Master_Xan

I wonder why I didn't get an email telling me you had posted... Steel, that is bad. Very, very bad. If you like, I can be an off-site backup location for you (better than any online backup, 'cause I can periodically annoy the crap out of you until you send me an updated backup).

Phil is right. You have to do both, the model and texture. Also, there are more than one model/texture for each ship (different textures for different graphic settings, back when the game came out and some systems couldn't handle Rebellion's "highly detailed" textures). You'll want to make sure you modify the high-end one. I have no idea how to find it, or how to work with either models or textures. The guys you want to ask (in order) MASK Mad78 vakundok I haven't seen any of them around in awhile though. There are tutorials for models and some things for textures. If you go to the toolbar links here: RebEd -> Models (click) -> at the top, click on textures Download all three, and see if they help.

Hm. Time for more information. Are you running any mods? Are you both using the same version of Rebellion? And the same version of Hamachi? Did you install the update (which has some multiplayer fixes)? Are you playing with programs running in the background? Are you in windowed mode? What version of windows are you using? Does that problem happen in single player for either one of you? Can either one of you play successfully with someone else? Do you have a third machine you can install Rebellion on and do testing? Let me know the answers and I'll try and help you sort it out. Since I've never heard of this error, there will be lots of guessing, trial and error type stuff, til we get it figured out.

I'm interested in this, DarthGon. Let me know how it turns out. And good luck with the model files- that's an area I never did tread.

Yeah, the black doesn't look so hot. Working with images isn't my thing, so I don't know how hard it is to make these- I do know I hate transparency. Every time I work with transparencies, I get frustrated and give up. But it would look better with only one background.

Cool. I hadn't thought of taking out shield generators to improve planetary assaults; I'd like to try it though. But I'll probably make generators expensive instead, limiting their use to the most important planets. I always thought a planet-wide shield ought to cost a bit more to build and maintain than the game seemed to imply. I mean, for the cost of a couple dozen starfighters, I can build a shield network to protect an entire planetary body? I just don't buy it. If you want the AI to be tougher, you could also give him a research bonus. Just edit the minor characters' research abilities for his side. I often give the empire access to TIE Interceptors right from the start as well, which helps balance the Alliance's fighter superiority. Or you can lower the torpedo values on fighters, so they don't breeze through capital ships as soon as the shields drop.

That is not normal. Did it happen every time, or just once?

Esdain, if that doesn't work you can set up a VM with an older operating system. You may want to do that even if you do get the emulator working (as a VM can be quite useful for old games). Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks to however killed it!

*DELETING SPAM* What?

@fuelinjected: It sounds like the game is not recognizing your video card correctly. First, try and update your video drivers. It may not help, but its worth a try. I have no idea why the ships would stay put, never moving... have you tried reinstalling the game? Are you using any mods? @Garothe: Did you change any of the original ship models? The error you are describing happens when some models are used. So far as I know, nobody knows why, and its different models for different people. Restore the basic models and try again. If you haven't changed the ship models, I would also ask you to check your video card drivers. I know, it sounds stupid and basic. But you'd be surprised how often it solves problems. I had a problem with my laptop not recognizing secondary displays; turns out the last driver had a bug in it. After a month they released a fixed version, and my lappy worked properly again. SUGGESTION TO EVERYONE: If you are using Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate, you may find it far easier to install and play Rebellion in XP Mode. If you don't like XP Mode, or you don't have one of those versions of Win7, there are several ways to install other old operating systems- either as a dual boot, or in a virtual environment. Like Oracles VM VirtualBox. I personally use VirtualBox and an old copy of Windows 2000 Pro I had lying around for all my old games. Its not always possible to make them work in Win7, and is often easier to get things going in the environment they were designed for anyway. I must warn you, if you aren't tech savvy, using a VM like VirtualBox is probably not a good idea. Following the directions for XP Mode shouldn't prove too hard.

http://galactic-voyage.com/Ships.htm http://www.theforce.net/swtc/linksf.html#starwars The top link has a list of ships (including freighters and other noncombatants). The second is a list of links, at least a couple of which have similar lists of vessels. Should be some ideas in there for other ship classes you can include.

