The Empire Master Rule editor is a separate program for changing the way unit types can move and their other behavior.
With the rule editor you can create an unlimited set of game variations. Obviously we cannot anticipate or test every combination that is possible. Many, many interesting variations are possible, but some combinations will make the game run very slowly or play very badly. The game runs very quickly with the standard rule sets but not with all variants. The speed of a unit and the visibility distance affect how quickly the game will run because the machine must scan all squares that a unit can move to and see on a frequent basis. The machine’s strategy may break down with new unit types that don’t resemble anything it understands. The computer may not grasp subtle strengths and weaknesses in new unit types, especially if they involve coordinating several different units. On the other hand, sometimes it will use a new unit type better than you might expect so don’t be afraid to try something new.
The Rule Editor: Basic concepts.
Universes define a collection of rule sets that have similar basic presumptions. For example, there might be a “Viking Era” universe distinct from a “WW II Era Universe”. Universes define which tech levels and supplies exist, and what they are named.
Rule Types or unit type definitions define everything about a single unit type. Rule types include the basic parameters of the unit and its icons.
Rule sets define a collection of unit types which are available for a game. In addition several tables depend upon knowing about all units that will be in use during a game. The rule editor will analyze a rule set when you close the file. This builds certain internal tables which are needed for the game to operate correctly. Storing these in the rules file makes the game select a rule set faster and saves some memory.
The Rule Editor: Basic operation.
The basic concept of operation for the rule editor is that you will “Open” a rules file modify, add and delete rules. To install a new rule set you simply move it into the same folder as the game.
The “Export” command is rarely useful. It copies rule definitions from the currently open rule file into some other file. When you select Export, you will specify a “Universe” and a destination file. The universe and all of its type definitions and type sets will be copied. Those type sets will then be available in the game parameters dialog. You can use this function to put rule sets into the game itself (which is not recommended) or to combine several rules files into a single file.
Those who understand the inner workings of the Macintosh operating system may be interested in the following. Internally the rules are all stored as “resources” of types 'RULU' (universe), 'RULT' (rule types) and 'RULS' (rule sets). The export operation just moves resources to the destination file. If you prefer you may use ResEdit to do this. However, the rule sets refer to the universe and rule type resources by their resource ID. The Export command automatically renumbers the resources and updates the references to keep them consistent and prevent conflicts. If there are resource ID conflicts then you cannot use this method.
