Downloads Install- common files, contents, and warnings
- AI files and warnings
- PC installation and quirks
- Macintosh installations and quirks
- AI installation, PC
- AI installation Mac
1.1 THE PACK download contains the following contents: - Installation folder with a replacement rev31.gp3 file (18 meg), an A, B, and C ufo file.
- AI folder with various AI's organized into sections which deal with PC and Mac TA AI install
- TA:M (TA Mutation) folder called 'Convertor to TA Mutation format'
- HTML documents, one for AI and the other a general readme that talks mostly about units
1.2.1 THE PACK (rev31.gp3 + A + B + C ufos) contains a total of different and unique 510 units, one shy of the maximum 511 that should be used in game. You MUST remove all other 3rd party units or any other files which contain such units.. this includes other mods, ai files, maps etc. Although it might seem counter-intuitive that maps would contain units, some of them do. An example is the very popular Real Earth V1.1 by James Beatty (Emperor Dracula). This Map also contains 40 odd AI units. It is thus incompatible with THE PACK. If you want to use maps with units enclosed, you must HPIDump the map, remove the offending extra units and repack with HPIPack. 1.2.2 THE PACK likes lots of RAM and a not so wimpy computer.. most modern machines should be fine. 1.2.3 THE PACK is compatible with the 2004 version of the tamec feature file and tak features.. this includes the tamec 2004 environmental weapons file. You can use this mod with 3rd party maps that use that weapon file. Beyond that, there are NO spare weapon IDs left to be used. 2 AI Files: 2.1 THE PACK comes with a number of AI's - Standard wimply, useless AI included inside rev31.gp3
- Blood Thirsty AI (BAI) from Uberhack
- Three different cheating AI's custom built for THE PACK..
- Tsunami (general): builds lots of everything, offense and defense.. sometimes has trouble moving units due to too much crap in its base
- Fortress (defensive): build no attacking mobile units excepting those con units which are armed. Will nuke you if nuker file is included
- Beserker (offensive): builds only factories, resources, and anything which attacks.
- Fleabowl.. a version of Quitchy's Fleabowl (fleas-only) AI modified for use with THE PACK
- In every case, installation of any custom AI means that the install exceeds the 511 unit limit. You must as a minimum remove the C ufo, and in the case of using the BAI the B ufo as well.
3 PC Installation and Quirks 3.1 follow the following steps: - make sure you have a TA + CC (Core contingency) install. This is a MUST
- patch install to 3.1
- make sure that all 3rd party units and other mods are removed, map with units etc.
- backup the existing Cacedog rev31.gp3 file somewhere safe
- copy the new larger rev31.gp3 file from THE PACK into your C:TotalA directory
- copy the A, B, and C ufo files to your C:TotalA directory.
- Attempt launching TA.. you should see a large 'THE PACK' logo on the main menu screen of TA.
- The PC version of TA will typically simply crash if you have too many units installed. If you get crashes upon attempting to launch check for extra unit files
- make sure you have installed TA Gold in it's entirety.
- install the MacSoft 3.1.2b6 patch.. google for it if you don't have it it's available via Gameranger.com. It fixes bugs and allows up to 1000 units in-game
- back up your existing rev31.gp3 file somewhere safe
- remove all 3rd party units, mods, maps with units etc.
- copy the new larger rev31.gp3 file (18 meg) in place of the older one, inside the folder called Total Annihilation
- copy the A, B, and C ufo files into the folder called 'Internet Maps & Units'
- Attempt launching TA.. you should see a large 'THE PACK' logo on the main menu screen of TA.
- The Mac version of TA is more tolerant of too many units.. it usually won't crash, but you'll get weird things going on like bizarre units behavior when you try to pick all units of a given type (command Z). You will usually get a mix of units.
- Running Mac TA under classic (inside of OSX) takes quite a performance hit, about 25%. Sounds get messed up sometimes, and there is a weird cursor bug that appears at startup.. you can get rid of this by creating an error message and then canceling. E.g. if you're using CD one for skirmish, deliberately try to start a campaign, and then cancel the error. The cursor bug will go away.
5 PC AI installation 5.1 Useless AI.. do nothing. This AI is included free of charge. 5.2 THE PACK Cheating AI's. - create folders called ai, maps, and gamedata inside your C:TotalA folder, if they do not exist
- remove C ufo from C:TotalA folder. Required to make room for AI units
- Choose which AI you which to use.. Tsunami, Fortress, or Beserker
- copy ai .txt files from the AI folder of the type you which to use to AI folder inside C:TotalA, map .ota files to maps folder, and sidedata.tdf file to gamedata folder
- copy ai_units.ufo to C:TotalA folder, and Ai_Nuke.ufo if you want to get nuked.
