Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:36 am Post subject: Scenarios?
Its cool that SEV games give you a new and random situation every time, but sometimes I would be keen to play something with a bit more structure and backstory.
We have mods and shipsets for a number of key races from film and TV, but having them start off in random positions, from scratch, and against random enemies isn't really satisfying.
I'm guessing that it should be possible to custom design a galaxy, choose and prepare specific races and even play the first few turns to allow for a starting setup that has some ships and assets already in place.
I see there is an option for scenarios, but the game only includes the tutorial, and no further explanation of how to add these.
From looking at it I would guess that you would make a txt file like StarTrek.txt in the Scenario folder.
Adding a custom map would prob be much the same as making settings for each empire. Back to top
Yeah, looks like you can bundle a savegame file and a _settings.txt file in there. The settings file has a line to reference a starting game file:
Code:
Name := Game Tutorial
Description := A detailed instruction on how to play the first 10 turns of the game.
Starting Game Filename :=
Create New Game := TRUE
New Game Seed := 0
New Game Empire := Amonkrie
Try it and report back! Smarter than your average Texrak. Back to top
I'm not able to test this at the moment, but this definitely seems to open a lot of interesting possibilities.
With the wealth of Star Trek/Wars/B5/Homework/EVE/Honorverse/etc shipsets available, and the ability to custom design maps, I can imagine a lot of very cool possibilities.
Making a scenario is currently a lot of work. You basically have to play however many turns as every empire to get the exact setup you want. Cheat codes would be helpful, but they mostly won't work for simultaneous games.
I had an idea for a scenario editor. You would patch a mod to add special Scenario components and facilities. Essentially, super yard facilities and engines that would let you build and position lots of stuff very quickly. Then, scrap the scenario facilities, refit the ships with repatch the mod to remove scenario components, patch the mod so you can't use the scenario builder stuff in game anymore, and voila!
I'll actually be testing this shortly (possibly even this weekend); it's on my to-do list for Skymod v0.6. Assuming the concept works, it should be trivial to adapt it for use in other mods. Sky Mod v0.6 Alpha 2 Back to top
I had an idea for a scenario editor. You would patch a mod to add special Scenario components and facilities. Essentially, super yard facilities and engines that would let you build and position lots of stuff very quickly. Then, scrap the scenario facilities, refit the ships with repatch the mod to remove scenario components, patch the mod so you can't use the scenario builder stuff in game anymore, and voila!
...
That sounds like just the ticket!
Building a whole empire and fleet in a few turns might be a bit economically taxing though.
You wouldnt want players to start a scenario with a bankrupt empire.
Also, would it be possible to temporarily increase the build rates of facilities like SYs and refueiling stations? SEV Visual Mods:
Black UI Reduced Size Shipsets Back to top
Building a whole empire and fleet in a few turns might be a bit economically taxing though.
You wouldnt want players to start a scenario with a bankrupt empire.
The scenario facilities would include plenty of resource generation income. Research, too, so you can crank out whatever tech levels you want.
You will indeed have to ensure that the empire has the necessary infrastructure to support itself before you remove the scenario facilities. So don't forget to build miners or colonize planets.
gurachn wrote:
Also, would it be possible to temporarily increase the build rates of facilities like SYs and refueiling stations?
Sure. It would just take more modding effort to get that set up, and it would be harder to port the changes from one mod to the next. The advantage to changing existing facilities is that you won't have to scrap any facilities or refit any ships.
I've tested the scenario builder concept, and it works well. I have a few finishing touches to make, but I hope to upload the builder and complete instructions in a week or two. Sky Mod v0.6 Alpha 2 Back to top
The scenario facilities would include plenty of resource generation income. Research, too, so you can crank out whatever tech levels you want.
You will indeed have to ensure that the empire has the necessary infrastructure to support itself before you remove the scenario facilities. So don't forget to build miners or colonize planets.
...I hope to upload the builder and complete instructions in a week or two.
Cool.
So just to clarify, your modded facilities will allow you to build ships/units super fast, and also crank up tech levels quickly, but regular facilities will still build at the same rate?
That sounds very workable.
Will the amount of extra research points and resources be customizable?
It would be good to have the ability to develop an empire to a different levels without leaving a huge surplus of points for the players first turn. SEV Visual Mods:
Black UI Reduced Size Shipsets Back to top
So just to clarify, your modded facilities will allow you to build ships/units super fast, and also crank up tech levels quickly, but regular facilities will still build at the same rate?
Yes, that's right.
gurachn wrote:
Will the amount of extra research points and resources be customizable?
It would be good to have the ability to develop an empire to a different levels without leaving a huge surplus of points for the players first turn.
The scenario facility can certainly be modded to whatever you want. I have it set at 1 million of everything.
Not sure what you mean by surplus of points. Once you scrap all of the scenario facilities, all the points from them vanish next turn. If you mean you don't want the player to start with full resource storage, I'll add a 100% ineffective resource converter. That way you can simply dump as many resources from storage as you want. Sky Mod v0.6 Alpha 2 Back to top
...Not sure what you mean by surplus of points. Once you scrap all of the scenario facilities, all the points from them vanish next turn. If you mean you don't want the player to start with full resource storage, I'll add a 100% ineffective resource converter. That way you can simply dump as many resources from storage as you want.
Nice, but actually I was thinking more of the research points.
You'd obviously want to give yourself enough to quickly raise the tech to the desired level, but there's no storage limit on RPs.
But once you scrap your 'super research' facilities, whatever excess amount they generated will remain.
You wouldnt want to leave a huge pile for the player, so if you didn't spend all your points getting to the desired tech levels, how can you dispose of the extras? SEV Visual Mods:
Black UI Reduced Size Shipsets Back to top
Joined: Aug 04, 2003 Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:50 am Post subject:
You can't "store" research points to begin with - if you don't spend them when you get them, they're gone! "Figuring out the UI is half the fun!" - Xintis, fan of both SE5 and WarioWare Back to top
You can't "store" research points to begin with - if you don't spend them when you get them, they're gone!
Yeah, of course you're right.
I must have been thinking about the ones you get when you start your first turn.
In this case though, scenarios won't start like that. SEV Visual Mods:
Black UI Reduced Size Shipsets Back to top
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
All logos and trademarks used on this site, all comments and stories posted for reading, all files hosted for download, and all art work hosted for viewing are property of their respective owners; all the rest copyright 2003-2010 Nolan Kelly.
Syndicate news: - Syndicate forums:
Page Generation: 0.24 Seconds
Files & Links
SEnet Content
User Content
SE.net Info
SEV Visual Mods:
- Syndicate forums: