Re: Balance Mod v1.04 Available!
 

Did you alter the mod in anyway?

Re: Balance Mod v1.04 Available!
 

try reinstalling BM?

Re: Balance Mod v1.04 Available!
 

No, I don't think I have. I can try reinstalling today.

Re: Balance Mod v1.04 Available!
 

I don't know. I reinstalled, but it is still doing it.

Hrm...

Re: Balance Mod v1.04 Available!
 

Okay, I completely deleted it and it seems to be working again. Problem solved.

Re: Balance Mod v1.04 Available!
 

I apologize for the delay. I'm just fiddling around with a few changes in the scripts that I need to finish and test before I can post v1.05. Originally the patch was to be released on Monday so I undertook a few changes to research and construction that were going to take Fri/Sat to work out. The research part is done, but the construction script needs to be debugged. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Greetings!

I've finally posted v1.05 of the Balance Mod for download. There were a few items I needed to resolve with the AI scripts before I could post, which was the main source of the delay.

Note that this version is not save game compatible with previous versions. It will extract to a new folder labeled 'Balance Mod v105+', which will be the default location for future save game compatible versions.

You can grab the download here:
http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
Version 1.05 (25 March 2007)
----------------------------

1. Changed - Increased cost for Chemistry tech area
2. Changed - Increased cost for Physics tech area
3. Changed - Increased cost for Industry tech area
4. Changed - Slight increase to Depleted Uranium Cannon damage amount
5. Changed - Added ordnance usage to Planetary Napalm
6. Fixed - Error in Planet Combat Defense Modifier
7. Fixed - Some levels of Biological Weapons did not give any results
8. Changed - Reduced number of tech levels for Biological Weapons
8. Changed - Increased cost for Plasma Missiles tech area
9. Fixed - Fighter combat speeds were not adjusted for new engine system
10. Fixed - Error in damage amount for Massive Weapon Platform Mount
11. Changed - Increased cost for Military Science tech area
12. Changed - Torpedo Weapons now requires Military Science level 3
13. Changed - Ship Capture now requires Military Science level 2
14. Changed - Reduced cost of Supply and Ordnance Storage components
15. Fixed - Error in Combat To Hit penalty for Space Stations
16. Changed - Increased maximum speed for all Carrier ships
17. Changed - Decreased and ground damage and range for Point-Defense Weapons
18. Fixed - Error in range for Point-Defense Blaster
19. Fixed - Massive Ship mount should require a ship of 1250kT or larger
20. Changed - Point-Defense and some small weapons can now target Mines in combat
21. Updated - Incorporated FQM Beta 8 components in the Balance Mod
22. Updated - Improved AI construction queue purchasing
23. Updated - Enhanced AI diplomacy with less static treaties and responses
24. Added - Introduced fear modifier in AI diplomacy
25. Fixed - A few errors in anger levels used to determine diplomatic responses
26. Updated - AI will prioritize tech area research during times of war
27. Added - Construction Yard colony type for the AI
28. Fixed - AI was not adding Ordnance Storage for Carriers
29. Fixed - AI was not scrapping ships
30. Updated - AI Scripts
</pre><hr />

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Is there something in here that will prevent the AI from doing stuff during a missed PBW turn?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Under ministers, there is an option that is on by default for the AI to play in the player's absence.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Thank you very much, Captain Kwok. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Greetings.

I'll be away for a few days - with no access to a computer/internet. I'll be back on Thursday night.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I've added Balance Mod 1.05+ support to PBW.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Boy, I'm glad another version of the mod came out. After I installed the 1.33 patch, I got a surprise when I tried to install the 1.04 balance mod. I was really getting used to it, and had to start a brand new game using the stock parameters. Can't wait to try this one out.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Just an fyi - I'm back. Probably take a couple of days to get caught up on everything.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I gather it now includes FQM. The new planets and storms appear nice.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I started a new game with version 1.05 and so far no major problems. The AI seems quite efficient.
Good work Kwok!

