Aldebaran Public Release

Avenoct · September 4, 2001, 00:15

Aldebaran has a home! I've finished the muckety-muck of cleaning up some of the text, and have given it a website here:

http://www.geocities.com/alde_baron/

[News: 9/15/01: Am working on some 'stand-alone' scenarios which require no installation at all to play, thanks to the scenario mechanism. Instead a person can play the scenario which then automatically loads the Aldebaran textfiles that it needs from it's folder.]

[Edit: 9/13/01: The networknode (www.networknode.org) is now mirroring the downloads if any have trouble getting them past the Yahoo Police. Also, SITS has started work on the tech voice-overs and you can find a sampling about dolphins on the webpage.]

[Edit: 9/12/01: A bug got squashed and everything appears to be

at this point. Following on this thread is an earlier discussion of what was working, what wasn't , general web and bug fixes, etc.. I'm fairly confident that all is well now.

]

[For the old thread which traces some of the development: Aldebaran Beta Work Thread ]

The game Aldebaran owes it's completion to the Beta team: Kassiopeia (storyline, blurbs), Cybergod (graphics), and Velocyrix, Blake, and Tokamak (playtesting). This is our project, I hope you like it!

Some things to know about Aldebaran:

Aldebaran is a 'patch' of sorts that creates what is basically a whole new game from the shell of SMAC.

Aldebaran can be easily changed back into SMAC and vice-versa. It just takes moving some files around.

There are Novice and Veteran versions of the game, reflecting the need for higher challenges in the SMAC community.

Some features of Aldebaran:

All new techtree, factions, and faction graphics. The majority of the work was done in these areas.

Additional units such as a Super-Carrier for air-power at sea, several new 'native' type lifeforms, and several levels of Chopper.

Enhanced combat system that improves artillery and takes altitude between units into effect, among other things.

A (partial) Comparison of Aldebaran vs. original SMAC:

Aldebaran can be more difficult (and that's a good thing!), especially because it uses 'AI' versions of each faction, which are high-powered versions of the player factions.

The Aldebaran tech-tree is very different than SMAC. For one thing, there are two separate weapons branches reflecting 'conventional' weapons that are powerful and easy to research, and 'psi-based' or mental weapons that are more expensive initially, but are cheaper to manufacture in your units.

Seapower and sea-terraforming are enhanced in Aldebaran, making naval campaigns and aquatic empires more viable.

Aldebaran Social Engineering is based on these categories: Propaganda, Economics, Industrial Protocols, and Industrial Focus.

I could ramble on forever about the project, but hey, that's what the other Aldebaran Thread is for. This much I will say: 1. Thank you everyone! and 2. Don't worry, I'm still quite interested in improving things. So if you have comments, post them here or email me at alde_baron@yahoo.com

Happy Landing Chironians,

Smack

Cybergod · September 4, 2001, 14:15

Finally! Just when I thought of emailling to see what the f@@@ is happening to the mod, he posts it in a seperate thread!

mark13 · September 4, 2001, 17:36

Fantastic! Will get to it right away, honest guv

mark13 · September 4, 2001, 18:10

**SIRENS WAIL***

Problem - having downloaded the full version, it doesn't let me unzip it, stating:

"Cannot open file - it does not appear to be a valid archive."

Any idea why?

Avenoct · September 4, 2001, 19:08

[Edit: Apparently this isn't really a problem, but I'm working to make the downloads as clean as possible.]

That sounds like a major problem Mark13! I don't have any problem using this format (MacZip) with my MP games, so I'm guessing Windoze doesn't like the fact that the files are contained in folders. Anyone have any ideas? I'll try working from a PC platform at the neighborhood university and correct this somehow immediately.

-Smack

Scipio Centaurus · September 4, 2001, 21:49

WinZip opened the full veteran download file on my PC OK - folders and all. I downloaded the file several hours ago - before mark13 posted.

The README has no extension, though. Tried a TXT extension, but the file has some formatting that makes it difficult to read. Tried a DOC extension and after clicking past several warning dialogs about some missing DOS conversion utility (can't remember the exact name) it finally opened up in a readable format. Must be something to do with going from MAC to PC.

Pheww! I'm pertty tired from all that computing work... Think I'll go home now...

- Scipio

PS. Smack, either you or mark13 needs to change avatars. I almost lost track of who was saying what.

