[05:07:52-PM] *** Malfador has joined #SpaceEmpires.
[05:07:57-PM] Renegade13: hey!
[05:07:57-PM] TerranC: Yay!
[05:07:58-PM] Fyron: Greetings! 
[05:07:58-PM] * Baron_Munchausen cheers!
[05:07:58-PM] DavidGervais: BINGO!
[05:07:58-PM] SJ-Laptop: Yay!
[05:07:59-PM] aiken[se4]: woa
[05:08:00-PM] puke: yea!
[05:08:00-PM] Atrocities: Speak of the devil
[05:08:02-PM] eorg: :)
[05:08:02-PM] Will^: hi!
[05:08:04-PM] DavidGervais: ye of little faith.
[05:08:05-PM] CNC: back,
[05:08:08-PM] Tampa_Gamer: Hi
[05:08:09-PM] DavidGervais: Hello Aaron
[05:08:09-PM] Malfador: Sorry, I'm late, Christmas and all that...
[05:08:13-PM] ekolis: Darn! I was going to say something clever but I took to long to think of it
[05:08:14-PM] Atrocities: Hello
[05:08:17-PM] *** Fyron has changed the topic on channel #SpaceEmpires to Chat session with Aaron Hall of Malfador Machintations is on!.
[05:08:18-PM] TerranC: Not of little faith, only of excitement!
[05:08:20-PM] Mindeye: hi
[05:08:20-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Pot roast got you? :)
[05:08:28-PM] wildcard06: lol
[05:08:31-PM] TerranC: Or was it a fruitcake?
[05:08:32-PM] *** Mode change "+v Malfador" for channel #SpaceEmpires by Fyron.
[05:08:33-PM] Renegade13: Fyron, learn to spell in your topics!!
[05:08:37-PM] Malfador: Greetings Everybody!
[05:08:39-PM] Baron_Munchausen: hehe
[05:08:44-PM] Renegade13: "Machintations" ???
[05:08:51-PM] *** Fyron has changed the topic on channel #SpaceEmpires to Chat session with Aaron Hall of Malfador Machintations is on!.
[05:08:55-PM] Renegade13: boo
[05:08:56-PM] Tampa_Gamer: no spell check, still in alpha
[05:08:58-PM] TerranC: incantations + Machines I'll bet
[05:09:02-PM] TerranC: heh
[05:09:12-PM] Fyron: Ok, shall we get this thing started Aaron? 
[05:09:19-PM] Malfador: Fire when ready!
[05:09:26-PM] Fyron: Ok, time for silence ;) 
[05:09:28-PM] TerranC: no pleasantries?
[05:09:31-PM] TerranC: awww
[05:09:32-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Bang!
[05:09:34-PM] Will^: at least he didn't say "Fire at Will"
[05:09:40-PM] * Will^ ducks
[05:09:43-PM] DavidGervais: lOl
[05:09:44-PM] Fyron: Welcome to the channel Aaron. 
[05:09:44-PM] eorg: hehe :-)
[05:09:49-PM] Fyron: There, pleasantries. ;) 
[05:09:50-PM] TerranC: to our great misfortune.
[05:09:51-PM] Fyron: First question is from Aiken 
[05:10:00-PM] aiken[se4]: Aaron, several moths ago you've started a thread at Shrapnel forums about ship strategies and formations. There was a lot of discussion but then it fade out. So could you tell us, which strategy/formation scheme you are going to use in SE V? Thanks.
[05:10:36-PM] Malfador: Well, the forum discussion didn't really hit the specifics I was after. 
[05:10:57-PM] Malfador: I'm kind of fleshing out the strategies as I work on combat. 
[05:11:19-PM] Malfador: Its similar to SE4 but with more options, options for retreat, formations to use in different settings, etc. 
[05:11:37-PM] Malfador: Formations for your task forces...
[05:11:50-PM] Fyron: Task forces? As in, subfleets? 
[05:12:18-PM] Malfador: Yep. I knew I was going to have them in SE5, it was just how to minimize the amount of management involved. 
[05:12:31-PM] aiken[se4]: is there possibility for dynamical formations? Like wing trasformating to spear etc?
[05:12:35-PM] Malfador: I can't say its perfect, but with help from the beta testers we can definitely stream line it. 
[05:13:11-PM] Malfador: Dynamic formations get a little difficult. The rules that you would have to state on when to change from one to another, would seem to pretty long.
[05:13:28-PM] Malfador: + to be
[05:13:35-PM] Fyron: Interesting. The next question is from Renegade. 
[05:13:41-PM] Renegade13: Are you planning on having a more detailed ground combat system, and if so, can you give us some details or hints about it?  By the way, thanks for taking the time to do this :)
[05:13:43-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Just have them _close_ formation when ships are destroyed and that would be an imporvement,
[05:14:38-PM] Malfador: To be honest, Ground Combat is still much as it was in SE4 (or will be, haven't quite written that yet). My hope was to put it in but time will be the telling factor. 
[05:14:50-PM] Renegade13: :(
[05:15:04-PM] Malfador: At present, there's just not enough time to squeeze in something that doesn't come off as half-done. 
[05:15:10-PM] ekolis: maybe at least slow it down so it takes multiple turns?
[05:15:10-PM] Fyron: Ground combat in SE4 is one of its weakest points.. 
[05:15:43-PM] eorg: maybe in se5 gold? like drones in se4?
[05:16:28-PM] Malfador: Yes, but one of the reasons companies don't like Space Strategies games is that its really two games in one. You have the strategic space portion, and then the tactical space combat. That's why some of the previous space strategy games have had pretty simplistic space combat sections. 
[05:16:50-PM] Malfador: Having a detailed ground combat is like having a third game which is devoted to ground combat. 