- choose EITHER AI_Resource.ufo OR AI_Super_Resource.ufo and copy one of them over to C:TotalA folder. AI will not run without one of these files. Do not install both of these files!
5.3 Fleabowl AI - create folders called ai, maps, and gamedata inside your C:TotalA folder, if they do not exist
- remove C ufo from C:TotalA folder. Required to make room for AI units
- copy ai .txt files from the Fleabowl AI folder to AI folder inside C:TotalA, map .ota files to maps folder, and sidedata.tdf file to gamedata folder
- copy Fleabowl_Units.ufo to C:TotalA folder
- Be aware that the Fleabowl AI only works for maps that use a default, metal, or krogoth ai profile.. there must be land access.
5.4 BAI (Blood Thirsty AI) - create folders called ai, gui, and gamedata inside your C:TotalA folder, if they do not exist
- remove the B AND C ufos from C:TotalA folder. Required to make room for AI units
- copy ai .txt files from the AI folder to AI folder inside C:TotalA, map .ota files to maps folder, and skirmish.gui file to gui folder
- copy BAI2K1.ufo to C:TotalA folder
6 MacIntosh AI install.. different because the Mac version of TA does not recognize unpacked files. 6.1 Useless AI.. do nothing. This AI is included free of charge. 6.2 THE PACK Cheating AI's. - rename the large 18 meg rev31.gp3 file to become !rev31.ccx, then move this file into the folder called 'The Core Contingency'
- remove the C ufo from the 'Internet Maps & Units folder'
- chose the ai that you wish to use.. Tsunami, Fortress, or Beserker.
- copy the rev31.gp3 (very small file size) from the appropriate ai type and place it where the old 18 meg rev31.gp3 folder used to be (inside folder called 'Total Annihilation'
- copy AI_Units.ufo, AI_Nuke.ufo (if you want to be nuked), and EITHER AI_Resource.ufo OR AI_Super_Resource.ufo (not both) into the folder called 'Internet Maps & Units'
- rename the large 18 meg rev31.gp3 file to become !rev31.ccx, then move this file into the folder called 'The Core Contingency'
- remove the C ufo from the 'Internet Maps & Units folder'
- copy the rev31.gp3 (very small file size) and place it where the old 18 meg rev31.gp3 folder used to be (inside folder called 'Total Annihilation'
- copy Fleabowl_Units.ufo into the folder called 'Internet Maps & Units'
- 6.2 BAI (Blood Thirsty AI)
- rename the large 18 meg rev31.gp3 file to become !rev31.ccx, then move this file into the folder called 'The Core Contingency'
- remove the B AND C ufo's from the 'Internet Maps & Units folder'
- copy the rev31.gp3 (very small file size) and place it where the old 18 meg rev31.gp3 folder used to be (inside folder called 'Total Annihilation'
- copy BAI2K1.ufo into the folder called 'Internet Maps & Units'
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Information About The Pack Version 1.3.3- THE PACK is a large mod/unit pack which is based on Uberhack 3.1.4 by BSR. Along the way, some of the later changes in UH3.1.6, 3.1.8, and 4.0 were also included. THE PACK began as an attempt to redo the old UberHack Community Pack and Tech4 packs (which were fairly buggy), but quickly became somewhat larger than that.
- THE PACK was developed over a period of about two years for a small Mac TA lan group in Vancouver BC. As such, THE PACK contains a number of changes to deal specifically some issues Mac TA has in dealing with 3rd party units developed for the PC version of TA. Namely THE PACK only uses 8-bit sounds and a number of troublesome scripts which cause weird graphical glitches upon unit death have been repaired. THE PACK is certainly the largest and most comprehensive unit pack every developed either for Mac TA or on a Mac.
- THE PACK contains 510 units units in total, adding what I considered to be some of the best and most interesting 3rd party units available. If you play only at the lower tech levels, THE PACK will play almost identically to an older version of Uberhack. Only at higher tech levels do the new units make themselves felt.
Below is a brief listing of some features of THE PACK. For more detail, see the readme included with the download - Complete compatibility with either the Mac or PC versions of TA.
- Use of the Uberhack category tags, modified to be compatible with the Mac version of TA (cmd-Q and cmd-E for example and their PC equivalents CTRL-Q/E are not used as these quit the game or are used to change music CDs in the Mac version of TA)
- AA units are just that.. AA-only. AA missiles typically do little or no damage to ground units and structures.
