Big Bang

Note: These instructions are for TWGS version 2.xx only.

Create New Game

On the "Create New Game" dialog, you can choose to "Migrate data from existing game", "Start with default data files", or "Start with current data (if any)" (Default). In most cases, you just want to accept the default setting and click "OK" to continue.

Migrate data from existing game

Start with default data files

Start with current data (if any)

TradeWars Archives (TWA)

To use a TradeWars Archive, you need to import the archive BEFORE you begin creating your universe. After importing, you will select "Start with default data files" on the "Create New Game" dialog. See TradeWars Archives (TWA) for more information.

If you are using TradeWars Archives (TWA), then you generally don't want to change
any Big Bang Options, as they have been carefully chosen by the archive designer.

Big Bang Options

 T·W·2·0·0·2   B·i·g   B·a·n·g   U·n·i·v·e·r·s·e   C·r·e·a·t·o·r        v3.27

 <R> Random Seed                : 2168512326

 <A> Universe Size in Sectors   : 30000  <B> Maximum Course Length  :   100
 <H> Maximum Possible Players   :   200  <I> Maximum Possible Ships :  1000
 <X> Standard Starport Power    :   500% <Y> Special Starport Power :  1000%

 <C> Maximum Possible Starports : 12000  40% Port Density
 <D> Initial Starports to Build : 11400  95% Built Port Density
 <E> Maximum Possible Planets   :  6000  20% Planet Density
 <F> Two-Way Warps              :  9000  30% Two-way Warp Density
 <G> One-Way Warps              :   900   3% One-way Warp Density

 <V> Internal Alien Traders     : No    <W> Internal Ferrengi          : No
 <J> Enable Gold Features       : Yes   <P> Enable MBBS Compatibility  : Yes
 <K> Bubbles                    : 0     <O> Ferrengal in Bubble        : No
 <L> Minimum Bubble Size        : 100   <M> Maximum Bubble Size        : 100
 <N> Minimum Bubble Links       : 1     <S> Maximum Bubble Links       : 4
 <T> Minimum Link Tunnel Depth  : 0     <U> Maximum Link Tunnel Depth  : 0

 <Z> Begin Universe Creation            <!> Reset <*> Default

        
BigBang Setup Editor (Q = ABORT, Z = GO ):

 Take some time to consider your choices, because these settings cannot be changed
 after the game starts. There are a wide varitiey of game styles and the settings 
 you choose here are very important.

R - Random Seed

The system.random Seed determines the characteristics of the universe. Two universes generated with the same seed and the same settings will be 100% identical. Two universes generated with a different seed and the same settings will have similar characteristics but will be different.

WARNING: When rebanging a game, you must change the system.random seed if you want a different universe. Leaving it set to the previous value will result in a reset of the identical universe!

Enter a system.random seed from 1 to 4294967296 (or 0 to randomize) 

A - Universe Size in Sectors

This setting determines the size, in sectors of your Universe. Changing this value will reset many of the other values to their defaults.

B - Maximum Course Length

This setting determines the Maximum Course Length that will be used during the BigBang creation. If you set this to a small value, your Universe will be dense and have short routes to any part of it in general. Setting this to a large value lets BigBang make LARGE structures that can have courses up to 1/4 as long as this value. Please note that a Universe created with a large MaxCourseLength will take much longer for Course Plots to finish than with a short MaxCourseLength. Not only will generation time take longer for long courses, but the game play will be slower too.

Enter 0 for automatic course length.  The maximum course length will be
set to the maximum warp path from the generated map.

It is recommended that you use Auto mode.

H - Maximum Possible Players

This setting determines the maximum number of users your game will allow in the game. The larger this value is, the more performance loss there will be within the game itsself.

1,000 sectors is recommended for a Universe size

I - Maximum Possible Ships

This setting determines the maximum number of ships your game will allow in the game. Since players can concurrently own more than one ship, a setting of at least four times MaxPlayers is recommended.

800 ships is recommended

C - Maximum Possible Starports

This setting determines how many Ports will *POSSIBLY* exist in your Universe. Exceeding 40% will make players "safer" since they won't have to go as far to find trading pairs. If you take this value too small, money will come slower as players will have to search farther for ports.

A 40% port density maximum is recommended

D - Initial Starports to Build

This setting determines how many of the Max possible Ports will be created during this execution of the BigBang.

A 95% initial port population is recommended

E - Maximum Possible Planets

This setting determines how many *POSSIBLE* planets will exist in your Universe.

A 20% Planet density maximum is recommended

F - Two-Way Warps

The Two-Way warps are two way connections between two (random) sectors Setting this to 100% will create as many two-way warps as you have sectors in your Universe. This is the quantity that was used in previous BigBang versions. If you set this value very small and increase the One-Way density, then you will create a VERY convoluted Universe that is quite unpredictable to travel. This is not always a bad thing. :)

A Two Way Warp Density of 30% is recommended

G - One-Way Warps

One-way warps are just what they sound like. If you create too many of these, you will create a difficult Universe to navigate. With a high concentration of One-ways, you may find it takes 3 sectors to get some- where and 30 sectors to get back (or vice-versa).

