14-07-2004 13:11									#91
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

cheers Endgame. Thanks for the ideas r/e simplifying the installer. That gives me something to work with. I hope you do download the current 2.0.5 files and play. It's shaping up nicely, HugeGnome Project and all

	15-07-2004 01:30									#92
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

I looked at your suggestion again Endgame. This would be fine if the files were the same in both Smax and Aldebaran. It would be a straight swap. But Aldebaran has some files that have the same names (alphax.txt, for example), and has some files that are unique (peacenik.txt, for example). Both types of files have to be swapped out. Thus comes the need for a list of files and processing via the list. One really doesn't want to leave extra factions in the Smax directory when switching back to plain old Smax. They can cause problems if the .ini tries to load them but the techs are mismatched with alphax.txt.

Then there is the issue of checking to see which is installed currently, and of preserving the original files and a list of the mod files, for full uninstall without possibility of screw-up

I do agree that simplification is in order. I still don't see why the file names have to be 8.3 unless someone is running pre-windows 95 DOS? But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try renaming. I'll attempt to condense and simplify and repost an installer in this next week.

For now, I'm just glad that most people have no issue with installing it 'by hand'.

	15-07-2004 08:07									#93
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

to build a batch file that will remove all of the swapped in files:

code:

@echo off
cd mod_data
echo @echo off>..\cleanup.bat
echo cd ..>>cleanup.bat
for %i in (*.*) do echo del %i>>cleanup.bat

	15-07-2004 09:20									#94
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Now that looks promising. Thanks #endgame.

	16-07-2004 05:52									#95
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I just downloaded the latest "patch" and am starting a new game. Since there are several players that have downloaded the Aldebaran mod now, why I think we ought to create a thread called "Our adventures on Aldebaran", where we can post our experiences playing the mod, and discuss from there: whad'ya think?
Also, I had previously discussed with Smacksim that he should include Googlie's Probe Cruiser in this mod so that the AI's build aquatic probes. I think we oughta add the Probe Cruiser to the mod Smacksim!
Anyways, back to playtesting: I am playing with blind research, which I think is appropriate given that there isn't a published tech tree yet - sorta makes research apprapeau, IMO. I've played enough of Aldebaran now to think I have a feel for what Smacksim is up to, but then again I also think I am just scratching the surface here. This could take a while......
More updates probably tomorrow night!

D

	16-07-2004 06:08									#96
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Go for making a new thread to relate play experiences. I'll post this in the thread when you start it:

I'm playing an SP game right now with mostly builder types: Planetlovers (me, and they are hybrid like Gaians), Morgan, Zak, Aki, Outlaws (hybrid), Lal, and the Nauticon (hybrid). I fell behind in tech and pop and military and these are the lightweights...not even super AI. As I was behind in power, the AI was peaceful until Aki framed the Peacekeepers and got the Outlaws mad . Very fun. I've since turned the tide on most of the AI, but Lal and Awen (outlaw) are giving me a run for my money.

As to probe-cruisers in alpha.txt. I think I've addressed this before (nudges Darsnan to read the thread and PMs). How about this: We can add probe-cruisers to alphax.txt after you've played a few SP games. Perhaps you'll see that they aren't really needed as much on the new Chiron. It is certainly a good addition for regular Smac or Smax though.

-Smack

	16-07-2004 07:03									#97
	Support Apolyton

quote: Originally posted by smacksim Go for making a new thread to relate play experiences. I'll post this in the thread when you start it:

I'll probably create the thread tomorrow night, once I have enough material to post....

quote: Originally posted by smacksim As to probe-cruisers in alpha.txt. I think I've addressed this before (nudges Darsnan to read the thread and PMs).

You, a fellow Gaian, should know by now that I don't always read every post in a thread...

Anyways, I will continue to enjoy playtesting, and time will tell I am sure whether Aldebaran needs Probe Cruisers or not...

