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I think rejigging the names for the 3 part is the best way to go to be honest.
Right, I'll post some stuff regarding the components mights shortly.
Are we going with the generating new component types for each of the metals or are we going with designing individual components ourselves?
I thought the plan was design a number of generic components and allow the player to upgrade these depending on the construction material (which I'm happy enough with). There may be some components that we design ourselves at a later date, but for now, these are fine. Perhaps flag components as to whether or not they can be upgraded?
Well, that was gay - VBF ate my post.
It said -
Right, I'm going home. I shall be available on my mobile if you wish to contact me for any reason other than that I doubt I'll have tim eto post here until about sunday.
If you can, keep Sunday evening free for some drinks and paperwork on Sentience - we really need to get some done....
I'm busy Sunday afternoon. it's not impossible it might go on until the evening. I'll let you know.
Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
Its cheesy, chliched and clumsy. I love it :p
I don't really follow how the ship would have different personas - I can see a ships computer being a sort of übermind, but I don't grasp its latent schizophrenia. No matter - a single minded entity is still going to offer help.
The ship wouldn't really. It would simply project the personas, each one being a member of the original team who planned the mission. The ship would be a single highly intelligent non-sentient entity embodying the sentient beta simulations of the mission planners.
Rather than assume the ship stayed in orbit as an observer, we can assume that it was limited by its programming - since it was never able to transwarp, it had no option but to remain immobile, but is psuedo-sentience enough to witness the planetary goings-on and perhaps act in certain small ways.
The ship is sentient in a limited fashion. It would be turing compliant certainly - I think therefore I am etc. Also the ships self repair would eventually get the drives back online, but if it did that and buggered off that would be boring. The drives would have to be active or there would be little point in the factions having the ship - it would simply be a large inert mass in the heavens
Re: orbital bombardment. We assume the ship (we've got to give it a name soon too if we go with this idea...) has a certain number of warheads, and the tech can allow a faction to take control of the weapon systems of the ship. The faction targets an enemy command centre, and the bombs scatter randomly around this area - we can weight the "randomness" so that a bomb never hits the command centre itself. This would represent a bombing raid quite accurately?
A ship of such power and technology is unlikely to miss, but it would be hard coded (or the arbiter would retain enough control of the guns) not to shoot at the colony hubs. But yeah, we can go with cluster bomb effects certainly.
In the early stages (even the late ones) you're unlikely to be able to hack into something as advanced as the ships governing systems.Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
early tech - hack into the ship's computer's comm's database and steal the phonenumbers for the other factions...d'oh!
As far as espionage goes the ships arbiter would run rings around the fledgling factions.
However, it could be gifted as an early tech certainly, or given after a set number of turns...
In fact, if all comms is going through the ship then it may be possible for one faction to contact another and the other not be able to initiate comms (though they would be able to reply).
SenMsg has a title and body section.Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
perhaps update SenMsg to include a "transmission recieved from:..." parameter?
The title would simply read "Message from: Flidmire - Have you any potatoes"
No, you misunderstand me, the ship is not incapable of movement, it is incapable of the movement it was programmed to perform (the malfunctioning of the transwarp coils caused "the awakening" event). Thus, the ship is unable to return to its home planet millions of light years away. It still has sufficient propulsion methods to make it a worthwhile prize, it just isn't able to go home.
I really like the idea of all planetary communications going through the mothership - how does this affect infiltration?Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
In the early stages (even the late ones) you're unlikely to be able to hack into something as advanced as the ships governing systems.
As far as espionage goes the ships arbiter would run rings around the fledgling factions.
However, it could be gifted as an early tech certainly, or given after a set number of turns...
In fact, if all comms is going through the ship then it may be possible for one faction to contact another and the other not be able to initiate comms (though they would be able to reply).
