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Text File | 1997-11-09 | 18KB | 396 lines

Trade Wars 2002 Gold Edition The Gold Edition of Trade Wars 2002 is a special release of the game which contains the latest standard version of Trade Wars 2002 along with each of these three new add-ons being developed by Martech Software. The price will be $25 if you've already registered Trade Wars 2002. If you haven't already registered, the price for the Gold Edition is $50, and includes the cost for standard registration and the expansion sets. These expansion sets will also be sold individually for $10 a piece. Each set will run without the others, but you'll need to upgrade to or register the version of Trade Wars 2002 that is included with the Gold Edition before you can run an expansion set. Trade Wars 2002 standard edition is still a free upgrade if you already own the game. You will still be able to register the standard game as a stand- alone product for $25. Here's a brief overview of what these add-ons will do: Alien AI Server The Alien Server will allow you to introduce new alien races into your game. One Alien AI Server will handle the processing for a single race of aliens. There isn't a hard limit on the number of servers that can be running at once, so you can introduce multiple alien races into you games. Your registration will allow as many servers to run as you wish. These aliens will be interactive, just like the Ferrengi and Alien Traders. By default, the server processes the alien race just like Alien Traders, but the characteristics of the race can be customized. You can supply details on name generation, when the race appears, how quickly their numbers grow, etc. You can give them custom ships and planets that you create with the Ship/Planet Editor. Using a special development kit released by Martech Software, programmers will be allowed to create custom AI modules for their alien races and distribute these modules to others. The aliens can react to all events that players receive (object enters sector, exits sector, lands on planet, etc). In developing the AI for your aliens, you will simply write the event handlers for these events. We've included a group of specialized functions to simplify certain processes, but we've also included a generalized interface to all data files within the game. There should be no limit to what your aliens can do. The server is required to run custom aliens, but the development kit is only required if you plan to create and distribute custom AI. The Ship/ Planet Editor will allow you to create custom ships and planets to be used by your new alien races, but isn't required to run an alien race, even if it uses custom ships and planets. Several Alien AI modules will be included with the distribution of the server. -------- Ship and Planet Editor Ship Editor: This editor will allow the creation of customized ships for Trade Wars. Players will have the ability to purchase and/or capture these ships and pilot them. Ships will be deployed in one of three ways: General - Can be bought from StarDock. A description will be diplayed in Computer/Ship Specs. Alien Ship - The ship is manufactured and used by a specified alien race. The race can be Ferrengi, Alien Trader, or a custom alien being run by the Alien Server. The only way to acquire the ship is to capture it from an alien. A brief description will be displayed at the library under the manufacturing alien race. Derelict - The ship is manufactured by a lost alien race, and is now floating abandoned in space. The ship can be taken, but often has active defensive systems (you can defend them with Abandoned or Rogue equipment) A brief description will be displayed at the library under Derelict Space Craft. Following is a list of features that can be edited for ships: Class : Text to describe the ship (ex. Interdictor Cruiser) Make : Manufacture of the ship. If specified, this will ALWAYS be the manufacturer. If not specified, the manufacturer will be randomly selected from the typical companies. For alien ships, this should be the alien race, like Ferrengi, for example. BHoldVal : The initial value of the ships hold space DriveVal : The initial value of the ships drive system CompuVal : The initial value of the ships computer system HullVal : The initial value of the ships hull HoldMax : The maximum number of holds the ship can carry HoldStart : The starting number of holds when the ship is new Turn2Warp : The number of turns taken to move one sector FightMax : The maximum number of fighters the ship can carry ShieldMax : The maximum number of shields the ship can carry CombatOdds : How well the ship fairs in combat. The