The freighter-class ship may be more complexity than required. Perhaps just allow the player to pick whether to deploy there or not. If that planet, its deployed upon completion. If abroad, a freighter is automatically made for it, which is then automatically used up (disappears) when the facility is deployed. The ship doesn't have to be built separately, but can still move from place to place.

I'd think espionage and sabotage should be allowed past enemy lines. You could have a chance of detection for every system that is crossed; so deeper in is harder to reach, but not impossible. Or you could base the detection chances on what's in the system they are passing through; perhaps a small base chance of being detected per system, with additional chances to detection based upon in-system defenses, primarily fighters and other patrol craft. Which would make patrol craft useful. In Rebellion, nothing from that class of ships was worth while- they were too weak for capital ship combat, and not as good with taking down fighters as light capital ships like Corellian Gunships or Lancer Frigates. Having patrol craft boost chances of detecting operatives would be a fun addition to tactics. But it is, again, more complexity. If you wanted to expand things more from another angle, you could make ships or a class of ships designed to increase penetration abilities. You could say operatives working without a ship are booking passage on transports and such, while those on ships have more control over their hiding and are able to better avoid detection (like the cloaking ship from Force Unleashed), or able to bring more equipment with them rather than having to get it in the target system or hide it on a transport (increasing mission success rates). Ships like this could be stored on capital ships (taking the place of a fighter squad) but could carry personnel. Modified freighters come to mind (like the Millennium Falcon, able to blend in but offering more options for escape if detected). Personally, I would think shipping a facility would take larger freighters, and thus be more noticeable. I'd think sending a facility, you would need to control the lane or send an escort to punch through. Unless the facility is shipped on multiple freighters, in which case you could argue its small enough to get through.

Ditto. Bad stuff, that 'quake.

Those lists would be great things to have on the second monitor. Keep the main display on the primary monitor, and the lists on the second (for those using dual monitors). I like Evader's idea for the limited effect of galactic events, thus giving some sense of location. It would be nice to see the radius of effects too; so you could, say, select a planet, turn on that view, and see concentric rings of a color. The darker color bands correspond with more impact, and as you move away the color bands get lighter. Planets close by fall into darker color bands, and are affected more by revolts or whatever. A good idea, so long as the player has some way of knowing the distances effects will travel.

1) Great! 2) Ah, you are thinking more options for research than vanilla allowed. I'm okay with that I personally can't think of other missions you'd really want to do. Except maybe planet sabotage or planetary improvements. Or perhaps a "sabotage everything" mission, where the character goes and sabotages everything at the target location (or perhaps goes down a list, so they hit this first, then this, then this). On second thought, I like that idea. If the target has been moved, the character doesn't waste two weeks traveling to and from without even trying to take anything down, but simply moves on to the next target. Yes, I do like that idea. 3) Dang, but if that doesn't look like Space Empires V, then I'm a goat. Did you use that game for inspiration without telling us? The picture is actually from SP:IV, couldn't find one of five. Anywho, I like that sort of method. The Space Empires series doesn't use it for the main screen, just for a map. I'll be interested to see how it plays with that as the main screen. 5) Perhaps if a Jedi defects, as a Sith they get a special bonus to combat ratings and a penalty to diplomacy or some other stat? And vice versa for a Sith defector? Just an additional thought. 6) Still thinking. 7) It certainly does add complexity. If your system always has a base reference for ship stats, how do you work with damaged ships? You could have two ship values; new and veteran. So there is a NewMonCal object and a VetMonCal object. Each ship references one or the other. It doubles the number of things set aside for ships, but that shouldn't be too big a deal. Conversely, you could have the changed attributes calculated on the fly; MonCal has shield strength 500. VetMonCal gets all data from MonCal encyclopedia entry, then applies a *.5 + original value, so shield strength is now 750. This could be stored in memory for the battle and flushed, so no additional variables are needed. I'm not sure if that offers any advantages, though personally I don't think I like that approach. As far as other sides go, there are/were lots of other groups out there. What is your time period? Same as Rebellion? If I recall, there were still the Hutts, the Smugglers, the Hapes Consortium, the Chiss (Thrawn's species), and maybe some other groups I can't remember right now. The Chiss might be hard to incorporate, they weren't really involved in anything during the Rebellion's time period. But there are other options. Multiple players, though, would upset the lore. None of those groups could take on either the Alliance or the Empire; to play one would upset the balance or force a player to be on the loosing side no matter what. Now If you set this to the post-Galactic Alliance period, when a fragment of the Remnant takes over... there are tons of factions in that period, all of whom were powerful. Two different Imperial groups, the Jedi/Alliance remnant group, the Corellians, the Sith, and I think one more I'm forgetting. But I digress, as that is most likely not the time period for your game (though it would still be a "rebellion", as the GA and Jedi were rebelling from the new Sith/Empire order...)

