Unique Mod Idea: would you play it?

Mark Walton · #1 November 23rd, 2001, 02:39 AM

Hey that wasn't magic, it was my Neural Modding Net.

Thinking about it, I would probably find the game frustrating at first. In fact I might just decide to stick to low-tech weapons, and wait.

But, I feel that there's too much of a random element. The game will be won or lost on who guesses best... although there may be strategies which can be employed, will players get over that initial hurdle and play a 2nd / 3rd game to find out?

Deathstalker · #2 November 23rd, 2001, 04:58 AM

This stuff sounds fun but would it work with the new 'anti-cheat' stuff added in the latest patch? The files in the Data folder must match with the files in the Data folder when the game was created by the host. This is to prevent 'modding' mid-game. Found this out in my latest PBW game when people tried to play without the new CompEnhancement.txt file I supplied.

Phoenix-D · #3 November 23rd, 2001, 05:11 AM

"The files in the Data folder must match with the files in the Data folder when the game was created by the host."

Not needed IMO..only the host could pull this cheat, it would effect EVERYONE, not just the host, and changing it slammed the door shut to a number of interesting mod and scenerios..

Phoenix-D

Suicide Junkie · #4 November 23rd, 2001, 05:18 AM

quote:
This stuff sounds fun but would it work with the new 'anti-cheat' stuff added in the latest patch?

When the PBW host updates to the next week's data files, everybody would have to download them before they take their next turn.

You've all see that it is perfectly OK for the PBW guys to upgrade the game between mod Versions, as long as everybody is on the same page, it works.

quote:
But, I feel that there's too much of a random element. The game will be won or lost on who guesses best... although there may be strategies which can be employed, will players get over that initial hurdle and play a 2nd / 3rd game to find out?

For the most part, it would be gradual, continuous changes. Plus, there will be a normal-tech weather forecast facility. Everybody can see what's coming in the near future once they've got the technology to do so (you wouldn't even have to actually build the facility, just look at it's stats)

[This message has been edited by suicide_junkie (edited 23 November 2001).]

Quikngruvn · #5 November 25th, 2001, 06:13 AM

I think this is a great idea! I think a big part of the strategy would be to determine how much of your fleet to go high-tech (which may work only occasionally) and how much for low-tech (which should work most of the time)....

Question, though: would there a circumstance arising where techs would become completely unavailable moving from a high-tech to a low-tech zone? I'm thinking specifically of ship construction, like if up to Battlecruisers are available, and I research and build Battelcruisers, and then suddenly only Destroyers are available, then what happens to my ships? Or is this a scenario that just wouldn't come up?

Quikngruvn

dumbluck · #6 November 25th, 2001, 07:37 AM

This sounds very, very interesting. I would definately want in on it. Oh, wait. Assuming I have the time, of coarse!

As to the ship tech question, In my opinion, the ships you currently have built would work, but any you have in your build queue would be lost, and you wouldn't be able to build more until the tech barometer rose above Battlecruiser again.

On second thought, that might be hard to implement. The only way I can see this working would be to have the techtree data file (or whatever it's called) changed along with the components.txt. (And the facilities.txt? Suddenly your research centers go from cranking out 913 research points to 100? Ouch! Shipyards construction rate crashes? Bigger ouch!!) But does anyone know what would happen when the tech tree changes and a tech you have researched no longer exists? Will the research level stay, but you can't use it's components/facilities; or will you have to research that tech level all over again when it comes back? Having to re-research would _SUCK_!

Suicide Junkie · #7 November 26th, 2001, 06:22 PM

quote:
But does anyone know what would happen when the tech tree changes and a tech you have researched no longer exists?

I would expect the savegame to fail to load.

I only plan to change the operation of the components& facilities, and, if possible, the research cost of the techs that are "too high-tech".

quote:
Question, though: would there a circumstance arising where techs would become completely unavailable moving from a high-tech to a low-tech zone? I'm thinking specifically of ship construction, like if up to Battlecruisers are available, and I research and build Battelcruisers, and then suddenly only Destroyers are available, then what happens to my ships? Or is this a scenario that just wouldn't come up?

No components/hulls/facilities can be removed. At worst, I'd have the maintenance cost of the superlarge ships go up. You'd have to get those ships mothballed until the tech rises again.
Perhaps something like 100% more maintenance for each step above the current tech limit.
In that case your battlecruiser would cost 4x normal maintenance.

quote:
Will the research level stay, but you can't use it's components/facilities

The research level will stay, and you CAN use the components & facilities. Weapons that are too high-tech will simply do zero damage, and the borderline objects will have reduced effectiveness in some way. Shields could be given a large negative regeneration ability as well as lower hitpoints. Engines per move on ships could increase.
The components will still be legal, and the same size, they just won't do much until the tech rises again.

Q: Would there be any point in considering PPB1 lower tech than PPB5? They'd still be very close, but there could be a situation where PPB 1 would work when the 5's dont.

[ 26 November 2001: Message edited by: suicide_junkie ]