Difference between revisions of "Stars! Host Creator"

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So how can I use this for testbedding? PRTs and LRTs are not accurate. Do I need to redesign the unknown enemy designs, even when I know them from an allies turn?
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''So how can I use this for testbedding? PRTs and LRTs are not accurate! My enemy is not HE! Do I need to redesign the unknown enemy designs, even when I know them from an allies turn?''
  
 
Well, in the .xml file in which you need to input the path and name the files (between the <Game> tags) you can add all additional info.
 
Well, in the .xml file in which you need to input the path and name the files (between the <Game> tags) you can add all additional info.

Revision as of 18:04, 8 July 2010

This is a testbed creator. You use your own .m and .h file (and .xy file) to recreate new game files (for all players) that reflect the actual universe *as you see in your .m file*.

Your own turn will show your game file. Your own planets (minerals, installations, pop) and fleets will be accurate, even the damage your ships they sustained.

Opening anothers player turn will show a HE race with 50.000kT of each mineral and 4000 factories and mines. Pop and their own fleets in orbit will show what you saw in your .m file. What you can't see won't be there, you'll get no extra info. Enemy designs that you have scanned will be known, others won't, they will be empty hulls with only an engine. All tech will be at 26.


So how can I use this for testbedding? PRTs and LRTs are not accurate! My enemy is not HE! Do I need to redesign the unknown enemy designs, even when I know them from an allies turn?

Well, in the .xml file in which you need to input the path and name the files (between the <Game> tags) you can add all additional info.

Example of the .xml file <Game> tag:
In the game "Rules and Regulations" (short "rules") I'm player #10, this is how I tell the Creator what he needs. The new name of the .hst can be anything. Here I'm using the year (2465) as name.

 <Game name="rules">
   <XYFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\rules.xy"/>
   <HFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\rules.h10"/>
   <MFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\rules.m10"/>
   <HSTFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\2465.hst"/>
 </Game>

You can create a dummy race file in which you use all info you have on the race (PRT, LRT, ...), than between the <Player> tags you can insert the path and the Creator will use that file when creating the game. There you can also list the techs for that player. This is especially interesting since cost reductions due to miniturisation will be correct (well, as far as you're guessing the tech levels <g>).


Example of the .xml file <Player> tag:
Player #13 is my ally, I recreated a dummy race called "race-dar.r1" with correct PRTs and LRTs. I know his techs as well.

   <Player no="13">
     <RaceFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\race-dar.r1"/>
     <Energy value="11"/>
     <Weapons value="19"/>
     <Propulsion value="12"/>
     <Construction value="13"/>
     <Electronics value="11"/>
     <Biology value="17"/>
   </Player>

When I now generate the game race #13 will show the correct PRT, LRTs and techs. But there is more! You can use the <ShipDesign> tag (within the <Player> tag) to show the unknown designs that you for example know from your allies turn.


Example of the .xml file <ShipDesign> tag:
This will look a bit complicated, you need to use the numbers from "Design.html" and "ItemCosts.xml" to design the ship in the xml.

     <ShipDesign value="5" slots="11">
       <Name value="beamer BB"/>
       <Hull value="9" description="Battleship"/>
       <Slot no="1" categoryid="1" itemid="14" itemcount="4" description="Trans-Galactic Mizer Scoop"/>
       <Slot no="2" categoryid="4096" itemid="8" itemcount="1" description="OT"/>
       <Slot no="3" categoryid="4" itemid="7" itemcount="8" description="Gorilla Delagator"/>
       <Slot no="4" categoryid="16" itemid="20" itemcount="6" description="Doomsday missile"/>
       <Slot no="5" categoryid="16" itemid="20" itemcount="6" description="Doomsday missile"/>
       <Slot no="6" categoryid="16" itemid="19" itemcount="2" description="sap"/>
       <Slot no="7" categoryid="16" itemid="19" itemcount="2" description="sap"/>
       <Slot no="8" categoryid="16" itemid="20" itemcount="4" description="Doomsday missile"/>
       <Slot no="9" categoryid="8" itemid="1" itemcount="0" description=""/>
       <Slot no="10" categoryid="2048" itemid="12" itemcount="3" description="Battle Super Computer"/>
       <Slot no="11" categoryid="2048" itemid="12" itemcount="3" description="Battle Super Computer"/>
     </ShipDesign>

Value="5" means it's the fifth design slot. Slots="11" means the ship has 11 slots. Name value="" is what name the ship will have in the game file, can be anything. Hull value=9" means it's a BB (as seen in Design.html). Description="" doesn't matter, that's just to make it a bit easier. Slot no="" and all that follows is to define which item goes in which slot, you'll need to check "Design.html" and "ItemCosts.xml" for that.


So a the GameData.xml will have a structure like this:

<Games>
 <Game name="rules">
   <XYFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\rules.xy"/>
   <HFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\rules.h10"/>
   <MFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\rules.m10"/>
   <HSTFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\2465.hst"/>
   <Player no="13">
     <RaceFile file="C:\stars\utils\StarsHostCreatorv010\rules\race-dar.r1"/>
     <Energy value="11"/>
     <Weapons value="19"/>
     <Propulsion value="12"/>
     <Construction value="13"/>
     <Electronics value="11"/>
     <Biology value="17"/>
     <ShipDesign value="5" slots="11">
       <Name value="beamer BB"/>
       <Hull value="9" description="Battleship"/>
       <Slot no="1" categoryid="1" itemid="14" itemcount="4" description="Trans-Galactic Mizer Scoop"/>
       <Slot no="2" categoryid="4096" itemid="8" itemcount="1" description="OT"/>
       <Slot no="3" categoryid="4" itemid="7" itemcount="8" description="Gorilla Delagator"/>
       <Slot no="4" categoryid="16" itemid="20" itemcount="6" description="Doomsday missile"/>
       <Slot no="5" categoryid="16" itemid="20" itemcount="6" description="Doomsday missile"/>
       <Slot no="6" categoryid="16" itemid="19" itemcount="2" description="sap"/>
       <Slot no="7" categoryid="16" itemid="19" itemcount="2" description="sap"/>
       <Slot no="8" categoryid="16" itemid="20" itemcount="4" description="Doomsday missile"/>
       <Slot no="9" categoryid="8" itemid="1" itemcount="0" description=""/>
       <Slot no="10" categoryid="2048" itemid="12" itemcount="3" description="Battle Super Computer"/>
       <Slot no="11" categoryid="2048" itemid="12" itemcount="3" description="Battle Super Computer"/>
     </ShipDesign>
   </Player>
 </Game>
</Games>

This will create new game files called 2465.m1 upto the last race in the game. File 2465.m10 will be similar to the rules.m10. File 2465.m13 will show the race as designed in race-dar.r1 with a BB in the 5th design slot called "beamer BB" with the above specs.

Now you can open all turns, input ordes and use the .hst file to generate a new turn.

--Micha 21:54, 8 July 2010 (UTC)