Wanted: Alpha testers for the AoW mod.

[mlmbd]

DL, I will have another play test update later today.

mlmbd

[Phoenix-D]

The "no results" entries are probably the result of tech crossovers.

"tesco, I don't think it quite as dramatic as all that. I do agree that testing by PBW is a really good idea. But, live or die! I think not!"

If there is no AI it will. The original idea of the Art of War mod was to make a better human-playable mod. AIs have to be taken into consideration when you build a mod, else getting them to use everything correctly is difficult or impossible.

Phoenix-D

[dumbluck]

Originally posted by mlmbd:
DL: AoW v0.81.

Game Date: 2413.5

Ship Construction Lv-6 | Cost-70000, No results. For Ship Construction 7, Turbo Lift.

Tech crossover with Applied PoliSci 1 gives the Officer's Mess. Tech Crossover with SY 2 should have yielded SY 6 facilities and components.

(BTW, Turbolift comes with level 8 in Ship construction. Level 7, crossed with Ship Capture weaps 3, grants the Small Arms Locker.)

Ship Construction Lv-8 | Cost 90000, no results.

See above. The turbolift has no other tech requirements. I don't know why you didn't get it... Crossed with level 3 in Ship Yards, you should have gotten Ship Yards 8 (both the facility and the component).

[Ship Construction Lv-9 | Recreation Room Crew Quarters looks like the same bmp as the Engineering Crew Quarters.

They are different pictures. Look closely.

Planetary Engineering Lv-2 | Cost 100000, No results.

This tech is a secondary requirement for the systemwide single resource production bonus facilities. (ie System Mineral Scanner). I'm planning on breaking Climate Control, Value Improvement, and Atmosphere ConVersion into 3 seperate trees. Climate control available under PE1, Value Improvement under PE2, and Atmosphere ConVersion under PE3.

tesco, I don't think it quite as dramatic as all that. I do agree that testing by PBW is a really good idea. But, live or die! I think not!

Alright, just out of curiosity, let's have a show of hands; how many people would be interested in joining a PBW alpha test of this mod?
(edit) Err, maybe you should just post that you would be interested, since I can't see into each of your individual homes/workplaces/wherever...

[ January 27, 2003, 11:01: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[mlmbd]

DL, I know there are different images. But you have to 'LOOK VERY CLOSELY' to see the difference. IMHO I don't think anyone should have to inspect a bmp for 10 mins to see if they all ready added a 'new' crew quarters.

mlmbd holds up his hand!

mlmbd

[mlmbd]

DL, are you going to make any changes to the mod for the Patch 3 v1.84?

mlmbd

[tesco samoa]

P-D you need catchy Posts these days....

Quite catchy...

[dumbluck]

I don't know. Most of the weapons stuff is still just ideas on electronic paper right now. My next big project after playtesting what I've got now is to balance PDC/missles/fighters. I've got quite a few ideas about making fighters more effective.

[mlmbd]

DL, so you don't have any changes, right now? I will start "Test 4" soon, using v0.81. Thanks!

mlmbd

[KirbyEF]

Dumbluck...

I have been play testing AOW v0.81 in SEIV Gold v1.78 and here are the results:

- System names
- Do not like numbers in system names (especially numbers first in names, e.g. '80 Uma').
- Do not like system with long system names, e.g. 'Torcularis Septentrionalis'.

- Medical Bay II, III, IV and V are not special mounts like "Sick Bay".

- New Space Yards are discovered more than one at a time (got V & VI with the same research level-Space Yards II).

- AI players don't build ships.

- If you want the savegame file or wish to contact me via email: kirbyef@excite.com

KirbyEF

[dumbluck]

Originally posted by kirbyef:
Dumbluck...

I have been play testing AOW v0.81 in SEIV Gold v1.78 and here are the results:

- System names
- Do not like numbers in system names (especially numbers first in names, e.g. '80 Uma').
- Do not like system with long system names, e.g. 'Torcularis Septentrionalis'.

The System Names file came straight from the Eyecandy mod. I'm too lazy to make my own...

- Medical Bay II, III, IV and V are not special mounts like "Sick Bay".

I debated long and hard about making the Medical Bays be Crew Areas (maintenance reducers). In the end, I chose not to because someone could put a Medbay 1, and a Medbay 2, AND a medbay 3 etc. on a ship to get extra maintenance reductions. Since they aren't Crew Areas, they don't get the CA mount. Medbays should still be stock. I think. Did I remember to reduce their size back to stock?

Anyway, I'm prolly going to take the Crew Areas mounts out in the next Version; I don't need them anymore.

- New Space Yards are discovered more than one at a time (got V & VI with the same research level-Space Yards II).

This is most likely a result of cross-referencing techs. SY 4, 5, and 6 require Space Yards 2 as well as the relevent Ship Construction tech. SY 7, 8, and 9 require SY 3 as well as the relevant Ship construction tech. If you researched Ship Construction 5 before researching SY2, you won't get new SY components/facilities.

- AI players don't build ships.

From the start, this has been a Humans Only mod. The AI is (quite literally) non-existant.

ALL: Ok. Thanks again for the playtesting, guys. I appreciate the bug reports. But I have noticed a distinct abscence of comments about the balance of the new economic model. I would really appreciate some, it's where my modding ability is probably the weakest.

Hopefully, I'll have time soon to examine the data that some of the testers have sent my way. After I get that done, (barring any glaring bug fixes), I plan on starting work on the next big project for this mod: Balancing the fighters/seekers/PDC issues. Now, if work would just stop scheduling overtime.... (not that I'm complaining about the paychecks... )