Babylon 5 Mod

[grumbler]

Val:

What I don't like about the current Version of the mod:

1. There are too many obsolete options presented in shipbuilding: old engine types, weapons so obviously inferior you would never use them, etc.

2. The whole engine/reactor concept is a nice idea, but breaks down in practice because the engine sizes are so small. B5 ships in the series tended to have a few large engines, not dozens of small ones. Dozens of engines times variable supplies used per move times number of moves per turn creates a bit calculation nightmare, and it is hard to make any tradeoffs between speed, armor, and weapons when the cost of speed is so hard to calculate.

3. Some of the research payoff versus cost seem unreasonable (especially in reactive armor). You can literally pay millions of RP to get a 10% improvement.

4. The high space cost of cargo holds means that you really only have a few options for cargo hulls. Small transports make no sense, given that they can only hold 1 cargo hold (and get any speed) while the Fast Courier can hold as much cargo while being faster and cheaper. Curiously, engines are highly configurable while cargo holds are not.

What I like about the mod:

1. The mix of defensive options in the face of the lack of shields. One would expect this to be a sticking point (especially as shields seemed kind of integral to the combat system of the basic game) but the different kinds of ECM makes for some interesting tradeoffs. I still think the Proportions mix of hull minuses to defense plus engine plusses to defense (to simulate the effect of speed on defensive ability) is worth emulating, especially if the engine system is changed.

2. The overall feel is excellent, especially for the major "playable" races (EA, Minbari, Narns, and Centauri). Their ships do look and fight differently.

[Suicide Junkie]

3. Some of the research payoff versus cost seem unreasonable (especially in reactive armor). You can literally pay millions of RP to get a 10% improvement.

I don't have the authority to speak for the other things you mentioned, but I do have this one covered.

Don't for a minute expect to rush down the tech tree, straight for the top-end armor.
There are diminishing returns on all of these things, and in most cases you will never research right to the end. You do have the option but it may not be practical.

Most of the armor tech areas are optional, as well. You can work on the theoretical techs to achieve the ability to build emissive armor before you research refractive armor, for example.
At that point, you can ignore the practical refractive armor techs, and simply develop the more advanced emissive technology.

Skipping armor levels is a good way to save research points, but if an enemy appears at the wrong time, you may find yourself with a lot of theory, but no practical work completed, and your factories will be making expensive, low quality armor plates.

In summary:
Think "diminishing returns", and work towards the best tech levels you believe you can reach before the wars start.
There will always be higher tech levels to reach for. Anyone who gets to the top is just toying with his opponent, and pressing end turn a lot.

[AGoetz]

On the subject of weapons, the races that have a range make it hard to counter while those that have a few are predicatable.

example : the Gaim (whom I'm playing in the game)
Once the techs are there there are simply just two main weapon systems used by the Gaim - Particle Concentrators and a missile weapon that I've forgetten the name of just at the moment. You know that if you're facing Gaim, that unless they done some heavy capturing/trading that all you really have to worry about is a long range moderate damage beam weapon with the occasional missile just to make sure you researched point defence.
Someone playing the EA has a wide range of weapon loadouts - will you be facing beams, massed missiles, a combination, etc. So choice can be good - but the research load is hideous and trying to keep track of which weapon you want where ...

[mlmbd]

Val, I am still here if you need me for something!

mlmbd

[Rambie]

Val, long time no see!

[Fyron]

Everyone has been shocked into silence at Val's return!

[jimbob]

No, I think it's because of the War. Everyone is either debating it over in the OT threads, or glued to their TV/radio waiting to see what happens next.

If the war wraps up quickly, we'll have a nice bit of community returning ... until the USA invades N. Korea that is

[Dawn Falcon]

Hi people - I'm fairly new to SE4G and I'm trying to get this to work on my PC, but I'm getting loads of AI errors.

So...what precisely do I need to download and apply in which order to get this to work?

Thanks in advance

[Fyron]

The B5 Mod is developed for pre-gold se4. You need to look for the Gold conVersion that was made of the mod. I think Pathfinder made it.

[Dawn Falcon]

I am trying to use that
Not sure what's going on sigh