IRC Transcript of Q/A with Aaron Hall!

Malfador Machinations' one-and-only Aaron Hall spent some quality time with our fans on IRC, and here are the transcripts!

Aaron will be joining us again in a couple weeks, again on the same channel: irc.freenode.net/spaceempires

[20:00] *** Malfador has joined #spaceempires.
[20:00] bcool_6: lol
[20:00] Baron_Munchausen: Heh...
[20:00] Combat_Wombat: atrocites you already have more questions than everyone else so you don't get ot add more
[20:00] Combat_Wombat: Hi Aaron
[20:00] Caduceus: Heh.
[20:00] Malfador: Greetings!
[20:00] bcool_6: hey aaron
[20:00] SuicideJunkie: Here we go!
[20:00] Caduceus: Good evening
[20:00] puke: hi Aaron!
[20:00] *** Mode change "+m" for channel #spaceempires by SuicideJunkie.
[20:00] ekolis: hi aaron! welcome! this sentence has no question marks!
[20:00] DavidGervais: Good evening Aaron
[20:00] * Rick pokes Malfador
[20:00] drakth: hello!
[20:00] Combat_Wombat: How are you doing tonite?
[20:00] Baron_Munchausen: Boy are you in trouble. You wasted 30 seconds! :p
[20:00] ThyReaper: hello Aaron
[20:00] Tampa_Gamer: howdy
[20:00] DeadMilkman: Evenin
[20:00] AtrocitiesPCP: Hello Aaron
[20:01] darkbeholder: hey
[20:01] Rick: Oh lovely, +m and he doesn't have voice
[20:01] SuicideJunkie: Hail!
[20:01] * Rick laughs
[20:01] darkbeholder: lol
[20:01] bcool_6: lol
[20:01] *** Mode change "+v Malfador" for channel #spaceempires by SuicideJunkie.
[20:01] Combat_Wombat: ok there we go :0
[20:01] Combat_Wombat: How are you doing tonite?
[20:01] Caduceus: Rick, he was typing phonetically and had to respell it - malfaydor.
[20:01] DavidGervais: ok, SJ make us all normal and give voice to aaron
[20:01] Caduceus: ;)
[20:01] Malfador: Doing good...
[20:02] Baron_Munchausen: Yeah, the pronunsciation issue will probably come up tonight... :)
[20:02] Combat_Wombat: Alright lets get to the questions :)
[20:02] Combat_Wombat: Phoenix-D asks: Ships can't generate research or intelligence right now, or use any of the planet abilities (eg Solar Resource Generation). Any plans to change that?
[20:02] fenrrris: a
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[20:02] Malfador: Its on the To-Do list (but keep bugging me about it).
[20:02] *** Mode change "+v mac5732" for channel #spaceempires by SuicideJunkie.
[20:02] Combat_Wombat: k
[20:02] Combat_Wombat: next question
[20:02] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: How have sales of SEV been?
[20:03] DavidGervais: good question ;)
[20:03] Malfador: Good so far!
[20:03] Malfador: EB/GameStop were happy.
[20:03] Combat_Wombat: good :)
[20:03] Combat_Wombat: Noble713 asks: Any possibility of removing hard-coded component limitations, such as only one Afterburner per fighter effective?
[20:03] SuicideJunkie: Also spaceyards.
[20:03] DavidGervais: personally I loved that Austrailia got it before everyone else. Hey if a game can sell in the outback, it can sell anywhere .
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[20:04] darkbeholder: david, i loved that also, it was great having it before everyone else :)
[20:04] Malfador: Its not so much a hard-coded limitation. Its more of a Min function on the ability type. So that 2 afterburners don't give you double the effect.
[20:04] AtrocitiesPCP: Austrailia lives in the the future anyways so.
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[20:04] Combat_Wombat: alright
[20:04] Malfador: Australia did a bad thing... They released early...
[20:04] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: Has SFI offered any assistance in the programming department especially and specifically in working out the bugs?
[20:05] Malfador: Yes and No. They'll probably take over day-to-day of the website. Whoohoo!
[20:05] DavidGervais: well, that's normal Aaron, Austrailia was a prison colony once right? (pun intended)
[20:05] Combat_Wombat: k
[20:05] Malfador: Darn roudy prisoners....