[05:17:04-PM] ekolis: use the space combat system with no banking ? ;)
[05:17:08-PM] Baron_Munchausen: You could at least give us some orders/policies to issue to our ground troops, like strategies for ships.
[05:17:08-PM] Fyron: At least details such as weapon range and rate of fire should be relevant factors... It can still be simulated 
[05:17:18-PM] SJ-Laptop: Even a one-dimensional march and shoot ground combat would work as a nice extension to the current zero-dimensional system.
[05:17:48-PM] ekolis: yeah - ever played Anacreon? make the ground combat look like Anacreon's space combat :)
[05:17:50-PM] parabolize: maybe add it as an option that can be turned off?
[05:17:52-PM] Atrocities: Would it be possible for ground combat to simply be like space combat is now with SEIV, but use ground terrian instead of space, and have both sides meet like in space combat?
[05:18:14-PM] Malfador: Yes, but a very simple one-dimensional march and shoot ground combat would look very unfinished next to the more robust areas. 
[05:18:22-PM] Renegade13: good point
[05:18:32-PM] Malfador: My philosophy is that if you aren't going to make it detailed, what's the point?
[05:18:49-PM] DavidGervais: We do want the game to have a very consistant quality.
[05:19:06-PM] Fyron: SE4 has very inconistent quality in regards to ground combat 
[05:19:15-PM] TerranC: Time to move on perhaps?
[05:19:19-PM] ekolis: yeah
[05:19:27-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Puke. 
[05:19:36-PM] puke: would it be possible for human players to specify the 'mood' of their empire towards other empires? 
[05:19:43-PM] TerranC: ooooh
[05:19:45-PM] puke: mostly for multiplayer 'flavor'
[05:19:53-PM] eorg: like it :)
[05:20:14-PM] Baron_Munchausen: That is a gap in SE IV. Human players 'demeanor' never changes.
[05:20:29-PM] puke: it can if the AI plays your turn...
[05:20:59-PM] Malfador: Yes that can definitely be added in. But what stops you from selecting a demeanor different from your true intentions?
[05:21:14-PM] TerranC: That only adds to the intrigue, IMHO.
[05:21:16-PM] Fyron: What stops you from lying in any other communication? 
[05:21:29-PM] Fyron: It is all part of diplomacy and multi-player interaction 
[05:21:38-PM] eorg: chivalry
[05:21:43-PM] wildcard06: honor
[05:21:44-PM] TerranC: chivalry is dead.
[05:21:58-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Ekolis. 
[05:22:03-PM] Malfador: Sounds like a good idea. 
[05:22:11-PM] ekolis: Will we be able to run multiplayer realtime combat in LAN games?
[05:23:17-PM] Malfador: At present, no. That's a whole area that has not been touched on. Adding real-time multiplayer is a very large step. 
[05:23:38-PM] Fyron: Next question is from eorg 
[05:23:49-PM] eorg: will you keep the same play-by-email system so we can use our current pbw? we have no developer for now
[05:23:53-PM] *** ZeroAdunn has joined #SpaceEmpires.
[05:23:55-PM] Malfador: Usually you pick one area and focus on it. So either real-time multiplayer, or turn-based file send multiplayer. 
[05:24:31-PM] Malfador: My intention was to keep the play-by-email system for the long drawn out games that SE4 was good for.
[05:24:50-PM] eorg: i vote for turn-based :)
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[05:25:10-PM] Fyron: Next question is from WIll. 
[05:25:13-PM] Will^: First, dogscoff from the Shrapnel Forums wanted someone to say "Hi" for him, so... here it is.  Now, the question: Will there be any major changes in the movement setup for SEIV -> SEV?  As in, is it still something like a 13x13 system grid, or is it closer to a StarFury type of movement, or something in between (perhaps each "sector" is analagous to a StarFury system?)?
[05:25:18-PM] ekolis: if it's one or the other I'd choose turn-based as well :)
[05:25:37-PM] *** SEnetUser is now known as Kamog.
[05:26:01-PM] Malfador: SE5 now uses hexes on the System Map with movement being similar to what's in SE4 (6 sectors of movement a turn = 6 hexes). 
[05:26:10-PM] TerranC: !
[05:26:11-PM] Fyron: oooh 
[05:26:11-PM] puke: oo!
[05:26:12-PM] Will^: yes!  hex!
[05:26:13-PM] aiken[se4]: cool
[05:26:14-PM] Fyron: Hexes are great! 
[05:26:16-PM] ekolis: 8-O HEXES!!!
[05:26:17-PM] SJ-Laptop: Sweet
[05:26:19-PM] parabolize: ya
[05:26:20-PM] ZeroAdunn: Cool
[05:26:26-PM] Malfador: The combat now uses actual movement and turning much like Starfury.
[05:26:28-PM] Baron_Munchausen: They are certainly more realistic than squares! :)
[05:26:39-PM] parabolize: YES!
[05:26:41-PM] ekolis: Hexes == t3h r0xx0r LOL
[05:26:41-PM] Fyron: Ok that's enough babbleing ;). Next question is by wildcard 
[05:26:42-PM] ZeroAdunn: Wow,,,,
[05:26:49-PM] wildcard06: Kind of off-topic, but I was wondering about any reflections you have of Space Empires as a whole. You've been at this for a while, how strange of a trip has this been?
[05:26:54-PM] Malfador: Oh, and since the system is real-time rendered 3D, you can rotate the solar system, zoom in, zoom out, etc. 
[05:27:19-PM] ZeroAdunn: Oooohhhh
[05:27:20-PM] eorg: so they are 3-d hexes :)
[05:27:21-PM] ZeroAdunn: Drool
[05:27:27-PM] Malfador: Its been a very strange trip, especially since my taste in games has changed over the years. 
