[RELEASE] 8 player patch + v. 1.2 of my Multiplayer Allied Mod

[Feda]

Hey all.. I always play Practice/Skirmish with 7 AIs and I decided today to release the file that allows me to do that. It is a little modification to the skirmish.uil file (with this, if u want to edit it you can change starting credits, starting units etc. - these options are not included in the patch for now). I also prepared _PRAC.MIS files for the patch, so new gametypes such as 1v7 AIs, 4v4, 3v5, 2v6 and a new type: 3 AI vs. 3 AI, human being observer and watching their battle. Video with this last option can be found in my videos topic, if u're interested in its gameplay.

The 8 player patch works perfect on maps like Habbanya Erg 1 or other 8 player maps (is this a proof that Westwood intended to add 8 players? or just 2 more starting locations to the map? I always wanted to know).

Any technical issue, check the ReadMe file, and only then ask ;). I am waiting, of course, feedback. Tell me what do u think about these. Btw, MVI you should update the v1.1 multiplayer allied mod from d2kplus.com with this, and also put a note that includes a 8 player patch :D thx!

_PRAC.MISversion1.2.zip

[sandworm]

Great work

[mvi]

Updated :-)

[Feda]

Thx!

It would be better if u make a special section for the 8 player patch, maybe most of people won't think that the multiplayer allied mod section was updated :D

[Randy Smith]

Is anyone playing online?

[Feda]

Is anyone playing online?

Yes, join my Hamachi channel: Dune 2000 Lobby, pass: 2000. If it's full, join: Dune 2000 Lobby (2), pass: 2000.

[dashkov.a]

Hi, aKaFedaYkin

can you do this whith multiplayer menu selection? (in multipleer - lan - New - Head to Head menu). Now only 4 AI we can select, but if you can create more AI to select (7 AI), this will be great....

In online game skirmish work good and i played 2 humans vs 4 AI to, but want to play 2 humans vs 6 AI (this will be mutch interesting).

[dashkov.a]

Jus now, I moded HOSTHITH.UIL file and can select 5 AI in LAN game, but 6 AI cant't select. Interesting what is the reason.....

I set VALUEBAR aiBar like this: 0 6 1 0 (old was 0 4 1 0), but 6 AI can't be selected anyway.

[Feda]

Well done, I did the same research some tige ago, I think when the patch was released. Unfortunately, adding more than 4 AI is not working. I was able to see 5 or 6 AI when i was alone in the lobby, but couldnt add more than 4 when someone joined. So that thing cant be done, not without heavy programming using dune's source code :)

OpenRA will support soon a Dune2k mod which will allow us to play with a (practically) unlimited number of players in a match. Also, starting alliances will be enabled. Just check the coresponding thread here.

[dashkov.a]

I think that restriction of quantity of AI of players is registered in the Dune2000.DAT file

For certain there it is just necessary to change with 4 on 6 and the choice will work in a multiplayer.

Someone can investigate this question? I want to play 2 H vs 6 AI with my friend

I don't know how good will be OpenRA engle. When there will be at least a demo then we will look))

[Feda]

i share ur opinion about dune2000.dat, there is a lot of data. I found that actually the AI is in there. A russian dune mod had a modified AI which was building 3factories. However before someone will decompile that file, many things will be imposible :)

about openra: the things i expect from that game are: improved AI and balance between the houses.

You can join our network on hamachi if u wanna play with us, check out my signature :)

[dashkov.a]

I thank for the offer, but you play on full speed and it considerably changes game process.

It is more than clicks, but it is less than tactics. Even on usual speed is what to supervise.

By the way, I played in CCRA and it was not pleasant that there the screen twitches, as if vertical synchronization isn't present. If on the same cursor of DuneRA will as twitch, it is bad.

Besides, I already for a long time do mod of Dune 2000 and after it play classical balance not interesting to me absolutely.

Very few people plays on usual speed (from good players) unfortunately. Thanks for above answers. Successes! Especially, many thanks for your files of alliance - prac.mis!!! Very much come in handy.

I hope that DuneRA will meet our expectations, because: "The spice must flow".

[Feda]

Well, sometimes I play on lower speed, sometimes not. Personally I like lower speeds too, but unfortunately, in one of the few on hamachi, so thats why kinda all recorded vids are on high speed. About single player, i used high speed to make the video smaller :)

Dune doesnt really have TACTICS, and if it has, there are few. Thats why I was saying that the game is unbalanced. The new game setting that we use at the moment are: 2 starting units, 5000 credits, tech 7. Which is way better that the previous when it comes to strategy (it is actually less about spamming and more about unit controlling). Anyway, any setting u choose, the game will always be unbalanced. Combat tanks are way too strong. You can't really use other units (excepting the House special tanks, obviously). Of course, Missile and Siege tanks are very useful too, but the main unit in your army will always the the combat tank (unless you go for a special tank rush, which is not very often with "no rules" game type, and is the most frequent with the "8 min no rush" rule, which is very very boring)

[dashkov.a]

You are absolutely right - it is not enough tactics in classical game. Therefore I decided to change balance and add more possibilities. But rebalancing Dune 2000, to add new tactics very difficult. It is difficult to make useful all units, instead of 2-3 main types.

