[BtS] "Mars, Now!"

[The_J]

Welcome to CFC .

...really, Biology ?
Could you provide some more information? Or maybe a savegame?

 

[Ahriman]

Just tried the mod.

I'm getting a repeatable CTD in my first game in between turns (see attached).

Am I correct that the mod is designed to be played with the Stormhell mapscript?

*edit*
I have been able to play for hundreds of turns without issue on one of the Mars scenario maps.

 

[The_J]

Good to hear, that it runs most the time stable .
And i've found a bug, which could cause a CtD, will be fixed with the next patch .

To your problem: Bah, i know what, that's my fault.
Go to "marsjetzt-v03\assets\art\leaderheads" and rename the folder "Wu Qinghua" to "WuQinghua" (without the space). That will fix the problem.

edit:
The mapscript, which you should use, are "random", "inlandsea" (without any sea) and "stormhell".
I've made a mistake in the last patch, normaly only these 3 should be available (will be fixed with the next patch).

 

[The_J]

Soundpack for "Mars, Now!"

165 Megabyte of free music, which is legaly available in the internet. I hope, the songs fit . If not: Say it.
The soundpack should be savegame compatible.
It's also compatible with every patch.
It includes the songs from the last patch, and some more.

The music list:
Electricfunk - I Love Funk
Electricfunk - Souljazz
hennoxlane - Groove Under Construction
XipeTotek - Orange Bud IceTea Peach
Dark Fox - Stelar Madness (Majestad Valkyria Remix)
ManMadeMan - Stillness Within
Progress - Rain Road
Jash - Betun Brasilero
Kusillo - Digital Anima
ManMadeMan - Flower Of Light
Psyentifica - Entheogenic
Paul Jove AKA Pituko - Sun Star
Jikkenteki - False Sense Of Security
Trebolactiko - Misteriosa Cosmica

In the Sounds\Soundtracks\Modern folder is a text file, with a list, what song is what mp3., for the case, that somebody wants to know, what band it is, or if somebody wants to complain about it .

I'm currently also uploading to rapidshare.
Edit:
Download from Rapidshare

 

[The_J]

Patch L
Will break savegames!
Includes all previous patches.
Bugfixes:
- fixed a bug, which could lead to a CtD during terraforming
- It's not more possible to win independence/evolutionvictory, when they are not activated
- It's not more possible to win the independence victory without fighting the terrans
- The AI will now use the import animals
- You can connect now import animals/plants in water
- Civs will not spawn in volcanos
- Only valid mapscripts will be displayed
- Automized construction ships will remove storms
- DNA can now be load in hovercrafts
- Worked black smokers will not show wine on the map
- Fixed the not working leaderhead from Sayuri Kim
- Farms can now carry irrigation
- Changed the sound when storms appear
- Deleted the ability to trade other ocean at the technology rocket systems (that appeared double ingame)

Changes:
- You can now found 2 cities with one oxygen + water/ice. You start with only 3 water+oxygen
- If you play noble or less, you'll have 1/3 less storms on the map
- Removed the hammer bonus from storms
- Changed the appearance rate from barbarians back in all difficulty levels easier than prince
- Terraforming is now a bit more differentiate
- Offshore-Windmill V2 gets now a commerce bonus through the tech Laser
- Deep sea mines are now available with digital sciences
- Changed the appearance rate of gas on all maps
- The bonus from "plants + animals 24" is now only the half
- Pioneer tank was renamed to bulldozer, strength changed to 2, now a national unit (3), and can also build transportation system
- DNA and GPs can now be captured
- "Terranic Alliance" now allows endless merchants, but has only +1 trade routes
- Mushrooms give now +1 food
- Some events were changed by Jaraxle
- Many minor changes

Additional:
- Cityset from Planetfall was integrated. Thanks to GeoModder and Maniac
- New canadian UU, ski patrol by achilleszero
- new russian leader (fin/resourceful) by Methyl Orange
- New model for the bulldozer ("pioneer tank") by Kathy
- Strategea mapscript by Zerzes (with some modifications for the mod; attention: maybe not balanced, not recommened for MP games)
- movie for the wonder SETI by johny smith
- movie for wonder cure for cancer by johny smith
- movie for wonder artificial organs by johny smith
- movie for wonder gravitation generator by Arian
- movie for wonder Hubble V2 by Arian
- movie for wonder MarsTV by Arian
- New model for solar power plant by Lord Tirian
- new model for courthouse by Lord Tirian
- new model for E-Bank by hrochland
- New model for Colony-WLAN ("library") by hrochland
- New model for the industry park by asioasioasio
- new model for the palace by woodelf
- New models for barracks, academy and military academy from the StarCraft-Mod by Killamike718
- new promotion"Revolt protection" (-50% chance for revolts) for the trait "defender" added
- new promotion "Well trained" (-50% upgrade-cost) for the trait "defender" added
- new promotion "Marauder" added
- new promotion "Industry Espionage" added
- new promotion "Sneak" added

I'll upload the patch to rapidshare tomorrow.

