Adding units to the Alpha.txt #units

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Author Topic:   Adding units to the Alpha.txt #units

K posted 05-25-99 07:19 PM ET
Ok, why is it that when I try to add a custom unit to the 14th or higher slot of the alpha.txt, all I get is this wierd ass unit that looks like a flying fortress and acts like a scout?
I want to be able to add a custom unit for a custom faction, but all I get is this damned bug. And when I try to use one of the other slots, the game just replaces the old unit, and uses it instead(ie. if I replace the former, then when everyone gets Centauri Ecology they get the custom unit).
I know that Firaxis is not supposed to support any messing with the alpha.txt, but a little advice would be appreciated.
K posted 05-28-99 02:51 PM ET
I'm keeping this here until someone gives me an answer...
TheScientist posted 05-30-99 05:48 PM ET
The solution is to change the preq tech for the unit, for example:
In the "Former" line is somewhere the word "Ecology", which stands for "Centauri Ecology" (see #TECHNOLOGY part of the alpha.txt).
If you replace the word by "User0" (the first user-defined tech) and ensure (in your faction's txt-file), that your faction has this tech at the beginning, only this faction will be able to build the unit.
K posted 06-01-99 04:33 AM ET
I tried that.
The problem is that the units are used in other places as well. For example, if I replaced the colony pod slot with a Hovertank, then instead of everyone beginning the game without colony pods, instead getting the hovertank. I really want to be able go beyond the 14 basic units, but all I get is this freaky flying base graphic on a 1-1-1 scout shell.
The user techs also don't seem to work right. I was trying to create a Faction that gained Psi armor as it's bonus, but I couldn't add another armor type to go with another user tech, and by changing Psi armor to my usertech would eliminate it from the game altogether for anyone but my faction.
i know that FIRAXIS employees read these forumns. I wish someone would as least tell me to go to hell, so I'd know that they wouldn't be ever giving me an answer.
TheScientist posted 06-01-99 05:03 PM ET
Perhaps you adressed your unit in the by "UNIT, 15". It isn't mentioned anywhere, but the parser begins the count with 0: Colony Pods are 0, Terraformes are 1, and so on.
You have to write "UNIT, 14" to get the first user-defined unit.
Btw, I tried to equip a speeder with a PB. The result was a speeder with an attack-rating of 99, but it didn't explode after battle.
If you want your faction to get PSI-Armor as bonus, you must change the preq tech of PSI-Armor to "User0", and the preq techs of "User0" to "Eudaim" and "None". Than you have to give your faction "User0" at the beginning.
If you do so, everybody has first to research "User0" after researching Eudaimonie to get PSI-Armor, but everyone can get PSI-Armor.
MichaeltheGreat posted 06-03-99 01:58 AM ET
The graphic can be changed as well, if you are careful not to blow up the palette with non-paletted colors. I've never bothered in SMAC, but created custom scenarios in CivII, and improved the look of CivII units (Marines with red socks? And that crappy looking Armor unit? If you experiment around with the graphics files, you can create new faction leader pictures and redesign the city architecture as well. Miriam looks great with that orange Hitler mustache, and Santiago looks muc better punked out pierced and with a mohawk, hehehehe )
Just experiment with copies of the files, you can have some fun.
TheScientist posted 06-03-99 05:57 PM ET
Yes, the graphic can be changed, but this "flying city" isn't usable, because of:
- you can't change it's ADM values
- if you attack with it, the computer crashes (at least my computer)
K posted 06-03-99 10:11 PM ET
No matter what unit is put into
UNIT 14, or higher, it becomes the wierd "flying base". I'm wondering if there is a way to change that so that I can add new units for specialized Factions.
PS. You think the PB Rover is cool, try the Cloaked, Drop, Trance, Empath, Psi Attack/Defence Gravship.
Rackam posted 06-05-99 01:53 AM ET
This seems like the best place to ask.
Is there a way to add a tech which is the prerequisit for another tech but no other faction can research this tech?
I know it has to be added into the <faction>.txt file, but what settings have to be used for it's prerequisits so the other factions can't research it?
Rackam posted 06-05-99 02:01 AM ET
Oops, submitted too early.
What I was trying to do is change User0 to 'Anti-Matter Armour' (AntMat) (gotta love that sleek black look) and change Anti-matter Plate's value to 12 (I changed stasis to 10) and it's required tech to 'AntMat'. But, I didn't want to have this from the start, so I added another tech, 'Fundamental Logistics' (FunLog) and I added this as one of AntMat's prerequisets.
I've tried using 'disable', which does :/.
~Rackam
K posted 06-07-99 12:16 AM ET
Adding techs of any sort doesn't seem to work.
