Interlude 16 variable bug

[scient]

There is a bug in game where var 5 is never set. So when the interlude is played, there is no name after demon making sentence come out weird.

Some, like the prankster $SHIMODA9 and the demon $NAME5
are semi-dominant and often hover near the plane of Your Thought.

BU reported this bug to me and I confirmed it in smac and smacx.  The way to fix this would be to set variable 5 for this interlude which is simple enough. However, I'm not sure if it should be any specific faction? Or just random one that is still alive?  Perhaps the next most powerful faction (if that's possible to discern). 

[ete]

One you're at war with (or at least the worst available diplomatic stance), I imagine?

[Guv’ner]

Although another faction can make sense, I think it supposed to relate to the other character from the interludes $VOKI8, who is the controller of your first mind worm.

I think that is probably supposed to represent a personality you have sublimated that has been more warped and troubled by exposure to Planet’s mind then your researcher who is the main interlude character after the faction leader.

[scient]

Actually, after looking over interlude a few times I think $VOKI8 would make more sense than another faction.  Also, there is no indication in code that set up for variable 5 was intended so it might just be mistake in txt.

[gwillybj]

Variable 5, "the demon," is the leader of the faction with whom you were most at odds at the end of the game.

[scient]

Is there any tracking of which faction has most animosity toward you or like your rival?  Perhaps something internally.  This might be why nothing was added since I can't think of any kind of metric that would track this.

[gwillybj]

I think it compares mood, diplomatic status - stuff like that. Which ever faction leader gets the lowest result is "the demon..." I wish I could recall where I saw this, it's just something I remember (prolly from 'poly).

[scient]

If you do dig it up, please let me know.  I'd be curious to have more info.  It's broken in latest version of SMAC and SMACX so maybe it was working in earlier release.

[Buster's Uncle]

No, I think it was always borked.

[gwillybj]

Found it: The Prima guide (yes, that one) has the words "your most aggravating enemy" in place of "the Demon." That and something at 'poly - I wish I could remember clearly - now tell me that $NAME5 is supposed to be whoever is 2nd on the power graph. Now, whether it works or ever worked, that's another matter.

[Guv’ner]

Found it: The Prima guide (yes, that one) has the words "your most aggravating enemy" in place of "the Demon." That and something at 'poly - I wish I could remember clearly - now tell me that $NAME5 is supposed to be whoever is 2nd on the power graph. Now, whether it works or ever worked, that's another matter.

I see a logic to it, but in no other interlude is reference made to another faction except concerning the loss of the individual that you were grooming for succession.

Any choice for another faction leader to be the demon personality would have the potential for illogicality. They may have been the next most powerful faction but you could have been cooperative for the whole game.

It still looks to me that $VOKI8 was the intention and makes the best fit.

Of course there may be some broken code in there that Scient can see which points to a function for calculating another faction leader to be the demon personality.

[Yitzi]

I think it was originally supposed to be either (a) your natural arch-nemesis (i.e. Deidre if you're Morgan, Morgan if you're Deidre, Lal if you're Santiago, etc.), or (b) Whoever killed your first built mind worm and set off that interlude (it can't be $VOKI8 if he/she was killed.)