Swarms
Author: Kenneth Strom
Copyright (C) 2000 Kenneth A. Strom
All Rights Reserved
EMail : [email protected]
Web Page : http://thewarroom.tripod.com
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Swarms is an addon for VGA Planets 3.x, by Tim Wisseman.
VGA Planets(tm)(c) Tim Wisseman.
Contents :
I. Overview
II. Quick Start
III. Swarms
IV. Minefields
V. Scavenging
VI. Hive Movement
VII. Bug Zappers (Ship Fcode) (Registered Users)
VIII. Intercepting Hives (Ship Fcode)
IX. Sweeping Swarms (Ship/Base Planet Fcode)
X. Fighter Strikes (Ship/Base Planet Fcode) (Registered Users)
XI. New Swarms
XII. Cloaking Devices
XIII. Versions
XIV. Registration
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I. Overview
Swarms is guaranteed to take up space on your hard drive. While I have tested the program there may be something, I missed. If you find any problems with the program or have any comments or suggestions please feel free to send them to me. Most problems are caused by incorrect typing or someone trying to delete files that should be in the host directory.
Swarms?
Yes, space faring bugs and hives.
Swarms is the 1st use of the 1000 UFO record potential, built into the Host program for Vga Planets. Swarms has many hives and bugs flying around your cluster, scavenging clans, fighting ships, and generally cause problems for the players. Swarms is best played with WINPLAN as you can see the hives and bugs displayed, however, the Fcodes will work with DOSPLAN, and you will be able to see where the swarms are as they scavenge through your area.
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II. Quick Start
1> Unzip the swarms files into your main VGAP directory.
2> Run SwarmCfg <dir>
SwarmCfg will give you a choice of updating the information
in your auxhost?.ini
If you wish to put it in by yourself add the following.
To Auxhost1.ini add
swarms <dir> 1
To Auxhost2.ini add
swarms <dir> 2
3> Run your normal hosting procedure.
Make sure each player gets a copy of this file.
(I have NOT tested this with PHOST. If someone does please tell me if there are any problems. I do not believe there will be, but I won’t know till someone tries it.)
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III. Swarms
Swarms consist of hives and bugs. The bugs fly around the hive scavenging clans, natives, and supplies off planets, and defend the hive by engaging ships in thier area.
Hive – This is the main object of the swarm. If the hive is destroyed the swarm will die. Hives grow stronger with each turn that they have spare food, up to the set maximum. This give the races an incentive to attack the hive as quickly as possible.
Warriors – These bugs attack ships in their area of effect, and sometimes scavenge planets.
Workers – These bugs scavenge planets for food for the hive, and sometimes attack ships in their area of effect.
Drones – These bug are not big enough to be seen, they move the food between the scavengers and the hive. They also act as fighters when a hive or warrior summons them.
All bugs can fire energy blast like beam weapons, however, they take longer to regenerate their charge than normal beam weapons.
Workers can also fire a limited number of high intensity energy blasts that act like torpedos. These also regenerate their charge at a lower rate than normal torpedos.
Warriors and Hives summon drones which act as fighter.
Bugs and hives have no crew, so the normal beam weapons are extremely effective against them, and a moderate size ship with enough weapons can kill off a decent size bug. Both Kill and Smash are added together to determine damage taken to bugs and hives.
Bugs will attack ANY ship in range regardless of armament or fuel. If you are going to construct a ship in the effect area of a swarm, use the base mission REFUEL or your ship may be destroyed before you can arm it.
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IV. Minefields
Bugs can be affected by minefields.
Bugs flying in minefields can hit mines and be injured or killed.
Bugs flying in web minefields can hit mines and become confused. Confused bugs automatically lose strength from not being able to be eat.
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V. Scavenging
Bugs scavenge planets. They will take clans, natives, or supplies, which they use for food.
Bugs cannot eat Robots, Crystals, or Silconoids, this doesn’t prevent them from trying though.
Bugs only get a percentage of normal food points from Cyborgs.
If the setting of Use with Fallout is Yes, then bugs can be hurt or killed by radiation on the planets. Fallout is a freeware program that I wrote for radiation effects on planets. The higher radiation on the planet the more chance a bug will be hurt or killed.
