ewa@sdcc3.UUCP (Eric Anderson) (09/01/85)
If you realize that empire is basically a huge database manager with a wargame tilt, and consider what problems usualy face the designers of such a database, some fascinating bugs can be found by exploiting the weaknesses of the database implementation. Using this technique it is possible to do things such as turn water into land. To do this you need merely to get people into a sea sector, once you own it it can be redesignated as wilderness or any other normal sector type. The trick is to get people into the sea. Think about this.. there are sereval viable concepts at least one of which works. It does take some preparation and cooperation, however. Think about it. Eric Anderson, UC San Diego ...!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcc3!ewa
ptraynor@bbnccv.UUCP (Patrick Traynor) (09/05/85)
In article <2974@sdcc3.UUCP> ewa@sdcc3.UUCP (Eric Anderson) writes: > >If you realize that empire is basically a huge database manager with a >wargame tilt, and consider what problems usualy face the designers of such >a database, some fascinating bugs can be found by exploiting the weaknesses >of the database implementation. > >Using this technique it is possible to do things such as turn water into land. >To do this you need merely to get people into a sea sector, once you own it it >can be redesignated as wilderness or any other normal sector type. The trick is >to get people into the sea. > >Think about this.. there are sereval viable concepts at least one of which >works. It does take some preparation and cooperation, however. Think about it. Ok, I did it...I took my two bridge heads and turned them into research plants. my bridge spans went 'crumble...screech...splash' with over 50 civs on each. I then redesignated them into wildernesses. When I took a census of the area, I didn't own it, and when I made a map it was still OCEAN! Probably full of my civilians, none of whom can swim!! Ok, Eric, either you fess up with the real way to do it or I'll expect your check in the mail to reimburse my nation for funeral expenses of 100 people and 254 bridge head production units!!!!! --pat traynor-- +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ [0:256] Command : cc -O -o Empire empire.c -lm Alchemists lost 127k of BSD 4.2 source code trying to port it to SYS-V. +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
john@polyof.UUCP ( John Buck ) (09/07/85)
> In article <2974@sdcc3.UUCP> ewa@sdcc3.UUCP (Eric Anderson) writes: > > > >If you realize that empire is basically a huge database manager with a > >wargame tilt, and consider what problems usualy face the designers of such > >a database, some fascinating bugs can be found by exploiting the weaknesses > >of the database implementation. > > > >Using this technique it is possible to do things such as turn water into land. > >To do this you need merely to get people into a sea sector, once you own it it > >can be redesignated as wilderness or any other normal sector type. The trick is > >to get people into the sea. > > > Ok, I did it...I took my two bridge heads and turned them into research plants. > my bridge spans went 'crumble...screech...splash' with over 50 civs on each. I > then redesignated them into wildernesses. When I took a census of the area, I > didn't own it, and when I made a map it was still OCEAN! Probably full of my > civilians, none of whom can swim!! > > --pat traynor-- > Gee, it would seem there ARE still people out there using the OLD OLD OLD Empire (grid sector layout, not the "new" hex layout). Anyway, this is actually quite an old hack, and turning sea into land (or bridge spans into land) is NOT the best way to use it. (Who would want to turn a span into land anyway????? Spans cost 0 mobility to move across, even 100% normal sectors costs mobility. spans are better).. Be that as it may, this same feature is available through load, trade/set, move, transport, etc. Checkpoint sector (with a span or road, dont even have to do this). One partner goes to move people off the span, the other guy redesignates the bridge head. The bridge collapses (and takes EVERYTHING that was on the bridge with it, there is no getting this stuff back, it really does get destroyed) The other guy, who still has his move in progress, then drops the people on the 'sea'. He now owns the sea with people on it. You may now redesignate it cause you own it.. Old, stupid versions of Empire do not check for such things as 'active' sectors. My version, anyway, does not let you do anything to a sector that someone has active. (move in progress, attack in progress, load, etc.) This was the Empire Bug for October, but, it seems we get to air it a bit early. You can win a game of empire in 3 hours with this bug. IE make it impossible for anyone to approach your population or power. (If you know how to use it the right way). Of course, I'm speaking for the OLD empire game only. Newer releases tend to correct most of these annoyances, and eliminate most cheating. PS to all those who have requested my C source version of Empire... I have written up a procedure for "How to get My Copy of Empire". I have submitted it to Peter Langston (author of the original Empire) for his approval. I have not heard from him yet, when I do I will send mail to all those who have sent me mail asking for my version. Please be patient, you have not been forgotten. And besides, new bugs are being corrected weekly. (Not daily like they were 2 years ago!). John Buck from the Institute for Better Emping. (decvax!mcnc!rti-sel!polyof!john or philabs!ron1!polyof!john)