network node and alien artifact

Lefty Scaevola · July 27, 2001, 13:50

If there any indicator on the a base screen that informs you whether its network node (if any) has already been connected to an artifact?

Sprayber · July 27, 2001, 13:54

In the upper right hand corner of your base screen where all your facilities are listed there should be a (linked with artifact) or maybe just (linked) next to the listing for the network node.

Sprayber · July 27, 2001, 13:58

i just checked. it just says (linked).

Nadexander · July 27, 2001, 14:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
If there any indicator on the a base screen that informs you whether its network node (if any) has already been connected to an artifact?

Also if you use the go to city command when an alien artifact is selected and it will have an "(unlinked node)" next to cities with unlinked nodes.

Lefty Scaevola · July 27, 2001, 17:40

I do not have any "linked" notation by network nodes in my bases facilities list, either with smax w 2.0 patch, or smac with no patch. Would one of my preference settings affect this? I have detailed menus selected. Is there some patch beside the official ones?

Lefty Scaevola · July 27, 2001, 19:30

The go to with atifact works, but I can find any linked in the base screen.

Sprayber · July 28, 2001, 00:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
I do not have any "linked" notation by network nodes in my bases facilities list, either with smax w 2.0 patch, or smac with no patch. Would one of my preference settings affect this? I have detailed menus selected. Is there some patch beside the official ones?

I have all the patches and it should work. Here is where it should be. Anyone else know what the problem could be?

Lefty Scaevola · July 28, 2001, 12:09

MY base screens do not show that. Must be either a game setting or maybe a screen resolution setting. Should not be the latter, since smax is machine with a high resolution 19" monitor. I will try monkying around with some settings. May be some obscure non intuitive setting in the warning preferences.
Thanks guys.

Lefty Scaevola · July 28, 2001, 12:13

One possibility on my samx computor, I have applied the smax patch, which I assumed to coverboth games in the same directory, but not the smac patch (and I do not play smac on this machine). Should I have installed both patches?

RedFred · July 28, 2001, 14:05

No, it totally doesn't matter which patch you have, if any. Both SMAC and SMACX should show "network node (linked)" on the base screen regardless.

Lefty, I have never seen or heard of the problem you are describing.

Ned · July 28, 2001, 14:46

I'm sorry, but I too do not have and have never seen "linked" next to a Network Node in the base screen. I also do not believe this is a settable option from any menu. It rather appears to be differences in the game.

I am running the Alien Crossfire Expansion Pack with the v.2 patch. US. Windows ME.

Ned

Ken Hinds · July 28, 2001, 14:48

I've got SMAC with the 4.0 patch installed (all the nice new event pictures, new landmarks, etc.) but I don't get the "(linked)" indicator in either new games started since the patch was installed or in any of the older ones started under 1.0. Is this feature possibly from a SMAX patch or the original expansion disk install?

I have not installed any of the crossfire patches since I didn't think that I could change from regular AC to Crossfire just by installing a patch file. Does installing the Crossfire patches update the regular game files also even without the expansion pack installed?

Lefty, right now the only way that I know of to tell that you have linked an artifact with the node is to move the artifact to the city and wait one turn before trying to link the artifact. After that you will not get the option to link to the node if the node is already linked. You always seem to get the option upon the initial arrival of the artifact, but then the voice message plays with the pop-up box telling you to take it to an unlinked node.

Ken

Paul · July 28, 2001, 16:11

I also don't get the "linked" behind my nodes in the base screen.

Darius · July 28, 2001, 16:53

It depends on the screen resolution. To test this, I just opened the same turn in 800x600 and 1024x768. With the 800x600 resolution, I got the "linked" indicator. With the 1024x768 resolution, I did not. I suspect it has to do with subtle differences in the screen layouts and font sizes.

Note that if you use the "Video Mode" command in the Alpha.ini file, it will override the resolution you have set for Windows.

Darius

Lefty Scaevola · July 28, 2001, 18:09

That an ass backwards quirk: more resolution you get less info.

Kassiopeia · July 28, 2001, 18:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Darius
It depends on the screen resolution. To test this, I just opened the same turn in 800x600 and 1024x768. With the 800x600 resolution, I got the "linked" indicator. With the 1024x768 resolution, I did not. I suspect it has to do with subtle differences in the screen layouts and font sizes.

Note that if you use the "Video Mode" command in the Alpha.ini file, it will override the resolution you have set for Windows.

Darius

Thanks, I was really puzzled why I don't see it. But I'
m not changing my great resolution for SMAC!

big_canuk · July 29, 2001, 09:32

I have adjusted alpha.ini before, but can't find the help for it again, yet.

What is the help file for it, or alternatively, what is the syntax for the "video-mode" line. Since it fills the screen anyway, it shouldn't make any difference in one's real resoulution, right?

Using 800x600 should just give us more info. I'll be curious to see if anything else changes.

Darius · July 29, 2001, 10:07

Sorry, the name of the file is actually "Alpha Centauri.ini". The syntax is "Video Mode = 1024" or "Video Mode = 800". This sets the resolution for the game, overriding the Windows resolution setting.

If you reduce the resolution to the 800 setting, the result is that you will see a much smaller portion of the map. I find it difficult to play that way, so I use the 1024 setting even though I don't get the "linked" indication.

There are a few other subtle differences in the screen layouts under different resolution settings. I forget exactly what it was now, but when I was new and using the 800 resolution, there was something I couldn't find, but it was there on the 1024 setting.

Darius

big_canuk · July 29, 2001, 10:12

Thanks Darius!

Yes at 800 it would be smaller, but then you could just zoom to get to where you like the resolution anyway, right?

big_canuk · July 29, 2001, 10:31

Ah, you're right. I think I will live with 1024x768

The map can be made right, with XX, but it is a bit smaller 'cause the none map displays at the bottom are bigger.

But I don't like the info screens. For example, you can only see 4 units in a base without scrolling instead of 7 or 8?? with 1024.

Ah well, I'll try the "goto" command, and just remember which bases have been linked.

Thanks anyway.

bc