[SCRIPT][AP/TC] Improved Races 2.0 v1.08 (6'th-June-12)

[DrBullwinkle]

[Fixing rep after a skirmish is] Tricky, Very tricky...

OK. I have been thinking about combat performance since I started the game, and thinking about race responses for a few months. That was the only constructive idea that I had about them.

Now I understand the donation centers in RRF... they are just a way of balancing the scale.

Overall, the race rep works pretty well in vanilla. It only gets crazy bad with (old) IR and RRF. Yaki Armada seems to not have the problem. Serial_kicked must have used some trick there. Maybe his Yaki Armada are not really Yakis at all?

(Could you use that as a trick? Make the race response force a fake race that only *appears* to be the responding race?)

Although on the subject of game mechanics, would you easily be friends with me again if i turned around and obliterated your entire fleet because i felt like it?

Well, that's the thing. Not your entire fleet... just *one* of your cap ships. It's not like it was doing anything important, anyway. Plus you have more where that came from.

Of course, if you send coppers after me, then they should be fair game. Aargh!

Again, I'm not necessarily trying to be friends with everyone. But there are some things that my friends won't sell me. So, you know... there isn't much choice.

That is why a reasonable rep loss makes more sense to me than losing a million points in one session.

EDIT:

Running IR on vanilla is really not recommended, the Laser effects and balance destroy the performance of the game

Yeah, I have that part fixed. I tuned TLasers and TBullets using the concepts that Ulfius described in CMOD3/4. I made my own changes so that I could preserve the game balance between the weapons while improving frame rate. I also use Graxster's Improved Combat Frame Rate when combat slows to a crawl. That seems to solve the performance hit due to laser effects. I turn it off when I do not need it (for better eye candy).

[joelR]

I just started a new game in AP with the hotwar setings to have everyone hate the terrans. I will let you know how that goes as I play the game.

As for performance I recently upgraded my rig to a quad core with a 6870 gpu so performance isnt an issue with X for me anymore really. I can say that as far as script processes are concerned, IR 2.0 runs way better than the old IR did.

[Jack08]

Again, I'm not necessarily trying to be friends with everyone. But there are some things that my friends won't sell me. So, you know... there isn't much choice. Wink

*flys covertly into paranoid space and steals a Hyperion* * shifty eyes *

Someone needs to write a station building or ordering service that can order stations from hostile races through a 3rd party (Teladi), no idea if one exists or not, but it would solve alot of issues with War game play.

heh, maybe ill add this feature to IR, its not far removed from the Ship construction feature, but it wont be added any time soon, really busy with X-Timelines

(Could you use that as a trick? Make the race response force a fake race that only *appears* to be the responding race?)

Not without approximately 12 spare races (Race1, 2, 3 ...), as each "phantom" race would require the same reputations as its parent race.

[DrBullwinkle]

*flys covertly into paranoid space and steals a Hyperion* * shifty eyes *

Yes, exactly that!

Someone needs to write a station building or ordering service that can order stations from hostile races through a 3rd party (Teladi), no idea if one exists or not, but it would solve alot of issues with War game play.

Good idea... but it should take some effort.There are a couple of station hacking scripts, but they are a bit too easy for my taste. I prefer the idea of, for example, destroying an IBL factory and then waiting at the Yaki shipyard for a Ryu containing a replacement station, then boarding the Ryu. Perhaps that idea works for other factories?

Not without approximately 12 spare races (Race1, 2, 3 ...), as each "phantom" race would require the same reputations as its parent race.

Gotcha. I was thinking of a more temporary thing: One player = one response force = one temporary fake race. I don't know how well that would fit with the rest of the script.

[Jack08]

• OP Update
• Added Known mods compatibility states to the main post

[jack775544]

I think a universe cleaner is definantly needed for my game. My game is currently running at a crawl so i downloaded the diagnostic script that was uploaded before and Grand Exchange looks just like JoelR's Black Hole Sun. My game is currently running at about 1-5fps.

Here is the log

Thanks
Jack

[mr.bear]

hey jack. Sorry dude, I'm only here to spam your thread

I've posted a thread here of a script pack i've written with fancy menu graphics that I'm gonna release a library for - so anyone can incorporate them into their script/mod if they feel it's appropriate. I'm just posting a heads-up in the popular script/mod package threads so authors can investigate and see if they're interested. Hit me up with any questions.

Not much in IR really needs a menu system like that, and X-Timelines already has Its own GUI System

but it does look cool

wow dude - I see what you mean! that's incredible! and I had no idea...

[joelR]

I think a universe cleaner is definantly needed for my game. My game is currently running at a crawl so i downloaded the diagnostic script that was uploaded before and Grand Exchange looks just like JoelR's Black Hole Sun. My game is currently running at about 1-5fps.

Here is the log

Thanks
Jack

Cant you just go back to an earlier save? The universe getting flooded happened to me in just a matter of minutes. I cant imagine you progressed too far along?

[TrixX]

I'll get onto an effects conversion pack for vanilla and popular mods to reduce the load allowing for better performance

I'll only be available from the first post of this thread when complete but will be compatible with XRM and Vanilla at least. It's optional (similar to how CMOD was optional) and not endorsed by any other mod

[DrBullwinkle]

I'll get onto an effects conversion pack for vanilla and popular mods to reduce the load allowing for better performance

Yay! That sounds really terrific, TrixX!

As mentioned, I use Improved Combat Frame Rate for huge battles. It does a great job of increasing performance, but it does that by eliminating explosions, missile trails, and most laser effects. So it works but at the cost of the visual experience.

It would be incredible if someone could make an effects pack that improves performance of the effects without completely eliminating them.

(And by "someone" I mean you, maybe.)