I added many possibilities, changed units and added new units, but all the same isn't happy yet with result)))

The simple concept of game at the same time bribes and complicates.

Especially it concerns game with the computer. If I create good balance, the computer very badly plays. If I do difficult game against the computer, the balance becomes boring, because it is necessary to use the same tactics constantly. Thanks for discussion. I will continue my work and then we will see the result ...

[Feda]

Added new units? How? From what I know TibEd is the only prog whic allows that, and adding new units or buildings for dune is imposible.

What do u mean with the computer? U know how to edit AI and improve it (i.e. force him build 3 factories)?

To be honest , I.m not sure how to balance the game with this engine, thats why im waiting openra. Their engine can be easily modded. To balance and change stuff if u dont like something.

[dashkov.a]

Some units aren't used in a multiplayer and it is possible to make new units of them easily. As in TIbed it is possible to make practically of any unit of another. It is possible to change unit graphics, but it will work only in R8 since R16 didn't open. You know all this. A question in how it to use.

It is possible to add new the weapon and to change a heap of properties old, to change properties of the reservation. By the way, it is possible to add new warheads for the weapon and it works in game. It is possible to make other building (there are buildings which aren't used in a multiplayer) of one building. A player further it is just necessary to do a single according to new possibilities and changes. It is a lot of trouble and it is difficult to do, but it is possible to think up everything quite interestingly.

As to balance of the computer, no, I can not, but the computer changes behavior depending on many parameters. The key parameter is an economy. If to catch the necessary balance, the computer starts to build more units and as a result to attack more. Anything more.

[dashkov.a]

A lot of weapon isn't used in game and it allows to involve it, having created for the weapon a new warhead and to adjust individual parameters of armor for it. It is a pity that it is not possible while to replace R16 graphics therefore fashions works only in R8. It enrages me.

I think that OpenRA release will be on much earlier, than I will publish the mod. Since there is a lot of work of it. And no where to hurry up. Same hobby.

[Feda]

Some units aren't used in a multiplayer and it is possible to make new units of them easily. As in TIbed it is possible to make practically of any unit of another. It is possible to change unit graphics, but it will work only in R8 since R16 didn't open. You know all this. A question in how it to use.

It is possible to add new the weapon and to change a heap of properties old, to change properties of the reservation. By the way, it is possible to add new warheads for the weapon and it works in game. It is possible to make other building (there are buildings which aren't used in a multiplayer) of one building. A player further it is just necessary to do a single according to new possibilities and changes. It is a lot of trouble and it is difficult to do, but it is possible to think up everything quite interestingly.

As to balance of the computer, no, I can not, but the computer changes behavior depending on many parameters. The key parameter is an economy. If to catch the necessary balance, the computer starts to build more units and as a result to attack more. Anything more.

Don't remember any unit in TibEd which isnt used in multiplayer. If u are talking about non-stealth fremens and imperial sardaukars, well yea, MAYBE it will work to create tanks from them?

About buildings.. I have a feeling that editing lets say the Sietch into a... dunno.. HELIPAD ( xD ) would crash the game, since I remember doing something kinda similar which crashed the game. Once tried to change 2nd prerequisite (if i remember well, was some time ago) of many structures and that crashed the game. So i'm not sure if it is so easy to do it, at least for buildings, which is not that much needed.. But considering improving turrets would be nice.. Also, the time turrets need to be made, so players wont be able to spam them as hell, like some do right now.. Also, the Gun Turret should kill inf easier and tanks harder, rocket turret vice versa. My dream was to have different turret types for each house. Like Flame Towers for hark (since they like flames) , gas turrets for ordos.. But i know this is somehow imposible with the tools we have atm. If u are going to add new units to the game, I have some requests. Some Stealth Tanks for Ordos, some Flame tanks for harkonnen, and dunno a tank for atr right now.

Since the OpenRA engine is easier to edit (VERY easy compared to dune), thats why I told u about it :) if u wanna mod dune, u should target that instead of original dune 2000 engine.. Everything is so hard coded.. Network code needs improvements.. Lots of stuff would need improvements :) But if u want to mod dune2k original one, then keep going, dont let me stop you :D would be nice to have a balance mod for dune. Also, try to play with Deviators settings. I tried increasing range, but it made it even more innacurate. Fixing deviator is a priority.

EDIT: has in mind some new unit for each house

INFANTRY:

HArk - Flamethrower: useful against infantry, light vehicles and structures, has a little increased range than chem troopers but less damage.

