Beta testing of new BOTF installers

[Spocks-cuddly-tribble]

Thank you, I updated the download link in ECM 5 topic (can you make it the new sticky main thread there): viewtopic.php?p=58007#p58007

I have yet to look at the patches folder.

EDIT: Effect the 'one-per-system' minor structures any ingame effects?

[thunderchero]

EDIT: Effect the 'one-per-system' minor structures any ingame effects?

Done

I have had good luck in MUM and UDM for a long time just forgot I set them to one per system. Only saw the rare bug, but both had same old code UM5 had. All tests so far not seen bug at all.

Question when I was test minor AI will never build special structure for themself. In edifice.bst (not sure offsets) there is "can be built by" and "needed race of system". in UE "needed race" can be set to any/all races (majors and minors), but "built by" you can only be set to any/all majors.

would code allow "built by" to be set to any/all races (majors and minors) to see if minors would build special structure on there own?

[Spocks-cuddly-tribble]

would code allow "built by" to be set to any/all races (majors and minors) to see if minors would build special structure on there own?

No, independent minors have only a primitive special evolution level code (ships, yards, dil, OBs, SH, Bunker and Main Food/Industry/Energy/Research). Pointless to recode this, since minors make the game too easy anyway. Major AIs via aibldreq.bin.

Just change to one-per-system and keep 'needed race' aka inhabitants = minor ID (unchanged) + 'built by' aka controlling empire = all (unchanged).

'built by' could be used to block certain minor buildings for certain empires (excluded feature).


EDIT: You can unstick ECM 4.0 and add -> OUTDATED

[Flocke]

Also loading Graphical user interface is painfully slow loading each screen.

Not on vanilla files and not any slower than earlier versions of UE I'd say.

With the hex change comparison, there has been one very annoying exception. Whenever you checked changes on a 10KB+ file, the unbelievable slow Java SWING web renderer took ages to render the generated html code. On 100KB+ files I even needed to wait minutes!! That started to bug me so much during testing, that on desc_and_tga_fixes branch I finally replaced it with native SWING components now. By the change it even renders 100KB file comparisons almost instantly again. That performance gain makes the whole feature alot more usable now!

[thunderchero]

Repost

Hi Everyone,

Here is latest beta version of Installer latest release links

there is many patch corrections for many mods,
ECM patches and SFX combat effects
MUM many adjustments
UM5 v5.5 files added (I expect Dafedz will have future changes before full release)

If you have some time for testing modders could use feedback.

[thunderchero]

Hi Everyone

I had some time and had a good game of MUM playing as Klingons tech 16 (T5) impossible 30 minors borg and random off

The Ferengi fell quickly (turn 95) as the Romulans built a large empire of 46 systems. After a long battles and 30 plus turn I had the Romulans down to only a hand full of system. Before I could declare war on Federation and Cardassians the three remaining races allied and made a war pack against me (turn 130). It only took 39 turn before I took out the federation then finished off Cardassians 4 turns later.

here is last turn of game turn 173, 277 systems owned /53 dilth and so many ships I stopped building and system had 8+ just still sitting at same system they were built.

gameover.jpg (975.9 KiB) Viewed 503 times

[Flocke]

here is last turn of game turn 173, 277 systems owned /53 dilth and so many ships I stopped building and system had 8+ just still sitting at same system they were built.

So many systems and you rushed them over in just 170 turns. But sounds like it was a real fun game though!

[thunderchero]

So many systems and you rushed them over in just 170 turns. But sounds like it was a real fun game though!

On one turn (around turn 150) I conquered 6 system and colonized 3 with 6 different combats on same turn.
this turn took over an hour (turn processing was about 30 sec)

with the 8 build queue it helps a little in early stages of system development, but in this game after turn 140 (200 systems) most systems were well established and needs little tending. After turn 150 newly conquered systems I add structures into build queue (shipyard first for range) I never went back to those systems.

Also at the end I had;
234804 research points (not counting bonuses)
295694 intel point (not counting bonuses)
482661 credits and was getting 13611 credits per turn

I only had maybe 10 turns when my ship construction was above my economy and had to scrap a few ships to keep out of the red. but as Romulan empire fell under my control I never scrapped any ships again
I would hate to know how many ships I had at the end...

