sorry about Stant123 - yes he is our resident Asshole though highly knowledgeable so we keep him around

as for the what version works, any and all information is posted as clearly as possible in the OP section

the templates stronghold1 and 2 are map specific (Ashes of TEC) so they aren't randomize by choice but if you wish to use them for yourself and vary them (look to the other template settings for information on how to do that) easilyl

I purchased this game over the weekend, purely with using this mod in mind.

As far as I know I have followed the instructions to the letter, but I still end up with a checksum of 0.

I have downloaded both files, and my game has been updated to the latest version (1.011). I start by extracting the larger of the 2 files to a folder named distant stars, which I then cut and paste to the diplomacy 1.011 mod folder.

After starting the game, the checksum is 0.

Then I thought that maybe you have to patch the game also. When you open the patch file, there is the txt document about deleting 4 files. I could not locate any files that matched those in the game info folder.

I'm dying to use this mod, so if anyone can see where I am going wrong, please help me out.

Thanks
Dan

you are placing an extra folder, take the mod out of that folder and it should work

and no there is no need to patch the Diplomacy version

Thanks for the quick reply.

It works now.

It's cute how you use made up words and icons.  I'm going to offer you and the world a glimpse into my mind as scary as that sounds.  Here's why you got the answer you got.

While I was reading your first comment, I was formulating an answer in my head as I went.  You know, you started off asking for the versions, and I was prepared to give you, and actually did give you the simple yes/no answers with a very small explanation to the no answer, however, as you continued to type, you made yourself out to be a total fucking idiot, and I had no reason to not treat you as such.  Hey, maybe that's not what you intended, but seriously, go back and read it.  I'll help break it down for you.  This is in no way meant to piss you off, only explain why, but if it does, whatever, I'm addicted to hate.  Ask these guys, spew some venom and watch me enjoy it and return some more.  =Þ

Asking what versions is this for tells me that you didn't bother reading the top.  Okay, I get that.  It's dumb, but I get it.  Not everyone looks and reads large blobs of text, and I was in the mindset I was dealing with someone who had no clue how these things work...  It clearly states what versions it works for.  Okay, you're just lazy, no big deal right?  THEN you go and mention not even knowing what to do with the patch.  Well, that shifts my mindset from you not being as lazy as you were originally making yourself out to be which means you're just stupid if you read it but didn't know what you just read.  It's not wrote in hieroglyphics so really you have no excuse...  I mean seriously, you type English well enough, you can formulate decent sentences, comparing numbers is a piece of cake by comparison.  Then you go and further cement this ideal about you by asking about if there's full downloads...  Using their instead of there while asking tells me that your brain has switched part of itself off or that you just haven't learned the proper usage of words yet.  Regarding the entrenchment patch comment...   At this point, I know you're completely useless because you've not only demonstrated that you did read, but you read the right section and looked at the patch and still somehow, honestly, I'm not even going to try and figure it out how, but somehow you managed to not see the words FULL DOWNLOAD in red...  I do believe I explained it as well and as concise as anyone could have explained it...  Honestly, I think the highlighted text explains the patch well enough, to borrow a phrase from another company, "It's so easy, even a caveman can do it."  I'm really thinking now, okay, you got a disability, I get it, you don't need to keep going on with the easy answerable questions...

Even still at this point, I was still in the mindset to be pretty nice about it because I'm not a mean guy to retarded people, I'm just not.  Life has already played a cruel joke on them, and I give them a free pass because of it.  I'm an asshole, but only to people who deserve it.  Yes you deserved it, here's why.

You go on to say that you've been out of gaming for a while, but the mod looks nice and you at least created content for another mod.  At this point, I had to step back from the post and look at it differently.  I was convinced you were an idiot, you really left me no choice but to believe that, and I was sold.  You got me!  Yes you did, you got me.  Well done.  I don't get taken advantage of too often, but you had me.  If you had stopped your post before that comment, I would have been so nice and accommodating, and I would have fucked with anybody who made any type of negative comment about you, because you got me.  I help those who can't help themselves, and wow...  What the fuck...  I got had.  You are my newest favorite person.  I mean that.  I'm a little pissed off, because I got had, but what whatever.  I still like you.

