Mechanics - inside Rebellion

[RenegadeMax]

Just bumping a worthy thread. Anyone have anything new?

[DarthTex]

Nothing lately from me; been busy working other things (i.e. Galaxy configuration)

[Exedore_Neo]

I am all for Jahled's plan of negating the random destruction event as well as making the minimum energy a planet can start with at least three instead of having planets out there with two energy...or less.

 

This thread is definetely one of the best out there and I hope that it has not died...mask, vandi, terran...tex...anyone out there still working...?

 

I have only just started familiarizing with hex, but I have high hopes for the editing possibilities. The community should definetely not allow this thread to die off. This and adding characters are the two best threads out there. I wish everyone would get involved on these threads.

[Slocket]

I am back after one year. I see more people have examined these odd files even more in detail.

 

I left off after trying to diagram the starting files for the galaxy files back in December 2006.

 

Still wanting to play a decent strategy Space game, I come back to examine Rebellion to see what more can be gleaned.

[Evaders99]

Still wanting to play a decent strategy Space game,

 

You may like Sins of a Solar Empire then. Eville is working on his Warlords mod for that game now

[Slocket]

I have Sins of a Solar Empire. I was a beta tester for almost a year. It is a decent game, but I am a bit bored with it now. I hope his mod makes more like Star Wars!

 

I know some of those odd tables. AO = EO same data in each file. It may get updated as game plays.

 

TDecoy == FDecoy also the same data. It is a simple look up probability table. I assume for decoys in mission (Front or Tail?) as they can be in front or back. A guess.

 

UPDATE EDIT: TDecoy is the Troop Decoy and FDecoy is the Fleet Decoy probability table. A mission agent must roll for both to get onto planet and to leave planet (fleet) then roll again for troops on planet (troops). So having a fleet above planet is also good for help catching agents.

 

GNPRTB = General Parameter Table. Maybe related to initial setup of the resources and energy of planets.?

SDPRTB= Side Parameter Entry Table. Maybe the randomness for each planet in galaxy.?

 

These should be easy to prove. Look at the format in hex and set to zero, should have interesting Engery/ resource slots. Guess some of those others determine how many mines you get on a planet and energy slots.

 

MANMGR Garrision manangment to prevent revolt?

 

There is another one is the Work slow down due to unpopular world rule. Resource reduction and losses. I think.

 

Populor support and Allegence cannot be in the setup files? I think you edit the SaveGame for that. What a mess to work with.

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

SYFCCRTB.DAT AND SYSFCRMTB.DAT repost form a year ago in this thread. These are the overall random System Facility Core and Rim Start Tables for a new game. It controls the distribution.

 

Plus, I think I am half figured out the savegame format, using these files at zero to simplify the galaxy, then make one small change and see the results.

Edited March 21, 2008 by Slocket

[Plato]

Hey guys,

I've been lurking a while but I finally have something useful to add!

 

I was playing with the base facilities for outer rim planets and made a few interesting discoveries.

 

First off the, file is called for EACH available energy resources on the planet. So you can quite easily make it fill every outer rim planet with buildings if you wanted it to.

 

Second the probabilities do not work as described in this thread.

The program rolls a single number between 1 and 100 for each call of the file.

It then checks for which element contains that numbers range. For example:

Lets say your file looks something like this

 

25% Construction Yards

35% Training Facilities

15% Ship Yards

90% Lasers

 

any number from 0-15 will result in NO Building being produced

any number from 15-25 will build a ship yard

any number from 25-35 will build a construction yard

any number from 35-90 will build a training facility

any number above 90 will build a laser

 

In addition the game engine by default seems to seed a VERY small number of mines even when this fill is filled with zeroes. I do not know the cause of this. Though it is interesting to note that the default seeding can result in more mines on a planet than it could normally otherwise support.

[Slocket]

I missed this post. Thanks for your insights. It makes more sense the way you describe the probability roll.

[DarthTex]

I missed this post. Thanks for your insights. It makes more sense the way you describe the probability roll.

Slocket, your memory must be slipping ... you wrote a similar post yourself back in Dec '06 (see pg 3 of this thread)

 

Luckily mine is as sharp as a spoon

[Slocket]

I missed this post. Thanks for your insights. It makes more sense the way you describe the probability roll.

