Defensive anti-blitz mod

Capt Dizle · February 16, 2004, 02:26

I found this mod pack on the net. Required me to do a little work and a little hex editing. But, it seems to be fully functional. This is the only example of a function mod for Moo2 that I have seen.

Is anyone familar with it? Does anyone know of others?

vmxa1 · February 16, 2004, 03:10

I can't say as I know anything about. What does it do

Capt Dizle · February 16, 2004, 10:14

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
I can't say as I know anything about. What does it do

The "Defensive" anti-blitz mod for MOO2

by Jukka Mikkonen

Usually I was never very happy with MOO2 in that if there ever
was a player that tried to blitz anyone else, he usually won
the game. Production was all you needed, really, along with
all-too easily accessed few key techs to equip your ships. This
is how I got to prepare this mod for MOO2. Now planets are
easier to defend yet you can't really count on planetary
defenses only since you have to get rid of the blockades as well..

Contents of the package :

Defens.rul - the OCL script file
help.lbx - the "eye candy" in the game, shows you what each
technology does in Help and such.
modhelp.txt - this file

Usage :

1) Use the OCL script file to convert MOO2 to my settings using
OCL editor found at
ftp://ftp.sff.net/pub/people/zoetrop...tilities/Rare/
2) Backup your original help.lbx and overwrite the current one with
the one included in this package.
3) For the Missile Base upgrade - download any hex editor, open
ORION95.EXE (version 1.31) and change the values "2C 01" at hex
address C558 & C559 to read "20 03". Save changes. (Propably a
good idea to backup the original .exe file before this.)

Major changes :

1) Missile Base has 800 space units for missiles, not 300. This value is
found in the ORION95.EXE version 1.31 binary at hex addresses C558 and
C559.
2) Ground batteries have increased space for weapons. In reality it's
just 300, but since weapon damages are increased while ships are made
only half as large, ships have the same damage potential as before
while ground batteries have the double. Naturally, ship equipment is
made smaller as well, with some balancing to make those "never-used"
installs worth the while.
3) An upgrade to ship hit points, and even larger for star bases and
up. Also a very major cost upgrade for huge ships. It takes a bit of
shooting to bring down a titan now, but building one takes an
eternity. HP upgrade was needed since shields can't be boosted
too much.
4) Strong ground installation with 10x the hit points. Thus bombs are
a necessity, beams will take forever to inflict enough damage.
Combined fleet with primary bombers and beam escorts very valuable.
5) Severely upgraded space monsters & Guardian of Orion, damagewise.
Antarans should prove to be a threat once again.
6) More distinct Pd and Hv weapons. Pd's are pretty useless against any
shielded object (naturally!) while even the weak Fusion Beam with
Hv mod will cut through Class X shield. Basically it's a small
warp upwards in both min and max damage for all weapons, giving an
extra bonus for Hv mod when fighting ships with better shields.
Lesser shielded units are better handled with lesser weapons,
as you get many more of them. Also less diversity in shields,
but stronger all-around.
Interceptors remain the anti-missile force, since missiles are
deadlier later on. Fighters in general much harder to shoot down.
7) A slight emphasis on peaceful expansion by making military techs
take longer to research than "corresponding" colony-improving ones.
Also techs that were nearly obsolete at the time they finally
got invented are now earlier in the tech tree (Artemis System Net,
Recyclotron, Barrier Shield, Ground Batteries etc) and some later
(Auto-Repair Unit). A few automatic techs, such as Auto-Factory,
Fighter Bays, Fighter Garrison, Reinforced Hull and Heavy Armor.

Hope you enjoy!

Capt Dizle · February 16, 2004, 10:29

I haven't really had a problem with this mod yet. It seems to work fine. My typical game is single player huge pre-warp and it takes a while to play out so there might be problems lurking.