A 3% One Way Warp density is recommended

V - Internal Alien Traders

If this setting is enabled, the classic Alien Traders will be active. Classic Alien Traders are processed by an active player session, and are thus "internal" to the game. Using the Gold alien manager, you may also run Gold Alien Traders. These aliens are processed by the program NONPSERV.EXE and are thus "external".

It is possible to run both classic and Gold Alien Traders, though that would probably confuse your players.

W - [[Internal Ferrengi

If this setting is enabled, the classic Ferrengi will be active. Classic Ferrengi are processed by an active player session, and are thus "internal" to the game. Using the Gold alien manager, you may also run Gold Ferrengi. These aliens are processed by the program NONPSERV.EXE and are thus "external".

It is possible to run both classic and Gold Ferrengi, though that would probably confuse your players.

J - Enable Gold Features

Enabling the Trade Wars Gold Edition features will allow the creation and customization of ships, planets, and aliens within Trade Wars. You will also be allowed to create games with sectors up to 20,000.

These customization features are only available from a Gold-enabled game. Gold features may only be enabled or disabled during bigbang and they may not be enabled or disabled from the editors during a game. This is a strict rule intended to guarantee that players who choose to enter a classic or Gold game will not have the characteristics of the game changed midway through.

A Gold-enabled game can be identified by your players by the version identifier. For example:

 v3.xx           : Classic TWv3 game.
 v3.xx Gold      : TWv3 with Gold features enabled.
 v3.xx MBBS      : TWv3 in MBBS compatibility mode.
 v3.xx MBBS Gold : TWv3 MBBS with Gold features enabled.

P - Enable MBBS Compatibility

Enabling the MBBS Compatibility mode will put into effect a few game settings that mirror those of the HVS release of Trade Wars 2002 for the MBBS/Worldgroup systems. The settings that are effected are:

 Evil stealing factor:    70% of standard
 Evil robbing factor:     50% of standard
 Bust clearing:           Daily
 Planetary trade percent: 100% of standard
 Max port production:     32760
 MegaRob:                 Emulates HVS v2 BUG
 Combat Penalty Mode:     Lenient alignment penalties

These settings are strictly enforced in an MBBS Compatible game. They may only be enabled or disabled during bigbang and they may not be modified from the editors during a game.

An MBBS compatible game can be identified by your players by the version identifier. For example:

 v3.xx           : Classic TWv3 game.
 v3.xx Gold      : TWv3 with Gold features enabled.
 v3.xx MBBS      : TWv3 in MBBS compatibility mode.
 v3.xx MBBS Gold : TWv3 MBBS with Gold features enabled.

Note: Starting with TWGS v2.04 / TW v3.18 MegaRob is now optional for MBBS Mode. 

K - Bubbles

Bubbles are distinct pockets of the universe that are joined with the rest of the universe by only a few sectors.

O - Ferrengal in Bubble

No internal help given.

L - Minimum Bubble Size

No internal help given.

M - Maximum Bubble Size

No internal help given.

N - Minimum Bubble Links

Bubble links are the openings from the main universe into a bubble. You can specify the minimum and maximum number of links allowed for a bubble. The actual number for a given bubble will be randomly determined.

S - Maximum Bubble Links

Bubble links are the openings from the main universe into a bubble. You can specify the minimum and maximum number of links allowed for a bubble. The actual number for a given bubble will be randomly determined.

T - Minimum Link Tunnel Depth

The link tunnel depth determines how many sectors are used when linking a bubble to the main universe. A depth of 0 means that there will not be a tunnel linking the bubble to the main universe. A sector from the bubble will attach directly to a bubble in the main universe.

U - Maximum Link Tunnel Depth

The link tunnel depth determines how many sectors are used when linking a bubble to the main universe. A depth of 0 means that there will not be a tunnel linking the bubble to the main universe. A sector from the bubble will attach directly to a bubble in the main universe.

X - Standard Starport Power

This setting will determine the firepower of a standard starport when attacked by a player. Firepower ranges from 10% to 1000% of normal firepower.

You can set the firepower of every port in the game (including ports created later by players) with this setting, or set the firepower per-port in the TEDIT port editor.

Note: This feature was added in TWGS 2.12 / TW v3.25

Y - Special Starport Power

This setting will determine the firepower of a special starport (StarDock, Sol, Rylos, Alpha Centauri) when attacked by a player. Firepower ranges from 10% to 1000% of normal firepower.

You can set the firepower of all four special ports with this setting, or set it per-port in the TEDIT port editor. If set here, these ports, when rebuilt, will be strengthened from the specified base power.

Note: This feature was added in TWGS 2.12 / TW v3.25

Z - Begin Universe Creation

You always want to choose a new -R- Random Seed, because Big Bang will generate a new universe that is 100% identical to your previous universe if you use the same seed.

When you are ready, press -Z- Begin Universe Creation to begin the Big Bang. This process will take several minutes to run, depending on the size of the universe you are creating.

Editing and Activating

When it finishes, you will want to edit the game with TEDIT, and then activate the game.

...this page is under construction and needs additional input from actual sysops.