Ultimate Mod from spaceempires.org

[Fyron]

In regard to those extremely cheap AI ships, they use this "weapon mount" on their components:

quote:

---

Long Name := DieCast Mounting
Short Name := Harden Mount
Description := A weapons mount that adds more support to the equipment
Code := D
Cost Percent := 0
Tonnage Percent := 100
Tonnage Structure Percent := 400
Damage Percent := 75
Supply Percent := 100
Range Modifier := 0
Weapon To Hit Modifier := -10
Vehicle Size Minimum := 0
Weapon Type Requirement := None
Vehicle Type := Ship

---

Any component with this mount costs ZERO resources to build and maintain. Personally, I don't like this and have changed the mount.

[disabled]

Hadrian! Don't ever loose your touch! This mod is great!

[ June 13, 2003, 06:18: Message edited by: General Talashar ]

[Menschenfresser]

On the Ultimate mod.

I must be playing with an older Version of the mod after you mentioned that the maintanence bug on the die-cast mount has been fixed...so if this is also out of date then just disregard.

Further on the Die-cast mount...I must say that it is probably the single most interesting change of the mod that I have seen so far. The reason being the fact that it makes nearly half of a ships components (and sometimes all) quite hard to destroy. Most battles now take more than one go-round to have one side eliminated...even in a one on one. I can see that maybe later in the game once weapons can become quite powerful due to mounts, this will be partially negated. I am not sure, but I would think that in the fix of this feature...some extra cost should have been added given that in the Version I am playing armor under the die-cast mount is worth 120k of damage. Personally I would add only cost in resources and not a larger size as the draw backs of this mount. I find that as it is, there are no draw backs to this mount...every ship gets it...making the strategy of chosing non-existent.

Overall, the greatest asset of the diecast is the lenght and realism it gives to combat. I now engage the enemy...both sides lose a few ships and then if I see I cannot win I retreat...or now...try to draw out the conflict until reinforcements arrive.

Good work on this. I will d/l the mod again and see what has changed, but over all I think it is a great addition to the game.

I agree with the previous post about the smaller weapons in that they make combat too long. Personally I don't use them...and I really don't see the benefit in using them...other than the fun of having space machine guns.

I love the stars having abilities, but I would suggest if possible attempting to reduce the percentage of those that have abilities. In my present game, of the say 15 systems I have explored almost half make shields useless. That makes shields a nearly useless component.

Just some thoughts. But overall, I like the completely different feel....good work.

[TacticDragon]

I'm not sure I understand what the DieCast mount is all about. Probably because I'm pretty new to the modding aspects of SE4. Is this mount only available to AIs? But if it's a bug, maybe I shouldn't worry about it and just wait for the next Version of UM.

I downloaded UM Last week so I think I have the most recent one. When will the next Version be available?

About the new systems. I think they are great, and I was amazed when I saw the first Giant Head. I do however agree with Menschenfresser in that these new features should be more rare. Even though they are fun, I think the AI has troubles coping with them or taking advantage of them.

In my Last game, I started off pretty much trapped in a nebula/black hole/damaging black hole region, with lots of damaging wormholes, and with only a few planets that I could colonize. I really enjoyed the challenge as I had to completely revise my usual research strategies, so I could get armor and bigger ships with space yards earlier. The first AI I encountered was a neutral and hostile race maybe 7 "non-productive" (read nebulae/black holes) systems away from my home system. Since they wouldn't let me pass, I had to literally adapt a nomad life and research up to Orbital Battleships to send a slow, heavily armored "mothership" with space yard, escorted by two "fuel-cargo" cruisers (likewise heavily armored), and build up a temporary "base" with 3 base-space-yards on the wormhole that led into the AI's system. And from there I built up an invasion fleet. As I said, it was a very interesting situation. Definitely one of my best SE4 games yet.

[disabled]

I think DieCast Mount is supposed to strengthen the ship's components but there is a bug in it

On the up side it's easy to fix yourself.

[ June 13, 2003, 06:17: Message edited by: General Talashar ]