But back to that comment, out of gaming for a while, what ever, no big deal.  I pop in and out of gaming circles, so I know the feeling.  You say the mod looks nice, that tells me you either did get a working copy and played it a bit, you did your research on the project and you liked what you were seeing, or you were just talking out of your ass.  I mean, what?  How do you know what it looks like...  I thought you were a mentally challenged person who didn't even know how to understand what they're reading or know what version it worked on or how to patch or what links to download...  So I have to assume you're just talking out your ass because there's no way you know what the fuck you're talking about.  It's just not possible.  However, you continued the thought with informing me that you created content for Seven Deadly Sins.  Now you're just full of shit.  There's no way those guys would take your work.  Don't come here bragging about something that's just not possible.  We're not idiots, there's no way we can believe you're a modder if you're asking such questions that make you out to be short on brain power.  It's asinine of you to think that anyone would believe you.  However, I do accept the fact that one who would be so bold as to say they've created content for a mod to another group of modders who can easily verify the claims if they choose to, actually has in fact done what they've claimed.  I know they're not total fucking idiots over there, so to accept your work means you're a competent thinker and playing me the way you have just played me isn't very nice.  At this point I'm a little mad at you, I like you, but I'm mad at you.  You got me to pity you when you didn't deserve it.

Now you offer up that the mod need more bases, throw out the customary compliment, and toss out why you're here...  Frankly, I'm insulted by this.  You've given me plenty of reasons to doubt that you're even capable of knowing what this mod needs let alone how even a light switch works, but given the fact that you've made the claim that you're a mod contributor and have worked on the galaxyscenariodef file, and that I'm willing to accept that comment at face value, tells me that you are indeed more then capable of reading and understanding what's there at the top of the page, you've looked the post over, downloaded a copy of it or at the very least done some research further back in the thread and found out the same information I presented, and dissected it to some degree to offer up some advice on what should be added, and then plan on contributing something in the future possibly.  Honestly, the first response I typed out was a simple "Why don't you just go fuck yourself." but I changed it to at least be helpful to someone else reading it who might have a legitimate reason for asking the questions since they are in fact lazy and didn't read the top post or mentally retarded and cannot understand things as well as you or I, while still being an asshole to you...  I'm just a nice guy like that.  Then I added my disclaimer for my amusement and for the amusement of others that know me.

So there you have it.  That's why you got the asshole-ish response.  I feel the need to add the ish to the end of that because let's be honest, I can and have done a hell of a lot worse. (That comment right there should get a laugh out of some people.   They know who they are.)

Now then, because I'm in the mood of discussing my thought processes, allow me the opportunity to continue.

Um...  What?  Just so you know, I have this personal philosophy that you should probably get to know someone before trying to help them out with life advice.  It's served me really well.  Take what you want from it.  I don't know you well enough to be telling you to follow it, so you know, the choice is yours.  Also, I'm not a team member of this mod or any other mod because it is my choice not to be one, not because I'm not ever asked.  Like Ryat said, I'm actually very knowledgeable, and to expand upon that, I do contribute a lot in multiple fashions, not only to this mod, but other mods and other games as well.  Again, me not being a team member for any mods is the choice I make, my personal attitude is a reflection of that choice, not the other way around, because if you ask those that interact with me all of the time, they'll tell you that yes, I can be an asshole at times, but not one of them will tell you they want me to be a different person.  I've been modding games for over 13 years, yet I've not been credited as a team member on a single project because I've always refused.  Games are a hobby to me, nothing more.  I don't need to be given credit for me making a hobby more fun for myself.  If others get the benefit of enjoying it more as well, so be it.  Some people like having their names on things, others do it as a resume builder, and there's not one thing wrong with that.  If I was an aspiring programmer, I'm pretty sure I'd want my name on as many projects as I could get involved with.  I have received credit as a contributor before, but that was only because those on the team felt like acknowledging my efforts without telling me they were doing so, otherwise I would have stopped it.  Also, not being a team member means I can say and do things they'd like to say and do to people but can't because they are team members, so in that sense, I can provide an extra service that gives a team deniability.  I know, pretty sweet right?  I get to do what they wish they could have done and then they can just say, he's not with us, he can go fuck himself and it's all good.  Not that it's happening here, because it's not, this one's all me.

I did.  =]  Although I did briefly explain that it's possible to turn the no into a yes.

Hence my repeated disclaimer that these opinions are mine and mine alone and not of the team and should not be taken as a reflection of their thoughts and/or opinions.  Everybody understand that?  Okay.  =]  As for your prior experience with 7DS, what am I supposed to be thinking about them at this point since you keep claiming to have worked on that?  I know what the mod is and have used it and enjoyed it, but I'm really starting to think that you didn't...  Seriously, if you're so challenged that you can't compare numbers and you gave them stuff and they used it, then that would mean they're really stupid and I really don't think that about them.  I like their work.

