Base graphics changing in mp

[Humphrey]

The base graphics are odd in a pbem game I am in. I am playing as usurpers, but my bases are using the believer graphics, and the enemy base I can see changes it's graphics to look like the last faction I played as. Why does this happen, and how can I stop it?

[Whoha]

I think its because its using the faction order from the last sp game you played. It can't really be stopped yet.

[Humphrey]

Oh, how annoying. So it's going to happen in every mp game I play? argh.

[PJayTycy]

unless you swap ini files everytime before starting a pbem.

I have 1 .bat file for each pbem I play, to automate these tasks:
=> backup current ini file to old.ini
=> swap in pbem ini file
=> start paint (just in case I have to take a screenshot)
=> start terranx
=> save current ini file as pbem ini file
=> swap in backed-up old.ini file again

[Humphrey]

Thanks for that, but where does the pbem ini file come from? It's changed when a new game is created isn't it, but as the pbem game isn't created by me, the ini file isn't changed? So, how should I go about this?

[GeoModder]

The new .ini file is created by the .bat program, I think.

[Humphrey]

I think he's just using the .bat program to swap the files he already has, rather than creating them?

[PJayTycy]

Yes, I just copy an existing .ini open it in notepad, change the faction list to the one of the pbem and save it as "Alpha Centauri.<pbem_name>.ini "

[Humphrey]

ok, thanks.

[PJayTycy]

=> I edited my post because I once again forgot apolyton removes all text between < and >. I'd really appreciate a "don't try to parse as html" function.

[PJayTycy]

Here, I attached one of the bat files.

Right-click on it and choose edit. This will open the file in notepad.
Change line 3 to the directory where you installed alien crossfire.
Change "furlings" to the name of your pbem in line 5 and 7.
Save & Exit

Create the ini file in your SMAX directory with the right faction order (mostly you have to play the first turn "normal" because CMN's only tell the faction order, not the actual used slots).


Repeat for every pbem.
Whenever you want to load / save, the default location will point to the right directory too.

[#endgame]

And if you don't feel like maintaining a swarm of batch files, mart7x5 wrote a GUI-based swapper called iniswap:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127151&highlight=iniswap

[GeoModder]

Originally posted by PJayTycy
Yes, I just copy an existing .ini open it in notepad, change the faction list to the one of the pbem and save it as "Alpha Centauri.<pbem_name>.ini "

So, if you put a pbem name beween the two "." , the game will automatically check for this .ini if a this pbem name is loaded?

[PJayTycy]

I never thought this was so "difficult" to explain:

I have 1 directory for each pbem, where I store all the sav's and 1 .bat file.
In the ...\program files \... directory, I have 1 .ini file for each pbem.

I download the zipped .sav to that pbem's directory, unzip, doubleclick the .bat file.
Paint starts first so I'll have nice colours when taking screenshots.
smacx starts next, with the load and save window defaulting to the correct pbem save directory.


But if you're not used to DOS-commands or don't like / trust yourself editing a 7-line .bat file, the iniswap gui might be a better solution for you.

[Googlie]

Hmm - I just keep a folder with each PBEM turnorder listed. When I get a turn I open that folder, select and copy the game turnorder, open alphacentauri.ini with notepad, (I have a link to ac.ini on my desktop) and copy over the turnorder, then save and the game will load with the correct graphics.

It sounds cumbersome, but takes no more time than downloading the turn and unzipping in the first place