Topic: Need help updating shipnames.txt!

[Navigator]

Hello All,

I need help updating the shipnames.txt text file in SFC1. I updated this file using my 15 year old Borland C++ IDE Text Editor. However, now all the ship names end with a hollow square. What text editor should I use to update shipnames.txt and strings.txt (Notepad++ does not work) ?  These files have the NULL Character after every other character.

Thanks,

Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
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Here are some links to pictures of ship names with the hollow square at the end taken from within SFC1:

NCC-C1200 SS Aurora

NCC-3801 USS Ptolemy (Transport/Tug)

NCC-520 USS Siva (Destroyer)

DY-502 SS Woden 2 (Freighter)

DY-102 SS Botany Bay 2 (Freighter)

DY-501 SS Woden 1 (Freighter)

NCC-G145 SS Sherman (Freighter)

NCC-F1313 USS Huron (Freighter)

NCC-3822 USS Newton (Transport/Tug)

NCC-500 USS Saladin (Destroyer)

Space Station K-7

NCC-1371 USS Republic (Heavy Cruiser)

NCC-2100 USS Federation (Dreadnought)

NCC-1701 USS Enterprise (Heavy Cruiser)

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

Have you tried Textpad yet? I have had good luck with it. It's shareware, but I think it has unrestricted uses when you download it.
http://www.textpad.com

Here's a sample that I found in shiplist.txt when I viewed it in Textpad:
It *should* work if you just replace one of the names with one you want. For 520 Siva, typing in "Siva" instead of "Ares" should do it. I can test it out tomorrow in the game.

|F-DD|500 Saladin
||501 Genghis
||503 Alaric
||507 Kublai
||508 Suleiman
||509 Etzel
||510 Tamerlane
||511 Alexander
||513 Ahriman
||514 Rahman
||515 Adad
||516 Hashishiyun
||517 Azrael
||518 Hamilcar
||520 Ares
||521 Pazuzu
||522 Hiawatha
||523 Atilla
||524 Zoroaster
||525 Golda Meir
||526 Brigham Young
||529 Skanderbeg
||531 Daniel Morgan
||532 Lysander
||533 Israel Putnam
||536 R E Lee
||537 Thurmost III
||538 Leonidas
||539 Marius
||541 Nebuchadnezzar


By the way, those models in your game are damn beautiful. Did you make them?

Good luck,
Rob

[Panzergranate]

Where did you find the DY500 model??

I've been after one for ages to use as the ill fated UNSS Courageous to put in a game script scenario.

For those not familiar with the original Rick Sternbeck Space Flight Chronology, the UNSS Courageous was the worst spaceflight disater of the 21st century after a Solar Flare penetrated the magnetic shielding, fused the ship's fuel injectors open and cuased the ship to accelerate out of the Slar System until the Plutonium pellet supply ran out after a few days, by which time the the ship had reached 0.85c (a record velocity for pre-warp ships).

Unable to be rescued, the crew were doomed to die of starvation / lack of life support as the ship was only equiped for planetary spaceflight. It's course, unfortunately, managed to miss all the local stars and it was lost forever into deep space.

MOst of the ships I have already but have always found it a pain that SFC 1 wouldn't allow or just ignored additional shipnames, even if cut and pasted. Didn't figure on using my Borland C++ Compiler. I've experimented with DOS Edit, which allowed new names without screwing up existing names and then ignored them.

The model appears to be the post diisater refit version DY500 so maybe someone has done a pre-disater version of the DY500 compete with Quincaux Fisson Engines??

I still want either version, so wher did you find them??

[Navigator]

Have you tried Textpad yet? I have had good luck with it. It's shareware, but I think it has unrestricted uses when you download it.
http://www.textpad.com

Here's a sample that I found in shiplist.txt when I viewed it in Textpad:
It *should* work if you just replace one of the names with one you want. For 520 Siva, typing in "Siva" instead of "Ares" should do it. I can test it out tomorrow in the game.

By the way, those models in your game are damn beautiful. Did you make them?

Good luck,
Rob

Rob/RIS Mace,

Thanks, I will try Textpad.  No, I did not make those models, most were done by Atrahasis the others were done by GhostFox.

Here are their websites:

Atrahasis The Ark

GhostFox Fleetdock 13


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

[Navigator]

Where did you find the DY500 model??

