Joel Schultz

I noticed that too; it does help speed up transfers of large numbers of units. I just can't stand that high-pitched peeping noise it makes while it's busy transfering units of stuff. Filling up the fuel tank gives me a headache unless I kill the volume. I don't know what other sound it could make that would be better, though. I bought the game, so I gotta put up with it, huh? Heh. Only sound I dislike more is the sound of a missile locking onto me, but that's a different story altogether. [This message has been edited by Joel Schultz (edited 12-30-2000).]

Is there any way to quickly increment and decrement units being bought/sold in Tradecom (or in Logistix cargo management for that matter)? Like in increments of 5 or 10 rather than 1?

Mr. Bad-Habit-Of-Posting-While-I-Have-A-Thought-In-Mind-Before-I-Finish-Reading-Everything is back... quote: Anyway, in the original docs, you will find a lot more info that in the gbs.txt file. But, you will have to figure out, on you own, whats obsolete, implemented etc. For BCM I will sit down and do proper docs if I decide to release GBS II to the public. OK, that answers the question about if (original) GBS docs will be updated. Answer on that is likely going to be a big fat momma of a "NO!", so please consider that question withdrawn. But my original request for someone to post a link to an "unoffically" completed set still stands, so please post one if you have it! And who knows, maybe if I get a solid enough grip on how it works I'll post my own half-baked interpretation. My two bits on GBS-II: why not release it to the public? No offense, but I doubt the docs can be any more incomplete than the ones I downloaded Besides, some of us are geeky enough to actually have as much (sometimes more!) fun playing with a game's editors than with the actual game. Well, back to reading GBSTOC.TXT and samples scripts [This message has been edited by Joel Schultz (edited 12-21-2000).]

Doh! Gotta love my spelling. I meant "not complete" in the subject... Sigh. As a software developer myself, I am inevitably lured in by editing tools included or downloadable for any games -- if only to peek at what they've made available and to get a "behind the scenes" look at what makes some parts of a game tick. A chance to get into the medium that defines the work of art, so to speak. So, it was only a matter of time after noticing the GBS download and reading Gallion's stuff here that I'd end up pulling it down myself to enjoy. I'm rather impressed -- a fairly simple language with immense possibilities. Then I discovered the docs stopped when they got to the START/STOP command section of the AI block. (Hm, can I do square brackets in a post? [AI] block). So, I fall back on rule #2 (#1 being "read the manual"): read the forums. And I come across this post from a while back by SC: quote: You're only just finding out that the docs are not complete? Have you not been paying any attention? The GBSTOC.TXT file is complete and lists all the commands - it doesn't show their usage. You're on your own because I don't have time for that. You can read my scripts and be able to figure out how the commands work. You already have all the syntax. Nuts. I hate incomplete documentation. So, I'm wondering if in BCM this documentation will be (finally) completed. If not, I was wondering if anyone independantly (and hence unofficially) completed the missing section. If anyone has, please post a link! My curiosity is definitely piqued, and while I suppose I can look over the scripts and take notes on what I think is going on, nothing beats having a reference file on hand for viewing. [This message has been edited by Joel Schultz (edited 12-21-2000).]

I dunno. With all the various play modes that are promised wherein you can pick your caste/career and asset, it seems to me you ought to be able to pick something much lower on the learning curve than a commander career in a MK 3 Battlecruiser. Want to learn how to run ground ops? Play as a marine. Want to learn general navigation without the hassle of being a commander of a warship and its fighter complement? Play as something else, like an explorer or whatever. At least, that's what I gather. It's not the same as real "training" missions, but it seems that could help some. I have to admit, I like training missions. I remember completing training level 10 in the original X-Wing piloting a slow old Y-wing with a minute or two to spare That really forced you learn how to handle your craft while managing your piloting, shooting, shields and power allocation I think it'd be cool if BCM had training missions, but it'll be cool enough without (which goes without saying ). Besides, if GBS continues to exist in BCM, then I'm sure between its docs and Gallion's making available some "tutorials" in these forums I think that it would be possible for some enterprising soul to cook up a pseudo-tutorial mission . It may not be as interactive as something like Freespace's training missions, but still, I don't see what would stop this. I don't claim to be any kind of expert, though, so I'll let someone else like Gallion field the feasibility of that idea.

Well, there's the infamous "oops forgot to raise shields going into battle" for one. I'm sorry to admit I've pulled that one more than once (as if maybe it would've worked the second time around). Also, I've done the "oops forgot tractor beam drops shields" during combat. And my favorite was forgetting to check the contents of a cargo pod I picked up, followed by failing to check the station's stats on whether they accepted illegal materials. Quite a shock to be slapped with a violation for carrying a whole bunch of cargo you didn't know you had. Where's the security guys anyway who are supposed to ask you "Did your luggage and cargo leave your sight? Did any strangers give you luggage or cargo prior to docking? Did you pick up any strange luggage or cargo prior to docking?" Don't they have these guys in 3000AD, in light of all the turmoil in the galaxy? Hm. So long as I'm thinking of airports, I think a nice touch would be to include "stewardess" crewers whose job it is to serve us in-flight meals and coffee Heh. What's that? A female marine? Her female commander ordered her to shoot me for saying that? Aieeeee! HELP!