[20:05] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: Has SFI offered any assistance in the programming department especially and specifically in working out the bugs?
[20:05] Combat_Wombat: er
[20:05] Combat_Wombat: whoops
[20:05] bcool_6: lol
[20:05] Combat_Wombat: Parabolize asks: Could the construction system be changed so that a ship/unit/facility costing more in minerals then organics and radioactive doesn't consume all the organics and radioactive in the first few turns of construction?
[20:06] Malfador: So... Have the queue consume them spread out over the time of the mineral consupmtion?
[20:06] Combat_Wombat: yes
[20:06] parabolize: right
[20:07] Malfador: Its definitely possible...
[20:07] parabolize: cool, likly to happen?
[20:07] Pujal: gasp!
[20:07] Malfador: If enough people want it, sure.
[20:07] * SuicideJunkie ahems
[20:07] Combat_Wombat: k
[20:08] Combat_Wombat: Santiago asks: Is the UI going to be worked on?
[20:08] Malfador: Oooh, that's a big question...
[20:08] Combat_Wombat: yes it is :)
[20:08] AtrocitiesPCP: There are a ton of excellent suggestions for UI improvements already posted
[20:08] DavidGervais: give the simple short answer aaron.. "Yes"
[20:08] Malfador: Well, I try to get in UI improvements around the bug fixing...
[20:09] Combat_Wombat: What type of UI improvements are we likely to see in the future?
[20:09] Combat_Wombat: examples
[20:09] AtrocitiesPCP: Bug fixes being top priority O/C
[20:09] Malfador: So yes, we'll get to them. But bugs come first. It usually goes, bugs, UI improvements, modding requests, feature additions.
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[20:10] Malfador: I'd like to make the Combat UI so that you can move your viewpoint around a bit more.
[20:10] Combat_Wombat: k
[20:10] Combat_Wombat: Matryx asks: Can you provide details as to how the savegames reference which mod they are using? Obviously the savegame itself has the information encoded in it somewhere and those of us developing helper applications would find it useful for organizational purposes. Don’t need a detailed answer now just whether or not this information will be released in the future.
[20:10] Malfador: And I've gotten a few requests for a 2D move for the System View. Nostalgia anyone?
[20:10] Malfador: 2D move = 2D mode
[20:11] Malfador: Actually this has been a bit of a question of late...
[20:11] Malfador: A number of tool developers have wanted the specs to the savegames / map files.
[20:11] Baron_Munchausen: Not just nostalgia, practicality. The continuous 3D rendering uses lots of CPU for no real benefit. People with less powerful machines would appreciate a 2D mode.
[20:11] * Rick hides
[20:11] Malfador: The question is, how do I release it without breaking the encryption to prevent piracy?
[20:11] Combat_Wombat: ya
[20:12] Combat_Wombat: we don't want people cheating by altering savegames
[20:12] SuicideJunkie: cheating not piracy, I presume you mean.
[20:12] Baron_Munchausen: Some data can be saved outside the encrypted part of the file.
[20:12] Malfador: Nostalgia = Joke. I understand the need for it. It would also give a cool retro vibe...
[20:12] * AtrocitiesPCP piracy - bad
[20:13] Malfador: Cheating, Piracy, Highway Robbery, ...
[20:13] Combat_Wombat: So will you release specs to files if it cannot be used to do bad things?
[20:13] * AtrocitiesPCP thinks the new CD Code was an excellent step in the right direction
[20:14] Malfador: The idea for a map compiler was a good one. Take a normal map file and encrypts it for use in the game. I suppose the same could be used for a savegame.
[20:14] Combat_Wombat: Rick asks: Many people have complained about the UI of SEV, a good idea would be to make the UI scriptable or configurable somehow, would it be feasible for SEV? or perhaps SEVI?
[20:14] Malfador: I just need to find the time to write it.... :)
[20:15] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: When can we expect an expansion pack for SEV?
[20:15] Malfador: Scriptable UI is not an easy task. It would require a major rewrite for SE5. Even for SE6 (SEVI) it would take a lot of planning and good design...
[20:15] * Rick thought so
[20:16] Malfador: First comes bug fixes, localized versions of SE5, the modding docs, and then I'll start in on the expansion. Hopefully early next year.