[05:27:35-PM] Fyron: Come on guys, Atrocities now has 3 in a row at the end of the queue! ;) 
[05:27:59-PM] Malfador: As I've gotten older, I've had less and less time for game playing, and so my tastes have changes to games I can get finished in an hour. 
[05:28:00-PM] eorg: move half of him up :-)
[05:28:16-PM] Malfador: Which is very anti-Space Empires!
[05:28:34-PM] aiken[se4]: will se5 your last game?
[05:28:37-PM] Fyron: Done in an hour? I hope SE5 wont be done in an hour... 
[05:28:47-PM] Malfador: But I still love Space Empires since you can really go as far as you want with it. 
[05:28:52-PM] puke: SE5 skirmish?
[05:28:57-PM] Atrocities:  Add campaigns to SEV
[05:29:07-PM] TerranC: we'll do that ourselves, AT.
[05:29:10-PM] TerranC: ;)
[05:29:13-PM] Will^: scenarios...  mmm
[05:29:16-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Probably got this preference because he can't play a game of SE without quitting to tinker...
[05:29:18-PM] Malfador: One of my original hopes for the SE series was a game that I could keep adding on to over the years. 
[05:29:25-PM] ekolis: well you got it :D
[05:29:32-PM] ZeroAdunn: oooh... multiplayer real time SE skirmish....
[05:29:36-PM] ZeroAdunn: I like the sound of that
[05:29:40-PM] Malfador: Unfortunately, it turns out that I have to keep re-writing the game every few years to adapt to new technology and techniques. 
[05:30:13-PM] Fyron: Perhaps a scripting engine would help? That way, new features can be added without any hard-code changes at all! 
[05:30:14-PM] Malfador: So I can't add in the things that I want to, just recreate them better in the next incarnation.
[05:30:52-PM] wildcard06: thanks for some great games
[05:30:56-PM] Malfador: There is scripting in SE5, but the changes I'm making are of a more drastic nature, such as going to real-time rendered 3D in SE5, from the 2D graphics of SE4. 
[05:31:12-PM] Fyron: True, but it helps some :) 
[05:31:22-PM] Fyron: Any more ruminations, or are you ready for the next question? 
[05:31:58-PM] Malfador: Sure, next question! And yes, SE5 is still a multi-month game, definitely not done in an hour (maybe just 1 combat)!
[05:32:04-PM] Fyron: hehe 
[05:32:06-PM] Fyron: The next question is by Baron Munchausen 
[05:32:07-PM] TerranC: thank goodness
[05:32:08-PM] wildcard06: lol
[05:32:11-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Can you give us some details on space monsters? What sorts of abilities will they have? How 'smart' will they be? Do they have any AI control or are they just 'random' things?
[05:32:58-PM] Malfador: Monsters aren't written yet, but I do intend to put them in. They will be AI controlled, roam around and eat ships, planets, etc. Of course they could be under the control of an enemy empire...
[05:33:18-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Oh, could there be a 'technology' to breed space monsters?
[05:33:24-PM] Malfador: Maybe....
[05:33:24-PM] DavidGervais: ..and you call me a tease fyron :P
[05:33:27-PM] ZeroAdunn: ooohhhhh.....
[05:33:32-PM] ekolis: Gotta catch 'em all! (sorry to break the rules but I couldn't resist ;))
[05:33:35-PM] Fyron: You learned from the master ;) 
[05:33:41-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Say, what about 'monster' troops mentioned in the early config files of SE IV but never implemented?
[05:33:44-PM] TerranC: must... kill... ed... for making that remark!
[05:34:19-PM] Malfador: Nothing definite on that yet. 
[05:34:23-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Puke. 
[05:34:26-PM] puke: would it be possible for Stelar Phenominon (such as storms and wormholes, or potentially anything for mod purposes) to have durations like 1, 5, or 0 turns.  This would let a ship open a temporary wormhole that could close at the end of the turn or five turns later. 
[05:35:08-PM] Malfador: Yes, that's something I'm trying to add to the abilities. A time component for effects. So you could have a weapon which decreases a target's speed by half but only for 3 turns. 
[05:35:34-PM] Fyron: That is where scripting engines come in handy. :) 
[05:35:58-PM] Malfador: Sorry for some of the vague answers, but I'm still finishing the core programming for the game. The fun stuff is once the core is done and you can add all of the specific goodies until you run out of time!
[05:36:16-PM] puke: i liked that answer.
[05:36:25-PM] TerranC: Oh don't apologize, we live for vague answers.
[05:36:27-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Kwok. 
[05:36:36-PM] CaptainKwok: Will ship design be more similar to SE:IV or StarFury, and will each race have various types/sizes of ships, rather than the same types (i.e. escort-frigate-cruiser-etc)?
[05:37:16-PM] Malfador: Well, the easy answer is yes, ship design is similar to Starfury in that you place components on a diagram of your ship. 
[05:37:48-PM] ZeroAdunn: I have to say, I hate that method
[05:37:52-PM] CaptainKwok: i.e. weapon placement locations dictate the number of weapons that can be placed on that ship?
[05:37:58-PM] Fyron: :( 
[05:38:14-PM] Malfador: But its also no, in that all races use the same ship sizes which basically dictate the amount of space you have for the components, and the various restrictions. There are specific ship sizes for different technologies, but these just add various bonuses/modifiers.
[05:38:29-PM] Fyron: Arbitrary hulls are good, especially in a massive stratgey game, rather than a RPG type game 
[05:38:40-PM] Malfador: It was a hard decision, but the requirements of play balancing all of the races with specific ships was a bit too daunting. 