Alright! I've been waiting for the chance to give some feedback. Get ready, this is gonna be a long post... Feedback is listed in the order you originally posted your changes. 1) The ability to add, remove and alter your universe, units, and possibly missions/research tree I consider this a must. Particularly wonderful would be the option to create scenarios; i.e. the starting conditions. Sometimes I just want to start with a big fleet, not the pitiful junk the game opens with. I'm sorry, but the Empire had more than 4 ISDs when the Battle of Yavin happened. The ability to change starting conditions is a much-needed addition for replay value. To an extent, we can change vanilla Rebellion with RebEd and a few other tools. Keeping those options is very important, though importing RebEd cards maybe not so important. Changing ship models could be done easier than our current system. As for missions and research tree, well unless you have changed the research tree from vanilla, we have need for only the options in RebEd. Namely, when is something researched, or is it at all. For missions, do you mean assassination/diplomacy/etc? Or something more special? Vanilla allows editing of diplomacy/etc through RebEd. Other things, like Han's event with bounty hunters, is hard-coded. I guess I need more info on what you mean by missions and the research tree before I can contribute to those subjects. 2) The ability to play in resolutions designed for newer generation monitors/PC's This is even more critical than #1. If it doesn't run, no one will play it. If it runs poorly, no one will play it. And there is no reason not to make it support much higher resolutions than Rebellion does; though probably not necessary to make it support every resolution. Widescreen would sure be nice though. 3) 3D Galaxy Map with the removal of the jump anywhere approach. After reading your explanation, I'm not sure I follow. You mean there is no "background" display, but rather a zoom system, like Sins? Fine with me. But that system has drawbacks too, as you have already mentioned. Information overload, no means of dividing planets into definitive groupings, 3D vs. 2D issues (and 3D is far more complex), etc. I hate the Star Wars: Battlegrounds approach. The way they do campaigns to take over the galaxy. Absolutely hate it. Its hard to control, there are no options for zooming, the planets are hard to click on and sometimes hard to see, etc. I would like to see the option to create choke points. Rebellion let anyone go anywhere, but the novels seem to imply that there are hyperspace lanes. Pilots must follow lanes, coming in and out of hyperspace occasionally. I don't think your version should be as choke-point oriented as, say, Age of Empires (build a wall over the pass and there is no way around but through it). But limiting the way ships travel could introduce a new level of strategy, creating tactical value to some planets, and create more depth. At the cost, of course, of added complexity. If you want more feedback from me on the display, I'll need help understanding your system and/or your ideas. 4) New Interface Additions such as Planet List, Unit List etc etc. I thought of Space Empires V when you mentioned this. I'm a fan of the Space Empires series, and one thing they have going for them (and have improved on over the series) is their ability to make it easier to find something in a huge galaxy. You can open a list of anything, be it planets, ships, production facilities, whatever. The list includes basic info, such as destination, current orders and status. Clicking on something allows you to view detailed information, or go to the part of the galaxy where that object is located. These allow easy information-at-a-glance screens. You can also que up the same build orders for multiple construction facilities. Say you have four shipyards that need to build TIE Interceptors. Do them one at a time, or open your build list, tab to shipyards, and click those four to add fighters to their que en masse? I choose the mass option over the one-by-one option, myself. There should be a demo of SE:V; check it out to get a better understanding of what I'm talking about. Its made by Malfador. I think if you do lists like this properly, it will be great. Incorrectly, it will be a worthless feature no one will use. 5) Defect-able Characters While cool, this could also be aggravating. I'd like to see this, but its the weakest of your ideas. If you put it in, please include a way to turn it off, so if its annoying we don't have to use it (like natural disasters). There should also be a benefit when a character defects; bringing technology with them, or information on planets, fleet movements, something. 6) Money system I'm undecided on whether I like Rebellion's system or not. I dislike loosing ships due to maintenance shortfalls, but also understand the tactical importance and the need to limit a player's fieldable navy in some way. I dislike the simplicity of just using money, but also dislike managing mines and refineries when I'd rather be planning my next assault on the Rebel HQ and couldn't trust the AI to manage it for me. I'll think about it some and see if any ideas come to me. 7) Experience system We always think of experience systems as being complex. Two stars, or five; a digital experience counter leading up to "level ups". These are more complex than you need. Just make it so a ship is "new" or "veteran". In a galactic war, personnel shortages necessitate personnel transfers, and even when ships survive they often loose crew members. This means a ship will never have an "expert" crew. Perhaps an expert senior staff, but there are always newbies being trained. The exception is when resupply is impossible; in which case, they cannot replace losses, and even if the crew are all veterans, they suffer penalties due to personnel and material shortages. In short, you should be able to have an experience counter for each ship. Make it a small number, something like a few bits or a byte (if your chosen programming language allows that). If a ship has been in X many battles, it is now a "veteran" ship. No need to keep track of further battles; once veteran status is achieved, that's it. You wouldn't even need an experience variable and a "isVeteran" variable if you didn't want. This way you get some experience benefit, but a low memory cost. Make that ship do more damage, or hit more often, or have a higher maneuverability or something. Just an idea. I can also see the complexity of coding that for relatively little gain. And the if statements or switches (if veteran, do this) might slow down large battles a bit. I'm not the best programmer, but I love designing and organizing. I'd be happy to share more ideas.

