TDM-ModPack 2.00 BETA - Page 13

Mephisto · #**121** November 15th, 2001, 07:29 PM

You could do this but there is a drawback, too (there is always one

): If anyone "gifts" the AI very good weapons in a multiplayer game (like I use to

) then the AI will not use it the whole time until it develops it anyway. I think I will let it rest as it is as I think not to many people are using the med. tech start.

chewy027 · #**122** November 16th, 2001, 07:39 AM

quote by myself
"BTW do you want to include the vandron in the new cd burn alpha?"

qoute by alpha kodiak
"Have to ask the TDM guys what they think. I don't know if they want to add another race this late in the process, but I think the Vandron would do well if it was added."

"Tampa, Daynarr, Mephisto, what do you guys think? I can have the final AI done by tomorrow night. Do you want to add the Vandron to the Modpack?"

Q · #**123** November 18th, 2001, 12:30 PM

There seem to be races in the TDM-ModPack (Beta5Update), that are a little bit neglected like the Amon'krie:
Their research file still contains 100% min tech area percent projects, which makes them lose research points without benefit.
And in the design vehicle file there are such absurdities as shield regeneration for weapon platforms, that have no shields in their design!
So I think their AI files should be carefully controled or the race removed from the ModPack.

Tampa_Gamer · #**124** November 18th, 2001, 03:58 PM

Q - The Amon'Krie are not one the modified races. They are included in the mod directory so that they will still be used as a random race, just as the other original non-modded races are. I think what you are seeing are differences betwen the actual original races and what the AI modders have been doing over the Last year.

Chewy - sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Please understand this is a very hard response for me to write. Our problem is one of capacity. In the beginning, for each new Version of the TDM-ModPack, it used to take Mephisto, Daynarr or myself only a few hours to finalize the proper directories, update the readme, TEST, bug the various authors for quick fixes and finally upload to the site. Lately, and especially this Last time, the time involved was close to 20+ hours (Mephisto correct me if am wrong), we have to actually use spreadsheets to keep track of authors/Versions/files and this does not even include modding our own races! Over the past month, we have had to make hard decisions and tell people (even those who already have races in the ModPack) that we do not have any more capacity. So unfortunately at this time we are sort of at capacity. Now, if the public at large is screaming for us to add a race that is kicking everyone's collective butt (that is how the Rage got added B/T/W) we may have to reconsider this policy.

Some people want us to just add the majority of the races out there so the ModPack would consist of 60+ races to choose from. But then all we would be doing is zipping up the files and passing all of the problems to the Users. There would be no quality control, no testing, Versions would never come out on time b/c we would be waiting for x or y's latest tweaks, etc.

Sorry for the long-winded response, but Mephisto and I have been getting this question a lot lately and instead of just replying to you via e-mail, I thought it better to let everyone know where we stand.

Now having said all that, I would like to see the Vandron included on the next CD run, so be sure to post them in the "DEFINITIVE MOD" thread.

Thanks
-TG

[This message has been edited by Tampa_Gamer (edited 18 November 2001).]

Vger · #**125** November 18th, 2001, 06:50 PM

Hi,

And now a word about Orkses ...

Just wanted to post here and say that I'm having a grand time trying to beat back an Ork invasion. I'm only a year and a half into my game. To my north is a neutral race and a galactic dead end. To the south are the Orks, who showed up about 3-4 months into the game.

Their fleet is bigger, they have bigger ships and I'm winning battles by the skin of my teeth. They're building CL hulls while I'm building DDs. They're using DUC5s have armor and now self destruct devices. (I've been spending points on my racial techs: Borg and Temporal.)

BTW, this is with hard cp oponents and no bonus, 5000 points 10 good planets, low tech-high cost. I think I'm starting to get a handle on this, but it's still nip and tuck. Fortunately, I have a few boarding ships.
Just wanted the Orkses creator to know.

Ciao,
V'ger gone

chewy027 · #**126** November 19th, 2001, 04:40 AM

hey tampa no problem just thought i'd ask

i understand completely. As long as Alpha Kodiak agrees i'll gladly post them in the definite mod section. Thanks

geoschmo · #**127** November 19th, 2001, 04:49 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Q:
There seem to be races in the TDM-ModPack (Beta5Update), that are a little bit neglected like the Amon'krie:

quote:
Originally posted by Tampa_Gamer:
Q - The Amon'Krie are not one the modified races. They are included in the mod directory so that they will still be used as a random race, just as the other original non-modded races are. I think what you are seeing are differences betwen the actual original races and what the AI modders have been doing over the Last year.

This really demonstrates the awesome job you guys are doing. The Amon-krie are one of the few default AI that do reasonably well in non-mod games. The fact that the ModPack AI are so much better than them is very interesting IMHO.

Geoschmo

[This message has been edited by geoschmo (edited 19 November 2001).]

Alpha Kodiak · #**128** November 19th, 2001, 08:28 AM

quote:
Originally posted by chewy027:
hey tampa no problem just thought i'd ask i understand completely. As long as Alpha Kodiak agrees i'll gladly post them in the definite mod section. Thanks

By all means, go for it!

Jourin · #**129** November 19th, 2001, 05:50 PM

Tampa,

Please consider my culture mod for the mod pack. With culture values working properly, they can now have an impact.

The cultural values where not balanced. I weighted the values based on how many racial points where needed to achieve the same
value. Some cultures actually penalized you.

Using neutral as a base with the value 2 in every field, I determined the max point value for the cultures, the equivalent of 800 points. Then I balanced the cultures to all equal the same value. Neutral is now a balanced and truly playable culture.

Attached is the excel spreadsheet that I used. I did some weird experimentation with the Xenophobes, but the values could be changed as long as they are balanced.

The wrong files got posted in previous Posts by my - sorry about the confustion.

Q · #**130** November 20th, 2001, 12:03 AM

Tampa Gamer said:
"Q - The Amon'Krie are not one the modified races. They are included in the mod directory so that they will still be used as a random race, just as the other original non-modded races are. I think what you are seeing are differences betwen the actual original races and what the AI modders have been doing over the Last year."

So why nobody tried to improve these races too? I think that if you use the TDM-ModPack you don't want to play against such weak AI empires, even if they are picked as random computer players.