SMAC newbie asks ...

[lbores]

... the following:

1) is it possible to save to disk, custom designs so as not to have to do them over game after game (or are they stored automagically)?

2) is it possible to pre-place factions on a custom map or within a scenario?

3) are true random planet maps generated (ala CivII map editor) or are they randomized predone? I ask because I saw an identical map to one I saved within the GameSpot SMAC guide.

4) is the Prima strat guide worth the coin?

[mark13]

Hi, welcome to the boards!

1) Yeah, you can - although you have to do it from the alpha.txt file. There should be a #UNITS section there - if you enter the unit name, chassis, weapon, armor, prereq tech, and ability flags in there, it will save it - and even the AI will occasionally build it. Although I have never bothered to work out what all the flags are - that might take a bit of doing....

2) Yeah, but you have to save it as a scenario - Shift+F1 should place a unit wherever the cursor is in the scenario editor.

3) Are you sure you weren't playing on the Map of Planet or something? I have never seen the same random map twice, but I cannot say for sure.

4) Just download Vel's strat guide - see the top of the forum....

P.S. If you want anything specifically from the Prima guide, just ask Googlie

[Hydro]

Ibores

The Prima guide is a hardcopy of what you can find in Datalinks. The guide does go into some detail on the formula used for unit cost, inefficiency, production, growth, commerce, tech rate, eco damage, drones, and combat. It does give you the formula for random events, and gives you a complete list of what the random events are and what they do (and how to protect yourself). A good chunk, but not all, of this info is available from Datalinks. Beyond that it is simply a list of techs, facilities, and SPs. It also has a rundown of the scenarios that come with the game.

If you want to learn how to play the game from a master then read through Vel's guide a couple of times, since the tactics and strategy portion of the Prima guide is pretty worthless. If you want a hardcopy version of Datalinks then the Prima Guide might have some value to you. I use it occasionally for **ahem** throne reading.

Hydro

[lbores]

quote: Originally posted by mark13 on 02-11-2001 03:32 PM 2) Yeah, but you have to save it as a scenario - Shift+F1 should place a unit wherever the cursor is in the scenario editor.

OK - I guess I wasn't clear enough. Placing units is not what I am talking about. Say I make a map. Now I want the factions to appear in a specific location on that in the scenario when it starts. Are you saying that I should place a colony unit in the spot where I want the faction to start when I play the scenario?

[Lord Maxwell]

Yes, there is no simple way of saying that these seven spots shall be used for landing sites.

You can however by endless tweaking make the random landing spot algorithm only choose between places you like.

To learn more I recommend that you open up the map of planet, and see where the pods land. After you look at it 10-12 times you will notice that pods always land in the same 11 (I think it's been a while) places on the map.

Then it is just a matter of taking your custom map, adding tiles, changing tiles, putting in a bit of jungle, cutting out a bit of land here and there, until there are only a handful of possible starting locations. These will then always be used.

I WISH that you could have placed landing zones in the map editor.

[Sprayber]

quote: Originally posted by lbores on 02-12-2001 12:46 AM Say I make a map. Now I want the factions to appear in a specific location on that in the scenario when it starts. Are you saying that I should place a colony unit in the spot where I want the faction to start when I play the scenario?

Good question. I was wondering the same thing. I have looked, and looked and looked some more for that ability. And in case you haven't noticed, Vel's strat guide is the way to go. I looked at the other one at at store and decided that it tell me anything more than really needed to know. Vel's guide however, is something I have and read. And since his guide is fixing to be hard copy, throne reading can actually be productive.

[Misotu]

You can do it that way (by placing colony pods). You can also found one or more cities for each faction in the scenario editor and fix their start positions that way.

[lbores]

quote: Originally posted by Lord Maxwell on 02-12-2001 03:53 AM After you look at it 10-12 times you will notice that pods always land in the same 11 (I think it's been a while) places on the map.

I thought the same until I noticed that my factions location changes from game-to-game. Perhaps there are only 11 places used to place factions on the map, but it seems that the actual faction itself is still randomized.

Bummer! I was hoping to be able to isolate a faction - at least for a time. But to to that you have to be able to control what faction goes where. Hmm. Guess I'll have to try the place city idea. That gives a leg up to those factions but ...

[Xerxes2]

You know, I play a lot of custom factions just so I can beat up on someone. I've noticed that almost all the time I play the MoP I get just about the same start location, just south of the inland sea. Doesn't matter what faction I'm playing, usually Gaians or custom.

[Aredhran]

I once edited my alpha.txt to add some units that I use all the time, such as Cops (1-1-1 police) and foil probes.

It's not very hard to do, all the help you need is in the comments in the .txt file itself.

My memory is a bit faded on this, but IIRC, I had one problem: Say you want to upgrade your regular 1-1-1 to your Cop design, the game won't let you do it.

Aredhran

[Martin Schmidt]

3)I had this kind of deja vu one time in a civilization game, i think the reason is that my date doesnt work right (maybe empty battery or something) and that i have started the game two times at nearly the same computer time .Random numbers are typically initialized with time or date functions, if you play two games and these parameters are identical the chances are high that you get the same map twice.

[Chowlett]

An added bonus of editing the alpha(x).txt to take account of your favourite units is that the Srtificial Idiot will sometimes make of them myself. I have never actually got round to doing this myself, but I remember stories being bandied around of a scary Miriam with a fleet of foil probes...

[Scipio Centaurus]

quote: Originally posted by lbores on 02-12-2001 12:46 AM OK - I guess I wasn't clear enough. Placing units is not what I am talking about. Say I make a map. Now I want the factions to appear in a specific location on that in the scenario when it starts. Are you saying that I should place a colony unit in the spot where I want the faction to start when I play the scenario?

You can make factions start with founded bases in a scenario. I'm not 100% sure if this is what you are asking though... It's a bit cumbersome, but here's how I did it.

1> Create your map for the scenario.

2> From the scenario editor menu, load in the factions you want in the scenario. If you want a different number of factions than seven, that's a whole new thread...

3> Drop a colony pod or sea colony pod as appropriate, wherever you want a base to start the scenario (SHIFT-F1 places units) Each time you drop a unit in the editor will ask you to pick the owning faction.

4> After placing colony pods where you want each faction to start, go to the MAP editor and pick the menu option to DEACTIVIATE the editor. There is a hot-key for this but I can't remember it. You are now in game play mode.

5> Click on the colony pod of one faction. It should blink just like an active unit in a game.

6> Press 'B' which is the standard game command to create a base.

7> When finished creating starting bases, REACTIVATE the editor and save the scenario.

8> Next time you load the scenario for edit or play, it should have the bases in place

When you click on an established base icon from within the scenario editor, an extra 'edit' function shows up on the base information display panel. This function allows you to do nifty things like add starting population, facilities, reources, etc.
[This message has been edited by Scipio Centaurus (edited February 13, 2001).]

[lbores]

Ok! Thnx! That's what I wanted to know.