Devnull Mod Gold: updates and discussion

[AMF]

That's probably what I did. So, of the two possibilities, I guess the second one was accurate (ie: I was just being stupid).



Thanks,

Alarik

[Oversway]

Thanks to parabolize (and any others). I'm glad for the update to devnull, it is my favorite mod.

[Rollo]

*With his newfound powers in necromancy Rollo twirls a dead cat around his head and pours a keg of mead over the thread.
'Rise thread, RISE!'

First of all many thanks to parabolize for doing the last update while I was away.

I have started where I left off, and working on the new version for DevnullMod Gold again. From the looks of it will be version 1.80 rather than 1.72, which means older games will not be compatible.

Here is what I have done so far:
Version 1.80 (special thanks to David E. Gervais and dogscoff)
22.02.2006:
* added more positions to Sonne formation
* new AI for temporal races: Xiati and Sallega
* updates to Cue Cappa/Abbidon AI
* raised retrofit Max Percent Difference to 70
* corrected typo in description of normal mounts
* corrected typo in description of massive ship mounts
* renamed 'Space Yard - Ship' to 'Mobile Space Yard' to avoid confusion with 'Space Yard - Base'
* Reactive Armor is only allowed on Ship\Base to prevent exploit with Weapon Platform PD mounts
* changed planets.bmp: new asteroids by David E. Gervais
* added new asteroid portraits (new pics by David E. Gervais)
* changed stats for Incinerator Beam (still needs playtesting)
* raised damage for Graviton Hellbore, gave double damage vs. shields, and +20% to hit
* raised tech cost for Graviton Hellbore to 10k
* added new picture for monster drone by dogscoff
* added Single Satellite Tube to make deployment of remote miners and spy sats easier in simultaneous games
* updated standard formations from the stock game
* added more positions to the custom formations (Hard Flanks, Dark Wing, Cube, etc)
* changed values for Massive Planetary Shield Generator (ruins tech)
* reduced cost for Emotionless trait
* reduced cost for Advanced Power Conservation trait
* reduced cost for Mechanoids trait
* added new ruins tech (ancient atmospheric processors)
* more tweaks to various formations
* Supply Storage is now allowed on drones, but not on satellites anymore
* Solar Collectors are now allowed on drones, but not on satellites anymore
* raised repair capability of higher level space yard facilities
* added new intro pic, thanks to David E. Gervais for teaching =)
* added new game buttons, by David E. Gervais (note: there is also a .../pictures/game/buttons/main_for_whimps.bmp for non-Viking themed buttons)
* added back new formations that were left out in version 1.71
* rolled back changes to SystemTypes.txt, StellarAbilityTypes.txt and QuadrantTypes.txt
* added Compact, Triple Threat, Column, Flank, Staggered Flank, Pincer and Pyramid formations from Strategies mod
* changed and smoothed population modifiers for worlds with more then 12000 (only effects constructed planets). A fully populated Sphereworld now gets 310% bonus.
* removed redundant master computer components from AI designs
* added temporal base space yard components (requires temporal tech and base tech, similar to the Space Yard - Base components)
* raised bonus for small sensors and ecm components
* changed vehiclesize.txt: large hulls are now easier to hit (for example battleships now get a -20% to defense)
* spinal mounts and heavy mounts require a battleship hull or bigger
* Battle Cruisers get a +10% to hit

[Rollo]

Oh, and here is a peek at my to do list. With some ideas what is to come. Some things that need to be done. Some things that may or may not be. And, ummm, some cryptic stuff that I have no clue what it actually means.
At any rate it is food for thought

to do:
======
[?] tweak mounts -> remove the -20 from DN mount and rebalance accordingly
[] raise DUC damage slightly and give it 1/2 damage to shields
[] look at incinerator beam again for balance
[] add new mount for heavy cruiser (size600)?
[] Xiati _AI_General file and new .emp files
[] copy Xiati files to Sallega

ideas: expert fighter pilots trait (gives special cockpit component with +10 combat modifiers, maybe tech tree with better levels), also expert capital ships?, engineers, etc...