[20:16] Combat_Wombat: Good bug fixes first that's good to hear
[20:16] Malfador: Oh and throw in a map editor too.
[20:16] Combat_Wombat: Ed Kolis asks: You said you'd release the source code for SE2 and SE3 once SE5 came out. Any plan to make good on that promise, or does the SFI buyout preclude that?
[20:16] Malfador: And somewhere in there UI improvements and modding requests!
[20:17] Rick: Good question Ed Kolis...
[20:17] Malfador: Actually, I need to talk to them about that. I want to release the source for SE2 (if anyone still has VB 3.0 lying around).
[20:17] SuicideJunkie: I actually do
[20:17] Malfador: NO!
[20:17] SuicideJunkie: Its on the 486 in the corner.
[20:17] Malfador: But do you have all of the add-on VBX controls!!??
[20:18] ekolis: oh no, aaron's gonna go off the deep end here... ;)
[20:18] SuicideJunkie: No idea
[20:18] Combat_Wombat: Caduceus asks: How has the transition from Shrapnel to Strategy First been?
[20:18] Malfador: Also, the thought of others looking at my crappy code...
[20:18] Combat_Wombat: we can tlak about VB later :D
[20:18] Malfador: Good. Its a totally different environment. But a good one. SFI is open to sales through all means.
[20:19] Dragagon: excellent
[20:19] Pujal: go steam!
[20:19] * Rick nods
[20:19] Malfador: And getting on Steam brought emails from some old friends!
[20:19] Combat_Wombat: Matryx asks: Can you please add more command line options like what we had in SE4 and maybe even more?
[20:19] Malfador: Steam = bringing people together :)
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[20:19] Xintis: SEnetUser, you can use a unique nickname (such as Bob) by typing the command: /nick Bob
[20:20] Malfador: I'm open to any command line options people want. There are just a few more limitations / restrictions than SE4 had...
[20:20] Combat_Wombat: Phoenix-d asks: Does he actual use the bug report system at spaceempires5.com, or should we be emailing everything in?
[20:21] Malfador: I do use the bug report system at spaceempires5.com but mainly as an additional source. Its too late for me to switch entirely to a different system than the one I have in place.
[20:21] Combat_Wombat: SuicideJunkie asks: Why were spaceyards hardcoded as one-per, instead of restricted in the datafiles?
[20:21] Malfador: But the best bug report is a direct email with an attached savegame (zipped of course).
[20:21] * DavidGervais wonders if Aaron liked my ond 'Red' SE5 box design better than the blue one SFI came up with, hmmm.
[20:21] * DavidGervais *ond=old
[20:22] Malfador: I like the blue! and the red!
[20:22] Malfador: The issue of the one-per spaceyards is a long one.
[20:22] ekolis: red - I thought it would be red but moo3 was red :P
[20:22] * DavidGervais thinks Aaron is wise
[20:22] Malfador: It goes back to SE4 and a decision to limit the construction to one per object.
[20:22] * AtrocitiesPCP would love to see the red one
[20:23] Malfador: This was mainly a UI decision at the time. So that you didn't have to have a list to show all the items an object was working on.
[20:23] SuicideJunkie: Not as in mutliple build queues.
[20:23] ekolis: stackable spaceyards... two 2000 rate adding up to a single 4000 rate queue
[20:23] Malfador: Sorry, is there a different between multiple space yards and multiple build queues?
[20:23] SuicideJunkie: In SE4, for example, we had workarounds to stack multiple planetary spaceyards.
[20:23] Malfador: You mean stackable?
[20:23] Combat_Wombat: yes
[20:23] SuicideJunkie: Yes, and they worked great.
[20:23] Malfador: It just seemed very unbalancing such that you could build a Baseship in one turn.
[20:24] Malfador: But I'm not adverse to making it available for modders.
[20:24] ekolis: yay!
[20:24] SuicideJunkie: Most used a core yard with a rate of 2000, with addtional facilities adding only 500 points in one resource.
[20:24] Combat_Wombat: ekolis asks: Some of the shipset bitmaps in SE5 (like the list icons) are all mushed together into one file. Splitting them out into separate files (one for each ship hull) and allowing alternates to be specified if the primary bitmap is not there (like with the ship portraits) would make shipset standardization much easier. Any chance of doing that?"
