IMPACX MOD Descussions - Page 2

Impaler[WrG] · March 25, 2004, 06:17

Efficiency Imunities mean that Police state and Planned are chossen 90+% of the time by the Hive player, I want to remove all such Imunites because they are one of the core reasons the Hive is overpowered.

As for nerfing the overpowered factions thats a lot easier to do then to bring up every other faction to the Hives level.

At transendi its only 40 Credits to take a SE choice, not a huge amount in the long run and as far as I know it cant be adjusted in the Alpha (if so I would incresse it a lot). Also I gave all Factions 50 Credits to start with and incressed Base energy output even the Hive can make credits now and they make even more with Tanks.

I also though of giving the HeadQuaters a negative Maintance so that it will generate a few credits for you in the early game.

And yes Secrets do reward the tec leader but thats the whole point, if we removed everything that rewarded the tec leader then the game would be very borring.

As I said earlier download the thing and try it out before you start complaining about it.

Mart · March 25, 2004, 13:45

Such game would be great for all 7 human controlled faction.
I do not mind much long times between turns. DG is worth of that

Impaler[WrG] · March 26, 2004, 10:29

Ok I just finished playing a VERY long Thinker gameas the Morganites on the Huge Map of Planet with my new Mod.

I was VERY pleased with the tec slowdown effect, using Democracy, FreeMarket and Knowlage and 50% Labs I just managed to get Research down to 7 years at the end of the game (had been 12 most of the game). I did cashed a large number of Alien Artifacts though and got a few free Tecs off the Planetary Datalinks but this only shows that the AI was staying in the tec Race even if they were always behind. AI's were benifiting greatly from the 2 labs per base bonus and even with 0% Labs I still put out about 100 labs a turn (vs 800-1000 with 50%, for the AI's it was probly half their output). Tec Costs are realy stagering ofcorse, I was still solidly Mid game with Costs of 10,000+

A number of the Tecnology changes also helped slowdown overly powerfull tecs, for example Air Power is occuring much later.

I won an Economic Victory which is a first for me, it took 6000 Credits and then no one attacked me for 20 years (except for Planet ofcorse). High Maintence costs on my facilites was keeping me from making too much money and the Interest didnt seem too powerfull. When I finaly got the Planetary Energy Grid I when 80% Econ and make 600 Credits a Year and saved up till I had the nessary Credits. Interest for Morgan on 6000 Credits is 240 Credits a Year (120 for the other factions). It seemed that the Interest was helping the AI as it likes to save credits, at one Point Miriam was ahead in wealth but then spent it Mind Controling some Spartan Bases.

Another observation, the Morgans FreeAbility Fungacidal Tanks did not imediatly aply to all my formers as I though it would, instead I had to design an upgrade. But Fungacidal was not one of the ability choices so I made Trance Formers which costed only 3 rows. When I upgraded my formers to this new standard at 30 Credits a Piece they all recived Fungacidal Tanks (though the tank Graphic did not get added) and began removing Fungus Double speed (I cleaned out nearly the whole Continent). It would seem this is how all FreeAbilites work, I had been under the impression that they got added to all your units imediatly.

Another Observation, the Mass Industrial Complex (Bulk Matter Transmiter renamed) seems to be giving me +50% Minerals in all bases rather then the stated +2 Minerals in each base. I have rairly ever built this project in single Player as it occures so late in the game but has anyone else observed this to be the effect of the Project? If so I will have to reconsider its placement in the Tec Tree.

Lastly I had another little Idea with regard to the Belivers, I gave them a +25% Defence Modifier to balace the +25% offence. It seems logical that Fanatisim should give them a bonus in defence too right? Also I am considering Free Recreation Commons for them as well.

mloeschenkohl · March 29, 2004, 17:02

is the manifold nexus landmark hardcoded? can you change it so there are multiple ones with different bonuses? they may work like resources in civ3 then.

Jamski · March 29, 2004, 18:49

Impaler, this woud probably be great for SP, but for a DG, we need a faster game, not a slower game. 7 turn techs in the end game is about 2-3 months per tech

-Jam

Satyagraha · March 29, 2004, 20:24

hm, what about a special mod for democracy games, that will actually *reduce* techs, buildings, etc, optimized to play fast games on small maps? may be hard to balance, but probably worth it...

Trithemius · March 29, 2004, 20:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Satyagraha
hm, what about a special mod for democracy games, that will actually *reduce* techs, buildings, etc, optimized to play fast games on small maps? may be hard to balance, but probably worth it...

Reducing tech costs would tend to favour those factions with +Research modifiers, and I think these factions already get a pretty good run of things.

Satyagraha · April 1, 2004, 11:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Trithemius
Reducing tech costs would tend to favour those factions with +Research modifiers, and I think these factions already get a pretty good run of things.

i meant reducing the number of techs, buildings, weapons etc. to keep the pace the same & still make it shorter.

Impaler[WrG] · April 4, 2004, 04:43

Latest thoughts and changes

As I was reading some opinions on Biology Labs in Jamski's Facility guide I realized that no one do I never build them it seems no one else dose either. Hense I have desided to give them a bost.