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VI. Hive Movement
Hives drift around on warp eddies in the cluster. They move somewhat randomly, and ocassionally turn completely around.
Bugs move around the hive. Anytime a bug moves outside the radius of effect of the hive, they will try to move back toward the hive if they are not being attracted by a bug zapper.
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VII. Bug Zappers (Registered Function)
Bug Zappers
Ship Friendly Code BZ? (not case sensitive)
? is any character.
Bug Zappers are ships that use fuel to generate an energy field around themselves that is like the hives, but much more powerful. This field draws all bugs within range (determined by tech of engines on the ship), directly toward the ship. The field also confuses the bugs, so they will lose strength.
Bug Zappers can be dangerous, as once the bugs are attracted, they may attack you the next turn. This can be useful if you wish to call them over to fight a heavy ship, or wan them to start eating your neighbors clans instead of yours.
Any ship with BZ? set will sweep the bugs if possible.
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VIII. Intercepting Hives
Intercept Hive
Ship Friendly Code IH? (not case sensitive)
? is any character
Setting a ships FCode to IH? will hove the Swarms program set the way point of the ship to the nearest hive in range of sight (200 LY).
Ship with IH? as a Fcode will fight the hive if they intercept it.
Any ship with IH? set will also sweep the bugs if possible.
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IX. Sweeping Swarms
Sweep Swarms (Beam Tech x Multiplier)
Ship/Planet Friendly Code SB? (not case sensitive)
? is any character
Setting a ship Fcode or a planets with a Starbase, Fcode to SB? will order the base to open fire on a swarm, much like minesweeping. This usually end up hitting many bugs and sometimes killing some. The hive may be hit too.
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X. Fighter Strikes (Registered Function)
Fighter Strikes (Bays [Max 10] x Multiplier )
Ship/Planet Friendly Code ??F (not case sensitive)
? is any character
Setting a carrier or planet, with a starbase and fighters, FCode to ??F then the fighter will launch, and strike as many bugs within their range that they can. They may also hit the hive if it is in range.
There are 2 fighter strikes per turn, one in the auxhost1 stage, and one in the auxhost2 stage.
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XI. New Swarms
There is a small chance that a new swarm will be created on any turn. If the swarms are set to place random, then they can appear anywhere on the map. If they are not, they will start in the center of the map.
New Swarms will start with some bugs at varying strengths.
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XII. Cloaking Devices
Bugs and Hives only have a 3% chance of detecting any cloaking ship in their range. Cloakers will, however, still be able to sweep or fighter strike and recloak. This make a certain carrier quite effective against the swarms.
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XIII. Versions
1.00 First Release.
Objects limited to a total of 900 UFOs. (Bugs or Hives)
1.01 Added some more documentation.
Added the Code to Use Swarms with Fallout, bugs can be injured or killed by radiation levels.
Some damage values were modified.
Fixed Negative Warp Speeds, and Stopped Hives from moving out of the cluster.
1.02 Sped up searching for empty ufo records. Fixed configuration program.
1.03 Corrected WINPLAN message data for low number planets. Corrected Bugzappers fuel usage.
1.04 Added a lot of messages so for easier tracking of swarms.
Allowed Ships to sweep while using Zappers and intercepting hives.
1.05 Fixed problem with bug maintenance and movement.
1.06 Fixed problem with hive not starting at the center of the map.
1.07 Added lots more bugs.
A swarm can now consist of 1 hive and 999 bugs.
1.08 Updated documentation.
1.10 Recompiled for usage on Dos, Linux and BSD systems.
1.11 New compiling.
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XIV. Registration
For online credit card registration, please check my web page at http://thewarroom.tripod.com for further information and where you can register online.
OR
To register Swarms :
SEND :
$10 US
Name
Address
City State Zip Country
Internet Email Account
(Please Print)
TO :
Kenneth A Strom
2617 Orchard St
Racine, WI 53405-4017
I will send you a file (SWARMS.REG) that will allow to use the registered functions of many hives, higher settings, and Bug Zappers, and Fighter Strikes.
I am always open to suggestions, for future development.