Nomination thread: New features and bugfixes for Yitzi's patch 3.6

[Yitzi]

Nominating these two features:

Option to allow a faction +1 Nutrients from forest.

+1 Probe. Same as it is now.
+2 Probe. Same as it is now.
+3 Probe. Units and bases immune to subversion. Bases immune to infiltration.
+4 Probe. Equivalent to Hunter-Seeker Algorithm.

The other infiltration modifier ideas sound like rather a lot of work. Besides, I've never valued probe, which might be because I normally run the University or might just be because it's not that useful.

Actually, "infiltration ceases on next government change" would be fairly easy; the others would be somewhat harder, though.

[Nexii]

I'd nominate infiltration duration scaling with PROBE.  It's a fairly weak SE even if you mod out all the free probe morale bossts.
Two variables
1) X, infiltration turn duration at PROBE 0 (PROBE of the target faction, -1 = unlimited, so -1 by default)
2) Y, infiltration turn duration per -/+ PROBE (from -2 to +3)
If duration = 0 then infiltrate would be for current turn only.  If duration is negative then immune to infiltration at that PROBE SE.

Example X = 10, Y = 5
PROBE -2 = 20 turns
PROBE -1 = 15 turns
PROBE 0 = 10 turns
PROBE +1 = 5 turns
PROBE +2 = 0 turns (current turn only)
PROBE +3 = immune to infiltrate

[Nexii]

Actually if we can nominate one thing only.  I'd nominate to fix a bug where building a Tree Farm/Hybrid Forest can actually increase a city's ecodamage.

I think this occurs in the case where there are many forests and the ecodamage from terraforming is negative.  It seems TF/HF half and zero out the negative (bonus).  I'm not sure whether ecodamage from terraforming should go into the negative or this is more an issue with the facilities

[vonbach]

Heres a question would it be possible to make SAMs? Conventional missiles that would attack air units?

Not only is it possible, it can be done without .exe modding.

In the #UNITS area of alphax.txt, add 1 to the number at the top (because you're adding another unit), and then add (at the bottom) the line:

Anti-Air Missile,       Missile,  Conventional, Scout,     -1, 0, 0, Orbital, -1, 00000000000000000000100000

(You can change "Anti-Air Missile" to whatever you want it to be called.)  That will create a predesigned missile unit with the Air Superiority ability.  (You can also change its cost or prerequisite if you want).

Alpha Centauri threw a hissy fit when I tried this. It didn't wreck my game at least. I'm not sure what went wrong.

[Yitzi]

I'd nominate infiltration duration scaling with PROBE.  It's a fairly weak SE even if you mod out all the free probe morale bossts.
Two variables
1) X, infiltration turn duration at PROBE 0 (PROBE of the target faction, -1 = unlimited, so -1 by default)
2) Y, infiltration turn duration per -/+ PROBE (from -2 to +3)
If duration = 0 then infiltrate would be for current turn only.  If duration is negative then immune to infiltration at that PROBE SE.

Example X = 10, Y = 5
PROBE -2 = 20 turns
PROBE -1 = 15 turns
PROBE 0 = 10 turns
PROBE +1 = 5 turns
PROBE +2 = 0 turns (current turn only)
PROBE +3 = immune to infiltrate

That would require tracking how long it's been so far, which would make it fairly tricky.  Nomination accepted, but it will take a penalty on the voting.  However, I seem to remember some other people were interested in it too, so it might win anyway.

Actually if we can nominate one thing only.

You can nominate two features and two bugfixes.

I'd nominate to fix a bug where building a Tree Farm/Hybrid Forest can actually increase a city's ecodamage.

I think this occurs in the case where there are many forests and the ecodamage from terraforming is negative.  It seems TF/HF half and zero out the negative (bonus).  I'm not sure whether ecodamage from terraforming should go into the negative or this is more an issue with the facilities

I'm still not so certain that counts as a bug; if you start a poll and the consensus is overwhelmingly that it's a bug, then I can do that easily.  If it's more split, it can still be an optional feature if you want to nominate that.

Heres a question would it be possible to make SAMs? Conventional missiles that would attack air units?

Not only is it possible, it can be done without .exe modding.

In the #UNITS area of alphax.txt, add 1 to the number at the top (because you're adding another unit), and then add (at the bottom) the line:

Anti-Air Missile,       Missile,  Conventional, Scout,     -1, 0, 0, Orbital, -1, 00000000000000000000100000

(You can change "Anti-Air Missile" to whatever you want it to be called.)  That will create a predesigned missile unit with the Air Superiority ability.  (You can also change its cost or prerequisite if you want).

Alpha Centauri threw a hissy fit when I tried this. It didn't wreck my game at least. I'm not sure what went wrong.

Me either, as it worked for me.  Did it give an error message?

[vonbach]

Me either, as it worked for me.  Did it give an error message?

Yes it did.

[Yitzi]

Me either, as it worked for me.  Did it give an error message?

Yes it did.

What did the error message say?

[vonbach]

Something about a bad chassis and some other things mixed in as well.

[Yitzi]

Something about a bad chassis and some other things mixed in as well.

If you can do it again and get the exact message, that might help me figure out how to fix it.

[vonbach]

It worked this time I made a new test game and gave myself the technology. Thanks

[Dio]

Actually if we can nominate one thing only.  I'd nominate to fix a bug where building a Tree Farm/Hybrid Forest can actually increase a city's ecodamage.

I think this occurs in the case where there are many forests and the ecodamage from terraforming is negative.  It seems TF/HF half and zero out the negative (bonus).  I'm not sure whether ecodamage from terraforming should go into the negative or this is more an issue with the facilities

I will attempt to isolate the potential location of this problem and report back with my results.

[Dio]

It appears that Tree Farms and Hybrid Forests only halve or eliminates the ecological damage at a base that originates from terrain enchancements (along with reductions). This means the base still suffers from the increases in ecology damage that originate from technological discoveries and mineral production.

[voker57]

Currently, option to disable automatic prototyping does not work at all in multiplayer (TCP/IP). It's really annoying as it constantly screws up custom designs me & my friends like, would be great if it could be fixed.

_{I think I posted it somewhere else as well but guess this is proper place}

Another significant bug: Human players' commlink frequencies are not required to call council, as well as for inviting AIs to attack them.

[Yitzi]

Currently, option to disable automatic prototyping does not work at all in multiplayer (TCP/IP). It's really annoying as it constantly screws up custom designs me & my friends like, would be great if it could be fixed.

_{I think I posted it somewhere else as well but guess this is proper place}

Be aware that to fix this may require testing, meaning someone to set up a TCP/IP connection with.

Another significant bug: Human players' commlink frequencies are not required to call council, as well as for inviting AIs to attack them.

That can definitely be fixed (though it would be based on the ability to contact them, i.e. if the settings are that human players can contact each other from the start, that would remove the need to have their commlink frequencies for such purposes).

[voker57]

Be aware that to fix this may require testing, meaning someone to set up a TCP/IP connection with.

Sure, PM me if you need help testing it.