Adventures and modules

[shanejfilomena]

I was thinking about a post earlier but did not want to Necromance it:
The REASON it came to mind tonight is because I have found that I MUST copy the Huaramarca system in my adventures or risk an eventual error in the debug or the system simply not being created at all. ( i used a god mode to list the systems created and it was not in the list.......which made me upset because i had to get into it !!!!! LOL )

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Taking the prospect of compelling .xml makers to go full monty into adventures http://www.neurohack.com/transcendence/ ... 144#p41144
instead of a "weapon here and a shield over there "

I like this part because in an Adventure you can virtually do anything and with an entire universe to work your idea you can have alot of ideas and try to refine them as well.

However, file sizes are an issue. IF the .xml must copy out everything they want included : I think it would be easier if the database had an order to call on to EXCLUDE rather then have to include everything: like CorporateOnDestroy.....you can set your adventure with a Global to ( on Global System Created )to call or block parts like : initDomina ( includes Domina powres / stations); InitSisters ( excludes Domina powers / stations ).

This would be simpler and cost less in file size while giving George less "bug" issues and the person making the .xml more freedom to include or not exactly what they want from different modules.

And I think the orders should be in the database : and the game version would have to call them up as well : which would give the person editing .xml the ability to simply copy the virtual station and erase the parts for modules they do not want in their adventure.

then the Wiki makers would have fun keeping up with THAT


thoughts? can it actually be done? if it were a global virtual station I think it would save everybody work and file sizes

(( ******* note, no fancy long code required : I hate long code versions they bug the game, Iam sure your far superior minds can make on and off switches for various modules in the database )

[george moromisato]

In general I am trying to follow the example of paper RPGs (such as Dungeons & Dragons). In those cases, there are "resource books" (such as the Monster Manual) that can be used in any adventure. And there are specific adventures.

My goal in the future is to place all Transcendence types into one of two buckets:

A. Built-in definitions (equivalent of the Monster Manual)
B. Specific adventures.

A built-in definition (e.g., a Ranx dreadnought) will be accessible from any adventure just by specifying the proper UNID.

Anything that is not a built-in type will need to be included in the adventure manually--either by copying the definition or by including a module. Note that whereas using a built-in definition should be simple, including a piece of another adventure might be more difficult (for example, it may require fixing up UNIDs or modifying code and XML).

[Also, adventure components will always need to be included "by value" (i.e., copied) so that there are no version problems.]

D&O itself will be separated into its own adventure so that the D&O-specific elements do not clash with other adventures.

In order to accomplish this, the following things have to happen:

1. We need to decide which types are in A vs B. In general, simple re-usable types (stations, ships, items) should be in A, while more complex types should be in B.

2. For stations and items in A that appear randomly in systems, we need to invent a way for adventures to control where and when they appear. For example, imagine that the Centauri Warlords camp (stCentauriCamp) is a built-in type. We need to have a way for the adventure to control the random appearence of the camp. Right now, levelFrequency and locationCriteria are defined in the station itself. But maybe an adventure should be able to override that (so that it can choose where Centauri camps appear). .

3. We may need to split out various types from some modules. For example, in the case of the Huari I had to break dependencies between sovereigns. In 1.06 there is code in Sung stations that accesses Huari globals (to keep track of Sung stations destroyed). In the future, 1.07 I split that out so that Sung.xml does not rely on Huari.xml. [I think this might be one of the problems that Shane is running into.]

[shanejfilomena]

my "problems" with the Hurin Masters is that the game rebels eventually if an Adventure does not include their system:
so i have just added it and everything runs fine.
as for the association with Sung : i made sung stations before and totally neglected to observe the relationship ( later I NEEDED that relationship for building another station : so I am happy I learned to understand it )

but yes: if the basics were there : you can simply edit the system parts to call or not : i did that in 2380; but specific parts like mission stations are not exactly something you want to have in systems where there is no real room for those missions.
a fleet delivery in the Sung Home system for example........not that there is such a system ( i made two but they both died because they were too hard to kill )

but yes: i think the bucket idea is great: would take awhile for me to understand it because my last experience with D&D was a few years ago ..a dungeon master that later went to prison because he printed his own checks ( based on Dragon Gold or some crazy idea , cashed at local stores: and BAILED HIMSELF OUT OF JAIL WITH ONE )......he is back in jail........ LOL

[alterecco]

my "problems" with the Hurin Masters is that the game rebels eventually if an Adventure does not include their system

That only happens if you have included some part of the D&O campaign other than Huaramarca that requires that system to be present. That would probably be some of the Sung parts.

[shanejfilomena]

my "problems" with the Hurin Masters is that the game rebels eventually if an Adventure does not include their system

That only happens if you have included some part of the D&O campaign other than Huaramarca that requires that system to be present. That would probably be some of the Sung parts.

While I KNOW it should make perfect sense .
In the case of Rogue Command :
Rogue Command is about the a common wealth Fleet division breaking away from Decker and the Government to begin their own without "the wholesale slaughter" : they only return fire except with they meet the regular Fleet / or the Arcology).

the only actual calls for Sung are in Fortress missions : : I copied them in from the commonwealth Fortress.

In the Auviq it was calling in pieces and parts based on the Empire's relationship : so that was more understandable and expected.

SO by this reasoning of ANY call from the Sung / Huari Empire relationship you can expect this rebellion?.....

Interesting.

[alterecco]

It can be anything that even remotely deals with Huaramarca. A station that checks if the player is currently embroiled in a conflict, a dockscreen that checks if the player has been there. I am not certain of the places where these checks are actually made, but it should be possible to go through your adventure mod and ruling out the places bit by bit...