Basic unit types in alphax.txt problem: HELP!

[Maniac]

Another problem with my Earth scenario. The past days, I've totally reworked the alphax.txt file. Almost nothing is the same! A brand new tech tree and SE system, almost all the facilities and SPs renamed and so on. And it works surprisingly well, that is, besides some minor details and a few SMAX crashes...
There is one problem though I can't seem to solve.

I need to change the basic unit types for several reasons. But no matter what I do, renaming them, changing their prerequisite, altering their weapon, armour and such, they still stay exactly the same in the game. Nor can I add new basic unit types to the list (and yes, I do increase the number '23' when I add a unit).

This is quite disastrous for my scenario, 'cause it's quite... "unrealistic" when you suddenly see a mind worm or a spore launcher destroy your tile improvements on Earth. Also, I don’t want colony pods to be available until the discovery of the technology “Ocean Colonization”. But I can’t delete the “colony pod” unit!

So, does anyone know a solution to this problem? In case you do, please reply.

M@ni@c

[Cybergod]

Disable the Colony Pod as a combat/non-combat package but NOT the unit design. Set the preq for normal Colony Pod as None and create a new unit called Sea Colony Pod and set it's preq to your tech (Ocean Collonisation). If you have SMAX (which I think you do) just modify the Escape Pod sea thing (I don't know what it's called, I don't have SMAX anymore ) in the above way.

For Mindworms, I don't think that you can completely disable them, unless setting no native lifeforms in the scenario editor. In normal modified game, they will still show up, no make what you do so you might call them pirates or barbarians (like in Civ ) and modify their pcx file (Unit.pcx).

Hope the MyBrain.Net program solved your miseries!

[Maniac]

But that's exactly what I did! I altered the Sea Escape Pod to my specs, and I renamed the 5 native lifeforms to Worm and Grasshopper Plague, (Sea) Storm and Tsunami. Still they appear the same in the game. A sea escape pod is still Disabled, and the native lifeforms keep their original name. The game just neglects what I alter in the alphax.txt. I indeed altered the Units.pcx file and that works. Though again there's no way one can change the Locust and IoD graphics - they're not in the Units.pcx file.

Oh well, I guess this one will become my third scenario landing on the dustbin because of lack of modification possibilities.

M@ni@c

[Cybergod]

Originally posted by M@ni@c
Though again there's no way one can change the Locust and IoD graphics - they're not in the Units.pcx file.

You can't CHANGE the graphics used by the game, but can surely FORCE the game to use custom graphics that you put into the Units/pcx file!

M@ni@c, don't give up! I think it would be a great scenario/mod if it is finished!

[Avenoct]

More encouragement!

There's a bunch of us currently working on mods (I'm the slowest and have another project in the wings) and scenarios. The point is that new information will be showing up rapidly as I think we've got some pretty nifty minds trained on the modification area. I won't name the one's I know as that'll leave out the one's I don't, but at least 4 people are currently working on Mods/scenarios at a rapid clip. Give it a few days and I'll bet your answer turns up.

-Smack

[Tokamak]

I think I know what your difficulty is. You must start up a new game for any changes in alpha.txt to take effect. Save games will keep the old data. BTW, this makes debugging scenarios a real PIA.

I had limited success in turning off the Mindworms. Replace the native units with more conventional units (rover, scout, etc). As long as they occupy the same slot on the file, they'll replace the natives. It's not a perfect fix (why would eco-damage provoke brigand assaults?), but I think people will be understanding. By replacing the natives with very weak units (a non-combat unit on an infantry chasis), you can make them an almost total non-entity.

I was able to successfully delay Colony Pods until DocFlex. It was easy. I just altered the prere for Colony Pod in the weapons and equipment section from "None" to "DocFlex." I then went to the units section and set the prereq for the Colony Pod to "Disable." I think that this is what you've been doing, so all you need to do is start a fresh game. Incidentally, it would probably be a better idea to set the unit prereq for teh Colony Pod to DocFlex instead of disabling it. There's a chance that the AI won't think to design this unit, otherwise.

Don't give up! We now have the neccessary tools to do almost everything you originally intended.

[Maniac]

You must start up a new game for any changes in alpha.txt to take effect.

Hmmm... I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Are you just saying that I have to go the Menu and select the option 'start a new game' to return to the main SMAC screen, and then reload the saved game from there for the changes in alphax.txt to take effect? That I know, but the changes I do with the basic unit types don't take effect with me.

Or are you rather saying that the game uses for eternity the basic unit types of the alphax.txt that was present in the main 'Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri' directory when you first created the game? That would mean that all the work I've already done on the earth map (all terraforming and all about 150 cities are already done) would have to be redone.

By the way, I posted a message here two days ago in this thread, but apparently it hasn't shown up. It was basically saying that I had worked around the fact that I couldn't alter the basic unit types (perhaps it is possible; I'll see and wait what Tokamak says) and that the only problem remaining was the native life. I was also saying I again started working on the scenario/to-be-turned-into-a-postWW2-mod-if-people-like-it, but at a slower pace. Lastly, I thanked you for your encouragement. Which I'm doing now again. Thank you, guys!

