Alien Races

Marty Ward · #1 February 7th, 2001, 03:37 AM

I like the idea changing the cost of items to represent the type of race is a gfreat idea. Why would an organic race need minerals to build its shipyard? If a race was exteremely dependent on one type of resource it could change what type of planet it values the most.
I am not sure if balance would be as much of a problem as some think. The races are only balanced now because they basically all use the same items. How unbalanced would the crystaloid race be if it could not research any beam weapons? What if they never could figure out how to mount PD's on ships but developed an anti-missle fighter? The tactics to fight them would have to change.
Having separate tech tree for a race and having that race lose the ability to research some standard items could make for some interesting competition.
Maybe it is to much to ask, it seems like a LOT of work.You would have to create the new tech tree, think of new techs that aren't just renames of existing items, and determine what should be excluded to that race.
Having true differences certainly would give the game some personality though.

Str8_Gain · #2 February 17th, 2001, 06:45 AM

quote:
Originally posted by DirectorTsaarx:
Another trick would be to "close off" certain tech areas based on use of racial techs. For instance, if you use temporal techs, you don't get to research the standard beam weapons. Organic races don't get either beam weapons or seekers (since they have their own seekers). Granted, the AI's usually focus on available racial techs, but they still eventually spend research points on other areas. Why waste the research points? Of course, I'm not certain how to balance this yet, but it should be doable...

Heeheehee, look what happens when you use the search functions to find out stuff

I've been considering doing this for races totally mechanical in nature (ie. Artificial Intelligences). I was considering adding a Racial Trait for this, that would require Emotionless and Mechanoid as secondary traits (yes, this would cost big in terms of racial points).

One thing I'd like to be able to block off, as an example, from being available is the conventional Industry-to-Computers tree (since a mech race would have this to begin with, there's no need to research Industry first). So far, I've come up with ideas for a few components/facilities that have close analogues in the regular (non-race specific) tree, but it simply wouldn't make sense for a mech race to start with, for example, the bridge/lifesupport/crewquarters combo when they should rightfully start with Master Computers or some equivalent, to reflect the nature of that species.

If I can't block off a tree entirely, I'd like to find a way to block availability of specific components that are normally there in the regular tree (like the B/LS/CQ combo mentioned above), and replace them with the components I'd like there for that specific race (all the other races would have tech trees that are unaffected unless they were also mechanicals).

Adding in new tech trees and racial traits to use them looks easy enough, but so far I'm drawing a blank on how to block off certain components/trees, given the current structure of the text files.

Marty Ward · #3 February 17th, 2001, 07:24 AM

Maybe you could do it if you made all the tech tree into separate branches each linked to a racial trait. The tech tree would be huge.
You would be required to choose a racial trait that included a tech tree.
You could have a basic racial trait that gives the current tech tree and a custom tree for each other trait. This would certainly allow a more diverse and unique races.

Str8_Gain · #4 February 17th, 2001, 07:36 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Marty Ward:
Maybe you could do it if you made all the tech tree into separate branches each linked to a racial trait. The tech tree would be huge.
You would be required to choose a racial trait that included a tech tree.
You could have a basic racial trait that gives the current tech tree and a custom tree for each other trait. This would certainly allow a more diverse and unique races.

Looks like it'd be the only way implement such a thing like I described, given the constraints imposed by the game itself. Rather brute-force, and it would make a HUGE tech tree like you said.

Hmm, this could be a suggestion to float by MM.....

Marty Ward · #5 February 17th, 2001, 06:41 PM

If I knew what I was doing I would give it a try.
I would love to see the variety this could bring. There is so much potential for truely custom races.

Suicide Junkie · #6 February 18th, 2001, 07:37 PM

quote:
If I can't block off a tree entirely, I'd like to find a way to block availability of specific components that are normally there in the regular tree (like the B/LS/CQ combo mentioned above), and replace them with the components I'd like there for that specific race (all the other races would have tech trees that are unaffected unless they were also mechanicals).

Maybe you should just give them alternative components:

Bridge -> Control Nexus: Room where the Mechanoids 'plug in' to the ship's functions.
Life Support -> power nodes: The mechanoids need to charge their batteries, right?
Crew quarters: where you go when you're not needed right now.

The components would be much smaller (eg. crew quarters would be closet size).

When they research master computer, then they've designed an AI specifically to be installed in ships.

You could still have shortcuts to computer tech using their racial tech.

Str8_Gain · #7 February 18th, 2001, 09:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Maybe you should just give them alternative components:
(snip)
You could still have shortcuts to computer tech using their racial tech.

Problem is, the "normal" components will still be there. On the other hand, mabye that's a good thing, since they can always build "export" Versions of their specialty ships (with racial-specific tech) as trade items.

Would it be possible if I made the alternative components part of the same family in Components.txt? Say, have the Bridge component and the "Control Nexus" component part of the same family, and the Nexus has a higher roman numeral number? Can you make Bridge number 0, and the Nexus 1 (where you can only reach it if you have the racial trait)?

I confess, I'm still very new at modifying these files. Any idea if there's any more documentation on these besides what's already in the files? The brute-force approach of completely replicating the entire normal tech tree and attaching race-specific IDs on them doesn't appeal too much to me, but if it's the only way, then well, I better get cracking.