Special ships have a mission bit (example: executive transport is set to mission bit 67). What is the ID of this mission under the ResEdit mďsn resource? What do I have to add to the 67 (in this case) to find the correct mission ID? I couldn't make much sense out of the EV Bible here.
Well, mission ID's can't be obtained just by looking at the mission bit. You can think of mission bits as switches; when you complete a certain mission (the most common example), you often set a mission bit -- that is, you turn on a switch. Most mission bits are used for the purpose of creating mission strings (I'm sure you're familiar with this use), so it flips a switch that activates the next mission in a string. In the case of a lot of government ships -- the ones you see with mission bits specified (say, like the Rebel Cruiser), a special mission bit is set by a mission that makes the ship available for purchase. In this example, when you beat the Alien Cruiser mission, mission bit 61 is set and you can then buy a Rebel Cruiser.
In short, there is no correlation between mission bits and mission ID's unless the developer makes it that way. There's no simple formula for that.
However, I'd look for Pontus's Mission Bit Reporter -- it's a handy tool for sorting out what mission bits do what -- and what mission ID's set which mission bits.
Unless I'm wrong, the Hawk cannot be purchased as the player's ship, correct? If so, is this the only ship in the game that the player has no access to?
Yes, you can't purchase it. This was done by setting the mission bit as a high number that isn't a special tech level at any stellar; thus it's not available at any stellar.
There are other ships you cannot get access to, like the Alien Cruiser and Fighter.
There are also ships, like the Escort Carrier, that you can't get access to but could possibly capture (though you do want to accomplish the mission probably). These cases are more common in plug-ins.
Once the Confederation mission string has been completed, what planets are their ships available on? I'd also like the same information on the Rebellion ships.
I believe it's Palshife for the Rebels and Stardock Alpha for the Confeds, but my memory could be shot.
To make sure, check the tech levels of the ships you're not sure of, and find the stellars that have those tech levels in their special tech fields.
I'm pretty sure of the answers for most of these questions, I just need to get them verified.
Well, I hope I verified most of them. If you have any more questions I'll be happy to answer them.
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Mike Lee (Firebird)
Visit Cymltaneous Solutions: (url="http://"http://cymlsol.cyml.cjb.net")http://cymlsol.cyml.cjb.net(/url)
And by the time you complete the Rebel storyline, you should be categorized as a mercenary, not a civilian.