Balance Mod Available for SE:V

[Ed Kolis]

Say, TakAhLah and I are having trouble getting a PBW game started... it's an EOTU game between me and Gusset where TakAhLah is the host, and I can't seem to load the first turn. I tried reinstalling Balance Mod, and TakAhLah tried reinstalling SE5, reinstalling the Balance Mod, and creating a new GSU file (the one we originally used was for SE5 v1.44 and an equally old version of Balance Mod), but still no luck. The error I'm getting is that the data files don't match, and I can't continue the game. Have you run into this before, Kwok? I know in 1.44, we'd get that error all the time but at least we could bypass it - is SE5 just being to scrupulous about checking timestamps and stuff, or did we do something wrong?

[Captain Kwok]

You might not have the same version of 1.10, download it again.

[Arralen]

I had some strange AI behaviour with 1.10 - did you with the diplomacy files?

First AI to surrender to me was a minor nation around turn 80.
Wasn't that strange, though - they were at war with me and an even bigger AI on another front, I had already an outpost in their (home) system and shot down their last FF. To surrender was a logical decision, as the outcome was inevitable.

But now, on turn 102, the Jraener surrendered to me - but we weren't at war with each other, and never have been. I was rated 6th and they 7th (of 18 players). They had in fact more system colonized then me, and vastly more research, I suppose due to an advantageous research-sharing treaty with one of the 2 Ueber-AI (which had a very good start it seems).

While this is a interesting alternative to the usual 4X-game-genocide, I think they shouldn't surrender that easily. Treaties, yes, alliances, sure, but surrender should require at least a state of war with at least one player of better rating?! They were at war with 8th (my neighbour, whom I have trade treaty with), 11th and 14th rated player and AFAIK weren't in any danger!?

[Raapys]

Surrendering should also require a small number of colonies left, I'd say. Ideally there'd be some way of calculating how the war has been going, but I suspect that'd be a major task.

[Captain Kwok]

It was actually a script error. You could have asked any empire to surrender on a given turn and had a 50% chance that they would.

[Captain Kwok]

Greetings!

Version 1.11 of the Balance Mod is now available. It fixes a number of v1.10 bugs and makes a number of AI improvements. Perhaps the most important is the AI's consideration of other player's relations with their allies and enemies. It's save game compatible with v1.10.

Next up on the agenda is implementing the AI's alliance diplomacy scheme!

Download:
http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php

History:

Version 1.11 (28 October 2007)
------------------------------

1. Fixed - Error in Miltia amounts
2. Fixed - Error in restrictions for "Only One Per" components
3. Fixed - The Units-Fighter minister was not being used
4. Fixed - Medium and Large Freighters were not advancing their hull sizes properly
5. Changed - Returned maximum trade amounts to default values
6. Changed - Trade will increased at a rate of 0.5% per turn
7. Fixed - Error in tech area requirements for Mine Layer component
8. Fixed - Sometimes ship weapons with low damage would not damage a planet
9. Changed - Increased the combat movement bonus for Afterburners
10. Changed - Removed fighters and troops from target types for Small Rocket Pods and Small Anti-Matter Torpedoes
11. Fixed - Some Stellar Ability Types were not being applied
12. Changed - Boarding attacker strength adjusted to 4:1 versus normal crew members
13. Changed - Reduced effect of research points on score
14. Changed - Tweaked population happiness effects and levels for anger states
15. Fixed - The Defensive minister style was not working correctly
16. Fixed - Sometimes the AI would design Small Drones without weapons
17. Changed - A weaker AI will seek peace
18. Added - The AI will consider other player's relations with their allies/enemies for anger
19. Changed - The AI won't try and build so many units when they are poor in resources
20. Fixed - Error that increased the Refining Colony value threshold when low on radioactives
21. Changed - Increased AI's overall demand for ships
22. Fixed - Error prevented AI from making changes to their treaties with other players
23. Fixed - The AI was sometimes breaking treaties when one didn't exist
24. Changed - The minister for population transports is now functioning much better
25. Changed - Improved the AI's distribution of remote unit defenses
26. Fixed - The AI was not colonizing when the game starting at maximum tech
27. Fixed - The AI was surrending more often then they should
28. Updated - AI Scripts

[Kamog]

Thank you very much, Captain Kwok.

[Tim_Ward]

Nice work, as usual Kwok.

BTW, does anyone know if the Highest Percentage Score victory condition is working yet?

Also, speaking of alliances, what happens if you have every empire in the game under one alliance, does that count as a sole survivor victory? If not, a "Unify the quadrent" victory condition might be a nice addition, if Aaron could be persuaded...

[Q]

Thank you Kwok for your continuous excellent work and especially for posting the AI scripts too!

Just a quick feedback regarding unit designs at full tech:

- troops lack ecm and combat sensors.
- there is no recon sat design.
- attack drones have direct fire weapons but no combat sensor.

[Captain Kwok]

Did you notice if it was the Light Troop design without ECM/CS?