Master Belisarius, your Tessellate are awesome!

Slick · #1 April 29th, 2005, 12:00 AM

MB, as you know, following AI Deathmatch 3, I got ahold of all the races that participated from you. I was a little surprised to learn at that time that I was still using TDM 3.4 beta which didn't include the Tessellate (and promptly rectified that situation). Well, I have played against them a few times and in the latest game, they sure have developed well. I'm now facing large fleets of their Baseships. I'm especially impressed with their ship designs. They seem to be extremely well designed to handle most opposition. Their Talisman-armed, shield depleter/shard cannon designs with phased shield/crystal armor are especially tough. The shield depleters knock out enemy shields and then the shard cannons gut the enemy by skipping armor. The Talisman ensures that all shots will hit. With the room on the baseships to put all that crystal armor, the full effect of the Religious/Crystal combination comes to life. I have noticed that they field a wide variety of designs in each area; satellites, fighters, ships, etc. In fact all their hull sizes are well designed. I like to play Crystal from time to time and, for the first time in years, I actually thought that some of the Tessellate AI designs were better than my own; even if you take away the Talisman.

I have also noticed that they sure know how to develop a system too. Combining the various Religious and Crystal facilities enables them to increase production, increase combat effectiveness, shields and lower ship maintenance.

I'm not surprised that the Tessellate won AI DM 3.

MB, I just wanted to tell you that I think you did a hell of a job with this race and it's a pleasure to play against them. They are definitely one of the best races to play against for a great challenge.

Grey_One · #2 April 29th, 2005, 12:50 PM

Hi Slick, nice to see you are still around.

Um, how do you like the ship set?

Baseship? Did I make a base ship? It has been so long.

Um, does it still use my ship set?

Slick · #3 April 29th, 2005, 01:47 PM

Yes, the readme gives your former self well-deserved credit for the awesome shipset. It is very original and fits perfectly with a crystal race. I looked up what "Tessellate" means - very appropriate for a geometric-looking race. I mean't no slight to you on the shipset; I was just extremely impressed with the AI and the ship designs.

Grey_One · #4 April 30th, 2005, 09:29 PM

Slick, no sleight taken. I remember you well as a nice guy.

I was being "flip". Actualy MB was looking around for a ship set for his crystal based AI fairly soon after I had finished my set. I offered and he accepted.

I am sorry to say I have forgottone the screen name of the man who really spiffed them up for me. I knew him as "Bill". He passed away some time ago. He gets a lot of credit for the quality.

Be well and happy gamming.

Slick · #5 April 30th, 2005, 11:36 PM

I believe you are referring to mlmbd. He was a great guy, probably best known on these forums for his "Lurk Report".

Here's an excerpt from the tessellate readme:

Quote:

Shipset Readme.
===============
This great shipset was created by Gryphin (gryphin@windingstream.com).

Credits
mlmbd - Training in use of Doga L2
mlmbd - Rendering of ships in Doga L3

Hunpecked · #6 May 5th, 2005, 08:07 PM

Two factors that really seem to help the Tessellate in the long run are their high construction rate and low maintenance. Unfortunately their low aggression makes them vulnerable early in the game, i.e. before they develop the Talisman. In my current game against 5 of the top AIs from Deathmatch 3, I stumbled on the Tessellate home system early on. They're still around as of turn 89, but the early loss of three well-developed systems (including home) has severely stunted their development.

In addition, the poor Tessellate share another shortcoming with their lemming-ish AI brothers: they cheerfully plow through mined warp points again and again with insufficient minesweeper escort. In my experience the Aquilaeans appear to be marginally better at mine warfare, but none of the AIs I've played are really very good at it.

Master Belisarius · #7 May 5th, 2005, 11:11 PM

Thanks for the kind words Slick!

Yes, must admit that I was specially careful with the design of his ships.
But the problem is that as "combo race" they need bonuses and a good time to develop their potential... and then is not easy for them to reach the BA ships.
His early ships (until develop the Talisman) can be competitive against other AIs... but fighting against humans they're in disadvantage.