[20:24] Pujal: endgame u can build 1 in 2 turns, shrug
[20:25] Malfador: I see. That's kind of cool.
[20:25] AtrocitiesPCP: 'Construction Worlds"
[20:25] Malfador: The list icons? Do you mean the Status Icons?
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[20:25] ekolis: not sure what they're called but take a look at files like EmpireName_ShipSet.bmp
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[20:26] Malfador: Oh I see, the mini-portraits for ships. I put them in one file for speed of loading.
[20:26] Malfador: SE5 loads a lot more graphics than SE4 did.
[20:26] SuicideJunkie: Abbidon_shipset.bmp for example
[20:26] ekolis: how about an alternate pic-num at least...
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[20:26] Rick: Attack of the Fyrons
[20:26] Malfador: Where would the alternate picture number be specified?
[20:27] ekolis: in vehiclesizes.txt just below the regular pic num
[20:27] FyronAtSchool: blargh, +m prevented me from changing nicks!
[20:27] Malfador: Oh, and can someone write down all of these ideas? I can't type and take notes at the same time.
[20:27] *** Mode change "+o FyronAtSchool" for channel #spaceempires by ChanServ.
[20:27] SuicideJunkie: THe chat is being logged, don't worry
[20:27] Combat_Wombat: this log will be available later
[20:27] Combat_Wombat: Dragagon asks: i'd like to know if there will be any chance of a guide of the System Functions for the AI, some kind of "Programmers Guide
[20:27] Malfador: How would it pick to use an alternate? The original will always be there.
[20:28] ekolis: good point... I guess like if it calls for #57 and there are only 18?
[20:28] ekolis: (i.e. custom shipsets with bonus pics vs. stock shipsets)
[20:28] Rick: check if the file exists, before defaulting to the combined potraits?
[20:28] Malfador: The Modding docs are coming. They will specify every function for scripts. Every constant. Every function for formulas. And descriptions of every data file and their fields.
[20:28] FyronAtSchool: Or if the number called for is completely black (if you keep minis in one file)
[20:29] Combat_Wombat: Tampa Gamer asks: Please implement command line "Execute XXX Turns" to aid beta testing, mod testing and AI testing
[20:29] Pujal: <--giddy!
[20:30] Malfador: Yep, that's on my list. In my debug mode, I already have a setting which causes all queues to complete items in 1 turn. Speeds things along nicely. But the command line could be used by everyone, not just me :)
[20:30] Combat_Wombat: mac5372 asks: are there plans to make the AI better for SP play, and will the AI build forts etc besides mines and sats on wormholes
[20:30] FyronAtSchool: (forts > bases)
[20:30] Malfador: The AI got better with the last patch. They should be building bases, mines, and sats on warp points now.
[20:31] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: People are having problems with colonizing Sphere worlds, the warp point bug, and the wrong image being used for some planets. Are these on the table to be fixed soon?
[20:31] Malfador: Colonizing Sphere World - I still have to look into this one. Someone emailed my that the problem was clicking on the wrong place.
[20:31] Malfador: Warp Point bug - I need to reproduce this. I bet I have a savegame for it, but if you see it send it to me.
[20:32] Rick: Malfador: (sphere worlds) its that you have to click on the outer ring where a ship can travel, you can't click on the inner area and expect it to do the actual colonization
[20:32] AtrocitiesPCP: I have sent you a sav game file for it. Will send it again
[20:32] sivwork: evul
[20:32] AtrocitiesPCP: *warp point bug*
[20:32] Combat_Wombat: Puke asks: ive been in several Ebs in the SF area, and they havent stocked the game! Im Se5less because i cant find it in retail!
[20:32] Malfador: Wrong Image - I don't know if this is a bug or not.
[20:33] puke: probalby more of a question for SFI, actually.
[20:33] Malfador: I've seen emails about the planet pictures not matching the color scheme from SE4. But that's not a bug, just a bit of a change...
[20:34] AtrocitiesPCP: *to malfador - wrong homeworld image - Save game and image sent previoulsy
[20:34] FyronAtSchool: But they are just as random still, with little correlation between colors and type/atm
[20:34] Malfador: So, to answer the original question, yes, these are all on my list to be fixed.
