Extreme Social Factors

Yxklyx · February 15, 2002, 00:30

So it looks like SMAC is not able to deal with some of the newly possible high Social Factor settings introduced in SMAX. The maximum possible Planet in the original game was 5 (Gaian,Green,Cybernetic) and it looks from some limited testing on my part that anything over 5 is handled wrong. Likewise, the maximum Probe rating in SMAC was 5 (Believers,Fundamentalist,Though Control) so I expect anything over 5 is also handled wrong. Has anyone here experimented with these high values? I'm interested in creating some new factions and don't want to run into any problems. Does the Brood Pit push the Police Rating over the edge too?

Sikander · February 15, 2002, 06:17

I know that the probe rating can get pushed over the limit. What happens is the typical rollover effect, where the total probe immunity becomes total probe vulnerability. I suspect similar effects occur for the other factors.

aaglo · February 15, 2002, 06:33

It might be easy to test those overflowing SE-settings by using custom factions. I have played sometimes a faction with +7 (IIRC) effiency, and it seems to work fine. But that's a bit different setting than for example PROBE, POLICE, SUPPORT, MORALE or ECONOMY; because those are not 'linear' factors. INDUSTRY, GROWTH, PLANET, RESEARCH and EFFIC are linear factors (1 unit equals 10% of change).

There might be differences, I don't know. I'll have to try them out.

Yxklyx · February 15, 2002, 09:56

I tested Industry and Police using the Drones and Spartans with the Scenario Editor. I didn't see any ill effects. Industry bonus maxes out at 50% (industry 6) - Police works just fine (police 7 using Brood Pit).

I still have questions about the probe rollover effect. As I understand the game you never have total probe immunity unless you have the HSA SP. You only get immunity from mind control (bases & units) when you hit probe 3 and as far as I could tell that still works for higher probe ratings.

wheathin · February 15, 2002, 12:27

There was a thread about this late last year. IIRC, the following was revealed (goin' from memory):

All SE choices are capped at their maxes. I.e. +7 Research gives 50% bonus and no more; you can't grow faster than Pop Boom, etc.

EXCEPT:
Probe: rolls over from +3 to total vulnerability. You NEVER want Probe more than +3.
Planet: although mindworm capture (and I think eco damage/worm outbreaks) is capped, the Psi bonus keeps accumulating at 10% per +PLANET.
Efficiency: above +4, you get Paradigm Economy for allocation and inefficiency losses, and the b-drone limits keep rising.