Yeah, but that's why mods are always considered beta and are always being tested.  Even the word final doesn't mean it's out of Beta, it just means they're no longer working on it for whatever reasons they give.  I like how you combined the two companies there.  Not as funny as the guy who said he was getting entrenchoplomacy so he could play with all of the goodies, but good effort anyway.  You got an audible "Ha." out of me for that one.

Except for the fact that you didn't even ask that question.  Had you just posted, hey guys I've been out of the game a while, do I just copy and paste or what?  We wouldn't be here right now, you would have been linked to FAQ #7 and the not as funny as it could have been comic and I would have been on my merry way...  In fact, I'm the one who came up with the idea to include the install instructions in the answer because you'd probably be needing them since you asked the questions you did even though you pissed me off, so really, I figured out what you were really wanting to know even though you didn't even ask for it.  Come on people, you gotta tip a glass for me on that one.  See, I'm actually pretty good at what I do, I get the results even if the methods are a little off.

Bases can only come in so many combinations before they become pointless additions.  While the thought is nice to have 90 types or more, the reality is, if no one is going to use 70 of those combinations, why include them?  You're wasting valuable space and time that can be better spent on other things.  From a player's standpoint yes, it's great to have as many choices as you can get, from a modder/programmer standpoint, you have to draw the line somewhere.  So which standpoint do we want to look at this from?  7DS again...  Nah, I'm claiming bullshit.  You didn't work on the project.  You've given me far too many reasons to doubt it.  If you did you would have known about lazy people asking dumb questions and taken the time to figure it out or just ask the specific question you wanted to know rather then a bunch of dumb ones, and you would have known the process to go through to add a mod, even if you've been out for a couple years or more and didn't know the location changes, a quick read of the top post would have given you more then enough information to get yourself a copy of the mod and you would have known there's always a read me included on how to get it up and running if you can't find the install instructions on the forum the mod is posted on, which this one is...  You're a good bullshitter.  I like you a lot, but I can't take you at your word.  There's just too much not right about the things you say.

The rest of it, Ryat answered, so I'm not going to bother.

So there it is.  I got a lot of good laughs out of this, and you can all walk away now knowing that you're better people because you don't think like me.  =]

I managed to get Distant Stars running now properly and I have to say it beats the other mods so far. I have never played such a great SoaSE match. AWESOME!

"It's not wrote in hieroglyphics"

Careful about the grammatical corrections.

Uh, SamazRalan actually did do work for 7DS.  He did the GalaxyScenarioDef file for version 2.1 with militias for all the races in that version, plus some epic-sized maps, and I've been wondering where the hell he's been and why he hasn't made a new GalaxyScenarioDef for the Entrenchment Alpha we're doing right now.

Samaz, get the f**k back on the forums at danmangames.com/forums/index.php and get a new GalaxyScenarioDef written up.  It would also be nice if you could fix the starting templates for all the maps since Dan forgot to add quick and normal start info in for most of the races.

okay Stant123, SpardaSon21, SemanRalan let's please stop this pissing contest, we would like this thread clear for Tech Support and Idea sharing (not too mention compliments)

I know he did, I looked it up already, I'm just saying I got had and I was mad about that, but I was still doing it for the fun of it and SemazRalan was my new best forum friend.  =]

Galaxy Forge question:

I'm trying to build a map so that I can get the elusive "Archaeologist" achievement. Unfortunately, it seems every time I create a map, I only manage to get 11 of the 12. Very frustrating, since I have specifically declared in Galaxy Forge, all of those planets to have a specific artifact each. The random seed seems to take joy in declaring my declarations mush.

Last time I tried, I set Artifact Density to 100, ergo 11 out of 12 found. Ironically, I found the 12th right after I won. So no achievement.

If I set the density to 0 for artifacts and planet bonuses, will the bonuses and artifacts I declared in Galaxy Forge work? How do I tell the Random Seed to take a hike?

I think you should pull your head out of that pool there, Narcis- uh, I mean Stant.

Go ahead and set the density to 0, it's been a while since I last checked, but I do believe whatever you force via the forge still shows up, you just don't get the randoms to spawn which is what you want anyway.  Like I said, it's been a while, so I could be mistaken, but it should work out.