- Very potent defenses
- A complete under-sea economy, including Mohos, MMMs, advanced storage, and undersea factories. Powerful floating and submerged mines are also added.
- Uberhackian mines and scripting are maintained throughout, land and sea mines.. mines are cheap and are potent defenses. In addition they can be set off as fields.
- Spies which are true spies, can replicate stationary versions of themselves in the field, can kill other spies, and destroy high value targets if they are undefended
- random delay nuke silos to stop nuke-swamping. UH insta-fire antis are included as are antinuke carriers.
- complete tech4 levels of resources and defenses.
- powerful offensive and defensive weapons including nuke cannons, ion cannons, and extremely long range LRPCs and RFLRPCs.
- powerful aircraft and equally potent AA structures and units.
- comprehensive intelligence gathering units and jamming units as well.
- A number of custom AIs.
- Carefully done special damage lists which take into account all the new units added in THE PACK.
- loads of interesting sounds and explosion animations.
- a genuine ton of effort at squishing bugs and dealing with conflicts.
- AI
THE PACK includes 5 different sets of AI profiles. - standard included 'Wimpy' AI.. this AI is included inside the main rev31.gp3 file and does not support any of the 3rd party units not in the Uberhack base set of units.
- BAI2K.. this is a very tough cheating AI which is unmodified from Uberhack. It will also not use any of the extra units included in THE PACK, nor does it probably need them. It will crush you thru sheer force of economy and numbers.
- Fleabowl.. used with permission. A spoof AI which builds only fleas.. slightly modified to include a few surprises.
- THE PACK 'Tsunami' AI.. a tough cheating offensive/general AI which uses Switeck's Counterstrike AI units as a set of cheating units. This AI is a fairly slow starter but will then attack in large waves of units.. hence the name.
- THE PACK 'Fortress' AI.. a unique and completely defensive AI. It is intended to play a 'porc' style of play and build solely defensive units and long-ranged stationary weapons. Give it 10 or 15 minutes to start and it's base can become almost impossible to crack without resorting to nukes or RFLRPC's yourself.
- THE PACK 'Beserker' AI.. a unique and completely offensive AI. It is intended to play a completely offensive style of play and build solely offensive mobile units and long-ranged stationary weapons. It hurts.
RequirementsThe Pack requires as a miniumu a Full TA install including Core Contingency (CC). The PC version of TA must also be updated to version 3.1 (you need to have a Rev31.gp3 file). In addition it is recommended that PC users use a totala.ini file which allows them to use at least 500 units (r a cracked exe that allows 1000- 1500 units), and that Mac users upgrade to 3.1.2b6 and set the unit limit to 1000.. the custom AI's in the pack really like to use lots of units. All these units and fancy models and animation mean the game wants lots of RAM and CPU speed.. One the Mac side the game is acceptable with 300 meg of ram allocated and a 700mhz G3. It runs at slower speeds but gets pretty boggy with loads of players. Can't speak for the PC side.. don't own one ;-) Credits The credit for a unit pack/mod this large extends to a huge number of people. BSR deserves a huge amount of credit, as THE PACK is based on Uberhack, which is his creation. The unitmakers themselves have contributed enormous amounts of effort and creativity. Late credit goes to DannyU who did many of the bug fixes in this version. Special thanks goes to zzyzy, No One, David Goding, and MacMaster for great efforts in beta-testing. Special thanks to zzyzy and No One for contributions to utilities which made THE PACK possible and for additions to various pieces of THE PACK. More extensive credit is given in the readme, including individual credit by unit/unitmaker. Note that in all cases, permission has been sought to use the included units. In some cases, the unitmaker's could not be contacted. In only a few cases was permission refused, and those untimakers units are not included as per their wishes. Compatibility THE PACK is compatible with the latest versions of tamec2004 and tak2004, or any later version. THE PACK is NOT compatible with any other 3rd party units, races, or mods. THE PACK consumes all known weapons IDs (excepting those reserved for tamec2004weapons.ccx) and is 510 units in size.. right at the limit. You must be wary of 3rd party maps as a number of them contain cheating ai units within the map ufo.. e.g Real Earth V1 contains some 40-odd ai units inside it and will crash the game when used with THE PACK. Use HPIView and check out the various maps you have installed carefully. THE PACK is also not compatible with any missions or campaigns. It is intended for skirmish or multiplayer use only. See the readme for further details and explanation. |