Slocket, your memory must be slipping ... you wrote a similar post yourself back in Dec '06 (see pg 3 of this thread)

 

Luckily mine is as sharp as a spoon

 

Yes a bit at my age. It is true. Heh, I guess I was right back then too...

I thought the way he described it was different in its own way. A better explaination.

[DIREWOLF75]

For the starting fleet files(including some already mentioned and for clarification as i couldnt read several of these things from the previous knowledge listed):

(not a pro so in case im using nonstandard lingo, when in hex editor i count "00" as a byte)

 

5th byte in file tells number of primary units(loaded units not counted).

Entries are 36 bytes long. 1st byte is numbering. Last byte is type. 9th byte is seed % number with chance being from this number to the next listed or 100 if its the last in the file.

33rd byte is model. 21st byte is the total of primary unit+any subunits.

 

Subunits are 12 bytes long. 9th byte is model. Last byte is type. First seems to always be 1.

[Slocket]

That is interresting find. I assume the file your looking at is FLEETSD.DAT? It would be rather nice to setup the game to give the AI way better ships to begin with for somewhat of a challenge.

[DIREWOLF75]

That is interresting find. I assume the file your looking at is FLEETSD.DAT? It would be rather nice to setup the game to give the AI way better ships to begin with for somewhat of a challenge.

 

Hmm no sorry i didnt specify, the starting fleets files.

CMUNALTB.dat

CMUNEMTB.dat

CMUNAFTB.dat

CMUNEFTB.dat

 

Well i changed some of the seed values, and massively reduced the maintenance for things overall(as low as 1/10 for some ships) using RebEd... The combined effect is that the game im running now, i started out with IIRC 7 ISD, 11 VSD, 14 Imp DN, 16 Carrack CL... However, the AI, of the ships i could see, got at least 45 Bulk Cruisers, 82 Imp DN, 37 Escort Carriers, 72 Corellian FE... And i actually got the AI to build the MC CL that i replaced the Alliance DN with, yay, just started 80 days or so and AI already built at least 3.

 

The thing about changing transportation speeds for things other than ships and ftrs, i set it at base 25 for Rebel AI and 50 for myself and lowered all hyperspeeds with average of 20... And doubled all production speeds... Seems to work better than all previous mods i´ve done. Captured Lando during an early fight in Sesswenna, and just a few weeks later(without any rebel planets left in the sector) there appears a fleet spearheaded by a ship named "Rescue" over the planet and invades it and frees him.

 

 

Anyway, not sure how the "always there" files (af/ef) works, adding ships to them, i havent gotten any simple conclusive results from it.

[Cayniarb]

So, I've been playing the game for years and lately I've been digging into this post and a lot of the .dat files to build on all the knowledge here, and I think I've found some useful information -- though I must admit, its been years since I've done any coding, and HEX is definitely not my strong suit, so anything I've found probably needs to be explored deeper.

 

It is definitely possible to add multiple types of starting ships (i.e. 1 ISD and 1 VSD) to the empire's starting fleet (in the CMUNEFTB.DAT file) -- only, I haven't figured out the specifics on the hex editing for that yet (for proof of concept, see the default alliance file: CMUNAFTB.DAT which starts with 1 corvette and 1 med transport with 2 troopers).

[Cayniarb]

Has anybody taken the time to map the GNPRTB.DAT file? I have started to, but mostly I'm building on other peoples work here...

 

There are 213 entries in this file. Each one is mad up of 11 'sets' of 4 alphanumeric 'couplets' (I'm not sure what the proper terms for these are...).

 

For example, the first entry (starting immediately after the hex header data) is:

01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 00 64 00 00 00 00

 

set1: a counter (01 00 00 00 through D5 00 00 00).

set2: unknown, ALWAYS 01 00 00 00.

set3: a more complicated counter -- the first couplet seems to be a counter within some kind of subgroup. For the first entry only, it starts at 01, and every group after that starts at 00 and counts up from there (the largest of these subgroups, the last one in the file, goes up to 57 [hex], skipping 3A through 4F in the middle... this is the only one that skips as well). For each of these subgroups, the second couplet in the set seems to identify the group and is the same for each entry in the subgroup (entries here are possibly more counters -- entries are: 00, 02, 06, 08, 0A, 0C, 0E, 10, 12, 14, 18, 1C, and 1E -- basically, counting off even numbers, skipping 1A). The remaining two couplets in these sets are always 00 00.

