Custom Facilities//Projects/Techs

[d_girolamo]

When you edit alphax.txt there are placeholders for facilities, secret projects and technology. This would lead me to believe you can create your own. It doesn't seem too difficult, just a matter of plugging in numbers and/or string to represent choices. However, there are no instructions, and I can't figure out how to abbreviate words to reflect the proper codes. Also, in the techs section, there are 4 columns (power, tech, wealth, growth), you fill in a number, but I can't figure out what that number represents. Does anyone know where I can find some instructions, a legend or some kind of key to decipher these codes? Am I the only one who has ventured into the territory of customizing base facilities and techs?

[Fitz]

The numbers on tech represent values in those four catagories, which are used by the blind research function (and probably the AI). As I understand it, the blind research essentially adds up those values from the catagories you are choosing to research to determine the next tech you get. So if you BR Conquer and build, the algorithm uses those two values to decide which tech you will discover next out of those avaliable.

Do a search in this forum, creation, and strategy on the words tech AND blind, and you'll probably kick up some of the old threads speculating on this issue.

[Googlie]

Prima's Guide (I seem to be plugging this when every query comes up - I don't....it's just that it sits by my computer table so is an easy reference source) has a half dozen pages of code explanations/hints for designers introducing new techs, SPs, units, graphics and sound.

You can download it (for a price) at:
www.primagames.com

Gamespot has exactly the same information for free, but is a tad harder to get at (they seem to have disabled their links to alpha centauri and alien crossfire). They're at:
www.gamespot.com

Happy hunting

G.

G.

[MariOne]

Gamespot Unofficial GameGuide to Alpha Centauri

2.0 Mb, 335 pages
for free, but you have to register, filling in personal info...

BUT
Although I don't have Prima's guide, I doubt it's the same material.
I saw many posters quote formulas they allegedly got from Prima's Guide, which can't be found elsewhere.

Instead this one is....
TOTAL CRAP
you can find nothing inside it that you can't find in the manual or in the datalinks.
What they added are pitiful hints, useless at best, wrong and outdated usually.
Impressive graphic publishing work, exactly what you don't need.

I wonder whether Googlie was referring to a different guid from Gamespot...
[This message has been edited by MariOne (edited November 17, 2000).]

[Googlie]

No, MariOne, that's the one I was referring to.

I was not endorsing the guide, simply saying that almost word for word the Prima text for worldbuilder, faction editor and scenario builder could be found in the Gamespot guide (obviously supplied to both by Firaxis)

The latter was free (originally, and then thru an oportunity window a few months ago) whereas the former costs.

I largely agree with your comments, though. My Prima guide sits on my desktop by my PC - my Gamespot guide is in a bookcase half a room away.

G.