Ok, going to switch to a shared folder in dropbox. So I only have to share one URL for the test build.

Thanks, that helps. I think it's related to the new particles as that's the only substantial difference. I notice Vanilla sins doesn't use any Mesh based particle effects in persistent particles. Mesh particles are used in flairs and weapon effects. Maybe there is some engine flaw related to this. I'll switch back to the old effect and see if that resolves the issue.

Ok, I've run multiple simulations and it appears the game mini-dumps with cylons only. Will need to see if we can isolate the issue.

It should be pointed out this was a long time into the game though so it's not necessarily mod breaking per say.

Frustrating! I wonder what the problem is? Would be a real pain to get right into a game and then have it crash! 

The artist has finished the new Resurrection Hub and has re-done the Warstar starbase. They are just amazing - the best models yet. They're a work of art... especially the starbase which is my favourite model so far! 

Ok. So should we do some testing as well to see if the problem can be found? 

It tends to happen when I run long simulations of AI vs AI. It's frustrating in general trying to track down mini-dumps in Sins.

Yes, a small game with Cylon only 1v1 would be good. The goal would be to try and test each ability one at a time with auto-saves on. Ideally if you have time disabling the AI so that only you are executing abilities would be great. This is what I plan to do as well as looking through the ability/buffs to see if anything pops out.

Hey Z, just had a look at the Cylon Asteroid Base. I think you must have missed the above strings...

Also a few more to change:

StringInfo
ID "IDS_STARBASEUPGRADECYLONWEAPONS_NAME"
Value "Assault Systems"
StringInfo
ID "IDS_STARBASEUPGRADECYLONWEAPONS_DESC0"
Value "Advanced assault cannons are added to the asteroid, giving it a potent point defence weapon."

StringInfo
 ID "IDS_STARBASEUPGRADETECHTRADEPORT_NAME"
 Value "Trade Facilities"
StringInfo
 ID "IDS_STARBASEUPGRADETECHTRADEPORT_DESC"
 Value "Commercial docking bays are added, allowing the starbase to become part of your empire's trade network and earn trade income."

Also, there is an existing string that the Asteroid base should link to for Colony Pods, but at the moment it seems to link through to the Vasari description... should be linked to:

StringInfo
ID "IDS_STARBASEUPGRADECYLONCITYPOPULATION_NAME"
Value "Colony Pods"
StringInfo
ID "IDS_STARBASEUPGRADECYLONCITYPOPULATION_DESC"
Value "Cylon models occupy the starbase, and provide tax income for your empire."

So Z... the Alien Starbase hasn't been updated at all with all of the new abilities that I sent through? Did you receive these? Can resend if you didn't get them...

You've spelt "Shield" wrong in your description for the Aegis Artifact. Should be:

StringInfo
 ID "IDS_ABILITY_ALIEN_ARTIFACT_SHIELDATTACH_NAME"
 Value "Attach Shield"
StringInfo
 ID "IDS_ABILITY_ALIEN_ARTIFACT_SHIELDATTACH_DESCRIPTION"
 Value "Attaches the artifact to nearby Capital Ships and Titans granting increased shield strength and regeration."

Thanks, got these in and the ones in the post above. I also have the Ability changes worked in. Forgot I skipped those because I needed to do some modifications to the files sent. They'll be in the next build.

Fixed a bug in the MutualThreat particle (Rebellion stock particle) that is being used in the Envoy. It shows big Red squares in the ability for the vanilla effect for me. I switched out the gravitywell.dds for gravitybomb_orb.dds which appears to show much better.

I "think" I ran through all the Cylon abilities and didn't encounter any immediate issues. This is good as the happy path of the abilities work good. That said there could be some odd scenarios with finish conditions or illegal targeting, etc that can come into more random play. Of course this makes it hard to identify given the complete lack of debugging tools for modders and the debug log doesn't appear to flush when a mini-dump occurs so we don't get all the info that maybe could have been logged.

On the good side though I fixed some more issues in the research tree for pre-req levels needed.

I also found another incomplete ability (System Override) on the Starbase. We might look at fleshing that out to match the ability description.

Z, the artist is currently fixing up the basestar, hades and worldstar textures and this is what he said: 

"All the files you sent are .DDS files. Do you happen to have the .PSD files or uncompressed textures, maybe .TGA format or something like that? The .DDS format is is what loses quality, so I'd like to use the originals if you have them." 

Do you know what he means? 

Thanks. 

I put the TGA files for the Basestar and Hades in the SOTF folder that you downloaded 38.2 from. Those are the original files I use to create the DDS.

Let me know if you have issues pulling them down.

Ok cool, found them. Thanks Z. 

Should you send me this new version with the changes you've made above for testing, or just test the older one that I have now? 

