I want to write a TC. How should I start? I am trying to think of how to delete things from EV, like systems, missions, ships, etc., if the plug doesn't specifically replace them. Should I rewrite the EV Data File or what?

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Herodotus: The Histories
"If an important decision is to be made, they discuss the question when they are drunk, and the following day when they are sober reconsider it. If they agree, it is made law. Conversley, any decision they make when they are sober, is reconsidered when they are drunk."
Sounds like good government.

In a TC plug, you start a new ResEDit File and build from scratch
that's why it is called a total conversion plug

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Quote

Originally posted by zhouj:
**In a TC plug, you start a new ResEDit File and build from scratch
that's why it is called a total conversion plug
**

I realize that. But, from what I understand of plug building, it will simply replace what resources in the game with those changed/replaced by the plug. Or did you mean something different different when you said "start a new ResEDit File"?

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Herodotus: The Histories
"If an important decision is to be made, they discuss the question when they are drunk, and the following day when they are sober reconsider it. If they agree, it is made law. Conversley, any decision they make when they are sober, is reconsidered when they are drunk."
Sounds like good government.

start with system 128 and so, if you dont do enough misn or pers or anything else you will have to create some unused misn or pers so that old misn and pers dont appear on your TC

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Captain Orne
AIM:CaptnG3
ICQ:31162561
Yahoo!:BOrnelasPT

Thank you.

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Herodotus: The Histories
"If an important decision is to be made, they discuss the question when they are drunk, and the following day when they are sober reconsider it. If they agree, it is made law. Conversley, any decision they make when they are sober, is reconsidered when they are drunk."
Sounds like good government.

Read the plug developers FAQ, download the EV Bible and DO NOT use EV-EDit.

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Quote

Originally posted by the Necromicon:
**Read the plug developers FAQ, download the EV Bible and DO NOT use EV-EDit.

**

that's the best advice ANY plug developer can give.

i kinda feel sad for the guy who took the time to make and keep on upgrading EV-Edit(for about 1% of the time. before i was just plain fustrated at myself for thinking that i could make a plug with it!)

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That would be Ben Chess, he said he might do a version for EVN.

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Quote

Originally posted by CelticStarbase:
**That would be Ben Chess, he said he might do a version for EVN.
**

Give the guy a break!

EV-Edit 3.2.3 works great!

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Quote

Originally posted by OctoberFost:
**Give the guy a break!

EV-Edit 3.2.3 works great!

**

hmm, i see you're beta testing it

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Captain Orne
AIM:CaptnG3
ICQ:31162561
Yahoo!:BOrnelasPT

Quote

Originally posted by OctoberFost:
**Give the guy a break!

EV-Edit 3.2.3 works great!

**

yea, its not HIS fault he was stoned off his ass the whole time he was writing EV-Edit

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DeAdBoY-
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To get back to the original topic, I would make duplicates of the data files, clear out everything I wasn't using, and then start from scratch.

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(Insert Signature Here)

Quote

Originally posted by OctoberFost:
**Give the guy a break!

EV-Edit 3.2.3 works great!
**

Hey, I didn't say anything bad, why you quote me.

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EV-Edit will be a very important tool of you're doing a TC. The trick to using it is:

1. Never ever do missions or Pers
2. Make a subsidiary file to the one you're using and only copy it into your main file once you're sure it's bug free. Never open anything but the subsidiary file in EV-Edit.

On the other hand, the biggest problem with a TC is the time it will take you to do it. There are not many TCs for EV or EVO, and all of the good ones took a very long time to make -- witness how long we are waiting for EV Nova.

It may be a good idea to learn the trade by offering to proof read for someone else's plug, beta test for someone and maybe do a simple missions only plug to begin with.

BTW, my advice would be the opposite of the 'start from scratch'. I would (and did) start only by changing things I absolutely had to change to make my story work. Which ended up being everything, but at least I had a workable game to play while I was developing.

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M A R T I N • T U R N E R

Quote

BTW, my advice would be the opposite of the 'start from scratch'. I would (and did) start only by changing things I absolutely had to change to make my story work. Which ended up being everything, but at least I had a workable game to play while I was developing.

Well, in my opinion, Frozen Heart isn't really a TC plug. You can still see EV in it, from the basic war situation to the similarity of the systems.

My approach is to plan the plug thoroughly, and then write it, starting from scratch.

Well, despite that FH isn't a TC, it's still a great plug, so that approach must work too.

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"I'm beginning to see the flowers from the wrong side"

-The prophet Zarquon, shortly before passing away

FH is a TC.
New Galaxy
New Govs
New Ship
New Missions
New STORYLINE
Nothing of EVO left over.
It IS a TC.

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Thanks for all the help. The plug will be in EV, and I guess in Zarquons opinion it wouldn't be a total conversion plug since it is based very much in the EV universe. I will not be using EV Edit, except maybe for placing systems. I tried to use it before, and I just got frustrated. I find Res-Edit much easier. Also, I feel confident that, though it may take some time, this plug will NOT be vaporware. As to its quality, thats for you to decide when it comes out.

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Herodotus: The Histories
"If an important decision is to be made, they discuss the question when they are drunk, and the following day when they are sober reconsider it. If they agree, it is made law. Conversley, any decision they make when they are sober, is reconsidered when they are drunk."
Sounds like good government.

Good Luck.

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If you having to resort to EV-Edit to do your systems because the ResEdit way is too hard, then I would use EV-Dev Map. You can get it (url="http://"http://members01.chello.se/warlordpontus/ev")here(/url)

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Quote

Originally posted by the Necromicon:
**If you having to resort to EV-Edit to do your systems because the ResEdit way is too hard, then I would use EV-Dev Map. You can get it here
**

I checked the site. I had no idea there were that many development tools. Are there any other tools to help with the little obnoxious things?

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Herodotus: The Histories
"If an important decision is to be made, they discuss the question when they are drunk, and the following day when they are sober reconsider it. If they agree, it is made law. Conversley, any decision they make when they are sober, is reconsidered when they are drunk."
Sounds like good government.