Author Topic: Quasar4x - An Aurora4x VB6 clone  (Read 161854 times)

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Offline obsidian_green

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #300 on: March 21, 2020, 02:46:21 AM »
POWs had minor "issues" in A4X 7.1. In addition to an inability to port them around (they would get stuck in some places, forget whether on ships or colonies) and, say, add them to a conquered population, anomalous POWs would be created from other games on a savefile, if I'm correctly remembering what Steve explained to me.
 

Offline Kyle (OP)

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #301 on: March 21, 2020, 05:02:46 PM »
Progress update 2020-03-21:

Everyone surviving the final wait for C#?  I am, but only barely :)  (oh, and there's some virus thing I guess)  Progress on Quasar4x remains strong.  Escorts and formations are done!




Also done since last progress update:
- Duty-based skill ups for commanders
- Negative wealth impact
- Automatically assigned minimum commander rank to ship classes redone to match Aurora
- NPR Class Type classification (not visible, but assigned in database upon designing a ship class, and important prereq for AI). The trial and error figuring this one out was quite time consuming.

A few more UI controls are functional:
- F3 > Hide Escorts
- Fleet Orders > Protect threat axis area (Threat, Task group, Distance, and Offset bearing)

There are quite a few additional fixes done that were listed in the bug thread.

The road to AI is shorter :)  Onward!
 
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Offline amram

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #302 on: March 21, 2020, 05:40:46 PM »
I love that formation, probably the best way to demo functionality: "we're aligned to that guy right there".
 
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Offline QuakeIV

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #303 on: March 22, 2020, 01:00:43 PM »
This is a really useful feature since it would let you easily forward deploy point defense pickets.
 

Offline xenoscepter

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #304 on: March 22, 2020, 10:40:25 PM »
Hey Kyle, did you fix that VB6 bug where turret armor is like 4x heavier than it should be or something?

If not, could you? I'd appreciate it. :)
 

Offline kotenok2000

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #305 on: March 23, 2020, 05:45:52 PM »
quasar stops responding when i try to open system map and i get "Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered. " in event viewer.  I attach memory dump made with process hacker.

Edit from Kyle: removed attachment.  Either your video drivers are out of date or your system doesn't support hardware 3d acceleration, specifically OpenGL shaders.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2020, 12:40:38 PM by Kyle »
 

Offline joansam

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #306 on: March 24, 2020, 12:27:30 PM »
Use the bug report thread, this is the main development thread.
 

Offline Kyle (OP)

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #307 on: March 25, 2020, 12:38:51 PM »
Progress update 2020-03-25:

Version 105 is up, themed around researching advanced alien tech.  The main new features are:

- Salvage tech points from wrecks
- Download tech from ships
- Record evidence of alien class tech
- Disassemble components for points in techs not yet known
- Design and build ships with advanced/alien components

A few more UI elements are now functional:
- F2 > Disassemble Component
- F2 > SM Remove tech
- Tech Data On Ships window
- Ships window > Tech data held by this ship
- Intel window > Known Tech Systems

And of course, fixes to bugs I found and reported by others.  Here's my current do-before-AI list:

- lower surface temp from dust, system body changes beyond basic terra/greenhouse, and sm update atmos button
- fleet training moves
- espionage
- diplomacy
- foreign aid
- POWs maybe

Onward!!
« Last Edit: March 25, 2020, 12:41:24 PM by Kyle »
 
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Offline Marslettuce

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #308 on: March 25, 2020, 07:53:11 PM »
Not sure if this has been noted yet, but Missile Engine Power Multiplier isn't doubled in missile engine creation (v104)
 
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Offline Kyle (OP)

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #309 on: March 30, 2020, 12:55:03 PM »
Progress update 2020-03-30:

With the end of new non-AI content in sight, it's been a productive few days.  I just pushed version 106, which contains many additions primarily themed around espionage:

- hydrosphere & albedo periodically updated based on surface temp
- Fixed: missile engine max power mod should be doubled
- fleet training moves
- foreign aid wealth transfers
- espionage teams generate spy points
- chance of teams being killed or captured for points (and then killed) while spying
- Every 100 spy points gained against an alien race gives a chance to recover new geo data, grav data, tech, missile design, class name and summary, or system knowledge
- Alien lifepods can be "rescued." Spy points are gained from captured survivors and officers. Officers are killed.
- Autopsy research project created when lifepod with unknown species captured
- Species intel becomes available upon autopsy completion
- Surviving crew captured from alien lifepods can be unloaded to pops and become permanent POWs