[05:38:40-PM] SJ-Laptop: I imagine it could easily be modded to have all generic slots, and thus return to SE4 plus hull layers.
[05:38:58-PM] Malfador: But modding will allow for custom ship sizes, and custom technology areas for them. 
[05:39:10-PM] Malfador: Oh, and all of the ships appearances are unique like in SE4. 
[05:39:25-PM] ekolis: wow... that's a lot of models!
[05:39:42-PM] CaptainKwok: Good stuff.
[05:39:43-PM] Atrocities: So portraits will be out?
[05:39:54-PM] TerranC: portraits?
[05:39:56-PM] Tampa_Gamer: What file format will the ship graphics be in?
[05:40:04-PM] Atrocities: Portrait - Mini images
[05:40:14-PM] Malfador: No, there are still portraits, but the portraits are just pictures of the rendered model. 
[05:40:20-PM] Fyron: Tampa, .x format with bmp textuers 
[05:40:24-PM] ZeroAdunn: Cool
[05:40:29-PM] TerranC: so rather than se4 portraits, more like starfury portraits.
[05:40:32-PM] ZeroAdunn: When will the portraits be used?
[05:40:32-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Atrocities 
[05:40:47-PM] Fyron: We need to get everyone a chance to ask their questions... 
[05:41:08-PM] Malfador: My "hope" is to have a mode in combat where you can use 2 dimensional portraits instead of the full ship models. That way the game at least still supports all of the old pictures. But they won't look very good...
[05:41:32-PM] Malfador: Next question?
[05:41:33-PM] Fyron: Atrocities: Are you going to update your web site?  
[05:41:42-PM] Malfador: Its in the works!
[05:41:47-PM] Atrocities: :)
[05:41:49-PM] Atrocities: Thank GOD
[05:41:55-PM] TerranC: I'm sure Fyron would love to update your site for you.
[05:42:06-PM] Fyron: New screenshots from SE5? 
[05:42:13-PM] *** SEnetUser has joined #SpaceEmpires.
[05:42:17-PM] wildcard06: Yaya
[05:42:23-PM] eorg: fyron will charge him in shipsets
[05:42:25-PM] TerranC: or somebody else from the forums, surely.
[05:42:35-PM] Malfador: My tragic flaw has been that I always put game fixing/updating before website work ... :)
[05:42:43-PM] puke: thats not a flaw.
[05:42:50-PM] TerranC: that's no flaw, that's a good thing, for us.
[05:43:02-PM] Baron_Munchausen: You just need a webmaster.
[05:43:07-PM] Fyron: Indeed. Next question is from CNC. 
[05:43:18-PM] Atrocities: I really cannot express to you how embarassing it was to tout SE IV as the best 4x game only to send people to malfdor.com  No offense, but I am very happy your updating/
[05:43:23-PM] Malfador: We've got lots of screenshots for SE5, but posting has to wait until the final game is closer to the screen shots. Meaning = Everything is open to change, and I don't want the final game to look nothing like the posted screenshots!
[05:43:52-PM] ZeroAdunn: Damnit man, I need something to drool over!
[05:44:04-PM] TerranC: patience, grasshopper.
[05:44:08-PM] Fyron: Call them early concept art with no guarantees ;) 
[05:44:15-PM] Fyron: CNC: Will the game be shipped in a jewel case this time, or on the cheap like last time in an envelope? Thanx 
[05:44:17-PM] aiken[se4]: screnshots are our bread!
[05:44:31-PM] Atrocities: Even if they change, something is better than nothing........
[05:44:45-PM] Malfador: Can't tell you about the case yet, but I can guarantee you that it will be better than SE4's. 
[05:45:04-PM] ZeroAdunn: Unless that something is some sort of horrible contagion that melts our eyes, I would rather have nothing than that....
[05:45:07-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Ekolis 
[05:45:08-PM] CNC: Thank You Aaron.
[05:45:41-PM] ekolis: Will modders be able to define their own functions for use with the data file formula parser?
[05:46:06-PM] Malfador: Good question. Its kind of hard to describe. 
[05:46:14-PM] Malfador: In teh data files, some fields are now formulas.
[05:46:38-PM] Malfador: The formulas can use only those functions defined by the game such as +, -, math functions, and built it game functions. 
[05:46:52-PM] ekolis: So no defining functions based on other existing functions?
[05:47:05-PM] Malfador: In addition, there is a scripting language that is called by the code at various points, for example for the external events, intelligence actions, and the AI. 
[05:47:15-PM] Fyron: A "formulas.txt" file would be very, very useful 
[05:47:15-PM] ekolis: nothing like #define add(x,y,z) = x + y + z
[05:48:00-PM] Malfador: But that is an excellent suggestion. Let me think about how I can work that in. Its not that big of an addition, just a bridge between the formula execution and script execution that isn't currently there. 
[05:48:25-PM] Fyron: NExt question is from Tesco, who could not make it tonight: Will there be a Map Maker for SEV and if so could you describe it.  
[05:48:26-PM] ekolis: I wrote a program that can do that for SE4 data files... it's LGPL but I could always share ideas ;)
[05:48:36-PM] Fyron: Will we be able to generate/make systems and save them for use in later maps. 
[05:49:36-PM] Malfador: Yes, there will be a Map Maker for SE5. I'm hoping to make it fully featured, but it hasn't been written yet. Sorry :) I'm actually writing it with my right hand while I type in the chat with my left hand :)
[05:49:37-PM] eorg: every mod will have programmer designer and executive body :-P
[05:50:00-PM] Fyron: heh. Next question is from Atrocities 
[05:50:02-PM] ekolis: that does happen with some games you know, eorg ;)
[05:50:13-PM] eorg: :-)
[05:50:33-PM] Malfador: My intention is to have a map data file format that can support anything, and then write a Map Maker that can generate them. 
