Proportions Version 2.0 available

PvK · #1 April 6th, 2002, 11:56 PM

Setting number of starting planets applies to all non-neutral players. In Proportions, this will have a massive effect on empire strength, and multiply the research rate more or less throughout the game. If you take more than one homeworld, I suggest at medium or slow research speed. More than three homeworlds should probably go with slow research speed, unless you want to get to high/max tech levels quickly.

Being number one in score is easy against the AI because the score system can't be modded, so it's still weighted the way it is in unmodded, and so, is not a valid measure of empire strength. You will probably colonize faster than the AI, and each colony, even if it is currently costing you more than it's worth, is increasing your score a lot.

I would suggest High AI difficulty and Low or No AI bonus, if you are playing Proportions 1.5 or higher. Consider playing with no AI bonus, but after you have chosen your racial abilities, take "limited planetary exploitation trait" and don't use the points to buy other abilities. This, and/or low or medium bonus will put you at a distinct disadvantage. High AI bonus will be quite hard - unless you can conquer a couple AI's homeworlds earlyish in the game, you'll fall behind the AI in true strength (though maybe not in score, at first) quite quickly. I wouldn't really recommend AI bonus higher than "Low" unless you want to try to play agressively to overcome the huge AI advantage.

The AI's I modded for Proportions aren't particularly aggressive, though, if you're peaceful towards them. Also they currently only make defensive ship designs, which means they don't make long-range strategic attacks, only ones in supply range of their short ranged designs. When I get time, I'll improve the AI, though...

Edit: Note, these short-ranged designs are still capable of waging war, capturing your planets, and wiping out neighboring empires. They just tend to deploy more cautiously, because of the supply issue.

The Foundations mod has been taking a back seat to Proportions tweaking and other tasks. I figure it makes sense now to get more play experience and tweaking done on Proportions until it seems about right, and only after that, try to finish Foundations. So, it might turn out to be vaporware or an SE 5 mod.

PvK

[ 06 April 2002: Message edited by: PvK ]

QuarianRex · #2 April 7th, 2002, 12:36 AM

Tnarg:

Setting the game to a three planet start will begin everyone with three homeworlds (which, in proportions, is a pretty huge bonus). The only exceptions are neutral races who only start with one.

As far as making the game more challenging, try putting the game on hard and give the AI a high bonus. Chances are that you won't be seeing 1st place for a long time.

Tnarg · #3 April 7th, 2002, 12:59 AM

Which quadarant type is the best to use in Proportion mod for the AI. I'm trying to edit a generated map to customize my game a bit. Before I do any of this I just want to get find out the best quadarant type with out causing problems for the AI.

PvK · #4 April 7th, 2002, 02:01 AM

The best type for the current AI is one without very many uncolonizable systems (at least one planet each). That's the main issue, I think. The Proportions 1.6 and 2.0 Sidereal (default) type is a good start.

PvK

Arboris · #5 April 8th, 2002, 10:57 AM

PvK,

First I need to tell you that I feel you have done an incredible job with your "Proportions" mod. It is clearly evident that a lot of thought and effort went into the making of this mod. I am truly impressed with the changes that you have made and it's almost like playing an entirely new game.

The curtailing of rapid expansion adds an entirely new atmosphere and invokes a sense of awe as your fledgling empire struggles to expand in the vast expanse of space. I welcome the gradual population growth and the arduous task of populating newly found worlds. While standard SE IV already provides an epic scope. I truly feel that "Proportions" fortifies and expands the importance of each and every colony that you have acquired and thus the Quadrant becomes a very large place indeed.

Each and every colony plays a more significant role and your role as Emperor has never been so important. You work very hard towards colonial development. You painstaking administer population transport routes and must consider military escorts in high player/AI traffic areas. Diabolical opponents can perform raids on your transportation routes and disrupt the progress of your colonies along with terminating the precious lives of your brave world settlers .

I have always enjoyed to immerse myself in the ruling of my empire. "Proportions' allows you to be absorbed by the details and I find it very rewarding experience. Systems become more than mere circles on your intergalactic map. As your empire expands so does your intimate knowledge of all that goes on within.

Super job PvK!

When can we expect the next Version of "Proportions" to be released? I can't wait to see what you will add next.

Nigel Wulf

oleg · #6 April 8th, 2002, 02:58 PM

About AI settings:

I started a game with high AI difficulty and medium bonus. There are two warp points in my home system. One leads to a very nice system with several large and huge planets. There are another 3 warp points in that system. And behind each warp point lies AI home system: Cryslonite, Drushoka and Fazrah. Obviousy, each race claimed this system. I never saw so much bloodshed and destruction in any SE IV game before ! All AI players are far ahead of me in research and ships (3X bonus to home worlds). Huge fleets zip through that system back and forth, obliterating any attempted colonies. The remnants of those fleets occasionally warp to my system. I only allive because Proportions AI is not good with point defence. I think I'll post a story based on this game.

PvK · #7 April 8th, 2002, 05:42 PM

Thanks for the feedback, Nigel Wulf! These were the sorts of effects I was trying to get, and it's very nice to see them happening for other players!

I'm about to release a small 2.1 patch which fixes and improves a few things, and 2.2 maybe for this weekend or next, which will adjust a few of the facilities' Ratings. I think I'm going to be waiting for more testing and feedback before adding much more except tweaks, so I expect to focus on AI improvements. The first Gold patch adds several powerful AI customization improvements that should be very helpful for making the Proportions AI much more effective.

Oleg, your game sounds pretty neat - I hope you do write an account. It is fun and useful to see what the mod does in players' games. AI bonus is quite hard to overcome in this mod, as you can see.

PvK