Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => The Theory of Everything => Topic started by: sisko on July 11, 2013, 09:29:21 AM

Title: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: sisko on July 11, 2013, 09:29:21 AM
I want to know where we stand, so chose your preferred patch. I'm expecting a vote from all the active users.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using???
Post by: Rymdolov on July 11, 2013, 09:32:30 AM
I'm using Scient's patch, partly because I haven't looked at what the other ones do in any detail, partly because I want a patch that only fixes bugs without changing gameplay. I might have an unfair view of the other patches, of course.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: JarlWolf on July 11, 2013, 10:54:21 AM
I have both the original disks and I got the GOG ones bought as a gift for me.

I haven't looked at the other patches, im just happy I got this game working, I am a simpleton.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Kilkakon on July 11, 2013, 03:54:11 PM
Did Scient release his latest version of the patch recently? He was mentioning it was close... I haven't heard anything.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on July 11, 2013, 04:34:33 PM
Last I heard, he was waiting on something from Guv'ner, and Guv's gone AWOL...

This poll lacks a "None of the above" option.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: sisko on July 11, 2013, 06:40:57 PM
are you playing with some other version of the game?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on July 11, 2013, 07:11:46 PM
I've never had a lot of trouble with bugs, especially crashes, and you know I like my exploits.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on July 11, 2013, 07:13:54 PM
As far ad I can tell, only Scient's patch. Though at some point I have to take a closer look at Kyrub's and Yitzi's work...
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Vishniac on July 11, 2013, 09:11:52 PM
I am on Vista so I checked XP Compatibility Patch.
Is there an easy way to know?

Hello everybody by the way!  8)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on July 11, 2013, 09:23:12 PM
[Cntrl]F4 will tell you what version you have...

Hey Vish!  It is so good to see you around, man!  It's been forever!
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Green1 on July 11, 2013, 09:39:25 PM
Kryrub's SMAX patch PLUS.

In my opinion, the most complete and stable patch so far for the game.

Do not get me wrong, I would prefer a patch by more active and verbal modders like Yitzi, but unfortunately those patches crash. (I should actually be a cool and useful poster and get with Yitzi about that, shouldn't I?)

In my opinion, Kyrub's SMAX patch PLUS should be the official Upatch of this community for not only Scient's bug fixes, but the terraform AI improvements.

I do, however, use GOG unpatched for the MP stuff I have been involved with lately since no one has mentioned any AC2 official Upatch.

Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: gwillybj on July 12, 2013, 02:06:53 AM
XP Compatibility patch, with my edited alphax.txt, solo player.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Rymdolov on July 12, 2013, 01:32:28 PM
Hello everybody by the way!  8)

Another esteemed veteran joins the ranks!
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Eldramatico on July 13, 2013, 09:49:07 PM
XP Compatibility patch + SMAX V.2
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on July 14, 2013, 03:51:59 AM
My own, of course.  Though it's not so much my latest one, as halfway between my latest and the one after that.  ;)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Kilkakon on July 14, 2013, 12:41:24 PM
Sometime soon I'll have to pick one and get it running on my laptop. :O
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Lord Avalon on July 15, 2013, 04:18:05 AM
I voted scient's, but I do occasionally play Kyrub's.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: BlueTemplar on September 08, 2013, 01:02:34 PM
You know, you could have at least posted links to the various patches and the descriptions of what they fix...
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: gwillybj on September 08, 2013, 03:54:14 PM
Sometime soon I'll have to pick one and get it running on my laptop. :O
ditto but desktop
I'm so used to everything as it came on the disk, I think I would be confused by anything else.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Earthmichael on September 08, 2013, 10:40:10 PM
I am using Yitzi patch.  It fixes the most bugs.

It also have some configurable great features, such as the ability to suppress rising water, but I seem to have been too brain dead to properly configure the game between myself and Roninscg, even though suppressing rising water was one of our goals.

Yitizi, can you remind us what Roninscg and I both need to configure to eliminate rising water?  Is it too late to avoid doing this to avoid further rising water?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 08, 2013, 10:52:25 PM
You know, you could have at least posted links to the various patches and the descriptions of what they fix...
Welome to AC2, Templar!  I've seen you around somewhere else, haven't I?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: gwillybj on September 09, 2013, 12:33:44 AM
@Earthmichael:
In alpha.txt, under #RULES, almost at the bottom, just above normal starting year, is this entry:

1,1 ; Numerator/Denominator for frequency of global warming (1,2 would be "half" normal warming).

