Lost Eden development thread

[Kilkakon]

Okay thanks vyeh, keep me posted if there are any responses outside this thread!

 

[vyeh]

Here are the links:

Apolyton
WePlayCiv
CGN

You don't have to be registered to read them!

 

[Kilkakon]

Oh sure I know that I can read them! I was more meaning if I have to respond to anything!

By the way I've flat coloured Arko now. Still to do shading, but another leader's graphics almost done thanks to yesterday's drawing day.

 

[vyeh]

Here is something that we (since you are not registered, I will have to do so) can reply to. Martin Guhmann, Apolyton Senior Staff, wrote:

Do you have some screenshots? Then I could promote this to an article.

-Martin

I will attach the one in the readme file. If you have any others, maybe a diplo screen with an interesting (nonhuman), you can attach them here or at CGN and I will repost.

Edit: You might want to look at my post. Nothing at either of the other sites.

2nd Edit: Don't forget about the tech blurbs!

 

[Kilkakon]

Okay I'll take some after my shower and morning routine! I'll edit this post in about 0.5-1 hours.


EDIT: Heh I would edit this one if people weren't so active!

 

[vyeh]

Okay I'll take some after my shower and morning routine! I'll edit this post in about 0.5-1 hours.

Did you see my two edits? They occurred after the time of your post.

Edit: I wonder if CFC has news items, particularly for the SMAC section. I know at CGN, a notice can apply only to one forum. Petek, could we get a SMAC forum notice?

 

[Petek]

Did you see my two edits? They occurred after the time of your post.

Edit: I wonder if CFC has news items, particularly for the SMAC section. I know at CGN, a notice can apply only to one forum. Petek, could we get a SMAC forum notice?

Yes. I haven't been very active recently on CFC, but I'll get something going. To begin, I'll sticky a thread with links to the download.

 

[Kilkakon]

@Petek
Thanks for all you have been doing anyway.

Did you see my two edits? They occurred after the time of your post.

I have now.

Here is something that we (since you are not registered, I will have to do so) can reply to. Martin Guhmann, Apolyton Senior Staff, wrote:

Yay! Activity. Thanks for all the help posting everywhere too vyeh.

I will attach the one in the readme file. If you have any others, maybe a diplo screen with an interesting (nonhuman), you can attach them here or at CGN and I will repost.

I have attached two more screenshots for you to use.

2nd Edit: Don't forget about the tech blurbs!

I haven't! I have a lot to do today channel-wise, and I want to finish Arko too. It may be a case of getting to them a little later but I'll try my best to keep at it!

 

[vyeh]

My latest Apolyton post.

There are a bunch of sites related to SMAC. I think I'll be able to remember most of them.

Take a look at the news items on this page. If you can write up something in a similar format, maybe Petek can forward it to the appropriate person.

You can also post your news item at CGN (feel free to post in both the general and MP forums).

And let's hope JH24 has some time to give the alpha a spin!

To begin, I'll sticky a thread with links to the download.

Great job!

 

[Kilkakon]

Thanks, I'll write the news item on my todo list.

EDIT: And yes, I am looking forward to JH24's report!

 

[vyeh]

Good. I'll be able to use the news item for other sites.

 

[JH24]

I'm really sorry for my late reply, the last few days have been very busy.


I'm very happy to see you've uploaded Lost Eden. I've downloaded it but unfortunately I haven't been able to get it to work yet. Perhaps I've installed it wrong, but when I start a game I get an error message named "Rules Parser"? It says that it can't find something and advises me to re-install the game.


Later tonight I'm going to re-install Alien Crossfire, I've been modifying some things lately and it might have broken my copy. I'll keep you updated.


I hope you're having a great weekend. See you later.

 

[Kilkakon]

What is probably the problem is that the game is trying to load the original factions but can't as there are technologies missing. I had originally tried to overwrite the original factions but for some reason those changes never carried over into my Lost Eden project directory.

There's a fix for this problem: Go into your Alpha Centauri.ini and manually replace all factions at the bottom with "LIGHT". This'll make all factions a Lost Eden one and then you can change them ingame.

Seems a bit awkward doesn't it? People would be able to play using default factions if I include them, which could break the balance/enjoyment of the game, but if I don't their games may crash! Not sure if there is a better solution there.

