Explore Map 1.0
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Explore Map 1.0

Explore Map is designed to give players a more realistic view of the universe. Actually, it's designed to give players no view of the universe - at least the portion of the map that they haven't yet explored.

Using this add-on, players can only see the sections of the map that are within the range of the scanners aboard their starships and planets. Other planets remain invisible to them.

The settings used to determine if a planet is scanned are determined by the settings the host sets in the ExploreMap config file.
The settings available to the host are:

ScanRanges:

The scan range for each race. The scan range is the maximum range how far the scanners of each race range. Default is 300 LY

DetectRanges:

If we don't use random scanning then we'll detect all planets within scanrange. However, if we don't then we can set a range in which planets are always detected. Default is 50 LY

DefenseBonusPercent:

This option defines the defense rates of each race. The values are the percentage at which the enemy scan range is multiplied. If a race has a defense rate of 60% then their planets can only be detected if the enemy is closer than 40% of his scan range.
Default is 0 %

UseRandomScanning:

This option decides whether all planets within scan range are detected or not. If set to "no" then all planets in scan range will be detected. If set to "Yes" then ExploreMap will do a random roll to decide whether the planet is scanned or not.
Default is Yes

(Once planets have been scanned once, they remain visible.)

To determine the chances of scanning a planet, let's assume this:

Range = ScanRange * (100-DefenseBonus)/100
Vision = DetectRange * (100-DefenseBonus)/100

Chances for detecting a planet are:
100% if the distance is smaller than Vision
0% if the distance is greater than Range
100% * ((Range-Distance)/(Range-Vision))**2 if Vision <= Distance <= Range

Example:
If a race has a scan range of 200 ly and a detect range of 100 ly, then the chances for detecting an unowned planet at 150ly distance are 25%. If the planet is 175 ly away then the chance is 6.25%. All planets within 100 lys will be detected, and no planets further than 200 ly will be detected.

However, if the planet is owned by a a race with 40% defense bonus then the range for always detecting the planet decreases to 60 ly. The maximum detection range is 120 ly, the chance for detecting a planet at 90 ly is 25%.

Each ship will scan for you, doing its own random roll, so if you scan with several ships then your chances to scan a planet increase.

Player Instructions

1. Open the ZIP file containing your RST. Enclosed will be a file named XYPlan??.DAT (The "??" will be replaced with your race number, eg XYPlan1.DAT).
2. Extract this file to your game directory (ex. C:\PLAN1\VPWORK1).
3. Rename the file to XYPlan.DAT.
   It is important that you do not accidentally destroy the original XYPlan.dat file (supplied with VGAP).
   If using DOS version of VGAP, then you must rename the original XYPlan.DAT file, before renaming the XYPlan??.DAT to XYPlan.DAT.
   If unsing Winplan, then you do not need to worry about the original XYPlan.DAt file as the XYPlan??.DAT is placed in a work directory and Winplan knows to use a work directory XYPlan.DAT if one is there.

You will have to follow these steps every turn to ensure that you can see all of the planets you're supposed to see.

NOTE: The VPA client is able to use the XYPlan??.DAT file without the need for renaming them. If someone can send me the exact instructions for how to do so, I will add them to this page.