GidMod 4.9.0 |
I hope to have the next version of GidMod up by tomorrow, Saturday at the latest. This version represents a sprint to finish the component tweaks and balancing, as well as the base AI. If this goes well after release, then the next several version will focus on differentiating how each AI designs ships, assembles fleets, focuses research, and eventually handles politics/relations.
Changelog for this version:
v4.9.0 - Increased rate of fire and reduced size for Flak Cannons and Bomblet Missiles. - Increased Bomblet Missile max range. - Corrected my stats for the Wave - Motion Gun (Note: It is still not as powerful as the stock version). - As an experiment, adjusted the appearance of the Meson Blaster bolt to be longer than normal. - Changed population density calculations in Intel defense drag to use percentage of planet capacity filled rather than raw population numbers. - Increased overall effect of Intel defense drag factors. - Added an Organic Tech version of the Medical Bay component. - Added a Temporal Tech version of the Space Yard component. - Added a new tech called Crew Support Systems. This tech is used to increase your Life Support and Crew Quarters component levels. - Further increases to AI research point distribution efficiency to deal with special racial technologies. - Refined AI to deal with having all tech, and No Intel games. - Increased rate of gain for each level of Combat Sensors and Small Combat Sensors. - Double the size of engine components on ships, so that fewer are nessesary for effective speeds. - Tweaked AI Fighter and Troop designs. - Added Small Crystalline Torpedo and Small Seeking Parasite components. -Major change to how engines work: ---There are no longer any limits on how many engines may be on a vehicle. ---All types and categories of engines research out to 61 levels. ---Research costs reduced to take in to account the new research levels. ---All engine and all hulls (including units) have newly recalculated interactions. As hull size goes up, the max speed it can reach goes down, and the more engines you will need to make it go fast. ---Modified the AI research and design systems to take in to account the new engine speed progression. ---All engines provide the same base thrust (10 for ships/drones, 6 for fighters, 1 for troops). ---Each type of engine has a different max thrust it can provide (example of ships/drones): ------14 for Ion Engines ------16 for Contra-Terrene Engines ------18 for Jacketed-Photon Engines ------20 for Quantum Engines ---The thrust from each type of engine maxes out at a different level (example of ships/drones): ------15 for Ion Engines ------25 for Contra-Terrene Engines ------38 for Jacketed-Photon Engines ------53 for Quantum Engines ---The progression rates are such that you will need to decide whether you want to switch to a new tech as soon as possible, or stick with an old tech for a reliable upgrade in speed. ---For instance: The Contra-Terrene Engine provides more thrust than the same level Ion Engine at level 17. Before this point, it provides LESS. ---All engines still gain Supply Storage and Structure through all levels of tech, and all Engine types start at the same base values at tech level 1. ---At maximum tech levels, ships (particularly small ones) can go faster when compaired to stock. ------For example, Frigates go at a speed of about 16 with 3 level 15+ Ion Engines. - Added boarding defense points to the Master Computer to simulate mechanical defenses rather than crew. - Changed the Security Station to provide a percent bonus to defenders rather than boarding defense points. - Extended Emissive, Scattering, and Stealth armors out to the max level of Armor research. - Rebalanced Emissive, Scattering, Stealth, Organic, and Crystalline armor HPs. - Added Small Crystalline and Small Organic armors. - Added the Small Graviton Hellbore weapon. - Changed Small Rocket Pods to be allowed on Troops. - Changed Small Cluster Bombs to be useable against Ships and Bases - Rebalanced Small Shield Generators and Small Phased Shield Generators. - Added a Heavy Vehicle Mount, for really big guns on troops. - Implemented three distinct design types for fighters for the AI: Fighters, Bombers, and Interceptors.
I'll notify of release on this thread, as well as updating the project page.
Re: GidMod 4.9.0
I've got a fresh install of the game, patched to 1.63, and am running version 4.9.1 of the mod. After i start the game though, i find that i cant build colony ships, because the colony modules don't show up on the component list. i was wondering if anyone else has seen this, or am i just missing something?




Re: GidMod 4.9.0
Alrighty, version 4.9.0b is up and running. Give it a try to let me know what you think. Particuarly check for obvious balance issues with components, and if the AI has any glaring holes. Since much of what I'll be doing in the next few versions deals with the AI, I want to catch any errors in it as early as possible.
Yes, I know in this version the AI isn't very differentiated from each other yet. The next several versions focus on making each AI behave differently, starting with research priorities, then ship design, then fleet design, then political/relationship behaviour, and ending up with some miscellanious tweaks here and there (like colony type distribution).
In order to get this as good as possible, I need to know that the base AI presented here is adequate. So, play on!
"Only by being constantly at war with evil in all things, including yourself, can you truely know peace."
Download my mod here: GidMod