Some small observations:

1.) Treaty proposals by the AI are very frequent: In a game with 15 AI empires I get 3-4 treaty proposals (including from empires I already have a treaty) per turn, which seems too much IMO.
2.) An AI, which is at war with me, is proposing a treaty which includes only the non-aggression, but without specification (neutral systems, all systems, colonization allowed). Has such a treaty any effect at all?
3.) Combat reports are quite often included in the treaty proposals and I accepted this with several AI empires. Now I get several times the same combat report about my own combats in the log. As I doubt the AI gets any benefit from combat reports, you might exclude this point from the AI treaty proposals.

Thank you for your work!

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

There should be about a 1-in-5 chance for a treaty proposal to be made if you don't have a treaty in place and about a 1-in-20 chance for changes to a treaty. But I guess with 15 players, there's the potential for a lot of chatting. I wonder though if the 1-in-5 new treaty chance is being checked even if there is a treaty in place... hmm...

That non-aggression treaty would be broken. It also means I have a small error in that script. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

I included combat reports because I tried to include all elements in the AI's routine that players might want. You may consider revising your treaties not to have combat reports if it's too much info for you - which I suspect it would in a 15-player game.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Yes I must say I actually had one of those just one more turn moments last night, well actually about 30 of them. Good job to Captain Kwok and Fyron your additions have added a tremendous amount.

This is finally a fun game! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

One more question:

Where do I find the script functions that determine the AI mood toward another empire?

Several empires are getting aggressive and I wonder why. I didn't reach the mega evil empire yet.

And as I have the higher score shouldn't the mood be "fearful" instead of aggressive?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Yeah, I sort of made the comparisons for determining the additional moods backwards. There in the Script_AI_Politics file.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Oops, time for a patch? 1.05a coming soon?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I blame it on the fact that the function is setup to calculate the moods for each race against yours and not your mood towards the other races. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Kwoky, has anything been done with the whole fog of war vs AI thingy? Haven't taken the time for a real game yet, so wondering if I should go with sensors on or off.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Is the Engineers culture supposed to INCREASE maintenance costs?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Hmm, looks like more than AI mood is reversed.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

It is the way I put it in. I needed a negative factor for engineers so I choose maintenance because I figured they were extra diligent in making sure their ships were in good order. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Almost makes sense O_O But they should also have alot better ships, since they'll be 'better engineers', right?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I think it should go back to the way it was for engineers. Give them some other negative factor. If they are extra diligent then less maintenance should be required because of that diligence.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I'm curious why everything HAS to have a negative factor. Couldn't they just have a smaller positive factor?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

That's the neutral choice... zeros all around.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Two questions regarding economical achievements:

1.) What is the difference between your amount of "(-1 - ([%Level%] - 1))" and "-[%Level%]" in the standard SE V?
2.) As far as I observed the maintenance is reduced by base value multiplied by 1-(amount/100). At maximum level 10 this gives a 10% reduction of maintenance, which is 18% instead of 20% for ships. Isn't that too little of an effect? In standard SE V you have 20 levels and therefore a reduction from 25% to 20% maintenance for ships, which ist still not much IMO.

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

I think I initially changed it to check if there was something about the formula causing the maintenance reduction not to be applied long ago in beta (it turned out that cultural achievements bonuses at that time were not being applied) but never switched it back.

I thought at some point it was taken right off maintenance, ie from 25 to 15 for 10% reduction. Anyway, I probably need to revise a few of those cultural achievement bonuses since I haven't touched them since v0.70ish?

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Greetings! Just to keep those interested parties in the know...

Here's a list of the items in the mix for v1.06:

New AI items:
- Medical Ships implemented (Done)
- Remote Mining ships implemented (Not done)
- New AI Ministers (Almost done)
-- Add modifier facilities when appropriate to existing colonies
-- Optimize breathable populations
-- Separate ministers for unit and ship construction
- Tweaks to AI diplomacy and AI states (Almost Done)
- Improvements to AI attack orders (Not done)
- Improvements to Cultural Achievements (Almost Done)

Note you'll need to start a new game to take advantage of the new ministers, since they are apparently stored in the save game. Overall the AI should be a lot better at maximizing its colonies with this patch.

I'm really pushing to get it out tomorrow night - it really depends on if the scripts I wrote at work will function as intended when I get home. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

One point you might have a look at is the AI use of mines and minesweeping. In version 1.05 I did not see any AI using mines or minesweepers (at least to a extent I would realize).