 

[Jaraxle]

Sorry this is to late to make the patch but here it is.

Please let me know if some events still don't make sense when you get them. Next step for me will be working on keynames (so they make more sense) and triggers so that they make more sense within the context of Mars Now.

I also know I have 2 "Mars Day" type events in there which needs to be fixed

Alliteratively I could start working on the tooltips and descriptions.

 

[DavidB1111]

I look forward to downloading the patch. I can wait awhile though. no need to rush. Also, I still dislike the damaging storms.

 

[The_J]

Sorry this is to late to make the patch but here it is.

Sorry, i thought, you've vanished.
I'm happy, that i was wrong .
I'll add it with the next patch (if there will come one. I think, i'll directly work on v0.4).

Please let me know if some events still don't make sense when you get them. Next step for me will be working on keynames (so they make more sense) and triggers so that they make more sense within the context of Mars Now.

Nice to hear .

I also know I have 2 "Mars Day" type events in there which needs to be fixed

Why?

Alliteratively I could start working on the tooltips and descriptions.

Do, whatever you like .
I'm not really sure, what needs a better description :/.

I look forward to downloading the patch. I can wait awhile though. no need to rush. Also, I still dislike the damaging storms.

Patch L (Rapidshare) .

The damaging storms: I think, it makes sense. And i guess, there are several things, which player don't like (like winning AIs ).

 

[phungus420]

edit:
The mapscript, which you should use, are "random", "inlandsea" (without any sea) and "stormhell".
I've made a mistake in the last patch, normaly only these 3 should be available (will be fixed with the next patch).

The J, if you want users to only use a certain map scripts, you can set your mod's ini to disallow public maps like so:

; Allow public maps to be used with this mod
AllowPublicMaps = 0

Just be sure to include the map scripts (and any pre made scenario maps you also wish to be playable in the mod) in your mod's priveate and/or public maps folder.

I've set this up myself for LoR, because I was getting a few complaints from CTD caused by loading scenarios, so I dissalowed public maps, that solved that issue, but the problem was it would no longer load all the normal BtS map scripts, so I had to copy those into the mod's public maps folder, it's no big deal since the map scripts are all tiny python files. Since you want to have your mod only use certain map scripts, you could do the same.

Another thing I recommend for modders to set up in in their mod's ini file, is to have the mod ignore custom assets:

; Custom Art from user folder is not loaded
NoCustomArt = 1

; Custom XML and Python from user folder are not loaded
NoCustomAssets = 1

Otherwise users can break the mod by having stuff in custom assets.

 

[The_J]

The J, if you want users to only use a certain map scripts, you can set your mod's ini to disallow public maps like so:

You didn't see the changelist from my last patch, am i right ?

The problem was, that i accidentally loaded only my patchfolder, which didn't have the right .ini, and i forgot to delete the new .ini -> then it was in the patch, overwrote the right one, and everybody could see the invalid mapscripts .

And i've also set the other options, but thanks for the hint.

 

[DavidB1111]

Well, it's downloading.
I'll get used to the storms, especially due to the fact that my constructors can remove them after a couple of technological gains.

Anyhow, A few more things I thought of. Please explain why Nuclear power Plants cause unhappiness? They are the lowest pollution producing plants in existance, and all risks of meltdowns are so small in real life and this game, that they really shouldn't cause unhappiness.

Also, I know you said there would be thirty percent less storms on easier difficulties, but I'm still getting a huge amount of storms.

Okay, I just got an influenza outbreak. On Mars, in 2200+ AD? I think you need to remove that. Also, "OH, no, if we only had knowledge of medicine!"

Oh, yeah, you need to remove that.

 

[Jaraxle]

Well, it's downloading.
I'll get used to the storms, especially due to the fact that my constructors can remove them after a couple of technological gains.

Anyhow, A few more things I thought of. Please explain why Nuclear power Plants cause unhappiness? They are the lowest pollution producing plants in existance, and all risks of meltdowns are so small in real life and this game, that they really shouldn't cause unhappiness.

Also, I know you said there would be thirty percent less storms on easier difficulties, but I'm still getting a huge amount of storms.

Okay, I just got an influenza outbreak. On Mars, in 2200+ AD? I think you need to remove that. Also, "OH, no, if we only had knowledge of medicine!"

Oh, yeah, you need to remove that.

Events are my deal and they didn't go in with the patch so a lot of the events your seeing now will be changed. That one however didn't get changed probably because I hadn't come up with something better. Assuming that influenza is cured (although if you could cure all virus' in what way would biological warfare be a feasible weapon) in the Mar's Now universe I am open to suggestions on what to change it to. It needs to be something that "spreads" so that how the event works isn't changed materially. Obviously the "if we had knowledge of medicine" thing will be changed based on whatever I decide to changed influenza to.

 

[The_J]

It could just be renamed to "unknown killer virus", or whatever.
If you already did something like that: Shame on me.
I haven't looked at the changed texts yet, just because i'm too lazy to translate them atm .
I'll work again on the mod in the next few days .