AI to do:
=========[*] Xiati et al. AI (temporal)
[] Terran et al.AI (missile/fighter heavy)
[] Phong et al. AI (crystalline)
[?] replace untweaked AI with newer versions even if racial tech doesn't match? (no crystal AI, yet)
[] add new Taera graphics
[] check facilty files for Planet - shield generation and change the Phased Shield Generation
[] check research of mil sci 2 and adv mil sci
[] add supermonitor designs to older design files (EEE, Cuecappa, Vikings, etc..)
[] Sergetti+? AI (PPB)
[] Taera AI (bio-cryst)
[] Sharlon AI psy/org (need permission for shipset?)
[] more crossover AIs, need more races (Ixaris? and others)
[] revise Amonkrie/Fazrah AI (no offense Geo =) )
[] custom contruction_units files

more ideas: crystal amplified thought control centre (+happines in system as a base/ship component. psy/crsytal crossover tech)
portable war/death shrine
psy/crys crew quarters with repair
psy/crys reduced maintenance

new stuff (and ruins tech)

* cloked sats with gravity warheads (sector damgage like storms) to make unsweepable mines -> (tested it, but the AI doesn't like the sector damage ability)
* ancient SY add-ons (expensive, 1000 build rate per add-on)
* more engineering levels (see thread)
* maintenance red. for bases (and/or ships?). stackable?
* emergency propulsion for bases? (doesn't work)
* small null space weapons for fighters
* finding officers in ruins?
* monster lore, type B tech, can be gained only though capture and analysis of monsters -> hints, components, sensors (probably not unless new monster race is added)
* ancient tech that gives super weapons when reserch is maxed (for example APB XII + ancient tech = APB XIII)

maybe:
[] rework shield system
[+] rebalance weapons (GHB, IB, HBMissile)
[] ablative armor to Weapon platforms?
[] add more normal armor IV-VI?
[] add more stuff to psy/crys and temp/rel
[] crossover tech when all three(?) massive weapon techs have been found (Puke's Sci-Fi Cannon)

possible abilities for components (for crosover techs) needs checking if it works:
[] check Sector - Sensor Interference
[?] training component temp/rel
[] check Combat Modifier - System on comps
[] check Damage Modifier - System on comps
[] check Modified Maintenance Cost on comps
[] assimilation warheads (crew conversation) for drones and mines (psy/crys crossover)

[Fyron]

* rolled back changes to SystemTypes.txt, StellarAbilityTypes.txt and QuadrantTypes.txt

I'm not sure that is the best idea... The version of FQM that was in the mod before was really, really old. You should probably update it again. There have been some significant fixes and improvements since 1.12 or so.

possible abilities for components (for crosover techs) needs checking if it works:
[] check Sector - Sensor Interference
[] check Combat Modifier - System on comps
[] check Damage Modifier - System on comps
[] check Modified Maintenance Cost on comps

The first 3 of these will work on components. Never tested the maintenance one, assuming you refer to the system-wide crystalline ability, however.

[Rollo]

Imperator Fyron said:

I'm not sure that is the best idea... The version of FQM that was in the mod before was really, really old. You should probably update it again. There have been some significant fixes and improvements since 1.12 or so.

Yeah, I know. However, simply copying over the FQM files makes it impossible to make classic quadrants.
Personally I don't like all the abilities added to standard suns, planets, warppoints, and asteroids. And the AI doesn't like them either.

[parabolize]

I was thinking about making some AI improvements but if you are back I will just dump them on you.

Basically I wanted the AIs putting better components on their ships and better facilities on their planets. Like armor, no good reason a large ship shouldn't have 1 Scattering/Stealth/Emissive armor. But its kinda hard to make the AI put on 3 types of armor. So you add them as different abilities; Emissive as armor, Stealth as cloak, Scattering as scanner jammer. You may need to reorder a few components abilities to do it though.

As it is right now I think AIs never build Mineral Scanners, Hybrid Eco - Farms or Radioactives Colliders.

I think the AIs should build cargo facilities with some weapons platforms. If the AI is crapy at attacking why not make it good at defending?

I was also thinking about giving the AI a different ECM/Combat Sensors tech tree that added 40% to each level because the AIs are not training ships no matter how hard I try.

Anyway, its nice to have you back.

[Black_Knyght]

Damn, that's a helluva lot of work goin' on. I can't wait to see where this ends up.