Modding question - Can this be done? |
My purchase of the game hinges on this question:
Is it possible to design components with stats based on multiple techs? That is, could I make a generic "Beam Weapon" that had stats dependent on beam weapon damage, beam weapon range, beam weapon miniaturization, beam weapon economization, beam weapon sturdiness, beam weapon power usage, beam weapon penetration, and so on, each one being it's own tech? This way a player can focus on improving certain aspects of technology and try for a certain play style. This would also give room for compact facilities that accomplish multiple goals, or at the very least add miniaturization as an additional way to improve facilities as well as making them more powerful.
A lesser question is that of the idea of power. I think it would be interesting to add to each component a power usage, and other components that provide power. A ship with lots of engines would require lots of power, for example. Or a ship with beam weapons might require 0 ordinance, but require more power than other ships. Is this also possible?
Can use GETL in any formula field
Any field that can accept a formula will allow the GETL function to be used.
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It is possible.
It is definitely possible but it would require a little bit of math.
Example: Let's say you have three factors that determine a weapon's cost. Manufacturing Efficiency, Advanced Weapons Munitions, and Weapon Accuracy Booster. The latter two increase the cost while the first reduces it. You would need to call three variables from each for the three resource types. It would then add cost from the level of Advanced Weapons Munitions and Weapon Accuracy Booster, and subtract cost for your level of Manufacturing Efficiency.
In fact, I think I'm going to go make a test mod and mess around with the weapons to try this idea. I'll post back later on how it goes.
Completed Tests
I've tested the idea and found out it works well. You are able to change any of the numbers for range, damage, supplies used, ect to whatever you want using another tech area and multiple tech areas influincing a single weapon works aswell.
Good to see another ambitious modder
I salute you for seeing the modding potential of this game and asking first. Your question has been answered above by Destroyer224 and it would indeed be very interesting to see this become reality.
One thing to note though: if you want the AI in your mod to fight properly, you will need to dabble in SE V AI programming. But that's after you have the basic tech infrastructure set in place - by then hopefully there'll be more help available on how to write the AI. I hear of one project that's thinking of writing the AI from scratch. Actually, may as well link it.
yeah,
Yeah, edit the planetsizes.txt.................................
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Every great fall begins with a single mistake, YOU just made your's........
That game allow a lot of modding...
It's amazing what can be done in it. Just look at my mod, i have tryied quite a few things already like several tech affecting one component, armor thickness, multiple ship design and an AI that is smarter at making colonies...
Inter-Related Tactical Conversion v 0.54c
Re: Modding question - Can this be done?
Mylon, I had no luck the first try using formulas in the planetsize.txt file. Not sure why but I kept getting an error whenever it tried to compile. Did you get that to work?
On the weapons characteristics. Did you introduce the changes that would apply generically to all weapons or did you go further to require research for each specific type of weapon. From what I could tell it would require adding a fairly complex formula as mentioned above or I assume you could embed this massive formula in the formula.txt file. All the characteristics that is except for size and cost which would most likely be broken up separately.
I have the miniaturization routine working perfectly for all components and facilities. Weapons damage, range, structure seem simple. Sturdiness...I would assume would come in the form of introducing a boost in defense for the component that makes it harder to hit. Power usage is just supply utilization which comes easily as well I think.
About componment and multiple techs dependencies...
One problem i have in my mod is that while making a componment be affected by different techs regardless of level works, there are stats display problems. For exemple, during combat, the stats displayed will be much lower than thoses in the design screen. I've tryied to fix this a few times but nothing have worked so far...
Re: Modding question - Can this be done?
As for ships not displaying the proper stats, I have noticed this as well. When making fighter bays storage size dependent on cargo tech, for example, the cargo size on the ship detail view will be incorrect, though it stores the proper amount.
I fixed part of this in adding the related tech into the requirements. All the stats will be the correct one in the design screen at least. But looking at a particular ship or planet stat will often result in improper display.
It can be done...
It's possible. You'd use the Get_Empire_Tech_Level("Tech Goes Here") in the damage formula. I would probably only use a couple of the areas you mentioned though - too many will be too messy.
Only certain types of components can have functional supply usage (ie power) like engines - so at this time it doesn't look feasible.
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Space Empires Depot | SE:V Balance Mod