Question about Hulls

[Turmoil (OP)]

I don't know if anyone other than Steve knows the answer to this, but I have the database password for my tech tree investigation, and I was exploring the other DBs. I want to know some things about the Hull Classifications.

How do NPRs and the other races (Invaders, Swarm, and the other one) utilize them?
If I delete, for example, the 'Space Swarm' hull, will that damage a race that uses it?
What if I alter the DB and then start a new game, will that affect NPRs? Most notably here is the Star Swarm, I don't know how the comptur Swarm race handles their ships, if they use hardcoded hull designations or just pick specific ones.

I'm asking because I want to remove excess designations like the non-english ones and a few that I personally don't want to have in my list (I like keeping things clean).

[sloanjh]

It's probably a bad idea to delete hull designations from the DB.  The reason Steve doesn't like to give out the password to the DB is that he's afraid people will modify it in a way that breaks Aurora and then report bugs caused by the modification to him.  Removing e.g. the Space Swarm hull sounds like exactly the sort of thing that runs a good risk of breaking Aurora if a Star Swarm gets generated.

My suspicion is that the NPR generation code has hard-coded tables of designations, e.g. <5kton = DD. 

Why don't you put in a suggestion for a button that allows you to remove hull designations from the UI if they're unused?

John

[Turmoil (OP)]

I should do that. I just wonder how long it would take to get around to.

[Erik L]

It's been on the suggestion list before.

Or at least to filter the list by the game that uses them.

[Turmoil (OP)]

I figured similar to separating by game. Maybe having a list of Hulls available to the computer (to protect NPR and Star Swarm, etc.), and each game having its own list for the player. Maybe either have the player list blank or pre-built with some standard classes.

In terms of actually separating, maybe just add an extra column to the DB would be easiest. Honestly, you would be able to determine how your project works best, I am just adding my worthless 2 pennies.