[smurfbizkit]

unit ini file?

That was posted up at some german fansite...is that real or not? Has someone extracted all of the ini's yet?

[Ambershee]

Yeah, I've flicked through that. It doesn't look like anything even close to what we should recieve - it's just a list of definitions for values which are hardcoded. SAGE soft architecture doesn't tend to work like that, either this is only a small part of a file, falsified, or we're screwed 0_o

[key0p]

Im not a programmer, but taking a guess, I dont think its hardcoded stuff.

For starters, its an ini file, and each entry starts with the term "#define" - which would lead me to assume that the file is creating the definitions.

To me it looks like a convenient balance file - something even a non-coder could use to change the balance of things in the game without actually editing anythings behaviour.Being all in one place makes it very easy to find.

My guess is the rest of the units code will be located in other ini files.

[Phoib]

It's a file that redefines certain values in a .h file, however, since the names are in the define tags and not in the values, it's hardcoded.

If this file is authentic, then modding for B4ME is next to impossible.

[Ambershee]

For starters, its an ini file, and each entry starts with the term "#define" - which would lead me to assume that the file is creating the definitions.

'#define' is commonly used by C and Cpp to define simple value variable quantities, it's used by hardcoding, not by soft architecture.

It's a file that redefines certain values in a .h file, however, since the names are in the define tags and not in the values, it's hardcoded.

Yes, it looks like a soft architectural "over-ride" to a hardcoded compiled element. Not necessarily a header file, but still values that have been previously defined. (When I code in C or Cpp, I locate my definitions on top of the function (or file if multiple functions call it) which primarily calls them - perhaps a novelty in 'professional' coding style.

If this file is authentic, then modding for B4ME is next to impossible.

Correct, if this is only what we have to work with, we're not well off, we're limited to number of units, what they can do and everything is totally preset.

To me it looks like a convenient balance file - something even a non-coder could use to change the balance of things in the game without actually editing anythings behaviour.Being all in one place makes it very easy to find.

That's what I'm presently thinking. Perhaps there are a few set files for units, structures and environment stuff that is racked with definitions rather than ini scripts. I've the feeling that perhaps ini configurations may be instead used to call something akin to these definitions, or that equivalents to these definitions will NOT be required to introduce new content through the ini. EA has talked (albeit limitedly) about BfME's modability, and I'd like to believe that they've not been completely dishonest about it (I mean, why would you be?) - what we're seeing I believe can be totally disregarded for now, lets wait until we have something real to play with at least.

[Flyby]

Considering that in a campaignmode you can save out units for a next round, could this technique be used to write out the statistics of the units you want to keep?

[Ambershee]

I didn't consider that, that is possibly what these files could be used for, although there doesn't appear to be any sort of positional data whatsoever :/

[Phoib]

Before we get our hands on the real INI files, we cant say.

;-----------------------Gandalf the Grey------------------
#define GANDALF_THE_GREY_BUILDCOST			6000
#define GANDALF_THE_GREY_BUILDTIME			45
#define GANDALF_THE_GREY_HEALTH				1200

#define	GANDALF_LVL1_EXP_AWARD 				70
#define	GANDALF_LVL2_EXP_AWARD 				80
#define	GANDALF_LVL3_EXP_AWARD 				90
#define	GANDALF_LVL4_EXP_AWARD 				100
#define	GANDALF_LVL5_EXP_AWARD 				120
#define	GANDALF_LVL6_EXP_AWARD 				150
#define	GANDALF_LVL7_EXP_AWARD 				180
#define	GANDALF_LVL8_EXP_AWARD 				210
#define	GANDALF_LVL9_EXP_AWARD 				250
#define	GANDALF_LVL10_EXP_AWARD 			300

;Gandalf requires more exp becaues of his AOE powers
#define	GANDALF_LVL2_EXP_NEEDED 			100 ;300 
#define	GANDALF_LVL3_EXP_NEEDED 			200 ;600 
#define	GANDALF_LVL4_EXP_NEEDED 			300 ;1000 
#define	GANDALF_LVL5_EXP_NEEDED 			500 ;1400 
#define	GANDALF_LVL6_EXP_NEEDED 			700 ;1800 
#define	GANDALF_LVL7_EXP_NEEDED 			900 ;2200 
#define	GANDALF_LVL8_EXP_NEEDED 			1100 ;2600 
#define	GANDALF_LVL9_EXP_NEEDED 			1500 ;3000 
#define	GANDALF_LVL10_EXP_NEEDED 			2000 ;4000 

#define GANDALF_THE_GREY_PREATTACKDELAY 		633
#define GANDALF_THE_GREY_DELAYBETWEENSHOTS 		867
#define GANDALF_THE_GREY_FIRINGDURATION 		900 ;867
#define	GANDALF_THE_GREY_DAMAGE				100

#define	GANDALF_FORCE_ATTaCK_DAMAGE			100
#define	GANDALF_FORCE_ATTaCK_RANGE			100

#define	GANDALF_WORD_OF_POWER_DAMAGE			240 ;500
#define	GANDALF_WORD_OF_POWER_RANGE			120

#define	GANDALF_LIGHTNING_DAMAGE			100
#define	GANDALF_LIGHTNING_DAMAGE_FLAME			60
#define	GANDALF_LIGHTNING_RANGE				300

#define	GANDALF_PHASER_DAMAGE				800 ;1000
#define	GANDALF_PHASER_RANGE				200
#define	GANDALF_PHASER_CAST_RANGE			180 ; need to be a little less that the phaser range.

The way the words are used, it seems official to me. That phaser name really looks like other names the EA team uses...

[Ambershee]

Before we get our hands on the real INI files, we cant say.

Correct, all we have is idle speculation, and what's a week or so to wait?

[Phoib]

I am beginning to fear it's official...