M@ni@c

[Tokamak]

Unfortunately, a*.SC file permanently stores the current alpha.txt in its memory. This data is also passed on to any *.sav files that come from that scenario. This is why people can release their scenarios without including the new alpha.txt.

I have not found a way to alter the alpha.txt in mid-game. There is no 'official' method, that's for sure. In theory, the new alpha.txt could be encoded in a pre-existing *.SC file with some intense hex-editing. I, for one, would not want to do this. If any one with 'I337 5k33I5 wants to write an app that could do this, your name will always be honored in the halls of Apolyton (or something).

As it stands, this means that you will have to Start a new game, and then rebuild the scenario from there This isn't as total a disaster as it may sound. You can still salvage your map, terraforming and all, by using the 'load map' command from the map editor. Unfortunately, we will have to manually replace every city and unit in the game.

Having had to do this for every patch and remake of SMAC Down, I have picked up a few tricks to make this less painful. Go back to your orignal scenario and mark the exact location of every city with distinctive icon (I used the sensor, for example). Save the map, then start a new game (it is vital that you actually quit and restart!). Load your freshly modified map. With your landmarks in place, it will be easy to reset your cities and units. When you're done, remeber to erase the markers you placed.

Be absolutely sure that you are happy with the alpha.txt before yoou begin! Implementing any more changes will mean that you will have to start all ove again!

The on the positive side, you can alter factions in mid-game. Just use the 'reload faction file' command.

As for the natives, there is a way to almost comletely turn then off, but it is ardous. First off, go read Ned' excellent eco-damge article on the top of this forum. Already done that? Good, then'll you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Go to the alpha.txt and set the numerator for global warming to zero. This will deactivate global warming, which is a neccessary sacrifice for this plan to work.

Set up a single faction base and surround it with boreholes. Increase its size to at least 20. Give it a few cralwers, set to harvet nutrients for a rainy/condensed/farmed/enriched/nutrient-bonus squares so that it doesn't starve. Add in all of the mineral facilites, except for the Nanoreplicator. Set it to producing trance units, then fill it up with a sizable garrison. Now, turn all the warning preferences off and tape the enter key down. Let the game run for a few hours. By then, so many pops will have occurred that that faction will have several hundred 'clean' minerals, efefctively turning eco-damage off for that faction.

*sigh* Repeat for each and every faction.

You must take care to place the other AI factions somewhere where they can't wreack havok on your scenario. Specifically, don't let them do any research! Even if you take away their illict techs later, their tech cost numbers will be horribly inflated.

Bleah! It should work (haven't tested it), but its a pain. The good part is that the bulk of the work can be done while you sleep, go out, or whatever.

This will reduce native life down to a few scattered and rare brigands. The down side is that it completely turns eco-damage off, which you may not want.

[Maniac]

Just some quick comments

Unfortunately, a*.SC file permanently stores the current alpha.txt in its memory. This data is also passed on to any *.sav files that come from that scenario.

Hmm. That gives me an idea. What if I save my saved file as a new scenario file? Will that second scenario file then abandon the alphax.txt it has currently in its memory from the original scenario file and replace it with the one currently in the main SMAC directory? It probably won't work, but I'll give it a try before I turn to more drastic matters and restart almost everything except terraforming.

Be absolutely sure that you are happy with the alpha.txt before yoou begin! Implementing any more changes will mean that you will have to start all ove again!

That's strange. I can still change everything in the alphax.txt mid-game, except those annoying basic units, that is.

This will reduce native life down to a few scattered and rare brigands. The down side is that it completely turns eco-damage off, which you may not want.

Indeed. Seen the current ecological problems and since my scenario will start in 2006, ecological disasters will play an important role in the first years of my scenario. I think I'll even lower the number of free minerals by some planet bustering. Good method though!

M@ni@c

[Tokamak]

Did some more testing....

I found out that you can change the alphat.xt in mid-scenario, after all. This makes things MUCH easier.

I just put my scenario in its own folder and placed all the relevant *.txt files in there. Then, you just reload your scenario and re-save it. Works just fine. I was sure that I tried this before. i guess I was just doing something wrong.

A yes, you can convert your .sav files into .SC files by saving them as scenarios. A very useful trick.

[Tokamak]

After my last post, I got to thinking about the native problem some more, and I found a way to turn those pesky mindworms off!

Just go into the alpah.txt and erase every preset unit (remember to change the number at the top to zero). When ever mindworms are supposed to appear, a line of text appears, saying something like "No units, need orders." But no worms show up, and the game runs just fine.

One thing, though. The AI isn't smart enough to auto-design the reset units. If you want the AI to be able to build SCout Patrols, Colony Pods, Terraformers, etc, you will have to enter the design workshop of each faction and design them yourself.