Proportions Version 2.0 available

[QuarianRex]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[wr8th]

Actually, I prefer the slower game and the slowed building up of infrastructure. Too often in the unmodded Version, I'd leave a colony to languish (who cared if it got gobbled up and it was not yet developed, I'll go back in in a couple turns and retake or glass it). No longer. Now it requires attention to develop and defend. My colonization fleet ships (Colony Ships and Pop transports) now carry mines/AFVs/fighters.

The effect of distance is now enhanced, as are the supply planets' ability to extend the reach of your empire. By far, the largest difference is the need for a dedicated migration fleet. Because of it's relative importance in developing colonies' population and production, it cannot be ignored to provide maintenance points for warships. A compromise is to mount some weapons and better engines on some of the Pop transports so that they can act as privateers in times of urgent need (not really meant to act as warships, but to augment the existing fleet).

This past weekend I started 3 different games just to get a better feel for the opening moves of Proportions. Including the efficient engine models, small missile sytems and changed ground pounder rules, this mod should help me kill many hours I'd likely be spending doing something productive like remodeling the kitchen or bathroom or some such frivolity that wives like.