Pointer Mod -- v1.2 Released

[Urendi Maleldil]

Level I of every component and facility is there right now, so enjoy. I've already written some very basic AI which uses the QNP Hybrid system very well, but I've made some changes to the data files since then so the AI isn't playable right now. It uses the latest Version of the Image Mod.

This mod will require players to play differently depending on what techs they research. Because the tech tree dictates how a player will play it's been expanded and altered into separate tech branches. Racial techs have been incorporated into the main tree.

All ships require reactor components to move and the QNP Hybrid propulsion system should make for some interesting ship designs. Miniaturization is a factor at higher Construction tech.

There's a heavy emphasis on electronics and computers. Electronic components shrink in size very fast, but at highter tech levels cramming your ships full of sensors and things will make your individual ships more expensive.

You may see some things that remind you of your favorite scifi universes...

[Ed Kolis]

Level 1 of components and facilities are finished?
/me inserts shameless plug for my Templatizer program!

Why do the colony modules get more expensive as you increase in tech level, with only a marginal increase in cargo capacity?

Incidentally, where'd you get the name "Pointer Mod" from? All the references to other mods?

[Urendi Maleldil]

I've been using the Tech Gridder to expand all the components and stuff. What does your Templatizer do? Same thing? I've been doing most of this by hand.

As for the Colony components, I don't really know why they increase in cost. That's really dumb. I'll just put them back the other way.

[Ed Kolis]

This templatizer does pretty much the same thing as the tech gridder, yeah. Just in a different way

[Urendi Maleldil]

Finished all the weapons now. Just Stellar Manipulation and Facilities to finish.

I think I'll make the crew quarters and life support work with the scale mounts like the engines.

[Urendi Maleldil]

I'm done with all the components now and almost all of the facilities. I've started working on the AI, but I can't get them to design colony ships. Arrggg!

[Urendi Maleldil]

While I'm finishing up the data files I'd like some critiques. I'm particularly proud of the propulsion system, but ships designed in this mod are quite a bit different from those in the stock game (or even one used in QNP mods).

The average propulsion scheme should be three engines and one "reactor". That will take up about 50% of the ship's tonnage. Don't be afraid of loosing space to put weapons and stuff though. Miniaturization is taken into account, starts happening right away as you travel up the Construction tech branch, and you'll see a greater miniaturization benefits on larger ships. You can, of course, also add more or fewer engines and "Reactors" as you see fit.

Here's the latest Version. Everything is nearly complete except for the AI. It looks like battles will be mostly defensive until someone develops capital ships. Light attack ships are cheaper, lightly armed and fast, but won't have the destructive potential of a space station.

It looks like the cap ships will have much more power to take on those pesky stations, but the strategy you use will depend on what ships you build and in what proportions. Missiles will be good against stationary targets and cap ships, but only effective when fired in Groups because of enemy point-defense.

Fighters look like they will be a good strategy. And MAC gun-armed defensive platforms will be an excellent at warp point defense until you move up either the Laser or Particle Beam tech branch. If your Fighter research is high enough you can even put mini MAC guns on Shuttles.

I'm still fiddling with the research costs, so any input would be appreciated. Also keep your eye out for redundant components and facilities (things that do the same thing). I want to streamline things as much as possible. I think I've gotten rid of most of them.

Sorry to all those who play Religious races. I haven't developed the Religeous racial trait at all and will probably drop it from the mod and replace it with something else.

Right now the Pointer Mod uses Fyron's Quadrant Mod deluxe, but I might build my own stellar object files to fit the strategies of this mod.

So download, give lots of input, and happy hunting.

[Timstone]

The mod sounds great sofar, Urendi. I still have a question.
I really like long games with relatively slow tech progress. That way you have to do a long time with your weapons before something new is on the market. Is a situation also possible in your mod?

[Urendi Maleldil]

The tech costs are not set yet, but some of the techs will be more expensive than others. Construction will be cheap early on, so the race you play will have access to a wide variety of strategic options right away, but many of the other techs will be expensive enough to work for.

Obvious expensive techs are some of the capital ship hulls, and weapons like Phasers, Turbolasers, and Megascale Engineering.

But some less obvious conceptual tech levels will be higher as well like "Propulsion" or "Torpedo Weapons". Those have very few levels (Torpedo Weapons only has one), but open up greater options for tech branches that have already been researched.

For example, researching Propulsion by itself gives you nothing, but once you have progressed up the Plasma Technology branch, Plasma Engines require Propulsion level 2.

I haven't messed with the "Raise Level" option yet. That would change the research speed of various techs. I've designed the tech tree so that researching everything in a single game will be next to impossible. Research in some techs should go slightly slower than the stock game, but a few of the main brances are a little cheaper so while the research might be slower, the pace of the game seems faster.

[Urendi Maleldil]

Works like a charm. The AI is designing ships no problem. I'm just having a little problem with the propulsion system. I'll go into more detail when I upload the latest Version of the mod.