Cost was reduced to 4 rows, maintance remains 1 and Prerequisite changed to Centauri Ecology. The new cost means that a Biology Lab will now be adsactly half the cost and maintance of a Net Node (yes I incressed their maintance to 2) and will give 2 labs which would be equal to a Net Node if 4 raw Energy is going to labs. Most bases wont put that much to labs untill their atleast size 5 so for a good streatch the Biology lab will be the superior tec facility.

And whial I was at it I figured why not give the Gaians this new beefy Biology Lab as a FreeFacility. They will benifit greatly from the +1 lifecycle and their early game reserch will get a great bost helping to balance the delay in their ability to capture and use mindworms (cant get higher then 0 Planet rating untill Green Econ or Manifold).

Another idea that struck me was to alter the Brood Pit, basicaly remaking it into the "Police Station" (open to sugjestions for a better more futuritic name). Will greatly reduce cost/maintance to something on between a Hologram Theather and a Rec Commons and try to make it a viable alternative to these Drone Pacifiers. It will also help make it easier to get into wars under SE setting that would normaly make that hard. The native life effects would be side bonuses that likly wont come into play most of the time. Also think I will change the Prerequiste to Doc Loyalty, some of the other Doc Loyalty stuff might move as a result.

GeneralTacticus · April 4, 2004, 04:45

Re: Biology labs... wtf? I know I certainly build them; an extra 2 research per base can be quite handy when you have a lot of them.

GeoModder · April 4, 2004, 06:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG]
Another idea that struck me was to alter the Brood Pit, basicaly remaking it into the "Police Station" (open to sugjestions for a better more futuritic name).

Figures, I'm doing this trick already quite some time when modding.

'Police Station' is shortest, I once played with the idea of calling it 'Security Station' or 'Anti-crime Post'.

Illuminatus · April 4, 2004, 13:05

Facility that gives +2 police so early? This would be to good to believe- move it up a bit!

Trithemius · April 5, 2004, 03:02

Quote:

Originally posted by GeoModder
'Police Station' is shortest, I once played with the idea of calling it 'Security Station' or 'Anti-crime Post'.

What about Security Nexus. That seems to be what they call the central control for the monitoring systems on the Unity in Journey to Alpha Centuari?

Someone needs to come up with a better reason for the +2 Lifecycle bonus though, unless it can just be removed?

Trithemius · April 5, 2004, 03:04

Quote:

Originally posted by obstructor
Facility that gives +2 police so early? This would be to good to believe- move it up a bit!

Perhaps it could go in with the tech that grants the Self-Aware Colony SP? The Security Nexus (I like the name okay

) could be a lesser form of the SAC.

GeoModder · April 5, 2004, 03:39

Or with intellectual integrity or Cyberethics, the techs are a related to the non-lethal methods ability or, in case of Cyberethics, it could resemble a 'big brother' watching office 'manned' by computers.

Impaler[WrG] · April 5, 2004, 08:50

Security Station sounds good to me, atleast better then Police Station. Want to avoid Nexus as that could be confused the the Comand Nexus.

As for the Life Cycle Bonus I guess we just say that the highly trained police make good candidates for fusion with Mind worms and other native life. Perhaps some further work on the name would help to indicate that?

I dont think they need to be moved that Hight up in the tec tree, remember I want to make them an alternative to HoloTheathers. If Doc Loyalty is too low then I would look to Intilectual Integrity or some other mid game tec.

Also side note, moved BioMachinery to After rather then before HomoSuperior to delay the incredible power of Pop Booming. As you can Pop Boom only under Golden Ages pre Future Engingering. This project thus becomes even more valuable (and it was already very powerfull).

Aditional idea, Move Planetary Transit System to Ecological Enginering (or something else around that level).

GeoModder · April 5, 2004, 08:57

No real need to move the tech (bio-engineering). The SP itself is sufficient, for instance to 'Secrets of Creation' or 'The Will To Power'.

Trithemius · April 5, 2004, 09:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG]
Security Station sounds good to me, atleast better then Police Station. Want to avoid Nexus as that could be confused the the Comand Nexus.

But nexus is already used as terminology. Why not resuse it?

Quote:

As for the Life Cycle Bonus I guess we just say that the highly trained police make good candidates for fusion with Mind worms and other native life. Perhaps some further work on the name would help to indicate that?

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww

Impaler[WrG] · April 5, 2004, 09:43

Problem is that the Cloning Vats is the ONLY thing that BioEnginering dose so if it gets moved to a differnt tec then BioEnginering would become an empty tec. Seems simpler to move the whole tec to the desired spot in the tree then to move the project and then have to juggle someththing else in to fill the tec.

Impaler[WrG] · April 13, 2004, 10:41

Ok here are some massive changes to Industy and some of the most powerfull tecs in the game.

I tried to create and Industrial ladder similar to the Centauri tecnologies. It interacts heavily with concour, Discover tecs but has few connections to any of the green explore tecs.