[20:34] FyronAtSchool: Are we on for the se5 party thing on Dec 2nd? I didnt get any other emails
[20:34] Malfador: The color scheme is close to SE4, but a little more broad.
[20:35] Malfador: I haven't seen random with regards to the color. Gas Giants look like gas giants. And the color is in a range for that atmosphere type. None atmospheres are always grey.
[20:35] Malfador: If you see it, screenshot it and send me the savegame!
[20:36] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: When can we expect the next patch?
[20:36] FyronAtSchool: There is overlap though
[20:36] * Rick smirks
[20:36] Malfador: Oh and a little info on by bug tracking system - the more recent the email with the example, the more quickly it will get fixed. I usually work from newest back to oldest.
[20:36] ThyReaper: can't some planets in real life look like others, despite atmosphere type?
[20:36] sivwork: RL != game
[20:36] FyronAtSchool: Gameplay >> realism
[20:36] sivwork: that too
[20:37] Malfador: I'll get the patch out as soon as possible. It has to be tested by the beta testers first, and I need to get at least some of the major items into it. Hopefully in about 2 weeks.
[20:37] Malfador: Before the end of the month!
[20:38] Combat_Wombat: Fyron wants to know whats happening with the SE5 party?
[20:38] Malfador: Did I miss a question?
[20:39] Combat_Wombat: you missed Fyrons when he asked it that's why I asked it
[20:39] puke: [18:34] FyronAtSchool: Are we on for the se5 party thing on Dec 2nd? I didnt get any other emails
[20:39] Malfador: SE5 Party - If people are coming, I'll try and be there!
[20:39] puke: we trid contacting Shrapnel and SFI, but got no response from either.
[20:40] sivwork: Did the 1.13 patch address this error: (Link: http://sivran.home.comcast.net/se5exception.png)http://sivran.home.comcast.net/se5exception.png
[20:40] sivwork: ?
[20:40] Combat_Wombat: sivran shh
[20:40] Malfador: Sorry, I was waiting to hear back from you. I sent you an email saying "Dec. 2nd sounds good to me". But where is it going to be?
[20:40] *** Mode change "-v sivwork" for channel #spaceempires by SuicideJunkie.
[20:40] FyronAtSchool: You didn't get my response? I'll forward it again; its up to puke to decide, he knows the area
[20:41] Combat_Wombat: Dragagon asks: is there any chance of becoming a tester any more, or getting access to the beta forums?
[20:41] puke: okay, we'll take the rest offline.
[20:42] Malfador: I know SF too!
[20:42] * Rick drops a pin
[20:43] Malfador: I'll put it to the beta testers, but I think they recommended adding some testers. Anyone want to beta test?
[20:43] Dragagon: me...
[20:43] * puke weeps for his lack of time
[20:43] * CaptainKwok thinks a few new beta testers should be added to replace those that are no longer able to test actively
[20:43] Combat_Wombat: heh dag has been doing a lot of work with the UI
[20:43] Combat_Wombat: er AI
[20:43] Dragagon: AI ~_^
[20:44] Combat_Wombat: yeah I am drunk or something
[20:44] Combat_Wombat: mac5732 asks: after all bugs and etc are completed, what are the chances of putting in a way to enter a 2nd universe from the lst, conquor l then go to the 2nd etc. like thru a special wormhole, or a special facilitiy
[20:44] Malfador: Happy Fingers...
[20:44] DeadMilkman: good answer :)
[20:45] ekolis: lol
[20:45] Malfador: Its possible. Kind of a strategic overlay for quadrants of the galaxy.
[20:45] mac5732: yes on that order
[20:45] Combat_Wombat: A1k3n asks: Do you plan to add some facilities to AI scripts which would allow AI to store gathered info (political relations, some kind of battle analysis, research paths of it's own and foes), make rough evaluation of this data and dynamically switch to alternative data files in case of unsatisfactory result of such evaluations?
[20:45] Malfador: I'll add it to the list. Keep in mind the Wish List has about items on it.