I have enjoyed a lot doing the Tessellate. But to know that somebody else enjoyed playing against them... it's a "bonus" that make me feel more happy!
Again, thanks for the kind words.

Quote:

Slick said:
MB, as you know, following AI Deathmatch 3, I got ahold of all the races that participated from you. I was a little surprised to learn at that time that I was still using TDM 3.4 beta which didn't include the Tessellate (and promptly rectified that situation). Well, I have played against them a few times and in the latest game, they sure have developed well. I'm now facing large fleets of their Baseships. I'm especially impressed with their ship designs. They seem to be extremely well designed to handle most opposition. Their Talisman-armed, shield depleter/shard cannon designs with phased shield/crystal armor are especially tough. The shield depleters knock out enemy shields and then the shard cannons gut the enemy by skipping armor. The Talisman ensures that all shots will hit. With the room on the baseships to put all that crystal armor, the full effect of the Religious/Crystal combination comes to life. I have noticed that they field a wide variety of designs in each area; satellites, fighters, ships, etc. In fact all their hull sizes are well designed. I like to play Crystal from time to time and, for the first time in years, I actually thought that some of the Tessellate AI designs were better than my own; even if you take away the Talisman.

I have also noticed that they sure know how to develop a system too. Combining the various Religious and Crystal facilities enables them to increase production, increase combat effectiveness, shields and lower ship maintenance.

I'm not surprised that the Tessellate won AI DM 3.

MB, I just wanted to tell you that I think you did a hell of a job with this race and it's a pleasure to play against them. They are definitely one of the best races to play against for a great challenge.

Master Belisarius · #8 May 5th, 2005, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Grey_One said:
Slick, no sleight taken. I remember you well as a nice guy.

I was being "flip". Actualy MB was looking around for a ship set for his crystal based AI fairly soon after I had finished my set. I offered and he accepted.

I am sorry to say I have forgottone the screen name of the man who really spiffed them up for me. I knew him as "Bill". He passed away some time ago. He gets a lot of credit for the quality.

Be well and happy gamming.

Nice to see you still around!
When I saw your shipset the first time... really loved it, but also fitted specially well with a Cristalline race!

And yes, I remember MLMBD too: he was a great guy.
Is hard to know he died... would preferred to believe he doesn't played SEIV anymore and left the forum.

Master Belisarius · #9 May 5th, 2005, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Hunpecked said:
Two factors that really seem to help the Tessellate in the long run are their high construction rate and low maintenance.

Yes, concur with you.
In the second Death Match, the United Flora defeated them without big problems... thanks their more numerous fleets.

But for the third Death Match, where the Tessellate defeated the UF without problems, the main difference it was that instead Berzerkers, I have changed their culture to Mechants... then, they were able to keep large fleets too.
Also, as you noted the fast construction rate help them... but specially thanks the use of Cristalline components that use more Radioactive resources.
For this reason, they can build BA ships so fast.

Quote:

Hunpecked said:
Unfortunately their low aggression makes them vulnerable early in the game, i.e. before they develop the Talisman. In my current game against 5 of the top AIs from Deathmatch 3, I stumbled on the Tessellate home system early on. They're still around as of turn 89, but the early loss of three well-developed systems (including home) has severely stunted their development.

Agree again with you. Their ramming ships are good against other AIs but not against humans.
In that point, they're like the UF... the AI that inspired me to do the Tessellate.

Quote:

Hunpecked said:
In addition, the poor Tessellate share another shortcoming with their lemming-ish AI brothers: they cheerfully plow through mined warp points again and again with insufficient minesweeper escort.

True... but the problem is that you can't tell to the AI, how many "offenssive sweepers" should include in every fleet..
The good thing is that if they can survive to mid-late game, usually 2 "offensive sweepers" can clean any minefield.

Quote:

Hunpecked said:
In my experience the Aquilaeans appear to be marginally better at mine warfare, but none of the AIs I've played are really very good at it.

Think it was only luck...
They're not so different, and can remember that I have used the Aquilaeian construction queues, as base for the Tessellate.