Nomination thread: New features/bugfixes for Yitzi's patch

[ete]

That's why the "sleep" order would not prevent scrambling; it still means not having to skip over it every turn, but is different than "hold".

The harder-to-implement alternative is to have a "stand down" position that acts like hold position but also prevents air interception, artillery interception, and makes the unit act as last choice for defending.

Ah, I see now.

On #8, there are five sound files that are incompatible with the final SMAC patch.  I remember that the level 5 weapon is one of them; I don't recall the others.  Anyway, for some reason, Firaxis encoded those sound files as stereo, while all other files used by the game are mono.  Stereo files are incompatible with the final patch.  So, just re-encoding those files to mono gets them working again.  I already posted the re-encoded files as a small patch in the Downloads section.

And you want them included in my patches?

Might as well.  That's easy enough that I'll put it in 3.4.

I'll drop them into ACU too, but.. just testing it seems like my files are working fine (and are larger than yours, I assume mine are stereo). I've attached them to this post to compare if you like.

[BFG]

Sorry, I was wrong about those sound files.  (Darn fuzzy memory.)  They will work with the final patched version of SMAC, but not the final patched version of SMAX.  Hopefully that'll clear up the differing test results.

[BFG]

Let me know if you need any more info on the #6 bug.  It is potentially game-breaking because, if someone has EXACTLY 256 units, it's treated as zero units and (theoretically) could cause crashes.  I haven't actually observed this yet though.

While I suppose it's possible that the script for a unit might look at the number of its unit type, that probably doesn't happen.  (And of course if it's not for the unit then it has to take care of the issue anyway because you might just not have any of that unit.)

In any case, feel free to post the bugfixes as a write-in in the vote thread (and get other people to vote for them as well; no write-in is going to get in with only one person's support), and you can nominate others next time.

There are at least 2 calculations that are affected by this: the calculation that determines each faction's overall military strength (which then is used to help the AI make decisions on Vendettas, etc.), and the calculation that is used to determine Upgrade Cost.  I'm not sure if there are any other problems caused by this bug.

On the "military strength" issue: I had an AI unwisely declare Vendetta the turn after my primary attack unit count went from 255 to 257.  My faction was no longer listed as the strongest military at that point either.  Anyway, I'll put it on the nominations list, thanks.

[ete]

Sorry, I was wrong about those sound files.  (Darn fuzzy memory.)  They will work with the final patched version of SMAC, but not the final patched version of SMAX.  Hopefully that'll clear up the differing test results.

I tested in SMAX, Yitzi version 3.3b.

Listening to them next to each other.. your files also seem cut off and lower quality, mine fades out much more nicely. Compare your and my missile launcher sounds for example.

[Yitzi]

Sorry, I was wrong about those sound files.  (Darn fuzzy memory.)  They will work with the final patched version of SMAC, but not the final patched version of SMAX.  Hopefully that'll clear up the differing test results.

I tested in SMAX, Yitzi version 3.3b.

Listening to them next to each other.. your files also seem cut off and lower quality, mine fades out much more nicely. Compare your and my missile launcher sounds for example.

Ok...so where are yours?

[ete]

I've attached them to this post to compare if you like.

Attached to that post.

[BFG]

Aha!  I think we have the answer.  Are you playing the GOG version?  The original, non-GOG versions have the issue, but based on other forum threads I think GOG fixed it.  I'm playing the old Planetary Pack version which is probably why I'm still noticing it.

Anyway, I'm open to any fix that gets the files working in all versions of SMAX 2.0 with no official patches.  These five files are affected:

alien non military.wav
strine c4.wav (note the typo)
wpn missile launcher.wav
wpn singularity laser.wav
wpn spore launcher.wav

The "fix" I made was VERY basic...I just took the original stereo WAV files and forced them to Mono in an editor (Audacity?).  Some of the fadeout was caused by differing levels in the two channels so it was lost in conversion.  I didn't notice any cutoff but it's possible.  I don't have great ears, so if your copies sound better to you, are closer to the original Firaxis files, and are correctly encoded as 22kHz/16bit/mono so all versions of SMAX can read them, I'd say use yours instead.

[ete]

Okay, listening to the two together mine sound notably better than the mono one. I'm not certain where mine come from, it's not gog, so maybe it would be good if someone who definitely has gog could upload their copies for a full comparison?

[Yitzi]

Until there's something available that's better for everyone than what they have (or at least equal), I don't think I'll include the new sounds in my patch.  They're still available in BFG's download, so people can get them if they want.

[BFG]

That makes sense.  The priority on this is much lower if someone with a GOG install can confirm these sound files are fixed out-of-the-box.

[gwillybj]

Probably too late for this, but yesterday while playing I was reminded of an old thorn in the F4 base display: At 800x600 resolution, a Network Node that is linked to an Artifact has the word "Linked" in the list of facilities. At 1024x768 (and greater?), that notation is not there. It would be nice to have it at all resolutions, even if it is just the word "Link" or "-L".

[Mart]

... At 800x600 resolution, a Network Node that is linked to an Artifact has the word "Linked" in the list of facilities. At 1024x768 (and greater?), that notation is not there....

I second that. My present solution is to rename the base by adding * at the end of the base name. It is although giving information to other players without infiltration, who know this. And in case I forget to do it, later I may be surprised, that my AA traveled to a wrong base.

[Buster's Uncle]

...In the Goto/"G" screen, it notes which bases are linked, when the unit in question is an AA...

[Yitzi]

Probably too late for this, but yesterday while playing I was reminded of an old thorn in the F4 base display: At 800x600 resolution, a Network Node that is linked to an Artifact has the word "Linked" in the list of facilities. At 1024x768 (and greater?), that notation is not there. It would be nice to have it at all resolutions, even if it is just the word "Link" or "-L".

It is too late, but you can nominate if for the following one (when I get to that; the patch is going somewhat slower than it was, due partially to stress over the whole "getting a Ph.D and then getting a job" thing...)

[Mart]

...In the Goto/"G" screen, it notes which bases are linked, when the unit in question is an AA...

Thank you, I will have to use this feature. 
It works also on AA with exhausted move points, so it won't accidentally move, when viewing the list.
I move units manually and probably never before I've tried that list with AA, until today!