[S] Race Patrols v1.43 22/01/09 ; Military logic + less CPU load

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Kadatherion
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Post by Kadatherion » Thu, 18. Dec 08, 00:03

Great, thanks, i'll give it a try tonight.
Apart from the text issue reported before, i can already tell that this script+mod helped me quite a fair bit. Most of my gameplay issues come from a CPU shortage, and this script seems to help quite a lot in that department.

A question though: how does this cohexist with the vanilla supposed feature of race invasions? It seems that the vanilla scripts sometimes trigger a race invasion (and supposedly a coherent response) of a sector, something like a really simplified version of the old LV's script for Reunion.
Never had a chance to see those military buildups in my game, but i've seen several reports of it here (and some complaints about too many ships gathering in a single sector). Will the AI take the ships from the new patrols to perform that task, will it create new ones for it or what else?

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ttl
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Post by ttl » Thu, 18. Dec 08, 16:40

Patrols should respond to these "invasions". I had to specifically tinker their logic to do so. There are likely some side effects (like invading race TSs in the same sector get shit), but should work. In fact, with the new reports, jumping to meet them would likely lead you to some invasions, since they often trigger big enough response to send the message.

However, I'm rather bummed by these invasions, and am now making alternate version of the jobs that remove these ships as well. More CPU time gained. Then I plan to make Khaak and Xenon invasion scripts to compensate.

DrwHem
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Post by DrwHem » Thu, 18. Dec 08, 17:28

i put it in as 06/06.dat and i dont see the file listed in script editor. does it only work if you load a new game?

Kadatherion
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Post by Kadatherion » Thu, 18. Dec 08, 18:16

ttl wrote: However, I'm rather bummed by these invasions, and am now making alternate version of the jobs that remove these ships as well. More CPU time gained. Then I plan to make Khaak and Xenon invasion scripts to compensate.
Hmm yup, i see your point, though i would say that just making khaak and xenon invasions in their place can become a bit boring. Most of the time you already have to fight just them (and the pirates) for almost every mission in game, and sooner or later most people abandon their mere interest in profitsss to have some fun aligning with a race and fighting their enemies. When you have a kill count of hundreds of P in your stats page, you really can't look at another xenon ship without feeling the urge to puke :P

There are also some sectors (like Faded Dreams and Contorted Dominion) that clearly seems to have been made just for these clashings of fleets to happen (in this case Boron vs Split).

Imo, the best thing would be to keep the idea of race invasions, but maybe just rewrite 'em to happen in a more balanced, less resource hogging, way. And, maybe, trying to localize them in certain specific sectors well suited for such battles (clean sectors without too many objects such as asteroids and stations).
DrwHem wrote:i put it in as 06/06.dat and i dont see the file listed in script editor. does it only work if you load a new game?
You have to install the spk script with the plugin manager, and then put the minimod as a fake patch as you did. The minimod itself has no "scripts" in it, it just removes the old race military to make space for the new patrols. If you do it right it works well with an old savegame (you'll just have to run the mentioned aakillship script manually to get rid of the nameless leftovers).

DrwHem
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Post by DrwHem » Thu, 18. Dec 08, 20:31

is argon nova vanguard an example of a nameless ship? if not what is? cause the civilians are being scarce in the sector i am in

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ttl
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Post by ttl » Fri, 19. Dec 08, 01:17

Well, no invasions would be an option, alongside the current. Upto you to whichever you prefer.

DrwHem: Nameless ships are really that. Their name is nothing but blanks. If you installed the mod files, you should see some of them at least among the heavier military ships. The nameless ships only concern existing savegames. Do note to install the .spk as well. And install the mod in the directory you already have upto 05.cat and 05.dat.

Possible problem: Do you have the Plugin Manager installed? If you do, you'd need to make sure it doesn't use a .cat number that is lower than yours, since it seems to always take the highest. i.e.

start:
06 -> plugin manager

install:
06 -> plugin manager
07 -> this mod for jobs

run plugin manager:
06 -> non-existent
07 -> this mod for jobs
08 -> plugin manager

End result : Game loads neither the jobs mod from here, nor the plugin manager, since it looks after 05 that there is no more.

angrysquirrel
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Post by angrysquirrel » Sat, 20. Dec 08, 17:33

Hi TTL!

I added d/l'd the script 142 ren to spk. converted and installed.

and then i added the RECOMMENDED first link you gave. extracted and then changed that .cat and .dat files to 12 (the last one was 11 in my list of files).

I go into various sectors and still see a ton of military vessels (i.e. plutarch military x. Also argo military x). Also, under AL settings I have your patrol script enabled. Is there something I did wrong?

I did see some un named ships so I ran the kill script and it loos like it is working fine.

What I want is that the freaking military ships don't get involved when I try to cap a pirate destroyer. It seems like in TC there are alot more military / law enforcement ships than in generic x3.

Anyway, is there a way I can tell if the script is installed properly? Thanks for your help!

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Malakie
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Post by Malakie » Sun, 21. Dec 08, 05:11

Hi,

Just wondering if any progress has been made for this script and compatibility with the Conflicts plugin/script?
Take it light.....

Malakie

----------------------------------------------------

Fire_Spy1
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Post by Fire_Spy1 » Wed, 24. Dec 08, 13:46

just a small note to an oddity I am experiencing.. I've been using the 1.42 version of your excellent script.. and I have noticed that the cat/dat file for the reduced civilian traffic doesnt seem to be working anymore..

It was working when I first started using it but now there is the usual throng of civilians cluttering up everything.. not to mention alot of freighter traffic..

