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[joulupunikki]

What is Phoenix ?

Introduction

Phoenix is an unofficial patch for/a remake of/a java port of the space TBS Emperor of the Fading Suns (EFS). A six minute video of Phoenix 0.50.0 is on youtube. Phoenix is best summed by the first sentences from the first public post on Wed Dec 19, 2012 at the EFS forum: "I am interested in trying to make an exe replacement using java. Exe replacement meaning I would try to recreate EFS.EXE functionality using existing datafiles, minus the bugs, plus some modern wargame features." 

Requirements

Phoenix is a patch, so you must have EFS1.4 (plus optional mods) installed. On Windows and Linux, Java does not need to be installed separately as self contained packages are available. 640x480 mode runs well enough on an Asus X54C/K54C laptop with Celeron B815 1.6Ghz dual core and 4GB DDR3 ram.

How does Phoenix differ from standard EFS.EXE

The aim is to reproduce 100% of desirable EFS1.4 features and add modern game features such as build queues, ultimately replacing EFS.EXE in EFS games.

• Functionally, a limitation is the exposure of feature details through available materials. Some things, such as the exact way the plague spreads or the exact way rebellions occur, are hard coded deep in EFS.EXE and can only be approximated by running the orginal game multiple times and inspecting the empirical distribution of results.
• Graphically, every detail is in plain sight and the open question is how well can they be reproduced with java. So far, recreating original EFS look and feel has been a success. Font fine tuning seems currently the last obstacle in achieving near 100 % likeness with the original EFS GUI.

A side by side comparison of Phoenix 0.50.0 and EFS1.4 EFS.EXE views of Kish palace in the historical galaxy can be seen by clicking this link. The vertical alignment difference of 0.5 hexes is due to the EFS.EXE centering the view so that visible hexes above/below are 5.5/3.5 whereas in Phoenix this has been set to 5/4.

Current state of Phoenix

Almost everything except the AI has been implemented. A detailed list of missing EFS1.4 features is here and a detailed list of extra/differing features is here.

Phoenix alpha test #1

The ultimate goal here is to fix/verify Phoenix so that it is good enough to replace EFS.EXE in multiplayer games. For this #1 test, the goals are

• Phoenix must be installable.
• Phoenix must be playable (no crashes, implemented features work.)
• Additionally, opinions on what missing features are needed for full multiplayer are welcome.

Although java is in theory write once, run anywhere, Phoenix is sufficiently complex to cause compatibility issues on different virtual machine/operating system/gui combinations so even installation may not proceed without glitches.

To do this test I'm looking for 3-5 people willing to play through a couple of turns of multiplayer. There is no need to roleplay or make cunning plans, the emphasis should be on testing.

Phoenix is available for download at https://github.com/joulupunikki/Phoenix/releases

Edit:

Houses

(players: Kebooo, Margrave, Ostegun, Il Palazzo ... there is still room for a fitfh I'll hold the fort in the meantime)

Kebooo of House Li Halan
joulupunikki of the Hazat
Il Palazzo of House Decados
Ostegun (?) of House Hawkwood
Margrave of House al-Malik

[Kebooo]

Count me in.

[Margrave]

I will join on the condition that I start with 100 plague bombs.
I am willing to negotiate this down to *just* becoming the Emperor instead but I won't be happy about it.

The actual haggling may happen later, for now I'm just happy to play again.

[ChairmanPoo]

Posting to watch. I loved EOTFS, and would like to play it once more.... I'd like it to have an AI, though.

I'd really like to play online with other guys (Just like I would like to sign up for some Pathfinder RPG roleplaying over there), but I'm afraid I'm not too reliable

[Ostegun]

I would be in.

[joulupunikki]

Posting to watch. I loved EOTFS, and would like to play it once more.... I'd like it to have an AI, though.

I'd really like to play online with other guys (Just like I would like to sign up for some Pathfinder RPG roleplaying over there), but I'm afraid I'm not too reliable

This number #1 test need not last for more than a couple of turns, even if everything works perfectly. There also is no need to try to play for keeps. The intent is to get some real players to try the implementation on for size and figure out what features are missing from multiplayer and to catch any bugs of opportunity. So long term player reliability is not an issue here, just a couple of quick turns (or until Phoenix crashes or is otherwise deemed unplayable) and then some input would be nice.

I have spent some time tinkering with an AI, but using much resources on that is not very useful unless the game is otherwise playable. If/when playability sans AI is reached it will become more sensible to try to work on an AI that is an improvement over the stock EFS1.4 one.

[Il Palazzo]

Alright, j., put me down for a test player.

Do you even need a full complement? If it's only to see if it works, even 1 player would be sufficient.

[joulupunikki]

Alright, j., put me down for a test player.

Do you even need a full complement? If it's only to see if it works, even 1 player would be sufficient.

Well, the ultimate goal here is to fix/verify Phoenix so that it is good enough to replace EFS.EXE in multiplayer games. The best way to test that seems to be to play couple of turns in full multiplayer with real players. If you wouldn't use it then it needs fixing.

As we now have 4 + 1 (myself) we might as well give it a try. Any mod can be used, but for this test I would suggest Emperor Wars since you can attack your cousins immediately    I'll take Hazat since it is jammed between Byz II, church and league.

A detailed list of missing EFS1.4 features is here and a detailed list of extra/differing features is here.

The ini-files are in a testing configuration, so labs generate 1000 points per turn and the regent elections are held every 3 turns.

I really dare not to make any predictions, l'm having my thumbs up and fingers crossed. Let's just try to go through the first year without too much effort and see what everyone thinks ...

[Margrave]

I'll take the al-Malik and will constantly complain about the Symbiots. You have my solemn Vau.

[joulupunikki]

I'll take the al-Malik and will constantly complain about the Symbiots. You have my solemn Vau.

Well, if you insist I could take a dual role as a "game master" and play the Symbiots (League, Church, Vau etc.) ... you'd have something to complain about 

[Il Palazzo]

O.k., I'll take Decados, then.

[EuchreJack]

I might be tempted with the offer of playing the Symbiots (and pretending to play the League*, Church, Vau etc.)

*Real Houses don't need their Agoras replenished, right? 

[Kebooo]

Playable alien factions is a pretty fascinating idea.

[joulupunikki]

I might be tempted with the offer of playing the Symbiots (and pretending to play the League*, Church, Vau etc.)

I'm tempted to tempt you with the offer but my temper is sufficiently imbued with temperance to resist. Nothing prevents doing such tests later.

*Real Houses don't need their Agoras replenished, right? 

Currently the Agoras are auto-replenished. But of course the League won't sell to a House at war with it ... not even from the build units window like in EFS1.4.

Playable alien factions is a pretty fascinating idea.

Having all factions technically playable was a design principle from the start. That has also helped testing.

I've been thinking about gm'd multiplayer if the work on the AI doesn't bear fruit.

And ... what's your faction of choice ? Li Halan and Hawkwood are left. If you take Li Halan then we may start the first year as soon as you are ready (although I may need to do a little bit of UI pre-fixing before we start) ...

[EuchreJack]

Hm, I'm no programmer, but I'm curious how the AI is programmed.  If it had a plot/event based system as a component, I might have a few ideas.  And such a system would allow others to add ideas over time, keeping the AI fresh.  Do you have a discussion topic or forum anywhere for discussion of Phoenix?  I'd rather not clutter up your Game Test page with random discussion.