Just an update: I'm still working on this off-and-on. I've tried a couple ways to contact Doug and Scott; still waiting for responses. Still no word yet from Wayne Cline. I think I've given up on that route (Cline's FB).

Yay! Its good to see that another project hasn't bit the dust. Let us know how we can help, be it bouncing ideas or testing. Congrats with your first child! When is the expected delivery date?

No dying on us Slocket. Nor anything permanently damaging. That's an order from a superior officer. I'm not sure I caught the vision of what you described in #1. Do you mean there will be an 'S' in place of the factory symbol? What happens when a construction yard is idle? Or both? Will there be a row of icons? I agree, going back to the main galaxy display is annoying, so this should help. Making a keyboard or mouse shortcut for changing the display would help somewhat, but if I understand what you are trying to do, that should help as well. I really like the roll over info idea. A "planet at a glance" feature is badly needed. Got the newer release, did some testing. Not much I can do yet, but things look good so far. I know how much work it takes to get any noticeable results, and I bet you spent a lot of time on it before that first demo was ready. Fortunately, at the point you are, there are visible results to many things you do from here on out. That always helped encourage me on coding projects.

The more planets you have, the better you can cope with disasters. You may be able to avoid them to some extent by not loading up your planets, but if you have a few dozen systems, the extra one energy you use in filling them up means when you loose stuff to a disaster, you are still ahead of where you would have been had you wasted the one energy on every planet.

