\\\-- Balance of Power (v1.2c released)--///

[Gowron]

I spend 20 min adding files to "multi mod installer creator" 30 sec to create each one, And an hour uploading (only 40kb up speed)

Well, here's some good news: I was able to change the sound ID pointers in converse.bin, so the next version of BoP will not include modified versions of english.snd resp. german.snd, because they're not needed anymore

Thanks this will help. also if you edit *_tford.wdf files (all 5 of them) you do not need to edit and add *m_bop0.tga and *m_bop1.tga. so they display build starbase.

OK, but I think I'll stick with the pictures in this case, since they're already very small, nowhere near as space-consuming as the sound files

I could also use more info on how to edit sound ID pointers in converse.bin, I could use this for UCW 2.0 I would need to edit about 400 id pointers

I just searched for the respective sound IDs in converse.bin. It turned out to be quite simple: locate current sound ID, overwrite with new sound ID, save

Edit: Turn 80, experienced a little bug when flying through a wormhole in 25.16. My ship appeared in 49.36 next turn, right bottom corner, a sector without of wormhole. Actually it's a starsystem down in the corner. Ship should be renamed Voyager, it'll take ages to get it back home!

Thanks for reporting this, I guess wormhole connections do not work well with altered map dimensions.

ar ethere more planets and minors?

More planets - yes.
As for minors, there should be 29 or so (set to "many"), as in the "normal" version of BoP v1.1c.

to the stability:
I will try one of my endless games to see hows it running further.
I'm at turn 100 now and the speed is as usual. Game runs proper without any crashes as yet.

Glad to hear that

I'll also consider your other coments, but remember that the settings have to work for *all* map sizes.

Hmmm... In which case, I think the Romulan AI colonies are still struggling to grow with only 2 farms.

I'll see if there's a workaround, but the reason why the AI sometimes refuses to add more farms has yet to be found

A little 'undocumented feature' I found; the Caldonians in the game I'm currently playing came with Level 6 energy structures. How they managed this I haven't a clue. They ae the only Minor I've membered so far that have an energy structure with a level still associated.

Thanks for reporting, I'll fix that in the next version.

It affects minor races which use Cardassian food/energy buildings.

[GeorgiaBoy]

I have a few questions:

1) Any possibility of the map growing in size from 50X36 to ???
2) Is it more likely that BotF can be modded to select from more than 30 minors (and display 29). Or better yet, select from 100 minor races and display say, 75 minor races? I have read about a 'lack of space' in the code...this may be the problem?

GB

[thunderchero]

GeorgiaBoy,

you might want to read a little more, this post was just one page back and answers your questions.

viewtopic.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=10598#10598

thunderchero

[GeorgiaBoy]

Hi thunderchero,

My apologies. I should have been more clear. You mention maybe a 200X150 map with scrolling. Will that mapsize, or any other mapsize beyond 50X36 be implemented?

I understand that the game limits minors to 29-30 in the game. The database has 30 minors to pick from. With the expanded map size, would it be possible to have the 30 minors in the game, but have the computer pick from a larger than 30 list?

Thanks for the heads up.

GB

[KrazeeXXL]

200x150 wow. try to imagine how long your ships will need from on side to another @ speed4. DS9 to Cestus 3 is nothing against it.

to the minors. I guess, the Code Masters are working on it. but haste makes waste

[thunderchero]

Will that mapsize, or any other mapsize beyond 50X36 be implemented?

I doubt any larger maps would be used by any mod

I understand that the game limits minors to 29-30 in the game. The database has 30 minors to pick from. With the expanded map size, would it be possible to have the 30 minors in the game, but have the computer pick from a larger than 30 list?

The list is not the problem. each minor race must have sound (vocies), sound effects, text, and other special setting for each race. so no you could not select from a larger list. At least I do not see this ever happening with original game.

thunderchero

[KrazeeXXL]

I'll also consider your other coments, but remember that the settings have to work for *all* map sizes.

thx for your answer. You're right. I thought a little more about the research and maybe a change in the map-generator would be more logical to solve this problem. At the moment you have almost really good systems. So it isnt particular that you have many of them which content 8 or more good planets.
Which is great on the one side but on closer inspection this is the reason for

a) the much money
b) the fast research

I know that you experiment with the map-generator at the time and such things will and can happen. It's not that easy to find the right mixture. Don't misunderstand me. I'm no fan of the crap-systems but in some cases they're needed. but please not in this huge ammount like they appeared in the original game

I would prefer a low key changing - nothing to extreme.
just turning the screws here and there a little and everything should be fine in some time.

