This is a work in progress, it will likely be a few months before a release version is available.



Endless Tendencies



After reading an insightful comment on how little traits effect game play and the vastly greater impact the tech tree plays I decided to tackle the problem, also into the mix I have other personal balance concerns I have run into while playing multiplayer.







MOD Outline







[HR][/HR]Pictures!!!

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Mod Development



As you can see this is likely going to be a huge undertaking, also I tend to work best when I can bounce ideas off people, so I am looking for others to join in this project.



Team Needed:



Below are the proposed team positions, along with information on what positions need to be filled:

[*=1]Creative Director(Nycidian)

[INDENT=2]Keeping track of all ideas, creating a possible concept and planning a way to get there. Keeping track of all applied changes, necessary future changes and making sure the mod stays in a clean state (where everything can be understood in a matter of a few sentences).

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[*=1]Head Programmer (???)

[INDENT=2]I can fill this position but I wouldn't mind someone with more experience taking the position.

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[*=1]AI Programmer (???)

[INDENT=2]I will eventually need someone to help here, otherwise this mod may never be good for anything beyond MP.

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[*=1]Programming Support (Multiple?)

[INDENT=2]With multiple Tech Trees this is going to either take allot of time or a few people.[/INDENT]

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Thank you for your time, and feel free to comment.

It sounds like you will have a large number of different technologies, many of which are unavailable to one particular player because of the tendency he chose. Will the tech tree show all of the unavailable ones? (Will this be very cluttered?)

davea wrote:
It sounds like you will have a large number of different technologies, many of which are unavailable to one particular player because of the tendency he chose. Will the tech tree show all of the unavailable ones? (Will this be very cluttered?)

It's relatively easy to implement completely different or even combined tech trees based on traits (with unavailable techs hidden). Hupa actually pioneered that, as far as I can tell. The hard part will be, if you can "mix and match" traits that grant technologies, keeping the ones that are unlocked from interfering with each other.



I.e. if one race gets "chaotic" and "good" traits, each with unique techs, and one race gets "chaotic" and "evil" traits - if the techs unlocked by "good" and "evil" traits are in the same area, you're good to go. But if you later add a "libertarian" trait that unlocks techs in the same area as the "chaotic" trait does, you're going to have trouble with overlapping techs. I don't think anyone's discovered or even looked into dynamic technology positioning. So it all comes down to EXTREMELY careful design, but it's definitely doable. This could turn out interesting, at minimum, and could even have a more 'dynamic' feel to it than Endless Dream's fully custom, but static, race-based techs.

It sounds amazing, but please don't let "Endless X" become the base template for mod names like how 90% of all minecraft mods are called either "Xcraft" or "The X mod".

As said above, its fairly easy to exclude techs based on affinities or traits etc...



This would exclude a tech if you had blockade breakers.



[CODE]

!$(TraitEconomy07)

[/CODE]



As for planning, I don't have it 100% yet but the idea is too have two intertwined tech trees one that's a base shape at each odd interval 1,3,5, etc, this will be for the unique "Tendency Trees." The "Tech Branches" will be at even slots and likely a bit tricky but since I don't have to worry about Tendencies interfering with each other or the branches it makes it a bit easier.





Its possible I may have the secondary tech trees be exclusionary as well, do perhaps 3 exclusionary branch sets per trunk type (exploration & expansion, etc...) this would allow for one major tree and three intertwined branches for each separate trunk, meaning even with a huge amount of control your looking at allot of possibilities.

Nycidian wrote:
As said above, its fairly easy to exclude techs based on affinities or traits etc...



This would exclude a tech if you had blockade breakers.



[CODE]

!$(TraitEconomy07)

[/CODE]



As for planning, I don't have it 100% yet but the idea is too have two intertwined tech trees one that's a base shape at each odd interval 1,3,5, etc, this will be for the unique "Tendency Trees." The "Tech Branches" will be at even slots and likely a bit tricky but since I don't have to worry about Tendencies interfering with each other or the branches it makes it a bit easier.

Tweaking the 'shape' of the tech trees can get tricky sometimes - I've had to develop a sort of notation for drawing diagrams in order to get it right. If you PM me I can tell you a little about my process (but I want you to tell me something in return!)