[05:50:40-PM] Fyron: Atrocities: How many ships do you think the new combat system will be able to handle at one time?  In SEIV we have hundreds, will it be the same in SE V, or limited to a few dozen? 
 
[05:51:48-PM] Malfador: Good question. That's actually something I'm testing now. I've limited the zoom out so that you can only see so many ships at a time (kind of like Warcraft). The speed needed is really only dependent on what you can see on screen. 
[05:52:02-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Suicide Junkie 
[05:52:02-PM] Malfador: So my answer is I don't know yet. But hopefully quite a few! 
[05:52:10-PM] ZeroAdunn: :)
[05:52:16-PM] Atrocities: Thank you. :)
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[05:53:29-PM] SJ-Laptop: Will there be animated 2d graphics in the game?
[05:53:59-PM] Malfador: What kind do you mean? Movies? Simple animations like gifs?
[05:54:30-PM] SJ-Laptop: Simple animations, yeah.
[05:54:43-PM] HughManatee: like sprites?
[05:54:47-PM] puke: i think like 2d rotating planets or spinning asteroids, or flickering suns.
[05:54:53-PM] SJ-Laptop: Although cutscene movies for various events might be nice too.
[05:54:58-PM] * ekolis fondly recalls the SE2 intro :)
[05:54:59-PM] TerranC: corona effects, maybe?
[05:55:05-PM] Malfador: Not at present, but that's mainly because I haven't really found any areas that need it. 
[05:55:16-PM] Fyron: Next question is from Parabolize 
[05:55:20-PM] parabolize: Erodoehtdtm wanted to know how you are classifying planets.
[05:55:34-PM] Malfador: Keep in mind that all of the planets rotate on screen (in the system display), warp points flicker, storms swirl, etc. 
[05:55:47-PM] Fyron: Did you go with that GRAPH system I proposed to you oh so long ago? 
[05:56:51-PM] *** Mindeye has signed off IRC ().
[05:56:56-PM] * CaptainKwok angered at Fyron after all that work we did on adapting that system.
[05:57:02-PM] Malfador: Planet classification is much like it was in SE4, but with some added attributes like gravity, temperature, radiation. 
[05:57:10-PM] Fyron: By the way guys, I am going to close the queue. We have 16 questions still to go! 8-O 
[05:57:24-PM] Malfador: But the main elements of a planet are still size, type, and atmosphere. 
[05:58:03-PM] Fyron: Next question is from ZeroAdunn 
[05:58:05-PM] ZeroAdunn: Hypothetical Question:  If I was a ninja, and you were a pirate, and we were both robots, who do you think would win in a fight?
[05:58:17-PM] ekolis: ... LOL
[05:58:17-PM] TerranC: ...
[05:58:21-PM] wildcard06: classic
[05:58:25-PM] Will^: wow
[05:58:28-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Yay!
[05:58:31-PM] ZeroAdunn: Seriously though:  Will AI politics be improved, so that long term AI to human relationships will be possible?
[05:58:37-PM] TerranC: ZA gets the pointless award!
[05:58:47-PM] eorg: :)
[05:58:51-PM] ZeroAdunn: That was damned important thank you.....
[05:58:57-PM] TerranC: not the second question
[05:59:00-PM] TerranC: the first one
[05:59:18-PM] Malfador: LOL, yes politics are much improved. But play balancing will be crutial to get the AI to not suddenly declare War on you. 
[05:59:29-PM] Fyron: Since Hugh didn't get to ask one yet, I'll cheat and stick him at the front. Hugh? 
[05:59:32-PM] ZeroAdunn: How can you judge a man if he hasn't first answered the age old robot/pirate ninja problem?
[05:59:36-PM] Malfador: Its all in those pesky AI rules...
[05:59:39-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Unless it's designed to do that...
[05:59:40-PM] HughManatee: Question frm Hugh: Can you describe the build Queu? Will it maintain the one que per planet or is there any chance of going to the SE3 system, or some hybrid of that? 
[06:00:08-PM] HughManatee: I always likes building my ships at space yards...
[06:00:09-PM] Malfador: Good question. I've tried to go with a hybrid, but I'm still not happy with it. 
[06:00:25-PM] ZeroAdunn: What are you trying?
[06:00:28-PM] Malfador: You can either - 
[06:00:36-PM] Malfador: 1) Add to a specific construction queue
[06:02:05-PM] Fyron: Maybe each space yard facility or component could have a sliding scale when you build it. Pay exponentially more for a higher build rate, with more advanced SYs being cheaper per build rate. Allow multiple SYs on the same planet/ship. This way, you get to do both methods, either have a few fast SYs, or a lot of slow ones. 
[06:02:27-PM] Malfador: 2) Add the same things to multiple queues
[06:02:29-PM] CaptainKwok: What about adding a queue for 5 projects with a slider to control how much "resources" go to each project?
[06:02:49-PM] TerranC: 8 minutes until 9:10 EST...
[06:02:52-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Yeah, we ought to be able to merge queues into one huge project.
[06:02:52-PM] Malfador: 3) Add to multiple queues in priority order where the game will place items where they will get done the quickest. 
[06:03:27-PM] CaptainKwok: *well, a max of 5 projects I should clarify.
[06:04:06-PM] Fyron: Next question is from aiken 
[06:04:10-PM] aiken[se4]: Have you changed the race setup process, or it's the same as in SE IV? I mean will it introduce new racial characteristics and traits? And will it be possible to enable Restricted trait/Required trait feature (it was in SE4, but it was disabled)? Thank you.