I used the side panels, but I also hated them. There were times when Rebellion would reorganize my panels willy-nilly, messing up my methods. I also didn't like putting a planet info into the side, only to forget next time I pulled it up and subsequently lost it. And I hated having, say, the defense for a planet in the side, but then needing the fleet view or manufacturing view. The side panel was an attempt by the designers to overcome the shortcomings inherent in Rebellion's GUI, which was clunky, with many repeated steps. The side panel could be used effectively to reduce steps, but only marginally. As it has come up, let me share my views of what the side panel could become, making it a truly useful feature. 1) Make the side panel correspond to numbers. Like a taskgroup of ships in battle, hitting 1 could automatically bring up whatever planet view was in slot one (say, Coruscant). 2) Make it possible to access any of the planet information view screens from any of the others. For example, if you put a planet defense view into the sidebar, make a button in that view to access the mission, fleet, and manufacturing views. This way I don't need four "tabs" for a single planet's information. 3) After a battle or after loading a save game, the panel needs to remain unchanged, unlike vanilla where it would be rearranged. I'd assume this would be a standard idea, but I mentioned it anyway. 4) If screen real estate is an issue, who says it has to be along the side? Make the list along the top or bottom. Or make it a floating window that can be moved wherever the player wants, or make it an option which can be disabled for players who don't want it. There are lots of options here. 5) When you have one view open, and want to see the view from a planet in the panel, opening the panel screen should automatically place that view NEXT to the currently active view, rather than vanilla where the position of the view was remembered (which often resulted in opening the view over the top of the view you were using, forcing the player to move one of them before doing anything else). 6) Make the assignment to a side panel slot more permanent. It only looses this status when the player removes it or assigns another view in its stead, rather than just when the player doesn't put that view back over to the side again. I can't tell you how often I forgot to put a view back over to the side again and had to open it back up the long way. Doing these things would dramatically improve the usefulness of those side panels. In vanilla, I used them as reminders- Uvena's window is up, that must mean something is about to arrive, or finish, or something needs my attention there. But with some improvements, the side panels could be actually useful. Just an idea, while I'm thinking about it, the galaxy view could use a toggle. Like the mouse wheel- scrolling could change from active personnel to inactive, and cycle through all the other options (like fleets, support, energy, etc). Or a keyboard alternative, if you already have plans for the mouse scroll wheel. Just a thought, but one that would further help the GUI be easier to manipulate quickly.

Ah, didn't know he had fixed the link. To expand on what MrPhildevil said, I think the ship classes should be changed. In vanilla, it was fighters and capital ships. I'd think it should be small vessels and capital ships. This allows more diversity without the complication of a system like Homeworld's (fighters, bombers, frigates, destroyers, cruisers, etc). Sweet ideas, but not the most important for this point in your project. Heck, being able to have more than eight total fighters would make me happy. TIE advanced, gunboats, Ewings, Scimitars, upgraded versions of the Xwing (like the XJ series)... and without replacing the originals... oh the possibilities... One thing you should implement eventually, however, is some sense of "obsolete." For instance, in vanilla, you researched and obtained the ability to make Gen2 planetary shield arrays. But the Gen1 was still listed in your build menu, even though there is no reason why you would want to build it again (the Gen2 even takes fewer maintenance points!). It would be nice to remove old designs, or even better, allow the player to toggle a design as obsolete. That way the player can remove designs they will never use, making it easier to find what they want.

You do not need to add .com to the link. It works just fine as is in Firefox. I like the changed method for displaying loyalty. I never liked the vanilla version; this is better. Downloaded the zip; I'll test it later when I'm not supposed to be doing my homework. Image shack shrank the image. If you open it up, they let you zoom. The zoomed picture is better. They may also lower the quality; one method for doing that is to reduce the number of colors, which can make things look fuzzy.