Mandatory Retirement

Solver · January 4, 2001, 10:24

Starting the Librarian level, the mandatory retirement date is 2400. I would like to change it, as even though it makes the game more difficult (just what I want), it also, IMO, removes some of the fun, as if I let the battles and others to go on up to 2500, it's funnier. That's because I don't want to attack soon when dealing with AI, I usually try to delay it until I have the missile launcher weapons, and then have the fun.
In those old good times I was playing Talent, I had some more fun - would like to try otherwise now. Anyway, I can easily make the game more difficult: more fungus, more penalties, stronger enemy factions, etc.
So, the question is: is it possible to modify one of the text files with SMAC to change the mandatory retirement year?
I'm playing the original SMAC, but tips about SMAX are also welcome, as I'll get it in about a week.

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

Aredhran · January 4, 2001, 11:09

I'm at work and so don't have access to the game, but off the top of my head the parameter to do just that is in the first section of the alpha.txt (alphax.txt for SMAX).

Just load the file up in notepad or whatever text editor you like to use, and check it out, everything's documented (well, almost

)

Aredhran

Solver · January 4, 2001, 11:28

Thanks for the tip. Yes, I know the Alpha.txt (I'm not green in SMAC, I have large experience), but there's nothing. It seems that none of the files contains it, but I've never created Mods, that's why I ask here.
Thanks anyway

.

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

mark13 · January 4, 2001, 12:25

Anyway, I think the mandatory retirement year is mis-quoted, to be honest - IIRC, it is 2500 on Librarian+, and 2600 on other levels....

Sindai · January 4, 2001, 15:22

Solver -

That's a misprint in the manual. The real retirement ages is 2500 and 2600. Trust me, I've played to 2500 several times without touching the alphax.txt ile. And when I get to 2480 the mandatory retirement warning comes up, so there.

Aredhran · January 4, 2001, 17:43

quote:

Originally posted by Solver on 01-04-2001 10:28 AM
Thanks for the tip. Yes, I know the Alpha.txt (I'm not green in SMAC, I have large experience), but there's nothing. It seems that none of the files contains it, but I've never created Mods, that's why I ask here.
Thanks anyway

.

I think you need to get yourself a new pair of glasses

From the #RULES section, near the bottom

quote:

2100 ; Normal starting year
2600 ; Normal ending year for lowest 3 difficulty levels
2500 ; Normal ending year for highest 3 difficulty levels

Aredhran

Aredhran · January 5, 2001, 01:12

I'll take a look and let you know. I'm almost positive I saw that in alpha.txt...

Solver · January 5, 2001, 01:43

No, it's 2400 Librarian+, 2500 Talent-, I'm 100% sure.

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

Deimos · January 5, 2001, 01:47

Aredhran,

You are correct. The mandatory retirement year is listed at the bottom of the first section of the alpha(x).txt file

Solver,

The retirement year is 2600 for the lowest 3 difficulty levels, and 2500 for the highest 3.
[This message has been edited by Deimos (edited January 04, 2001).]

Solver · January 5, 2001, 08:13

I know it's 2400 and 2500, as before posting this I finished a game, when at 2400 it said I must retire.
Why didn't I see the things in aplha.txt? As I was performing a search on mandatory, retire.
Aredhran, thanks. I had to read through the Aplha.txt, but I didn't, quite dumb of me...
And, here I speak about SMAC, not SMAX, so this might be differnet, perhaps...

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

Solver · January 5, 2001, 08:28

Sorry, I have checked it, and there's NO such string in my Alpha.txt, I'm completely sure.
Perhaps someone could please send alpha.txt out to my email ugita@latnet.lv . If it's unmodified, just as you have it, but for some reason has these strings, while mine doesn't. Please send it, as I want to change it, really annoys me.
Thanks.
Quite stupid, taking in account my experience.

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

Aredhran · January 5, 2001, 09:06

I'm at work now, so can't send the file to you. What you could do is check in the SMAX patch file for the alphax.txt (which you can open it with Winzip).

Solver · January 5, 2001, 10:55

I'll try...

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

mark13 · January 5, 2001, 15:56

Do you need to patch it, Solver? IIRC, those strings weren't included in the orginal version of the game - I am not by any means sure about this though.

RedFred · January 6, 2001, 02:12

I always thought that it has been 2500 and 2600 since day one unpatched SMAC.

Solver · January 6, 2001, 08:02

How do I patch the thing? Anyway, I'm getting SMAX this Monday...

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

mark13 · January 6, 2001, 09:53

Version 4.0 should be available here - I think it is included in SMACX, so that isn't a problem.

Sindai · January 7, 2001, 01:40

RedFred - That's true, but you can't modify them in the alpha or alpha.txt files until you get a later version.

Fitz · January 10, 2001, 21:16

go to www.firaxis.com/smac for the patches.

Solver · January 11, 2001, 10:35

OK, now it is SMAX for me with the latest patch that exists, and the retirement years are 2500 and 2600, finally

!
Thanks all who replied to this topic.

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Solver - http://www.aok.20m.com

Aredhran · January 11, 2001, 11:17

You're welcome.