higher, the better, although this is relative. If your odds are higher than your enemies odds, you are more likely to score a hit in a combat "cycle". The combat efficiency rating is determined as a ration with the Merchant Cruiser's odds MineMax : Maximum number of either type of mine that can be carried on the ship BeaconMax : Maximum number of beacons the ship can carry GenesisMax : Maximum number of Genesis Torpedoes the ship can carry CloakMax : Maximum number of cloaking devices the ship can carry AtomicDetMax : Maximum number of atomic detonators the ship can carry CorboMax : Maximum number of corbomite devices the ship can carry EtherMax : Maximum number of ether probes the ship can carry MineDisMax : Maximum number of mine disruptors the ship can carry Options : Flags that indicate characteristics of the ship. LRScan : Ship can carry a long range scanner (Density) HoloScan : Ship can carry a holographic scanner TWarp : Ship can be fitted with a TransWarp drive (Type 1 & 2) PlanetScan : Ship can carry a planet scanner Interdictor : Ship can be fitted with an Interdictor Generator CombatScanner: Ship can carry a combat scanner NoLand : Ship is not rated for atmospheric flight NoPod : Ship does not have an escape pod Guardian : Ship gets enhanced combat odds when protecting a homeworld NoExchange : Ship cannot be exchanged within a Citadel Imperial : Ship requires a Federation Commission to fly PMissileMax : Maximum number of Photon Missiles ship can carry MaxAttack : Maximum number of fighters the ship can deploy per attack TransportRange : Number of "hops" the ship transporter can reach Commission : For Imperial ships, this is the alignment required to pilot the ship Planet Editor: The planet editor will allow the creation of custom planet types. They can be deployed similarly to ships. A general deployment means that players can receive these types when entering the game for the first time or using a Genesis Torpedo. Alien deployment means these planets are alien homeworlds only. Players must capture the planet from the alien race in order to colonize it. Derelict deployment is similar, except the planet is defended by abandoned (but fully functional) hardware. Following is a list of feature that can be edited for planets: Class : Text that describes the planet type (ex. Class M, Earth Type) FightMax : Maximum number of fighters that can reside on the planet ShieldMax : Maximum number of shields that a citadel on this planet can handle. ColonistMax : Maximum number of colonists for each production type InventoryMax : Maximum inventory of each production type Production : Production characteristics of this planet for each product type, including Fighters CitadelReq : Requirements for citadel construction in product, colonists, days to construct. HazardLevel : Determines the harshness of the planet. Earth is 1, Vaporous is 8. Habitability : Determines the possibility that a disaster will occur. The higher the habitability, the less likely you'll lose colonists to disasters. The magnitude of the disaster is determined by HazardLevel. -------- Enhanced TEDIT All constants in the game will be editable from within the new screens that this expansion adds to TEDIT. Some new settings will be included as well. These will allow the sysop to create a customized environment for the game. For example: Worm Holes : This setting will allow the creation of unstable warps. For example, a Worm Hole could exist between sector 1 and a sector many hops away. This warp would appear on a constant or random cycle and exist for a constant or random time. While the hole is active, players will be able to use this warp to travel a great distance in a single warp. Sun Flares : This setting will create an event that effects player planets randomly. Each sector containing a planet will be subject to the possibility of a sun flare which will kill off a portion of the colonists on planets in the sector. Black Hole : This setting will create a black hole in a specified sector. This is one of several navigational hazards that can be added to your game. Dark Nebula : This setting will create a cluster of sectors that are "hidden" from scanners. A player inside the nebula will be unable to use scanners and radio equipment, and is basically flying "blind". Players outside the nebula will not be able to scan into the nebula. Keep in mind that nebulas can contain "holes" of less dense sectors. These environmental features are still under development, and more are planned for the final release. -------- Also coming from Martech Software Alien Server Development Kit: Required to develop custom Artificial Intelligence modules for the Alien Server expansion