1,2 is 50% (half as often as normal), 1,10 is 10% -> (smaller fraction value = less often)
2,1 is 200% (twice as often), 3,2 is 150% -> (larger fraction value = more often)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on September 09, 2013, 02:49:56 AM
@Earthmichael:
In alpha.txt, under #RULES, almost at the bottom, just above normal starting year, is this entry:

1,1 ; Numerator/Denominator for frequency of global warming (1,2 would be "half" normal warming).

1,2 is 50% (half as often as normal), 1,10 is 10% -> (smaller fraction value = less often)
2,1 is 200% (twice as often), 3,2 is 150% -> (larger fraction value = more often)

And (just to clarify) 0,1 is 0 times as often, i.e. not at all.

Though when using my patch it's nowhere near the bottom.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: BlueTemplar on September 09, 2013, 03:04:41 PM
Welome to AC2, Templar!  I've seen you around somewhere else, haven't I?
Probably on Apolyton, or other SMAC forums/websites.
Or maybe these avatars will remind you something :
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 09, 2013, 03:14:41 PM
I've definitely seen you around.  Would you like to be wearing one of those?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Earthmichael on September 09, 2013, 03:16:03 PM
I am currently using Yitzi patch 2.3, and have one request for Yitzi:


Yitzi, please add a version number to the terranx.exe, so we can easily check which version of your patch we are using.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on September 09, 2013, 03:34:33 PM
I am currently using Yitzi patch 2.3, and have one request for Yitzi:


Yitzi, please add a version number to the terranx.exe, so we can easily check which version of your patch we are using.  Thanks!

You mean something that will show up in the game itself?  That would likely be a lot of work that could otherwise be put toward actually improving gameplay or giving more options.

Or do you mean something in the name of the executable?  That could be done, but would break all your links and shortcuts.

What I can do, though, is put a note at the top of alphax.txt and the patch notes that say which patch it is, so that you can look it up there.

Alternatively, I can make (and put on the wiki) a table of which "last edited" dates of the terranx.exe file correspond to which patch versions, so that you can just check the date in Windows Explorer and then look it up on the table.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Earthmichael on September 09, 2013, 03:43:17 PM
I thought you can just make a version number than is visible to Windows explorer, so when you check the version number with Windows explorer, it shows up.  I have no idea how difficult this is to do.

The note at the top of alphax.txt and the patch notes with the version number would work OK also, particularly if getting the version to show in Windows explorer is difficult.

I take it that we break things if you just rename the exe file terranx Yitzi 2.3.exe.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on September 09, 2013, 05:07:15 PM
You mean something that will show up in the game itself?  That would likely be a lot of work that could otherwise be put toward actually improving gameplay or giving more options.

When starting up your patch, before the intro movie plays, there's a small popup stating 'Welcome to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri'.
Perhaps you could put the version number there? I'm not totally sure, but that text line is probably in the 'labels.txt' file.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on September 09, 2013, 06:25:44 PM
I thought you can just make a version number than is visible to Windows explorer, so when you check the version number with Windows explorer, it shows up.  I have no idea how difficult this is to do.

The note at the top of alphax.txt and the patch notes with the version number would work OK also, particularly if getting the version to show in Windows explorer is difficult.

I take it that we break things if you just rename the exe file terranx Yitzi 2.3.exe.

It probably wouldn't break the game itself, but it would break all your shortcuts.

As for showing in Windows Explorer, I'll see if I can do anything, but don't get your hopes up.

You mean something that will show up in the game itself?  That would likely be a lot of work that could otherwise be put toward actually improving gameplay or giving more options.

When starting up your patch, before the intro movie plays, there's a small popup stating 'Welcome to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri'.
Perhaps you could put the version number there? I'm not totally sure, but that text line is probably in the 'labels.txt' file.

I'll check if it is in the .txt; if it isn't, though, then putting the version number there would be far too much work.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on September 09, 2013, 08:14:03 PM
Found it.

It's in Jackal.txt

Code: [Select]
#FILEFIND_NOCD
#xs   320
#caption Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Welcome to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on September 09, 2013, 08:22:17 PM
So you want me to change that to:
Welcome to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (Yitzi's patch version 2.3c).