Thank you, but I already have that no problem.



Once you figure out the x axis is circular and an increasing length arc as you increase along the y, and that they do the +/- opposite of what you are use too its very simple (mind you this is for the Science trunk it could well change a bit for others).

I figured you did! (wasn't trying to sound patronizing or anything - sorry if it came off in any way like that)



I meant more UML-like diagrams for designing tech unlocks/positions/dependencies and how various racial/universal techs merge together - it's the engineer in me . For example, I run with 7 'branches' at X= -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, and 3, and alternating branches use either Y=1.5,3,4.5,6.... or Y=2,3.5,5,6.5... . If you map the technology quadrant you're developing to a 7x9 grid you can work out dependencies and positions before you even touch XML.



Since *everyone* is new to Endless Space modding at this point, we're going to be the guys who develop design patterns and tactics for working with the game. *HOW* we mod may end up being just as important as *WHAT* we mod.

You could include traits that are enhanced by a players technology?



Like science traits that start small, but are boosted with every technology, or Influence traits that are affected by diplomacy, technology, galaxy wide population, number of ships and such.



you know stuff that gains power as you move through the game, a reflection of your power if you will.

Igncom1 wrote:
You could include traits that are enhanced by a players technology?



Like science traits that start small, but are boosted with every technology, or Influence traits that are affected by diplomacy, technology, galaxy wide population, number of ships and such.



you know stuff that gains power as you move through the game, a reflection of your power if you will.

That's a possibility it would probably have to be invisible/hidden tech unlocks, actually wouldn't be hard at all just time consuming. One of the Tendencies I already have as a choice, Technocrat might be a good for something like that but self reenforcing traits tend to be bad, i.e. science begets more science, etc. What I was thinking is with the Technocrats Tendency for every unlocked tech you gain a very small bonus amount of industry.



Might be interesting.

thashepherd wrote:
I figured you did! (wasn't trying to sound patronizing or anything - sorry if it came off in any way like that)



I meant more UML-like diagrams for designing tech unlocks/positions/dependencies and how various racial/universal techs merge together - it's the engineer in me . For example, I run with 7 'branches' at X= -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, and 3, and alternating branches use either Y=1.5,3,4.5,6.... or Y=2,3.5,5,6.5... . If you map the technology quadrant you're developing to a 7x9 grid you can work out dependencies and positions before you even touch XML.



Since *everyone* is new to Endless Space modding at this point, we're going to be the guys who develop design patterns and tactics for working with the game. *HOW* we mod may end up being just as important as *WHAT* we mod.

Sounds like you have some time you would like to volunteer to the mod?



If your interested in joining the team we can talk in pm's a bit more but I do want people that are willing to give a small amount of dedication. I would rather not waste my time getting someone up to speed and informed only to have them bail in a week or two.

Nycidian wrote:
That's a possibility it would probably have to be invisible/hidden tech unlocks, actually wouldn't be hard at all just time consuming. One of the Tendencies I already have as a choice, Technocrat might be a good for something like that but self reenforcing traits tend to be bad, i.e. science begets more science, etc. What I was thinking is with the Technocrats Tendency for every unlocked tech you gain a very small bonus amount of industry.



Might be interesting.

Indeed, I had not though of the implications of a science boosting science thing.



Would love to see a way for the uses of influence to be expanded, as a political intrigue sort of thing over the hit tv show 'space has got talent' converting the cravers.

Influence currently is great if you either are playing the computer or against a player who isn't EW.



The problem is sometimes up to half your opponents in MP are EW because, at the moment, the game favors all out war, were that to change then influence could be very interesting.



For example "Mutual Understanding" (5% max damage per ally) is OK but I think would work much better to encourage diplomacy to have a similar trait that gave 5% increased defense per cooperation treaty and make cooperation treaties very low on a tech tree for a peaceful Tendency.