[20:46] mac5732: tk you
[20:46] Malfador: I'm not sure that switching data files is quite right. It was for SE4, but not really for the new SE5 scripts. There are functions now for gathering information and storing it.
[20:47] Malfador: Battle analysis is needed.
[20:47] Malfador: And Enemy design analysis could use more work (but the functions are there at least).
[20:47] Tampa_Gamer: Component analysis as well
[20:48] Malfador: But what does component analysis mean?
[20:48] FyronAtSchool: breaking away from the add components by name thing is a good idea
[20:48] Tampa_Gamer: see AI white paper
[20:48] Dragagon: determining ship designs and countering them
[20:48] Malfador: Do you mean to anticipate components added from mods?
[20:48] FyronAtSchool: the ai should evaluate components, not just have a list to be hand-he;d through
[20:49] Rick: can AI currently dynamically pull information about components through scripts?
[20:49] Malfador: Evaluating components only works for mods, and a mod maker can hand tailor the AI to be much better than evaluation anyway.
[20:49] Pujal: if that means added time on the already long turn times, id rather stick to names
[20:49] Malfador: Yes. - AI can pull information about components.
[20:49] FyronAtSchool: Plus information on the game situation.
[20:49] FyronAtSchool: meet a crystalline race, use less armor
[20:50] Malfador: Sorry for the slow AI, its a combination of script execution and calculation of ability values. I hope to spend some time and streamline it even more.
[20:50] FyronAtSchool: For reference, most mod makers are not good at AI, which resulted in a ton of SE4 mods with no or mediocre AIs
[20:50] Combat_Wombat: like mine
[20:50] Combat_Wombat: heh
[20:50] *** thorfrog has signed off IRC (Client Quit).
[20:51] Malfador: Keep in mind that an AI that can handle all situations will be very large and take a long time to execute.
[20:51] FyronAtSchool: SE5 will make it more pronounced with the raised bar for scripting
[20:51] Pujal: kewl @ streamlining
[20:51] puke: component evaluation would also aid AI who gained tech through ruins.
[20:51] puke: or trading.
[20:51] ekolis: or enemy ship analysis
[20:51] Combat_Wombat: ekolis asks: You said you'd retool the combat view system. Any chance of 1) allowing rotation so you can see behind a planet or 2) making zoom exponential so it's not ridiculously slow when you're zoomed way out?
[20:51] Malfador: Let me think about it and see what I can come up with.
[20:52] Malfador: :) Exponential zoom - a radical idea that just might work!
[20:52] ekolis: hehe
[20:52] Malfador: The zooming thing is easy enough.
[20:52] SuicideJunkie: Technically, you'd want multiplication, not exponential... one click being 5% distance change, say.
[20:52] Malfador: The rotating is another issue altogether. The only reason I limited it in the first place was because it will really cause a slow machine to chug.
[20:53] ekolis: ah, ok... maybe only while paused if you set such an option?
[20:53] Combat_Wombat: CaptianKwok asks: The EmpireGainedAbilities.txt file - is there any chance that file might be implemented in some form in the future?
[20:53] Malfador: Faster machines don't have a problem. But in 3D, the more you can see the slow the frame rate will get. If you zoom to see everything (or rotate), you get the slowest drawing speed possible.
[20:54] SuicideJunkie: You don't have to draw everything... if far away items are invisble that's ok.
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[20:54] Malfador: Fog wall? In space?
[20:55] ekolis: nebula :)
[20:55] bcool_6: sensor limits
[20:55] ekolis: dynamic lod meshes, if you have the skills ;)
[20:55] Malfador: Ships that fall through the back wall of the viewing frustrum looks kinda crazy.. They get cut in half...
[20:55] HughManatee: or make them pinpricks of light?
[20:55] Pujal: Worked for the berserker books
[20:55] FyronAtSchool: light dispersion
[20:55] ekolis: eww, not sensor limits like moo3
[20:56] ekolis: It breathes fire! You die... <-- Angband equivalent of playing moo3 tactical combat
[20:56] Rick: well, fade them out as they get further away (eg: alpha transluency until 0%) rather than a strict "end"
[20:56] Baron_Munchausen: hehe
[20:56] Malfador: EmpireGainedAbilities.txt is easy enough to add in. Its almost there now...