 

[Petek]

Kilkakon,

I got the same error message as JH24 and your suggestion fixed the problem. This is a serious problem that you need to fix. I suggest that you modify the readme file to include something like "If you get a Rules Parser error when starting the game, then ... . " (Add in additional info here). Couldn't the user also simply rename their existing alpha centauri.ini file and let a new one be created? Finally, if the player makes a clean installation (instead of copying the files, as I did), then the error won't occur, right?

Also, I'm going to create a new thread for Lost Eden, in which players can ask for help and make comments. It wouldn't be fair to make new players read through all the posts in this thread. You can also post the fix for this problem there.

Probably better to PM me with any comments or questions about this matter. I don't read every single post in this thread and might miss a reply.

Petek

 

[vyeh]

EDIT: Heh I would edit this one if people weren't so active!

Missed this edit. I have occasionally edited my old posts when I notice an inaccuracy for the sake of new readers.

I'm really sorry for my late reply, the last few days have been very busy.

No need to apologize. We're glad you're still replying!

I'm very happy to see you've uploaded Lost Eden. I've downloaded it but unfortunately I haven't been able to get it to work yet. Perhaps I've installed it wrong, but when I start a game I get an error message named "Rules Parser"? It says that it can't find something and advises me to re-install the game.

This is precisely the reason we need alpha testers! Thank you!

What is probably the problem is that the game is trying to load the original factions but can't as there are technologies missing. I had originally tried to overwrite the original factions but for some reason those changes never carried over into my Lost Eden project directory.

There's a fix for this problem: Go into your Alpha Centauri.ini and manually replace all factions at the bottom with "LIGHT". This'll make all factions a Lost Eden one and then you can change them ingame.

Seems a bit awkward doesn't it? People would be able to play using default factions if I include them, which could break the balance/enjoyment of the game, but if I don't their games may crash! Not sure if there is a better solution there.

Since I don't have Windows, I don't know where the Alpha Centauri.ini file is located. Is it possible to include a copy of the Alpha Centauri.ini file in the download and use it to overwrite the existing Alpha Centauri.ini file or is it machine specific?

This is a serious problem that you need to fix. I suggest that you modify the readme file to include something like "If you get a Rules Parser error when starting the game, then ... . " (Add in additional info here).

I agree.

Also, I'm going to create a new thread for Lost Eden, in which players can ask for help and make comments. It wouldn't be fair to make new players read through all the posts in this thread. You can also post the fix for this problem there.

One of the things that frustrated scient at 'poly was that he wasn't allowed to create a new thread! Since my philosophy is more threads, I am in favor of this. I would suggest that Kilkakon and I use the new thread to respond to help request and to comments, but continue to use this thread for organizational matters that would clutter up the other thread. I've used this organizational strategy for the demo games where I used one thread as a catch all/administrative thread, which kept the other threads readable.

I don't read every single post in this thread....

After 500+ posts, it is safe to assume Kilkakon and I can moderate ourselves to CFC standards. And while posts about the choice of wording improves the final produce, they aren't very interesting!

Kilkakon, as an alternative, can you include the faction files, but not list them in the alphax.txt file or if you have to list them in the #CUSTOM section, can you modify the files by giving those factions a penalty so they are balanced with the Lost Eden factions or weaker than the Lost Eden factions?

The readme file in your download should be modified to note the existence of the new thread for help. (Although this thread should still be mentioned.)

I think Lost Eden has reached the point where I can start putting some time into my Wikipedia article on SMACX. Could you give the article a read and PM via CGN your general impression? It would be helpful to have an experienced player outside of Wikipedia look at it. Thanks.

Edit: As I see it, these are the steps before the release of the beta

(1) testing by JH24 (other testers would be nice but not essential)

(2) completion of artwork

(3) completion of tech quotes

The timetable is dependent on issues raised by alpha testing. Then maybe a period of time to see if any other issues arise before a final version (which might be the same as the beta). Does this seem right?

Is it Sunday or Saturday for you?

 

[Kilkakon]

The faction problem does not occur on a clean install (hence that being my main suggestion for installing the mod). I will update the help files (both the ones inside and outside the zip) as soon as I finish this post with information about the problem as well as links to the new thread that Petek has created.

Since I don't have Windows, I don't know where the Alpha Centauri.ini file is located. Is it possible to include a copy of the Alpha Centauri.ini file in the download and use it to overwrite the existing Alpha Centauri.ini file or is it machine specific?

