[terran_emperor]

I was reading the EarthForce Campaign Book from the B5 - RPG and i found a List of Earth force medals. One of the things that annoys me in TBP is the lack of medals, so some of the difficult missions leave me with no "Real" reward. It would be nice if this were included in TBP.

It will mean some editing of the medal tray, and the removal of the Flight Wings and the Ace awards, to make room for the extra medals

Here is the list of EA medals, with descriptions ripped right from the book. (Note that I have used UK English spellings)

Medal of Honour - The Highest award available, and can only be awarded by decision of Congress. Given for exceptional heroism and service to the Alliance as a whole, and has been awarded only a couple of times. John Sheridan is the only person to win the medal twice - once for the destruction of the Black Star, and once for saving Earth from the orbital defense platforms at the end of the civil war.
[FS2 medal image to be used]: GTVA Legion of Honour


Silver Star for Valour - Awarded by the Joint Chiefs for exceptional bravery in the face of Danger. The Silver Star is normally only awarded for actions undertaken combat during wartime, although it was once awarded to the Captain of the Explorer-class Cortez for her actions during the investigation of a derelict alien space Fortress. [NOTE: I presume this to be either the captain prior to Captain Maynard, or the one following him]
[FS2 medal image used]: FS1 Conspicuous Gallantry

President's Medal - Awarded considerably mor freely than the Silver Star or the Medal of Honour - two or three are awarded every year, with many more given out during wartime. The President's Medal is given for notable service to the Earth Alliance
[FS2 Medal image used]: Meritorious Unit Commendation

Order of Merit - Given for heroism and excellence in the performance of duty. It is not strictly reserved for combat during wartime, but is normally associated with combat. It has occasionally been given for diplomatic or scientific accomplisment.
[FS2 Medal image used]: Nebula Campaign Victory Star

Order of the Earth Alliance - Given for service to the Alliance as a whole. It has been associated with humanitarian actions; the team who took down the African Particle Beam in 2190 were among the first to be awarded the medal.
[FS2 Medal image used]: SOC Service Medallion

Colonial Medal - Given for Heroism and destinguished actions that were performed outside the Sol System. The Colonial Medal was given to every captain in the Earth Expeditionary Force. {This was a Fleet devision in the Dilgar War]
[FS2 Medal Image used]: FS1 Destinguished Survice cross

Defence Service Medal - Given for heroism during combined operations, normally those invovling both Navy and Army forces.
[FS2 Medal Image used]: Epsilon Pegasi Liberation

Navel Commendation Medal - Given for Notably heroic or successful actions in combat by a commisioned Navy Officer
[FS2 Medal Image Used]: Imperial Order of Vasuda

Army Commendation Medal - Given for Notably heroic or successful actions in Combat by a member of the Army. Note that the ACM is open to Enlisted and Warrent Officers.
[FS2 Medal Image Used]: FS1 Vasudan Alliance
[NOTE]: Only award this medal in cap where your pilot is a GROPO pilot for a Valkyrie, or is a Warrent Officer in the Story(Like Garibaldi)

Superior Service Medal - A Commendation for High Skills dillagence in the performance of Duty. It is not necessarily associated with combat - the SSM can be awarded for managing a base or some scientific advancement.
[FS2 Medal Image Used]: FS1 Good Conduct

Order of Suns - Given for heroic actions undertaken when exploring the Galaxy. It has become the equivalent of the Colonial Medal for encounters outside the borders of the Alliance
[FS2 Medal Imafe Used]: Ditinguished Flying Cross

Addendum to the above Medals
Bronze Cluster - A person is awarded a particular medal (eg Medal of Honour) Twice -> Medal of Honour, bronze cluster
Silver Cluster - Person is awarded the same medal 3 times
Gold Cluster - Person is awarded the same medal 4 or more times

[Note:] This feature is already in FS - you know that patch that appears on the ribbon of a medal when you get it multiple times.

With Laurels - Exceptionally high awards can also be marked with a ring of laurel leaves -> Thus highest award in the EA is Medal of Honour, Gold Cluster, With Laurels

[Suggestion]: Make this the award for receiving the same medal 5 time. The Laurel wreath is used in FS when you get the flightwings more than once. It could also be taken from the FS2 Medal of Valour


Special Medals
The following medals are awarded when certain conditions are met. [These should only be awarded  in campaigns as part of the Story]

First contact Medal - Given to the crew of the ship or members of the unit who make First Contact with a hitherto undiscovered alien race. The First Contact Protocol must be followed for this award to be given.
[FS2 Medal Image used]: Intelligence Cross

New Worlds Medal (aka Armstrong Commendation) - Given to the Human who is the first to set foot on an Alien world.
[FS2 Medal Image used]: Galatea Survivor
[Note}: I presume this means an Alien Homeworld or major colony and is a follow on from the First Contact Medal

Purple Heart - Awarded to an EarthForce Member injured by enemy action.
[FS2 Medal image to be used]: Modied SOC Unit crest
[Award Suggestion]: Scripted your craft is disabled and <10% Hull. MUST BE PART OF THE STORY

Spacer's Medal (aka Grissom Commendation): Given to any EarthForce Members exposed to Vacuum or Radiation while in space
[FS2 Medal Image Used]: Allied Defence Citation

Long Service Medal - Given after 15 years service within Earthforce
[FS2 Medal Image Used]: Order of Galatea

Not included in the EF Campaign Book
Battle of the Line Medal - This medal was awarded to all survivors of the Battle of the Line - It is seen in "The Gathering"

[FS2 Medal Image Used]: N/A This medal has a Set appearance on the show See the above image. It takes the place of the NTF Campaign Victory Star in the Medal Tray.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

I've thought about doing medals for multi a few times.  The ones with the fs2 medal images could be done.  Redoing the FS2 images would probably be a better solution.  Basically new medals that fit the FS2 slots.  The modifying of the case I wouldn't even know where to begin on.  I also don't think there is a current way to add more medals.  If there is another thing that would be nice is campaign ribbons. 