I have not confirmed all the changes. The tech tree has definitely been changed. Costs for a lot of things have been changed. I might not agree with all the changes but so far this guy seems to have been able to jump some of the hurdles. I had read that the .lbx format had not been cracked but he seems to have found the key.

vmxa1 · February 16, 2004, 12:20

Looks like a lot of interesting changes.

Iasius · February 16, 2004, 13:10

Looks interesting i agree, though without trying it out it sounds a lot like cybernetic would be the way to go with all the increased hp for bases and ships while ships do less damage due to space for equipment.

Urban Ranger · February 17, 2004, 06:22

I think Creative is even more potent now.

vmxa1 · February 17, 2004, 12:15

That was my first thought.

BlackThunder · April 13, 2004, 20:39

No real text besides it.
Sound's Interesting, I wonder why couldn't he add the edited Orion95.exe file into his pack, and adding OCL Script file to the pack sure makes things a little more simple. Maybe it's a space saving Issue. Do you think he'll mind if I'll make a 'full' pack, containing his files (with given credits, of course), and post it somewhere? Anyhow, without a place where I can download the Mod, This all doesn't make sense either way.

cranex · May 15, 2004, 12:15

I would like help in getting the Defensive anti-blitz mod for Moo2 running. It's rather technical.
I have downloaded a hex editor and changed the value for the missile base, but in the "Operational Basics" of the documentation I am stuck after the documentation states "This will produce a text file which you can edit and translate back into the game:

CALL FORMAT: ocl_v02q.exe [-e] [-d]

I typed this in and I get an error. I'm using windows version of Moo2.

Would be nice if someone who is familiar with OCL Script could produce the mod and post a link.

Will pay $25

Flenser · May 18, 2004, 08:17

cranex - Save your $25 (or donate it where it's needed)

OCL (Orion Command Line editor) extracts data from MOO2's LBX data files to a text file, or, inversely, inserts data from a text file into the LBX files. So it needs to know:

1) The name of the text file to use;
2) Whether to extract or insert, and;
3) Whether to work with the DOS or Windows version.

You'll supply this information as 'switches' on the command line to the OCL executable. The '-d' switch tells OCL to work with the DOS version, so leave that out as you're using the Windows version.

The '-e' switch tells OCL to perform extraction. You'll use this to create a backup data file, containing the original MOO2 settings. Alternatively, copy Orion95.exe and all the LBX files to a backup folder (you don't actually need ALL the LBX files, but I forget which ones OCL modifies).

The simplest way to set all this up in Windows is probably to use shortcuts. Right-click on OCL.EXE and choose 'Create Shortcut' from the menu. I did this three times, and changed Windows' helpful 'Shorctcut to OCL.EXE (3)'-style filenames to 'OCL Extract', 'OCL Restore', and 'OCL Modify'.

Right-click on one of these shortcuts, and select 'Properties' from the menu. On the 'Program' tab, add the '-e' switch and a suitable filename after the OCL.EXE in the box called 'Cmd Line'. Mine looks like this:

D:\GAMES\ORION\OCL.EXE -e Original.txt

[Late edit: from your post, I see that your executable has a different name, viz. ocl_v02q.exe. Just bear in mind that mine is called OCL.EXE, and this should still all make sense.]

If you've installed MOO2 in a path with long filenames, the full OCL.EXE path will be in quotes - leave the switch and the text filename outside the quotes. And be sure to leave spaces between the OCL command, the switch, and the text filename.

This command tells OCL to copy the data it can modify into a file which will be called Original.txt. You'll probably want to make this file read-only (right-click it, and put a tick in the read-only box).

The command line for the OCL Restore shortcut is almost the same:

D:\GAMES\ORION\OCL.EXE Original.txt

But note the missing switch. Without that, OCL assumes that you want to modify the data in MOO2, using the values stored in the file 'Original.txt'. That's why you don't want that text file to suffer any changes.

