Topic: Modding v534b  (Read 3001 times)

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Offline Reverend

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Modding v534b
« on: August 21, 2004, 02:20:43 am »
Anyone find anything specific in v534b that gives you problems with modding? I read the READ ME about 10 times now, manually copied over everything from DCore and DLoadOut (nine race map additions)CommonSettings, and SinglePayer changes.. even added ships in the shiplist in the Strings file...
game either crashes, or wont load the conquest campaigns....
liked 534b, just one patch, as oppose to v531, two concurrent patches are almost a little too much to ask of someone...

Offline Red_Green

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Re: Modding v534b
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2004, 02:31:09 pm »
Well there is a fullpatch version of 531 which I prefer. Actually have neve benn able to load 534, keeps hanging at 89%. I have heard that 534 has some balance issues. Patches generally fix some things but sometimes create new problems. I don't know why 3 patches were released so close together. 531,534 and 534b all came out within 2 months maybe. 534 changed maybe 8 items. The HET issue was not a problem but a preference and I prefer the HET for the AI in 531. Also 534b actaully reverts tractor mass back to 531. All 534 did is creat more work for people trying to convert there mods over. I don't think its worth it.

In some respects 534 isn't even a patch but its a small mod. I mean changing tractor mass can be done by a modder. When I think of a patch it would be changing problems in that are hard coded.


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Offline Pestalence_XC

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Re: Modding v534b
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2004, 09:52:59 pm »
Well there is a fullpatch version of 531 which I prefer. Actually have neve benn able to load 534, keeps hanging at 89%. I have heard that 534 has some balance issues. Patches generally fix some things but sometimes create new problems. I don't know why 3 patches were released so close together. 531,534 and 534b all came out within 2 months maybe. 534 changed maybe 8 items. The HET issue was not a problem but a preference and I prefer the HET for the AI in 531. Also 534b actaully reverts tractor mass back to 531. All 534 did is creat more work for people trying to convert there mods over. I don't think its worth it.

In some respects 534 isn't even a patch but its a small mod. I mean changing tractor mass can be done by a modder. When I think of a patch it would be changing problems in that are hard coded.

v534_b was released as a patch because the values for several Borg related items as well as some Federation and Klingon systems were incorrect per the v524 and v534_a patch... Also it was done at request of Taldren CEO Kenneth Yeast.. also the v524_b patch included all the Nemisis Add On material which was previously left out.. and finally, all the patches came out close together because Taldren was in process of shutting down, so they got out as much as they possibly could in the time they had left.. and Activision has still yet to complete their part of the agreement on SFC 3 concerning officiating a game patch... which is why all patches are Beta in status...

There should be no problems modding v534_b as several major mods such as GAW and Unity have used v534_b with little incident...

as for getting the patch, you may want to check other mirrors, such as here on the Dynaverse.net, BattleClinic and so forth.. Nightsoft is not as reliable as I would like, however several places have it mirrored.. I think SFC3.net has it mirrored as well..

Hope that this helps
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Offline Victory

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Re: Modding v534b
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2004, 12:36:09 pm »
534b is crap. It caused more bugs than it fixed. The Alternate Universe runs on the 531 build, and it's the most stable server I've played yet. Unity crashes every 10 minutes because of 534, and although AU crashes at times too, it's usually limited to once a day. Sometimes I've gone as long as 2 weeks with out a crash. Can't say that with 534
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Offline Pestalence_XC

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Re: Modding v534b
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2004, 08:47:00 pm »
v534 runs stable in Unmodded form.. did anyone think that the Unity Mod may have been the source of the problems with it crashing???? WT and company liked to set everything high and to have all the weapon spechs (except damage) set across the board.. the game engine was not designed for that, the weapons are suppose to step up in health.. much like the Officers..

anyhow.. v534_b ran stable unmodded fo 3 weeks and 2 days before the server needed to be reset (that is turned off and then back on, not a DB reset)...

the only difference between v531 and v534_b is

30 July 2004

SFC3 Patch version 1.01 Build 534_b

1) Dynaverse - Planet and Base hexes flip normally. Defense Value now changes by 1 per victory or loss.
2) Scimitar now player selectable by default in skirmish and campaign modes.
3) Full Nemisis Add-On material enclosed. Includes nemisis readme file and Nemesis Concept Art which was not contained in any previous game version patches.
4) Borg Armor health too weak in v534 and v534a patch levels. Borg Armor health raised to patch v500 and v531 levels in HullItems.gf.
5) Borg tractor health too low in v534 and v534a patch levels. Borg tractor health raised to v500 and v531 levels in HullItems.gf.
6) Expanded trouble sooting in the SFC 3 Readme v534.rtf file.



8 May 2004

SFC3 Patch version 1.01 Build 534

1) Random and single player missions not being allowed properly (if set) in Hexes with bases and planets or enemies - fixed.
2) After a ship decloaks, it will be auto-targeted but you cannot fire upon it - fixed (no longer auto-targets).
3) If you use the 's' key to accelerate out of a reverse you still manuever at a reduced rate - fixed.
4) Scan mission not working in nebula hexes - fixed.
5) AI attempting High Energy Turns too often - fixed.
6) DefaultLoadout may now be CRC checked when logging on to Dynaverse by placing in validated client files.
7) The amount of damage taken by officers may be attenuated by changing OfficerDamageMod in HullItems.gf, default value is 0.
8) Borg no longer has Anti-Matter Mines available in weapon selection by default per game manual. Anti-Matter mines can be added back to the borg race in the WeaponItems.gf file.
9) Implimented a No CD tweak into the sfc.ini under the [UI] heading called "MakeItSo".