Re: Balance Mod v1.05 Available!
 

Also how about the AI using more research.

In the last couple of games against 9-10 AI players thier research points dont seem to increase as the game progresses.

Thanks
Keep up the excellant work Kwok
Drew

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Depending on the size of the quadrant in your game, it's likely they've plateaued in terms of colonies. The next patch will at least help they turn over facilities on their colonies to improve production, including optimizing breathable populations to undome planets. I'm also pushing ahead other colonization techs to help keep them growing in the early mid-game.

I'm pushing more Mine Sweepers for them, particularly in terms of them being available in fleets.

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Don't know if this was something caused by the 1.33 patch or the BM1.05 patch, but when you go to add or adjust strategies from the screen (I think it is the Empire Screen), for some reason some of the items that were changeble are locked in. Example changing the attack range for fighters from point blank to short range, it won't let you, or changing the percent lost before retreating from 50% to say 80%, locked again.

Also the AI is incrediably friendly offering incrediable treaties after only 5 to 10 turns of me knowing them. I had one race give me 15 seperate technologies in one turn, another 8 the next, bringing my backwoods technologically primitive race with a score of 16 in turn 80 or something into the 1st place powerhouse in less than two turns.

I now play as a xenophobe isolationist that has nothing to do with the AI.

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

This is a bug introduced in 1.33

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Still working on v1.06 tonight. I have the remote mining functions for the AI working ok, except a problem that I have is that I can't issue any sort of order for the mining ship to stay put in the asteroid field once it gets there! There's only a few orders accessible via the scripts at this time and sentry isn't one of them... will think of a workaround...

Also working out a few kinks with the scrap a facility to build a modifier facility routine as well. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Make the AI build mining BASES. The maintenance is lower, and you don't need to issue any 'order' to make them stay put. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif You just need a minister smart enough to check them every turn and see if they are 'making a profit' or not. When they cease to be profitable, send a SYS to scrap them. Are there script functions to check the percent of minerals, organics, and radioactives of a given object or sector?

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

I'll probably put in remote mining base support in v1.07. It'll take a bit of time to work out details for how to get SY ships to build them.

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

remote mining transport ships are passable till you get transports that will fit a space yard.

is it possable to get the AI to retro build?

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

What about mining sats?

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Can you add better Fighter support to the BM?

Making the roles as Bomber, Fighter and Intercepter more distinct.

IE.....When you create a fighter its labeled as one of the 3 choices, so that it can be given different general orders (range, priority targets, etc). Its not really a programming issue, but just a new subclass for the fighters. Like Attack ship versus defense ship.

I haven't looked at this in game, yet. Just started a new PBW game (1.33 BM1.05) on turn 5'ish. If this was added then sorry for the post! :-)

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Kwok,

Any plans to push some of the logic (or modifiers) that deal with what kind of ship to build out to the race files? Right now, in order to make a more custom race, it seems like you'ld have to modify the core functions to add special cases for those races.

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

The races are actually more distinct than you think. The early game where everyone still has DUC or CSM is misleading... once you get to the mid-game, the AI races will really start to differentiate in terms of weapon choices, preferred design types, and diplomacy. Of course, there's always more work to be done - which includes more varied designs, different speech files, and changes to play styles.

It's up to the player to design their fighters for the roles. Players have reported back to me the various merits of different fighter designs from torpedo bombers to direct fire light fighters etc. You can set your strategies accordingly for the design type to maximize their potential. I can add a few more design type names for fighters though, since they're needed by the AI to mix up their fighter usage.

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

Kwok,

Say I want to make a race that makes a lot of kamacazi ships, how do I do that from the race files?

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

I use boolean variables to set whether or not a race will use a certain design type, such as kamikaze attack ships. Currently only a few races are set to use kamikaze attack ships, such as the Xi'Chung, but you won't really see them in significant numbers unless they are on the defensive for a number of turns in a row.

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

I saw the demand variables, if they were accessible from the race files, we could influence the kind of ships they build, right?

Re: Balance Mod v1.06 Discussion
 

In theory I could create a text file that is read by the AI script to get demand values for an AI. That would require no re-compiling scripts on behalf of a player who edited the data file. I wouldn't mind doing something like that in the future.