Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

Tampa_Gamer has provided an updated Tech Chart for the mod:
http://www.captainkwok.net/files/Bal..._TechChart.pdf

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

Thanks for your hard work Kwok.

An amusing thing happened with the AI. I haven't played since 1.13, uninstalled the game, installed it anew, patched to 1.20 , installed the Balance Mod v1.01 and started a new game. In the first neighbouring sector I have explored I bumped on the Zholhuk protectorate. (btw, when a race description says "[..] has prevented them from developing interstellar travel", is it safe to assume that the race is a "neutral" one?).

Turn 1 I send them a general message. Next turn they reply with a treaty proposal with just one clause - non-aggression in neutral systems. Grats, this is a huge improvement over the random half-dozen clauses we used to receive.

Now, I am not satisfied with this, he has some green planets and I have to try and fool him into letting me colonize planets in his system. So I send him first a counter-proposal with just one clause, non-aggression in all systems.

Next turn he replies with TWO messages. First a counter-counter-proposal where he insists in having non-aggression in neutral systems only, which makes sense. And another with a new treaty proposal with one clause: allow colonization in each other systems. So, this behaviour (sending a counter-proposal together with a new proposal) is still in. Also, if the race description is correct, and depending on what "interstellar travel" means (if it means "moving between stars", as in "use jumpgates") he can't even jump into my any of my systems, and shouldn't even bother with a clause like that. And since the only system he knows and can travel to is his, he shouldn't also have the notion of a 'neutral system' to propose a non-aggression in.

Now, I of course have accepted his second treaty proposal about colonization, and he went from indifferent to displeased http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif. So now I am supposed to be able to colonize planets in his system without driving him nuts, but have already pissed him off by just signing a treaty that he proposed, AND still have no non-aggression treaty. Logically the former shouldn't go without the latter, we'll see how it evolves http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

Why does the AI in that situation remind me of a number of world leaders?

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

Yummy, Thanks Tampa_Gamer!

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

I'd prefer if several of the AI empires were inclined to war regardless of if they'd been insulted or not. I.e. sort of like the Kra'hen race from Imperium Galactica 2; no diplomacy, just pure troublemakers. As it is I'm always getting spammed with treaty proposals; I'm not even bothering responding to them anymore.

Even with the Empires see all systems( i.e. no fog of war) option on, the one empire I'm at war with hasn't launched a single attack yet the 30 or so turns we've been at war. Not sure how much one can do to alter this, though.

Now that the AI's units are automatically placed around warp points when combat is initiated, they could use a huge boost to satellite production and deployment. To my experience the most they use is 4-5 satellites on a few of their colonies( way too few at any rate) and usually none at warp points.

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

An A.I empire that is at war with everybody, is just a weak A.I empire that will die early game.The Kra'hen were superpowered in IG2, ie cheating A.I.

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

AIs shouldn't be at war with everyone, but there should be some that just plain decide they feel like having some more territory one day, then attack one of their neighbours without provokation.

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

Some things I've noticed so far.. playing with 1.20 and BM 1.01 .

I am miles ahead in planets and research. I left all of my planets defenseless essentially with no units... lost one planet. I simply was never attacked.

I was playing on Med amount of AI's (8) and no neutrals. Highest difficultly with Med bonuses....

4 of the AI's all offered me treaties immediately. 3 others that I met later, after I was way ahead, would not join into a treaty with me.

The AI ship designs that I have run across are way behind me.

Some positives.. I got annihilated by minefields by one race... whoops...

Another AI seems to have quite the well defended homeworld and core systems. Haven't scratched the paint yet. But their ships are pathetic...

I have only run into a a very few fleets from any AI's... In fact maybe 2 fleets on 6 ships or more...

Weird thing, I came across a planet with 2 light carriers.. but no fighters to be found.... planet based or otherwise.

Still I'm having a blase, played 12 hours until 6am.. ouch...

But the AI is just no agressive enough. If I can leave my systems wide upon without fear I will be able to race ahead in development by ignoring the threat. Which is exactly what I did.

Any human player would have noticed this and raped me...

Just my observations for your continuing work.

Thanks again and I LOVE the BM!

Javaslinger

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

It seems to me that most of the AIs get upset when any ships move through their systems. So their going from indifferent to displeased more likely has to do with your ship in the system, especially if it is still there.

In a game I have going currently, I have a single colony in two differnet neutral races systems, as long as I don't move any ships through the system, they seem content, but if a single one of my ships rears it's head they get a little uppity, they don't seem to care about the colonies though, or the sttilites and mines I've placed around them.

Re: Balance Mod Available for SE:V
 

I seem to remember for SEIII or SEIV (or both) that there were frequent AI competitions. People wrote an AI, and then all the AIs were submitted and pitted against eachother in a no-humans game.

Am I confused? Do we not have any AI writers anymore?

It would be a very cool thing if this were to happen again, and I'd be willing to pitch in a donation/prize for first, second, third... and something super duper special for last place http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif