Sci-fi: How to build SSTO pads?

[cobbe]

I'm having some difficulties building SSTO pads in the sci-fi game. I've obtained the Spacecraft advance, so my colonists should theoretically be able to do it. And, I've explored enough of the orbital map with Shuttles to know that the "land" areas DO overlap where I'm trying to build them.

But, the border of the unit never turns blue, and the "Build SSTO Pad" command never appears in the menu. Pressing 'j' has no effect.

Any ideas? I haven't yet installed the 1.1 patch, but from the readme, I don't think that addresses this issue.

I have a save game that I'd be willing to mail to anyone who's interested.

Thanks,

Richard

[Spirit]

Unfortunately I've got the same problem.
If anyone knows how to solve this please let me (us?) know. By the way I did install ToT patch 1.1

Anyway how does the computer know that I should be able to build SSTO Pads after discovering Spacecraft? I can't find anything in the rules.txt file.

[Spirit]

Mm, I already found out what went (was) wrong.

To solve this problem open the events.txt file and look for:

IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=13 (Could be anynumber)
@THEN
JustOnce
Transport
Unit=Environeer (Could be something else)
State=On (THIS IS THE PROBLEM)
Mode=Build
Type=5 (Could be anynumner)
@ENDIF

now change State=on into State=Set.

(Do this for all the State=on(´s) you can find!!!)

Please note: you must first end your turn before these changes will take effect.

Have fun!!

[Spirit]

Update: It is possible that you can't build Planetary bases and Gravitic Grids this way, all you have to do is change the State=Set back to State=On (Don't ask me why though )

Please note: the same problem may arise with other statements that have a dual option e.g.: true/yes or false/no etc.
[This message has been edited by Spirit (edited July 15, 2000).]

[Shadowstrike]

Thanks a lot. It gets pretty frustrating when you're trying to colonize Orbit without SSTO Pads. I think what the events file does is to alow Colonists and Niduses to build the pads, but only for one turn (i might be wrong)
[deleted typo]
[This message has been edited by Shadowstrike (edited July 15, 2000).]

[mrzappit]

I know this is years late, but there is a way to do this so that the colonists, etc., get the ability to make SSTO Pads and other transporters forever, but you don't have to constantly get the text alert saying that they can. Thanks to Spirit's post above I was able to experiment some and figure out how to do this...so credit where credit is due.

The line that makes it only last one turn is the JustOnce clause. If you delete that, the rules described there will apply every turn. Unfortunately, they combined the tech ability with the announcement text so you have to do the work of separating them. Luckily, this is not hard since all the text alerts are surrounded by "Text" and "EndText" tags.

So, if we take the first event entry for allowing colonists to build SSTO pads:

@IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=66
@THEN
JustOnce
Transport
Unit=Colonist
State=On
Mode=Build
Type=1
Text
Colonists and the Nidus can now build SSTO Pads,
which allow space-worthy units to travel into orbit.
EndText
@ENDIF

You have to split it into two @IF statements. So, copy/paste it so you have two entries of the same thing. Leaving everything between @IF and @THEN on both, you edit the first one so it always gives the Colonists the ability to build SSTO pads. Edit the 2nd entry to only show the text once.

@IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=66
@THEN
Transport
Unit=Colonist
State=On
Mode=Build
Type=1
@ENDIF

@IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=66
@THEN
JustOnce
Text
Colonists and the Nidus can now build SSTO Pads,
which allow space-worthy units to travel into orbit.
EndText
@ENDIF

Just to reiterate, note that the first one for the tech has JustOnce REMOVED and the 2nd one for the text does NOT have it removed. I hope this helps some other lost soul out there that wants to play ToT again.

Thanks again for the nudge in the right direction! I greatly appreciate the help.

[mrzappit]

I know this is years late, but there is a way to do this so that the colonists, etc., get the ability to make SSTO Pads and other transporters forever, but you don't have to constantly get the text alert saying that they can. Thanks to Spirit's post above I was able to experiment some and figure out how to do this...so credit where credit is due.

The line that makes it only last one turn is the JustOnce clause. If you delete that, the rules described there will apply every turn. Unfortunately, they combined the tech ability with the announcement text so you have to do the work of separating them. Luckily, this is not hard since all the text alerts are surrounded by "Text" and "EndText" tags.

So, if we take the first event entry for allowing colonists to build SSTO pads:

@IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=66
@THEN
JustOnce
Transport
Unit=Colonist
State=On
Mode=Build
Type=1
Text
Colonists and the Nidus can now build SSTO Pads,
which allow space-worthy units to travel into orbit.
EndText
@ENDIF

You have to split it into two @IF statements. So, copy/paste it so you have two entries of the same thing. Leaving everything between @IF and @THEN on both, you edit the first one so it always gives the Colonists the ability to build SSTO pads. Edit the 2nd entry to only show the text once.

@IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=66
@THEN
Transport
Unit=Colonist
State=On
Mode=Build
Type=1
@ENDIF

@IF
ReceivedTechnology
Receiver=Anybody
Technology=66
@THEN
JustOnce
Text
Colonists and the Nidus can now build SSTO Pads,
which allow space-worthy units to travel into orbit.
EndText
@ENDIF

Just to reiterate, note that the first one for the tech has JustOnce REMOVED and the 2nd one for the text does NOT have it removed. I hope this helps some other lost soul out there that wants to play ToT again.

Thanks again for the nudge in the right direction! I greatly appreciate the help.