[SCR/MOD] Complex Cleaner v3.20 / Modular Complexes

[Gazz]

Well, eventually.
I'd rather wait for Doubleshadow's tools, though, because this (and MARS) require a pretty good grasp on the game data.
If I have to "hack" everything it's going to take forever.

Besides, I'm still only at the beginning of the first plot in TC. =)

[Craigtothed]

Im having a problem getting this to work with XTM and Ashleys Factories.
I've tried installing this every way I can think of but I am still getting the errors. Ive installed the 33 cat/dat as a fake patch and also as a real mod but i just cant seem to get it to work. Anyone that has a working install if they could tell me how they got there it would be great.

Cheers
Craig

[Michlo]

I must be dense because I cannot get this to work.

I use Cycrow's plugin manager so I had to go the fake patch route.

So here is what I did:

1) Copied the t and scripts folders from Super Tractor and Condense Asteroids into the t and scripts folder of my game.

2) Used the plugin manager to install Ares.

3) Copied the 30.cat and 30.dat into the root of my game directory and renamed them to 11.cat and 11.dat.

4) Installed the Comp_cleaner2.spk with the plugin manager.

I load up the game just fine but then when I try to load a saved game, I stick at the loading screen and have to ctrl+alt+del out of it.

Can someone PLEASE tell me what I am doing wrong here?

Cheers.

[Serris]

I'm having a lot of trouble installing this mod.
i use the plugin manager and XTM, and installed the game as a fake patch,
by renaming the cats and dats, in the x3 rootfolder.
however, when i start the game, i get my loading screen for a long time,
and then the notification that the game has stopped working.
i placed the scripts and thingies in the t folder in their respective folders in the folder of x3.
is there something i'm doing wrong?

[Michlo]

*tap* *tap* This thing on?

[Spaceweed Adict]

oops wrong forum.

[J Vortex]

I am having problems to. I have follow the xtm and ashy install and 33cat/dat 13 highest #. and I get the no goodies
I see this isssue alot in these post please help
(pluss I have loaded the other stuff you suggested)

This is the last thing I need to install so I can play... 6 hours of fussing around so far .........
Oh mighty GAZZ please inlighten this dense user.

Jim

[Liath]

I think that is has something to do with the *order* we install stuff in.

This is my [working, no bugs yet] setup:

Install X3, patch to 2.5, install Bonus pack, then add these if you have em:

XTM 0.7.5
LowPoly Roids
No Nebula (German thread, can't read, but it works)
NoCivs
Tubeless Complex
CMOD II
Apricot's PHQ
Ash's Fabs
Complex Cleaner (and requirements)
MARS
Xai Station Framework

So far this set-up works fine. CCleaner does say something about modified factories and to continue at own risk, but so far no problems. Probably caused by the Apricot PHQ mod.

I was wanting to put in TerraCorp pilot thing, but it doesn't like MARS (conflicts with the goblin auto-loot collecting command-slot).

[esoterrik1]

Ok, so for the complete beginners out there (like myself):

1. Unzip the download, put the contents of the 'scripts' and 't' folders into the folders of the same name in your installation directory
2. put the .cat and .dat files into the 'mod' directory
3. run the game and in the loader screen (the small window that opens that allows you to change graphics options) hit the button for 'select mod package' and pick the mod that is appropriate (30 for me, as I have a plain old vanilla x3 with no mods running)
4. run the game and load your save
5. go to personal->ship->rename and change your pilot name to "Thereshallbewings"
6. save your game
7. load the game
8. load the game again

This should be pretty much a step-by-step guide written by a noob for noobs.


NOW, for the problem that I'm having...

these are the exact steps that i've followed, save for the fact that i also copied the MARS turret script into the folders before attempting all this and it worked fine. after the second load, i get the same error message that was reported earlier in the thread... something like changed Tfactories in plugin.gz.CmpClean.dummy.types.

I ignored the message thinking its just a disclaimer, so maybe its not a problem.

I bought a couple factories just to test this out and put them all in the same sector... ran crunch... have a nice pretty box floating there.

now what? I can't dock with it and I'm not sure what the heck I'm supposed to do with it. do i set up a complex construction kit? what do i connect it to?

anyone willing to type in VERY SPECIFIC and overly SIMPLIFIED steps for a total noob would be greatly appreciated...


EDIT:

I figured it out...

crunch, then connect two of the factories with a complex construction kit, then keep on connecting the remaining facts to the hub that is created with more kits... so if you have n facts, you need n-1 kits.