That should be doable...
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on September 09, 2013, 08:31:12 PM
If it's convenient for you.
To me, it looks like the easiest solution to EarthMichael's request.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: BlueTemplar on September 09, 2013, 08:57:34 PM
I've definitely seen you around.  Would you like to be wearing one of those?
The second one, if it doesn't bother you too much. I rarely play SMAC these days, but my interest was aroused by all these patches...
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 09, 2013, 09:02:37 PM
No sweat.  I can try something else if the re-proportioning is a problem.
I rarely play SMAC these days, but my interest was aroused by all these patches...
That'll do it.  Yitzi's latest is getting rave reviews.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on September 09, 2013, 09:03:15 PM
The poll should be adjusted to a multiple choice option.  ;)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 09, 2013, 09:05:18 PM
That would involve adding options, but I could edit to do that, and add 'no patch' while I'm in there. 

Gimme a list and I will.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on September 09, 2013, 09:07:41 PM
The listed options fit my installations, so...

Oh, perhaps besides your 'no patch' proposal, 'other' or 'modding version' as well.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 09, 2013, 09:10:59 PM
Turns out there's only ten fields for poll questions, but I've added that and voted now.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Geo on September 09, 2013, 09:12:17 PM
But it's not multiple choice?   :(
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 09, 2013, 09:16:06 PM
I'll go see if there's an admin panel polls setting to make that possible right now.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 09, 2013, 09:26:48 PM
No joy.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Lord Avalon on September 09, 2013, 11:25:54 PM
@Yitzi - To add version #, right click on terranx.exe, select Properties, go to the Summary tab.  I do this myself, but it alters the timestamp, which is why it would be good if you did this.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on September 09, 2013, 11:49:14 PM
I don't have a "summary" tab under properties...
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Lord Avalon on September 10, 2013, 01:01:11 AM
Huh.  After a little research, it seems Microsoft removed the Summary tab after Win XP.  In a thread about this (http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-desktop/summary-tab-missing-from-properties/b58d0781-f132-42ea-a5ea-589f51f2b684?page=2) at answers.microsoft.com someone suggested this File Metadata utility (http://filemeta.codeplex.com/).  I'm using XP, so I have no idea if it works.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on September 10, 2013, 12:47:30 PM
Since most people are using later than XP, and won't have that program, it's probably not the best way to show version number, though.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Kilkakon on September 15, 2013, 03:50:02 PM
Go XP. :D I have a 7 laptop too though.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: TarMinyatur on January 22, 2015, 09:52:23 PM
Not sure why the link in ".exe patches" is to an old version of kyrub's work.

Latest is http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=260 (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=260).
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: sisko on January 23, 2015, 06:13:36 AM
Fixed that. Thanks for the heads-up. ;b;
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: gwillybj on January 23, 2015, 12:16:15 PM
Having a blast with Yitzi's 3.3b!
100% reliable since inception.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on January 23, 2015, 12:58:14 PM
Having a blast with Yitzi's 3.3b!
100% reliable since inception.

Actually, a bug has been found that dates back to 2.1, but it's in the tour that pretty much nobody uses, so I'm saving the fix for 3.4.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Vidsek on May 31, 2015, 05:03:03 AM
  Time to add PRACX to the list, eh?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Yitzi on May 31, 2015, 02:34:51 PM
  Time to add PRACX to the list, eh?

Perhaps, though you'd have to separately specify PRACX with and without mine (since they are compatible, but PRACX can be used without mine, and mine contains PRACX but updates less often than it, and it can be disabled.)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Vidsek on June 01, 2015, 10:31:24 AM
  Time to add PRACX to the list, eh?

Perhaps, though you'd have to separately specify PRACX with and without mine (since they are compatible, but PRACX can be used without mine, and mine contains PRACX but updates less often than it, and it can be disabled.)

   Correct.  It could potentially add several more combinations, but the popularity of PRACX would be an interesting thing to know, eh?  Perhaps have it separate but able to be voted on in the same posting?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: jwmage on July 31, 2015, 04:34:44 AM
Yitzi's patch is hard to beat since in V3.4 it now includes PRACX graphic improvements and Googly Boogly's text updates. It sure seems like an all-in-one wonder to me. It is especially nice since the GOG version comes with all the official updates so there are no extra steps to get it to work.

By the way, the ".exe patches" link to Yitzi's patch is outdated now.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on July 31, 2015, 04:54:28 AM
You're right - I'll look for where to update now.

That didn't take long. :)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Mind Worm on September 28, 2015, 04:17:33 PM
I´m using the Gog version for windows.

Which is the best one ? If there is one that makes the AI smarter, that would be awesome.  8)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 28, 2015, 04:23:54 PM
kyrub's SMAC-only patch is designed for that, but IS SMAC-only.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Mind Worm on September 28, 2015, 07:15:43 PM
kyrub's SMAC-only patch is designed for that, but IS SMAC-only.

