Eclipse Mod
 

Well, Eclipse is finally underway and is ready for beta testing. You can continue reading for a quick description or you can head over to SE.net to download. I am very interested to hear what you think of it.

Eclipse is a mod that focuses on single player or hotseat gameplay. Emphasis has been placed on tactical combat, resource management, and colony development. All technologies, components and facilities have been completely redesigned. Ships have been rebalanced for maneuverability and hit rate. Stations are capable of joining fleets and are important for deep space resupply. Players begin with primitive technology and can choose what type of technology branches they will develop to aid their military and economic expansion.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

So where do we get it??????

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

SE.net, in the Downloads section.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I got an unexpected format error when I tried to unpack it.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

that's strange. some have already unpacked it with no trouble. perhaps you should try to re-download it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

no, I think I need the new Version of stuffit. that seems to be what I'm using for .rar files.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I use winrar. it has a 40 day trail period for the shareware Version. Also it is compatible with just about any type of compressed file so you can always try it:

www.win-rar.com

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

tried to run the mod 3 times--all a no go

first time--got a fatal error--blue screen of death--noticed an error message with mod launcher--so i reinstalled launcher and mod.

second--game froze as it is trying to load after hit begin game--usually freezes at around 98percent

third--game froze as i was scrolling through the race selections when I hit add new to create my race.

I have seen the freeze problem in other mods--but usually that fixes with a reboot--no luck here--same thing happens when i reboot.
May be that this needs to be run over a fresh install??--ill try on another comp. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ April 16, 2004, 06:20: Message edited by: Imperial ]

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I had a similar problem a few months ago on a friends computer. i never could track down the problem. it seems to happen on a very small percentage of computers so i am uncertain what is causing it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I tried playing around with this mod - only played 2 turns, since I kept getting AI research errors - but otherwise this looks like a great total conVersion... anyone want to start a game on PBW? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I take it the AI isn't supported yet??

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

There is limited AI support. So far you can only use them in 5000 point games and they must be selected from the empires list. Random can only be used for neutral empires.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Oh, OK! I'll actually try starting over picking the AI's myself then! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

i like the mod, why dont we set up a PBW game ?!

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I never did have PBW in mind when I designed Eclipse so I am uncertain how well it will work in that setting. I have no experience with PBW and I wouldn't feel comfortable hosting anything yet. However, if someone else wants to take that over and host a game, go ahead. You've got my support. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Not me because any game I host is cursed and never finishes! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Though maybe it might have something to do with the fact that I'm so easygoing and always set my games to ALPU... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

We need Fyron to be the official PBW host when nobody else wants to host a game... Turn, process NOW, whether you like it or not! (whip crack) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Just what is that supposed to mean? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Well, I am almost ready to put up the first patch for Eclipse. It will tweak a few things like maintenace costs and planet value. Also a few errors are being addressed in the components and techarea files. Of course, if any of you that have tried Eclipse have found anything that needs to be worked on I would appreciate feedback "before" I release the patch, for obvious reasons. Thanks in advance. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I noticed that the Nloam keep trying to research Meson BLasters and Anti-protons. Tis a slight inconvenience to have to keep clicking the error Messages. Also, you might want to try cleaning up the tech tree a bit. There were a lot of "empty" tech areas that didn't lead to anything till several other tech areas were researched. Could you put some extra restrictions on some of the tech areas so that they don't show up till they have something in them?

One Last thing, could you add a description to the generators so that you can tell that they generate supplies. I had to randomly sample techs looking for a Solar Collector equivalent for some long range scouts. Eventually I had to stop the game and do a search through components.txt since I thought that the generators were just big supply batteries.

I gotta tell you that I am really enjoying this mod. I'm looking forward to further tweaks.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I noticed the power generator problem myself, it is already on my to-do list.

About the nloam though, did you select the race from the list? They should be under the name Borak. I don't have full AI support yet so if you want AI's you have to select them yourself. Still, I will check their research file for errors in case there is a problem.

[EDIT] I did find the error in the nloam AI file and it has been repaired. Thanks for pointing that out!

