar with Fyron's work.

So this is what I want to finish my mid-December:
- Add remainder of Racial Weapons
- Add remainder of Racial Facilities
- Touch-ups for culture, happiness, and system types files
- Finish up a few basic AI files to allow for solo games

This should yield a fairly functional "beta".

My ISP is discontinuing its free webspace after December and is referring me to use Yahoo Geocities, since Yahoo is its partner nowadays. This is not an option for me, so I won't be updating the site until I get my own webspace.

If you are interested in seeing an updated listing of stuff in the mod, I keep an extensive excel file with all sorts of stuff in it. Drop me an e-mail if you want a peek. Surprised

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 3:09 pm Post subject:

I've completed a few more areas of racial weapons and made all the changes to the new propulsion system - although I may have to adjust the supply usage.

My target is to release the beta at the end of December where I officially have no classes and no work, so that will either be on Dec 28-29-30. Even better is that I will not have classes in the winter, so I can waste more time at home on this than I've been able to recently.

Guest · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 6:14 pm Post subject:

Why not just ask Fyron for hosting here on SpaceEmpires.net?

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 3:51 am Post subject:

I'd prefer to get my own domain and save Fyron the bandwidth. Plus, a little healthy website rivalry is good for the community.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2004 5:43 pm Post subject:

I'm still on target for that end of December beta release. I spent some time this weekend revising my systemtype files, and also made some changes to culture, racial trait, and happiness files. I also added a bunch of generic vehicle types until I get around to creating some custom types for each race. I don't think the first beta release will have specific units for the major races.

I still have to add those pesky weapons for 5 of the races, plus most of the racial facilities that I keep ignoring for some reason. I've kept to using stock images for now, and so a number of weapons will be using the same images (but not usually more than one for a given race). I don't anticipate on using the ImageMod for this mod, as I'll be making new images for many of items. I've already done a host of new beam and torpedo combat images, which look nice in game.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:03 am Post subject:

Ok, Ok. I know I'm running far behind as usual but this is what I've accomplished in the last month:

Finished adding components and weapons minus stellar manipulation
Completed Events.txt with 225 custom events
Completed IntelProjects.txt with 54 projects
Completed most combat images
Added some more quadrant types
Fixed up some system types
Cost adjustments
Added lots of descriptions
Lots of debugging

I still need to finish the following before I'll release it:

Finish adding racial facility entries
Make some basic AI files to expediate testing
Finish updating website

I've made a bunch of changes within the mod including resource definitions (again), colony techs, and some of the empire descriptions and types. Will it ever end?

I'd like to make some basic ship placeholders for each major race since using the generic images can be confusing in test games - but that's too time consuming to do and I know some are still patiently waiting. So I won't do that until after the first release.

Caduceus · Space Emperor Joined: Jan 07, 2005 Location: Union, SC USA

Looking forward to creamin' some corn, CK.

Wildcard

Atrocities · Shipyard Guru Joined: Aug 06, 2003 Location: PNW

I can hardly wait to see the finished product. I am getting hungry. Very Happy

Read like you have done a lot of work on this mod CK.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:34 am Post subject:

It's been a lot of data entry.

All the entries have been custom - so the 225 events, 55 intel projects, 100 system types, and the 1.3 current megs for components are all stuff I did and not borrowed from other mods etc. I guess that's just one of the reasons it has been slow going. Another reason is probably cause I keep changing things around as I go too. Razz

Atrocities · Shipyard Guru Joined: Aug 06, 2003 Location: PNW

Well it is always a good thing to be ones own source of creativity. Smile

When your mod is done will you mind if people use your stuff?

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:13 am Post subject:

Honestly it has taken me so long just to get here that any original ideas I've come up have more or less been thought up by other modders and implemented in other mods. Razz

CaptainKwok · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:20 am Post subject:

Greetings!

Lots of stuff going on in regards to the mod. First of all is the the new website domain: http://sfe.captainkwok.net/home.html which is currently up to date. I've neglected to update the space yards part with the proper info, but I figured working on the mod itself is a priority at the moment.

I've finished off the components.txt file as much as is possible before mass testing and I'm fairly happy with it. I ended getting a lot more done with the file than I anticipated for the initial release. It's just under 1.5Mb!

