Proportions mod 1.5.3 released

[Aub]

Another suggestion: could you include the "to-hit" bonus a weapon has ("Weapon Modifier") to its description? Otherwise, the only way to learn that, for example, Wave-Motion Guns have a +30 modifier is to look at the data file

Wow, a lot of stuff gets added. My only worry is that some of it is going to throw the mod off balace somehow... I guess I am a conservative here...

Aub

[PvK]

Oh, yes, I meant to review all the to-hit mods and get them in the descriptions. I try to always add these, but there are a lot from the original SE4 set that never had any sign except in the data files (all high energy weapons, pdc, energy magnifier, etc.).

Hopefully the changes are improving the balance rather than making it worse - that's what they're all supposed to do - fix/reduce balance problems, rather than create them.

Do point stuff out if you see specific issues, please.

PvK

[oleg]

Long time ago (2 years in fact !) and Galaxy far, far away (SE IV 1.0), both ships (with ion engines) and seekers have speed 3. It was not good and gradually seekers got up to speed 4 and then 5. Now, in Proportions, frigate with ion engines can have the battle speed of 5. Obviously, seekers need some boost too.

[ 29 March 2002: Message edited by: oleg ]

[PvK]

Short-range frigates (and other small ships) are faster, but larger ships are slower, especially if they have much strategic range (efficient engines). Since we can't use tactical combat, and there is no "run away from missiles" movement tactic for the tactical AI, I tend to think missiles don't need to be any faster, but maybe I'm wrong.

Any suggestions from players on if/how this might be addressed? Should there be faster higher-tech missiles, or a new parallel missile variant that is faster but weaker or lower-ranged?

I am already adding a Light Missile Launcher series to 1.6, which launches shorter-ranged, lower-warhead, easier-to-shoot-down missiles at ROF 1/turn, in order to reduce the tendency of PD to neutralize missiles (especially with the new self defense cannon), without making missiles the ultimate weapon. Since these are small, it'd be logical that they would be faster... sound like a reasonable counter to the higher small ship speeds?

PvK

[oleg]

Yes, point defence-missiles issue is a very delicate balance. More than any other aspect in SE IV, IMHO. One wrong step and it is either uber-weapon or useless gimmics.

May be you should leave the speed as it is but increase the range ? Or damage resistance ?

We should also take into account the skewed research costs: military science 1 can be researched at turn 3, so point defence weapons are omnipresent from the very start of the game.

[PvK]

Yes. In Proportions it gets more complicated, I think. There are now cheap 10kT self-defense cannon, but they have only a 90% chance to hit missiles, won't hit fighters, and usually only get once chance to hit each incoming missile, while a full PDC frequently gets two shots. The PDC though can be hard-pressed to hit fighters, while the new PDB (beam) is usually pretty accurate against fighters, but often doesn't have the hitting power to take down missiles. Add drones, fighters with shields, electronic warfare, ship training, ships with different speeds, the fact most ship weapons usually won't hit fighters, light missile launchers, the fact that low techs are more accessible but higher techs are much less accessible, and the situation is quite complex.

I'll run a few tests, tweak a little, and I guess we'll find out if there's a problem. ;-)

I tend to think though that since full PDC are readily available, and are still very effective against seekers, that seekers will always be counter-able, although it may be harder (which I'd say was good). I'm more concerned about the balance with fighters, because they can be pretty dang hard to hit except with other fighters or specialized anti-fighter ships. As they should be, but we'll see if it becomes problematic.

PvK