CK Starbase Assault v1.3
By Scott Bruno / Captain Krumb
6/19/2000
*************************************************

Version 1.3 supports Orion ships (see "CK_OrionSetup" Readme.txt for details) and the sensor H&R detection code. It is otherwise unchanged from version 1.2.


DESCRIPTION:
"CK Starbase Assault" is a configurable multiplayer mission designed to meet the dynamic needs of campaign scenarios. By using the included Configuration Utility, you can select any type of base that exists in the game, including Base Stations, Battle Stations and Starbases, the + and R refits for each, and even the Orions. This makes a total of 63 different bases you can select, and all with this one script. You can also select from zero to eight Defense Platforms in orbit around the base. The base is player controlled.

GAMEPLAY:
There are two teams: Team A, who defends and controls the base, and Team B, who attacks.

Prior to launching the game, the host must run the Configuration Utility ("CK_StarbaseAssaultConfig.exe") to pick the type of base and its race, as well as the number of Defense Platforms and their race. Once that's done, the game is launched and played normally. The mission will appear in the list as "CK Starbase Assault 1.1".

NOTE: Race-selection is "manual", instead of automatically matching like host's race like some other scripts do, because manual selection makes it possible to use the Orion bases and defense platforms.

The host of the game will be the one who controls the Starbase. Therefore, someone from the defending team (A) must host the game. To control the Starbase, you select it in the Fleet Control Panel just as you would select control of an AI wingman. You can switch from controlling the Starbase and any ships you might have at will; the AI will automatically take over whichever forces you're not currently controlling.

NOTE: SFC forces you to select at least one ship before it will let you play. However, for the host that ship will not appear in the game.

HOW TO USE THE BASE:
Controlling a base is very much like controlling a ship. All the familiar systems are there: shields, countermeasures, etc, and all in the same familiar place.

You can control the rotation of the base just like you would turn a ship: by clicking on the 3D screen in the direction you want to rotate. This makes it possible to protect weakened shields and to bring different weapons to bear (although arc coverage of starbase weapons is pretty good all the way around).

Because the large size of a base will probably obscure the normal F3 view, the best view to use is F4. This view is from the target's perspective, and makes it very easy to keep visual track of what's going on.

Because of the large number of weapon systems installed on a full-size Starbase, you might have to use the "Weapons" mode of the Tactical Officer MFD (the topmost panel) in order to see and use them all. For example, the drone racks on the Klingon SBR are not visible in the Ship Schematic & System MFD, but they are visible in the Tactical Officer MFD. To select these weapons, just click on the one you want to fire and hit the 'Z' key like you normally would.

Each base has a default loadout of supplies (various shuttles, drones if you have drone racks, fighters if you're a Hydran, etc) so make sure you take a look and see what you have in stock.

I recommend you play a few practice rounds controlling a base so that you can get familiar with handling it. It's really a lot of fun once you get used to it. You'll especially like the amazing firepower of the larger bases.

DEFENSE PLATFORMS:
Each race has their own version of the Defense Platform. All platforms feature phaser banks. In addition, platforms have one hardpoint of heavy weapons which match that race's heavy weapon. Federation platforms have photons, Klingon & Lyran platforms have disruptors, Rom & Gorn have plasma F, Hydrans have hellbores, and Orions have drone racks.

The platforms will fire both offensively and defensively, providing additional fire on the enemy and point defense against plasma or drones. They have weak shields, but they also have ECM to make up for it.

The script will attempt to place the defense platforms for the best possible coverage depending on how many there are. If you only have one or two, they will be placed along the most likely axis of attack. If you have 8, they will completely encircle the base, providing offensive and defensive coverage all the way around.

NOTE: Interplay didn't take into account the timeline when it comes to weaponry on Starbases and Defense Platforms. I'm working on a way to take the hellbores out of action if the scenario is in the Early era. For now, we'll just have to live with it or ask the Hydrans not to use the hellbores on their bases in the Early era. They'll still have plenty of Ph4, PhG and Fusions; plus you get some extra power by turning off the HB's anyway, so maybe this will work as a solution.