[Liath]

That is pretty much it. The problem I'm having is with using complex cleaner plus other mods as 'false patches'... seems to be working right now with minimum fuss.

[jannix]

I finally got to try this mod out this weekend and get a few hours of solid game time. I gotta say, I love this mod! I think can't imagine how i lived without it! *hugs Gazz*

[yogs]

This mod seems like a godsend for me but I am having some issues understanding the crunches. If I have some factories like 1 missile factory and 3 wheat farms and crunch it I get the cube with 2 factory modules in it. If I add another wheat farm to the sector and crunch again I get a third factory module of the extra wheat farm. Is this how it should work ? Or am I missing something basic that will bundle the new wheat farm in with the others ?

**edit**

Nevermind. I am a noob. It was the grouping of fabs into 1,2,5,10 sizes that was confusing me.

[MarkusXL]

Another nooB here, with the classic "Special Objects not found" message.

I am only running Bonus Pack, and Ashley's Factories. (And BSE, but not relevant).

(Edit: Vanilla X3R otherwise, patched up to 2.5)

I have one big complex I would like to Crunch and replace with the big Module, and I have copied CAT/DAT 31 to my game folder as CAT/DAT 11 which is the final in sequence (after 10, got that part).

I used Cycrow's Plugin Manager to install the SPK, and that looks fine, and I check the "scripts" and "t" folders for all the stuff that came with the zip file, and its there.

So, what other requirements does this CC package need? Do I also need to install Condense Asteroids, Super Tractor, A.R.E.S. Station Building?

T H A N K S ! !


(Edit: In the game launch screen, there are two Mods available to select. One is Ashley's, the other is Plugin Manager. If I de-select them with the "Original" button, the game crashes with "Corrupt Save Game" message, probably because of the Ashley's stations I have in the game.

If I select either Ashley's or Plugin Manager, I get the same result - No Special Objects.)


I guess I will go ahead and install Condense Asteroids, Super Tractor, A.R.E.S. Station Building and try again...

EDIT: YES you have to load all those!!!


Edit: Holy moses I have hacked on this for HOURS and my wife is blasting me with AHEPTS...

BUT!!!

I did get it to work A) without Ashley's by using "33" CAT/DAT files and B) with Ashley's by using the "34"s.

In both cases I had to start a new game. Ughnnnnnn.

One tip for frustrated newbies: The CAT and DAT files for this mod must be the HIGHEST NUMBERED in your sequence. I think. Don't wanna mess with it anymore.

I got an interesting warning when I got it going with the "34" CAT/DAT files, since I would like to still use Ashley's Fabs, even though I must start a new game.

Since I am starting a new game, I don't think I have to change the registry value mentioned in the warning - its a new game, all should be default at this point.


Edit: I am up and running well with XTM and Ashely's Fabs in a new game, but have not actually tested Modular Complexes yet. Can't wait!

[Dubrovsky]

First, thanks Gazz for this brillian script!
Second, sorry for bumping old topic.

Third, for such a few newbies (like me) which just started exploring Xi world but already experienced (or just going to feel) an ultimate frustration of complex building - Compex Cleaner is a tool for you. You will definitely love it.

But, since its description is a bit brief, and installation could be a bit complicated (as you probably noticed by reading the topic), I'll describe, step by step, an installation & using steps. I can't guarantee it will work for you, but it worked for me. So if it helps, my job here is done . You and I could already have lost years not playing Xi, let's try not to loose another two hours trying to get the script to work.

UPDATE : Argh, I was too quick. The method below works pretty fine in vanilla, but it seems it crashes my games with Ashley Fabs 2.5, and I can't get CC to work with it. Had to uninstall CC and even had to re-install Ashley Fabs to evade crashes after CC deinstallation. Still, you may try your luck.

Installation:
-1. You don't have to download other scripts to get CC to work. No ARES, no Advanced Tractor Beam etc is required. New game start is not required too.

0. Get a ship equipped with a tractor beam. Save. Quit.

1. Install CC .spk plugin in X Plugin Manager. If you're going to use Ashley fabs, install its .spk too.

2. Get neccessary .DAT & .CAT files from CC archive (30.cat, 30.dat for vanilla; 31.cat, 31.dat if you plan to use Ashley Factories; I didn't test XTM mod yet so no advice for it) and place them into X3 mods folder (in my case, F:\X3 Reunion\Mods).