[06:04:36-PM] Malfador: The race setup is a bit more involved. Selection of starting tech is back. 
[06:04:44-PM] *** KevinArisa has joined #SpaceEmpires.
[06:04:44-PM] TerranC: yay!
[06:04:54-PM] Malfador: You get to select your government type. 
[06:05:04-PM] CaptainKwok: That's a nice touch.
[06:05:11-PM] aiken[se4]: tyrany!
[06:05:16-PM] CaptainKwok: Would that determine your happiness type?
[06:05:19-PM] Tampa_Gamer: cool
[06:05:20-PM] Fyron: Can governement be changed mid-game? Possibly at a heavy cost in research or resources? 
[06:05:21-PM] eorg: anarchy :)
[06:05:35-PM] HughManatee: ^will that be like Civillization where it can changeor MoO2 where it can only evolve?
[06:05:45-PM] Malfador: And yes, there can be restrictions on selected racial traits. 
[06:06:06-PM] aiken[se4]: and requirements?
[06:06:49-PM] Baron_Munchausen: I hope we can SAVE our starting tech choices or startup will be tedious like it was in SE III. :)
[06:07:41-PM] Fyron: Next is Puke 
[06:07:45-PM] puke: any chance of "cultural imperialism" like in IG2, where your trade income could be influenced by how much of your culture has spread to influence other empires? 
[06:07:47-PM] Malfador: Sorry, to clarify - restrictions on items are like formulas. You can put any kind of formula which evaluates whether the trait can be used. 
[06:08:29-PM] ekolis: ooh, neat, as in "if you have spent over 500 points on aggressiveness you cannot pick Pacifists advanced trait"?
[06:08:37-PM] Malfador: There are cultural achievements, but its not quite the same thing. Cultural achievements give you bonuses by improving your culture and not just your technology. 
[06:08:55-PM] puke: oh, now THAT is neat.
[06:09:00-PM] Fyron: Next is Atrocities 
[06:09:45-PM] Fyron: Atrocities: Will SEV have an economic system with comodities, or remain as it is? 
[06:10:06-PM] Malfador: I'm hoping that the use of restrictions will really open up the modding possiblities. They are used on most of the items in the game. So for example, the restirctions on a component indicate when you can see it, and when you can use it. And since these are formulas, you can put what ever criteria you wish. 
[06:10:17-PM] Malfador: No plans for commodities at this time. 
[06:10:32-PM] Fyron: Aiken has a question from Alneyan, which I will cheat and sneak in 
[06:10:53-PM] CaptainKwok: Can we add extra resource types or will those be hard coded?
[06:11:12-PM] aiken[se4]: thanks
[06:11:14-PM] aiken[se4]: Alneyan wanted to ask you a question:" Only one question from me (if it has not been answered yet): is there any hope for macros in the game? 
[06:11:15-PM] aiken[se4]: For example, a macro could be: "Build 3 Mineral Facilities on every planet without a spaceyard, nothing in the queue, and at least 100% mineral value", or anything of the like. Something else that could fit in with macros would be the automation of retrofits. Would it be possible to make Empire-wide retrofits? For example, you could order all Gloriana vessels to be retrofitted to the Victoria class (assuming they are at a spaceyard)."
[06:12:24-PM] Malfador: That's a tough question. The classical use of Macros is not present in SE5 (ones that are created while the player is playing the game). But I can add hooks to execute routines from the script files. 
[06:12:41-PM] Malfador: And yes, you can retrofit empire wide. 
[06:13:04-PM] ZeroAdunn: Great feature
[06:13:05-PM] Fyron: next is from Ekolis 
[06:13:23-PM] ekolis: darn, I forgot what it was, I even forgot I had another :p
[06:13:27-PM] Fyron: ekolis: "What about that SE2 source code, or was that just a rumor?" 
[06:13:31-PM] ekolis: Oh yeah!
[06:13:42-PM] wildcard06: Memory like a steel trap that one.
[06:14:00-PM] wildcard06: ;)
[06:14:16-PM] Malfador: Yes, I do plan to release the SE2 source with the release of SE5. But don't get your hopes up. It was written in an early version of Visual Basic with custom controls. 
[06:14:30-PM] Malfador: :( Visual Basic...
[06:14:37-PM] Fyron: :( indeed 
[06:14:39-PM] Fyron: NExt is Will 
[06:14:44-PM] Will^: Beta:  When?  Where?  Can I?
[06:14:47-PM] Atrocities: Release SEIV source code instead. :)
[06:14:56-PM] TerranC: good question
[06:15:04-PM] ekolis: about time ;)
[06:15:13-PM] ekolis: (@terranc)
[06:15:18-PM] Will^: I knew everyone wanted to ask, so I did :P
[06:15:55-PM] ZeroAdunn: :P
[06:16:10-PM] eorg: or at least alpha :-)
[06:16:23-PM] Malfador: The SE5 Beta has been moved back a "pinch". Right now we're looking at maybe April. I'll be trying to get everyone in!
[06:16:30-PM] Fyron: :( 
[06:16:32-PM] TerranC: noooooo
[06:16:36-PM] aiken[se4]: sooooo bad
[06:16:45-PM] * Baron_Munchausen expected that January was too soon...
[06:16:51-PM] Fyron: How long are you planning to stay tonight Aaron? Don't want to keep you from the pot roast... 
[06:17:00-PM] TerranC: no christmas for poor TC this year :(
[06:17:08-PM] Malfador: Sorry, its not that SE5 is not track, its that other quick projects came up this month I had to tackle. 
