A thought on Neutral Races

Rojero · #1 July 10th, 2003, 04:36 AM

Ok while I am currently working on my ship set for my Wendigo Kingdom, I had a thought that I know I will get the answer on.
1. Is it easy to create a neutral race?
2. Other than the shipsets and race description. what are the steps into making a decent AI for a neutral race.

Fyron · #2 July 10th, 2003, 09:19 AM

I think the Neutral races are set up to use generic AI files. Giving them specific customized files (except General) is kind of pointless, as they do not make empires, just a single system, and so have very little direct effect on a game. I think they will use them, but all that hard work will have such a minor impact on the game that it is IMO not really worth it.

Rojero · #3 July 10th, 2003, 09:56 AM

Basically from what i gather they dont really leave there star systems, right? Other than that what real impact do they have on the game?

Taera · #4 July 10th, 2003, 10:15 AM

neutral races:
* use anything in their folder; other than that, they use the generic files.
* never leave their system
* are commonly viewed as a minor nuisanse/free system
* can possibly be modified to be a real divider
* can be modded

General Woundwort · #5 July 10th, 2003, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gryphin:
Neutral races can be modded so they are invulnerable in the early game. I think it is possible to give them a tree where thy will build large weapons platforms with heavy weapons, large ships, and maybe drones. You can also make it so they are unlikely to make an alliance or participate in trades.
This would move them from minor nuisance to significant road block.

Any mod that puts emphasis on the defense can do this with them. I don't know what Proportions does with them, but I know that Neutrals can do this in my Highliner Mod. At the current settings, Neutrals can hold their own against player and AI Empires re: tech and unit creation well past the mid-point of the game.

Ragnarok · #6 July 10th, 2003, 02:48 PM

What if you made a neutral only race tree. One that allows their miners to produce far more minirals then regular players do. Thus allowing them to have more resources to build ships and bases in their home system. The end result would be a large neutral in a single system that would be tough to break.
Perhaps also mod in stronger weapons and so forth.

Gryphin · #7 July 10th, 2003, 02:57 PM

1 very powerful Neuatral
That could work into the SE Olympics for a short game.
How many turns to destroy the a strong neutral
Same map and start for all games
This could be with 1 to 3 starting players.
Can anyone not playing in the SE Olympics make this neutral?
Possibly a 7 day max time allowed

Arkcon · #8 July 10th, 2003, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragnarok:
What if you made a neutral only race tree.
Perhaps also mod in stronger weapons and so forth.

I always thought that neutrals should have their own racial techs. That way there would be some incentive to keeping them alive and allied with your empire. But it was pointed out that when randomly generated, neutral races never take racial traits.

Q · #9 July 10th, 2003, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arkcon:

quote:
Originally posted by Ragnarok:
What if you made a neutral only race tree.
Perhaps also mod in stronger weapons and so forth.

I always thought that neutrals should have their own racial techs. That way there would be some incentive to keeping them alive and allied with your empire. But it was pointed out that when randomly generated, neutral races never take racial traits.

You can mod that in the general.txt file of the neutral race. If you include there an advanced racial trait it will be used.

Arkcon · #10 July 10th, 2003, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Q:
You can mod that in the general.txt file of the neutral race. If you include there an advanced racial trait it will be used.

This is very exciting to hear. I may actually do this. Perhaps it's already been done in a mod. Hear's the plan:

Bobroba States: no clue. Ideas?

Nultoh Group: ok they have advanced sight, so give them a level 5 cloaking sensor. If they have a partnership alliance - you get to see minefields laid in their sector, maybe even get them to trade a ship or sat that has the sensor on it.

Kithra Consortium: I dunno, they're warlike some sort of advanced troop. Maybe you can convince them to sell them to you or you can steal them if you conquer them.

Cluk-Ruk Republic: So they're aquatic. I don't know where to go here. Simpler life support component.

Texrak Hegemony: All right, tough quadrapeds. Give them a shock troop. A real tough troop.

Zynarra Holdings: Ice beam weapons. Ok, that's just crazy.

The basic idea in each case is the same, a racial tech trait that you can benefit from, if you keep them alive.