eliminating secret project warning

[beavis]

how do i avoid recieving a warning when another faction is about to finish a secret project?

[Darsnan]

go to your alpha centauri directory and open the script.txt file using a text editor (not MS Word as it will corrupt the file). The following is the entry you will need to locate:

#DONEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Security Chief
The $ secret project, "{$PROJECT1}," is nearing a major breakthrough!

You will need to leave the first 2 lines alone, as I think they are directly related to the hardcoding this entry is calling, and if these are removed theres probably a chance the game will crash. Edit the 4th line to whatever you want to see when the warning is issued.

Note that if you press the F5 key you will still see who is building what projects.

[beavis]

thanks for the help, but I was hoping to forego any warning. a change leaving any message intact doesn't accomplish my aim.

[vyeh]

Darsnan,

I actually tried eliminating the entire entry. I got an empty dialog box.



I also modified the third and fourth lines leaving the first and second line intact. I was trying to disguise the warning and forest expands was the closest I could come to a message that the game generates (it usually says "Planetary Ecologist: Forest expands near BASE.")



I hope this is informative.

[Petek]

After reading Darsnan's ingenious solution, I realized that one would still know that some SP is about to finish. Would this suggestion help?

Edit all of the messages regarding SPs in script.txt:

#BEGINPROJECT
#CHANGEPROJECT
#HALTPROJECT
#SURVIVEPROJECT
#DONEPROJECT

Now you'll get popups, but you won't know whether some other faction is starting a SP, is about to finish one, and so on. As long as you stay out of the F5 screen, you should be in the dark about the status of AI SPs. (Haven't actually tried this, however.)

Petek

[vyeh]

Petek,

If you're willing to sacrifice some information about expanding forests and kelp, you could edit


***

#FORESTGROWS
#xs 320
#caption Planetary Ecologist
Forest expands near $BASENAME0.

#KELPGROWS
#xs 320
#caption Planetary Ecologist
Kelp expands near $BASENAME0.

...

#BEGINPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Netflash!
$TITLE0 $NAME1 of the $FACTION2 has authorized a
secret project, codenamed "$PROJECT3".

#CHANGEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Netflash!
The $ secret project, "$PROJECT1," has been cancelled. The
$FACTION2 $<2:is:are> now redirecting $<2:its:their> efforts toward a new goal,
"$PROJECT3."

#HALTPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Netflash!
$TITLE0 $NAME1 of the $FACTION2 has halted all work on "$PROJECT3."

#SURVIVEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Security Chief
Work on the $ secret project, "$PROJECT1," continues at other
$ bases!

#DONEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Security Chief
The $ secret project, "{$PROJECT1}," is nearing a major breakthrough!

***

to

***

#FORESTGROWS
#xs 320
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

#KELPGROWS
#xs 320
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

...

#BEGINPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

#CHANGEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

#HALTPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

#SURVIVEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

#DONEPROJECT
#xs 400
#caption Captain John Garland
R.I.P MY 2100

***

Now when you get the memorial message to Captain Garland, you won't know whether it relates to the AI's SP's or to expanding forests or kelp (particularly if the scenario designer has seeded kelp and forest).

[Darsnan]

Instead of Cpt Garland (who died before Planetfall, God rest his soul) we have the following:


#FORESTGROWS
#xs 320
#caption Recon Rover Rick
It is reported "Recon Rover Rick" has been killed fending off 3 waves of mindworms. To honor him we will be broadcasting a vid special of his heroic efforts

Or maybe something more generic, as this event will be called more than once, given how many SPs there are.

Also, I believe in the script.txt file there are several entries that never made the final cut. Maybe one of these can be used (instead of something that is used like #FORESTGROWS). I'll probably look into this within a couple of weeks, if no one else does.


D

[vyeh]

Here are some entries that I do not recall seeing in a game:

****

#LOWSOLAR
#xs 320
#caption Planetary Ecologist
A solar collector here would
produce no energy. Try building at a higher elevation.

#TERRAPAY
#itemlist
Cancel action.
Expend $NUM0 credits.

#TOOMUCHENERGY
#xs 320
#caption Chief Engineer
That choice would exceed this chassis's energy rating.