Apart from that everything else is working perfect.. It started not working from the 1.3 patch and seems to still not be working for the 1.4 one..

I have it numbered one higher(the cat/dat file) than the highest unmodded game ones.
CPU : 486 DX4 100 Mhz
RAM : 16 Mb
GPU : SVGA
Sound : Soundblaster 8 Bit
HDD : 40 Mb
Name of System : The Beast!

Kadatherion
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Post by Kadatherion » Wed, 24. Dec 08, 19:11

Odd... it worked fine for me in 1.3, and still does in 1.4.

Remember, though, that

a) freighters are NOT affected. They aren't "civilians", and you can't really remove 'em from the jobs file if you want to keep the economy alive;
b) not ALL the civilians are removed. But when before you could find a dozen of civilians in a sector, now you'll never see more than 2 or 3; but, cluttering... honestly i never seen that many civilians even in the vanilla jobs... maybe you installed something else containing a new jobs file?
c) the best mod to pair up with the scripts is the one which removes both the civilians and most of the old dumb military. All in all civilians don't strain the system that much, since they don't do much in their jobs, while the military ships are many and often run more elaborated jobs.

Fire_Spy1
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Post by Fire_Spy1 » Thu, 25. Dec 08, 03:37

yeah I guess it's just there never seemed to be so many.. Must be a christmas sale on in the X-verse.. :D
CPU : 486 DX4 100 Mhz
RAM : 16 Mb
GPU : SVGA
Sound : Soundblaster 8 Bit
HDD : 40 Mb
Name of System : The Beast!

angrysquirrel
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Post by angrysquirrel » Thu, 25. Dec 08, 12:10

I've been seeing alot of "strong arms escort, jonfereco escort, terraco weapons dealer. Is that normal with the no civilan or military ship mod?

Fire_Spy1
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Post by Fire_Spy1 » Thu, 25. Dec 08, 12:45

I dont think it interferes with any freighter traffic as Kadatherion said..

It does thin the civ traffic out tho.. usually their the ones who show up on the gravidar and sector maps as a dot.

I just havent seen so much freighter traffic before.. in some sectors there are heaps of them.. Maybe I should pay more attention.. :D
CPU : 486 DX4 100 Mhz
RAM : 16 Mb
GPU : SVGA
Sound : Soundblaster 8 Bit
HDD : 40 Mb
Name of System : The Beast!

Kilrathi Avenger
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Post by Kilrathi Avenger » Fri, 26. Dec 08, 16:28

when downloading the no military addon it says its corrupted every time.
I have used different computers and different networks but always corrupt.
Is this a known issue
Thanks
"As I slide down the banister of life;
my job is just another splinter in the bum"

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ttl
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Post by ttl » Sat, 27. Dec 08, 21:51

All files still work for me. Have you renamed them as instructed, Kilrathi Avenger?

The amount of civilians should be drastically reduced. In particular you should not see any "civilian ship". If you do, somethings amiss.

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ttl
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Post by ttl » Sun, 28. Dec 08, 00:30

Be adviced that egosoft update 1.4 uses 06.cat and 06.dat.

If you have installed one of these mods to be 06, you should rename to higher number. If you updated with the mod installed as 06, the update overwrote the mod, and you will see civilians and militaries again. Just re-install the mod, and re-run the kill.name script.

Also keep in mind that the plugin manager will always make the highest cat/dat. It is adviced to first rename the plugin managers mod to be one higher than it used to, and then rename this mod to replace the old plugin manager mod. Then re-run the plugin manager once, and see that all is ok.

Sincere MarkXIII
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Post by Sincere MarkXIII » Sun, 11. Jan 09, 14:27

Ok, As always I'm pretty hopeless with this stuff...

I ' ve got the Steam version and am at 1.4 now. The patrols script works properly.
However as you just said: 1.4 overwrote the .06.cat and .dat.
I would therefore like to rerun the kill.name script; but I can't find where I have to go to rename the plugin managers mod to be one higher than it used to, So i'm kinda stuck :evil:

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ttl
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Post by ttl » Sun, 11. Jan 09, 18:34

Sincere:

If you start seeing the standard military ships again after 1.4 update, it probably means the mod doesn't work anymore. It could, for example, been overwritten by the update.

Go to your main X3TC directory, there you should see the XX.cat and .dat pairs. First 6 of these is the vanilla game. If you have plugin manager installed, it should be highest. You can take any one of the three mods here, and make them the highest. Then you should have, e.g. :

06 vanilla
07 plugin man
08 patrol mod

---- Run plugin manager once :

06 vanilla
07 --- missing --- , game won't load the ones after
08 patrol mod
09 plugin manager

---- rename patrol mod :

06 vanilla
07 patrol mod
09 plugin man

--- run plugin manager again :

06 vanilla
07 patrol mod
08 plugin manager

Now all is ok.

-----

To see which .cat and .dat is which, install doubleshadows editor, and then you can look inside cats. This mod has Jobs as it's only file.

Sincere MarkXIII
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Post by Sincere MarkXIII » Mon, 12. Jan 09, 00:33

thank you for the speedy reply, will try that !

angrysquirrel
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Post by angrysquirrel » Mon, 12. Jan 09, 04:58

went and got:

X3 Editor latest full version: 0.0.24 updated 3.11.2008

installed into:

C:\Program Files\X3 Editor TC

ran x3 editor tc .24

12.cat and dat for me is your race patrol mod becuase it just has jobs file.

opened 6 cat

and it has director, l, maps, objects, t.

in my game I see military but no civilians. Is the mod working properly? Thanks!

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