I did understand you but by the time the factions get into space they already have sub light propulsion. The ship (if only capable of sub light) would merely be a token prize. It needs to retain its faster than light / lighthugging travel.Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
No, you misunderstand me, the ship is not incapable of movement, it is incapable of the movement it was programmed to perform (the malfunctioning of the transwarp coils caused "the awakening" event). Thus, the ship is unable to return to its home planet millions of light years away. It still has sufficient propulsion methods to make it a worthwhile prize, it just isn't able to go home.
Not sure yet - like I said, it needs the details thrashing out a bit.Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
I really like the idea of all planetary communications going through the mothership - how does this affect infiltration?
The ship need only be a gateway for communications, or the arbiter may allow infiltration between factions. It is, after all, restricting its interference and taking a back seat view....
I don't like the idea that a subsentient starship has nothing better to do (like following its programming) than stand around gawping at the mess its made...Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
I did understand you but by the time the factions get into space they already have sub light propulsion. The ship (if only capable of sub light) would merely be a token prize. It needs to retain its faster than light / lighthugging travel.
...unless its program WAS to monitor the factions...
The starship is sentient, through the beta sim's it has built into it.
Look at it this way, the ship itself has a massive computer and it's running (amongst the normal ship type things like astro navigation and network Quake) a set of beta sims of the planning team.
The planning team is not likely to actually hop on board the ship for the long journey to the planet and then wait several hundred years whilst it's terraformed. They'd make beta simulations of themselves to run the ship whilst they're in cold storage for a few hundred years.
The bodies of the team need not even be on the ship, but the software simulations of them are.
It's these who would decide to watch the events unfolding below.
Fyi, no-one is going to send out an unmanned ship of that class with programmed functions. If it comes across something it can't handle then that's squillions of [insert currency here] of ship completely screwed.
They'd either send people to guide it, or more likely, beta sims of people.
Make sense?
How about say that there are people aboard the ship, in hiberation. After the planet is terrain formed, there are to be woken up, but until then, they are using beta sims of some of the people. Then, something that happened during the flight, caused something to happen to the people, killing them and scwing up some of the ships programming.
This would explain: 1) what the ship is for (making a colony on another planet) 2) why the ship is still in orbit (to wake up the people) 3) why the ship hasn't figured it out yet (its lost the programming for checking to see if the people are alive).
As for the bombing, give the player a choice between using the cluster bomb (gives a slight chance [1-10%] of hitting the HQ, and a meduim chance [10-25%] of hitting mutiple buildings, very high chance it will hit a building [50-75%], no guarrantue of hitting anything), and the persion bomb (guarrantueed hit [100%] on target, no possible chance [0%] of hitting the HQ or mutiple buildings)
The percentages may need to be changed, to weight out the chance of hitting mutiple things, and/or the HQ.
Gaming,
It wouldn't explain why the ship was trying to transwarp out of there though.
The scenario I had in mind was
1) It is a colony ship
2) There is nothing living on it (besides maybe cattle or whatever - nothing sentient anyway)
3) If the ship is so confused that it can't even tell if the contents are dead or alive then it wouldn't be able to advise the factions.
I like the ideas on bombardment - it's possible that there may be a couple of secret projects which wrest control of different guns meaning we can have all these options... :)
A few more suggestions:
One victory you may have could be the figuring out of the event (it needs a name). The records show that it is seeming random. If you could figure out some way of blocking it, you can use the faster then light travel of the ship (needs a name). This would require figuring out what parts of the ship got modified, and how to fix them. (This would require a VERY high level of science/technology.)
Another victory might be the building of another ship. Of couse, the other ship would try and stop you, so you would need better weapons on your ship, so it stays in one big piece, not 5,000,000 pieces. (This would be mostly production based, although it would require a med/high level of science/technology.)
I like the idea of the ships comp keeping some control of the guns, for the single shot idea.
For my first suggestion, only parts of the ship are scwed up (it was a seeming random thing)
As for the guns, for each project, give a choice between the two. You might want to limit it to maybe 3 shots total with the cluster, and 5 with the persion. Or something like that.