Just noticed that the fighter squadrons for the alien ships (artifacts addon) say "string not found" when you click on them. Also, they're quite weak. 

Loving the new icons too by the way 

Quoting Cylon_Luvr, reply 2840

Just noticed that the fighter squadrons for the alien ships (artifacts addon) say "string not found" when you click on them. Also, they're quite weak. 

Loving the new icons too by the way 

End of Cylon_Luvr's quote

Thanks, fixed.

Here's some spreadsheets I've generated after some rebalancing the last couple days...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5790092/sotf/fallofkobol/summary_titan_stats.xlsx

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5790092/sotf/fallofkobol/summary_capital_stats.xlsx

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5790092/sotf/fallofkobol/summary_frigate_stats.xlsx

When you see durability that includes the 5% armor adjustments

When you see (10) that means level 10 for experience.

What do you think about moving Advanced Hybrid to Programming/Faith reducing it's research requirements and adding new research off of it to automatically increase in experience and levels overtime?

Sounds interesting... yeah why not! 

I added a new icon for the evacuation protocol on the cylon moon.

I'll hopefully get a new test build out tomorrow.

I think the mod is starting to look polished which is great. 

I just emailed you the link to download the new models for the Resurrection Hub, Resurrection Ship and the new Warstar starbase. 

Could you please make the below changes before the next build? 

- Weird bug where the first time you use the Nanostars "Enhanced Nanorobots" ability, the effect doesn't work. Seems to work for the second and subsequent times though.
- Djerba Baseship and Hades - AB raider squadron is repeated as two different types of squadrons, but they're actually the same. I think you may have developed a second type of AB raider so should one of them be changed to that? ie. the Guardian has two different types. 
- Natalie Faust ability (The Plan) is only for the Rebels. Natalie Faust was never a part of the Loyalist faction, only the rebel faction. Please change this back to the previous icon/description, which was Number Five Model.
- Djerba Baseship description is incorrect. It should be:

StringInfo
ID "IDS_CAPITALSHIP_DJERBA_DESCRIPTION"
Value "Representing the first evolutionary step to the modern Basestar, this slow and durable ship is primarily used to defend strategic positions."

- Please change the description for the Guardian Basestar as well:

StringInfo
ID "IDS_CAPITALSHIP_CYLONSUPPORT_DESCRIPTION"
Value "Long thought to be a myth, this experimental basestar contains the First Hybrid and its fanatical Centurion Guardians."

- Why have you created an AI only Titan build? Just curious. 

I agree, looking very polished now. So much work has gone into it, and the models and effects are looking fantastic. Surely this mod should win some awards  

One questions though. what will be the impact on this mod if/when version 1.83 is released? will it be changed again to use the new features from the new version? 

Yeah, these should be easy to add in assuming they're still the same basic shape/size.

That is odd. The effect looks cool though. Maybe there's something odd about loading it the first time.

Sounds like a copy/paste issue. Easy enough to fix

Ok

There's a bug they fixed in 1.83 (supposably) where the AI will literally stop building ships when it wants to build a Titan. Now mind you the AI neither has the titan research full, resources, free supply or free capital supply (whichever the case may be), but it keeps the TItan in the top of the build queue. As long as the Titan stays in the top of the build queue nothing happens, and it can stay that for a long time or forever if it never gets the 4th research lab.

The AI only concept is in the current moddb release and I added it back into the private build since it's still on 1.82. It was pulled out with the 1.83 code and it was put back in during one of our builds.

The AI only change is to allow the AI to build it's Titan once available capital/fleet supply is available and free up it's frigate/capital queue to actually building ships. I've taken the philosophy that the AI is incapable of saving the credits needed to build the Titan given all the other things it wastes money on like planet upgrades/etc.

I've had a few different iterations on how to avoid this bottleneck and so far this is the most consistent as the only cheat the AI gets is in cost to build.

I've also thought about making this a one-time only perk for the AI. In this scenario the AI would get a placeholder Titan at game start and then spawn in the Titan when the appropriate conditions are met.

Regardless when 1.83 ships I plan to remove the AI only titan so I'm not too concerned about the AI bonus right now.

I had already made the changes to support 1.83 and then backed them out. I'll re-apply them when 1.83 becomes stable.

Z, comment from the artist about the worldstar, hades and basestar: 

"I've done this for the -cl map as those were the only type I could find in the attached images. Do you happen to have the -nm map as well without compression so I can regenerate those changes as well?" 

Do you know what he is talking about? 

Yes I know..., the artists however for those models never provided normal maps. I put in what I have, though I generated them using NVidia's Normalmap plugin off the -cl map. I'm guessing he already knows how to do this.