Babylon 5 Mod

[pathfinder]

Hehe...nice to see ya back Val!

Sent ya the latest in my Version of the AI_designcreation and AI_research files.

[pathfinder]

*bangs head on desk* whhaaaaa!

I just did the AI_designcreation and AI_research for the Abbai...but no shipset....DOH!

[Val]

Ok, I've read up to August 30th, still have more to go, hope this stuff hasn't been covered already

First off - thank you to Pathfinder, Fyron, SJ and so many others for fielding all the Q&A for me while I was away.

Zero Adunn
Many of the obscure races have some minor weapons or components, and not too much more. This is why their Racial Trait is usually less expensive than other races. That being said, I also wanted to have the structure in place for further expansion, as any changes to the RacialTraits file messes up the Empire files.

Pathfinder
Excellent work on the AI, I'll add it to the newest release.
Jumpgates/engines tech was added mainly for humans to use - like for PBW - so it may need some reworking for it to work well for AI. Also, Jump generators were very expensive to build as it required a rare element to produce it (Q40 I believe). Most races had access to Jump tech, though only the major races are quoted as having built gates - even though it was said they don't fully understand the tech behind it.
Ion Bolts - There are actually 2 Versions of the Ion Bolt, one for fighters and one for ships.

Rambie
Thanks for posting the link and hosting the mod.

Geo
Thanks for hosting the mod and PBW games and the compliments, hope we can live up to expectations.
The limit of races right now is due to shipsets, many more are in the works and you can get the 'unfinished' races from Rambie's site (I think). Always looking for volunteers for more shipsets?

Timstone
What Version SE are you using?

Nomor
I had an idea a while ago (or maybe someone else had the idea and I'm confusing myself) to use the sphere/ring world components to make Space Stations that could be assembled at remote locations and support a population, but haven't worked it in yet.

Javaslinger
As Fyron said, priority is on the Classic Version because I don't want to not have it available for owners of SE IV Classic (double negative is proof positive), plus (as mentioned by others) it is easier to convert up to Gold rather than down. I'm looking forward to converting it, but only after it is relatively 'complete'. Also, I preordered Gold minutes after I saw it was announced and can hardly wait to implement some of the newer features into the mod. I just really want to support the 'old timers' that have yet to upgrade.

Gil
Hey, if you still want to update the mod to Gold for us, please go right ahead, then send me the Data folder and AI folders and I will ask Rambie if he can post them on his page. Anyone want to help him?

Jimbob
'None' expecteed for results - this is usually due to requiring more than one tech for a true result (as you already discovered) and this does make it a pain for newbies, I really gotta make that tech map (if only in the interest of saving your marriage, job and nap time)! There are also a few techs that really do give nothing, they are in place for future expansion work I'm doing - new components and facilities for example.
I'll check on the laser weapon descriptions and reload times. I think I intended the Hyach weapons to fire faster than other races as they specialize in Laser tech.
Also, thanks for the compliments.

Jamorobo
Right now I don't think anyone has programmed the AI to use jumpgates, as I said to Pathfinder, I had really intended to use them only for strictly human player games. In the one hotseat game I had going, we actually made a 'hyperspace' zone (like SJs FTL map) and you could only jump into hyperspace, then you had to navigate through the warp and could jump out into normal space through existing gates or using the jump engine.
I've also been meaning to fix the pulse weapons. They are meant to be a bit better than Lasers, though they have lower range and higher energy costs, their sizes are a bit off though.

AGoetz
Shadows and Vorlons are unable to colonize planets because - 1) In the spirit of the show, they are meant to be more like Neutrals than a conquering race. 2) In tests that let them run wild they became all but imposible to beat, and that was with crappy AI, I can't even imagine it now with the newer AI. 3) You can give them the ability to colonize by making them a Standard race instead of an ancient race, no Ancient race can colonize (Torvalus, Kirshiac, Vorlon, Shadows, Mind Riders, Walkers, Triad - also Third Space).

Ideas I have picked out (from Posts, e*mails and my notes):
1 - Add more cargo to domed facilities
2 - Smaller Jump Drive for White Star style ships
3 - Special Shadow/Vorlon tech ships for younger races (white stars and shadow omegas)
4 - Asteroid Belts provide low level cloaks
5 - Listening Post, try to limit scan ranges
6 - Ring/Sphere World space stations
7 - Armor and anti-infantry for WPs
8 - Add at least one basic weapon for each class of weapon types

Things to fix:
1 - Laser weapon reload times for Hyach ships
2 - Colony hub reduces build per turn from 1000 to 300 - anyone else have this issue?
3 - Fix Jump Gate 4's pre-req levels
4 - Fighter weapon ranges (actually, Simon is hard at work on some of this)
5 - Pulse Weapon cost/size
6 - Descriptions for some things
7 - Harm Missile disruption times (oops)
8 - AP Missile - recheck why I did what I did
9 - Molecular Disruptor picture

I still have more to read and catch up on, but so far so good.