D

	16-07-2004 09:31									#98
	Increase Your PM Length

Some more playtesting revealed that giving the Nauticon a Maritime Factory was too powerful in the early game. They've been changed a bit

Updated all the Super-AI faction blurbs to let you know what special perks they get from the main menu.

Experimented with changing the territorial border from 6 up to 9, and then back to 6 (is 8 in Smax). I think the smaller frontier boundaries are encouraging ICS, especially at Sea This is an unlooked-for benefit of my early Aldebaran-1 'I will tweak every darn variable' approach. I may reduce it further to see if I can induce land-based ICS. Now wouldn't that be something?

Here's an updated zip of the text files that are more disclosing of the Super AI's abilities.

-Smack

Attachment: modswaps.zip
This has been downloaded 5 time(s).

	16-07-2004 09:35									#99
	Suffering from ads?

Here's the changed Nauticon as told in their blurb:

#DATALINKS2
^+1 Morale {Spartan Heritage}
^+1 Industry {Shipwright Skills}
^-1 Efficiency {Independence highly valued}
^-2 Research {Non-Colaborative Efforts}
^Robust Industry {Military above all}
^Impunity from negative effects of Military Production
^Free Marine Detachment Ability with discovery of Adaptive Doctrine
^Free Nautical Training for Land units with discovery of Nautical Traditions

So they get free marines and free ship-capture, but no free Ship Factories. Hey, they can build the SP for that!

Some of the Super-AI have free Clean Reactors upon discovery, which beefs up their endgame nicely Here's an example of the Super Syndicate:

#DATALINKS2
^+3 Industry {Super AI}
^+2 Support {Super AI}
^Extra Talent for every 3 citizens {Super AI}
^+2 Economy {Super AI}
^Tech costs 60% of normal {Super AI}
^+2 PROBE: {Infotainment works both ways + Super AI}
^COMMERCE: {Bonus increases value of treaties, pacts, loans}
^Free Clean Reactors for all units upon discovery of Self Assembling Structures
^{May not use State Economics.}

-S

	17-07-2004 04:04									#100
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Smacksim, check your PM's. Thanks!

	17-07-2004 05:18									#101
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

Got your note Chaunk. Great feedback. Thanks! Now who wants to muck about in the blurbsx.txt? (Smack wanders off to a text editor and fires it up)

	17-07-2004 05:21									#102
	Get a bigger avatar today!

Thought I'd upload a screenshot of the United Noncomplicity Front home island. This is a normal AI who just got to Rail weapons and is tech brokering. I infiltrated them, but got their map from Aki in my all-builder test game. Note the forests. I think this is almost hard to tell from a human faction. I've seen worse terraforming in some MP games

Attachment: forestai2.jpg
This has been downloaded 75 time(s).

	17-07-2004 05:37									#103
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

quote: Originally posted by smacksim Now who wants to muck about in the blurbsx.txt? (Smack wanders off to a text editor and fires it up)

I can help, if you want. One of the things I've noticed is that the script.txt and helpx.txt files haven't been updated, especially for the new Aldebaran units. If you have some prepared text, I can update the files, or I can ad-lib if you want. Let me know.


D

	17-07-2004 05:41									#104
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by smacksim Thought I'd upload a screenshot of the United Noncomplicity Front home island. Note the forests. I think this is almost hard to tell from a human faction.

I agree! Nice one!

D

	17-07-2004 07:10									#105
	Increase the size of your Attachments

quote: Originally posted by Darsnan I can help, if you want. One of the things I've noticed is that the script.txt and helpx.txt files haven't been updated, especially for the new Aldebaran units. If you have some prepared text, I can update the files, or I can ad-lib if you want. Let me know. D

I suppose it would be easiest if I swap the tech-texts that I muddled up since I think I can remember which techs got moved around.

Could you try to work out the Units and Special Abilities texts that got bungled up? That'd be an ad-lib job, for sure. Don't worry about the Xeti units that appear later on in the story. I'll fix them when I get around to re-releasing the Scenarios.