Will try my luck against those AI, I liked more the original factions.  ;)

Yitzi´s patch is built upon kyrub´s SMAX patch but did Yitzi improve (kyrub´s) it ?
I´m looking at the wiki and it doesn´t say anything about it.


Can Yitzi´s (SMAX) and kyrub´s (SMAC) be installed in the same game ?
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on September 28, 2015, 07:45:59 PM
My understanding is that Yitzi used what he could of kyrub's work, but he couldn't use much, because the AI was coded differently in X -something about all factions using the same AI code, for one thing.

Yitzi will be by later and explain exactly what I just got wrong, so do check back.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Green1 on September 28, 2015, 08:18:57 PM
My understanding is that Yitzi used what he could of kyrub's work, but he couldn't use much, because the AI was coded differently in X -something about all factions using the same AI code, for one thing.

Yitzi will be by later and explain exactly what I just got wrong, so do check back.

Actually, Kyrub had a SMAX only patch with just terraforming improvements since AS WELL as his SMAC only patch that had much continued development. That is what Yitzi incorporates. Not the 444 patch.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: thedarkestcolors on February 24, 2016, 02:43:01 PM
just started with smac not so long ago.. I'd like to get a smarter AI, but I'm confused as to which patch to use..
I have the gog-version with terran.exe and terranx.exe, but I want to keep it smac. So I assume I cannot use yitzis patch, right?
Somewhere I read its possible to disable all the x stuff in smax to essentially turn it into smac again (just abusing it to get the patch benefits), but
a) how well does that work ( how close to pure smac does it get & can the AI handle that stuff is "missing" )
b) any experience comparing it to smac with kyrub's (<-- that one helps "only" for terraforming right?)
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 24, 2016, 11:56:33 PM
Be quite?

...Pretty much everything in this post is triggering flags...



On reflection, the body of the post is reason enough, being a 1st post, but Xrumer, as linked [not any more] in the pseudo-sig, is a forum spam tool.  Perma'd.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 25, 2016, 01:05:48 AM
thedarkestcolors, you might try the .txt mod aimed at SMAX AI enhancement: http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=17422.0 (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=17422.0)

I don't know how effective it is, but I don't know much about the mod .exe patches, either...
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: thedarkestcolors on February 25, 2016, 01:26:22 PM
Thanks for the suggestion, that sounds promising, I will try..
For now I have to finish a game with SMAX + Yitzi's though. After reading a bit more I decided to at least give SMAX a try, and with only the old factions it so far doesn't seem so bad.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Karavox on February 17, 2019, 10:19:47 AM
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen.

Could anyone explain for me the difference between Yitzi's and Scient's patches and which one should I use to get the most bug-free SMACX experience possible today?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Induktio on February 17, 2019, 02:21:27 PM
The poll is ages old, so it doesn't even feature the newest Thinker mod (https://github.com/induktio/thinker/) for SMACX.

It already includes Scient's v2.0 patches, so that's about as many bug fixes as one can get. Yitzi's patch was also considered for inclusion, but ultimately I didn't see enough good reasons to combine it with the mod.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: ariete on July 27, 2021, 12:15:31 PM
back to the game, after spent a life playing SMACX v2, i'm playing SMAC with Scient's patch, still the good old pc under XP
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Aureustgo on August 30, 2021, 06:15:00 PM
The poll is ages old, so it doesn't even feature the newest Thinker mod (https://github.com/induktio/thinker/) for SMACX.

It already includes Scient's v2.0 patches, so that's about as many bug fixes as one can get. Yitzi's patch was also considered for inclusion, but ultimately I didn't see enough good reasons to combine it with the mod.
Maybe it's been mentioned, I've noticed with Scient 2.1 or whatever the latest version circulating, that I spontaneously uncover or capture enemy artifacts. This can happen even if I'm not even taking my turn. Sometimes many at once. This is typically late in the game, but not that late - like shortly after the fusion era.
Title: Re: Patches, patches, patches.. which one are you using right now???
Post by: Aureustgo on September 14, 2021, 09:29:46 PM
Other things I've noticed:

-Servile pacts can end when your units are stationed in a city of your pact brother/sister, and you're "accidentally" sneak attacked. Not sure if this is a design feature, but this runs contrary to the spirit of the rules.

-Not uncommon for your faction to gain perimeter defenses after taking over a hive base.

-Not uncommon for one of your bases, if subverted by probe of faction A, to be turned over to faction B, and perimeter defense added.
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