Question about Stations-

[Periculi]

This is from a Station description (Dwarg)-

Code: Select all

levelFrequency=		"---cu v---- ------ ----- -----"

c = common, u = uncommon, v = very rare- yes? The dashes indicate the level? so level 4 is common here? why is the center set of dashes 6 instead of 5? Is there more to this value than meets the eye?

So, I have noticed that anything beyond level 10 isn't used- except in special cases ( for items, such things as alien hardware) Is it possible to set up stations/encounters and more beyond level 10 or is there a cap?

[george moromisato]

You've reverse-engineered it correctly.

The center set of dashes is a bug--it should only have five dashes. But currently, there are no systems beyond level 10, so the bug never happens.

Although it is possible to set encounters beyond level 10, there are currently no systems defined above level 10.

My current plan (this may change) is to have the systems beyond Heretic with levels 11-20. Other special systems (the Core?) will have levels 21-25.

[Periculi]

hmm... well, I am hoping to make use of the higher levels for some rare station types in a mod. I'll let you know if the bug prevents me from making use of the higher levels.

[Kamikaze]

So.. Are we limited to 10 and below, or no?

[george moromisato]

The levelFrequency attribute controls the frequency with which the station appears at a given system level.

If you create a station like this:

levelFrequency="----- ----- ccccc ccccc ccccc"

the station will never show up in the game.

Why? Because the game does not define any systems of level 11 and higher (look at StarSystemTopology).

Hope that helps.

[Periculi]

So if I had Nodes of level 11 or 12 it would work as '----- ----- cc---- ----- -----' as long as I have the correct level defined in the Topology node, yes?

[Kamikaze]

Ah, okay.

So if we were to create a level 16 system, and wanted X station in it, would it read like this:

----- ----- -----c ----- -----

Or like this:


----- ----- ----- c---- -----

?

Just curious. Do we go along with the bug or display it the way it "should" be?

EDIT: Periculi posted just after I started typing.

EDIT 2: Hmm.. After actually LOOKING, it seems that post-heretic is not horribly far away. Also, it APPEARS that we can redo systems via extension, by overwriting the existing UNIDs. Fun.

[Periculi]

What if I don't want a station to appear based on it's level? What if I want it to be unique?

[F50]

point juno is unique, but I don't know anything beyond that.

[Periculi]

And it doesn't have a levelFrequency value in it's definition, but instead has a level="8" quality. So- uniques are possible without the levelFrequency value.

[Kamikaze]

Right, they're defined in the system itself, I do believe (Placement, that is).

EDIT: Yes, they are.

Starton Eridani is unique, and guess what? It's placement is defined under ssStartonEridani.

[george moromisato]

What if I don't want a station to appear based on it's level? What if I want it to be unique?

As others have said, the only other way to do it is to define your own system (which requires you to modify Transcendence.xml and is therefore not something I would recommend).

You could overwrite an existing system--but that may not be what you want.

Another way to have a unique station is to use the unique="true" attribute in the StationType element.

A unique station only shows up once in the whole game. Basically, the first time the station appears will also be the last.

[george moromisato]

Ah, okay.

So if we were to create a level 16 system, and wanted X station in it, would it read like this:

----- ----- -----c ----- -----

Or like this:


----- ----- ----- c---- -----

?

Just curious. Do we go along with the bug or display it the way it "should" be?

It should be like this:

----- ----- ----- c---- -----

Only 5 characters per section.

[Periculi]

As others have said, the only other way to do it is to define your own system (which requires you to modify Transcendence.xml and is therefore not something I would recommend).

Oh, well.. um.. er, I have 8 versions of trans installed- and have already modified in 40 some odd star system types, an additional 60 something nodes (random paths and branches, and some capitols, and a grip of rare/unique dead ends) besides all the little 'test' changes to items and stations. So, a few unique stations won't hurt too much.

And just to clarify: "----- ----- ----- ----- -----" is how we should treat the assignment for level frequency (ignoring the extra - in the 11-15 set)?

[george moromisato]

Oh, well.. um.. er, I have 8 versions of trans installed- and have already modified in 40 some odd star system types, an additional 60 something nodes (random paths and branches, and some capitols, and a grip of rare/unique dead ends) besides all the little 'test' changes to items and stations. So, a few unique stations won't hurt too much.

Cool! All I meant, though, was that modifying Transcendence.xml is ultimately not supportable. Every time I change Transcendence.xml, you will have to re-write your mods for the new version. If you don't mind doing that, then no problem.

And just to clarify: "----- ----- ----- ----- -----" is how we should treat the assignment for level frequency (ignoring the extra - in the 11-15 set)?

Yes, that's right.