For anyone that wants to work on the big blurbs or other story items, let me know. I sent out a 'Writer's Package' to the original team, and think I can basically recreate it (Kassiopeia and I both have lost it after all this time).
Since the Aldebaran storyline has only the first book finished, which ends with planetfall, I'll write down the rest of the plot line so that the Aliens make some sense. Let me know by PM if you'd like the plot outline sent to you. Otherwise, expect to find hints in the game and full disclosure in the scenarios

Without being a spoiler, I can say that the Galactics appear to be human, but are some advanced form of human subspecies. It's impossible for the Chironians to communicate with them without close study of their language (which was Progenitor Psyche).

	17-07-2004 07:20									#106
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by smacksim Could you try to work out the Units and Special Abilities texts that got bungled up?

I can do that.

quote: Originally posted by smacksim Don't worry about the Xeti units that appear later on in the story. I'll fix them when I get around to re-releasing the Scenarios.

OK. I look forward to this.

D

	18-07-2004 01:49									#107
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Got a lot on my plate here, but I'm hungry. There are some big storms here in NC right now, if I dissapear for 24 hours. Thanks to Darsnan and Chaunk for help with the in-game text, I'll be posting an update tomorrow night that should be nice and clean, with help text actually referring to appropriate items, etc.. Endgame has been prodding me to finish the installer, which I'll work on next.

Smack

	18-07-2004 14:09									#108
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

I got bored today and rewrote your installer for you Smacksim. Turns out that my living in the DOS days of old was useful for something. . It's now called ModMan (For ModManager) and is done with the intention of being generic and able to handle many mods. When it runs a mod, it swaps it in, runs SMAC, swaps it back out.

To install Aldebaran 2.0.5 to ModMan:

Download ModMan (attached)
Get Aldebaran 2.0.5

Extract ModMan to \ModMan
Extract Aldebaran to \Aldeb205
Move all of the Aldebaran files in modswaps and modinstalls to Aldeb205

Fire up ModMan by running ModMan.bat

Choose Add a mod:

Title: Aldebaran
Author: Smacksim
Version: 2.0.5
Mod Directory: Aldeb205
Filename: Aldeb205
Expansion Mod: Yes
Nothing else is replaced... yet.
The description is optional, and is displayed before the mod is run.

Save it.

Then choose run mod->Aldebaran->launch.

	18-07-2004 14:30									#109
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Glad I didn't try to rewrite it tonight! And endgame, could you attach it? It's not above.

What can I say? You're the man with the endgame. I'm looking forward to incorporating it into the inno-installer. You can go ahead and attach it to the fileswatter thread as well, if you like. Move over bacon...

-Smack

Edit: So there is a menu system? What do you think about automating that for a particular mod download? Having worked with end-users for a number of years, I know that if they have to do anything besides double click, they'll muck it up (no offense to anyone). Maybe ModMan can have a sidekick subroutine for this, so that it's full utility is preserved if someone wants to use it with other mods, but it's also idiot-proof for any particular customized mod download.

No pressure or anything

Oh, I see you double posted and there's the download. Slow server due to archiving. No matter.

Last edited by smacksim on 18-07-2004 at 14:40

	18-07-2004 14:36									#110
	Get a bigger avatar today!

I got bored today and rewrote your installer for you Smacksim. Turns out that my living in the DOS days of old was useful for something. . It's now called ModMan (For ModManager) and is done with the intention of being generic and able to handle many mods. When it runs a mod, it swaps it in, runs SMAC, swaps it back out.

To install Aldebaran 2.0.5 to ModMan:

Download ModMan (attached)
Get Aldebaran 2.0.5

Extract ModMan to (Smac dir)\ModMan
Extract Aldebaran to (Smac dir)\Aldeb205
Move all of the Aldebaran files in modswaps and modinstalls to Aldeb205

Fire up ModMan by running ModMan.bat

Choose Add a mod:

Title: Aldebaran
Author: Smacksim
Version: 2.0.5
Mod Directory: Aldeb205
Filename: Aldeb205
Expansion Mod: Yes
Nothing else is replaced... yet.
The description is optional, and is displayed before the mod is run.