PPS. Has anybody had any luck shocking that monkey that runs back and forth across the top of the Apolyton webpages? I never can nail that thing.

TeknoMerc · September 5, 2001, 10:25

you described that the AI was tougher for this MOD. could you describe exactly how? please refer to changes in alphax.txt and/or factions files, so I can refer to them please.

thanks,

mark13 · September 5, 2001, 10:37

Update - downloaded it a second time, and it works perfectly. Must just have been a faulty download for whatever reason

Anyway, have played my first game to 2352 on the HMoA, and things are looking good. Am playing as the Universality....an am very impressed. Decided to start out on thinker level, and what I've seen of the AI so far isn't too promising....still, I'll see how it copes in the mid-game.

Had the same problem as Scipio with the readme file, though read it in .txt format in the end, as .doc wouldn't work at all

BTW - Scipio, I've shocked the monkey a few times. Haven't managed to win the $20 yet though, strangely

Avenoct · September 5, 2001, 12:09

Teknomerc,

I'll post a list of all the changes to alphatext and the system of AI superfactions on the website this weekend. Its a LONG list.

Also, I'll fix the Readme file to be PC friendly.

Did anyone get an extra folder in the downloads called 'Extrastuff.mac'? I did when I tried from my school system. I'll also fix that if I can.

-Smack

TeknoMerc · September 5, 2001, 12:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Smack
[snip]
Did anyone get an extra folder in the downloads called 'Extrastuff.mac'? I did when I tried from my school system. I'll also fix that if I can.
-Smack

yep, I got the "Extrastuff" folder.

looking forward to seeing your list. I'm trying to work on mine for the Torture Mod thread too.

Blake · September 5, 2001, 20:39

The files in the xtrastuf.mac seem to be really weird, containing short snippits from different txt files, random garbage and even snippits from unrelated files (Does SMAC mention shockwave anywhere?!

)

This is NOT a fault of windows zip utilities, (why? the same problem happens in UNIX zip utilities when extracting the zip file, if anything, Unix probably has it right....). AFAIK, the xtrastuf is simply random garbage which confuses people and serves no function, on either Windows or Mac machines.

Smack: I strongly suggest using a different zip utility - indeed the problem could be restricted to the one zip utility you are using, and not a mac / windows thing in general. Either get a new zip utility for your mac (I have no idea how easy or hard that may be... but zip utilities are a dime a dozen for windows machines) or use a different machine.

Avenoct · September 6, 2001, 00:21

Agreed. I'll clean this up shortly. For now, just dump the Xtrastuff.mac folder. I'm not getting to the web additions till the weekend probably, but as far as I know, everything does work (if it's ugly

).

-Smack

mark13 · September 6, 2001, 09:18

Sorry to bother you again, but....

Whenever I discover/trade/acquire the technology "Weak Fields" I get a terran.exe crash. Any idea why?

Cybergod · September 6, 2001, 13:40

Me too, but only when I discover Practical Genetics (or was it Eugenics

)...

Avenoct · September 6, 2001, 20:38

I wish that I did. How unfortunate!

I will fix this somehow!

So, two different techs produce the same crash, yet, no crashes occurred in playtesting...hrm.

I'll theorize three possibilities:

1. That the app (SMAC) called the tech (tech, techshorts, techlong, blurbs) and one of those had been bungled either in the download, the zip, or before it got zipped (went to press).

2. That terran.exe calls the window for tech-display slightly differently than on the mac and that it has nowhere to go when you have 9+ techs to choose from. On the mac, 8 or 10 can be displayed, as names only in this case.

3. You're kidding.

[Edit: Turned out to be #1 and the blurbs.txt and techlongs.txt had improper word-wrapping. The engine is very touchy on this. So, it's now fixed!]

As I said, I'll fix it, somehow. I only wish I had a PC version of SMAC to run at school.

-Smack

mark13 · September 7, 2001, 11:07

Smack,

The theory I find most probable is theory #1. It is before the tech actually shows up that I get the terran.exe (i.e. I sent a probe in, it notified me that I had stolen Weak fields and then I got the terran.exe.

And I can certainly verify that #3 isn't the case.

As I say, it's only this specific tech that does it. I've had it done in two seperate games now, multiple times....so there's nothing wrong with the .sav file.