 

[DavidB1111]

I don't have many real complaints, other than Unhappy Nuclear Power Plants. Like people on Mars are going to be worried about a little radiation.

The surface of mars has a ton of radiation bathing it's surface due to it's very low atmosphere.
So, um, basically, no one with a brain would be unhappy with a Nuclear power plant.

Also, Arrival of the insert name here religion, serriously? I did a double take when I saw Arrival of the Jews.

 

[The_J]

I don't have many real complaints, other than Unhappy Nuclear Power Plants. Like people on Mars are going to be worried about a little radiation.

The surface of mars has a ton of radiation bathing it's surface due to it's very low atmosphere.
So, um, basically, no one with a brain would be unhappy with a Nuclear power plant.

mmhh...good point.
But i want to give it some disadvantages, so that you have the motivation to build the other ones.
Any ideas?

Also, Arrival of the insert name here religion, serriously? I did a double take when I saw Arrival of the Jews.

Yes, maybe not the best name.
I can't really say "Holy City of the...", because you can't transport the temple of solomon or the nativity church to Mars.
So i thought, that the place, where the first followers of the religion arrived, has to get a special meaning, so i just replaced that.
I'm not really happy with that solution, so if anybody has a good idea, i will be happy to read it .

 

[Vespasian]

Since a recent update Avira has decided that the Mars, Now files (and the Planetfall files as well) are mallware. I tried reporting a false positive report to Avira yesterday and got a response today:

==================================
Thank you for your email to Avira's virus lab.
Tracking number: INC00368612.
A listing of files alongside their results can be found below:
File ID Filename Size (Byte) Result
25451788 Mars__Now_v03_-_M..._L.exe 52.5 KB MALWARE

Please find a detailed report concerning each individual sample below:
Filename Result
Mars__Now_v03_-_M..._L.exe MALWARE

The file 'Mars__Now_v03_-_Mars__Jetzt_v03_-_Patch_L.exe' has been determined to be 'MALWARE'. Our analysts named the threat W32/Stanit. The term "W32/" denotes a file virus or malware that runs on 32 Bit Windows systems (Windows 95 and higher) only.Detection is added to our virus definition file (VDF) starting with version 6.31.00.202. Please note that Avira's proactive heuristic detection module AHeAD detected this threat up front without the latest VDF update as: HEUR/Malware.
===============================

Quite annoying, and I get the feeling they didn't exactly put much effort into actually checking the file before branding it "Malware"

 

[DavidB1111]

That's annoying...

Oh, and The J, I'm trying to explain this, but Nuclear Power needs no penalties. It makes no sense. Other than Fuel Rods, which are only a minor problem, really, a nuclear reactor is extremely better for the environment than any other power plant that we've made, yes, it's not as pollution free as solar or Wind, but still, it's the best, and most powerful there is.
Note a Breeder Reactor completely removes the fuel rods from the picture. Making it even more useful.

For instance, a piece of coal has a good amount of energy, but the energy of a piece of Uranium the same size, is 2 million times more.
That's not an exaggeration.

Nuclear Power is clean as pure water compared to Coal and Gas and Oil.
There's no penalties needed. I suppose you could make an event like 3 mile island, but nothing happened there either.

Trust me, no one should be unhappy with Nuclear Power plants unless they are in love with Solar, and want to marry it.

 

[The_J]

Since a recent update Avira has decided that the Mars, Now files (and the Planetfall files as well) are mallware. I tried reporting a false positive report to Avira yesterday and got a response today:

==================================
Thank you for your email to Avira's virus lab.
[...]Detection is added to our virus definition file (VDF) starting with version 6.31.00.202. Please note that Avira's proactive heuristic detection module AHeAD detected this threat up front without the latest VDF update as: HEUR/Malware.
===============================

Quite annoying, and I get the feeling they didn't exactly put much effort into actually checking the file before branding it "Malware"

that's somehow interesting.
Okay, i maybe see why: The patch interacts with windows, overwrites existing files, and has executable scripts in it, so that's something, which a heuristic could detect.
I guess, the addition to the virus definition file is just an automatical process, and nobody looked at it.

Thanks for reporting this .
mmhh...if i should write an email to Avira? Have to think about it.

[...]
Trust me, no one should be unhappy with Nuclear Power plants unless they are in love with Solar, and want to marry it.

Okay, okay, i'll take it on the list.
But i'll give the other power plants some other sort of bonus.
I'm sure, that nuclear power will not more be used in future so excessive, only if you have no other option, so that would also make sense.

 

[DavidB1111]

True, I'll give you that.
Microwave Energy Generators and Black Hole Generators are what we'll have in the future. Not that I recommend Black Hole Generators but still.

The other ones, maybe the cleanest ones should give healthiness.

 

[UnknownFact]

It seems interesting. And those pwer plants DavidB1111 said... LOL, but he's right xD

Does this mod hve UB's and UU's? just wondering.. it would be cool.