Altoid aliens - All sprites are free to use!

[Solarius Scorch]

Whoa, cool pics.

[Duke_Falcon]

Now I started to test the internal of my mod. I hope it works well - although we all know that nothing works well ever at first, second, third... many tried - then I need to figure out how to upload it...

Whoa, cool pics.

Thanks but these are mostly montages, manipulations or dragged from Xeno General (how could I put this into a signature or something?). If mod works well I send it to you, Solarius, to check what do you want to use\implement in FMP. Hope the whole mod shall be compatible with FMP and\or XenoOps (Yeah, maybe it is only a dream... time to wake up...).

[Duke_Falcon]

Yeeeeeeeeha!

Finally the game was able to load my mod! Although I fixed the corresponding errors circa 1.5 day ago I just now have enough time to load the mod in. Much for my dismay my NotePad++ use tabs whenever copy-paste things in a ruleset and this caused me tremendous problems. Good point that NotePad++ also able to change all tabs to spaces so it was no need to manually correct circa 170 lines scattered in the ~2000 lines ruleset.
I am proud upon myself to reached so far (with the help of many of yours, of course!) but I still know little more than nothing about YAML. And I have so many ideas what I am more than sure to impossible to make (automatic defense towers on bases - just like in Apocalypse).

Anyway, slowly progressing. If everything goes well I shall shoot my first Altoids tonight (I know instant battle is a good way to test new aliens but I like to test them in a normal game where they may accomplish all of their corresponding missions). Hope I could found them with a mission designed to use the new weapons aswell.
And I made a nice picture for this mod - see attachment!

P.S.: Anyone knows how recognize OXC the YAML codes? Is there a c++ or c# routine for that?

[Solarius Scorch]

Oh shit, it's the Vorlons!

You're getting good at this, Duke.

[Duke_Falcon]

OK

I am stucked. The game sometimes crashes with my mod but I do not know why. Since the game not give any bug report I have no idea where is the problem in the ruleset. Not even know what is wrong? In debug mode it mostly works but normal mode the new aliens seems to crash always the game.
Did the alien mission or UFO setups wrong?

Attached the rule file for help.

[Falko]

you seem to miss some extraSprite entries

Code: [Select]

Probe.PCK is referenced to /extraSprites but not found there line:  455
Venomtoad.PCK is referenced to /extraSprites but not found there line:   476
Belcher.PCK is referenced to /extraSprites but not found there line:   497
perhaps that helps

also some aliens are referenced as dependencies but do not exist in the rulset

Code: [Select]

STR_ETHEREAL_NAVIGATOR is referenced to /research but not found there line:  1044
STR_ETHEREAL_MEDIC is referenced to /research but not found there line:   1084
STR_ETHEREAL_MEDIC is referenced to /research but not found there line:   1094
STR_AERIAL_ADMIRAL is referenced to /research but not found there line:   1104
STR_AERIAL_CAPTAIN is referenced to /research but not found there line:   1104
STR_AERIAL_MARINE is referenced to /research but not found there line:   1104
STR_AERIAL_ADMIRAL is referenced to /research but not found there line: 1149but that should not cause crashes

[NoelBuddy]

You need to define the clone ships for your race specific missions.

Something like:

Code: [Select]

ufos:
  - type: STR_SMALL_SCOUT_ANAVY
    size: STR_VERY_SMALL
    sprite: 0
    damageMax: 50
    speedMax: 2200
    accel: 12
    power: 0
    range: 0
    score: 50
    reload: 56
    breakOffTime: 100
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO1A
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - UFO1
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO1A
          width: 10
          length: 10
  - type: STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT_ANAVY
    size: STR_SMALL
    sprite: 1
    damageMax: 200
    speedMax: 2400
    accel: 9
    power: 20
    range: 15
    score: 75
    reload: 28
    breakOffTime: 125
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_110
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_110
          width: 10
          length: 10
  - type: STR_LARGE_SCOUT_ANAVY
    size: STR_SMALL
    sprite: 2
    damageMax: 250
    speedMax: 2700
    accel: 9
    power: 20
    range: 34
    score: 125
    reload: 24
    breakOffTime: 150
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_120
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_120
          width: 20
          length: 20
  - type: STR_ABDUCTOR_ANAVY
    size: STR_MEDIUM_UC
    sprite: 4
    damageMax: 500
    speedMax: 4300
    accel: 8
    power: 40
    range: 20
    score: 250
    reload: 16
    breakOffTime: 250
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_140
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_OPER2
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_140
          width: 20
          length: 20
  - type: STR_HARVESTER_ANAVY
    size: STR_MEDIUM_UC
    sprite: 3
    damageMax: 500
    speedMax: 4000
    accel: 8
    power: 40
    range: 22
    score: 250
    reload: 24
    breakOffTime: 250
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_130
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_DISEC2
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_130
          width: 20
          length: 20
  - type: STR_SUPPLY_SHIP_ANAVY
    size: STR_LARGE
    sprite: 7
    damageMax: 2200
    speedMax: 3200
    accel: 6
    power: 60
    range: 36
    score: 400
    reload: 12
    breakOffTime: 1500
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_170
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_DISEC2
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_170
          width: 30
          length: 20
  - type: STR_TERROR_SHIP_ANAVY
    size: STR_LARGE
    sprite: 5
    damageMax: 1200
    speedMax: 4800
    accel: 6
    power: 120
    range: 42
    score: 500
    reload: 12
    breakOffTime: 1000
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_150
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_PODS
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_150
          width: 30
          length: 20
  - type: STR_BATTLESHIP_ANAVY
    size: STR_VERY_LARGE
    sprite: 6
    damageMax: 3000
    speedMax: 5000
    accel: 6
    power: 140
    range: 65
    score: 700
    reload: 12
    breakOffTime: 2000
    battlescapeTerrainData:
      name: UFO_160
      mapDataSets:
        - BLANKS
        - U_EXT02
        - U_WALL02
        - U_PODS
        - U_BITS
      mapBlocks:
        - name: UFO_160
          width: 30
          length: 30


