Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Topic started by: Rainbow Lizard on October 03, 2012, 07:58:47 PM

Title: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Rainbow Lizard on October 03, 2012, 07:58:47 PM
I am making a new faction for SMAC (I have vanilla), and I am trying to edit the alpha.txt, but when I edit it, it will not save. I am running it in windows Vista, on Notepad, and the error message is 'Make sure that both the file and the path are correct'. I opened it from the program Files section, and I am sure I got the correct name. Any help?
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: sisko on October 03, 2012, 08:04:45 PM
hello, and welcome to alphacentauri2.info!

Quote
Any help?
in Vista, the alpha.txt file is inside the "program files" super-security area, so it cannot be edited directly, even by an administrator. You should try to save the edited file to the desktop and then drag-and-drop it into the folder to save the changes.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 08:08:12 PM
Confirmed.  I have a simular problem with AC text files in Windows7.  The workaround I found is the same - I save it somewhere else and copy it back to my SMAC(X) root directory, letting it overwrite the original.

Welcome from me, too, o' prismatic reptile.  We're glad to have you.   :danc: How did you find us?
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Rainbow Lizard on October 03, 2012, 08:41:03 PM
Confirmed.  I have a simular problem with AC text files in Windows7.  The workaround I found is the same - I save it somewhere else and copy it back to my SMAC(X) root directory, letting it overwrite the original.

Welcome from me, too, o' prismatic reptile.  We're glad to have you.   :danc: How did you find us?
I was looking up help for the custom faction then I found this forum.
Also, I managed to edit it, but I opened the game and when I got to the faction select, the game crashed. I think it read the txt file incorrectly.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 08:52:52 PM
Googled us, huh? 

Hmmm.  I'm a graphics guy, not so strong on that text end, but the faction select screen crash thing is very familiar.  Make sure the case (UPPERCASE/lowercase) for the faction name is consistent inside the fileand with the way the original factions have it, and that it's spelled the same -and there's an easily-overlooked spot it's used in the mostly legal/credits junk at the top before the file seems to really begin that the game uses for identifying the file at that stage.  Careful comparison to the official faction files might help.

Did you edit an official faction manually, or use that evil FacEdit, or what?  FacEdit sucks.  But you had a 'save with Notepad' problem, so you're good on that point.

May we see your work?  Sharing is good, and if you attach the file to your next post, it'll have the additional benefit of making it possible for us to have a look-through for your problem.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Rainbow Lizard on October 03, 2012, 09:16:27 PM
I edited it manually. I haven't even heard of FacEdit.  I'll look through the files, though I did copy the framework from the HIVE.txt file. Here is my file.
(click to show/hide)
And for the sake of it, my picture.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 10:27:20 PM
You've made a good start, which is always impressive from someone coming in from the cold self-taught.

In a superficial first scan, I don't see any obvious problem with the file.  Hopefully, someone will spot something - there are several active members better qualified for troubleshooting .txt file issues than I.  You left Yang's name on the quote, BTW - which makes the quote hilarious.  :)

You can find graphics how-to stuff in the Graphics thread in this forum, though I'm behind on posting that kind of stuff, but I'll be thrilled to field any art questions there.  Unlike your loading problem, I can address graphical issues with a lot of confidence, and I have sugestions for improving your .pcx.

Have you seen my custom factions page (http://www.hickorychessclub.org) yet?  I did an alternate Data Angels myself, called The Node Masters (http://www.hickorychessclub.org/NodeMasters.zip).
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 04, 2012, 12:03:26 AM
gwilly?  I see you showed up - help this gentleman, willya?
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Rainbow Lizard on October 04, 2012, 08:23:48 PM
by the way, I attached my pcx file for the faction. What do you think of it? Can you help me improve it?
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 04, 2012, 08:39:12 PM
Absolutely.  I looked at it yesterday and had another quick glance right before I saw your post.  You've got the basics, which is a big accomplishment on the first try for someone self-taught. 

However, a you need to start over with processing the leaderhead (it's a converted photo, yes?), and it, the logos and diplomacy landscape need scanlines.  I can talk you through how to do all those things.  -Also, the at-rest (top) small report logo is going to really stick out in the F4 screen and two iterations of the leaderhead are cropped poorly.

Mind you, whether to do these things is up to you and what you consider good enough.   I'm recently considering a reworking and re-release of my first seven custom factions, as I've learned a lot since then, and they're no longer up to my standards, and now embarrass me a little bit.  (But I'm buried in SMAC/forum projects, and it ain't gonna happen tomorrow.)

-I needed to finish posting all the how-tos I have in the Graphics thread for a long time, anyway, and you're clearly gonna motivate me to finally get it done.

I'm gonna have a lot of questions, like what graphics program you're using.  I know Photoshop and GIMP - the latter of which I know best, recommend, and is a free download.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: sisko on October 05, 2012, 04:55:31 PM
I edited it manually. I haven't even heard of FacEdit.  I'll look through the files, though I did copy the framework from the HIVE.txt file. Here is my file.
i did some edits. here's my version. i haven't tried cause my SMAC is modded right now for a GotM scenario. please try to use it and tell us if it works. :)
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Rainbow Lizard on October 05, 2012, 04:56:45 PM
I use GIMP for my images. Can you help me with the leaderhead? I'm not entirely sure how I'm meant to make it realistic.
By the way, is it good to copy something into an RGB image and add noise and smudging and things?
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: sisko on October 05, 2012, 05:01:02 PM
congrats on becoming a citizen, Rainbow Lizard!

how's that file i posted?
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 05, 2012, 05:05:14 PM
I use GIMP for my images. Can you help me with the leaderhead? I'm not entirely sure how I'm meant to make it realistic.
By the way, is it good to copy something into an RGB image and add noise and smudging and things?
I'll be thrilled to help you with the leaderhead.  Post me a copy of the photo you used, willya?

To the second, I think so, if I understand the question.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Rainbow Lizard on October 05, 2012, 06:46:40 PM
I have a slight problem with the faction's txt file. For the name of faction and things in that area, it uses the row a few ones above it, for example, the formal name is FACILITY, and the description is completely blank. It also cancels out the Social bonuses. The facilities are working fine, though. I still have a HoloTheatre and a ReComms.
Here's the image, BUncle.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img96/7774/14183527.png)
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 05, 2012, 07:13:33 PM
Okay, I'm juggling a million things ATM, but I'll save that and have a look today.  The how-to about bases is coming first in Graphics.
Title: Re: Alpha.txt help
Post by: gwillybj on January 06, 2013, 04:07:01 PM
gwilly?  I see you showed up - help this gentleman, willya?
Hi, guys and gals. I finally have access to the www at home. :clap:
I'm currently playing Space Empires IV, but I'd be glad to break away to look at SMACX faction.txt, alpha.txt, and alphax.txt. I'm not a graphics guy; BUncle appears to be the go-to for that. ;b;
Rainbow Lizard, do you have your hacker.txt working and finalized?
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