Save it.

Then choose run mod->Aldebaran->launch.

PM Bugreports to me!

Fingers crossed.

Smacksim, I went overboard on the comments so you can try and find method in my madness...

Attachment: modman.zip
This has been downloaded 5 time(s).

	18-07-2004 14:44									#111
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

I downloaded it and will play with it tomorrow morning. It's my bedtime. What do you think about my suggested idiot-proofing for the installer-download version? G'night. -S

	18-07-2004 15:01									#112
	Put an end to popups!

Smacksim, bundle ModMan and an Aldeb205.SM file with the download. Run.bat can already take one argument, the name of a mod to launch.

example:

code:

Run Aldeb205

code:

Run Aldeb205 -S

Will disable the splashscreen.

Just for making it compatible with shortcuts.

Also note the 8.3 limit on mod directory names and the 8 char limit on .SM file names.

As always, back up the smac dir before testing.

	18-07-2004 17:18									#113
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Okay, 3 major bugs with run.bat:
These will only apply if running it in the method outlined in the previous post:

1. It will spam like crazy, since ModMan.bat turns echo off, and run.bat would be run independently from ModMan.bat.

2. I am 99.9% sure that it will run out of environment space in its current state on machines < WinNT.

3. ModMan.bat modifies the path environment variable and run.bat does not. This will cause major problems if run in the above method.

I therefore put forward that you DO NOT try the above method of using run.bat until ModMan 1.01 is released (a day or so). The ModMan.bat method should still work.

	19-07-2004 03:44									#114
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

O.k.. Considering that ModMan is under development and might just idiot-proof the install process and make it all a one-click affair, I think I'll hold off on releasing 2.1 until we've run it successfully on Win XP and Win ME machines (the two flavors we have access to).

2.0.6 on the other hand .... here are the changes for the upcoming text-files-only update:

• help files improved significantly (thanks to Darsnan especially)
  
• Peacekeepers were too powerful starting with Human Ecology, thats been changed to Tacit Controls
  
• Pushed Tree Farms a little earlier
  
• Tied Hybrid forests to Bioadaptive Resonance instead of Chiron's Legacy
  
• All the changes from 2.0.5 still apply
  

	19-07-2004 03:59									#115
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by smacksim I have a couple questions for the beta testers: [list] [*]Do you ever get stuck with no facilities to build because techs not yet discovered?

Not yet (2 games so far).

quote: [*]Are you satisfied with having 7 super AI and 3 regular Aldebaran factions in the menu? Or should I reverse this so that all 7 'normal' Aldebaran factions are playable out of the box?

Play-wise, I like the current setup as it leads me to exploer the Aldebaran Factions more slowly. However, if theres a backstory behind Aldebaran, then it might make more sense to have the Aldebaran Factions show up first.

quote: [*]Have you tried playing the included Smac version?

No. I'm pretty much a SMAX player only.

quote: [*]Is anyone interested in making new graphics?

I don't have the capability.

quote: [*]Is anyone interested in further extending the help menus to include beelines and important terraforming technologies?

I haven't really looked into this yet, but once it makes sense to me why I can help.

quote: [*]Anyone ready for an Aldebaran pbem?

After how badly I just got beat by the Nauticon SAI's, no!

D

	19-07-2004 04:00									#116
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by smacksim O.k.. Considering that ModMan is under development and might just idiot-proof the install process and make it all a one-click affair, I think I'll hold off on releasing 2.1 until we've run it successfully on Win XP and Win ME machines (the two flavors we have access to).