I've been after one for ages to use as the ill fated UNSS Courageous to put in a game script scenario.

The model appears to be the post diisater refit version DY500 so maybe someone has done a pre-disater version of the DY500 compete with Quincaux Fisson Engines??

I still want either version, so wher did you find them??

Panzergranate,

I found the 2 versions of the Woden Freighter at Atrahasis' "The Ark" Website.  I don't remember where I found the DY-100 Botany Bay Freighter.  I changed the registries from DY-500 to DY-501 SS Woden 1 and to DY-502 SS Woden 2.  Likewise I changed the Botany Bay's registry from DY-100 to DY-102 SS Botany Bay 2.  I too have the Spaceflight Chronology book.  I bought it either at a bookstore or a Star Trek Convension in the early 1980s.

Here is Atrahasis' "The Ark" Website address:

Atrahasis The Ark


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

[Navigator]

I could not use Textpad because it requires Windows 2000 or higher and I am still using Windows 98 Second Edition.  However, another person recommended EditPad Lite which I was able to use and successfully update the shipnames.txt and strings.txt Text Files.

Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

[Panzergranate]

Alas some of Atrahasis's ship links don't work anymore.

However, I have converted about half of his SFC 2 only models to run on SFC 1, including the N6 Heavy Tug.

We run SFC 1 here and if you see something in SFC 2 but not in SFC 1, then E-mail me and ask to see if I've converted it over yet, tried to or have it in the "Conversions in Progress" folder. Some are easy and take mere minutes, other take hours as I have to reattach all the textures and hardpoints.

Perhaps we need an SFC 1 corner or Forum topic just so that those still running it can swap info on models, SFC 2 backwards  conversions, FMSE mission scripts and other SFC 1 relavent data.

I have the SFC 2 Surya converted to SFC 1 and the Texas Class CL (the CLH in SFC 1).

A few modellers still bother to take the extra hastle of creating an SFC 1 version of their SFC 2 and SFC 3 models. Models Please is one of these and has, so far, modelled about 90% of the Jackill's "Ships of the Star Fleet" books range.

I mainly model Klingon warships and support vessels for SFC 1 only, though they will run in SFC 2 without illumination. I generally try to fill in the large holes in the Klingon Navy that SFB and FASA, even when combined, still leave vacant.

I have quite a few FASA ships from SFC 2 converted to SFC 1.

I've also managed to kitbash the FASA Pittsburgh Class heavy assault cruiser.

[atheorhaven]

Hey, if you have a particularly tough one to convert, let me know... I can typically bang through the basic conversion back to SFC 1 in about 30 seconds or so.  After that, it's mostly just a case of deleting illumination maps and trying it in the SFC 1 demo to make sure that it flies. 

My biggest challenge with them has been finding time to do them.. even trying to put a new muffler on my car last night meant that I was starting at 9pm.  :p

[Panzergranate]

I quite enjoy pulling them apart and seeing how they're done, so that I can use the same ideas on my own.

I generally create, either my own designs, from literature or extrapolations of literture designs, the smaller warships and fleet support vessels.

So far, I've posted 19 models on Battleclinic, though I've created more but they're in need of permissions or I'm not that happy with them.

Nobody has created a model of Rich Steinbech's original Baton Rouge design from the Sace Flight Chronoly (1979), but I live in hope!!

However I've had two goes at the Mann Class, though trying to achieve the chrome finish of the hull is a pain. I scanned and used the original diagram detailing from the book on the elipsoid. It looks so "diferent" in game.

At present, to include an "added" ??? ship into a game, skirmish or script, there has to be a token original game object (F-LP) or ship in both leading sides. This is except in multiplayer against AI. where all the opposing ships can be "added" types.

I'm hoping that changing all the ??? shipnames to "something" will perhaps, change this annoying problem.

Any of you had a go at the FMSE script writing software yet?? I find it to be great fun and easy to stretch to what I need it to do.

It's found on Battleclinic.

I'm figuring on issuing scripts with future model postings, custom suited to the model's naval role.