(And if you could do so while keeping something visually similar to XRM's IBLs, then that would be even better. XRM's IBLs on a MARS-equipped Q are almost scary when they are aimed at me -- just as it should be! Do what you like to the rest of the effects, but those IBLs are excellent.)

[A5PECT]

Umm... I don't think Qs use IBLs in XRM anymore.

IBLs are the Pirate/Teladi M7-grade weapon. But yes, they look really cool.

[DrBullwinkle]

I don't think Qs use IBLs in XRM anymore.

I wouldn't know. The only thing that I use from XRM is the IBL effect. TLasers and TBullets are my own mix; based on vanilla but with fewer (more powerful) bullets. And my Q's have IBLs.

All I am saying is that XRM's IBL effect is visually impressive (like big orange fireballs). It is the only effect that is so good that I would miss it if it were gone.

[TrixX]

As mentioned, I use Improved Combat Frame Rate for huge battles. It does a great job of increasing performance, but it does that by eliminating explosions, missile trails, and most laser effects. So it works but at the cost of the visual experience.

It would be incredible if someone could make an effects pack that improves performance of the effects without completely eliminating them.

That's already been handled in X-Timelines, so the conversion process is pretty easy in that respect. The hard part is recreating the original Vanilla gfx as they are so low res

(And by "someone" I mean you, maybe.)

Is there any other UI/Gfx editors in the thread

(And if you could do so while keeping something visually similar to XRM's IBLs, then that would be even better. XRM's IBLs on a MARS-equipped Q are almost scary when they are aimed at me -- just as it should be! Do what you like to the rest of the effects, but those IBLs are excellent.)

Hehe, will have to check them out, but the new fx will directly replace the stock ones and in most cases improve performance immensely as seen with our tests in X-Timelines

[DrBullwinkle]

Hehe, will have to check them out, but the new fx will directly replace the stock ones and in most cases improve performance immensely as seen with our tests in X-Timelines

Nice! I had a feeling that you were the guy for the job.

Split Say: Should not be difficult for the likes of you. Maybe.

[Jack08]

I think a universe cleaner is definantly needed for my game. My game is currently running at a crawl so i downloaded the diagnostic script that was uploaded before and Grand Exchange looks just like JoelR's Black Hole Sun. My game is currently running at about 1-5fps.

Here is the log

Thanks
Jack

Download and run this: http://download.xtimelines.net/a.IR.Dia ... emoval.xml

Then ensure you update to version 1.05 and it shouldn't happen again


Cause, effect and resolution:
Prior to version 1.05, recon drones were checking against there home base if a response already existed in the local sector, but adding that response to the Nearest military base instead, resulting in a cascading effect.

This was fixed in version 1.05 to ensure the drone checks aganst the nearest military base for an active response.

[jack775544]

I have applies the script and ran it and the game works fine (ie. playable framerates). Just installed v1.05. Keep up the good work.

Thanks
Jack

[joelR]

Jack08,

Here is a screenshot of a possible IR bug. Notice the <invalid> before the names of a couple sectors.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg6 ... 0001-1.jpg

[Jack08]

Jack08,

Here is a screenshot of a possible IR bug. Notice the <invalid> before the names of a couple sectors.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg6 ... 0001-1.jpg

That would be a bug in XRM, IR doesn't rename shipyards unless in debug mode, and it definitely doesn't name them <Invalid>, thats an engine default for a station that has no WareTemplate entry

[joelR]

Jack08,

Here is a screenshot of a possible IR bug. Notice the <invalid> before the names of a couple sectors.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg6 ... 0001-1.jpg

That would be a bug in XRM, IR doesn't rename shipyards unless in debug mode, and it definitely doesn't name them <Invalid>, thats an engine default for a station that has no WareTemplate entry

Yep. I just realized that I goofed (like a noob!) and left the bounce cat/dat in when I made a Wall. Thats what caused it. Problems gone now.

[Gilgamec]

Guys, id like some feedback on the following subjects, so i can see if anything needs improvement:


Fleet Sizes (Assault Fleets, and Response Fleets)
Number of concurrent active invasions (current limit is Races*2 (Active Races only) )
Balance, in both Vanilla, XRM, or any other mods you may be running (Balance meaning, are IR fleets balanced against each other, is something happening that causes one side to always win, ect ect)

Should i add a fleet size variation option to allow for larger (or smaller) fleets?

Performance: This is a tricky one to answer because performance is quite hard to measure and discern when using scripts and mods, what im mostly looking at there is script load. Has anyone noticed any persistent slowdown ( not the kind of slowdown that happens when watching large battles )

The new carrier logic: Seen it in action?

Any other feedback you have would be welcome also

Hey Jack,

Thanks a ton for the work on this script. I have loved it since TC and was happy to see it kept up for AP. A few good things and a few things may need work.

1. Fleet sizes: Assault fleets are no problem I think but if you allow response fleets, my system was overwhelmed in under an hour. In one sector (the sector where I hoped to build a base) response spawned over 1700 Argon ships, 500 Teladi, and 300 or so Paranid (and thats just the sector I saw).
2. Even after clearing sector my system is still moving fairly slowly, probably due to thousands upon thousands of ships drifting the response script elsewhere.
3. I think an issue may be the response fleets aren't directly tied to the assault fleets, might be something useful to do. Just make a balance between the two. When an IR assault fleet is spawned, spawn IR defense fleet when it begins its attack, etc. Then make sure after the battle those left behind get cleaned up (i dunno, fly them into the sun lol).
4. The race invasion feature is working well so far, at least against the pirates... haven't had any successful racial invasions.
5: Description of the loss of performance: Performance had been great my whole game till I enabled Hot War, and then specifically Response Fleets. That is why I am pretty sure it is tied in some way to that...only way to improve it is to systematically go through the systems and clear sectors.