Balance Mod v1.01 Available! |

Greetings.
Version 1.01 of the Balance Mod is available - sorry for the minor delay!
You can grab it here:
http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php
Nothing really special about this version other than it works with SE:V v1.20 and fixes a few other items. Note mines are currently always visible - which is a current SE:V bug I think - so that fix is really for the future. Basically your placed mines will improve their cloak ability automatically. It's a micromanagement/AI thing.
Version 1.01 (18 December 2006) ------------------------------- 1. Fixed - Error with AI design for Small Crystalline Fighters 2. Fixed - Error in maximum number of engines for Small Organic Freighter 3. Fixed - Error in supply storage amount for Quantum Engines 4. Fixed - Point-Defense Weapons did not have troops as a valid target type 5. Changed - Increased sight range for Basic Sensors 6. Changed - Existing Mines automatically increase in cloak ability based partly on level of Mines tech area 7. Updated - Settings.txt with new entry from SE:V v1.20 8. Changed - AI will now retrofit more ships at once 9. Updated - AI Scripts

thanks
again, nice work kwok.......hmm, if i find the time i´ll make a request for a promotion to admiral kwok! 

thanks again
whooo, it´s like x-mas is earlier this year 
Satellite bug in BM 1.01?
I've noticed that when my satelites are armed in CSMissile, their range is halved to 80, instead 150 as should it be (and is, when mounted on frigates). Bug?

small weapons
you sure it´s the normal CSMissile and not the small variant??
pretty sure
And in the weapon's spec its range should be 150. But in the battle (or, at least in simulator) is only ca 80.

?
It is actually 16 at full range, however you also have to be aware that missiles take time to reach their target, and if their target is moving away from them..... Then they can fall short.
please
Just design the simplest sat with Capital Missile onboard. Then do the same with frigate. Start the simulator - satelite vs frigate. Then turn the weapons range indicator on. And...?
Suggestion for the next version...
If possible, tell the AI that once it has reached max technology it doesn't need to build research centres anymore...
I usually start with max tech, and after a few years the AI has tens of thousands of research points that would be better served as intel.
The way it works...
I usually start with max tech, and after a few years the AI has tens of thousands of research points that would be better served as intel.
From what i understand from the AI files, the AI don't know it has max tech, it will still queue research centers. Same problem with colony ships, it will still build them even if there is nowhere to send them... I think it would be fairly complicated to code to prevent the AI from building useless stuff...
Inter-Related Tactical Conversion v 0.53

Script... maybe
I usually start with max tech, and after a few years the AI has tens of thousands of research points that would be better served as intel.
From what i understand from the AI files, the AI don't know it has max tech, it will still queue research centers. Same problem with colony ships, it will still build them even if there is nowhere to send them... I think it would be fairly complicated to code to prevent the AI from building useless stuff...
Inter-Related Tactical Conversion v 0.53
While I am NOT well versed in scripting for the AI, it seems that coding it to recognize max tech should be (relativly) easy: (psuedocode)
check area A at max level, if false end function return false;
check area B at max level, if false end function return false;
...
check finalTechArea max level, if false return false if true return true;
To avoid excessive processor use you should probably have a variable hold the resulting value and only check it once per turn.
And let me re-iterate that I know C++, not the silly scripting language used here (which I'm still waiting for documentation / tutorial on).
_______________________
There are 10 types of people in the world:
Those that understand binary, and those that don't.
Ministers
check area A at max level, if false end function return false;
check area B at max level, if false end function return false;
...
check finalTechArea max level, if false return false if true return true;
To avoid excessive processor use you should probably have a variable hold the resulting value and only check it once per turn.
And let me re-iterate that I know C++, not the silly scripting language used here (which I'm still waiting for documentation / tutorial on).
The AI will stop researching on it's own once it run out of research to do. The problem is that building more research centers (or scrapping them) isn't handled by the same minister. There is no link between the building minister and the research one, at least as far as i know.
Inter-Related Tactical Conversion v 0.53

Stupid question
Inter-Related Tactical Conversion v 0.53
Stupid question: Can't you MAKE a link? Or just have the building minister do the check instead?
_______________________
There are 10 types of people in the world:
Those that understand binary, and those that don't.
The missing Link
Stupid question: Can't you MAKE a link? Or just have the building minister do the check instead?
Someone will have to try that, i don't know if there is a way to do so with the scripts we have.
Inter-Related Tactical Conversion v 0.53
Docs
Just FYI, scripting docs were included in the last patch, as a PDF. They aren't the best, but they are there.

Neverending ground combat in BM (WP with PDW)
I´ve posted this as a bug, but this case affects only your mod...
I´ve been making tests with the ground combat simulator, and it seems that the AI is unable to manage large groups of ground units.
GENERAL BUGS/ANNOYANCES:
SEV 5.1.20, Kwok´s BM 1.01
Using groud combat simulator, tactical mode:
1) In a combat involving 80 attackers and 40 defenders:
- 1/3 of troops (the first ones) work normaly and attack.
- 1/3 of troops (placed in the middle, in each side) start spinning around and dance during all combat.
- 1/3 of troops (the ones placed in the back of each side) just freeze and do nothing.
2) In a combat involving 40 attackers and 10 defenders:
- Attackers behave as said before.
- Defenders work normally and attack.
It seems that when units are unable to find a clear path to their target, they just freeze and do nothing. And all troops have 0 crew!
Very annoying, you need a lot of extra troops to win the combat.
BTW, when I tried to make the same tests using strategic combat, nothing happens. Combat finishes after 5 seconds with no casualties in each side.
BM BUG:
1) In a combat involving 80 attackers and 40 defenders AND 2 WP with 2 PDW each:
- 1/3 of troops (the first ones) work normaly and attack.
- 1/3 of troops (placed in the middle, in each side) start spinning around and dance during all combat.
- 1/3 of troops (the ones placed in the back of each side) just freeze and do nothing.
In the end, the active attacking units destroy defending units (active and inactive) and are blasted by the WP that only suffer minor scratches (BTW, isn´t this a bit overpowered? 12 ground units blasted before they even get into range!).
Then, nothing happens. There are no defending ground troops, only 2 static WP. And attackers are just spinning or frozen. When clock reached 35 minutes, I had to exit the game.
This happened to me with the ground simulator, but I wonder if this bug can screw PBW games.
re
I want to suggest a little improvement:
AI fleets are moving too much, so they are running out of fuel. It seems that they try to proctect more then one warppoint with a fleet, but this isn't working.
In fact, the ai must use more solar sails or quantum reactors, and she must protect warppoints withe ONE fleet, that isn't moving all the time...is there any way to build starbases at critical positions? so they AI can use ships for attacks.




thank you
nice to see this, very nice