If you need me to, I have spare machine here and a large selection of windows OS's (Actually every version from 3.1 onwards ) so I could test a few. Don't expect me to be too patient with it though as it does take a while to install a new OS

quote: Also, I have a couple questions for the beta testers: Do you ever get stuck with no facilities to build because techs not yet discovered? Are you satisfied with having 7 super AI and 3 regular Aldebaran factions in the menu? Or should I reverse this so that all 7 'normal' Aldebaran factions are playable out of the box? Have you tried playing the included Smac version? Is anyone interested in making new graphics? Is anyone interested in further extending the help menus to include beelines and important terraforming technologies? Anyone ready for an Aldebaran pbem? -Smack

Err... in order:

• Yep definatly. Sounds like a huge map problem though. In my current game it's 2394 (I was sure the game started in 3000?) and I have nothing to build. I want to build an army, but I lack any good offensive techs. I also only got ASU's last turn so that's a pain in the butt...
  
• Again, yep. They seem to get creamed early on though (Only tested the uni and the hive, both were killed inside 50 years by the SAI).
  
• I lack the skills I'm afriad. Kudos on the existing graphics though
  
• I'm not sure beelines should be in the help menu. I think existing best beelines are probably not the best in Aldebran too. Sats seem more accessable than crawlers for instance?
  
• I'd have a go at a PBEM, but I'd like a bit longer to get into the game. I think this game is a labour of love for me, as I micromanage everything and against the ai it's just not worth it. Aldebran is keeping me interested by it's freshness though, but as soon as that changes, it's time for a PBEM IMHO.
  

	19-07-2004 04:21									#117
	Remove this text

quote: Originally posted by smacksim Without being a spoiler, I can say that the Galactics appear to be human, but are some advanced form of human subspecies. It's impossible for the Chironians to communicate with them without close study of their language (which was Progenitor Psyche).

I guess this is a scriptx.txt thing, but currently when I try and contact the Galactics (Who are withholding some juicy techs from me in my current game ) the game says "You cannot contact teh Galactics until you learn Progenator Psych or they learn Social Psych." (If any of you are grammer nazi's please tell me if the full stop should be inside or outside the quote! Thanks!)

Is Social Pysch still in the game as the tech for the "human" language? Does the tech in the position of social pysch have that effect?

Here are my original PM'ed comments too (Some of this might be obsoleted by the latest patch by the way):

quote: Several of the quotes in the data links seem to be messed up? For example, the Planet buster has the description for the troop transport. The small blurbs for each tech when choosing the next tech is wrong too. Or at least it was in my last game when I was actually making notes on the game play rather than just trying to get to grips with the system. Does the L.Faire Economics choice have a -1 or -2 police penalty? Having not gotten the requisite tech in game yet to change, I couldn't say, but both are stated in the datalinks. All the quotes for the techs in the datalinks are the quotes from the SMAX clan. I guess this will need some work to fix as they're not easy to come up with I imagine... The production SE section isn't writen yet rod: You've increased the worth of the alien artefact in the datalinks, but not in the game. Why? The peaceniks seem over powerful. +4 growth as an inherint bonus is HUGE. The only strategy of any worth is ICS, as otherwise your bases get too big to have easy drone control. Plus being able to build a third base in 8 turns is too fast IMHO. Perhaps the free chironian habitat should be one that is free when the requisit tech is discovered not from the get go? I was pwning the super ai by 2125 Also, can you do an eigth faction for people like me who loath sea factions? With the improved sea forming too, it seems too large an advantage IMO to start in the water. Regardless, I'm currently really enjoying the game It's a totally different experience from plain smax, and I really like some little things (Like Robotics... it's a completely redundant tech is it not?) and the terraforming rocks. I was a little annoyed at not be able to do certain things at first, but really enjoying it.

I stand by the peacenik comment though. +2 growth as a base faction advantage and then an additional +2 from the chironian habitat gives +4 growth. A base with +2 nuts grows in 7 turns! Thats faster than a +0 growth base with 3 nuts! Massive advantage. Added to their +1 industry and they're a real monster faction. Beeline to the chironator for State Economics and you're away. The difference between -3 and -5 morale, is for the most part, an extra (+) because of the free CC's (sic). Most of my units defend their bases as very green (++++) +25%! Insane!

