Big List of Mods & Stuff - ok, fine comments too.

[Suicide Junkie]

I won't pretend to be a great AI modder.

I havent seen a way to control how many reactors the AIs use... I think they may just fill until they run out of space or manage to generate more than they can use.

I don't mind as long as they get the components they need almost all of the time.
I don't have the time or skill in this area to run down (what looks like) diminishing returns.

I might get some of the double reactors placed on the AI ships, but I don't want to make it too easy for the player to pick up huge reactors continuously...

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Neutral and alien docks very occasionally have rare items, such as that armor. If you want lots of it, visit the race it is associated with for the greatest chance of finding it.

[ October 27, 2003, 23:42: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Phoenix-D]

SJ, the reactors a race uses are set in enemies.txt. If you go into the P&N one and change all the

Race 1 Number of Reactors := 1
Race 1 Reactor 1 Class := Power Reactor (Double)
Race 1 Reactor 1 Chance := 100
Race 1 Reactor 1 Inc Chance Per Difficulty := 0
Race 1 Reactor 1 Inc Chance Per Level := 0

entries so they say Power Reactor (Double) or have two reactors, they'll use them.

[Suicide Junkie]

Yes, I know:
I might get some of the double reactors placed on the AI ships, but I don't want to make it too easy for the player to pick up huge reactors continuously...
The problem is the AI will still fill the ships to the brim with reactors, and now the player will have a bonanza of double reactors which will make the singles completely useles..

[Phoenix-D]

Sorry, misread the how many comment.

I think the dropped components are determined by the random component drop text file, and not by what components are on the actual ships, though.

[Suicide Junkie]

There may be extras, but the components on the ship most definitely do get scattered when the ship dies...

Notice how toxin injectors leave 0% damage components in the rubble? And how if you do some damage to armor before killing a ship, it drops armor that is partially damaged?
That's what I'm talking about

[Phoenix-D]

Ah, bleh. That would be right. Hmm, how to avoid that..can't even make AI only components, like in SE4.

[Rollo]

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
Ah, bleh. That would be right. Hmm, how to avoid that..can't even make AI only components, like in SE4.

you can make AI only components. For example I made some monster components that can only fit into modded monster slots. They don't show correctly on long range scans (like custom slots don't show in the spacedock), but they are functional and used by the AI.
If the monsters are killed the player can pick up the monster body parts, but they cannot be used on a player ship, because it doesn't have the correct slots.
For P&N it might help to give enemy purchase hulls extra built-in energy regeneration, so they don't have to place so many generators.