 

[Navigator]

Panzergranate,

Thanks for all of the info.  Yes, I still use FMSE. I have created plenty of them based on TOS episodes, and the Star Trek films.   I just created a 4 part FMSE script called "The Planet Sherman Incident" that I originally created as 1 FMSE script called "The Trouble with Tribbles".  All of my screen shots in my previous post came from this 4 part FMSE script.  That is why I wanted to change the shipnames.txt text file, so that when one of the Federation ships gets destroyed the game will display the correct ship name to the corresponding model ship as having been destoryed.  About 5 or 6 years ago I downloaded Star Trek TV and Film MP3 music files for free from http://trekconnection.com, converted them to WAV files using the free program dbPowerAmp, joined them together using Microsoft Sound Recorder, and renamed them, for example. AMBfed.WAV, for Federation skirmish scripts.  That way the appropriate Star Trek music plays during the skirmish script (the WAV music files also play in Multi-Player Mode and in Campaign Mode).


atheorhaven,

Great hearing from you.  In the past I have asked you to convert SFC2 or SFC3 models to SFC1, which you graciously did and quickly.


Thanks again,

Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
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[Panzergranate]

SFC 2 and SFC 3 didn't hit the gamiing shops, here in the UK, well not in the Poole or Bournemouth area, as I've looked and asked.

As an old SFB veteran, SFC 1 games takes the setting up and packing away hastle out of gaming, not to mention the paperwork involved in a game. I have an idetic memory, which means that I can remember phone numbers, wargames rules, tables, details, so often end up being the player / umpire. This makes it hard for me to concentrate on the game, etc. and then there is the "Rules Lawyers", you know the type, who play the rules rather than in the spirit of the game.

And then there is the "Rookie Training Programme", which slows up the game no end.

However, SFC 1 LAN games take all this away!! Rules Lawyers HAVE to play the game's rules as they can't argue the toss, quibble, dispute, etc. with a computer. There in no setting up or packing away hastle. There is no physical kitbashing of Micromachine models (pauses to drown out collector's screams!!) or trying to track doen the original little SKYTREX models that I don't have yet. Actually kitbashing and creating a model from scratch, is a hell of a lot easier in SFC than having to make a pattern, cast it in Glue Gun Stick or Whitemetal.

Above all, though, we play a dozen or so campaign battles in one afternoon, sometimes, rather than all afternoon to play one SFB large campaign battle. Needless to say, we run bigger and longer campaigns that involve hundreds of ships in hundreds of battles.

The big disapointment is that SFC 3 wasn't SFC in 3D map settings so that weapons firing arcs, dogfight tactics, formations and other possibilties we'ren't tried out.

SFC 1 = STB Volume.III.

SFC 2 = SFB Nexus and Captain's Log updates.

SFC 3 = ADB's new Star Trek combat game. Doesn't use a hex map system.

FMSE is very good, has annoying limitations, but is adequate for setting up campaign battle scenarios.

Perhaps we need a SFC 1 post just to swap and sort out SFC 1 problems, those of us that don't have any choice but to run it.

I have Armarda, Legacy and Bridge Commander here too, but they just don't compare to SFC 1 one in potential.

[Navigator]

^
Panzergranate,

Thanks again for all of the additional info in your post immediately above this one.  Your right FMSE is limited, but I have not had any problems using FMSE to create skirmish scripts for SFC1.

Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

[Panzergranate]

FMSE is still good for creating huge LAN battles and allows you to select F type AI ships and objects, from the shiplist, to now be selected. This was something that could never be done normally in skirmish or multiplayer modes.

It also allows  select more than the stock 64 F, FF. CL, CA and DN limit that the SFC game normally limits you to have available in a shiplist.

I normally used to XX out ships in the shiplist, just to keep it in the 64 count limit when setting up LAN campaign battles using multiplayer in game.

I use FMSE now and can set up numerous maps days before we all meet, as can the others involved.

FMSE rocks for sure!!

[Kid Carrson]

This is a great thread.  I've just start going back to SFC 1 and SFC 2 because of FMSE.

Question:  how do you get the FMSE to set scripts to work for multiplayer in SFC1?  I'm dieing to set up some nice MP lan battle parties.  When we try it by clicking the multiplayer box, it will only allow 1 player and the rest AI.  Do you have any idea what I'm probably doing wrong?

Thanks.

KC

[Panzergranate]

You just click in the Multiplayer box, so it doesn't set up for Skirmish.