The message at the completion of the projects could be something like this: "You have reached a signefitent point in technology and production power, that the [ship name] has allowed you to use one of it's guns. You have the choices of using one cluster [weapon type (bomb/gun/ect.)], and one pession [weapon type (bomb/gun/ect.)]. What is your choice?"
The buttons being labeled: "Cluster", "Persion", "More Information".
The more information there so that they can enter a form of help, and get more information on each gun type.
I don't think the ship would voluntarily relinquish the use of one of its guns for use for bombardment of the planet it was sent to colonise.
And if we have one project for each weapon then the details of the weapon would be in the project help.
I was also thinking of including a form of trigger system similar to Starcrafts.
When you hit certain predetermined wotsits then stuff happens.
Such as:
Getting to a location
Earning a certain amount of money
Getting attacked
Killing your first unit
Making your first sea vessel
etc etc
We could design a pretty flexible trigger system to encompass most of the events.
Just a thought - I'm not going to bust my balls on it yet as there's still loads to be put in.
gaming - whats a persion?
He means precision.
this forums got really cluttered of late - we've been throwing ideas around as and when we've come up with them. I hope nothing gets lost.
BTW. how did you get on with coding diplomacy?
Didn't, I've been coding loads of other stuff instead.
Have you got any more graphics to throw at me? It's been a while....
which other monster houses need fixing?
Thanks for that - I'll plug it in shortly. Have you tested it?
No others need fixing, I don't think - but we do need some more:
Fungus thingy house
Sea based house
Are what springs to mind.
What else have you been working on?
fungus house? no...fungus infests forest, so this is representative of a house...so you want some infested forest then...
Recently, not a lot. This is the first time ive sat in front of my computer for more than five minutes in about a week :rolleyes:
That's what I meant. I was using house to differentiate between floating ballon **** and infested forest ****.
So, you're going to get some serious work done on the graphics then?
There's bogloads to do pal....
.
The nest is a lot better and I really like the fungus forest.
Took me ages to find one on the map exploring with the SCV... errr, I mean RMV. :rolleyes:
That's good, there's only one house missing now I think, and you can take your time with that as we can't make sea going vessels yet.... :D
Nice one - good work!
thanks pal. nice to hear it
ok, monsters next?
how many do we need? do you have any of these?
SWAMP > Nest > swarm
MOUNTAIN > Cave > yeti
GRASS > Stone Circle > ghost thing (not too happy with this...we'll work on it)
DIRT > Sandcrab > baby crabs
FOREST > infested > fungus
SEA > absolutely no idea...A sea lurk perhaps :p
Repost your 'to do' list and I'll tell you what's next.
They should be prioritised and I don't think monsters was a very high priority...
My net connection was ultra pants last night so I couldn't post faster than once every blue moon.
I found out that it was because I had Morpheus running the background eating all the bandwidth. :rolleyes:
Right,
If you're able to post today, then let me know.
And post your 'to do' list as well....
Events:
Each of these events would have an indicator determining if it should trigger if the player themself satisfy the rule, or some other player satisfies the rule.
Acquire X energy
Build X component
Build X building
Research X tech
Find X players unit
Find monster X house
Find monster X maturity Y
The triggers can be used as part of the specal projects. (to determine what they do) This would allow much greater customizing.
That's kind of what I was thinking Gaming, but I was planning on using the triggers for more or less their namesake.
They'd kick things off when certain criterion were fulfilled.
The projects have their own code blocks as they tend to do very complicated things that can't be scripted.
Right, waffle format for the advisors will be as follows:
Waffle Name, Title, Desc, Sound
i.e.
TUT1, "This is the Admin", "It does stuff", "tutadmin.wav"
I think this is the current oneQuote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
Repost your 'to do' list and I'll tell you what's next.
They should be prioritised and I don't think monsters was a very high priority...