[20:56] Combat_Wombat: excellent
[20:56] Combat_Wombat: SuicideJunkie asks: Is there anything that can be done to reduce the combat replay file sizes without losing too much accruacy?
[20:56] Malfador: Translucency is still drawing them. Only at 0% do you not get a frame rate hit anymore.
[20:57] Malfador: I have been racking my brain on the combat log files.
[20:57] Rick: Malfador: my suggestion - drop the encryption on .cmb so that zlib can do its work best
[20:57] Malfador: Currently it records everything every 50ms, and then that file is compressed using zlib.
[20:58] Malfador: If you record less, you get jumpy replay.
[20:58] Dragagon: Interpolation?
[20:58] Malfador: But there are ways, I just need to spend some time on it.
[20:58] Combat_Wombat: ekolis asks: Any chance of being able to mod the decks of ships (add/remove decks in mod datafiles, perhaps based on ship size) and the component layers (inner/outer/armor)?
[20:58] Rick: Malfador: as far as I can tell, assuming a lot of data is repeated between movement, this would compress well if it wern't for the encryption changing the values to be more 'random'
[20:58] Malfador: The replay alreay interpolates a bit. But anymore and you can get inaccurate playback.
[20:59] Malfador: Actually, I hadn't thought of that. Maybe compressing without encryption is something to try...
[20:59] FyronAtSchool: You can always encrypt after the compression
[20:59] Rick: why bother? combat logs arn't critical :P
[20:59] Malfador: You can mod the component layers now. The decks requires a change in the UI.
[20:59] ekolis: you CAN mod the component layers eh...
[21:00] Malfador: Can't you??
[21:00] FyronAtSchool: RIck: I disagree. you can gain a lot of intelligence from stolen combat logs
[21:00] Rick: Fyron: true
[21:00] FyronAtSchool: SJ has modded slot types for his GGMod, IIRC
[21:00] Combat_Wombat: Fyron asks: Any chance of getting a better racial traits system? The lack of SE4 characteristics plus the way the traits are listed (only a few shown per screen) means there is an excessive amount of scrolling to do, esp. if you mod in more graduated traits (+10, +5, etc)
[21:00] Malfador: And you must have replays for multiplayer.
[21:00] puke: unless the log was made player specific, so each player got their own log...
[21:00] SuicideJunkie: As far as I can tell, only the layout can be edited... you can't mod in engine slots, for example.
[21:00] FyronAtSchool: ah
[21:01] Combat_Wombat: Slider racial traits like in SE4 would be nice
[21:01] Malfador: You should be able to mod in any kind of slots you want.
[21:01] SuicideJunkie: There are only three names in the mainstrings.txt, however.
[21:01] Malfador: Yes, there's a chance to getting a better racial traits system. Its just I hate to go back to exactly like SE4. I'm open to ideas...
[21:01] AtrocitiesPCP: To bad the slots are all automated or have automated tags so that when you click on a compoents, it is added to the hull in the correct location
[21:02] ekolis: too bad - that would be a timesaver if he could do that
[21:02] FyronAtSchool: Something like MOO2 could work, for compacting identical traits that just have different values. it would have to be quite dynamic, of course
[21:02] Malfador: Somebody try to mod the component slots, and then send me an example of what's not working.
[21:02] *** British has signed off IRC (Read error: 104 (Connection reset by peer)).
[21:03] Combat_Wombat: Atrocities asks: Are you ever going to release another patch for SE IV?
[21:03] FyronAtSchool: then miscellaneous traits could be in a list. you dont need to show the descriptions unitl the player right clicks or something
[21:03] Malfador: SEIV? What's that? :)
[21:03] Combat_Wombat: There are still a number of SEIV bugs left
[21:03] AtrocitiesPCP: (open source would be nice)
[21:03] DeadMilkman: and players :)
[21:03] Malfador: Can someone send me a list of the SE4 bugs? Savegames would be great...
[21:03] FyronAtSchool: I have, Aaron
[21:03] FyronAtSchool: Several times :P
[21:04] ekolis: (Link: http://wiki.spaceempires.net/index.php/Known_Bugs_%28SEIV%29)http://wiki.spaceempires.net/index.php/Known_Bugs_%28SEIV%29
[21:04] Combat_Wombat: thank you :)
[21:04] Combat_Wombat: i wa gonna ask for that
[21:04] Malfador: When you get 200 emails a day, its hard to remember gramma's birthday sometimes...