[06:17:15-PM] Malfador: + on track
[06:17:38-PM] HughManatee: as long as it takes to make it right, just don't pull a MoO3 on us :p
[06:17:45-PM] Will^: other projects?  Is there something you're not telling us?  :)
[06:17:46-PM] Malfador: I can give you to 6:30, but my wife is giving me the eye (going out for dinner...)
[06:17:48-PM] TerranC: don't mention that name!
[06:17:53-PM] Fyron: Renegade had to go, but he was next: Will you have more detailed planetary descriptions, that can actually have an in-game effect.  For example, things like gravity, atmospheric composition (EX: 25% oxygen, 74% CO2, 1% other), percentage of water and land, etc.  For example, if you race preferred 1 G, and you colonized a 1.5 G planet, will that have an effect? 
[06:18:42-PM] Malfador: All I can say is that they are more descriptive than SE4, but not quite to the level your question reflects. 
[06:18:49-PM] Fyron: Next is Kwok 
[06:19:00-PM] CaptainKwok: Can we add extra or change the number of resource types or will those be hard coded?
[06:19:10-PM] Fyron: White text? 
[06:19:10-PM] ekolis: Cat got the keyboard?
[06:19:17-PM] Baron_Munchausen: No potroast tonight?
[06:19:20-PM] eorg: it is white on white
[06:19:32-PM] SJ-Laptop: Kwok said: Can we add extra or change the number of resource types or will those be hard coded?
[06:19:34-PM] aiken[se4]: select it with a mouse
[06:19:44-PM] TerranC: somebody's nervous
[06:20:04-PM] eorg: resource: mana
[06:20:07-PM] Malfador: I really wanted to have customizable resources, but it is a major change and would have just taken too long. Sorry!
[06:20:14-PM] Fyron: :'S 
[06:20:16-PM] CaptainKwok: So just the three?
[06:20:18-PM] CNC: Must leave, happy holidays to you and your family Aaron
[06:20:19-PM] Fyron: At least the ability to customize the names? 
[06:20:27-PM] *** CNC has signed off IRC ().
[06:20:29-PM] Fyron: On a per-race basis perhaps? 
[06:20:38-PM] Fyron: Or maybe a racial trait can alter the displayed name? 
[06:20:44-PM] * ekolis knows where Fyron is going with that... LOL
[06:20:46-PM] Fyron: It would help out a good number of modders... 
[06:20:53-PM] wildcard06: I can think of one
[06:20:56-PM] Malfador: Customize the names, sure. 
[06:21:02-PM] eorg: no you can't
[06:21:05-PM] Fyron: On a per racial triat basis? 
[06:21:06-PM] Tampa_Gamer: Could be as easy as variable name and graphic?
[06:21:07-PM] Malfador: Per race, I'll have to think about that...
[06:21:21-PM] Fyron: It would be great for, say, having normal races and magic-weilding races in the same game 
[06:21:27-PM] TerranC: 9 minutes till pot roast time...
[06:21:28-PM] Fyron: Call radioactives "mana" instead... 
[06:21:29-PM] Fyron: Next question: Atrocities: Are you considering the suggestion that was made about adding command staff to the game?  IE the yahoo groups chat about captains, admirals, fleet admirals, and such? 
[06:21:42-PM] Malfador: But what happens when you trade magic for radioactives?
[06:22:05-PM] Fyron: It would be nice to have nothing happen... but at least the ability to display a different name would be better than SE4 
[06:22:31-PM] * Baron_Munchausen wonders if the 'other' projects have to do with patching SE IV bugs? :)
[06:22:39-PM] puke: i hope not
[06:22:40-PM] eorg: nothing - they'll send radio you'll receive mana :)
[06:22:45-PM] Malfador: Here comes one of those ugly realities of game creation: The screens and game are designed for the presence of "heroes". But whether they stay in the game is dependent on if I can get the artwork done in time. 
[06:22:45-PM] TerranC: same here, with puke
[06:23:09-PM] Fyron: Well if you post a request on Shrapnel, I am sure you will get a deluge of volunteers... ;) 
[06:23:13-PM] * Baron_Munchausen looks expectantly at David G...
[06:23:17-PM] TerranC: artwork? 3d or 2d?
[06:23:17-PM] * Will^ pokes David
[06:23:20-PM] Tampa_Gamer: Include basic art and let modders do the rest
[06:23:32-PM] CaptainKwok: *me wonders if starting facilities can be modded?
[06:23:39-PM] Atrocities: You could just make it so that we could ADD our own images for the Hero's
[06:23:40-PM] Malfador: Volunteers are well and fine, but the current artwork is at a farily high professional level. 
[06:23:58-PM] Atrocities: Good Job David G.
[06:24:04-PM] eorg: basic art = white bmps :)
[06:24:04-PM] Baron_Munchausen: That's true, you know. Give the image specs and issue a call for volunteer submissions.
[06:24:05-PM] Fyron: Surely there are a few profesionals out there... 
[06:24:06-PM] Fyron: Next question: Baron_Munchausen: Are the 'sight' rules in SE V different than SE IV? Will be finally see distance effects on all sorts of sensors and not just the 'scanners' that reveal ship components? 
[06:24:15-PM] Malfador: That game has to start with at least hero portraits for each of the races and at least 3 for each. That's a lot of portraits.
[06:24:41-PM] Fyron: Well if they are made from 3d models initially, the portraits for each race can just be modified a bit to get different people 
[06:24:42-PM] Tampa_Gamer: You could use actual photos of all of us!
[06:24:47-PM] HughManatee: put a moustasche on an amonkrie
[06:24:49-PM] Fyron: Two Jraenar will look pretty similar... 
[06:24:51-PM] TerranC: heh heh heh
[06:24:52-PM] * ZeroAdunn shutters
[06:24:56-PM] Malfador: Sight is improved in SE5 and is now distance based. Your sensors are rated with the distance they can detect other ships, planets, etc. 