Set number of players allowed to something between 1 and 6.

If you select all the 6 x ships maximum you can have for the player side, from the listed race ships, and you MUST have something stock on the side (even a LP!!), all the human players will have thses ships.

You can have more than 64 ships per class heading AND they do not have to be prefixed F, FF, CL, CA or DN. I used to blank out some ships in my shiplist with XX to keep with in the SFC 1 64 shiplist limit. FMSE even lists the XX blanked out ships!!

FMSE also lists the X- ships at the top under all races.

These do not have models though KLingon Fanatic does the K-FOL.

These X- ships, under all races, are troop ships, freighters, ore carriers, etc. If yu have the SFB Volume.III. rules these are all listed at the last page under all races / civian ships.

I'm still exploring the possibilities of FMSE but one this is that SFB nasty weapons such as Kzinti Drone Mines (it tractors and Drones you. Shooting it is not a good idea as it has a large explosion rating!!), Orion Snare Mine (holds a freighter in place ready for capture!!), etc. which were a bit pointless in the original multiplayer SFC, but now FMSE allows these type weapons to be sneakily deployed on a map.... and they don't put out "give away rings" either, which makes them difficult to spot until your ship is on top of one!!

FMSE has opened up a whole load of possibilities in SFC 1 and SFC 2 for various other SFB deployed weapons, etc.

Well done Eagle Soft!!

[Kid Carrson]

Many thanks P!  I'm looking forward to trying it out.

KC

[Panzergranate]

On the Kzinti Drone Mine in SFC 1.... the thing happily fires off Drones at unfortunates that come near it in tests (caught my son out a treat in a test scenario!!), but for some reason it won't tractor anything!!

I haven't had the time to play around with it but I might try changing the AI rules of engagement to "capture" in FMSE and see what happens.

Current settings are Bridge =1, APR = 6, Tractor = 1, Armour =20, Sensors =1, Scanners = 1, Movecost = 2, Turn Mode = H, Size Class = 6, Explosion Value = 250 with
armament 1 x Drone A with 1 reload.

[Kid Carrson]

P:

I tried to run a Multiplayer FMSE mission in SFC1 today, but ran into this problem:  whenever the non-host player goes to Red Alert, his ship suddenly blows up!  For the host player, it says the other player has left the session. 

Any thoughts?

KC

[Panzergranate]

I've had this problem too.

Instant mission end seconds after going to red alert.

Causes so far discovered are:

Enemy ships deployed in expansion space of planet (Moons +1 square radius, Earth / Mars = +2 squares radius, Jupiter / Saturn = +3 square radius).

Star or Planet expansion space exceeds map edge (usually results in a game crash!!)

No enemy AI team is set to be "at war" with the human player side(s).

Leading enemy AI player team has no stock ships or items as at least one member of the team. (I use a Listening Post if using all non-stock ships and bases). Other AI enemy teams as only the leading team needs this.

My main problem is sometimes making ships move towards their objective when not at war, such as freighters.

I manage to make a whloe Kzinti war fleet happily move to a planet, under AI, troop transports, fighters et all, but can't make Federation or Klingon freighters do the same unless I put a lone Listen Post or object at the objective and tell them to be at war with it. If multiple side then only ONE AU opponent needs to have a stock ship or item, like a LP or X-XMN.

Actually this works out as a good scenario ender, if the only stock item, on the enemy team(s), is the LP, as the freighters successfully reaching the objective unharmed and destroying the LP would end the game.

Take a FMSE escort scenario involving protecting allied AI freighters from non-stock enemy attackers.

Put a neutral LP or X-XMN at the objective planet or map edge.

Set the freighters to be "hostile" to all but the LP or X-XMN, with with which they are all set to be "at war" with.

The freighters will move to the objective and will return fire on the attackers, but not break off to attack the enemy, which was always a pain in SFC Multiplayer.

You set the attackers to be "hostile" to you and "at war" with the freighters.

This is how I generally set upconvoy escort missions with either the freighters reaching the map edge to complete the mission (FMSE doesn't do the "Warping out" part yet) or arriving next to a planet or station. In both cases the freighters quickly kill the only stock item on the opposing sides and thus end the game.

I'll set a basic one up and you can see how it works.