Topic: SFC IV: Galaxies at War - SFB

[Rod O'neal]

Quote:
Hey - whose rules are whacked!?!?!

 
Po~
   

The SFB rules for these races are really complex and twisted. Web rules, if implemented in their entirety, would probably take as much code as all of SFC. (OK, maybe a slight exaggeration, but not too much of one.) PA panel rules are as bad mathematically especially the order of precedence when draining them. Although they wouldn't require as much graphics. Displacement devices and satships probably wouldn't be to bad.  

[Potemkin]

I have not seen the newest set of rules since they added leakage for disruptors into the Doomsday Rulebook, first version.

I agree that the math is tedious, but not impossible.  It could be worked out in a complex case statement.

Oh, BTW, my first job as a programmer was code maintenance, analysis, and testing on an archaic control system.


Po~  

[Rod O'neal]

Well, you definitely would know better than me. I'm not any kind of a programmer. I'm only guessing because of reading the difficulties that others have using the API to right mission scripts and assume that what we're talking about here would be a lot harder.

When PA panels absorb damage 20%, rounded off, does actual damage to the panels. The rest is absorbed and stored as power in the panel. If a volley of more than 3pts per pa box strikes the panels in a single volley and the panels are at reinforced levels (They have 2 power levels that they can be run at, standard and reinforced.) then a "leak pt." of damage is scored. 1st on hull, if available, then using the DA chart if there's no more hull hits.

If a pa box is destroyed the power that it was holding is transferred to other boxes in the same panel bank if they can hold it. If not, then it goes to an energy module if the ship has one. If no energy module is present then it goes to another set of pa panels on a different bank of the same ship. If there aren't any other panels available to hold the power, either because they are already full or they aren't powered, then the excess power would go to either the batteries of the ship or to the pa panels of a satship, if powered, in it's hanger, at the players option. If none of these options are available then the released power would be applied as damage. You can also shut off a panel bank and follow the same procedure to deal with the released power.

At the end of a turn 10% of the power stored in the panels can be transferred into the ships batteries and 1pt of power per pa box can be dissipated into space if the player so chooses.

Considering that we don't even have proper shield repair in SFC, I just assume that PAs would be really, really hard to get right. I'd love to be totally wrong about this though. I only mention it as a point of discussion, not to be argumentative.  

[Strafer]

Like a lot of things in the present SFCs, some things translate well to realtime, some don't and need adaption.
The PA panels could constantly drain at the 1/10th rate per 30 seconds as you describe in a gradual fashion, much like the charging and discharging of ECM/ECCM/tractor, etc... currently.
It would require an interface for drain mgmt and shunting power from one place to another, but once created it could be used for generic battery management... specially for banks connected to mauler ships.
 

[rmahannah]

I think that IF this happens, it is going to have to be a totally independent effort.  Someone will have to fork over some cash to get the license, copyrights, etc. and start from ground zero.  There are hundreds of independent gaming software companies out there that might be interested in a project like this if it were presented, and promoted properly.  

[Green]

Bonk had created an SFB mod (~100MB in size).  It included Tholians, Andros, and some other races I didn't know existed.  It even came with models that looked like the SFB models.  I played his mod a lot in solo play (skirmish) and thought it was a hoot.

I know it isn't GAW with all of the proper weapons (i.e. web caster), but it was probably the best effort I've seen to get all of the races into the game.

[Potemkin]

Thanks for the update - I remember the transfer and dissappation values being different - like 20% to the batterires, and 2 points per panel.  They have really made it considerably more difficult.  The disruptor leak was just applied using the DAC!

Hope I didn't come across arrogantly about programming.  I don't consider my self the best programmer - but I have learned code maintenance, Systems Analysis, High level design, and detailed design fairly well.  I'm in an ICW shop now - we product CBTs to tourtu - er, teach students.

As you said - it would be a diffucult thing to get the panels to work.  I think it can be done. What I have a hard time fathoming is the Displacement Device.  If you are displacing your own ship, you will usually get to go the direction and distance (up to 12) you desire (unless you roll a '6').  To make this work in SFC, it appears the game would have to halt - while the Andro gets to displace, then it picks up again.

Not the best method for a smooth running game.

Po~  

[Potemkin]

Where's the link???

B'aint no good of telling us of a mod to play with if you just tease us about its goodness and no link!

 
Po~  

[Desty_Nova]

*Sigh* Why must we torture ourselves by bringing this up repeatedly?

It just makes my heart ache more. :P  

[FireSoul]

   

[Potemkin]

Hey - that horse is just asleep!