The idustrial Ladder will consist of the following in assending order.

Industrial Base
Industrial Economics
Industrial Extraction (new)
Industrial Automation
Industrial Alchemy (new)
Industrial NanoRobotics

Industrial Base
Prerequisites - None
Leads too - Super Conductor, High Engery Chemistry, Industrial Economics
Facilities - None
Projects - Merchant Exchange
Military - Synthmetal armor
Terraforming - Mine

Industrial Economics
Prerequisites - Industrial Base & Doctorine Flexibility
Leads too - Cooperative Economics, Environmental Economics, Industrial Extration
Facilites - Energy Bank
Social - FreeMarket

Industrial Extraction
Prerequisites - Industrial Economics & Planetary Networks
Leads too - Doctorine Initiative, Nural Grafting, Industrial Automation
Facilites - Hab Complex
Social - Wealth
Other - Lifts mineral Restrictions

Industrial Automation
PreRequisites - Industrial Extraction & Super Conductor
Leads too - Retroviral Enginering & Industrial Alchemy
Military - Suppy Cralwer (cost incressed to 5 rows)
Terraforming - Bore Hole

Industrial Alchemy
PreRequisites - Industrial Automation & Fusion
Leads too - Industrial NanoRobotics
Secret Projects - Mass Industrial Complex (Bulk Matter transmiter renamed, provides +50% minerals in all bases)
Facilites - Robotic Assembly Plant

Industrial NanoRobotics
PreRequisites - NanoMiniturization & Industrial Alchemy
Leads too - Frictionless Surfaces & Digital Sentience
Secret Projects - Nano Factory

This is the general plan, it should hopefully make industry a bit more challenging and interesting thoughout the game. I will be quite hard to bee-line strait to crawlers as is usaly the first thing everyone dose. Other options become more realistic now. The planetary Transit system has been moved to Ecological Enginering to balance its losses and help Green oriented players with their population output.

Thoughts coments?

Illuminatus · April 13, 2004, 10:48

Why is Flexibility prereq for IndEco?

Impaler[WrG] · April 13, 2004, 12:30

Just to spread around the interdependences and slow down Bee-lining, also seems to fit with the "creating an economy from top to bottom out of whole cloth" seems that would require you to be flexible

It also bumpts up Industrial Econ to level 3 because Flex is a level 2, note that Flex now requires Mobility and Ecology so your going to want to focus on getting the bottom 7 tecs wraped up before moving up.

Also another idea, get rid of Aplied Relitivity, move the SuperColider to SuperString and move Fusion into the gap opened by Relitivity. Move the blurb by Morgan "you Ivory tower intilectuals must not forget about the world of Economic growth and Hard Currency..." to the new Industrial Alchemy tec.

FlameFlash · April 13, 2004, 23:11

Well, that's about my thoughts on this subject... Was there ever an official decision as to what rules we're going to be using, if any, or is that still in the wings?

GeoModder · April 14, 2004, 00:17

These are not the rules or alpha.txt the next DG will use, FlameFlash. This is just (well just

) Impaler's thread for his new mod.

Impaler[WrG] · April 14, 2004, 04:59

Yes though I ofcorse think it would be fun to use my Mod it looks douptfull it would even be finished in time and I got a lot of resistence to to Alpha.txt editing from the rest of the comunity (which is a shame considering how much the game can be improved).

So just coment on how much you like or dislike the proposed changes. I will upload an updated Alphax soon so you can try out the changes for yourself.

GeneralTacticus · April 14, 2004, 05:07

Just something that should be noted regarding Doc: Flex - it's a military doctrine, based on co-ordinating forces through control of the sea. It has nothing to do with flexibility in general.

Impaler[WrG] · April 20, 2004, 13:45

Perhaps Polymorphic Software then?

Oh and I have started working on some new Facility and tec pictures to go along with the Mod. Unfortunatly I cant make a .pcx file all I can do is work in Paint.

If someone could convert this file into .pcx and upload it here for me I would most apreshiate it. Its a simple fusion of the Dome shape from Childrens Creech and a Fist from the Astetic Virtures (elarged 25%) it replaces the Brood Pit so rename it xfac035 and slip it into your AC folder under Facilites (back up your original first) and have a look at it and tell me what you think.

GeoModder · April 20, 2004, 13:50

Can't upload, so I mail it... NOW!

Impaler[WrG] · April 20, 2004, 14:16

Thanks Geo, it works perfectly

What do you think of it on an an artistic level?

With the BroodPit/Security station avalible at Doc Loyalty I think it might be good to make Perimeriter Defence an unrestricted facility so everyone can build it right from the start, seems logical that you would be able to build something so obvius. This shouldnt effect combat much as most players already have access to them by the time fighting starts.

GeoModder · April 20, 2004, 18:35

Artistically (and as posted in the mail):

It is fitting, I think.

As for the PD: if it is so obvious it could be build from the start, one can also state that it is so obvious that anyone has it as a free facility.