[Duke_Falcon]

Code: [Select]

Probe.PCK is referenced to /extraSprites but not found there line:  455
Venomtoad.PCK is referenced to /extraSprites but not found there line:   476
Belcher.PCK is referenced to /extraSprites but not found there line:   497

perhaps that helps

I opened the ruleset and I found this:
  - type: VENOMTOAD_ARMOR
    spriteSheet: Venomtoad.PCK
These are line 476 and 477. Is it not what must be there? And in extrasprites they are defined where to find the spritesheets (resources/Blablabla/Venomtoad.pck... What should be written and where then?

You need to define the clone ships for your race specific missions.

I remember there is an ufos: section where all ships are defined, even those what not even used by the new aliens.

I frankly do not understand this thing at all. Maybe it would be better not even start this thing. I am not a coder or programmer and I have hard times with coding or even learn program languages...

[Falko]

Code: [Select]

armors:
  - type: PROBE_ARMOR
    spriteSheet: Probe.PCK

Code: [Select]

extraSprites:
  - type: PROBE.PCK
    width: 512
    height: 200
    subX: 32
    subY: 40
    files:
      0: Resources/Altoid/Probe.pngPROBE.PCK != Probe.PCK

[NoelBuddy]

First off: Disregard my previous comment, I must be blind you did indeed have those defined. For some reason, even tho they order of the sections doesn't matter,  I assumed it wasn't there when it wasn't where I expected it.

I frankly do not understand this thing at all. Maybe it would be better not even start this thing. I am not a coder or programmer and I have hard times with coding or even learn program languages...

I don't think you are giving yourself enough credit on this, this is a really ambitious mod.

Here:
  Shuffled the sections to match the basic ruleset order (So other people don't repeat my stupid mistake while looking at it.)
  Fixed case mismatch Falco mentioned
  The research issues won't crash the game, but they will make the subjects they are listed with unobtainable... I didn't want to mess with it tho because there be some mad genius stuff going on in that thar tech tree.

[Duke_Falcon]

Falko!
So, YAML is do case sensitive. I did not know this - although I may suspect since Win95 everything is literally case sensitive - so it is important to use everywhere PROBE or Probe and do not mix them. I suspect the ruleset then case sensitive in case of searching files so since I named the spritesheet Probe.png then I MUST use "Probe" everywhere for example. Now I got it. Fix this is easy with Notepad++. Next time I will watch this for sure.

NoelBuddy!
Thanks! I shall check the fixed ruleset.
The order of entries are random. I used the Gazer alien as an example and every new topics I inserted where I felt the best. For me this is easy to check what is where. But if there is a common standard of order I shall use it to make checking and fixing easier.
Second - since both of you written - I thought the game automatically use vanilla aliens and alien ranks as a default. If not I shall remove them from the research prerequisits. I just thought it may have sense to only special rank aliens may tell different things.

I don't think you are giving yourself enough credit on this, this is a really ambitious mod.

I am usually good with concepts. Not only half of the things I wanted is in the mod, believe me! But I sometimes have clean minutes in term of consciousness and I cut out dozens of things. Maybe make them once later or forget for the sake of all creation... Dunno...
Still the helitrans' idea is swirling in my mind. That one thing may be good to make once (first I need an editor for that, tilesets, everything literally I do not have yet - so, yes, I am often ambitious a bit).

[NoelBuddy]

...since both of you written - I thought the game automatically use vanilla aliens and alien ranks as a default. If not I shall remove them from the research prerequisits. I just thought it may have sense to only special rank aliens may tell different things.

Your logic is sound, the problem is that Etherals don't have navigators or medics... and you should have STR_ARIEL_SOLDIER; STR_ARIEL_LEADER; STR_ARIEL_COMMANDER in place of STR_ARIEL_MARINE; STR_ARIEL_CAPTAIN; STR_ARIEL_ADMIRAL respectively.  You probably put those in thinking of what their string names would be but didn't catch them when adjusting the entries to be more like the standard versions.

It is explicitly stated that the order doesn't matter, but I find having the last sections be the extraSprites: extraStrings: as good practice.

[Duke_Falcon]

I can not fixed this ruleset or clean it up properly. I edited and tinkered the research part and it became even worse with tons of crashes - if the game crashed and not frozen and messed up memory (NEVER put games into the RAM directly!!! Even if they load with lightspeed!))...
Currently the latest and useable version of the ruleset is Noel's attachment. If someone could fix the research part I shall be thankfull... I starting to be frustrated with YAML language :S

Frankly this is the case when someone may done better if never even start work on things. I crashed even those things I make usefull - relatively, only minor bugs...

[NoelBuddy]

This still needs some adjustment, particularly I #'d out a bunch of the research things that are incomplete, but should work a bit smoother.

[Duke_Falcon]

Sorry, I forgot to attach how I wanted to looks like the tech tree - what I failed to code seemingly.
Now I attached it how I imagined the new researches. If someone could fix my ruleset's research part according to it I will be thankfull. I simply can not make it work the way I planned. I think I wanted to much while know less than little...