Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Bug/Patch Discussion => Topic started by: Dio on August 12, 2014, 09:52:19 PM

Title: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Dio on August 12, 2014, 09:52:19 PM

Has the formula/equation that controls the number of energy credits gained from the probe team action "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Yitzi on August 13, 2014, 04:19:51 AM

If it hasn't been posted, probably not.

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Dio on August 13, 2014, 04:54:11 AM

I currently know that base population and probe team morale level are two very important factors in regards to what percentage of the Energy Credit Reserves are stolen.

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Dio on August 13, 2014, 04:59:35 AM

I also believe this equation is calculated seperately and independently of energy credits stolen after you capture a enemy base.

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Yitzi on August 13, 2014, 06:30:50 AM

Quote from: Dio on August 13, 2014, 04:59:35 AM

I also believe this equation is calculated seperately and independently of energy credits stolen after you capture a enemy base.

This seems likely.

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Dio on August 13, 2014, 04:15:01 PM

First, I think the game takes some random starting value within a certain range and then modifies it according to certain factors. It would seem to me that high probe team morale increases a base value before it gets multiplied by the base size. For example, I performed various tests that showed a final stolen energy credit value of 25% for disciplined probe teams operating on a size 1 base while stealing from a faction with 100 energy credits in reserve. This value then jumped to ~50% for a elite probe team operating under the same conditions. However, if you increased the base to size 2, the energy credits stolen with displicined probe teams started at approximately 50% of the energy reserves and approached 100% with elite probe teams.  In short, a random value within a certain range is chosen, increased by some percentage according to the probe team morale level, and then multiplied by the base size (uncertain).

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Dio on August 13, 2014, 04:23:54 PM

In addition, a educated confirmation or refutation of my hypothesis by some other individual would be appreciated.

Title: Re: Has the formula for "Drain Energy Reserves" been uncovered?
Post by: Yitzi on August 13, 2014, 06:10:24 PM

The best way to test your hypothesis that there's a random factor (other than finding the relevant part of the code and reading it) is to save, try draining energy reserves, and load and try again a few times; if it's random, there should be a spread in the amount, whereas if it isn't it should always give the same amount (when it succeeds.)