SITS · September 7, 2001, 16:02

Not sure if I'm doing something silly but on the PC version of SMAC I cannot find the Load Faction button as described in the README. I'm starting a new game, playing transcend, standard rules and when I try and select a faction there are three buttons at the bottom - Other - OK - Cancel. 'Other' allows me to change the name, gender etc but I can't see how to change the faction from AI to Human. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers!

mark13 · September 7, 2001, 16:59

Nope - you're not doing anything silly. This will apply to all PC users who have also installed Alien Crossfire.

As you have noticed, for some reason, Firaxis have taken the 'load' button from the bottom of the SMAC loading screen. All you need to do to get around this is go into the alpha.txt (Aldebaran version) - near the bottom there will be a list of factions that read:

Code:

#FACTIONS
PLANETLOVERAI,   PLANETLOVERAI
SYNDICATAI,     SYNDICATAI
UNIVERSALAI,     UNIVERSALAI
AQUATICAI,   AQUATICAI
OUTLAWAI, OUTLAWAI
GALACTICAI,  GALACTICAI
PEACENIKAI,    PEACENIKAI

Quite simply, all you have to do is remove the 'AI' from the end of the faction(s) you want to play. So, for example, if you wanted to play the Peaceniks, you would change the above lines to:

Code:

#FACTIONS
PLANETLOVERAI,   PLANETLOVERAI
SYNDICATAI,     SYNDICATAI
UNIVERSALAI,     UNIVERSALAI
AQUATICAI,   AQUATICAI
OUTLAWAI, OUTLAWAI
GALACTICAI,  GALACTICAI
PEACENIK,    PEACENIK

That's all there is to it

SITS · September 7, 2001, 17:05

Cheers Mark!

Scipio Centaurus · September 7, 2001, 17:19

For PC users trying to make sense of the readme, try it with an RTF (rich text format) file extension. That one opens properly in MS Word - for me anyway.

Should I wait for Aldebaran v2.1 patch for a test run?

- Scipio

PS. Smack, didn't you and Kassieopia (SP) add a bunch of online help text for the techs after the beta testing was completed? If so that's the logical place to look for new bugs.

Avenoct · September 8, 2001, 00:01

Machu Miki! What a PIA!

You mean there's no way to load factions into SMAX via the game interface? Egad, that's just silly.

[Edit: Patch is done!]
I WILL fix the README and the tech-crash, I feel they are probably due to the late-additions to the game. It's kinda tough as a game designer because you want to work on the mechanics and test them in a loop, then add the fluff later, but really, testing shouldn't happen untill everything is done. Anyways, since this problem (the tech-crash bug) didn't exist before I added some monstrously long (and possibly word-wrapped incorrectly) tech-longs, it won't be hard to fix.

Scipio et al, the 'patch' for this will simply be a new version of the 'techlongs.txt' which I'll post to the website in addition to fixing all the regular download packages. So it'll be very easy to download this later if you'd like to get a feel for the game up to one of the crash techs.

I hope to erase this post with the news that I've fixed it within the next 24 hours. If anyone will be around to do some spot testing for the PC version, give me an email.

-Smack

Scipio Centaurus · September 8, 2001, 01:49

Started the first Aldebaran scenario on transcend difficulty with the Syndicate. I play Morgans on transcend a lot and this felt easier to me. I seemed to make more ec quicker; I never had any drone problems; and I could send military units outside my territorial boundaries with impunity on the Lasseiz-Faire setting. In other words, if you can avoid hostile neighbors while you get your crawlers in place, you should be able to win in a walk with the Syndicate - unless you've altered the characteristics of crawlers? Mindworms were the only serious nuisance. They seemed a bit more potent than AC MWs?

Some minor issues and questions;

I had to add SC (.sc) extensions to the scenario downloads in order for the PC's SMAC scenario interface to list them.

There were some minor discrepancies in the online faction help file for the Syndicate. The help file said the faction leader was to be named later, but the scenario load did list Matsamura specifically. Also, I read Kassiopiea's novelization of the trip to Aldebaran and many of those familiar names didn't seem to make it into the actual scenarios. For example, wasn't there a Lord Brighton leading the Gaian refugees? Where did Lucky Lindy come from? Actually I didn't completely finish the novella, so maybe I should reserve comment until I read the whole thing.