Atr - Grenadier: useful against infantry, light vehicles and structures, looks kinda the same as original but has improved accuracy, useful to micro manage flamethrowers and chem troopers.

Ord - Chemical Troopers: useful against infantry, light vehicles, structures and to some degree, to heavy hevs, has smaller range than flamer, but increased damage, also damages significantly heavy vehs (not too much, but more than others).

TANKS:

Hark - Flame Tank: TYPE: Heavy Vehicle === has a very strong armor and hp, most resistant tank after devastator, but close to hark heavy tank (combat tank). Useful against inf, light vehs and buildings. In groups, does good damage vs heavy vehs too. Has a very small range.

Atr - Tesla Tank (i know what u are talking about , its from RA :D ) TYPE: Light Vehicle, has a very good range, its very useful against light vehs, infantry and structures, and if micro-ed well, can outrange and kill heavy vehs.

Ord - Stealth Tank (again, from C&C) TYPE: Heavy Vehicle, or Light, depending if the game will be balanced or not. This tank will be stealthed , capable of being detected only by infantry and turrets. Useful against structures and vehicles, useless aggainst infantry (if tanks are in small numbers, ofc).

Only some ideas that MAYBE would balance stuff a bit more. So the combat tanks wont be so needed, more tactics could be posible, like stealth tank rush, flame tank + combat tank rush, better infantry usage, tesla tanks + missile tanks. Feel free to rage them or to say if they are good :D

[dashkov.a]

I don't want while to tell everything that is made in game, until yet I will not make up to the end.

When I will complete everything, I will create a site and I will lay out on it all detailed instructions surely since. I think there will be very many questions. It will be simpler to write at once instructions, than to answer each time at forums since on by it there is also the main work.

I can tell the following:

1.

non-stealth fremens and imperial sardaukars (mp sardaukar) - yes you can create any unit what you want with this units

- also you can create a unit from grenadier, because it is possible to make of it much more useful and interesting unit than the grenadier.

- also you can create new unit from Thumplier, because because very few people uses it, and the place borrows...

- you can delite trike and create unit from it, because on 7 tech level few people uses it. We have the Raider and it is enough for game...

2.

- you dreamed of different guns. They already are and with absolutely different oruzhiya, shots, warheads, balance, the prices, sounds etc.

- As it is necessary to change balance of special wepons of houses

- to change balance of infantry and all other units that all units would become useful in different situations. I and itself already don't know how many options of conducting fight can be in the current balance, because changes concerned everything and are periodically supplemented.

3.

- you can change graphics of some new units that they could be learned easily in fight (it besides the different weapon which is a lot of free and it can be changed).

4.

- maps.... Catastrophically there are not enough maps. It is possible to keep silent))) further

+ yours prac.mis variations for single player

+ new single player missions (realy original whith good maps).

As that so...

Unfortunately bigger while I can not tell, since on descriptions a lot of time will leave. It is better to make mod, than to discuss possibilities. It is a pity that I am not a programmer, but many possibilities open by testing and game deception. I have already more than 130 build balances and I think that the number of assemblies will reach to 250-300 to a final ver., because still a lot of things should be made for a single mode of game. Oh, if someone opened R16 at last... to replace graphics of units and some buildings.

Stoping do this mod already sense isn't present, since it is made too much. So if all my back up files at once not crush, through a half of year - year will be the final version. Excuse me for bad English.

[dashkov.a]

By the way, do you know or can learn what contains in the TILEDATA.BIN file? I suspect that one of data are funnels from the weapon and information on the spoiled buildings, because Dune 2 contains in the same file these this and any else...

The matter is that if to replace building graphics with full lives, the game works.But if to replace graphics of a damaged building, the game is cruch. Or I have the bad R8 version editor. Or it is necessary, something somewhere to change in data TILEDATA.BIN.

[Feda]

Not sure what TILEDATA.BIN is, but as I know, graphics are located in .r8 and .r16 files.

Do u have a .r8 editor?

[dashkov.a]

Yes, I have editor. TILEDATA.BIN probably contains any settings, parameters of the damaged structures, because if to replace R8 graphics of the damaged structure, game crush. "Dune 2000 Image Converter v1.2 I have. Don't know other versions.

[dashkov.a]

aKaFedaYkin, can you create 2vs2vs2vs1 AI + 1 human OBS "Prac.mis" file? This will very helpful for me to test new maps and optimise them for AI and human play simultaneously. Now I use 3vs3 OBS, but it is not enough sometimes (when I creating a hard design map). Thanks in advance. If it is possible...

[Feda]

Ye sure, coming up.. gimme 3 mins.

[Feda]

Ok here it is. Didn't test it, but it should be 2v2v2v1 + human observer. How ya doing with the mod? Keep us updated when significant progress is made :)

_PRAC.zip