I would suggest making the free habitat available only with the requisit tech as I say above, not from the very start. Then the +2 growth is still a big bonus, but not as big: the -3 morale is then also a big penalty in the early game, not a bonus as it currently acts.

Just my 2 e.c.s.

	19-07-2004 04:43									#118
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Chaunk,

Thanks for the extensive comments! I won't quote the whole thing, but I think you raise some excellent points.

When I got your PM I thought that you must be playing the Super-AI version of the Peaceniks. But I went and checked, and yep, they both have the +2 growth bonus. I havn't actually played them as a player since Aldebaran-1, so your comments are very enlightening.

I now completely agree that they are overpowered b/c of the growth thing. Especially considering how hard booming is for the other factions pre-Citizens SE choice (mid game). But what to do? I think I should just scrap the free Chironian Habitats altogether (children's creches for those from Chiron). Even getting them upon discovering the appropriate tech is fairly early in the game. Hmm. How to give them a growth advantage then? How about a free extra CP? Or perhaps another free tech leading to creches. Let me know if you have further suggestions.

About the 'Can't talk to Galactics until Progenitor Psych', yeah, those texts need to be....will be changed to correspond to the real techs ..... Sapiens Galacticus in this case. I'll try to get that in before assembling 2.0.6 tonight.

Will fix Lassaiz Faire help text.

Hopefully tree farms earlier will help 'unstick' the situation where you have little to build if you are beelining to crawlers.

Crawlers and Satellites (Matter Transmitters ) are about the same research to beeline to. Keep in mind that most of the changes are geared towards keeping the AI competetive. Crawlers are too effective a human strategy to be earlier. I didn't want to completely eliminate them though. They do help a player catch up to the AI in the midgame.

------------------

Darsnan, thanks for the feedback. I PM'd you r/e the help text.

------------------

So it looks like another week before we get a pbem up? I can't wait!


-------------------

One more thing. I am looking at changing some of the SE choice values a little bit. Nothing drastic, but just focusing them a little more. I'll update you one what gets changed, if that makes it into 2.0.6

-Smack, who goes to further fix the help text and Peaceniks.

	19-07-2004 05:57									#119
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

So no-one has tried ModMan 1.00? Oh well. I can confirm that 1.01 works on Win2k and therefore probably WinXP. Smacksim, what's the state of workingness on WinME? ModMan 1.01 will go up this evening, once I get home from Uni. The run.bat bugs have now been fixed, as well as a couple of other stupids.

I'd personally like to see all standard factions for Aldebaran displayed and 3 SAI ones, rather than the current version.

If making smac and smax versions for Aldeb2, make 2 SM files for ModMan: Aldeb2.SM and Aldeb2x.SM and make Aldeb2x.SM have the SMAX mod flag set.

I'd really like to see infantry transports be able to get carrier deck. Imagine the potential for noodles and copters post magtube.

Also, what about flying transports with carrier deck? Double the range of a noodle, but kamikaze it since it can't get home without a transport to catch it.

Or, can you put missiles in transports? PB launching subs, Flying PB launchers...

I'd like to see how badly ModMan breaks on Win9x/ME

	19-07-2004 06:21									#120
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

quote: Originally posted by #endgame I'd really like to see infantry transports be able to get carrier deck. Imagine the potential for noodles and copters post magtube. Or, can you put missiles in transports? PB launching subs, Flying PB launchers...

The Scud Launcher. Its a unit I use in some of the games I CMN:

Scud Launcher, Speeder, Transport, 8-Res, 3,10, 4, Disable, -1, 00100000000000000010000000

I usually put a few missiles, or Scud Missiles (nerve agent tipped) on it and put the units in sleeper mode. Usually once a human player finds a couple of these, why they become less "ambitious" about exploration....

D