set. This toolkit will be released initially for Borland Pascal 7, and will create a DLL to be distributed to others who can use your aliens by plugging the module into one of their servers. The cost of this kit has not been determined yet. Following is a list of functions that will be available through the library: Move : sends object to sector Flee : object flees to an adjacent sector Update : Object is updated. Effects Planet and Port objects Deploy : Fighters, Armid and Limpet mines are deployed in sector Collect : Fighters, Armid and Limpet mines are collected from sector FedCom : sends a message on Fed Comm-link Radio : sends a message on Subspace Radio Hail : sends a message over Hailing Frequencies Land : Land on a planet Scan : Scan a sector Tow : Tow spacecraft Genesis : Create a planet Interdict : Turn on or off interdictor generator for Planet or Ship Attack : Attack a ship, player, non-player, or port EProbe : Launch probe Starport : Create a starport Avoid : Mark a sector to avoid (entire race) Photon : Launch photon missile Mail : Send mail to user Disrupt : Use mine disruptor Destroy : Destroys the object. Works with Planet and Ship Evict : Evicts all ships in citadel Equip : Add an item to a ship Detach : Remove an item from a ship Post : Post reward or bounty Claim : Claim reward or bounty Announce : Make announcement at Tavern or to global message file TriCron : Play TriCron Event : Trigger an event Message : Send a message Following is a list of records and fields that can be accessed with the library: User ID : Record Number Name : Player's game name Turns : Turns left BankBalance : Balance at bank PlanetID : Planet player is on Alignment : Alignment points Experience : Experience points ShipID : Current Ship Credits : Credits on player Ship ID : Record number Name : Name of Ship Shields : Number of shields Fighters : Number of fighters Holds : Number of holds Inventory : Amount of products Colonists : Amount of colonists PlanetID : Planet Ship is on ShipType : Type of Ship SubType : Make of Ship TWarpDrive : TWarp? Cloaks : Cloaking Devices LRScanner : Long Range Scanner? GenesisTorpedoes: Genesis Torpedoes Mines : Mines Beacons : Beacons Photons : Photon Missiles AtomicDetonators: Atomic Detonators CorbomiteDevices: Corbomite Devices EtherProbes : EtherProbes MineDisruptors : Mine Disruptors PsychicProbe : Psychic Probes PlanetScanner : Planet Scanners Sector ID : Record number Beacon : Beacon text Warps : Warps from this sector Port : Port in this sector Debris : Percent of debris Fighters : Fighters in sector Mines : Mines in sector FighterMode : Mode of fighters TollCollected : Toll collected by fighters Port ID : Record number Name : Port name LastPorted : Last player to Port LastPortTime : Time of last Port PortClass : Class of Port Inventory : Inventory of Port DaysTillComplete : Days until Port opens LastRobbedBy : Last player to rob Port Profit : Profit from Port Planet ID : Record number Name : Name of planet Creator : Creator of planet Workers : Colonists in production Inventory : Inventory FighterAttack : Percent of fighters attacking QuasarAtmos : Percent of Q-Cannon atmosphere attack QuasarSect : Percent of Q-Cannon sector attack PlanetClass : Type of planet Fighters : Fighters stationed on planet CitadelLevel : Level of Citadel DaysTillComplete : How long before Citadel is upgraded Shields : Tens of shields on planet Treasury : Credits stored in Citadel end; Alien ID : Record number Race : Race of alien Name : Name of alien PlanetID : Planet alien is on Experience : Experience points of alien Alignment : Alignment of alien Credits : Credits owned by alien ShipName : Name of Ship ShipType : Type of alien Ship SubType : Make of alien Ship Shields : Shields on Ship Fighters : Fighters on Ship Holds : Holds on Ship Inventory : Inventory Colonists : Amount of colonists TWarpDrive : TWarp? Cloaks : Cloaking Devices LRScanners : Long Range Scanner? GenesisTorpedoes: Genesis Torpedoes Mines : Mines (Limpet, Armid) Beacons : Beacons Photons : Photon Missiles AtomicDetonators: Atomic Detonators CorbomiteDevices: Corbomite Devices EtherProbes : EtherProbes MineDisruptors : Mine Disruptors PsychicProbe : Psychic Probes PlanetScanner : Planet Scanners AIMode : Mode of behavior for this alien A generalized development kit is also planned that will include many of these same functions and fields, but that can be used to write stand-alone interactive add-ons for Trade Wars 2002. -------- NOTE: This is meant to be an overview of these new products. In the final release, some of these features may be altered or removed, and others may be added. Check our web site at www.martech.net for further details.