Finally, the OCL Modify shortcut has this command line:

D:\GAMES\ORION\OCL.EXE Modified.txt

Of course, we don't yet have a file called 'Modified.txt'. What I do is open Original.txt in my text editor (Notepad will do) and then Save As... Modified.txt. Then I make any unbalancing and poorly-thought-through changes that occur to me in random moments of insanity, and save them to the Modified.txt file. A quick double-click on the OCL Modify shortcut, and my unplayable alterations are there for me to suffer.

With the Defensive mod, the text file is called defens.rul. To apply its contents to MOO2, you'll want to call OCL thus:

OCL defens.rul

[edit: ocl_v02q.exe defens.rul ]

You don't need either switch, because you're not using the DOS version of MOO2, and you're importing data into MOO2, not exporting to a file.

I'd seriously recommend either backing up your Orion95.exe and your LBX files, or using OCL -e somefile.txt, first. OCL does write data to the game files, which you otherwise won't be able to undo without reinstalling.

Incidentally, do you happen to know how recent OCL v02q is? My archive contains v021, apparently compiled on 10th Feb 2000. I'd be very interested to know if there is an even slightly updated version around. Not that there are any problems in v021, but I seem to have collected a lot of MOO2 accessories over time, and this is the only one I've found that allows modification of the game data. We take mod-making for granted with most current games, so they're pretty much designed for it. The reverse engineering required to get this much alteration of the game data must have been a herculean task.

As a final note, 'packaging' a MOO2 mod is impractical. Since the changes are made directly within the game's data files, a packaged mod would have to include all the altered LBX files and the altered Orion95.exe (and presumably Orion.exe, for DOS). Not only would this amount to several megabytes of data (for only a few kilobytes of actual changes), but it would also infringe Simtex's and Microprose's copyrights. Once you have the hang of OCL, all you need to transfer is the 45k data dump, altered however you wish. And that can only be considered copyright to the modder.

Best of luck!

p.s. I really DID mean it about the backing up first...

cranex · May 18, 2004, 10:14

Flenser- I got stuck at the part where you said

"the text file is called defens.rul. ..To apply its contents to moo2 you'll want to call OCL thus:

OCL defens.rul

I got an error message.

I went to the dos prompt command line and typed in

C: Microprose\Orion2\ OCL defens.rul

I guess this is wrong. I created a text file called Original.txt and Modified.txt (both empty)

I need help getting defens.rul into Moo2. I'm a dummy about OCL

What do I do with Original and Modified.txt files after defens.rul is called?

I downloaded OCL version Feb 2000.

I double clicked the OCL Extract shortcut file but got an error message.

Please assume I know nothing about OCL. Would VERY MUCH appreciate a simplified step-by-step instruction guide for dummies. I want this mod!

Thankyou for your patience.

siron · May 18, 2004, 12:22

@ Flenser: Thx for the hint with the shortcuts...works fine for me. Do u know what ALL the numbers mean in those txt-files?

@ Cranex: Seems to me that u dont see the whole filename under windows. I ve downloaded that defens file too. And its name was "defens.rul.txt" after download. Renamed it in "defens.txt"

IMHO, the cmd line should be at ur pc:

C:Microprose\Orion2\OCL.exe defens.rul

if name of defens.rul is correct.

(i guess ur spaces between "C:" and "Micr.." and after the last slash are just typos)

Flenser · May 18, 2004, 13:03

@Siron: The numbers were explained in some texts I've got [searches...] here. Attached (I hope).

@Cranex: The file 'Original.txt' will be created by OCL when you run it thus:

C:\Microprose\Orion2\ocl_v02q.exe -e original.txt

You want to copy that file as 'Modified.txt' (or whatever) to ensure that you remember to keep your modifications separate from the original data.

Then run:

C:\Microprose\Orion2\ocl_v02q.exe modified.txt

or

C:\Microprose\Orion2\ocl_v02q.exe defens.rul

to import the changed data.

A point that occurs is to ask EXACTLY what your OCL executable is called - I'm assuming ocl_v20q.exe because you used that filename in your initial post. If it is just call ocl.exe, then you'll need the line that Siron typed.