Thanks a mil for the advice. I was hoping to put a graphics update off for another half year, but oh well. Looks like I'll be going shopping sooner than I thought

Aramike01, Sorry it took me so long to reply, but between classwork and work I forgot I had posted here My system specs are: CPU: PII 450MHz w/ 100MHz front-side bus Graphics: AGP 2x Riva TNT2 16MB (specifically, Guillemot Xentor 16, don't know its clock speeds off-hand) RAM: 160MB SDRAM (100MHz) Sound card: probably not relavent, but it's a PCI A3D card from Turtle Beach (Montego A3D-Xtreme). I figured I'm pretty well set for RAM, and was confident that my graphics card probably could do OK -- although it can do it I can't push it past 1024x768 true-color since my monitor doesn't do that well at higher resolutions (I wish I had the space for a larger monitor). So, maybe it is still good enough in spite of SC's comments. But the CPU might be a bit on the low end of the spectrum by now. I'm thinking your advice to upgrade now is probably on target for at least that. Of course, that means (for me) a new mama-board, which means new memory too, but faster RAM wouldn't hurt. Which means the only item that I'm completely unsure about would be that graphics card. But then again, I probably won't try pushing past 1024x768 either. Then again, I might if BCM looks significantly better at 1152x864 or higher... Thanks again. [This message has been edited by Joel Schultz (edited 11-24-2000).]

Forgive me if this is a little bit early to be bringing this up, but as I was catching up on yesterday's active comments, SC made two comments that concerned me: quote: The TNT card is now considered sub-par at best and even for the upcoming BCM, you aren't likely to be running the game at anything higher than 640x480 with a desktop depth of 16-bit. quote: speaking of which, you see those 1280x1024 shots I posted last night? Well, in order to even go anywhere near a combat zone at that resolution, will all the bells and whistles turned on, you need a PIII 1GHz, 128MB RAM and a graphics card with 32MB or more memory. (From "New Commanders | The game runs slowly") I won't bore anyone with reiterating what the BCM requirements are (were?) since they can be found elsewhere on this site. I also realize they seem to have been updated sometime since I last looked (DirectX 8? Cool! ) However, I am wondering if the stated minimum and recommended system requirements still stand, in light of SC's comments, and also now that there should be some beta feedback on it. I ask this because it usually takes me two months to upgrade my PC -- being a full-time worker and part-time grad student means having very little free-time I don't want to turn this thread into a whiny "will my system work? what about me?" topic so I am not going to post my system specs (unless asked to do so). By the requirements listed elsewhere, I thought my machine would measure up to "recommended" in all but one category. But now I'm wondering if I ought to start thinking about upgrading now while I have Christmas break to putter around versus buying BCM next year and then suffering from crappy performance on a sub-par machine until spring break next year (assuming it is released before spring break). I was willing to upgrade my PC for Redguard and am even more willing to do so to get a good BCM experience. I just wish I had the game now, but then so do the rest of us (except those lucky beta testers ). Just how far can we trust the accuracy of the requirements listed on this site right now?

Try hunting in the "bargain" bin of software stores; I've seen it there in several. BC3k seems to sell around $13. And considering all it can do, that is an amazing bargain...

I used to have an old ESS AudioDrive card, but it was noisy and its Midi was crap. The one I have now is a Turtle Beach Montego A3D-Xtreme, with A3D sound. Speaker system is a Cambridge Soundworks make, but nothing too fancy - just two small satellites and the subwoofer. I did end up buying an audio-out Y-splitter though and use it to hook up Optimus Pro 40 headphones. Cambridge Soundworks may rock, but that Optimus Pro 40 kicks its butt with one hand tied behind its back on 3D-sound-intensive games like Thief 2 Maybe I need a speaker upgrade?

Not that I subscribe to all his philosophy; but Garak (Star Trek DS9) always has great lines: "Well, the truth is usually just an excuse for a lack of imagination." Season 3 - Improbable Cause (The Arc, part I)

Yup, there it is on pg. 64 of the manual -- a short paragraph referring to both rings and the [R] command for Radar. Didn't even make it into the quick reference at the end of the section, though. I guess it will be more useful in BCM -- the only thing it seems to do now is blind you to incoming missiles in passive mode. Thanks for the help!

OK -- two things. o What is the difference between active and passive radar and how do you tell if active is turned on (is that when my tactical radar screen grid-lines turn blue?) o Why do certain blips in my TACOPs screen have rings periodically pulsating outward? My guess is that it has to do with objects that have active radar, but I never see them around my ship regardless of whether my tactical radar lines are blue or gray. If there are pages in the manual that answer both of these questions, please point me to the page number or section and I will dutifully read them

Recently, I've followed an excellent tip and have been sweeping up cargo after run-ins with hostiles and selling the stuff. It didn't occur to me to check if the container had illegals, so guess what happened when I docked at station to sell my latest pickings? Some nit-picky customs official smacks me with a violation! So, I'm wondering that if with sufficient passage of time without further violations, the number of violations on your record is reduced. Like points on your driver's license -- if you have some but don't incur anymore for a year or so, the number goes down. Does this happen? All I recall the manual said was (heavily paraphrasing here) "do bad things, get violations. Get too many, get court-martialed. Chances of being drummed out of the service 50%". Hm. So long as I'm posting newbie questions, I might as well ask: any thoughts on how to dump illegal cargo inadvertantly picked up? I suppose one place would be a station that trades it but barring that, the only thing I can think of doing is to dump it on some desolate moon or planet using transporters or shuttles.