[21:04] FyronAtSchool: (Link: http://www.spaceempires.net/home/content-37.html)http://www.spaceempires.net/home/content-37.html
[21:04] Malfador: OH, NO, not a posted list! The shame....
[21:04] AtrocitiesPCP: We all value you and what you have given us Aaron
[21:05] AtrocitiesPCP: So we all love to email you.
[21:05] FyronAtSchool: 63 items...
[21:05] Combat_Wombat: some of those bugs are semi-major
[21:05] Pujal: well I heard what I wanted to hear, ****'s getting done and the games gonna get fixed :)
[21:05] *** Pujal has signed off IRC ().
[21:05] Malfador: 63! 63 lashes with the whip!
[21:05] Combat_Wombat: I would love to one day say SEIV is a bug free game, and it is close right now :)
[21:06] Malfador: Bug Free? There's no such thing...
[21:06] Combat_Wombat: Caduceus asks: What's your response to the critical response to the game - Gamespot, Gameworld?
[21:06] ekolis: yeah overall se4 is quite stable and we're confident that if you give se5 the same treatment you did to se4 then se5 will be incredible 8O
[21:06] Combat_Wombat: well no bugs anyone knows aobut :D
[21:06] AtrocitiesPCP: Good question Caduceus
[21:07] Malfador: Response? Oh, look at the time! Its time for dinner.... What honey? Time to come to dinner?
[21:07] Caduceus: Heh.
[21:07] ekolis: hehe
[21:07] Dragagon: ^_^
[21:07] DavidGervais: Brutus need food too,
[21:07] DavidGervais: Must not forget to feed Brutus
[21:07] Malfador: Seriously, I've got to be going. We should do this again. Maybe in a couple of weeks?
[21:07] SuicideJunkie: Sounds good!
[21:07] Tampa_Gamer: after next patch
[21:07] Deth-B0y: stay frosty, man
[21:07] puke: cheers!
[21:07] Combat_Wombat: one more quicky
[21:07] Combat_Wombat: Pujal asks: Do you plan on putting in true tcp/ip multiplayer in se5 or any future SE game? Example: Real Time combat, and chat between players.
[21:08] ekolis: Yay! Had fun! :)
[21:08] puke: thanks for the Q&A
[21:08] Combat_Wombat: yes or no
[21:08] *** Mode change "-m" for channel #spaceempires by SuicideJunkie.
[21:08] Combat_Wombat: easy :D
[21:08] DavidGervais: Thanks for Doing this Chat Aaron, you're Great.
[21:08] ekolis: yeah, thanks a lot :)
[21:08] Dragagon: oooo peer-to-peer "online" game ;)
[21:08] SuicideJunkie: Massively multiplayer Starfury
[21:08] ekolis: great to know you're still as dedicated as ever
[21:08] AtrocitiesPCP: *malfador* - Resent bug report emails from 10/19
[21:08] Dragagon: lol @ SJ
[21:08] Malfador: Sorry, I'll try and answer the rest of the questions next time!
[21:08] DavidGervais: YES! StarFury Online Hoot!
[21:09] darkbeholder: thanks Aaron
[21:09] Combat_Wombat: thank you
[21:09] Malfador: Brutus, chewing on my leg...
[21:09] Combat_Wombat: have a good night :)
[21:09] *** ckotchey has left #spaceempires.
[21:09] bcool_6: thank you
[21:09] Dragagon: TA Aaron
[21:09] Caduceus: Thanks.
[21:09] ThyReaper: thanks
[21:09] Tampa_Gamer: Cya
[21:09] AtrocitiesPCP: How is he?
[21:09] Malfador: Have a great night!
[21:09] SuicideJunkie: Bye!
[21:09] ekolis: g'night aaron and everyone
[21:09] DavidGervais: bye Aaron, Good Night
[21:09] [Julian]: nods MM
[21:09] bcool_6: bye
[21:09] mac5732: thk for taking the time with us
[21:09] [Julian]: g'nite... thanks again
[21:09] *** Malfador has left #spaceempires.