I had immediate infiltration on all land-based factions. Is that a perk for the Syndicate? Couldn't find mention of it in the faction help. BTW, that makes the Syndicate an excellent 'observation' faction for watching how the AI comports itself. For example, I noticed that the AI loves to gang research SPs. One faction had 4 bases working on the The Greatest Game SP.

As soon as the Galactics planted their second base (Chu), I could see it even though it was half way around the world. Couldn't see any other bases till I reconnoitered them. Was that a bug or appropriate behaviour?

There is a landmark "Ise" or "lse" in the middle of the harbor just offsore of the syndicate HQ. Doesn't look right.

The game crashed only one time when I was navigating hyperlinks. When I picked up the tech that allows the SE setting of Intolerance I got a terran.exe crash when I clicked on the "Intolerance" hyperlink in the tech display screen. I successfully navigated many other hyperlinks from tech displays during game play, so that was a bit out of the ordinary.

About 100 years in, I encountered Zak and he offered me Weak Fields tech for 175 ec. When I accepted the deal the game crashed (terran.exe) as it displayed the confirmation dialog. I did notice that in the middle of Zak's sentence he mentioned "Weak Fields (C4)". The parenthetical reference to C4 is out of place in that context - IIRC. You might want to search through files to find out where that reference originates and then see how other, well behaved techs are formatted. Maybe there are missing commas after some of the tech names? Or maybe the dialog parser just can't tolerate special symbols like semi-colons and parentheses? That extraneous reference may be throwing off the terran.exe engine somehow.

And last but not least... The Huge Gnome Project? There is no adequate punishment for that one, I'm afraid!

- Scipio

Avenoct · September 8, 2001, 03:02

Tech-bug is fixed. See the webpage for a corrected downloads or a patch. Also, I believe the README is fixed and updated.

BTW, the problem was a word-wrap problem in both the files 'techlongs.txt' and 'blurbs.txt'. I've tried every tech now and they all work for both quotes.

Scipio,

Apologies for the inconsistencies with the names of faction leaders, etc.. There are a few more characters to introduce into the story and I'm waiting till Kass comes up with names he likes before I pan-update the leader names.

'Ise' is there intentionally

.

There are many things left to do to 'finish'. Here's a little snippet of things going on currently:
Cybergod is getting ready to make all-new base icons for several factions, as well as the characters and factions that appear in later scenarios.
I'm working on tightening up the scenarios...I like them now, but they could definately use a few things.
Kassiopeia has updated the webpage for the story and is working on some ideas for Part 3.
I still need proper desicriptions for SP's, facilites, and several techs (you'll notice gaps/inconsistencies there).
Getting ready to mirror the downloads at the Network Node.
and on and on!

It sounds like you have an eye for detail...want a job?

As to the Syndicate..you were playing with the 'Syndicate' and not 'Syndicateai', correct? They are an interesting faction. Notice anything special about their industry and rush-building?

The patch (for those who've already downloaded) and the corrected packages are on the website. Aldebaran, the finicky

-Smack

SITS · September 8, 2001, 07:06

I like what I've seen so far! One minor thing - I'm playing the Outlaws and the base size indicator is a black square. Is this a problem with the mod or my settings?

I'm amazed with the amount of work that has gone into this. Wow!

Just wondering - are there plans to do the voiceovers? If so, or not, I would be interested in helping. I can also get a female friend to help out too. Let me know...

Cybergod · September 8, 2001, 08:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Smack
Cybergod is getting ready to make all-new base icons for several factions, as well as the characters and factions that appear in later scenarios.

I am? Why wasn't I informed

?

OK, I am rewamping the images but I didn't know that I have to rewamp the scenarios too!?

Smakc, I rather like SITS' suggestion, but there is one porblem with that - long downloads. I wonder how long would it take to download all the voices - since sound files takeup sooo much space.

Scipio Centaurus · September 8, 2001, 11:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Smack
It sounds like you have an eye for detail...want a job?

Actually I sorta enjoy being on the consumer end of things. But if you have something simple that keeps the mystery of playtesting, that would be fine. Perhaps writing and/or editing text for those techs and SPs and whatnot.

Quote:

As to the Syndicate..you were playing with the 'Syndicate' and not 'Syndicateai', correct? They are an interesting faction. Notice anything special about their industry and rush-building?

Yea, I was using the player version of the faction. The other factions were all AI on steroid factions.