Update:



Making some decent progress:



[TABLE="class:grid,width:1636"] Code Change File(s) Status Todo @T:00001 Reorganize Base Tech Trees TechnologySciences.xml Working Everything @T:00002 Double Resource Costs Registry.xml:StarSystemDescriptor.xml:ShipDescriptor.xml:FactionTrait.xml: Food pop increase; Done? Food pop cost;done:Fleet dust Maintanance;Done:Starting Dust;Done Ship upgrade cost?: Improvement Cost: Research Cost: Hero Costs: @T:00003 Double Planetary Resources PlanetDescriptor.xml Done @T:00004 Adjust Anomaly Resources Not Started @T:00005 Fix Tech Traits Not Started @T:00006 Add Trait "Masters of Preservation" FactionTrait.xml:EmpireTraitDescriptor.xml:Localization_Locales.xml Done @T:00007 Add Tendency Traits FactionTrait.xml:EmpireTraitDescriptor.xml:Localization_Locales.xml 5 Types add more later: Working @T:00008 Add Tendency Trait Group Localization_Locales.xml Done @T:00009 Add Combat Trait Group Localization_Locales.xml Done @T:00010 Change Traits to New Categories FactionTrait.xml:EmpireTraitDescriptor.xml:Localization_Locales.xml Done @T:00011 Change Fearless Warriors to be percent based Not Started @T:00012 Change Population to Expansion Trait Group Localization_Locales.xml Done Change "Diplomats" to a better name Not Started Add Trait "Deffensive Pacts?" Defensive verioson of mutual understanding but at cooperation Not started Change "The Price of Beauty" to more generic name Not Started Change Building to Engineering Trait Group Not Started Fix Tolerant Not Started @T:00018 Add LifeForm Traits FactionTrait.xml:EmpireTraitDescriptor.xml:Localization_Locales.xml Working @T:00019 Enable LifeFormTraits FactionTrait.xml:EmpireTraitDescriptor.xml:Localization_Locales.xml Working

[/TABLE]











And added a few more projects





[TABLE="class:grid,width:1433"] Plans Status Notes Notes Add more maluses to Diplomacy Not Started Add more Traits/Maluses to Science Not Started Change / Fix Tolerant Not Started Tolerant needs to be fixed in tech for trait category changes Every colonize tech needs a tolerant version Rework Heroes Not Started Rename Affinities Not Started Add more low point and non 5/10 point Traits/Maluses Not Started

[/TABLE]









This above is just a quick copy paste of some personal notes, but should give an idea on my progress.

[HR][/HR]New Projects



Life Forms:



You will be able choose what type of life you are, this will change what order you learn colonize and transformation tech for planets it will also change what resources/population you get from each type of planet.



I will first be adding life forms that reflect current affinities in the game but after that life forms such as Jovians, and others people think of, will be added.



Star Tech Tree:



When reorganizing tech trees I found that to distribute the techs evenly 5 trunks is better instead of 4, so I will be doing so.



[TABLE="class:grid,width:995"] Trunk Offense Defense Fids Hero Class Other Industry Missiles Regeneration Ind Admin Ship Construct Communications Laser Flak Dust Bureaucrat Trade Exploration Move Armor Food Pioneer Melee Defense Applied Sciences Kinetics Shield Science Innovator Influence/Detection Logistics CP Deflection Appr Commander Melee Offense Psychology, Computer programs

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Hero changes:



I MAY be able to change how the hero classes work if so I will be implementing a previous proposal.



/#/endless-space/forum/28-game-design/thread/11230-hero-classes-rework-wip





Thank you for reading, and again I really could use some help even if only things like ideas for Life Forms and and planetary preference.

[HR][/HR]As a side note, do not try to rename Tolerant, as far as I can tell there is no way to access what the following refers too, to change its name:



[CODE]ColonizeTundraWithColonizeTraitScience03[/CODE]



I found this out when I was reorganizing Traits and renaming them to stay consistent with my new organization. I ended up having to leave Tolerant as is, and just change the group name.

Sounds like a good plan. I wish you luck.

Added a picture of the shape of the main Tech Trunks, More techs and connections will be added once I integrate Life Forms, Tendencies and Trait Tech Branches.

The Omega Team is still Looking for members, our current projects are this one Endless Tendencies and Heroes Reborn which will be incorporated into Endless Tendencies.