Modding to remove limited technology selection

[Earthmichael]

If there is one thing I would change in SMAC if I could, it would be that all of the technologies that a faction could potentially research would be available for selection, instead of a limited selection. 

It is very annoying to see your strategy derailed because of 3 sidetracks before getting offered the tech you actually want. I had this happen with WFOS with HEC (and eventually a kind soul traded it to me), and recently in a game with Roninscg, I have had 3 sidetracks so far trying to get SFF, and I don't know yet if it will be offered after the third sidetrack or not.

So to the modder community, is it possible to mod SMAC so that instead of getting a limited tech selection, all techs that potentially could be researched are available for selection?

If this can't be done, is it at least possible to make it so that a potentially tech will show up after at most one sidetrack?

[Mart]

There is a utility (by Minute Mirage?) that can predict offered techs for a faction. Have you used it? Or maybe it is prohibited in games you play?

[Earthmichael]

Where I can I find this utility?  I did not see it in downloads.


I still would prefer a mod that gave unrestricted selection over predicting what will be offered, if such a mod is possible.

[Petek]

The thread in which this matter was discussed and which contains Minute Mirage's spreadsheet may be found here.

[Earthmichael]

Thanks for the reference!  This looks like a great tool.

Is there any reason we could not copy this file to the SMAC downloads area?  It seems like a very useful tool.

I guess we need to ask the Moderator which slot we are in and whether the moderator added our starting technolgoies using CNTRL + F2?

But back to my original question.  This spreadsheet is obviously able to calculate all choices.  Is it possible to mod the game so that All Choices is used for Available Choices?

[kyrub]

I have looked there hastily and have no answer. It does not look at all easy for now, since we don't understand where the choice is performed, how it's communicated and if the limit is a number, or a hardcoded form. I also have no idea, if many available choices may be displayed on a screen at once.

So, without actually knowing anything for sure,  I remain doubtful.
(Anyway, modding is more Yitzi's agenda than mine.)

[Petek]

I have looked there hastily and have no answer. It does not look at all easy for now, since we don't understand where the choice is performed, how it's communicated and if the limit is a number, or a hardcoded form. I also have no idea, if many available choices may be displayed on a screen at once.

So, without actually knowing anything for sure,  I remain doubtful.
(Anyway, modding is more Yitzi's agenda than mine.)

There's a minor display bug when more than eight techs are available. As far as I know, however, all available techs are shown.

[kyrub]

And what if there are more than 10 techs available? How does it fit?

[Petek]

And what if there are more than 10 techs available? How does it fit?

I don't know. Can't recall running into such a situation. Do you know, right off hand, what is the maximum # of available techs?