3. If you're using Ashley fabs, after its installation you will find its .DAT and .CAT files in your Mods folder (like Ash.Fabs.ExtHub.2.5.cat, Ash.Fabs.ExtHub.2.5.cat). We're going to use Ashley Fabs as a "fake patch" (it's the only way it worked for me).
So, copy or move Ashley's files into X3 root folder (in my case, F:\X3 Reunion) and rename them so that their numbers follow the sequence of existing CAT/DAT files (wrong way: 10.dat, 11.dat, 20.dat, right way: 10.dat, 11.dat, 12.dat).

4. Run X3. Press "Select Mod Package" in launcher window. ENSURE you have selected CC Package (30,31...), not Ashley, not Plugin Manager package (ensure you have CC Package selected every time you start X3). Your other installed scripts should work, don't worry. Start a game.

5. No new game is neccessary. Load your game and activate script editor (don't know how to? read forum stickies). Save your game (preferrably to another slot) and load it TWICE.

6. Run CC "check" command ("Commands->Custom->Complex Cleaner") on your tractor beam ship. Pray a little. Read incoming message from CC. If you like it, you may skip step 7.

7. Panic! Ahem. Not my fault, I did my best. Sorry, you're on your own.

Using:
1. You need a ship equipped with a tractor beam (am I repeating myself?). You don't have to be IN this ship.
2. Bring your stations. You don't need to carefully place them or even drop them one near another. Drop them anywhere in sector. The CC operations is instant, it will not move your fabs slowly during night on SETA .
2. Read the OP. "Crunch" command transfers dropped stations to Factory Modules. You need at least two Factory Modules to make a complex ("Ignore" command).
3. You still have to connect Factory modules just like you connect factories to a complex, so don't forget to bring hub kits. You can but you don't have to connect Module Complex to the hub, MC is just a shell for FMs.
4. Experiment. CC is easy to use. Good luck pilot!

[MarkusXL]

LOL I am still working on this!

I have a problem with your Step 4. I never see anything except Ashley's Fabs and Plugin Manager. Those are the only two choices I have seen there. Even so, I still get the "it should work" message on the second re-load.

Question: What exactly is a "Factory Module"? Is it just the 'regular' space stations you can buy that can work all alone?

I have a few basic stations connected with those Complex Tubes, and I am using a vanilla Complex Hub.

Is this "Crunch"-able? Will I then see the gigantic "Complex Module"? Or will it just make all the stations invisible?

What happens to the vanilla Complex Hub? I would rather use the Enhanced Complex Hub from Ashley's Fabs - can I use this with the huge Complex Module?

Thanks for any help!! I almost have enough to buy a ship that can use my tractor beam...


eDIT: Ah HA!! Now I tried to run "crunch" on the above mentioned complex. It kicked back with a neat message that it can't work with my complex, as it would be destroyed.

OK!! I am sure that means that Complex Cleaner must certainly be installed and running.

Now I guess have to break up my little vanilla complex? So, Crunch only works on loose stations? I only have 4 right now - is there a minimum? (Hopefully not 40 LOL!!)

After the big "crunch", do I get to see a Module Complex?

T H A N K S ! !


Edit: Ah HA!! I finally figured out the "Check" command, and I got a nice report describing the Complex Cleaner Commands!!! WOOT!!! Nowwww its starting to make some sense...

Newbie Note: "False Patch" refers to the renaming of CAT/DAT files to be In-Sequence and put in the MAIN Game Folder, as opposed to installing "As a MOD" where the CAT/DAT files are NOT renamed and get put into the \MODS subfolder. THOSE must be selected at the Game Launch Screen, with the Select MOD Package button. <sigh>

I wish I had figured that out sooner! Perhaps this has stumped some newbies like me already?

So, my setup is "False Patch" along with the SPK script install. That pretty much sums it up, except that I am pretty sure that in the "False Patch" option, the CAT/DAT for Complex Cleaner MUST be the HIGHEST Numbered in the Sequence. The other issues were unrelated!

More testing to be done, LOL!!


Edit: LOL I am still struggling with this!

YAAY! I finally got two loose stations to "crunch" into a Factory Module!! Yay it looks GREAT!! But, I cannot dock to it... How can I move off wares to sell? How do I supply it resources?

Also, I tried to add an "Extended Hub Complex" from Ashley's - but the model was not there and when I tried to place it the game crashes out. <sigh>

But, its still progress! Hey chime in any time with some help!! Thanks!!


Edit: Gosh, you guys are making me feel pretty lonely out here...


