New SE4 Race: the Pyrochette Empire

[Master Belisarius]

Well, the Pyrochette Empire is not exactly a new race... in fact they were my enemies during a looong time!

Anyway, with the authorization of their owner and creator of the shipset, Joel Hoines, I have resurrected the Pyrochette Empire with a group of AI scripts.

I would like to receive input, of course. Because as Alpha said in one of their Posts: is not possible to one person, check all the aspects and possible situations.

[Q]

From a first impression at full tech I like the race and I congratulate you for your work. The graphics are very nice and the ship designs seem efficient.
I don't know if it is reasonable to create special empire files for full technology games. May be the problems that you got when the computer tried to use the Pyrochette as random empire were caused by this.

[This message has been edited by Q (edited 31 March 2001).]

[Master Belisarius]

Q: thanks for your comments.
About the problem with the random generator, look this from the next patch:

"19. Fixed - Characteristics in the AI_General.txt file would not be correctly
interpreted if they were less than 100."

I think that this was the problem, because the *.emp that I did for games with full tech, were added at the end.

[Q]

A short follow-up report about your race:
They colonize like mad and expand very rapidly. In my game they have inflicted severe losses to the Borg and are at the moment number 1 of 10 empires. I see however a problem arising for them: Their attack fleet is too small. Problably you should let them build more attack ships. But I'll see how it continues.

[Master Belisarius]

K. But I wanted that the AI does not become lack of resources.
Currently I'm changing a bit, the numbers into the Fleets.txt.

[Q]

The planetary defence seems really to be a weakness of the Pyrochette. In my game they didn't build until now weapon platforms, mines or defence satellites even on their homeworlds. Therefore they lost several colonies to the counter attack of the Borg. You may consider to move the building instruction for the defence units more to the top of the list.
But otherwise they do well.
They increased now the number of attack ships to a reasonable amount and grouped them to a efficient fleet.
I enjoy this race an thank you for your work.

[Master Belisarius]

"In my game they didn't build until now weapon platforms, mines or defence satellites even on their homeworlds. "

Looks weird to me. The Pyrochette never will build lots of weapon platforms and satellites, but yes mines and fighters.
But, in the early game, the Pyrochette always build some weapon platforms and satellites (some in the homeworld and some in their first colonies).
Are you playing a game with full tech, right? Maybe they wanted to build those defenses, but they were without resources.
How many staring planets have your game?

Thank you again for your comments Q!!!!

[Q]

quote:

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Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
"In my game they didn't build until now weapon platforms, mines or defence satellites even on their homeworlds. "

Looks weird to me. The Pyrochette never will build lots of weapon platforms and satellites, but yes mines and fighters.
But, in the early game, the Pyrochette always build some weapon platforms and satellites (some in the homeworld and some in their first colonies).
Are you playing a game with full tech, right? Maybe they wanted to build those defenses, but they were without resources.
How many staring planets have your game?

Thank you again for your comments Q!!!!

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I started with 10 planets per player and full technologies and they had really plenty of resources.

[Q]

And some more feedback on the game with your race (star date 2407.1): They are second of nine remaining empires and do really good! You can be proud of them.
They build now mines and fighters but still no weapon platforms or lager numbers of satellites. The reason may be that the Pyrochette made very soon contact with other races (and got in conflict with them) so the AI state may have switched early to "attack" or "defend" mode (I really wished you could see the state the AI has!). In both states the weapon platforms are rather low on the construct list.
The other problem the Pyrochette have at the moment are mines. As almost all AI they lose lot of ships in minefields. You may consider what I proposed for the Rage: inclusion of a mine sweeping component in attack ships (see corresponding topic). The Rage are the only race until now that have this and they manage the minefields now very well.
But as I said the Pyrochette is a great race and it's fun to play with them. Thank again for your work.

[Master Belisarius]

Now I can see the problem: all the test games that I have played, were only with 1 or 3 starting planets.
Is pretty easy to include more defensive stuff, but in games with less resources, they go lack of resources very fast, because the Weapon Platforms are expensives. I'll increase a bit the Weapon Platforms production, but not many.

About to include minesweepers in attack ships... I have mixed feelings.
I would have not problems to include them in big ships, like Dreadnought, Battle Ships and Battle Cruisers.
But in more small ships (like Destroyers and Light Cruisers), in my opinion, it would make the ships weak.
The problem is that do not exist good options to indicate the AI, that need to use a component, in ships with a determined size.

I forgot something: about the satellites, I think that they're not very usefull, including the large satellites.

[This message has been edited by Master Belisarius (edited 01 April 2001).]