CMN needed!

[binTravkin]

Nowadays we have a bit of a lack of CMNs around here - Darsnan and Rubin have departed, Googlie is not so available always, Buster has quit from CMNing..

So, all the young hearts and creative minds unite!

Actually I could do some CMNing as I've been apprentice of Darsnan and Buster for awhile, but sometimes I can't CMN either because of lack of time or Im participating in the game (the actual reason why I start this thread).

So if there are people interested, I could teach you some things if there are something you still do not know (and Im pretty sure that there are things that even Darsnan does not know yet, not talking about myself).

Old pals like Googlie and Mart7x5 (who as I've heard and seen is particularly good at creating maps) are welcome to share their knowledge as well.

I must also warn that there are at least two things which noone of the old CMNs (even some of them don't know) will tell you unless you've learned their respect.
So, there's something to aim for..


For the start I've one game:
Hive: Zalek
Morgan: binTravkin

transcend, SMAX

no AI,
30-50% ocean
standard mapsize
all average except dense cloudcover
all victories,
no co-op,
flexible start
do or die
no unity survey

The start should be boosted like - both factions have double starting resources: double ECs and double units (2 scouts 4 CPs).

Any takers?

[#endgame]

What happened to Darsnan?

[binTravkin]

nothing bad

[binTravkin]

Hmm, quite poor. Well, ok my idea wasn ot tha best, will try to contact some people personally.

[Senethro]

Sorry bin Travkin, there are really people out there who would like to CMN, I'm one of them. I'm just a bit consumed with biology work at the moment though I have made a few maps for games with personal friends.

I'd quite like to hear about some of the AI customisation that can be done as I've yet to experiment with it. The most I've done is making customised landmark features, one example of which is a derelict progenitor spaceport on an island in a large ocean for increased aircover.

I also think this thread suffers from being in the Creation forum :P

[binTravkin]

I will make a writeup here this eve, unleashing some CMN knowledge in public.

[binTravkin]

At last..

Firstly about the AIs themselves.
Here's a list of bad things about AI and things (which I know) CMN can do about them:

1.Lack of good tactics in the offense (I mean at the battlefield itself).
2.The same in defense.
3.Mostly stupid predefined SE.
4.No sense of micromanagement - running out of support, psych, efficency fast.
5.Inability to expand.
6.Ridiculous terraforming.
7."Idiot" level unit design (no probe ships, stupid choices of abilities).
8.Wierd facility build order.


Some of AI stupidities are not listed here because they're solved by beefing AIs, like "AIs not being competitive in race for SPs", others might be just lost in the labyrinths of my twisted mind, so you're free to admit if I've forgot anything.

And here's a list what a CMN can do:

1.Fiddling with AI strategies, individual bonuses and personality at {faction}.txt.
2.Doing the same at scenario editor.
3.Adding predefined units for AI at alpha(x).txt.
4.Doing the terraforming for him.
5.Setting governor for the AI

And many other things which Im too lazy to count..

More coming next week..

[Kirov]

I wouldn't mind reading some more details, e.g. how to work with maps, maybe sample files, and so on. IMHO factions are much easier to fiddle with.

I'd really like to become a CMN, but firstly, usually I don't have a lot of free time, and secondly, I guess it's very easy to screw sth up an ruin sb fun. Before I do any map for anyone, I'd have to learn a lot about it.

Which reminds me of a probably silly question - recently I started to fiddle with scenario editor in general (not the most user friendly programme in the world), but can't find any option to construct a base (not a CP). Do I miss sth obvious?

Secon thing is, if I add any predefined units to alphax.txt, and then try to give this unit as a start bonus for some faction, the unit is not there. Do sea chassises have to do sth with it?

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Kirov
recently I started to fiddle with scenario editor in general (not the most user friendly programme in the world)

Thats absolutely correct. One hint: save often!

Originally posted by Kirov
can't find any option to construct a base (not a CP). Do I miss sth obvious?

No. You need to plant the CP on the map where you want it, switch control to that Faction, then hit "B" to build the base.

Originally posted by Kirov
Second thing is, if I add any predefined units to alphax.txt, and then try to give this unit as a start bonus for some faction, the unit is not there. Do sea chassises have to do sth with it?

In the alpha(x).txt file on the line right below the "#UNITS" line there is a number. Did you increment it by the number of new units you added to the alpha(x).txt file? Otherwise there is no reason you shouldn't be able to build the unit for a Faction.
Hope this helps!

D

[Kirov]

Originally posted by Darsnan
In the alpha(x).txt file on the line right below the "#UNITS" line there is a number. Did you increment it by the number of new units you added to the alpha(x).txt file? Otherwise there is no reason you shouldn't be able to build the unit for a Faction.

Hope this helps!
D

I didn't even know that I can increase the number of predefined units (those were my first steps with eitor), so to stat on the safe side I always deleted already existing units to keep their number at constant.

And other thing I need explanation of:

When you want to change a facton or alphax.txt and save those changes for the players, you just need to do those changes in your files, then make the map, save it, send it to players and reload your backup files, right?

I mean, players always get the game with the changes you applied to your txt files, regardless of what they have on their machines?

[H.Humpel]

Ehm.... sorry to ask, but what exactly does CMN stand for ??
(No, please don't kill me... I tried to figure it out by myself, but I've got no clue at all...)

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Kirov
When you want to change a facton

For an AI Faction, correct?

Originally posted by Kirov
or alphax.txt and save those changes for the players, you just need to do those changes in your files, then make the map, save it, send it to players and reload your backup files, right?

And set the passwords and have the MY change to 2101.

Originally posted by Kirov
I mean, players always get the game with the changes you applied to your txt files, regardless of what they have on their machines?

This is a correct statement. However, I think there would be limited opportunities where you'd want to edit a Faction text file for a human player - typically I think it should be for AI Factions.


What I have done on my computer is add a subdirectory off my root SMAC(X) subdirectory labelled "Modified Files", and this is where I store my modified Faction text files when I'm not using them. And for each file I've modified I've also added a little comment in the header of each file as to how I've modified the file (so in the future I don't have to scan the whole file trying to figure out waht I did to it). And example would be as follows:


;
; Sid Meier's ALPHA CENTAURI
;
; FACTION FILE: Morgan Industries
;
; Copyright (c) 1997, 1998 by Firaxis Games, Inc.
;MODIFICATION: added "INTEREST, 0" to simulate Merchant Exchange
; ALPHA CENTAURI reads the rules of the game from this file at
; startup. Feel free, at your own risk, to experiment with editing
; this file. We recommend you make a backup copy of the original.
;

#MORGAN
Morgan Industries, The Mogul, Morganites, M, 2, Morgan, M, -1, 0, 0, 1, 0,
TECH, Indust, ENERGY, 100, INTEREST, 0, SOCIAL, +ECONOMY, POPULATION, 3, COMMERCE, 1, SOCIAL, -SUPPORT




FYI


D

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by H.Humpel
Ehm.... sorry to ask, but what exactly does CMN stand for ??
(No, please don't kill me... I tried to figure it out by myself, but I've got no clue at all...)

We're the people that set up PBEM Games and Single Player Challenges for the rest of the community. We also hold PBEM Game passwords in case a replacement is needed, and make rulings when a dispute arises between players in a game. CMN is an acronym, but I don't know exactly what it stands for myself.....


D

[#endgame]

Creator-Moderator-Narrator.

[H.Humpel]

Originally posted by #endgame
Creator-Moderator-Narrator.

You're kidding...
No wonder I couldn't figure it out
But good to know...