BUT I STILL MADE MORE PROGRESS!!! WOOT!!

Ok, here is proof, for the record, that you CAN have an Ashely's / Armageddon's Extended Hub Complex connected to your Module Complex!!

http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc34 ... tation.jpg


I still have a few things to work out... but KNOW that it CAN be DONE!!!





Final Edit!!! LOL!!! I finally got it all worked out!! Dang Gazz, the script really is brilliant!!

I don't mind having to buy another Extended Hub Complex every time I want to add more stations to my Factory Complex - its worth it! And its painless - everything carries over fine. WOOT!!!




Not so Final Edit!! LOL!!

Ok, here is the real beans - to get the heart of the real deal, you need to run Cycrow's Plugin Manager.

The CAT/DAT 33 files from the Complex Cleaner install, needed for XTM and Ashley's Fabs compatibility, are to be copied to the main game folder, re-named to be "in-sequence" with the other CAT/DAT files. This is called "the False Patch" approach.

THEN you launch the Plugin Manager, and start a New MOD Profile. Then you click "Redo Base Mod" in the Advanced Menu.

THEN you launch the game, and for the Selected MOD Package, you select Plugin Manager.


T H A T is the FREAKIN' T R I C K ! ! ! !

With this setup, you can also enjoy downloading and using ships in the .XSP format for your game.

E N J O Y ! ! ! ! YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL!!! X3:R!! XTM!!! Ashley's Fabs!!! Plugin Manager with all its nice script management for all your gaming fun and downloadable ships!!! AND Complex Cleaner!!!

Here is an Ashley's Extended Hub Complex working with a Factory Module from Gazz's Complex Cleaner:

http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc34 ... tation.jpg

And here are some downloaded ships docked there. Note the Star Trek™ and Red Dwarf™ ships:

http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc34 ... E-Hub4.jpg


Big time thanks, again!!

[MarkusXL]

Ugh, it seems all my above work is null and void, because I did not realize it at the time, but I was running XTM .7.3.

So, I went ahead and enjoyed all the Main Plot and Bala Gi Missions with my Factory Module Complex AND my downloaded ships (which are arranged into CAT/DAT files in order by Plugin Manager as False Patches) AND my Ashley's Fabs.

Now that's done, I'm ready to start a new game with XTM .7.5 and Ashley's Fabs AND my downloaded ships AND Complex Cleaner!!

I started with a clean slate and re-installed everything:

1. Fresh Game install
2. Patch up to 2.5
3. Bonus Pack
4. EMP
5. Plugin Manager 2.12 (the "Lite" version did not work for this at all)
6. XTM .7.5
7. Ashely's Fabs
8. Test test test ALL OK - made a Backup Folder

9. Downloaded a bunch of ships and installed them
10. Test test test all ok.

During testing with CC, it was easy to get back to 8 from the backup folder.

Tried installing CC both before and after the downloaded ships, no difference.

It just don't work all together. CC works fine if you select it as the Selected Mod Package at game launch, but then you get no downloaded Ships. If any downloaded ships are present in any saved game you try to load, boom it kicks out with the "corrupted save game" message.

Select Plugin Manager as the Selected Mod Package from the game launcher, as you normally should, and you have all your ships, but no Complex Cleaner. It can't find is components, mainly the Factory Module models.

<sigh>

I have put another 3 full days of hacking on this and I am ready to give up on Complex Cleaner, and enjoy my downloaded ships without it.

So it comes down to a personal choice. Downloaded ship or CC?

I really worked hard with Plugin Manager to try to get it to work. There is a "allow more than one mod" checkbox, but no help. I tried arranging the downloaded ships as "standard mod" and as "false patch" in the options, but no joy. "Redo Base Mod" no help.

Too bad, but I did have my fun with CC. So far, I consider it the best way to deal with tons of factories because it puts them all in one neat little package.

Connect an Extended Complex Hub to it, and man, the ship traffic is huge, and you got megatons of wares coming and going, and its a huge river of credits!! A giant cash cow!! I had a dozen CAGs assigned to it, and they were non-stop jumping around generating huge profits!!




Thanks Gazz for the fun, while it lasted! I may come back it someday when I can edit these CAT/DAT files with some understanding. X is a game by programmers, for programmers.

End Transimission.

[Litcube]

Gazz, have you ever experimented with factory modules that weren't standard 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40, etc.?

Would you know if 3x, 4x, 6x, 8x, would work, for example?

