Balance mode

The word is "mod" (short for "modification"), not "mode". Making a mod is "modding", which is the keyword one uses to find the instructions for making mods in the PDF manual. The unmodded version of the game is usually referred to as the "stock" game, when one needs to differentiate them.

Kwok's Balance Mod (abbreviated "BM") is one of the most popular mods that try to improve the AI's performance. (Basically, the stock AI doesn't give much of a challenge to a lot of people.)

One of the ways that Balance Mod does this is to make some changes to the tech tree. Someone who's more familiar with BM should expand on the details; I haven't actually played a game with it yet, so I can't tell you much more than that.

capnq

"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.

Best is just to install it. Get the balance mod at www.captainkwok.net
You install it in your 'gametypes' directory.

Mod's are made by other players and strive to change & improve the general game.

Playing differnt mod's also adds some variaty to your games

~Myrath

Kwok's BM does seem to have the best AI around. My only gripe is that his tech chart is too limited for my tastes. Great for shorter games but not great for epic games. Not a really big deal, AI has been my biggest complaint in the vanilla game.

Try the mod with high tech cost. It'd take considerable effort and time to research more than 50% of the tech tree assuming you don't ride tech trade treaties the whole time.

Space Empires Depot | SE:V Balance Mod

Thanks again.