And a few remaining unfinished UI elements are now functional:
- F2 > SM Update Atmos button
- F2 > Espionage Target and Activate
- F2 > POWs list
- Intel window > Alien Class Design Summary
- Intel window > Known Species dropdown, autopsy status, and species stats when known

This leaves diplomacy as the last remaining step before I can start working on AI and externalized scripting.  That's a lot, though, so it may span a couple of progress updates.  Things to do include diplomacy UI and the related mechanics behind it, race relationship changes based on events, diplomacy teams, and mechanics specific to friends and allies.  Coincidentally, it looks like Steve and I will both be working on diplomacy things :)  I can hardly wait for the C# game to come out.  Working on Quasar is keeping my hype at bay but only barely :)  Onward!
 
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Offline Froggiest1982

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #310 on: March 30, 2020, 05:52:17 PM »
Progress update 2020-03-30:

With the end of new non-AI content in sight, it's been a productive few days.  I just pushed version 106, which contains many additions primarily themed around espionage:

- hydrosphere & albedo periodically updated based on surface temp
- Fixed: missile engine max power mod should be doubled
- fleet training moves
- foreign aid wealth transfers
- espionage teams generate spy points
- chance of teams being killed or captured for points (and then killed) while spying
- Every 100 spy points gained against an alien race gives a chance to recover new geo data, grav data, tech, missile design, class name and summary, or system knowledge
- Alien lifepods can be "rescued." Spy points are gained from captured survivors and officers. Officers are killed.
- Autopsy research project created when lifepod with unknown species captured
- Species intel becomes available upon autopsy completion
- Surviving crew captured from alien lifepods can be unloaded to pops and become permanent POWs

And a few remaining unfinished UI elements are now functional:
- F2 > SM Update Atmos button
- F2 > Espionage Target and Activate
- F2 > POWs list
- Intel window > Alien Class Design Summary
- Intel window > Known Species dropdown, autopsy status, and species stats when known

This leaves diplomacy as the last remaining step before I can start working on AI and externalized scripting.  That's a lot, though, so it may span a couple of progress updates.  Things to do include diplomacy UI and the related mechanics behind it, race relationship changes based on events, diplomacy teams, and mechanics specific to friends and allies.  Coincidentally, it looks like Steve and I will both be working on diplomacy things :)  I can hardly wait for the C# game to come out.  Working on Quasar is keeping my hype at bay but only barely :)  Onward!

At its current state is very good for a small RP playthrough though. Well done Kyle and thanks for all your efforts.

Question: Would you mind as soon as everything it's complete before AI to keep a stable LITE version with only spoilers and no NPR? Again just for those who mostly RP Aurora. I know it can be done while setting up a new game, I just thought could keep the code lighter.

It also would help with bug fixing the bone of the game.

Offline Kyle (OP)

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #311 on: March 30, 2020, 07:53:40 PM »
Actually yes, I'm most likely going to start with Precursors which should theoretically be the easiest of the AI's to do.  No specific plans beyond that yet.
 
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Offline Kyle (OP)

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #312 on: April 02, 2020, 07:25:19 PM »
Progress update 2020-04-02:

Version 107 is up! The following features were implemented.  Some of these items involve quite a few mechanics, but everything should be covered.

- Communication
- Diplomatic teams
- Political modifier changes over time based on xenophobia, communication efforts, active treaties, friendly or allied status, and diplomatic teams
- Signing various treaties and setting military cooperation level requires the appropriate political modifier level
- Intel window > Political Relations tab: lots of updates. This finishes the Intel window.
- Grav Treaties
- Geo Treaties
- Research Treaties
- Military Cooperation level
- SM Compare Tech window
- Transponders

This concludes this phase of the project, which I would call the transcribing phase.  The project now enters an experimental phase, in which I focus on AI and modifiable scripting. The next progress update might not be for awhile while I get the basics for these new mechanics up and running, and also due to C# and just generally shifting back to a more relaxed pace.
 
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Offline Triato

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #313 on: April 11, 2020, 09:47:03 AM »
This means the game is ready to play without AI? If so, this is great news, thank you very much for your work.
 

Offline Gram123

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Re: Quasar4x - An early look at an Aurora4x clone in the works
« Reply #314 on: April 12, 2020, 08:10:37 AM »
This means the game is ready to play without AI? If so, this is great news, thank you very much for your work.

Its playable yes. But No AI. Including civilian sector.