The tech tree is so far pretty much the way it is supposed to be. All the technologies are interlock with each other and I would rather not do cosmetic surgery on it if it isn't absolutly neccessary. I tried to make research realistic in the sense that you can research something and get absolutly nothing from it if you don't understand what you need to apply what you just learned. For example: your race has researched a high level of propulsion. now they have theoretically discovered ways of moving faster but have not figured out how to implement it yet. In comes quantum mechanics and now they figure out how to apply the propulsion theories they had.

Keep the info coming, I promise I will make every effort to address all concerns. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ April 23, 2004, 05:49: Message edited by: Kevin Arisa ]

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I also noticed that the AI seems to be a bit slugish as far as expansion goes. I sat researching for a loooooong time before I went on an exploration binge. By the time I got to the AIs they were still making colony ships, had expanded no further that the next system ad there were virtually no other ships to be seen.

I would think that this might be due to the extreme cost of colony ships and the required number in construction.txt. Perhaps if you had them produce a butt-load of spaceyards before the colony ships this would allow the AIs to produce an actual fleet as well as colony ships. Tis an idea.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

The AI is quite unrefined since I have never done AI modding before. Therefore I am always looking for ways to make it more "functional." The shipyard idea should work nicely. I will try to get that worked out. Also, any suggestions on how to make the AI work on low tech start would be much appreciated. So far it only works well on medium start.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

The patch is ready for download at my site and shortly at SE.net.

http://www.pedfamhome.homeip.net/ISA/ISAHome.htm

This patch fixes a few data errors, rearranges a few technology trees and changes some images to utilize the newest Version of Image Mod so be sure you have the latest Version. Also corrected an error in the Nloam AI files. Unfortunatly you should still play on medium tech start only aginst AI's. I added a few new technologies as well:
Solar Panel I - III
Assimilation Beam I - III
Assault Shuttle I - V

Keep the suggestions coming! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

The patch is available at SE.net now.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I am wondering if I should continue to make revisions to this mod. Any that are interested in further updates please respond. I don't want to spend a lot of time and effort revising a mod that no one plays. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

It is difficult to play a SP mod with AI that is "quite unrefined." Perhaps people are just waiting for the AI to be improved?

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

i downloaded your mod and as soon i get home (i~m at work now) i´ll try it, but Fyron is right, the majority of players need working AIs so they can evaluate a mod, mainly because not everyone plays in PBW or hotseat with friends.

And everyone must agree, the best characteristic of solo play is that you can play as many turns as you want, and don´t need to wait for the other players turn...

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

this mod is worth your job believe me.This mod neads some tweaking (AI) but it is great at RP aspect if you could impove this id play till my PC blows up.This mod is great.
Did i said how GREAT this mod is? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif


This is not a joke.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I'd have started a PBW game using this mod but it seemed that no one was interested, and besides, I'm in too many games already... but I'm sure I could be persuaded to join one more http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

As for SP, well, I never finish any SP games I start, and once I heard the AI wasn't working right that kinda made me even less likely to continue... but again, a PBW game would be great! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I'll take any help I can get. AI is very difficult for me to work with so getting assistance would be wonderful. And the other comments are exactly what I wanted. I need to know what people like and dislike. The AI is functional. It actually gives me a hard time every now and then. When I said "unrefined" I meant that an ace player would find the AI predictable and easy to out-maneuver. I am far from being an ace player so it is difficult for me to gauge how well the AI will perform. If I can get help with the AI then things would go much more smoothly.

One thing though, the regeneration was supposed to simulate repairs during combat. Certain components have a regeneration rate of 1 per turn. All the repairs actually come from engineering. If it is destroyed it would pretty much negate the regeneration. I really like this aspect of the mod so maybe the rest of you will have an idea on how to adjust it rather that remove it.

Anyway, thanks for the replies.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Ah yes, the engineering departments... I like the way you did those... and the gas giants which are HUNDREDS of times bigger than other planets, that's just incredible! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif Not to mention all the new graphics for this mod......

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I went and made a few adjustments:

1. ALL organic and botanical technologies except for Scale Plating and Photosynthesis Armor have a regeneration rate of 1. Regenerative armor has had it's regeneration rate reduced to 1. There is now a Regeneration Core component that's only purpose is to provide regeneration to Bio-Engineering races.