Monster houses Progress is being made
Monsters Progress is apparently being made
Animated sensor buildings (couple of)
Animated reactor buildings (couple of)
Animated gun turrets (couple of)
Animated faction logos
Little mine pictures (for land and sea - varying amounts to denote how heavily mined things are) Progress apparently made - should be a simple job?!? Ensure on a white background for transparenterising
Mine pictures for the components screen Progress apparently made?
Missiles for the component screen (big nukes etc)
Ammo pictures (mostly kinetic, but some laser types for representative purposes)
More buildings (we ain't got many)
Some end of game screens (win/lose etc)
Interim screens for other players (faction eradicated)
Backdrop screen for each faction (to display the next player screen on top of)
Maybe think about some custom borders for each faction (around minimap etc - think of the protoss/terran/zerg game interfaces...)
Generic shield effect for buildings (animated if poss)
Air chassis
Sea chassis
Weather effects (let me know how you think this may be done)
Weapon effects (ranged weapons - let me know about how to do this)
Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
For the components might, each will be based on the total might of all the resources expended in creating the component and...
Code:Torso: 10 * no of slots
Armour: Armour value per ton
Chassis: Max weight + max speed
Shields: Shield points+ (.5 * recharge rate)
Reactor: Power generated + Max energy drain
Chips: 0.3 * (proc ben + ben1 + ben2)
Weapons: 1 * might of all associated ammo types or 20*max armour damage + shield damage inflicted per shot (for non ammo based weapons
Ammo: armour damage + shield damage per ton
Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
Events:
Each of these events would have an indicator determining if it should trigger if the player themself satisfy the rule, or some other player satisfies the rule.
Acquire X energy
Acquire X amount of resource Y
Build X component
Build X building
Research X tech
Complete X project
Find X players unit
Find monster X house
Find monster X maturity Y
Grow monster X
pledge allegiance to faction X
declare war upon faction X
declare truce with faction X
Win first battle
Lose first unit
is there a "sound" parameter to SenMsg? is this what you mean?Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
Right, waffle format for the advisors will be as follows:
Waffle Name, Title, Desc, Sound
i.e.
TUT1, "This is the Admin", "It does stuff", "tutadmin.wav"
Updated:
Monsters Progress is apparently being made
Animated sensor buildings (couple of)
Animated reactor buildings (couple of)
Animated gun turrets (couple of)
Animated faction logos
Missiles for the component screen (big nukes etc)
Ammo pictures (mostly kinetic, but some laser types for representative purposes)
More buildings (we ain't got many)
Some end of game screens (win/lose etc)
Interim screens for other players (faction eradicated)
Backdrop screen for each faction (to display the next player screen on top of)
Maybe think about some custom borders for each faction (around minimap etc - think of the protoss/terran/zerg game interfaces...)
Generic shield effect for buildings (animated if poss)
Air chassis
Sea chassis
Weather effects (let me know how you think this may be done)
Weapon effects (ranged weapons - let me know about how to do this) - we'll have a look at your particle engine re: these.
Cool as - I'll reply in a sec...
No, the sound would start (milliseconds) before the senmsg would be displayed. The two are different engines but they could be made to look like they were running simultaneously...Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
is there a "sound" parameter to SenMsg? is this what you mean?
Like your additional triggers except for the complete project.
The complete project screen would surely cover this?
I'll need some more buttons for the screens I've been whacking up but I'll request these later as they don't take long.Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
Updated:
Air chassis
Sea chassis
Animated sensor buildings (couple of)
Animated reactor buildings (couple of)
Animated gun turrets (couple of)
Animated faction logos
Missiles for the component screen (big nukes etc)
Ammo pictures (mostly kinetic, but some laser types for representative purposes)
Monsters - Progress is apparently being made
More buildings (we ain't got many)
Some end of game screens (win/lose etc)
Interim screens for other players (faction eradicated)
Backdrop screen for each faction (to display the next player screen on top of)
Maybe think about some custom borders for each faction (around minimap etc - think of the protoss/terran/zerg game interfaces...)