[06:25:04-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Yay!
[06:25:07-PM] Fyron: Next: puke: Q: any possibliity of "trade lanes" as actual pathways between planets / empires such that trade could be blocaded with military action rather than an intel project? 
[06:25:15-PM] Malfador: As to whether distance effects are used in various abilities, it should be. 
[06:26:03-PM] Malfador: Trade Lanes have a lot of ugly problems associated with them. Like tons of freighters running around to deliver the resources (no automatic adding to the empire). At present, there aren't any.
[06:26:19-PM] Fyron: Next is Parabolize 
[06:26:22-PM] puke: the trade ships could be abstracted
[06:26:26-PM] ZeroAdunn: Who needs frieghters?  Just the lanes
[06:26:33-PM] Tampa_Gamer: ala Moo
[06:26:37-PM] Fyron: aye 
[06:26:41-PM] Fyron: Abstraction is fine 
[06:27:02-PM] Baron_Munchausen: Yeah, just require a traceable connection for trade so it an be found and blockaded.
[06:27:11-PM] parabolize: pooy nevermind
[06:27:26-PM] HughManatee: perhaps government affects the ammount of civillian freighters allowed
[06:27:29-PM] Fyron: Ok, Kwok wanted to know if starting facilities will be moddable 
[06:27:34-PM] Fyron: Rather than hardcoded 
[06:27:44-PM] Malfador: Sure, they can be modified. 
[06:27:50-PM] Fyron: On a per-race basis? 
[06:28:36-PM] aiken[se4]: he meant would it be possible to design facilities (since the're cargo now)
[06:28:59-PM] aiken[se4]: like troops or WP
[06:29:03-PM] Fyron: No hard-coded values at all for starting facilities... all in text files 
[06:29:08-PM] puke: maybe if the game read the races planetary type facility list, so that when homeworlds were made organic races might start with more organic facilities
[06:29:09-PM] Malfador: No, you can't design facilities. Only vehicles can be designed. 
[06:29:19-PM] Fyron: Yeah, what Puke said 
[06:29:24-PM] Fyron: Actually use those Homeworld entries 
[06:29:30-PM] Fyron: Next: CNC: Will SEV use voices and such for scripted political and or other fields in the game.  Like they did in BOTF?  At least have a voiced race intro. 
[06:29:40-PM] CaptainKwok: That be good.
[06:29:54-PM] TerranC: I think that's going a bit too far
[06:30:01-PM] Atrocities: Get some volunteers to do the voices
[06:30:07-PM] Malfador: Yes, but they all sound like me speaking into a microphone :)
[06:30:09-PM] Atrocities: Not really
[06:30:18-PM] wildcard06: Do a pirate or ninja accent
[06:30:20-PM] Fyron: LOL yeah get some volunteers ;) 
[06:30:21-PM] puke: sample your dog
[06:30:21-PM] Tampa_Gamer: Perhaps just a racial theme song that plays during negotiations
[06:30:29-PM] Fyron: Next: Atrocities: There were many great suggestions made for new system types like having a system wide ancient mine field. Are you planning on including these suggestion into SEV? 
[06:30:31-PM] HughManatee: get narf, he can do funy accents
[06:30:37-PM] ZeroAdunn: Yargh me mattey, your worlds will burn in a vengeful fire!  Yar
[06:30:54-PM] TerranC: oh boy, 9:30
[06:31:24-PM] CaptainKwok: Thanks Aaron!  Happy holidays!
[06:31:29-PM] DavidGervais: Aaron, Thank you for this chat, it's been a pleasure
[06:31:35-PM] Will^: have fun at dinner, Aaron!  hopefully the better half isn't too mad
[06:31:37-PM] eorg: and luck :)
[06:31:38-PM] ekolis: Yeah, thanks for stopping by!
[06:31:39-PM] aiken[se4]: marry Cristmas
[06:31:40-PM] wildcard06: Thanks for the time
[06:31:41-PM] Malfador: Last question: I've got them all in a text file, and I'm trying to get in the ones I can.
[06:31:41-PM] Tampa_Gamer: Thanks
[06:31:50-PM] DavidGervais: I wish you all the best for the holidays.
[06:31:54-PM] Fyron: Have time for the last 2? Or time to go? 
[06:31:58-PM] puke: Thanks much!
[06:32:12-PM] TerranC: It is 9:30 est, Fyron.
[06:32:17-PM] Malfador: Thanks everybody and have a great Christmas! Sorry for the short time, we'll have to schedule another one for longer at the beginning of January. 
[06:32:25-PM] Fyron: Indeed we will! 
[06:32:28-PM] TerranC: Not at all, this chat answered a lot of questions
[06:32:38-PM] TerranC: Merry christmas and a happy new year!
[06:32:43-PM] Tampa_Gamer: Merry Christmas!
[06:32:46-PM] DavidGervais: yes, good idea start the new year with a bang.
[06:32:47-PM] Fyron: Thanks for humoring us once again! Have a great dinner ;) 
[06:32:48-PM] Atrocities: Happy holidays
[06:32:50-PM] aiken[se4]: yes it was great meeting, bye
[06:32:52-PM] Fyron: Think of pot roast! 
[06:32:53-PM] DavidGervais: Cheers! AAron
[06:33:06-PM] TerranC: Yes, watch out for them meaty projectiles
[06:33:08-PM] *** SEnetUser has signed off IRC ("Try out the IRC chat module at (Link: http://www.spaceempires.net/home)http://www.spaceempires.net/home").
[06:33:09-PM] eorg: in no such unholy time of the night :)
[06:33:18-PM] Malfador: Bye! Thanks everybody!