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Author Topic:   SMAC Editing questions

The Doc posted 07-09-99 08:57 PM ET
Anyone know which graphics file contains the technology icons? I'm talking about the icons that appear in the boxes every time you discover a tech and get to choose from new ones. I'm making some user-defined techs, and their icons show up as generic light bulbs numbered from 0 to 9, according to where they are listed in alpha.txt.
Jezibi posted 07-09-99 09:24 PM ET
Go into your main SMAC folder, and within its �techs� subfolder there lie files tech000.pcx--tech089.pcx, the icons you seek.
Jezibi posted 07-09-99 09:45 PM ET
�Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.�--Shakespeare, The Merhant of Venice, act 4, scene 1
Describe your custom techs, Doc.
The Doc posted 07-10-99 02:00 PM ET
Thanks Jezibi
I guess I was a little nearsighted about that one. Here are some of my new techs, but I'm not at my home computer right now and can't quite remember where I fit them in. I have changed some weapon, unit, armor, etc prereqs to use these techs, whose main purpose is so that there are just more techs! I felt 78 wasn't quite enough (Civ II has somewhere around 90, I think).
1) Temporal Displacement (requires TempMec, allows the Flux Capacitor, a new armor I made up)
2) Tactical Deployment (allows 'Copter. Comes much later than MindMac so that you can't kill everyone early with your gunships)
3) Doctrine: Mass Destruction (allows Planet busters, rather than Orbital Spaceflight)
Krushala posted 07-10-99 02:15 PM ET
isn't flux capacitor a time machine in a movie?
OldWarrior_42 posted 07-10-99 07:28 PM ET
It sounds like somethung from the Back To The Future series of movies if I remember correctly.
Jezibi posted 07-10-99 08:56 PM ET
Your techs are good. PB and �Copters should come later in the game. I play SMAC with tech slowed down to 83% in alpha.txt and �Slow research� option toggled. I want the strongest weapons to appear at game�s end.
The Doc posted 07-10-99 10:39 PM ET
Yeah, I stole the "Flux Capacitor" from Back to the Future. As well as Temporal Displacement, which I think Doc Brown mentions once somewhere.
I changed my research rate in alpha.txt to 75%, but didn't check the box for slowed research rate. Do you know how much that's supposed to slow research? I'm guessing by 1/2. Oh yeah, and I extended the ending years since obviously it'll take longer to research everything.
Jezibi posted 07-11-99 04:05 AM ET
I estimate the �slow reasearch� option cuts research by 10-20%.
The Doc posted 07-11-99 06:01 PM ET
Jez: You might be better off unchecking that slow research box and just controlling it only from alpha.txt, since that way you can have fine control over it.
So what things has anyone found the need to edit? I've actually edited a lot of things, not to mention all the factions themselves to make the game a greater challenge. Here are some of the significant alpha.txt changes I've made:
1) Attacking from lower/higher elevation: +/-20%
2) Intrinsic base defense: 50%
3) Psi combat bonus/penalty per Planet: 15%
4) Chassis costs for Needlejet/'Copter/Gravship: 24/30/36 (this makes it so that being the first with airpower doesn't guarantee victory, since they'll remain expensive for awhile)
5) Tech rate: 75%
6) Cost of Ascent to Transcendence: 500 (meaning 5000)
I have a bunch of others, but these are the ones that seem to affect my games the most. Let me know if anyone has any good ideas.
licha posted 07-12-99 05:35 PM ET
I made changes to make things a little more balanced (IMO). They include:
'Copter movement is only 6.
The cost for Blink special ability is 3
The cost for AAA special ability is 2
Bumped up a lot of city improvement upkeep costs (don't you feel like you have way too much money during midgame?)
Increased the costs for a lot of SP's, like the Cloning Vats
I like some of your ideas Doc. Seems like those air chassis cost a bit much though
Jezibi posted 07-12-99 05:44 PM ET
I rewrote my whole Script.txt file. It was written poorly.
wrong: �It seems that he�s planning on taking over the world.�
right: �He plans to rule the world.�
Jezibi posted 07-12-99 05:57 PM ET
I also changed my morale system from abstract �green, disciplined, veteran, elite� to concrete �medium, hard, very hard, hardest.� And I changed my unit weapon names like �chaos, gatling, plasma� to �black, devil, death.� And the infantry units to �platoon, battalion� from �squad, infantry.� So, e.g., �black platoon� instead of �gatling infantry.�
I also changed a lot of the labels.txt into small letters from caps. So I�ve got a �Menu� button instead of �MENU.�
I�ve changed almost everything, and I�d like to share all these files, but I have no website. I�ll probably submit them to Sidgames or Apollyton or something.
The Doc posted 07-13-99 10:40 PM ET
Actually, I've changed a lot of the naming things too, even though I know they don't really change the game all that much. For example, my reputation statuses are named as in CivII (from Spotless to Atrocious), and the Faction attitudes too (from Worshipful to Enraged). The armor colors are rearranged in order of strength so that they somewhat follow the belt colors of Tae Kwon Do, and instead of Transcendi specialists, I have Cyborgs, with a new icon.
The faction I use during the game is the Sith, color black, mugshot Darth Maul, but I need a good pic of Coruscant to add in sith.pcx. Also, editing the Dark Side icon was a pain and I still can't get it to light up when I put my mouse over it, but I personally think it's better than the rebel icon found in jedi.pcx for the jedi faction found at apolyton.