Po~  

[Sethan]

Quote:
What I have a hard time fathoming is the Displacement Device.  If you are displacing your own ship, you will usually get to go the direction and distance (up to 12) you desire (unless you roll a '6').  To make this work in SFC, it appears the game would have to halt - while the Andro gets to displace, then it picks up again.

Just use the same interface and methodology as is used for transporter bombs - except sometimes the thing goes to a random location.

[Desty_Nova]

Hey folks, to anyone interested in this thread, you might want to go into the modeling forum and check out the thread entitiled "Galaxies at War: The Mod". We're getting together a team to bring this as close to reality as we can.  

[Rod O'neal]

Hey Po~ I didn't take what you said to be the least bit arrogant. I like having discussions about my favorite game/s. I only mention that I can't program a lick so those who can will understand if I'm totally wrong about something.

The disruptor leaks are applied to hull, like other leak pts, unless there aren't any hull hits left. Then you go to the DAC. Sorry if I didn't clarify that.

Like was mentioned by Strafer, maybe in the conversion to realtime something workable could be done.

Desty, We aren't beating ourselves up. We're trying to drive the powers that be here crazy for not giving us the game we want.    

[Desty_Nova]

Good point. Well I'm all for that.

[Potemkin]

 

Quote:
Hey Po~ I didn't take what you said to be the least bit arrogant. I like having discussions about my favorite game/s. I only mention that I can't program a lick so those who can will understand if I'm totally wrong about something.  

Glad to hear that!  I have noticed that the rules have changed  a bitsince I last played (can we say ten years???).  The Doomsday Rulebook that never was...

Quote:
 The disruptor leaks are applied to hull, like other leak pts, unless there aren't any hull hits left. Then you go to the DAC. Sorry if I didn't clarify that.  

That seems vaguely familiar - you may have said it, or my memory may be recovering.

BTW, can anyone scan the Andro pages and send the text my way?

Thanks


Po~  

[Potemkin]

 

Quote:
 Hey folks, to anyone interested in this thread, you might want to go into the modeling forum and check out the thread entitiled "Galaxies at War: The Mod". We're getting together a team to bring this as close to reality as we can.  

What he said!!!

 
Po~  

[NightStalker-SFC3]

There will be a GAW. If SFB can stay in business for this long then the Star Trek computer game genre can too. In fact, there was a new game made Star Trek: Shattered Universe for the Xbox and PS2.
Look here http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/sim/startrekshattereduniverse/index.html
It does not have the depth of SFC, but at least it will keep Trek gaming alive.

Battlestar Galatica is coming back and a game is already on its way. This gives me some hope for Star Trek. If another movie comes out it will most likely be followed by a game too. Also, don't forget about the Star Trek first person shooters. They can keep the demand for Star Trek games alive too. It will only be a matter of time before the people playing the arcade style Trek games will want something more in-depth.

Instead of calling GAW a dead horse why not call it a phoenix. SFC style gaming might be dead right now, but later on it will rise from the ashes like a phoenix.  

[Bonk]

Quote:
Where's the link???

B'aint no good of telling us of a mod to play with if you just tease us about its goodness and no link!

 
Po~  

Here is the info:

 SFB OP Mod '03b - New and Improved!

It is by no means a GAW but my attempt at a synthesis of gman's SFB_OP shiplist and Chris Jones' Ultimate TOS mod for OP (itself based on gmans shiplist). I made as many corrections as I could, enabled PFs and fighters for all the appropriate races, updated the shiplist structure under the allowances of newer patches by consolidating the races, added an andromedan list handed on to me.. it still needs work but I have been busy with a new job and there hasnt been much interest lately. I did test it on a D2 server recently and found some issues that will need addressing if I ever want to run a campaign with it. (monitor issues, a strange allergy to the andros... etc....) I did discover though, that the stock files it restores on uninstall are still good under 2.5.5.2.

I'm still relatively proud of it, but it still needs a lot of work, I do want to get back to it eventually. It got bad ratings on fileplanet - pehaps because the update is not linked there... Once I get a final version done I'll update the one on fileplanet.

Anyway, give it a whirl if you're interested, I had a lot of fun with it playing against my old SFB mates who know what to expect from a more SFB realistic shiplist. (We play direct games on it, hidden race, agree on a bpv, number of ships and here's the critical part - declare any attrition...   ) We'll probably get back to it when I resume work on it.    

[Crimmy]

Bonk...there is a GaW mod being done over in the modeling forum...

I'm sure they would appreciate any clues you have figured out on PF/ fighter distribution or other stuff....

 

Edit:...doh!...I just noticed you already posted over there