Generic shield effect for buildings (animated if poss)
Weather effects (let me know how you think this may be done)
Weapon effects (ranged weapons - let me know about how to do this)- we'll have a look at your particle engine re: these. - I'm covering this now
oh yeah :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
Like your additional triggers except for the complete project.
The complete project screen would surely cover this?
any comments on the updated might?
Torso: 10 * no of slots
Armour: Armour value per ton
Chassis: (.5 * Max weight) + max speed
Shields: Shield points+ (.5 * recharge rate)
Reactor: Power generated + Max energy drain
Chips: 0.3 * (proc ben + ben1 + ben2)
Weapons: 1 * might of all associated ammo types
Ammo: armour damage + shield damage per ton
Chassis has been amended to reduce the additional bonus
Weapons can stay as it is, as there may be different beams for energy weapons depending on what effect you are trying to achieve
And I've reposted your to do list in order
Quote:
Originally posted by Behemoth
Acquire X energy
Acquire X amount of resource Y
Build X component
Build X building
Research X tech
Complete X project
Find X players unit
Find monster X house
Find monster X maturity Y
Grow monster X
pledge allegiance to faction X
declare war upon faction X
declare truce with faction X
Win first battle
Lose first unit
Build First Unit
Lose First Battle
Kill X units
Build X of Y type unit
Win X battles
Build X of Y building
Thanks for those Gaming. :)
Acquire X energy
Acquire X amount of resource Y
Build X component
Build X building
Research X tech
Find X players unit
Find monster X house
Find monster X maturity Y
Grow monster X
pledge allegiance to faction X
declare war upon faction X
declare truce with faction X
Win first battle
Lose First Battle
Lose first unit
Build First Unit
Kill X units
Win X battles
Build X of Y building
This is where it stands so far.
Right then hairy pal, it's time to get you organised.
I'm going to make you a to do list, split down into the individual graphics you'll need to create.
You can actually work at speed when you're organised, but at the moment you seem to be floundering.
I'll compile a lovely list of things to do for you and I'll be keeping tabs on its progress - otherwise we're never going to finish Sentience!
Be prepared to up the pace on your workload, I'll be wanting you to spend more time working on Sentience in the near future as you appear to just be doing little bits every now and again - we need to get this moving.
I don't want this to just be another of the projects we give up on half way through.
I've just compiled a list of the graphics required for the monsters alone and it's big. But at least you'll know exactly where you're up to...
Also, due to the modular construction of the game, you can send me graphics peicemeal. No saving them up and giving them in a big chunk, if you draw a single picture then I want it so I can plug it straight in.
Right, attached to this puppy is the new components.xls (named .txt obviously).
This not only contains the latest scripts, but the last worksheet is titled Ian and it contains all the graphics I want from you in the near future. One these are added the game will look kick ass!
Forget anything else not on this list.
Ben,
My hotmail inbox will only hold 2mb of stuff. This rougly equates to 3 and a half code drops. Can I request that you send fewer of them, as hotmail locks my account if I go over the limit (thus preventing me from ever downloading them anyway.)
I'll keep the latest one you send every time. The rest I'll bin. Is this ok by you or do you have an alternative suggestion?
Ian,
I've already told you to only keep the last one I send you - you can nuke the rest.
PS - done any graphics yet?
You never told me which you wanted me to keep and which you didn't need...Thanks, I'll sort that now.Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
Ian,
I've already told you to only keep the last one I send you - you can nuke the rest.
I've done plenty of prep work :DQuote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
PS - done any graphics yet?
I've spent most of today preparing and filling in an application form I recieved through the post. I have dabbled a little bit however, and have designed a helicopter chassis that needs a little bit more work.
I've also made dozens of sketches for the buildings you require, and i completed one of the reactors I had dev files for. It looks crap though :(
Still, I'll keep at it.