It is be machine specific. It contains all the user's preferences, including network names, that directdraw workaround and others. It's just a few lines at the end of the file.

One of the things that frustrated scient at 'poly was that he wasn't allowed to create a new thread! Since my philosophy is more threads, I am in favor of this. I would suggest that Kilkakon and I use the new thread to respond to help request and to comments, but continue to use this thread for organizational matters that would clutter up the other thread. I've used this organizational strategy for the demo games where I used one thread as a catch all/administrative thread, which kept the other threads readable.
...
The readme file in your download should be modified to note the existence of the new thread for help. (Although this thread should still be mentioned.)

I'm all for this as I can subscribe to both! I will edit my sig post and readme to match.

After 500+ posts, it is safe to assume Kilkakon and I can moderate ourselves to CFC standards. And while posts about the choice of wording improves the final produce, they aren't very interesting!

Yeah at times the conversation gets a little light on. But we are managing!

Kilkakon, as an alternative, can you include the faction files, but not list them in the alphax.txt file or if you have to list them in the #CUSTOM section, can you modify the files by giving those factions a penalty so they are balanced with the Lost Eden factions or weaker than the Lost Eden factions?

If I include the factions, they would remain as the defaults (you know how the game remembers which factions you last used? That.) for a new game when the game was switched to Lost Eden. I can punish them hard or give them graphics to say "Change me" but the problem remains. Information about fixing the error is an easy fix I think.

I think Lost Eden has reached the point where I can start putting some time into my Wikipedia article on SMACX. Could you give the article a read and PM via CGN your general impression? It would be helpful to have an experienced player outside of Wikipedia look at it. Thanks.

EDIT: Is reading now... will PM shortly. Lots to do!

Edit: As I see it, these are the steps before the release of the beta

(1) testing by JH24 (other testers would be nice but not essential)

(2) completion of artwork

(3) completion of tech quotes

The timetable is dependent on issues raised by alpha testing. Then maybe a period of time to see if any other issues arise before a final version (which might be the same as the beta). Does this seem right?

Pretty much. I can do work on the quotes and artwork while things are going on (which is the idea). There's plenty of both to do though.

Is it Sunday or Saturday for you?

Sunday. Back from church and getting into emails!

 

[vyeh]

The faction problem does not occur on a clean install (hence that being my main suggestion for installing the mod). I will update the help files (both the ones inside and outside the zip) as soon as I finish this post with information about the problem as well as links to the new thread that Petek has created.

If someone simply deletes the existing Alpha Centauri.ini file, will that solve the problem?

Pretty much. I can do work on the quotes and artwork while things are going on (which is the idea). There's plenty of both to do though.

That's good. It will save time.

You quoted my request for WikiPedia help, but didn't respond.

 

[Kilkakon]

If someone simply deletes the existing Alpha Centauri.ini file, will that solve the problem?

Yes. It will reset all the player's settings too, but it'ld fix the problem.

That's good. It will save time.

Today and tomorrow will largely be taken up with YouTube activities, but I should be able to put some work in soon. Perhaps the news item tonight.

EDIT: As for the Wikipedia article, I might as well reply here. I don't see any problems, looks good! I only read the gameplay section (from memory that was the one) but yeah, seems pretty good to me.

 

[vyeh]

Yes. It will reset all the player's settings too, but it'ld fix the problem.

Which settings? Maybe the best fix is to tell players they can edit the alpha centauri.ini file and keep the settings or delete the file and lose the settings and tell them which settings they would lose.

Is the problem missing faction files or missing techs?

Next post is 540, which is the size of scient's 'poly thread!

 

[Kilkakon]

Which settings? Maybe the best fix is to tell players they can edit the alpha centauri.ini file and keep the settings or delete the file and lose the settings and tell them which settings they would lose.

My instructions tell them to remove the offending lines rather than delete the file. Anything that the player is allowed to customise in the game preferences, system preferences such as resolution, voxel algorithm, etc., all would go if the file's deleted. Think of it this way: deleting Alpha Centauri.ini is like a clean install, minus saves/scenarios.

Is the problem missing faction files or missing techs?

Missing techs. The game tries to look for a tech which I have removed when scanning faction files and crashes.

Next post is 540, which is the size of scient's 'poly thread!

Victory! Couldn't have done it without all of you guys!

Don't miss my edit above too!