You can allways count on my resonance on this and other balancing issues.

another thing I almost forgotten to mention many times is about the possibility to build aquatic-farms just in systems with ozeanic planets. Would be more realistic if you could build them at class m planets, too.

so no you could not select from a larger list. At least I do not see this ever happening with original game.

sad to hear this. I hope that it is anyhow possible to insert new minors to BotF. So if there isn't enough space maybe a clean out would be an option.
I, personally, will not miss the voice/soundfiles of the 1st encounter messages really. It just will make the work bigger because if one minor has this message then you have to give all other minors a message, too, of course. So a remove of these soundfiles would be an good option in my opinion.

if it is possible to use this new space from the removed keys and asignments for other things I don't really know - but somehow I like the idea

indeterminable the faster installation (3 seconds at 20 mods are 1 precious minute) for all the tons of multimods

[OllyG]

Hmmm... In which case, I think the Romulan AI colonies are still struggling to grow with only 2 farms.

I'll see if there's a workaround, but the reason why the AI sometimes refuses to add more farms has yet to be found

Indeed not, but the problem doesn't seem to occur when the AI has 3 farms to start with, as I believe all races did in vanilla. So maybe the answer may be to remove this particular variation between races, and give all 3 farms to begin with in new colonies?

[Gowron]

A new beta version can now be downloaded from my 4shared folder

Star icons and system names are now aligned correctly for the zoomed-out view.

Small size has not been changed.
Medium size is now 35x26 squares.
Large size is now 52x39 squares.

I've also uploaded a "multi" version that *should* work with multi installations.

Enjoy

And don't forget to report any bugs

I have a few questions:

1) Any possibility of the map growing in size from 50X36 to ???
2) Is it more likely that BotF can be modded to select from more than 30 minors (and display 29). Or better yet, select from 100 minor races and display say, 75 minor races? I have read about a 'lack of space' in the code...this may be the problem?

GB

1) Yes, but not by much. The exact limits are not known yet, but increasing the size too much leads to system freezes. I guess the maximum is around 55x50.

2) Not possible yet, sorry.

At the moment you have almost really good systems. So it isnt particular that you have many of them which content 8 or more good planets.
Which is great on the one side but on closer inspection this is the reason for

a) the much money
b) the fast research

You're right, as system sizes and numbers of starting systems have been increased, economic and research outputs should be revisited. Thanks, I'll put this on my To-Do list for the next version

another thing I almost forgotten to mention many times is about the possibility to build aquatic-farms just in systems with ozeanic planets. Would be more realistic if you could build them at class m planets, too.

Hm, I don't think class M planets need n additional boost. Besides that, buildings can only be restricted set to systems with one specific planet class, not two, so this would require two buildlist entries.

Indeed not, but the problem doesn't seem to occur when the AI has 3 farms to start with, as I believe all races did in vanilla. So maybe the answer may be to remove this particular variation between races, and give all 3 farms to begin with in new colonies?

But vanilla colonies start with 2 farms, unless a Colony Ship II is used.

[thunderchero]

Just test multi exe for multi mod with no problem.

thunderchero

[Badbru]

OMG. Large is huge, yeah yeah that's what she sa.. no wait, it's actually too big. I hate playing at the zoomed in level because I loose situational awareness. I'll have to try a medium map as that'll still be bigger than the old large and see what that's like.

Also have to echo Krazee's view of concern re systems too large make for higher overall population meaning faster tech and faster money.

I started a T1 game and was at T3 by turn 100 or even earlier. That seemed quick to me.

[Martok]

Hey Gowron,

Any idea yet as to when you'll be integrating the larger map size(s) into the next update? Not because I'm eager to try it out or anything....

[thunderchero]

Hey Gowron,

Any idea yet as to when you'll be integrating the larger map size(s) into the next update? Not because I'm eager to try it out or anything....

this is easy Martok just copy trek.exe to "C:\botf\BOP" after unzipping this file.
http://www.4shared.com/file/96900867/cc ... multi.html

thunderchero

[Martok]

Sorry thunderchero, but I'm getting the same error message the last time I tried it:

"This application has failed to start because mss32.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."


I'm sure I'm just doing something wrong (I really am an idiot when it comes to this sort of thing, that's why I always need a self-installer), but I have no idea what.

[thunderchero]

Martok,

The error you are getting sound like same error when 1.0.2 multi is not installed? (can't find backup file when installing mod)

so I have to ask do you have BOP1.1c working with normal maps before coping file?

sorry if english version installed it should be;
C:\botf\BOPE
and if german version;
C:\botf\BOPG

thunderchero