The facility.txt file is the file I'm working on right now entering data for various empire-specific facilities. Those should be entered by Tue March 15. These are mainly the facilities listed on the technology pages at the website as "data pending" for notes.

Then I have to update the AI Design, Research, and Facility files to match the recent changes I've made to the mod. It shouldn't take long because they just need to be updated and not re-written. This should allow for some basic AI with some degree of functionality for testing.

Lastly I need to make empire files for the main empires (a cut and paste job) and decide on some initial trait values in line with their strengths and weaknesses. Oh yes, also need to make some combat images for Meat thru Vegetable races.

I really want to get it out by next Saturday March 19.

XenoTheMorph · Space Emperor Joined: Dec 19, 2004

Looking forward to it!

CaptainKwok · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:40 pm Post subject:

I have roughly 90 facility entries to do now, plus touch ups. So a little bit behind. That's about 3hrs of time to do since there mostly derivatives of other facilities.

Components are more or less done for now, even went ahead and added all the boarding party components which I was going to do for a first "patch".

That leaves some combat images and a night of quick testing (Friday) so I should still be on target for 19 March!

Caduceus · Space Emperor Joined: Jan 07, 2005 Location: Union, SC USA

I'll echo everyone here in saying we're looking forward to it.

Wildcard06

CaptainKwok · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:58 am Post subject:

Thanks for the interest.

I'm calling it a night due to an early start at work tomorrow - but just a few more facilities (15 entries!) to go plus some a few obvious balance corrections to make. It's become somewhat apparent that the facilities are not at the same level as components or weapons, but I'll be sure to fix that in the next few weeks with some feedback.

Not much else to report, but I figured I'd be somewhat more accoutable if I posted frequent progress updates. Shocked

CaptainKwok · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:45 am Post subject:

Another update:

I've finished off and debugged the Facility.txt file as well as set up some basic empire files for each race. Still need to make some combat images, update a few of the important AI files, and do some play-testing to fix any glaring problems so Saturday afternoon still looks good!

I'm not thrilled with the quality of the facilities thus far, but oh well, I can fix them up over time. Razz

You can view the fully updated technology section that will represent the first release at the Space Food Empires website.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 6:56 pm Post subject:

A pesky bug has wasted much of my time but has finally been resolved. Unfortunately this probably means a delay until tomorrow before I post the first version. Rolling Eyes

Fyron · Galactic Guru Joined: Aug 04, 2003 Location: CA, USA

How did you solve it? It would be good to put in the AI FAQ on ModWorks.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:19 pm Post subject:

It was a simple mistake.

For some odd reason I had the colony ship vehiclesize.txt entry require 50% cargo space instead of 50% cargo modules. When I corrected this typo, the problem was no more.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:57 pm Post subject:

Greetings!

Will be posting v.10 for download when I get home from work tonight. Will also post details on what to expect from this version and upcoming patches.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:53 am Post subject:

Version 0.11 will be delayed until at least tomorrow afternoon. Ended up re-balancing cultural and characteristic modifiers. Plus it takes a long time to come up with 4 versions of empire files and the corresponding AI general files! I'm also updating the empire stats at the website as I do each set.

Fyron · Galactic Guru Joined: Aug 04, 2003 Location: CA, USA

You could just make one version of the empire files for now. You will likely change something down the road that will invalidate them. No sense doing a lot of extra work for nothing.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 3:47 am Post subject:

Greetings.

Continuing to work away on version 0.20, which will feature a somewhat modified armor and shield system to alleviate some problems that were occuring with certain design combinations. This version will also add a few more components and facilities that I passed in the first two releases, plus some new images. Lastly I want to make some enhancements to the current basic AI to help encourage people to try the mod for more than 5 turns. Razz

CaptainKwok · Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject:

Still working away on version 0.20, including the addition of a whole new slew of minor racial tech areas as follows:

Spice Experts
Enzyme Experts
Fighter Experts
Combat Experts
Mine Experts
Composting Experts
Photosynthesis Experts
Food Poisoning Experts
Food for Hire
Cargo Experts

Most of these minor racial areas provide a few unique components or facilities for a mere 250-500 points. Thanks for all the brainstorming help on the IRC channel!