Turn simulator

[Maniac]

I've made a first attempt at making some kind of turn simulator.
Here are the links:
ACDG3 Simulator

And for the SMAC-only users among us:
ACDG3 Simulator SMAC
(Edit: I have the XP patch installed, should that matter for compatibility with your SMAC installation)

What do you think of it? Please warn me about any mistakes. Of course the raininess levels aren't always correct, and because getting rivers right is so difficult, I just replaced them with geothermal bonuses. Also don't mind anything beyond our explored map. I just edited a random created map.

To anyone with any experience or knowledge about turn simulators: How do you keep such a thing updated? Do you just manually edit everything every new turn, or do you press "End Turn" in the simulator so everything updates automatically more or less correctly? In case of the latter, how do you prevent the six AI factions to do something unwanted and nasty?

Anyway, I thought a turn simulator could have a dual use:
1) Once we move a bit further into the game, we could use this simulator to test out some of our longer term plans, eg how fast can we by approxmation build a Secret Project, assemble an invasion force, prepare for a population boom...
2) The Spartans who don't have SMAX could use the SMAC simulator to have a more interactive view of our little empire. Of course not everything could be correct, but it would be good to at least get a general idea.

[Zeiter]

Hey, great idea! This will give non-SMAX-ers like me a chance to explore the game at our liesure when we can't get screenshots, assuming that the simulator is reasonably similar to the actual game.

[Kody]

For new information manually update everything.

If you keep exact per unit moves I follow the moves in the turn simulator immediately before playing the turn, then adjust the simulator for any random effects.

If you don't keep exact per unit moves, it means checking everything over again and editing them right. That means checking unit homing, energy productions, mineral productions, nut productions and unit positions.

[Zeiter]

I did notice one small thing about the data in the simulator: In the labs screen it said we had 0 tech accumulated, when I think we should have 1. Any way to edit this?

[Maniac]

Thanks for the tips Kody.

Zeiter: unfortunately labs accumulated cannot be edited AFAIK. However the techs we have can be edited, so that should be able to maintain updated.

[Kody]

Labs can be edited, switch techonology direction to reduce tech.

Pop pods to increase tech accumulated.

That's how I did it, but it's rather futile to get it perfect as commerence and global tech variables change the needed labs to completion and the amount of labs per turn.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Kody
Pop pods to increase tech accumulated.

Thanks for the tips. Though eg popping pods seems rather a lot of work for what it's worth. In the early game I guess it would be doable, but once you start producing several hundreds of labs...


Simulators updated for MY 2103 btw (except for the nutrient tanks which I forgot/skipped).

[Maniac]

SMAX Simulator updated from 2105 to 2107.

Haven't gotten to updating SMAC from '05 to '07 yet though. Is it wished for?

[Zeiter]

No, I've been able to figure out most of what is going on through the the screenshots lately, so I'd say, maybe update the SMAC simulator every 10 years or so for now, until things get more hectic.

BTW, how exactly do you make the simulator?

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Zeiter
BTW, how exactly do you make the simulator?

the map is the easiest part (using the scenario editor) It's the ec's per turn, research rate relative to the others, etc that is the hardest

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Zeiter
so I'd say, maybe update the SMAC simulator every 10 years or so for now, until things get more hectic.

Ok thanks I'll try to do that.

Originally posted by Googlie
the map is the easiest part (using the scenario editor) It's the ec's per turn, research rate relative to the others, etc that is the hardest

Really? Editing the credits reserve is simply done IMO. The map however involves covering/uncovering terrain, changing elevations, rockiness, fungus, pods, rivers...

[Googlie]

LOL - each to his own, I guess. (Have a look at my edit of the simulator to flesh out Zeiter's suggestion re bases in Buster Crater. I tweaked the elevations, got the river running where it should (taking out your geothermal equivalents), etc

I guess I'm just more comfortable with maps given all the CMN'ing I do

But I gather from Kody in the last game that approximating the reserach rate and ec produciton of the other factions was the most difficult piece of the sim. And it got hareder after they (the Hive) got the PTS and started dibanding 1-pop bases to spawn 3-pop ones on rebuild. that really threw the forecasts for a loop without a good simulator. (Plus Kody micromanaged drone control to try and put his "drone bomb" into effect in other factions)

G.

[Kody]

Actually it's almost impossible keeping track of what the other factions are doing so I fudged it.

Here's was the simulator turn with the latest date. It might actually be a forward planning turn, not an replica turn.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
But I gather from Kody in the last game that approximating the reserach rate and ec produciton of the other factions was the most difficult piece of the sim.

Heh, I never even planned to do any simulation of other factions, at least before we got infiltrator information. However if you as Covert Ops Director or with you CMN mapping skills would want to improve and make the simulator more accurate, certainly go ahead!

[Googlie]

Well - it's still a work-in-progress

here's the sim circa 2128/9. I've got the map (our continent) simulated - some elevations were difficult to get correct - and I got the tech costs and research rate OK.

Some work stilll needed on the other factions (Uni is somewhat OK) which will distort our tech rate, but for purposes of the next 5 years or so, it'll do.

It's a scenario save, so open it as a scenario (then you can save it as a game afterwards)