You never confirmed whether the auto infiltration was a bug or not? I'ld hate to spin my wheels if that's not supposed to have happened. If it is right, that's a powerful bonus - and one that should be mentioned in the datalinks. Also, there was no Syndicate infiltration of the Nauticons, but I suppose that could be intentional?

Didn't really notice anything dramatic about the industry and rush-building. My rush-build technique may not be appropriate for catching that particular bonus, though. I'll mix it up a bit and see what happens. If it's a simple percentage bonus, it may not be easy to 'notice' its effect in a single game without comparison to known factions.

I forgot to mention that most factions did seem to be focused in on former, CP and infrastructure production in the early years - their production queues (F4) looked a lot like mine - for better or worse(?!) Also, some of the AI factions pulled off ICS quite nicely. The only 'questionable' tactic I saw the AI employ, was the assignment of multiple bases (up to 4 bases in one case) to development of the same SP.

The Galactics and Peaceniks went into GA early and often.

- Scipio

Avenoct · September 8, 2001, 12:24

Scipio, thanks for the detailed post...most helpful....

[Edit: I think I realized what happened. Try playing the scenarios as the Planetlovers only. The Syndicate IS infiltrated into other factions in many of the scenarios. As to seeing part of the map..it's a common scenario bug, but I felt it made things a bit interesting so didn't bother trying to change it.]

Auto-infiltration? What auto-infiltration bug? I wasn't aware that outside a scenario any faction started with infiltration. That sounds quite odd. The Universality has 'Techshare, 3', and that's as close as it gets. I've played a couple testgames and don't get this happenning. If anyone else gets this, let me know.

As to helping out, I'd love to finish off the SP and facilities descriptions. I was going to swap-in to their section of 'blurbs.txt' some of the place-holder quotes from the techlongs as I developed proper techlongs. So if you have an inspiration as to what an SP, facility, or tech is really all about, make some notes and email them this way.

Quote:

....their production queues (F4) looked a lot like mine - for better or worse(?!)

**Dr. Frankenstein grins evilly** "It's ALIVE"

I wish I could have the AI learn directly from the player but alas, it had to learn from Vel, Blake, and Smack. It was a stubborn student.

Quote:

I am? Why wasn't I informed? -Cybergod

Misunderstanding...I'll update the scenarios, I just meant the faction-graphics for the scenarios.

SITS, I decided that, as annoying as it can be, the all-black for the Outlaws means that in an MP game you have the advantage that unless you are infiltrated, noone can see how big your bases are, or what any of your units are doing (hold, patrol, on-alert, etc.). As to the voice-overs, that'd be great to work on as the storyline gets finished. I'm definately interested in hearing what you have to say.

Mr. President brought to my attention the known helptext bug. I should explain that all help is available, but that the two buttons on the general in-game help screen crash badly. As I mention in the README, the buttons are 'technology' and 'all categories'. The way to access the tech-tree help is by using the F-2 screen from the game. From there, you may look at any tech and it's prerequisites and lead-ins.

One final note: The unit 'field agent' was supposed to be further back in the tree. I use this unit to represent either the media to watch battles, or as a killable leader for special scenarios. Anyways, it's been moved back to Structural Frontiers in the alphatext so you can either do that manually or reload the textfiles from the web.

-Smack

SITS · September 8, 2001, 13:54

Smack - Makes sense about the Outlaws but I suspect as the game progresses like you said all they will have to is infiltration which will mean it is more of a chore than of help.

Let me know about the voiceovers. I have a fast connection so uploading them won't be much of a problem and if it is made as an option then people can decide or not whether to download them. I had a quick look at the files - how do know which file links up to each tech etc? It would be great if there was a way to point the program to look for completely different sound files to make it easy for it to be reinstalled....

Avenoct · September 8, 2001, 15:11

SITS,

Yes, it would be great if you could choose which files to use when running a game, but they are called by the game engine itself. Nonetheless, at least we can change the content of the files.

I've compacted the website and have 10 or so megs free if you'd like to start experimenting with the voice-overs. We could simply replace a few as we go along. I'll look into finding the pattern for soundfiles->techs.

I'm about to post a technical comparison list to the website. Expect it later today.

-Smack

Scipio Centaurus · September 8, 2001, 15:30

Are there any specific objectives for the various scenarios?