Now if you planning on using them in single there could be some issues.  First I don't think there is any way in TBP single to view the medal case.  Actually I'm not even sure you can do it in multi. 

[terran_emperor]

I was thinking
*Cut and paste the required medal slot over the one you wish to replace. eg, Good Conduct slot from FS 2 over the flight wings slot
*Then edit the Medals.tbl

[Vidmaster]

I hate it but I'll have to say TBP IS FINAL. Remember that please.
Mods are okay of course.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

@Vid:  That is the catch 22 if we want to use them for multi they can't be in a mod folder.  The medals and the table are still retail FS2 data.  Single had the medal case option removed from the interface.  I don't know if multi does. 

@TE:  I can't figure out how they determine the placement of the medals in the case.  The rest looks like simple PCX files.   

[IPAndrews]

Guys. The medal screen came up many, many (many) times during TBP's development. There was never an artist to do the work of updating it. It didn't happen in the years of development. It won't happen now. Let it go.

[Vidmaster]

Well, I agree with IP. Any discussion is pointless UNLESS sb presents me highly detailed medal graphics and art to use 

To avoid confusion:
No, I am not back. I am gone for another week. I am just checking in because it's weekend. I don't have TBP or anything installed here.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

One other big problem would be that using the EA medals wouldn't leave any room for alien, Raider, and PSI Corp ones.  So unless someone can design a medal case that can hold all those plus leave room for several others as well as make the medals then I don't think it's going to happen.

[terran_emperor]

Well, I'll be honest - I'm orientated towards the EA over all others, so i dont particularly care to play as other races.
 
Also i dont have the RPG source books for any other race. Well, i  do have the Drakh and Technomage sourcebooks, but there is nothing in them about medal. Form what ive seen in the RPG, The Earth Alliance is the only group to have a well defined set of medal.

Psi- corps dont seem to me to be the type to hand out medals and reading through the Psi-Corps sourcebook, i can find nothing about medals either. I imagine that any they do recieve are the same as the EA Medals.
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I'm actually working on the Medals at the moment.
I've eliminated the "New Worlds Medal" and "Army Commendation Medal" from the set. These two medals would be better suited to something like Halo.
The major delay for me is that I dont have the FS1 medal art to hand

[IPAndrews]

I hate it but I'll have to say TBP IS FINAL. Remember that please.
Mods are okay of course.

[LeGuille]

I hate it but I'll have to say TBP IS FINAL. Remember that please.
Mods are okay of course.

As in, you will never even have things like expansions? WOW is final, but they have expansions. Diablo 2 is final, but they have patches.

I think it's possible to add it to a much later 'expansion'.

By the way, I'll be back in about 3 days.
'

[karajorma]

Ummm. If you add medals in a mod won't you then **** up the pilot file for when the mod is switched back off?

I've got a feeling you will based on the very small amount of time I've spent looking at that part of the code.

[Skullar]

IP is right. I thought about editing the medal pictures, I even did a few prototypes. But the problem is : Since TBP is an OPEN project ( at least when it comes to missions and campaigns ) you have to decide in advance what to get a medal for.

The best thing I could think of right now is :

When we have a set of campaigns in the future, we can decide of making some of them "official"

That means : Porting all of them to 3.6.10 or even further builds with its cool possibilities, voiceact them, cutscene them, decide on medal awards for specific missions in the campaigns....
TBP may be final, but actually the medal section itself is not final, it is still WASTELAND, as is the pilots barracks....

We didn't ever do anything that could be final. lol

Ad of now, there is nothing to discuss.

[IPAndrews]

TBP may be final, but actually the medal section itself is not final

The medal section is final along with everything else. Mods using the mod directory system are fine as they don't casually break multiplayer and TBP's cross campaign compatability. Anything else, especially things which modify tables, regardless of which table, is NOT FINE.

This is for the protection of mission and campaign designers like yourself Skullar!

[Skullar]

Well , I just thought since NOBODY EVER TOUCHED medals, it wouldn't break one's campaign if someone else played with it. I don't need medals anyway.

[IPAndrews]

It won't break anyone's campaign if it uses the mod directory system. If it's a hack to modify the main release then let's face it, you're just ****ING GUESSING as to what damage it might cause. Ignoring the fact that it certainly would cause confusion in multiplayer due to hacked table messges.

Botton line is, the finality of the TBP core is not under discussion.

[terran_emperor]

I never mentioned challenging the finality of TBP Core. I agree that it IS final.

Exppansions are addons to the final version. That what this is supposed to be.

An addon (that uses the mod directory) which is supposed to supplement the core. Not replace it.

People can choose to use or ignore it at their will.

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I must admit, that doing the EA Flight  Wings is fun