[C4:AC] The Question Thread

[Blake]

Do we want to make Automated Formers completely retarded?

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Blake
Do we want to make Automated Formers completely retarded?

Can we make automated formers scalable in their level of "retardedness": the higher the skill level, the higher their capabilities.


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[Darsnan]

How much should CMN reveal about their understanding of the current AI's cheat capabilities for this mod?

[Darsnan]

Powergraph Chart: How do we emulate? How do we calculate?


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[Blake]

Shall we treat my question on automated former retardedness as a rhetorical question with the implied answer a resounding NO?

(Okay, I'm taking a stab at the (rather silly) idea of creating an "exact SMAC clone", we obviously want to improve the game too, especially making it less tedious where doing so will not impair gameplay)

[Chaos Theory]

As a more general form of that question:
What counts as part of the game of Alpha Centauri, and what is just decoration? As an example, the resource system (nutrients, minerals, energy) would be unanimously considered a part of the game that shouldn't be changed in making a clone. The structure of the help files would be considered decoration.

[Blake]

Some more important questions...

Do we want to replicate functions exactly or "in the spirit of"; for example if C4 has a workable health system would we want to include a health system and make the research hospital give a bonus to labs and health rather than labs and pysch? [assuming both options are equally easy but the C4 way adds flavor and doesn't hugely impact gameplay balance]

Are we going to be anal about reproducing exact functionality when it's actually easier to implement "in the spirit of" due to existing and acceptable C4 functionality? [assuming there's an easy option and a hard option, and exactness is the hard one]

When we have to completely build a subsystem are we going to emphasize exact clonage or do some redesign (preferably away from unintutive behaivour) while mantaining "in the spirit of" functionality (ie ecodamage fomula)? [assuming there is no easy option]

[Darsnan]

When playtesting, how should we document bugs that we find?

I would propose creating a "Problem Report Thread" whereby we have a standardized set of rules as to how to document all bugs that we find. Format could be as follows:

1) For tracking purposes the Problem Report Number would simply be the post # in the thread.

2) Version # of software mod

3) Faction player is playing

4) Other Factions in game

5) MY event occured

6) What phase of the turn did event occur (i.e. Production Reports, Drone Riots, Automated unit movement, combat, etc.)?

7) Units involved in event (or what occured)?

8) Is problem repeatable (i.e. could player reload the same turn and experience the same bug)?

9) Upload saved turn so that others can review if they can repeat the results.

10) Once the bug is fixed, post will then need to be updated with what was done to fix the bug, as well as who fixed it (in case this fix then creates more bugs in the future).


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[Darsnan]

Concerning the cIV Mod Forum/ Community: should we create a Liason position to interface with them, or at least designate someone to give reports on their breakthru's/ observations of the game?


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[#endgame]

Are we going to need something like a CVS or SVN repository, once we get to coding? Who is capable of setting something like that up?

[Blake]

Important Question:

Are we going to "rip" files (especially sound) directly from SMAC(X)?

If so (and assumign for legal reasons we can't package the sounds), are we going to going to make SMAC(X) a hard requirement or just an optional enchancment? (ie no voiceovers without SMAC(X))

[Chaos Theory]

If we require SMAC/X, can we enforce it?

[#endgame]

Um, write a script that can pull out relevant files from a SMA(C/X) installation or the CD? That's what FreeCraft did, before Blizzard took issue with them. The issue Blizzard took was with the name (which later became Stratagus), but they never took issue with the ripping of WarCraft 2 data files and converting them to FreeCraft format.

That's not to say that Firaxis will let it slide. We should probably check.

[Darsnan]

What exactly determines when a monolith should disappear?

What exactly determines when a player should start with a transport, and when they shouldn't?

[#endgame]

I think it's something like:

N turns that it will not disappear when used.

Then, a 1/M chance that it will after that. I think I saw the numbers, but I don't know where that was. Maybe N=8, M=32, I don't remember.

I think players start with a unity foil if they land on the coast (i.e. water tile adjacent) - since it can cut off up to 1/2 of the exploration options and aren't as useful to work for minerals/energy.