Pool?  What pool?  Narcissist I assume is what you were going to say, right?  I also have to assume you really don't fully understand what that means unless you were actually complimenting me, in which case, thanks.  =]  You can be my new friend too.  Not to get into a discussion on Freud or Solan, but both agree that narcissism is inherent in all human beings, is healthy and essential for proper development.  However if you meant it as a jab, none of the conditions that are broadly accepted to describe the associated pathological condition apply.  Sorry, they just don't.  PM me for a more detailed discussion so you don't get Ryat's panties in a twist.  =]  I got lots of Kool-Aid to share.

Is Diplomacy worth getting at this point? Also does the DS version of diplomacy works better than the Entrenchment version?

What I meant to say is do the Diplomacy version caused game crashes as Entrenchment version of DS does.

Personally I am happy I purchased Diplomacy, the AI is more challenging and the expansion adds an extra dynamic to the game in way of strategies and gives you more to think about. The pirates are more menacing, though many think they are too strong now. Whether they will be for you is really dependant on how you like to play.

As far as DS crashing, I don't experience this, though I only play single player with medium maps usually and I have not used the entrenchment version. I would suggest for you to be a little more specific about when these crash's you are experiencing are happening and how you can reproduce these crash's and such. The DS team may be able to help you out!

The Diplomacy version is a little bit more up to date then the Entrenchment version, however both perform the same.  If your settings are on highest, you'll crash pretty quick, the lower you set them the longer it'll take, but eventually it will get there.  I recently played online with the diplomacy version with all of the settings on lowest and played out something like 8 hours before the first crash.  Content wise, diplomacy has a few more goodies then entrenchment and some extra settings options, but aside from those things added by diplomacy, the DS additions are relatively the same.  So ultimately it's your choice to throw down the $10 to buy it or not, DS should not be the deciding factor.

Thanks...I read a some reviews on the Diplomacy and pretty much confirms what SuperZerOO stated. However, you are right about the settings Stant123..guess I will have to play at medium until the completed version of the mod.

This problem is related to the 2 GB RAM limit in SINS. There very little we can do to fix it, we are taking steps to do what we can, but running on Highest settings will always crash the game with the mod.

So even after we may finish the mod...if we ever do...I doubt the Highest settings will work right.

Though to be honest there not much difference in High and Highest, FYI.

The only difference is a twice as large mip map for each mesh's texture, making the texture twice as sharp.

Got a planet with 0 Population in my current game.  All tech reserched.

It seems it has Completely Overgrown attribute and another I cant remember.

It has -100 pop grownth so I guess it's WAD?

Distant Stars has that problem occaisionally.

TOUGH LUCK

Makes some sense at least lore-wise.

-100 pop growth?  Let's see, you have:

Completely Overgrown - Max population -100, planet health +800, development build rate -90%, population growth -50%

and

Automated Defense Droids - Max population -100, Population growth -100% (only one with -100% pop growth)

or

War Torn Planet - Culture spread rate -40%, planet health -200, logistic slots -4, tactical slots -6, trade income -30%, metal extraction rate -20%, crystal extraction rate -20%, structure build rate -40%, development build rate -20%, development build cost +60%, population growth -50% (the second of two with -50% pop growth to total -100% with Completely Overgrown)

Oh well, put up a bunch of trade stations, mine up the well, and toss in a starbase (max trade if it's not on the front lines).  Later in the game you really don't need to worry about populations on planets since you should be making more then enough in trade income anyway.  If you're really mad about it and playing as the TEC, just build a novalith and shoot at your opponent's planets to give them a nice -40% total population.  3 shots and they're stuck at 0% for the duration of the game, or a very long time.  I've never seen the planets recover...

I was playing DS last night and was focusing on one of my fleets attacking an opponent, when I realised my available fleet numbers sky-rocketed. I hadn't done any fleet research.

Eventually I checked my other fleet that was bombarding another enemy planet, only to find that 95% of that quite sizeable fleet was gone. The only thing that remained was my 2 cap ships and a lot ofnow homeless strike craft.

I haven't been playing DS for long, so I'm not sure if some kind of super weapon has been added in, or mines have been made extremely powerful, but I never experienced losing nealry an entire fleet in one shot.

Has anyone else experienced this?

not experienced that persay, but mines are extremely powerful now AND can be upgraded to be even meaner. That could be a major source of the problem. As for a super weapon, if it was so much as built, you would have a warning. If it repeats, then you might have a real glitch. So, just keep your eyes open, but so far we've never heard of that being due to the program.