The remaining 8 sets are always the same (for each entry) and have the following effects:

set4: unknown

set5: alliance on easy difficulty

set6: alliance on intermediate difficulty

set7: alliance on hard difficulty

set8: empire on easy

set9: empire on intermediate

set10: empire on hard

set11: unknown

 

I only know what two of the 213 entries control (thanks to lookiamluke and the Hyperspace Speed Locations thread for this):

the first entry (set1 = 01 00 00 00) controls the hyperspace speed of all things not ships (i.e. characters, facilities, etc.)

the 60th entry (set1 = 3C 00 00 00) controls the hyperspace speed of Han Solo (and anyone traveling in a group with him)

 

Does anyone else have ideas on the other 211 entries?

[errantone]

SYFCCRTB.DAT AND SYSFCRMTB.DAT

 

Contain the random seed generation tables of probabilities for ALL the planets that are Core or Rim systems. SYtem FaCility CoRe TaBle DATA.

 

These files do not change the number of mines or energy a planet start with. It does control the chances and how many of each one of these facilites a Core system or a Rim system will have and its Level.

 

Core

 

1: 0,0

2: 36%, 2, Refinery-45

3: 79%, 1, Shipyard-40

4: 82%, 2, Training-41

5: 85%, 3, Construction-42

6: 88%, 3, Shield-36

7: 96%, 2, Laser-35

8: 99%, 1, Ion-34

 

The LOWER the number to zero, the MORE in proportion of those that will be placed on a planet. For the Rim file the Refinery is set for 91%. It seems backwards. 91, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, no entry for ion cannon for Rim.

 

The second number controls what level of facility it is (same numbers as RebEd makes in hex files). Example change the first "3" for Contruction Yard to a "6" will make all planets random seeded Construction Yards to be the Advanced variety at game start. The formula is n=n+3 gives the advanced version. Advanced shipyard change the 1 to a 4. Advanced Training Yard change the 2 to a 5. Advanced Shield is change 3 to a 6, and advanced laser change 2 to a 5.

 

A core world can be any world that is marked as colonized. So if you use ReEd and make a Rim system colonized, then that planet will be just as developed as a Core system.

 

Small changes make a huge difference, but this can be used to alter the initial facility starting condition of the game.

 

I wonder which files holds the seed table data for the Political Favor and (planet mines/Energy).

 

I also like to change the Contruction, Training and such to their more Advanced version to help you and the AI and get the game going faster by changing the Family type using a hex editor. IE Have planet seed with Advanced Construction Yards instead of Normal Yards.

 

Of course making a nice user friendly Windows GUI to do this for people would be nice. I have not done that yet.

 

Thanks Slocket for posting the format info! I've updated SWRdataEditor BETA2 to allow changes to the above DAT files. See SWRDE thread for download link.

[Slocket]

I hope the above files do not generate a situation where the number of facilities exceed the Power total output of the planet. If I remember, it was always in proportion and adjusted itself somehow.

 

The only way I ever changed the total power output of a planet was editing the save game file.

 

I do not remember having any problems with editing those facility .dat files and causing a contridiction in the Power output of the planet.

 

Good job as always with the editor.

[DIREWOLF75]

The only way I ever changed the total power output of a planet was editing the save game file.

If you use Rebed or other to change the number of facilities on either side´s "starting base" you can get ridiculously high energy amounts, because the game automatically adjust to allow for all facilities. Tear them all down and the energy and resources remains. Let it run with zero facilities long enough and you´re likely to get the +energy or +resources event.

 

I usually play with Coruscant and Reb´s HQ somewhere around 20-40 energy. But i´ve tested it up over 60. Have found no problems with it. Also regardless of where the Alliance HQ is, the planet it started on keeps the extra energy and facilities after the HQ is moved.

And since the HQ can end up anywhere on the rim, there doesnt seem to be any technical limits.

 

 

And errantone, any chance that you will add the imperial random starting fleet file as well?

While i posted how to do it, its dreadfully easy to accidentally add a 0 to little or too much or put the right number shifted a byte or two, and the game certainly doesnt like THAT much.

