14 replies to this topic

[Jenny]

As you know (or may not know), the soldier editor comes with a button that lets you add suffixes based on a predefined set of attributes. While you cannot change the prerequisites yet, I will most likely add support for this in the future.

However, for now, they are the following:

Soldiers with a Firing Accuracy of 60 or higher receive a "*".
Soldiers with a Strength of 35 or higher receive a "#".
Soldiers with Reactions of 50 or higher receive a "!".
Soldiers with a Psi Strength of 70 or higher receive a "&".
Soldiers with 60 or more TUs receive a "^".

Obviously, combinations are possible. So "John Doe!^" should make an excellent scout. Note that these values apply to rookies for the most part, as experienced soldiers will exceed these values relatively easily.

Edited by Jenny, 22 December 2006 - 07:16 AM.

[NKF]

On mention of the suffixes, I can immediately envisage a whole page consisting of edit boxes for each of the soldier stats, with the symbol you want use (blank to disable) and a prerequisite stat level for the symbol to be set.

However, how do you differentiate between the soldier's name and the stat symbols? I ask this because of the occasions when you will need to update the symbols. I suppose you could go the way XComUtil does it and use a backslash as the identifier, or somesuch.


- NKF

[Jenny]

On mention of the suffixes, I can immediately envisage a whole page consisting of edit boxes for each of the soldier stats, with the symbol you want use (blank to disable) and a prerequisite stat level for the symbol to be set.

However, how do you differentiate between the soldier's name and the stat symbols? I ask this because of the occasions when you will need to update the symbols. I suppose you could go the way XComUtil does it and use a backslash as the identifier, or somesuch.


- NKF

I simply check the end of the soldier's name for any existing suffixes.

Edited by Jenny, 22 December 2006 - 03:27 PM.

[Hobbes]

Hey Jenny,

I haven't been able to run it at all with the DOS version but what from the description and the images I've seen this looks very useful, especially the option to change the gender of the soldiers (something lacking from all editors that I know until now).

Are you planning to add support for the DOS version? I ask because I prefer it to CE when playing (and I don't even have it installed right now).

Good job and thanks

[Jenny]

Hey Jenny,

I haven't been able to run it at all with the DOS version but what from the description and the images I've seen this looks very useful, especially the option to change the gender of the soldiers (something lacking from all editors that I know until now).

Are you planning to add support for the DOS version? I ask because I prefer it to CE when playing (and I don't even have it installed right now).

Good job and thanks

All the features except for the alien editor should work with the DOS version. Are you sure you're using it correctly? What error message are you getting?

[Hobbes]

All the features except for the alien editor should work with the DOS version. Are you sure you're using it correctly? What error message are you getting?

I unzipped the file to UFO's main folder and run it from there like the instructions said. I don't even get an error message: XP tells me there was an error with the program and that it will close down.

Oh, and I have XComUtil installed. Could that be the problem?

Edited by Hobbes, 23 December 2006 - 08:39 PM.

[Jenny]

All the features except for the alien editor should work with the DOS version. Are you sure you're using it correctly? What error message are you getting?

I unzipped the file to UFO's main folder and run it from there like the instructions said. I don't even get an error message: XP tells me there was an error with the program and that it will close down.

Oh, and I have XComUtil installed. Could that be the problem?

I have XcomUtil installed myself so that's causing it. I should try and get my hands on the DOS version so I can test it myself.

[stewart]

Alphabetical characters are all in clearly defined ranges of ascii values. Go character by character in the string and if the character at-hand is outside the numberical ran then BINGO; I guess.

[NKF]

Well, just as long as you don't get oddjobs who like to use non-alpha numeric characters in their names, like "Psi Sponge #1", "Psi Sponge #2", "%@#$!!" etc.

If you could find some way divide the name string into two separate areas, you can use anything in the character table for your stat identifiers. That can possibly be done by reserving the last N characters in the string, or using a divider of some sort. Perhaps a symbol that you cannot access directly from the keyboard. Like the copyright symbol used by the game (well, actually, in the Dos version, you can enter it with ctrl+backspace).

Well, which ever works the best, I guess.

- NKF

[Jenny]

Well, just as long as you don't get oddjobs who like to use non-alpha numeric characters in their names, like "Psi Sponge #1", "Psi Sponge #2", "%@#$!!" etc.

If you could find some way divide the name string into two separate areas, you can use anything in the character table for your stat identifiers. That can possibly be done by reserving the last N characters in the string, or using a divider of some sort. Perhaps a symbol that you cannot access directly from the keyboard. Like the copyright symbol used by the game (well, actually, in the Dos version, you can enter it with ctrl+backspace).

Well, which ever works the best, I guess.

- NKF

Psi Sponge #1 should work fine, actually. It should only truncate the special characters at the END of the string. Checking.

[Jenny]

Update:

Well it seems I *was* indeed performing a FULL string check for the suffixes and cutting off the string where applicable. As this would indeed cause problems with Psi Sponge #1, I have rectified the problem. The Psi Sponge has been saved! Checks are now only performed at the END of the string. Tested and new version uploaded.

[stewart]

Well, just as long as you don't get oddjobs who like to use non-alpha numeric characters in their names, like "Psi Sponge #1", "Psi Sponge #2", "%@#$!!" etc.

If you could find some way divide the name string into two separate areas, you can use anything in the character table for your stat identifiers. That can possibly be done by reserving the last N characters in the string, or using a divider of some sort. Perhaps a symbol that you cannot access directly from the keyboard. Like the copyright symbol used by the game (well, actually, in the Dos version, you can enter it with ctrl+backspace).

Well, which ever works the best, I guess.

- NKF

Dont forget Alt-Characters too.

[Jenny]

I've currently disabled/removed this functionality from my editor because it seems to mostly confuse people. People that are looking to add stat strings tends to use XcomUtil's version anyway, which is realtime.

[NKF]

Not quite real-time as such as it just plugs itself into the batch file that runs the main game loop and only acts when the two executables switch over. Plugging your program in at a similar point and working on the right missdat files would achieve the same effect.

It still has potential.

Just recalling the old discussion, I think the general consensus with stat-strings lately is that the slash is the general symbol that delineates the name and the stat string. Even I've adopted it for a soldier.dat sorter I'm working on at the moment.

- NKF

Edited by NKF, 12 August 2009 - 03:01 AM.

[Jenny]

It does have potential, but until I figure out exactly what I want to do with it, I'm going to leave it disabled and focus on more pressing matters.