New Faction Question

[Chowlett]

I've created a new half-builder, half-offensive faction called the Family of Chiron, based on a sort of strength in numbers agenda, but I have some problems.

Firstly, which switch grants a free base facility on discovery of the appropriate tech, as opposed to just outright? And does it work with SMAC or just SMACX?

Secondly, can anyone out there draw? I've created a logo for my faction, but I can't draw a portrait or bases at all. Anyone who feels they can, get back to me.

[Qilue]

The switch is
FREEFAC, #
where # = the number of the facility they get.

I can't help with the drawing part though.

[Chowlett]

OK, next questions. Why do I get an error when trying to load my faction that the file family is needed and could not be found, and yet the faction actually loads. Could it be something to do with that mysterious .flc file, and if so, how do I make one. Interestly, all that doesn't seem to load is the small line on the faction select screen that tells you the faction title and their description.

Secondly, where can I get an MP3 recorder or wav to MP3 converter?

Lastly, how does this sound (the faction is supposedly founded on a family basis):
+1 GROWTH
+1 MORALE
-2 PROBE
-1 RESEARCH

Starting tech Social Psych
Free Children's Creche on discovery of Ethical Calc

Extra Talent for Every 4 Citizens

Agenda - Democracy, GROWTH
Aversion - Thought Control

By my reckoning, this should make them a fairly formidable contender in pop growth and defensive warfare, providing something for the builder and the momentum player to work with. Maybe the Research hit (due to insular society) should be 2?

Thoughts, comments, suggestions.

[Lord Maxwell]

-1 to research is more than enough. A -2 to both research and probe is a crippling setback.
And +1 to growth isn't that tremendous. Now if you upped that to +2 you would need -2 to research due to the fact that you could pop boom on democracy (or planned) alone, which you currently can't.
It seems balanced to me, but only playtesting will tell. It is damn hard to look at the stats and see if the faction is overpowered. (Just try looking at the various official factions... *smile*)

[Qilue]

Chowlett, about the error loading the faction on the select screen. I think this is similiar to the error I had few days ago after editing alphax.txt and a faction file.

This entry in alphax.txt

#CUSTOMFACTIONS
funggrl, funggrl

must match this line in the faction file

#FUNGGRL

(these are from a modification I made to Cha Dawn)

About the .flc file, just copy the .flc file of the faction similiar to the one your creating. Also, facedit.exe from smacx creates this when you save the faction and add it to the game.

When using FREEFAC/FACILITY/FREEABIL/UNIT, units and abilities numbers start from 0 and facilities start from 1.

[Grigger]

Mouse, what's the difference between FREEFAC and FACILITY? And does FREEFAC only work with SMACX?

[Qilue]

FREEFAC doesn't give the facility until the tech needed for it has been researched.
FACILITY gives the facility from the start.

eg, Svenguard's FREEFAC, 28 gives a Naval yard when he gets DocInit.

Edit: As far as I'm aware, FREEFAC is SMACx only.
[This message has been edited by Mouse (edited February 08, 2000).]

[Chowlett]

Ok, that #CUSTOMFACTIONS line can't be the problem - im only running SMAC v4.0, and there's no such tag. This also means that the Creche will have to be completely free.

Hang on, a thought occurs. Could a FREEFAC which SMAC doesn't understand cause it to throw up it's electronic hands in despair and give an error? Hm, interesting. I'll have to try it.
[This message has been edited by Chowlett (edited February 08, 2000).]

[Chowlett]

OK, got it sorted. Turns out that in the process of renaming the faction, I missed an important line. As for the FREEFAC thing, it don't work in SMAC, but it just ignores it. Have changed it back to FACILITY.

Now, I put in a plea for playtesters - please jump to here...
[This message has been edited by Chowlett (edited February 16, 2000).]