USING THE CONFIGURATION UTILITY:
The Configuration Utility is what makes the whole thing work. This is the prgram which the host uses to set up the conditions of the scenario; i.e., which race, kind of base, number of platforms. Only the host of the game (who is on the defending Team A) must use the Config program; the other players in the game don't have to do anything special to play.

I tried to design the interface to be as simple as possible. When you run the Config program, you'll see three sets of controls and some buttons. To set up a scenario, follow these steps:

1. On the left, you'll see the control for choosing the race of the base and the defsats. It's labeled, "Select race of base". If you have a Romulan base, just click the radio button that says "Romulan"; if you have a Klingon base, click "Klingon", and so forth.

2. To the right of that is a control labeled, "Select type of base". In that list you'll find Base Station, Battle Station and Starbase, and a "+" and "R" refit of each. Simply choose whichever base type you're supposed to have. Note that each type of base identifies itself correctly to sensors, so you cannot get away with sneaking in an SBR if you're only supposed to have an SB.

3. Under that is a control labeled "Select number of defense platforms". This one is pretty self-explanatory: if you have 0 defsats, pick 0; if you have 7, pick 7, etc. The maximum number of platforms you can have is 8.

4. Once you've made your selections, hit the "OK" button. You should see a message pop up which says, "File created successfully. You may now run the game." Click OK in the message box, and the Configuration Program will close itself. You can now run the game, and the mission will create itself with the scenario you fed into it.

SCORING:
This mission was left "open" in the sense that there are no game-enforced victory conditions. Since this is designed as a campaign mission, deciding which team "won" the battle is up to the rules of the campaign and the interpretation of the damage inflicted to both sides, and not by SFC's built-in scoring system (which is sort of broken anyway).

That being the case, the mission will not end until you press ESC and choose "End Mission". That way each team can make a proper assessment of damages inflicted, e.g., count the survivors and see how big a chunk you took out of the base. 

Note that you will receive various messages relating to events in the game. If the attacking team wipes out all the defense platforms, you'll see "Orbital defenses have been destroyed!". If the ships defending the base are wiped out, you'll see "The defending ships have been destroyed!".

The attacking team will also receive a message at the beginning of the mission which tells them how many defsats are present. For example, you might see: "Approaching the enemy base... 4 Defense Platforms detected". Apart from being a nice touch, this prevents anyone from trying to sneak in more defsats than they're supposed to have (Ok, Vulcan; I relented :-) )

INSTALLATION:
In the .zip file you downloaded, you'll find three files: "readme.txt" (this file), "CK_StarbaseAssault.scr", and "CK_StarbaseAssaultConfig.exe".

"CK_StarbaseAssault.scr" must be copied into the Scripts folder of your SFC installation. Chances are you'll find this folder at C:\Program Files\14 East\SFC\Assets\Scripts. You can either use Windows Explorer to go to this folder, or you can use the Find tool if you have trouble finding it. Once you've located the Scripts folder, copy the .scr file into it. You'll know if you've got the right folder because you should see a bunch of other .scr files there. You'll also know if you've done it right when you get into the game; at the Spacedock screen you should see "CK Starbase Assault 1.1" at the top of the screen.

"CK_StarbaseAssaultConfig.exe" is the Configuration Utility. You can place this file anywhere you like, but I suggest someplace easy to find like the Desktop.

REQUIREMENTS:
The mission itself is just an ordinary SFC mission and requires nothing special. The Configuration Utility requires that you have the latest version of the Microsoft Foundation Class Libraries installed. Chances are high that you already have these files installed and don't have to worry about it. If you do need to update your version of the libraries, you can get them from Microsoft's web site.

CREDITS:
I'd like to thank Korvus and Heavenly for their tireless campaigning in support of getting this script implemented. I'd also like to thank everyone else who helped playtest it. There were so many of you that I don't have a shot in hell of remembering all your names, but I thank you just the same. Finally, I thank BDT-NTDN, whose casual suggestion that assaulting a planet would be fun led me to developing the configuration system. Couldn't have done it without you, gang.


Enjoy,
--
Captain Krumb, IKV Death's Hand
aka Scott Bruno
email: krumb@abac.com