Rackam posted 06-08-99 07:52 AM ET
Just like Civ2 v1 :P
~Rackam
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Author	Topic: Adding units to the Alpha.txt #units
K	posted 05-25-99 07:19 PM ET Ok, why is it that when I try to add a custom unit to the 14th or higher slot of the alpha.txt, all I get is this wierd ass unit that looks like a flying fortress and acts like a scout? I want to be able to add a custom unit for a custom faction, but all I get is this damned bug. And when I try to use one of the other slots, the game just replaces the old unit, and uses it instead(ie. if I replace the former, then when everyone gets Centauri Ecology they get the custom unit). I know that Firaxis is not supposed to support any messing with the alpha.txt, but a little advice would be appreciated.
K	posted 05-28-99 02:51 PM ET I'm keeping this here until someone gives me an answer...
TheScientist	posted 05-30-99 05:48 PM ET The solution is to change the preq tech for the unit, for example: In the "Former" line is somewhere the word "Ecology", which stands for "Centauri Ecology" (see #TECHNOLOGY part of the alpha.txt). If you replace the word by "User0" (the first user-defined tech) and ensure (in your faction's txt-file), that your faction has this tech at the beginning, only this faction will be able to build the unit.
K	posted 06-01-99 04:33 AM ET I tried that. The problem is that the units are used in other places as well. For example, if I replaced the colony pod slot with a Hovertank, then instead of everyone beginning the game without colony pods, instead getting the hovertank. I really want to be able go beyond the 14 basic units, but all I get is this freaky flying base graphic on a 1-1-1 scout shell. The user techs also don't seem to work right. I was trying to create a Faction that gained Psi armor as it's bonus, but I couldn't add another armor type to go with another user tech, and by changing Psi armor to my usertech would eliminate it from the game altogether for anyone but my faction. i know that FIRAXIS employees read these forumns. I wish someone would as least tell me to go to hell, so I'd know that they wouldn't be ever giving me an answer.
TheScientist	posted 06-01-99 05:03 PM ET Perhaps you adressed your unit in the by "UNIT, 15". It isn't mentioned anywhere, but the parser begins the count with 0: Colony Pods are 0, Terraformes are 1, and so on. You have to write "UNIT, 14" to get the first user-defined unit. Btw, I tried to equip a speeder with a PB. The result was a speeder with an attack-rating of 99, but it didn't explode after battle. If you want your faction to get PSI-Armor as bonus, you must change the preq tech of PSI-Armor to "User0", and the preq techs of "User0" to "Eudaim" and "None". Than you have to give your faction "User0" at the beginning. If you do so, everybody has first to research "User0" after researching Eudaimonie to get PSI-Armor, but everyone can get PSI-Armor.
MichaeltheGreat	posted 06-03-99 01:58 AM ET The graphic can be changed as well, if you are careful not to blow up the palette with non-paletted colors. I've never bothered in SMAC, but created custom scenarios in CivII, and improved the look of CivII units (Marines with red socks? And that crappy looking Armor unit? If you experiment around with the graphics files, you can create new faction leader pictures and redesign the city architecture as well. Miriam looks great with that orange Hitler mustache, and Santiago looks muc better punked out pierced and with a mohawk, hehehehe ) Just experiment with copies of the files, you can have some fun.
TheScientist	posted 06-03-99 05:57 PM ET Yes, the graphic can be changed, but this "flying city" isn't usable, because of: - you can't change it's ADM values - if you attack with it, the computer crashes (at least my computer)
K	posted 06-03-99 10:11 PM ET No matter what unit is put into UNIT 14, or higher, it becomes the wierd "flying base". I'm wondering if there is a way to change that so that I can add new units for specialized Factions. PS. You think the PB Rover is cool, try the Cloaked, Drop, Trance, Empath, Psi Attack/Defence Gravship.
Rackam	posted 06-05-99 01:53 AM ET This seems like the best place to ask. Is there a way to add a tech which is the prerequisit for another tech but no other faction can research this tech? I know it has to be added into the <faction>.txt file, but what settings have to be used for it's prerequisits so the other factions can't research it?
Rackam	posted 06-05-99 02:01 AM ET Oops, submitted too early. What I was trying to do is change User0 to 'Anti-Matter Armour' (AntMat) (gotta love that sleek black look) and change Anti-matter Plate's value to 12 (I changed stasis to 10) and it's required tech to 'AntMat'. But, I didn't want to have this from the start, so I added another tech, 'Fundamental Logistics' (FunLog) and I added this as one of AntMat's prerequisets. I've tried using 'disable', which does :/. ~Rackam
K	posted 06-07-99 12:16 AM ET Adding techs of any sort doesn't seem to work.
Rackam	posted 06-08-99 07:52 AM ET Just like Civ2 v1 :P ~Rackam