Topic: How to Fix OP D2: Radical Ideas Welcomed

[Cleaven]

Quote:
I believe the biggest problem with OP is D2. Since EAW D2 seems to work well, why don't we mod the ships and weapons from OP into EAW? I know several things won't make it (like the correct disruptor arcs), but it would seem to be easier to use EAW rather than OP if the OP D2 is not going to be fixed (anytime soon at least).

What do you guys think?  

At the moment EAW is easier to use but does have flaws too (like neutral co-op) it's just that the OP problems are greater. If you can reverse this situation by addressing the OP-D2 flaws then OP will be the better D2 game.  

[FireSoul]

Quote:
I believe the biggest problem with OP is D2. Since EAW D2 seems to work well, why don't we mod the ships and weapons from OP into EAW? I know several things won't make it (like the correct disruptor arcs), but it would seem to be easier to use EAW rather than OP if the OP D2 is not going to be fixed (anytime soon at least).

I thought the weapons are hardcoded in the .EXE and thus we can't change them without a hex editor and a lot of know-how.
.. I don't think this is a viable solution.

[jdmckinney]

Diz, I forgot how entertaining you can be. Thanks for the chuckles, regardless of our disagreements. This place would be a lot more boring without you.

[Dizzy]

Quote:
Diz, I forgot how entertaining you can be. Thanks for the chuckles, regardless of our disagreements. This place would be a lot more boring without you.  

I forgot to tell Corbo that after I piss in his soup, it will certainly taste better, believe me.

But, JD... We are in this together. I want the community to hang on till OP gets fixed. Which we both know could be a while.

You and I know it makes no sense to sit and twaddle our thumbs when EAW is sitting there smiing at us. OP will wait. She isnt going anywhere...

 

[FireSoul]

..hrm..

facts:

1- OP is better than EAW.
2- OP's D2 sucks and is broken, so EAW is better than OP for the D2.
3- I want more people to play OP, so I support ideas in this thread.
4- people like Dizzy want more people the play EAW


Dizzy, leave us to our daydreaming, if that's what you want to call it. We want SFC:OP, and we want to be positive about it.. and we have good ideas on how we're going to have it.

-- Luc
A somewhat annoyed FireSoul because someone else couldn't take 'no' for an answer.

[FireSoul]

BTW,

.. I have successfully been able to 'encourage' AI-controlled carriers to use different fighters under OP.

For those with scripting experience, there's a "mSetFighters" function which allows setting the fighters to a different type. If we're going to have scripts which will talk to a SQL server (or soemthing of the sorts), I don't see why we can't make the script do the following:

1- add columns to the AI characters tables (well, for their ships)..
2- save the information of what kind of fighters they should have in there.
3- if an AI ship encountered has fighters, have script connect to Database and load what kind of fighters should be on it.
4- use the OP-only "mSetFighters" function and set the proper number and type of fighters on ship.


If you want an example of AIs with better fighters, try out the OP version of the coopace script. (3.0.1).. nothing stops you from starting a game on your own and play against the AI. (just pump up the probability of a carrier in the customizer). The sources to the coopace have been on my site for a long time.

I've actually toyed with making a better BattleFest for OP using this, but "mSetFighters" seems to be unable to set the fighters on a human-controlled ship.


-- Luc
FireSoul

[NuclearWessels]

Well, given that there are some very talented people who like OP and are willing to invest their time and sweat to improve it, it will get improved.   No one's attempts to tell those folks how they should spend their time on what someone else wants (even you Diz )  really carry much weight, so dinna worry about it.

And cool on the SetFighters Firesoul, I always meant to have a play with that but never got around to it.

dave
   

[FireSoul]

Oh.. you have to experience:
  "12 Hornet IIIs?! AiiiiiiiiiiE!"


-- Luc

[CptCastrin]

Just a FYI guys, continued patch testing is going on for OP. I wish I could give you an ETA but Dave would kill me. The testing includes a newer server kit.

Great topic and I love the show, keep up the great work guys. We will continue to work on geting this patch out the door. (Diz, don't make that bet. )  

[Dizzy]

Quote:
 (Diz, don't make that bet. )  

Fair warning I suppose. I see no reason why you should stop testing. If you really believe that you arnt wasting your time with a broken washing machine and you meet these criteria:

1.) It will work as good or better than the previous washing machine.
2.) There will still be ppl willing to come back and use this washing machine that has shredded their clothes even tho the one they are using now works just fine.
3. That you will get it done before Duke Nukem comes out.

Of course, when it is finally ready I fully expect to over hear the testers and admins saying something like this: http://www.stinsv.com/MOv/St2/xmastree.wav
   

[Sartonius]

How to fix the OP D2:  A VERY radical idea.   ;P

Gather thee together a great collection of programmers and fanatics that have refused to let the D2 die.  With them, combine thy efforts to build thee a NEW GAME of superior design to the SFC2 series based on the lessons learn-ed by thee and thy bretheren.  For thou cannot copyright a look and feel to a game, as the ever-continuing saga of the Tycoons demonstrates.  Create thee a new universe similar to the SFC2 universe but with "parallelled", non-Star Trek species and empires, similar tecknologicks and magicks, and thou shalt call this new game simply "Galaxy At War."  And thus, the same amount of effort that would be required to repair certain inadequacies present in the only known "standalone expansion" can be better expend'd upon a new venture certain to win thee accolades for years to come.


Or, maybe not.  <g>  But still, while I am not advocating piracy or intellectual property theft, (I'm only kidding) the same trouble you would go to might just as well be expended making a new game that implements a new design more to what we might wish the D2 was like.  I know I'd buy it.  

 

[Cleaven]

The only trouble is that each you make a new product it will have the usual level of bugs. By moving on to a new product each time instead of finalising the existing product there is no benchmark, just a pile of potential. It really is a shame that more attention wasn't paid to the D2. I would dispair at the thought of an SFC4 where the Dynaverse still did not work any better than in EAW. And none of them without working SQL functionality.