----------------
20 December 2003

SFC3 Patch version 1.01 Build 531
 

1) Officers not recovering from injuries - fixed.
2) Cheat: using universal starbase warp engines in starships giving massive amounts of power - fixed.
3) Large number of starships in base and planetary missions cause lag - reduced number of defense ships but made them larger on average.
4) Klingon disruptors will miss a ship going at warp - fixed.
5) Increased proximity torpedo bonus from 20% to 30%.
6) Crash: Klingon first mission crashes when you attack the uninhabited planet - fixed.
7) Allied AI ships are not in a human fleet at the start of a mission - fixed.
8) Warp core too vulnerable - fixed.
9) Triple shot is not happening enough - fixed
10) Plasma Torpedoes do not hit often enough - fixed
11) Romulan medium and heavy plasma torpedoes fire triple too much - fixed
12) Romulan triple shot never hits with all three - fixed
13) Dynaverse - Lieutenant Commander rank needs t be abbreviated to Lt. Cmdr - fixed.
14) Cinematics Campaign End movies do not play - fixed.
15) Dynaverse - Player can get head start on opponent at start of game - fixed.
16) If two allied races had a successful co-op mission with the same Victory result in a neutral hex, the  result would be a draw - fixed.
17) Pirate's have the same map color has the Federation - fixed.
18) Downgrading your ship, or removing components from it, while the server setting "CanBenefitFromDowngrade=1" is set in
the Economy.gf file causes both your lifetime and current prestige to go up, instead of just your current prestige.
This causes the player to stop being promoted if their lifetime prestige exceeds that needed for the next rank - fixed.
19) Stardate "Freezes" when restarting using a saved game - fixed.
20) Confusing Text "...ship is of a higher class and can't join your fleet" - fixed.
21) Your AI Fleet-Members can Decline you from Joining in a Battle - fixed.
22) Borg Base Fast Cutting Beams Charging at Slow Rate - fixed.
23) Failing a scan or distress call mission in a neutral hex causes the hex to flip to the player anyway - fixed
24) AI does not repair non-weapon systems - fixed.
25) Planets named U.S.S. <insert name here> or IKV <insert name here> etc. - fixed.
26) Neutral planets in empire hex do not turn to Player's Empire - fixed.
27) Ships stop in space sputtering around speed 0  - fixed.
28) Must play missions do not stop the player from moving (mission dragging) - fixed.
29) Scan missions in asteroid hexes having multiple black holes present - fixed.
30) Bonus prestige in missions with more than 2 attacking teams is not being caluclated correctly - fixed.
31) Game instability When Attacking Planets - fixed.
32) After being moved to a "Safe Location" with a Starbase or Planet after a battle you are not able to refit or repair - fixed.
33) Borg Cube loads in with System Damage Every Time - fixed.
34) AI's do not start in tactical fleeted up with humans they are fleeted - fixed.
35) Players frequently get stuck "in battle" when they click "done" - fixed.
36) New .gf setting which allows turning off of Borg regen armor. This is in the Hullitems.gf file at the bottom listed as:

.....[BorgArmor]
.....DoesRegen=1

When this is set to 0, it will essentially turn the Borg into a "normal" race. Their hull will no longer regenerate. Their ships will bank, they will have to pay for repairs and they will have shield glows. This option is for modders who wish to replace the Borg with another race .

37) De-Borgified 4th race no longer gets free hull repair.
38) Switch put in to enable random missions when enemy is present in hex.
39) 60sec max wait time for mission start (up from 40).
40) Enabled the shield glows for de-Borgified 4th race.
41) Banking ships enabled for the de-Borgified Slot.
42) Reduced network traffic, improving the overall multiplayer experience. In particular AI constantly throwing out change of direction messages when no change was made.
43) Added weapon acrs into the game engine for modders to further customize their mods.
44) Extra Taldren made missions added. Surprise Reversed, Monster, and Casino.



Now, with these changes it changes some items in the way people has to mod the game.. as such, I think people were consistantly using the same modding techniques without consideing the effects it made on the game...

Also in v531, the cheat of editing the DefaultCore and joining a server was allowed, which allowed players to create Uber ships and rack up PP in little to no time.. v534 corrected this issue with the DefaultCore being CRC checked...

anyhow.. I hope that this information helps...
"You still don't get it, do you?......That's what he does. That's all he does! You can't stop him! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!"

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Offline Victory

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Re: Modding v534b
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2004, 12:57:52 pm »
Well, ummm.. Actually.. We run 531 and it does check the default core.. Just my 2 cents
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Offline GarrethMacLeod

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Re: Modding v534b
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2005, 09:11:34 pm »
I believe Pestalence was referring to the DefaultLoadout rather than the DefaultCore. 531 did indeed CRC check the core but it didn't CRC check the loadout. This allowed people to modify their loadout. I've seen many ships that did things that they shouldn't have been able to do.
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