Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

I have just finished my preliminary work on my mod. You can get it by clicking -->here<--
I am calling it BOD Mod, for Better Opponent Design. I have made extensive changes in a variety of areas and instead of flooding the board with a long post, I will provide this link -->BOD Mod Info
I am in need of anyone willing to play test, balance test, and/or help design AI files to suit the mod. I have already done some of the AI modding to make it playable, but the whole intent here is to give a large variety and better AI for single player games. If you can/are willing to help, please post here or send me an email. More helpers means it gets finished sooner.

Thanks

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Which Version of SE4 is the mod for? 1.49, 1.67+, etc ... ?

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

I am curious as to why you have decided to increase the number of ground combat turns.

As far as I can see, it will make larger planets undefeatable in ground combat, and ensure everything is over instantly. I fail to see the effect you are trying to achieve with this change.

In my mod, I have gone the other way entirely, reducing the number of turns to 2. Major battles can thus Last years, allowing time for reinforcements to arrive from both sides.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

reduce turns, eh? when i was modding it, i made population harder to kill, and made militia more prevelant, increased their hitpoints, and decreased their damage rate.

your way sounds easier, though i think i want to keep the harder-to-bomb population.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

This was designed for use with ver 1.67

The thought behind the increase in combat turns was that with offensive power somewhat weakened and defensive power strengthened that shorter battles would result in little damage to either side and, if using shields, would give full shield strength return between combat rounds. With longer combat, there is time to wear down and penetrate shields and armor, and therefor get some damage in before the round ends.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

While it is possible that the Last few troops on each side will be able to run it down to a stalemate, is that really a problem, or a feature? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

In order to get a stalemate, both sides will have to be very short on firepower indeed. I don't see that as being to unrealistic.
Aside from that, once combat has progressed to that stage, all you need to do is drop a handful of reinforcements. A single transport would be way more than enough.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Well, in fact, the offensive and defensive pluses and minuses don't trickle down to ground combat completely, so I can turn this back to 10 turns for ground combat.

EDIT - I have changed combat turns back to 10 and restructured domed planets, as I had previously intended but missed. The new info is here. I will not be upgrading the actual mod files until things settle down.

[ July 19, 2002, 00:50: Message edited by: Gandalph ]

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Component damage isn't tracked for units; shields on ground troops just add to the total damage it takes to kill them.

As I understand it, the only "return" will be the strength of the Last unit per round that didn't absorb enough hits to die.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Umm... Combat Sensors are higher than ECM for a reason. The hull bonuses, Stealth and Scattering Armor bonuses, and range bonuses to defense all add up to more than Combat Sensors, so they need to be higher than ECM to get some balance in there.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Added to the fact that you loose hit probability every square of distance

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

oleg - AI does use mini component mounts. I like the idea of storage capacity on resource facilities so I have added 5000 to all. Thanks.

Imperator Fyron - I forgot about the stealth and scattering bonuses and have bumped combat sensors up to 30,40,50 to adjust. Thanks.

Everyone - Link to the updated mod info --&gt;here.
Link to ver 1.1 of BOD Mod --&gt;here.

As I stated before, the idea here is to make a better AI opponent while maintaining the variety of many different races utilizing different strategies and weapons. I still need help with the AI data files and don't see any volunteers yet.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

&lt;bump&gt;

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Mini-mounts will not help AI, AI always uses the biggest mount available.

I suggest to add resource storage ability to mines, farms and rad. extractors. It is not uncommon to have AI reach storage capacity (especially when you play with AI bonus) but still building resource extractors.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

So, no takers on this? Should I delete it? Is it really that bad? Or, maybe I'm just on my own to program the AI's and then people might take an interest. Or, maybe.......nah.

[ July 21, 2002, 04:37: Message edited by: Gandalph ]

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Umm... I have no knowledge of AI programming.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

AI programming..AI modding
Tomato..Tomatoe
You say hello, and I say goodbye.
No help is no help.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

I'm testing your mod now. The lack of responces is IMHO because it does take some time to figure out what is it all about. Wait and be patient.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

There are typos in Facilities.txt. It should be plural in resourse storage abilities: organics, not organic and radioactives not radioactive.
Cheers.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Thanks oleg, I'll fix that.

Re: Beta players/testers needed for new mod
 

Errors have been fixed and I am starting on AI files. Will post the AI data files as they are completed. Would still appreciate a little help with AI data files.