[Spocks-cuddly-tribble]

Also had a quick ECM 5 test game with no issues:

Ferengi, all T1, Hard, large, irregular, no minors, no random events, but with domination borg invasion (nice special feature).
Turn 240 ended via 60%+ total population domination victory.

But I found one can cheat using the automatic battle (so AI cannot use the new smart ram codes, reducing player losses)...


EDIT: A small omission in ECM can lead inter alia to unwanted AI rebel systems (rare):

AI_rebel.png (315.47 KiB) Viewed 390 times

Here is the missing patch: viewtopic.php?p=24589#p24589

ai_tweak07_b.patch

(883 Bytes) Downloaded 2 times

Code: Select all

NAME: Disabling low morale penalty Events for AI
DESC: No penalty events (e.g. terrorism) for low morale (rebellious/defiant) AI systems (cf. system-specific Random Events).
DESC: ai_tweak07_b.patch
AUTHOR: Spocks-cuddly-tribble
URL: https://www.armadafleetcommand.com/onscreen/botf/viewtopic.php?p=24589#p24589

>> 0x3EFDE 8B 5C 24 2C 8B 96 F4 02 00 00 8D 86 98 02 00 00 83 C2 32 89 44 24 28 89 96 F4 02 00 00 39 D9
<< 0x3EFDE 83 7E 04 01 74 1B 8D 86 98 02 00 00 89 44 24 28 83 86 F4 02 00 00 32 90 90 90 90 90 90 3B CA


#43FBDE     837E 04 01         CMP [ESI+4], 1 // if AI system
#43FBE2     74 1B              JE SHORT 43FBFF  // exit
#43FBE4     8D86 98020000      LEA EAX, [ESI+298]
#43FBEA     894424 28          MOV [ESP+28], EAX
#43FBEE     8386 F4020000 32   ADD [ESI+2F4], 32
#43FBF5-43FBFA  909090909090   NOP
#43FBFB     3BCA               CMP ECX, EDX

[thunderchero]

I think it is time to wrap up this update. (end of march)

With the planned dev release I'm getting close,....

Flocke sounds like he is getting close on UE update, if you need more time let me know

Final run is still looking at end of this month before any files would be ready for "Rai's multiplayer Mod". Since no testing has been done on this mod I plan on just setting up single mod installer until final release.

EDIT: A small omission in ECM can lead inter alia to unwanted AI rebel systems (rare):

Is this only update currently needed for ECM?

[Flocke]

I think it is time to wrap up this update. (end of march)

Flocke sounds like he is getting close on UE update, if you need more time let me know

I am confident to get the remaining savegame editing issues fixed next weekend. Then I'll create a dev release and if nothing serious is reported it can go into final release. Since I kept testing it alot, there should only be minor issues and even then it should be much more reliable than any former release. Well, unless in last minute I mess the code again without notice.

[Spocks-cuddly-tribble]

I think it is time to wrap up this update. (end of march)

Is this only update currently needed for ECM?

Sorry for the delay. Yes, I think ECM is good to go.

I lost a considerable amount of Defiants vs the Cardassian AI , but auto-battle is still exploitable, even against Borg.


Also I saw your breakthrough with using the creator for damage spots.

Different types of random scars wouldn't work with the current code setup.

And 5+ minutes per spot is still not edit-friendy to add missing spots for klingon ships or to fix the Warbird 'forehead' glitch...

[thunderchero]

Yes, I think ECM is good to go.

I am confident to get the remaining savegame editing issues fixed next weekend.

I will add final patch to ECM and MUM and mods should be good to go.

I still need to create updated installer info for download pages and see if I need to update MUM readme

ECM and UM5 readme I plan on just adding the announcement posts to current readme's
viewtopic.php?p=58007#p58007
viewtopic.php?p=58042#p58042

If dafedz or Spocks-cuddly-tribble wants to add more info to readme let me know.

[Spocks-cuddly-tribble]

ECM readme I plan on just adding the announcement posts to current readme's
viewtopic.php?p=58007#p58007

Just the link should be fine. Alternatively copy/paste upper text (part above the quote with the joke links).