#BIOBONUS
#xs 440
#caption Select a Hybrid

#GOODYVANISH
#xs 320
#wave 39
#caption Operations Director
Our unit has dematerialized and vanished forever!

#GOODYWHIRLPOOL
#xs 320
#wave 39
#caption Operations Director
Our unit has vanished forever into a whirlpool!

#ARTIFACTTECH1
#xs 320
#caption Science Officer
A power surge from the alien artifact has shorted
out the Network Node at $BASENAME0!

Proceed
Zoom to Base Control

#ESCAPE
#xs 400
#caption Security Chief
Our headquarters at $BASENAME0 is in jeopardy! I have prepared
your personal shuttle for immediate departure. If you wish,
we can evacuate the entire command staff to $BASENAME1 at a cost of
1000 energy credits.

Abandon HQ.
Evacuate HQ to $BASENAME1.

#ESCAPED
#xs 400
#caption Security Chief
The $FACTION2 $<2:has:have> safely evacuated their headquarters to $BASENAME1!

#ESCAPED2
#xs 400
#caption Security Chief
We have safely evacuated the headquarters to $BASENAME1, at a cost
of $NUM0 energy credits.

#NOCHARGE
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
This unit has expended its special ability charge. To recharge,
it must spend a complete turn resting at a friendly base.

#FEATURE
#xs 440
#caption Things that make you go UNH.
Feature not yet implemented.

#BETAFEATURE
#xs 440
#caption Things that make you go UNH.
This feature is disabled for this test release.

#HYPERSTIM
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
Hyperstimulants activated! Unit's movement rate doubled until end of
turn. Unit can opt to use "skip" (space bar) command to expend
hyperstimulants and repair all damage.

#POLYMER
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
Polymer adhesives placed! Movement into/through this area impeded.

#FUNGICIDE
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
Fungicide activated! Area cleared.

#VOICE
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
Subliminal Coercion activated! Select action:

Force target to attack.
Force target to retreat.

#VOICEFIZZLE
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
Subliminal Coercion attempt fails.

#ARTEXPLORE
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
Artifacts cannot be used for exploration.

#RECYCLEME0
#xs 400
#caption Operations Director
#wave 32
The $FACILITY0 is fused to an alien artifact and
cannot be recycled. If you wish, we could
attempt to destroy it.

Never mind.
Destroy $FACILITY0.

***

What is the point of using one of those. If you see it, you would know that it is a replacement for a SP warning.

The reason for taking #FORESTGROWS is because it is used!

[beavis]

i'm actually really surprised that such a peripheral game element is essentially hard coded. i never would have suspected that it's existence would be irretrievable. thanks for the ideas. i'm afraid to ask, but does there seem to be any chance that AC or AX will ever be playable on widescreen monitors, or do i have to horde all of my 4:3 screens as long as i live, or until a ported version of the game is developed?

[Petek]

Originally posted by vyeh
Petek,

If you're willing to sacrifice some information about expanding forests and kelp, you could edit

[snip]

Good idea, but my suggestion was for the OP. I wasn't planning on implementing it.

Petek

[Petek]

Originally posted by beavis
i'm actually really surprised that such a peripheral game element is essentially hard coded. i never would have suspected that it's existence would be irretrievable. thanks for the ideas. i'm afraid to ask, but does there seem to be any chance that AC or AX will ever be playable on widescreen monitors, or do i have to horde all of my 4:3 screens as long as i live, or until a ported version of the game is developed?

beavis,

You stand a better chance of getting a reply to your new question if you post it in the AC General forum.

Petek

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by vyeh
The reason for taking #FORESTGROWS is because it is used!

Sorry, should have been more clear in my previous post. Essentially what I was infering in the second portion of my post (regarding the unused entries) is that possibly you can camoflauge one of them into something else, so your not sacrificing one of the used ones just for the sake of hiding the SP Initiation alert. Example: if you were to substitute in the #LOWSOLAR one to replace the SP Initiation alert, but substitute in the graphics and text for #FORESTGROWS, then who would know the difference between the real #FORESTGROWS and the ersatz one? However like I said above I'm not sure it will work. I'll see if I can look into it in the next couple of weeks, however right now I'm kinda busy - got a 15k run this weekend, and I'm also putting the finishing touches on my "Von Neuman's World" scenario.


D