[jumbled]

Could you please explain the actual math behind crunching mines? I use the MS Excel spreadsheet "Complex Calculator", which works wonders for me to figure out what and how many of everything I need to make a balanced complex, but fails after crunching because ore/silicon mines get crunched sometimes to S size and lose fractions of their output along the way.

I'm also discovering a lot of "fuzzy math" in here which goes far off from your original estimates of 1 to 2 % loss.

For instance, some time ago I crunched a complex (keeping my original "rock" mines), and everything was great cuz I knew what I was getting. But then I decided to expand, and rather than trying to place a bunch more rocks, I figured to try crunching them into the complex.

I forgot what my original mines were by this time, after fooling with it for so long trying to get it right, but after crunching they came out to some assortment which fell far short of what I calculated I'd need to fill my new beam fabs. The resulting mines, in this case, have yields the same as mines with a yield of 12! Even though they're multiplied as sizes 5, 10, 20, etc., it's not enough.

So I brought in what I thought might work -- a yield 12 rock to put a mine on it to fill the gap of what I'd need to supply my stations. The theory here was if it's MAKING yield 12 mines, it might take an original one and translate it straight across. I put an XL mine on it, crunched it and did a bit of math only to find I'm still short. So I got yet another 12 rock, put an M mine on it, and it added only an S (size 1) module with HALF the output I needed!

Now I'm paying more attention to what I need vs what I'm getting, and I'm playing with it a little to see what comes up. I took out my Orca with a load of M size ore mines, found a group of rocks, put a mine on a couple and watched the results. Here's what I found:

I put a M mine on a 18 rock, got a mine with output of 4 every 64 secs (just like the Complex Calculator says), giving me an hourly output of 225. I crunched it and got a size 2 fab with output of 2 every 101 secs (1:41 time), yielding an hourly total of 71! That's approx 1/3 the original! 2% loss, you say? I think not.

Next I did another M mine on a 25 rock. Got a mine good for 6 ore every 72 secs. Crunched it and my original size 2 module (from above) is now a size 5, same cycle time, output 5. Hourly is about 178, still LESS than my original yield 18 rock mine, but now we should have the equivalent of mines totaling 25+18=43 yield. A 43 yield rock mine (M size) would give me 514/hr.

So I thought maybe the math is really REALLY bad on small numbers. I recalled a huge yield 90 rock in Antigone Memorial. So I put a M mine on it. The rock gives up 18 every 63 secs, hourly is 1029 ore! Wow. Crunched, however, and it loses some of its luster. It's now a 10 module giving 20 every 1:16 (76 secs)...that's 947/hr. Not as good as 1029, and close to an 8% loss.

The numbers are better than for the small rocks, but I don't use huge rocks, first because I don't have that much I need to make. Second, there's only just so much market to sell beams and missiles, so a humongous complex tends to make more stuff than the whole galaxy has room to sell to.

Anyway, what kind of math is going into this and why the big differences? I can understand "integer math sucks", and rounding loses a lot of bits 'n' pieces, but this is ridiculous. I'm losing at least a third, and sometimes up to two-thirds of my expected output.

I'll probably have to go back to rock mines until we figure this out...at least they work as expected.

[Fading_light]

I did the math out for ore and silicon mines.

Ore: expected output per hour (before crunch) / 240 round that number down to the nearest whole number (so 30.9 becomes 30) and then * that number by 240. This will give you the amount of ore produced per hour after the crunch.

Silicon: expected output per hour (before crunch) / 61.016949 round that number down to the nearest whole number (so 30.9 becomes 30) and then * that number by 61.016949. This will give you the amount of silicon produced per hour after the crunch.

I am running an unaltered game other than the complex cleaner.

[jumbled]

Now that's done, I'm ready to start a new game with XTM .7.5 and Ashley's Fabs AND my downloaded ships AND Complex Cleaner!!

I started with a clean slate and re-installed everything:

1. Fresh Game install
2. Patch up to 2.5
3. Bonus Pack
4. EMP
5. Plugin Manager 2.12 (the "Lite" version did not work for this at all)
6. XTM .7.5
7. Ashely's Fabs
8. Test test test ALL OK - made a Backup Folder

9. Downloaded a bunch of ships and installed them
10. Test test test all ok.

This is probably way late to be of any help to you, but... I'm assuming item #4 is the community EMP pack found in here, right? Did you know XTM has its own copy of EMP included, and installing the community version is actually NOT recommended? It might be causing you some of your troubles.