2. Components that generate shields from damage have had their effectiveness increased. The smaller amounts seemed inneffective.

3. The Engineering Prowess trait has been reworked and no longer effects maintenance. It is now the better of two Supply Reduction traits.

4. Thrusters for fighters, more levels to remote mining, regeneration on the Hydro-Density Armor has been removed and it's emmissive ability enhanced, trait cost increases, a few image adjustments, and changes to the system disruption technologies.

I'll keep adjusting the mod as problems and suggestions come in. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ June 08, 2004, 21:31: Message edited by: Kevin Arisa ]

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Regarding the Gas Giants, I cannot take credit for that idea. That was from the Starscape mod which I also got the planet and warp point images from.

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

I was analizing your mod and it appears to me that the Racial Traits are a little unbalanced/redundant...

One example would be the Racial Traiot that reduces maintenance, that leaves completely pointless to change the Maintenance Reduction characteristic, adn also, the Racial Trait try to reduce maintenance to -25, reducing it to 0%, what is impossible, since the game is hardcoded to have at least a maintenace of 5% (could be reduced only through ship components)...

Other thing that i found too excessive is the use of armor regeneration in nearly all components, if you do this you would be negating one of the principal bonuses of the organic races...

I found interesting however the Fighter bonus in Racial traits, that would increase the effectivenes of fightes, that, in the unmodded games, become completely obsolete from mid-game onward...

The Ship bonus i find a little excessive (50%), since it would be the equivalent of a Talisman (religious race) in every ship.... maybe you can reduce the bonus a little, or make the Trait more expensive, or even make 2 traits, one with a lower bonus and other with a higher bonus, with corresponding differences in prices...

I found interesting your use of technology, but i think you give too much traits to the AIs, making them somewhat generic, maybe if you limit the Racial Techs to 1 racial tech for each Ai it would add some flavor to the game...

If you really want, i can try to design AIs for your mod (basing them in the TDM AIs), but i would like to know first what "flavor" you wish to give to each AI...

I found very interesting the concept of giving different tech trees and components to each empire, because it would add an additional "flavor" to the AI empires...

One major decision you must make is if your mod will be more based in Multiplayer or if you wish to concentrate in solo player too, the reason for this is because in solo player you must consider if the AI will use effectively all the componentts and techs you are giving them, or if the components and techs can only be effectively used by the human players, because there is a limit in what can be modded in the Ai, and what is hard-coded and can´t be changed...

I have some suggestions in how to increase the option of your mod, but first lets try to balance it a little more and mod the AI to use the new techs and components effectivelly...

If you want my help, of course...

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Thank you, Makinus. I would be eternally grateful for your assistance. For information on the races you can look at the empire files that came with the mod. Just in case you need more info I will get to work on a text file with all the information. Thanks again! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

ok, i´ll take a look at them this weekend....

Re: Eclipse Mod
 

Kevin, if you wish me to mod the AIs, can you make a brief description of each one, including prefered traits, and strenghts and weaknesses of everyone (the star wars and star trek races i have a fair idea, but the other ones i don´t know what characterization you want to give)...

With this i can mod them so they effectively use the different technologies that the Racial techs gave them...

Other thing: there are several technologies that the AI is unable to use because of hard-coded issues (like Remote Mining just to point an example), and i wish to know if you wnat to maintain them in the mod, and, if the answer is yes, if you wish to give the AIs some advantages to compensate, like exclusive AI techs (like in the AIC mod, but less severe).

The ideal would be to designate 2000 points AI, that is the most common used setting in single-player (and multiplayer) games, but i will designate 3000 adn 5000 points too, and i will mod them so you don´t need to add the AI manually...

Just to add some ideas: what about the different races have different costs for ship hulls? Like an organic Race having a heavy cost in organics in the hulls but a low mineral costs, etc...

I´m in absolute love with your mod, and i really wish to help it to grow and become a complex and balanced mod, and i would like that the mod eventually present a good chalenge in single player, adapting the TDM AIs to the unique tech tree of each race....

If you want my help, mainly with the AI modding, just ask....