[Aside - Does Windows' (idiotic) 'hide extensions' feature actually hide extensions within a DOSbox?! Just in case, you could type:

dir defens*.*

to get DOS to list the filename it sees for that file, and then use it (whatever DOS reports) on the command line for OCL.]

Of course, just changing the name to defens.txt has the dual simplicifications of making the file editiable by default, and removing any confusion about its type. On reflection, that's probably the way to go.

siron · May 18, 2004, 16:57

Thx...Flenser.

I guess the files in ur attachment are also here available: ftp://ftp.sff.net/pub/people/zoetrop...Utilities/OCL/

I ve read those files this afternoon.

But....

there are still some values unclear....

For example....under "weapons"....what are these 4 numbers between these flags???:

Can someone explain what damage is meant by these numbers?
"Mass Driver" 6, 6, 6, 6
"Gauss Cannon" 18, 18, 10, 10
...
"Heavy Fighter"0, 0, 4, 16
...
"Interceptor"6, 15, 1, 4

Btw...at this site http://www.geocities.com/moo3_senate/moo2weaps.html

they talk about "damage" and "strategic damage"... i dont understand that too...

Flenser · May 18, 2004, 19:55

Those four values are the weapon damages. Now, I'll be honest, and admit that, until you posted that MOO3 Senate link, I hadn't thought much about the second pair. You'll be aware that the limited documentation covering peoples' investigations into this (that come with the OCL package) suggest these might be legacy values from some testing phase.

However, that idea that the second pair represents damage values as used in strategic combat makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, the Senate site just dumps the raw numbers into a table, and I couldn't track down any provenance on this idea.

But if it's true, then the four values represent the minimum and maximum weapon damage for tactical and strategic combat. That's why the NRD weapons (like Mass Drivers and missiles) have the same value twice, but weapons which dissipate have different values.

It would make some sense to have a different table of values for strategic combat, if that were handled by a different process from tactical combat. In a sense, MOO2 has two combat engines - one which we see, if tactical combat is on, and our ships are involved, and another, which we never see, since it's only used for AI vs AI battles, and our own in a game with tactical combat switched off.

Most of the differences between the tactical and strategic values represent a weakening of high tech beams. In particular, Mauler and Death Ray are crippled, and Disruptor is halved. It's entirely possible that during testing, these weapons were found to have a disproportionate impact (ahem) on strategic combat, and had to be toned down for balance reasons. Note also that Black Hole Generator does 100 damage (in strategic mode) according to these values. Perhaps the strategic combat process ignores its usual effect, for simplicity's sake, and treats it as a (very powerful) weapon.

As to the tactical combat values for Interceptors, I had assumed these to be the numbers used if you actually deployed them before researching Lasers - without a value here, they would do ZERO damage if you had no 'best beam weapon allowing the point-defence mod'. However, a quick test (with a horribly uber race) demonstrates 'unarmed' interceptors do 5 damage per hit, which is the same as they achieve with Lasers. So now I'm a lot more confused about that than I used to be. I suppose I'm a bit less wrong, though...

Flenser · May 18, 2004, 21:58

Is this worth a new thread, or does someone know what's up here, or am I being very stupid somewhere?

Interceptor damage, with beam tech:

No beams: 5 points
Lasers: 5 points
Fusions: 7 points
Mass Drivers: 6 points

Only Mass Driver looks 'right'. Any ideas? My MOO2 has been OCL'd so often it might have forgotten what the real values are, but the restore file I imported definitely lists the default weapon damages. Help?

siron · May 19, 2004, 07:05

The numbers are correct imho.

I tested it too...

No Pd-Beam: 5
Laser: 5
Mass Driver: 6
Fusion: 7
Phasor: 21
Particle: 31

There are further mistakes in the manual....

(So i dont understand the interceptor numbers at all.)

BTW. I've modified the 2nd pair...but i havent seen any changes in strategical combat.

Flenser · May 19, 2004, 11:13

It seems to be adding 1 point to the (point-blank) damage done by all the dissipating beams. Note that it doesn't USE point-defence beams on fighters. It uses normal mounts, but can only choose from those beams which have a PD mount option. If you hacked Death Ray to offer a PD mount, Interceptors should do 100 damage each. My money is on them doing 101.

siron · May 19, 2004, 11:29

Okies, I thought so too....

But what the hell are these numbers here:

"Interceptor"6, 15, 1, 4

Flenser · May 19, 2004, 12:32

The "6, 15" should be the minimum and maximum damage done by Interceptors in tactical combat when you have no beam weapon technologies. The "1, 4" should be the minimum and maximum damage done by Interceptors in strategic combat. Since strategic combat damage values are also listed for Bombers and Heavy Fighters, I suspect that the strategic combat process doesn't take your beam weapon or bomb technology into account when resolving a battle.

However, it seems clear that the tactical combat process ignores these values anyway - Interceptors use their Laser damage value whether you have researched Lasers or not. And why there should be different minima and maxima I don't know - fighters always shoot at point-blank range, so the minimum values (used as the value that the weapon deals when hitting a target at its maximum range) would never apply.

I suspect that these tactical combat values are a legacy, and the tactical combat process is now hardcoded to assume at least Laser tech when determining fighter damage. I'm going to have to start a new game with tactical combat off, to experiment on the strategic combat values - cranking them up a few hundred points should be sufficient...

siron · May 19, 2004, 14:42

"I suspect that these tactical combat values are a legacy, and the tactical combat process is now hardcoded to assume at least Laser tech when determining fighter damage."

Okies. Just legacy. Probably.

"And why there should be different minima and maxima I don't know - fighters always shoot at point-blank range, so the minimum values (used as the value that the weapon deals when hitting a target at its maximum range) would never apply."

IMO minimum values have nothing to do with the dissipation.

Look at the thread:
How Beam Dissipation Works Admiral Sparky

His analysis is correct.

IMHO minimum damage has sth to do with the "chance to hit". And the chance to hit is not always 1 for fighters.

TheUltimateEnd · May 27, 2004, 19:41

How would I make the special trait on ships that doubles the space say...quadruple it? That's the only change I want

. OR make it so all options add 0 to the weight. Cause I did that with advances and such, all the tech picks for races take 0 points ^_^.

- Tue -

vmxa1 · May 27, 2004, 21:49

I think the AI has enough problems now without doing those things. The human will do better with them than the AI and it can't win now.

Whoha · May 27, 2004, 22:23

I believe strategic damage is bombardment, though I'm not sure about that.

TheUltimateEnd · May 29, 2004, 01:02

Pwease help me, I've pretty much played the game to death, this is my last joy :P.

- Tue -

siron · May 29, 2004, 05:10

first u have to extract like flenser explained above.
then u get this file here:
ftp://ftp.sff.net/pub/people/zoetrop...L/original.rul
Space on ships is 2nd column under [SHIPS]
Space and price of mods u can obviously change under [MODS].

"I've pretty much played the game to death"

try to play multiplayer on kali. try to beat some veterans there. if u have already done that u may be right with ur statement.

Whoha · May 29, 2004, 11:02

Quote:

Originally posted by TheUltimateEnd
Pwease help me, I've pretty much played the game to death, this is my last joy :P.

- Tue -

just use Corion2 to make whatever ships/races you want. You can put all mods on any weapon,(env and AF are nice),put as many weapons as you like, put all specials on a ship(dont click on the specials thing in tactical combat or it crashes, but its otherwise ok),etc.

TheUltimateEnd · May 29, 2004, 15:54

Bah thats so slow...oh well. I'll just wait till somebody makes a mod that does it or something, becuase using corion over and over makes my brain want to explode.

- Tue -

Whoha · May 29, 2004, 15:58

you can update all ships to a certain design if you want.