Jezibi: maybe you'd like to trade some files (zipped, of course)
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Author	Topic: SMAC Editing questions
The Doc	posted 07-09-99 08:57 PM ET Anyone know which graphics file contains the technology icons? I'm talking about the icons that appear in the boxes every time you discover a tech and get to choose from new ones. I'm making some user-defined techs, and their icons show up as generic light bulbs numbered from 0 to 9, according to where they are listed in alpha.txt.
Jezibi	posted 07-09-99 09:24 PM ET Go into your main SMAC folder, and within its �techs� subfolder there lie files tech000.pcx--tech089.pcx, the icons you seek.
Jezibi	posted 07-09-99 09:45 PM ET �Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.�--Shakespeare, The Merhant of Venice, act 4, scene 1 Describe your custom techs, Doc.
The Doc	posted 07-10-99 02:00 PM ET Thanks Jezibi I guess I was a little nearsighted about that one. Here are some of my new techs, but I'm not at my home computer right now and can't quite remember where I fit them in. I have changed some weapon, unit, armor, etc prereqs to use these techs, whose main purpose is so that there are just more techs! I felt 78 wasn't quite enough (Civ II has somewhere around 90, I think). 1) Temporal Displacement (requires TempMec, allows the Flux Capacitor, a new armor I made up) 2) Tactical Deployment (allows 'Copter. Comes much later than MindMac so that you can't kill everyone early with your gunships) 3) Doctrine: Mass Destruction (allows Planet busters, rather than Orbital Spaceflight)
Krushala	posted 07-10-99 02:15 PM ET isn't flux capacitor a time machine in a movie?
OldWarrior_42	posted 07-10-99 07:28 PM ET It sounds like somethung from the Back To The Future series of movies if I remember correctly.
Jezibi	posted 07-10-99 08:56 PM ET Your techs are good. PB and �Copters should come later in the game. I play SMAC with tech slowed down to 83% in alpha.txt and �Slow research� option toggled. I want the strongest weapons to appear at game�s end.
The Doc	posted 07-10-99 10:39 PM ET Yeah, I stole the "Flux Capacitor" from Back to the Future. As well as Temporal Displacement, which I think Doc Brown mentions once somewhere. I changed my research rate in alpha.txt to 75%, but didn't check the box for slowed research rate. Do you know how much that's supposed to slow research? I'm guessing by 1/2. Oh yeah, and I extended the ending years since obviously it'll take longer to research everything.
Jezibi	posted 07-11-99 04:05 AM ET I estimate the �slow reasearch� option cuts research by 10-20%.
The Doc	posted 07-11-99 06:01 PM ET Jez: You might be better off unchecking that slow research box and just controlling it only from alpha.txt, since that way you can have fine control over it. So what things has anyone found the need to edit? I've actually edited a lot of things, not to mention all the factions themselves to make the game a greater challenge. Here are some of the significant alpha.txt changes I've made: 1) Attacking from lower/higher elevation: +/-20% 2) Intrinsic base defense: 50% 3) Psi combat bonus/penalty per Planet: 15% 4) Chassis costs for Needlejet/'Copter/Gravship: 24/30/36 (this makes it so that being the first with airpower doesn't guarantee victory, since they'll remain expensive for awhile) 5) Tech rate: 75% 6) Cost of Ascent to Transcendence: 500 (meaning 5000) I have a bunch of others, but these are the ones that seem to affect my games the most. Let me know if anyone has any good ideas.
licha	posted 07-12-99 05:35 PM ET I made changes to make things a little more balanced (IMO). They include: 'Copter movement is only 6. The cost for Blink special ability is 3 The cost for AAA special ability is 2 Bumped up a lot of city improvement upkeep costs (don't you feel like you have way too much money during midgame?) Increased the costs for a lot of SP's, like the Cloning Vats I like some of your ideas Doc. Seems like those air chassis cost a bit much though
Jezibi	posted 07-12-99 05:44 PM ET I rewrote my whole Script.txt file. It was written poorly. wrong: �It seems that he�s planning on taking over the world.� right: �He plans to rule the world.�
Jezibi	posted 07-12-99 05:57 PM ET I also changed my morale system from abstract �green, disciplined, veteran, elite� to concrete �medium, hard, very hard, hardest.� And I changed my unit weapon names like �chaos, gatling, plasma� to �black, devil, death.� And the infantry units to �platoon, battalion� from �squad, infantry.� So, e.g., �black platoon� instead of �gatling infantry.� I also changed a lot of the labels.txt into small letters from caps. So I�ve got a �Menu� button instead of �MENU.� I�ve changed almost everything, and I�d like to share all these files, but I have no website. I�ll probably submit them to Sidgames or Apollyton or something.
The Doc	posted 07-13-99 10:40 PM ET Actually, I've changed a lot of the naming things too, even though I know they don't really change the game all that much. For example, my reputation statuses are named as in CivII (from Spotless to Atrocious), and the Faction attitudes too (from Worshipful to Enraged). The armor colors are rearranged in order of strength so that they somewhat follow the belt colors of Tae Kwon Do, and instead of Transcendi specialists, I have Cyborgs, with a new icon. The faction I use during the game is the Sith, color black, mugshot Darth Maul, but I need a good pic of Coruscant to add in sith.pcx. Also, editing the Dark Side icon was a pain and I still can't get it to light up when I put my mouse over it, but I personally think it's better than the rebel icon found in jedi.pcx for the jedi faction found at apolyton. Jezibi: maybe you'd like to trade some files (zipped, of course)