[WIP] "Fair Fight" combat re-balance mod.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 12:57:02 AM

Hister wrote:
Hope it's save game compatible?

1.19 is save compatible, only minor XML changes done. Next version will include new modules and that will require a new game to use them.

Hister

Newcomer

Hister

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 1:27:21 AM

OK, thanx.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 3:32:29 AM

Well, to anyone playing this mod, please report any bugs you run into. I can't fully playtest by myself so i must rely on other players to find bugs and problems. Today i ran into a bug in my test game where all expansion disapproval vanished. Unless there is a temple that does just that, something went wrong and i hope it's not due to my code. Anyway, maybe it's just a fluke but if anyone else experienced it, please let me know.

Hister

Newcomer

Hister

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 12:42:07 PM

Haven't played 119 yet but in 118 2 starting retreat cards had some overlapping text.

Thank you for your enthusiastic approach Foraven.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 12:51:54 PM

Hister wrote:
Haven't played 119 yet but in 118 2 starting retreat cards had some overlapping text.

Thank you for your enthusiastic approach Foraven.

Oh that is normal

. Well, i believe when i fixed the Elite missile that did break my savegame; i really need to learn to edit saves si i can look at what is saved in or not so i know for sure what can break saves.

Aureon

Newcomer

Aureon

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 2:39:51 PM

By the way, what's the rationale behind the increased yield for all planets?

Also: -Removed all AI restrictions to build influence improvements (no reason only horatios should use it).

Tbh, those buildings are nearly completely useless except in very select cases. Where they are only mostly useless, because an outpost suffers from ED if it becomes a colony, and it's usually crippling.

It's useful only for defense.

I do think we should rework those buildings, perhaps with trade bonuses added.

Gameslayer989

Dust

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8k4PJy4TyLo9rjLIxZE4g

Gameslayer989

Dust

11 200g2g pts

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 9:49:48 PM

Whilst those buildings can be useless, they can also be useful. The main reason why horatio were the only one's who could use them was because they have stellar guardians. If you have stellar guardians then those influence buildings become INSANELY useful. For example I was playing a custom race with stellar guardians. I had a colony nearby a sophon colony. With the extra influence from the influence buildings I was able to take over that colony without starting a war. 10 turns later and I had controlled that colony, allowing me to rinse and repeat. I was able to take over 4 colonies this way without having to start war and without the AI able to defend.

So situational yes, useless no.

Aureon

Newcomer

Aureon

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 4, 2013, 10:31:06 PM

very, very situational.

The ai should NOT spam-build them, since they cost upkeep, and i don't think the AI knows when to build them at all.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 12:52:46 AM

Aureon wrote:
By the way, what's the rationale behind the increased yield for all planets?

That's something i did early in the mod before i knew other means to improve income. Doesn't affect much in the end, planets can produce way more than the base values once you have pop on them.

Tbh, those buildings are nearly completely useless except in very select cases. Where they are only mostly useless, because an outpost suffers from ED if it becomes a colony, and it's usually crippling.

If you read the notes, i changed how ED works in my mod, so that change makes sense since full blown colonies suffer LESS ED than outposts now.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 2:11:02 AM

Currently working on my next version, will test it tonight and most likely will release it tomorrow if nothing wrong happen. That one will break saves for sure, but as i learned, even the ones that should not break them still have some potential to do so; i need to learn what is really in those saves so i can predict it. Anyway, i'm doing another pass at balancing heroes and making sure the AI use them properly (ie not fill them with useless skills they can't use) . I'm also adding the last few Elite modules that are missing and will edit their icons to make it more obvious what modules are Elite or not.

Prof._von_Calamity

Newcomer

Prof._von_Calamity

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 2:36:06 AM

Hi, Foraven.

Once my existing games are finished, I think that your mod is the first ES mod that I'll be trying. I've been following the progress of your work, and I'm increasingly impressed at the nature and the scope of the changes you've decided to make. I'm unsure if a recent n00b like me (:sarcastic

should be diving into complex mods of the vanilla game, but with the major expansion still a while in the future, I don't feel like waiting for official new content -- or for repairs to official content that are badly needed.

For example? By far, the seriously damaged official implementation of expansion disapproval is the thing about this game that I dislike the most. It's good to see a modder who has a solution to that game-killer.

Much more than getting a bad slate of starting heroes, being choked by ED is presently my #1 cause of the occasional ragequit.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 2:51:45 AM

Prof._von_Calamity wrote:
Hi, Foraven. Once my existing games are finished, I think that your mod is the first ES mod that I'll be trying. I've been following the progress of your work, and I'm increasingly impressed at the nature and the scope of the changes you've decided to make. I'm unsure if a recent n00b like me (:sarcastic should be diving into complex mods of the vanilla game, but with the major expansion still a while in the future, I don't feel like waiting for official new content -- or for repairs to official content that are badly needed.

Took me a long time to get to the ED and Blockades (blockade is also a game breaker, too easy to choke Opponents research with it), but that should finally put balance into this game and make slow and meticulous players more at ease in ES. But like you i await impatiently for the Expansion, lots of new stuff there (and lots of stuff to mod as well lol).

For example? By far, the seriously damaged official implementation of expansion disapproval is the thing about this game that I dislike the most. It's good to see a modder who has a solution to that game-killer. Much more than getting a bad slate of starting heroes, being choked by ED is presently my #1 cause of the occasional ragequit.

Vanilla implementation of it is counter intuitive; to suffer less of it you have to expand faster, it's once your new outposts turn colonies that you are chocked by ED. Expanding fast allow you to game the system and use your new colonies to fuel your research and get all the approval improvements. It's so counter intuitive that even the AI can't cope with it. So glad i finally understood the problem and found how to fix it

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 6:05:54 AM

So far so good, i'm done adding Elite stuff and i did some rebalance to support modules so you have reasons *not to* have them on every designs (:twist

. Several of them received a buff though, in compensation. Tomorrow i will do the chore of adding new icons to all my Elite modules so we can see at glance if they are or not (need to find an easy way to do them, one by one will be too time consuming, oh well sleep help there). Anyway, lots of good stuff for 1.20

Aureon

Newcomer

Aureon

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 11:41:58 AM

well, get a xml editor for any programming language.

If you don't know any, tell me what icons you want to use and i'll edit the file.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 12:25:37 PM

Aureon wrote:
well, get a xml editor for any programming language.

If you don't know any, tell me what icons you want to use and i'll edit the file.

I currently use Notepad++, it does have all kind of features to make XML editing easier. The real chore is editing all those PNG files so they look different than the originals. I'll probably settle to adjust their color, that can be done in batch easily with my Paint.net program. Anyway, it's all going rather well, most of what i wanted is in, just need to do a test game to see if it's flawless.

Hister

Newcomer

Hister

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 2:09:54 PM

I've seen missile barrage card is not consistent with vanila art and it is blurry when clicked on aka becomes bigger. Can this be improved apon?

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 3:08:08 PM

Hister wrote:
I've seen missile barrage card is not consistent with vanila art and it is blurry when clicked on aka becomes bigger. Can this be improved apon?

I know, but it's custom art and i admit i'm not very good at using paint programs. If anyone has the skills to redo them properly i'll be happy to include the new art in my mod.

Edit: I was using window's Paint program, but now i reinstalled Paint.net that is 10 times better. I'll revisit the icons i added and see if i can improve them.

Hister

Newcomer

Hister

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 5:21:16 PM

Very good - that will make this a well rounded mod.

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 5, 2013, 8:02:24 PM

Hister wrote:
Very good - that will make this a well rounded mod.

That's the plan

. Should release my new version today, though my new icons are taking more time to do than expected (art all done, just need to mod each modules so they use them). Unfortunately, i'll be busy for the next few hours so i won't be doing that just yet...

VIPForaven

Newcomer

VIPForaven

Newcomer

11 years ago

Apr 6, 2013, 5:23:55 AM

Seem i won't be able to finish today, tiying lose ends did take me too long and i'm too tired to playtest it. Good news is it's almost ready, and i will be adding 2 new battlecards that cover a hole in the combat cards choices. It's coming soon.