A quick question - if you don't mind...

As i was doing final tests in TotA (with beta 1.99rc active)...

- Why must the Homeworlds be always a minimal of PQ10 even when a modded customplanets.xml file declares them with different or lower values?

Cuz, it actually borks up the whole intended context of CoSH since these races & their planet raws have specific designs.

I find it also odd that a class 0 extra planet would be added (sometimes) to a pre-defined custom system when it simply isn't purposely written in.

Intended or absolutely necessary by the code?

My understanding is that internally, each player system starts as 10+4+0+0+0, then is modified according to the XML. So probably an oversight as much as anything. I think there have been other similar issues trying to make starting systems not have five planets in the past as well.

Oh well, that *REALLY* explains it all.

I might have an indirect solution for this 'issue'... by moving the homeworld slot in lowest areas of the listing while knowing the big 10 and the default 4 have to be there too. Otherwise, i'll parse through the variable conditions to adhere to the incode pattern - enforcing me into making a set of fives for each to maintain accurate definitions. Shoooots - Tron was initially devised to be a ONE planet system only.

Growing pains of the tricky modding attempts.

EDIT; Re-ordering the list didn't work... but, there is the *HomePlanetQuality* bonus (defined in the RC.xml) somewhere that might allow this low starting PQ, i guess!

EDIT2; Ooops, HPQ ability (-60%) so to have 4 tiles instead of 10 on my custom test Homeworld didn't work either. So it must be a re-coding job (2-2-0-0-X... maybe, please!) for the daring - if any?

Thanks again Kryo.

Another related group of questions, please...

According to carielf's modguide these are the Overrides available to us;

***

Usable

PolarImprovable1

EquatorialImprovable1

PolarImprovable2

EquatorialImprovable2

PolarImprovable2

EquatorialImprovable2

LowAltUnusable

HighAltUnusable

PolarUnusable

EquatorialUnusable

***

Well, okay... do i get to have a third slot for Polar & Equatorial Improvables or not? Or is this a typo?

Can i also create some extra Usable overrides in supplement of the usual Prairies default?

As for the mix_match string loops that spawn on the Colony managment screen when we scan planets & causes the Queries to be different than the terrain type names... i was wondering if our TerrainColorSchemes.xml shouldn't HAVE any of these names/queries tags written in for all possible surfaces and height gaps? Even so, there has to be a reference default surface pre-defined or hard-coded that may interfere with the modded elements we choose to use.

More so... is there any new (since DL & specifically for DA, that is) tag fields we should be aware of like, say - Shoreline, Dense Jungle and even some HighAltUsable(s)?

Considering the X-Worlds Terraforming & Ultimate Colonization techs would require an extra third & fourth level of upgrade to terrains (From Y-O-R to Green tiles only, as of now) to accomodate me and my squeaking methods to design additional features **indirectly**, should i simply forget the whole principles of huge planetary surfaces variety?

Supplemental comment...

Lemme get this straight, after some acrobatics with special tester RAWs (pure squares, 12x6 framework, grey scaled and mostly equatorial spots, btw!) and planetary surface along with a bunch of PD and TCS.xml files which declare precise gaps & colors them to detect what is underneath-- i came up with a theory on how tiles are being deployed on planets;

- Any non-Ocean locations are validated as Usable or Improvable,

- The colony tile is dropped at random on ONE of those... Usable.

- All that remains is assigned going from lowest to highest height gaps if the PD range corresponds.

- YOR tiles are dumped - once the above has been completed - on the extra tiles (starting with the closest Height from the very last assigned Usable tile) until all is on the surface, and if the parser can't find any other but valid non-Oceans, the routine goes left-to-right (mid-center of the equatorial region) even if it means putting some Improvables on Ocean tiles.

- If the TCS overrides, list anything as Unusable (such as deserts, etc) any of these locations and pulled off the initial Non-Ocean pool and won't even receive a YOR extra if they "look" like a valid tile according to the coloring schema.

- Recycle everything above for Polar regions as defined by the current TCS ranges.... but, some may have to fit in the Non-Ocean pool IF all equatorial locations are used already.

- Terraforming extras are directly dependant on initial PQ sizes ***and*** on the % range defined in PD... but are restricted by an incode verification made to PQ1, PQ4, PQ8 & PQ10 minimals of the usual default trio of YOR tiles.

- If no TCS is available for any particular situations, the default Eden theme is used.

Right?

I feel lucky t'day... BUMPED for some answers.

Okay, no definitive answers - i understand; from now on i will provide my own straight INTO these posts and presume i'm right whatever the modding consequences maybe.

One last observation for your kind attention or not, please;

Call me a symmetry freak, but why is the 5th row of surfaces shows up with Polar tiles type while the 2nd is Equatorial? It simply matters to me for the visually appealing logic sense.

Because that what it is, and shut up Zyxpsilon!

Such small details doesn't concern gameplay balance & has no negative effect on the stability of the code itself, too!!