The State of World Supremacy

[Rosseau]

Yes, basically we don't know what we're dealing with. What works, what don't.

[spillblood]

Originally Posted by 1SG

Does anyone know for sure that the fortifications actually give your land units any defense advantage. I played a hot seat game with myself to do a controled test and based on all damage points inflicted on the defender units there was no defense increase advantage to the defender? I even tryed a +10 value and still no difference. see below:

Number Of Special Abilities := 1
Special Ability 1 Type := Combat Defense Modifier
Special Ability 1 Description := Increases the defense rating of all Land Units by +10.
Special Ability 1 Amount := 10

Yeah, it's obvious that this lack of detailed information in the manual and the readme-files poses a serious problem for modders. I've requested a modding guide via customer support around half a year ago, but Shrapnel's customer service replied that it's the community's job to devise such a document. It's unlikely Malfador, the developers, will provide more detailed information here in this forum, so this can only be done by experimenting with the game itself, because they won't release the source code as long as they're still selling this game, I guess.
BTW, I think fortifications in the present form are relatively useless, especially against large numbers of enemy units, if you don't have a sizable force yourself.
One suggestion I made last year was to give the fortification bunkers an attack capability, because each fight with a defense bunker involved usually ends with you having to move your units up to the bunker and blasting away at the defenseless building, which is particularly annoying when you don't have strong units left (always lengthens the battles needlessly). Fights should either end when there's only the fortification left or they should be given an attack capability like those AA Missile turrets (that are actually also useful against ground units!). A realistic way would be to give bunkers ground attack capability and AA-turrets only air attack capability.

BTW, it would be extremely nice if you could try contacting Malfador directly via ws@malfador.com. Also check out their website: http://www.malfador.com/ (it also contains this mail adress, you could also use info@malfador.com, I think.
This way they see that there are some new people willing to mod/improve the game who need some help. Maybe Aaron Hall, head of Malfador, can give you some more details on the game's rules himself, and it's better when I don't contact him again because I guess he either won't reply to more mails by me, because I've sent large amounts of bug reports, savegames and descriptions of errors, and they largely didn't see through them because at some point (I guess July or August) I was the only person doing this. It's better when new people try this out.

[1SG]

I did contact ws@malfador.com via email and got a response from Aaron. He did tell me that the only instructions availible for making mods is in the manual, but it only list what the data files are for not any detail of how to change the parameters.

Also he said there is no expected future updates or patches for WS. I think as you have already known we are on our own.

I thought of another idea to give the AI a greater advantage.
I already mentioned that by not building any Factories and having to move my units from the only factory to the front line does provide a challenge of logistics.

The new way which I have not tryed yet but sounds promising is to take 1 or more units and give it the special ability to increase resources for the teritory it is in and I will not build that type of unit giving the AI an advantage in resources.
I thought about doing that with the Rocket Arty which the AI seams to like to produce alot of and use. I personally do not produce many of the Rocket Arty when on the offense, which of course I am against the AI.

Just copy the values from the City and add it to any unit you wish, for example

Number Of Special Abilities := 1
Special Ability 1 Type := Territory Money Modifier
Special Ability 1 Description := Increases money from this territory by 10%.
Special Ability 1 Amount := 10

Of course if the AI builds several of these units in the same region the AI can get a big boost in resources. Not sure if the AI will build this type of unit just for this purpose?

[spillblood]

Quite interesting ideas! If it's possible to create new units supply vehicles could be interesting, IE supply trucks that create resources, but can be destroyed. If the AI would build lots of them it might get a big resource boost. Maybe it's also possible to just increase city production (if the AI builds enough cities).
I agree, it's a pity there won't be more updates, because with some more work by the developers the game could become absolutely awesome. I think they've given the Space Empires games more updates than WS so far, and the advantage of Space Empires was that the AI was also moddable, I wonder why Malf haven't implemented moddable AI in WS.

[1SG]

I am going to try making the increase resources for cities to see if the AI will build them and I will decide to not build any cities.

I did add an advantage by each Rocket Aty adding a 100% increase to resource to each region per unit, and did not build any Rocket Art myself. To say the least the AI simply beat me silly because I could not keep up with the AI's production. Even though with my limited ability which is still far better then the AI when it comes to strategy, production and resources overwelmed me and I could not beat the AI. Maybe something setting like each Rocket Art unit having a 20 - 50% will make a better balance. Was neat to see the AI make me sweat and die.