[errantone]

And errantone, any chance that you will add the imperial random starting fleet file as well?

Sure, I'll see if I can make some time this weekend. It's good to know someone (besides me) is actually using the program.

 

How easy/difficult was it to use the program for editing the rebellion? I struggled with a few different attempts to make the UI flexible while still enforcing the limitations of the game. The UI was easy for me, since I wrote it, but am not sure how easy it is for others to use.

 

(update10/24): I'll get to this as soon as I can. It might not be for a few more weeks. Busy with another project for a while.)

[SnowStyle]

Hello, i'm new here and new on this game, did discover it recently while i was trying a bunch of oldies, pretty good game btw

I have been annoyed by some random event on one game and did want to revert the effect, so i have been reading about savegame editing on this board (thanks to DarthTex's works) and been able to restore back my planet (yeah i cheated )

 

Now i am interested of all data who can be edited (.dat mostly), to explore possibilities, that's why i'm posting here i think it's the main thread about data structure, so that's a Bump

 

So after reading this thread and checking a .dat file to try to understand how things work, i have now a question, i don't know if somebody already explained this or not

 

Where is the data who links items to their pictures ?

I mean, when we analyse a file like PROFACSD (probably the smallest file ), we have some parameters about Mine and Refinery, but i don't see a link (ID) to the picture file, it is strange because there is an ID to strings file (textstra.dll), but where is the ID who link to GOKRES.DLL ? i'm looking for a way to relink the Mine object to display Refinery picture in game by altering only one parameter in any editable file, is this possible ? (there is no point in swapping pictures, i'm just interested in the method to do this of course)

 

Here is the structure of the Mine from profacsd in case i've missed it (did not find anything new, just used Vakundok's works)

 

01 00 00 00 ID

01 00 00 00 Active Flag

2A 00 00 00 ?

2B 00 00 00 ?

2C 00 00 00 ? Production Type Identifier ?

01 20 02 00 2001=8193 -> "Mine" from textstra.dll | 02 = ?

01 00 00 00 Alliance

01 00 00 00 Empire

06 00 00 00 Cost

00 00 00 00 Maintenance

00 00 00 00 Research Order

00 00 00 00 ? Research Difficulty ?

05 00 00 00 ?

05 00 00 00 ? Rate of Production ?

 

 

I suppose i might not get any answers for a while since this game is old and people have interest for it from time to time i guess

So i will continue my investigation

[DarthTex]

Where is the data who links items to their pictures ?

I mean, when we analyse a file like PROFACSD (probably the smallest file ), we have some parameters about Mine and Refinery, but i don't see a link (ID) to the picture file, it is strange because there is an ID to strings file (textstra.dll), but where is the ID who link to GOKRES.DLL ? i'm looking for a way to relink the Mine object to display Refinery picture in game by altering only one parameter in any editable file, is this possible ? (there is no point in swapping pictures, i'm just interested in the method to do this of course)

Although I haven't tried changing the GUI (you'll probably get better answers from Mr PhilDevil or somebody who worked on Rebellion Reloaded), I don't believe you will find a single link to automatically change all mines or refineries in a single stroke. I believe each "icon picture" is individually made/placed when put on the screen. If you scan through all of the images in GOKRES you'll see; but where all this info gets linked ... I don't know (I'll guess and say hard coded into the program).

 

Not sure if that helped, but this is an old game

[Windfield]

Hi there

 

Long time lurker here.

 

I am trying to make a small library in python that could help replace RebEd in future.

I have used the information on this thread to collect all the data in the .DAT files. THANKS FOR THAT!

 

I have a questions regarding textstra.dll and how to access the text inside it.

 

All the messages on this thread refer to this file very much in passing, mostly saying "- identifier (actually two WORDs, the second is allways 2, the first can be used as an entry to the name in Textstrat.dll)"

It makes it sound like getting that data is trivial, but I have not been able to figure it out.

 

However, I have been trying to load the library in my code to get the data out of the library without success.

Is there a function available within the library that can be called to get the names of the units using the first word of the identifier?

What if you want to change a name, how do you edit the data in the DLL?

 

Perhaps I'm making this more complex than it is. How are you guys getting your hands on this data?

How does RebEd does it?

 

Once I have proper headway on this side project I will share the code here.

 

Cheers

 

Luis