Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Bug/Patch Discussion => Topic started by: Buster's Uncle on April 11, 2013, 06:56:39 PM

Title: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 11, 2013, 06:56:39 PM

split from: http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=3225.0 (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=3225.0)

I should explain - If I want to switch production from, say, a Network Node to a Recycling Tank, I can load a unit from the a saved build queue slot, and it will let me switch back to a facility without penalty.  You can also hurry something almost complete at lowest cost, use the build queue loading to avoid penalty for switching, and hurry each row repeatedly in the same turn (at the x2 rate, not x4 or more) to build something that should have taken much longer and/or cost a lot more EC.

[Being a dirty, dirty cheater does not exactly earn me the respect of other SMACers, so it's good to find my expertise in exploits contributing to the community for once.  ;)]

Title: Re: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: Guv’ner on April 11, 2013, 06:58:41 PM

I think a video of you playing might elucidate more exploits then any other method  :)

Title: Re: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 11, 2013, 07:10:05 PM

I'd have to learn how...

I guess I should make & post some screenies.  Hold on.

Title: Re: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: Guv’ner on April 11, 2013, 07:13:54 PM

I was about to say that I improperly understood build queue exploitation but considering the fact that, in normal play, I hadn’t noticed all the issues with air combat—that is hardly surprising.

Title: Re: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 11, 2013, 08:20:23 PM

Okay, the Build Queue Cheap Rushing exploit works like this:

(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=527)
Say I'm in the second turn building an SP, and I realize I need a Centauri Preserve first., but this happens...
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=520)

So instead, I right-click on any slot in the queue:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=521)

And select dome - though anything in the saved queues would do:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=522) (http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=523)

I then switch production to Hologram Theater, the cheapest unfinished facility, and hurry it it:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=524)

Reload the Habitation Dome:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=522) (http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=523)

And switch to Pressure Dome and hurry it:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=525)

Reload the Habitation Dome:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=522) (http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=523)

And, finally, switch to the Centauri Preserve:
(http://alphacentauri2.info/MGalleryItem.php?id=526)

...

That was a bunch of unnecessary steps, as switching directly to the Centauri Preserve in one step would have done the trick, but I wanted to illustrate the multiple rushes and working your way up in value, and the early facilities are already built for this base in my current game.  Where a unit and a facility cost the same, you want to use the facility for rushing - units cost slightly more to hurry.

The place I find myself using this one the most is fairly late game, rushing stuff in new bases, so the cost order is Scout, Former, Supply Crawler, Recycling Tanks or Rec Commons, Mindworms, Biology Lab, Network Node or Energy Bank - and so on.

Title: Re: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: scient on April 11, 2013, 11:27:48 PM

Ignoring the hurrying bit, the exploit is that the save/load feature of queue is actually including the currently produced item in base and then modifying it when loading it.  This skips retooling completely and actually makes the game think you've already paid the retooling cost for that turn so you can change production to whatever you want.

This will be simple fix so save/load ONLY stores the queue and not the current production item.

Title: Re: Building queue save/load exploit
Post by: Buster's Uncle on April 11, 2022, 04:22:27 AM

bump