[pathfinder]

Question on shipsets: Abbai, based on the Agents of Gaming minatures had really very different styles for each class of ship....and so far all I can find are a cruiser, a frigate, a carrier and a fighter...how much license would a shipset modeler have *hint* hehe...

I have done, in DOGA, something that sorta resembles the cruiser, the frigate is being a pain in the arse, haven't tried the carrier and fighter...

Val: That AI was pretty hastily thrown together. I keep finding boo boo's but what I sent tonight should be ok. Also, someone may want to look at how/when I placed some of the tech in research file(s). A different pattern/set-up may be desirable....me not sure how each race acts in the show (saw only a coupla shows).

[ September 11, 2002, 03:27: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

[pathfinder]

Gil: If you want, I could zip the Gold B5 races folder I have for your "tweaking" if ya want.

Mine is a slightly updated Version (AI-wise anyways) of PDF's B5 Gold stuff posted back in June (based on the 1.49 B5 MOD).

[ September 11, 2002, 03:31: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

[AGoetz]

I've only played against the AI (and never finished a game as I always get a Range Check Error eventually - it is usually during the Minbari AI's processing and (on the Last occasion) trying to take over that side just before the crash didn't help as it occured after I hit End Turn but before the next player came up.

Currently playing with the Narn's trying out their Ion Torpedos. I forget the name of the weapon but going by the ingame displayed stats I don't see a real use for the Narn heavy ballistic weapon (at least at only a few levels of ballistics, all I've got so far). Compared to a same tech level Ion Torpedo, it's twice the size, twice the damage, same damage resistance on the seeker head, same seeker speed and massively more expensive.
Also, there is something wrong in the pricing for Medium and/or Heavy Passive Armour - Heavy Armour costs the same as Light while Medium costs much more?

I have been trying to get some decent attacks out of the AI, this game is a bit better in that way. My Narn empire started with just one jump point out - directly into the Minbari home system. I've lost count of just many Minbari ships I've blown up so far - there were 14 Frigates in one fleet that came through. However I'm up to a point now where I don't fear them - on that entrance point I have 6 Light Cruisers, 9 Destroyers, 3 Medium Repair Tugs and 195 Light Fighters (was 200) in 5 Groups. I can defeat most fleets that have come through to date in 2 tactical turns (1 to launch the Torpedoes, 1 to wait for them to reach their targets) - playing stratgic takes longer as the AI tends to have 3/4 of the fleet all fire at the same ship wasting a lot of shots. What I'll do next is put together an attack fleet so that I can finally do some expanding (will have to do some Point Defense research first, my exploration ships got taken out by fighters.

[Rainstorm]

I'm not really up to date on the modding going on with SEIV (I'm having fun just playing it) but being a B5 fan, and noticing some references to Agents of Gamings' B5 Wars stuff, is any of this being used in this mod? In particular any of the Ancient race (besides Shadows/Vorlons) stuff? If so, I have a good resource, since a friend of mine wrote that book and several of us beta tested it. I'm sure he'd be glad to go on at length about his theories for general fleet design for Walkers, Mindriders, as they are in that book. (Even if he doesn't play SE, to my knowledge.)

[Lighthorse]

Val,

The AI has got better in my latest game. The league of Non-Aligned worlds was my ally before attacking me without warning. They destroyed three planets before I could pushed them back. Interesting part, it was the first time the AI in B5 use a light carrier with 60 to 70 light fighters to destroyed my planets. It was turn 175 when they start our war. They light fighter were armed with light particle gun I, and power by fission engine I. They other vessels were armed with Light laser carron II, PDF Plasma II, Basic combat sensors and ECM level II. I have since pulled the Non-Aligned worlds back to only 17 planet from the orginal 22 before hostiles. Naturely all the other races declared war again my Narns too. Only down side is some (about a third) of the AI races are just sitting in they system and doing nothing.

Looking forward to B5/PBW game

Lighthorse

[pathfinder]

Rainstorm: So far only the Shadows and Vorlons have any AI tech and/or shipsets (at this point in development). I guess mainly because of the Ancients, they are the two races mostly seen in the show. It would be nice to have an expert on the Ancients give that information though. One of the difficulties I have had, especially on the minor and "miscellaneous" races, is finding information on them, especially what weapons compositions they normally used.

If the Ancients, any of them, used special formations that would be useful, as that can be easily modded into the game.

One thing I would personally ask is: Realize it is very difficult to get/produce "canon" models and behavior in this game. we all have made great efforts to make the MOD resemble the show as best we can buit 100% accuracy is probably out of the question. Constructive criticism is one thing, what happened ala the Star Trek race-styles is another.

[ September 11, 2002, 10:10: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

[Timstone]

[quote]Originally posted by Val:

Timstone
What Version SE are you using?

I'm using the Lastest Version of SE IV: Gold. Version 1.78
I got the mod running, but it misses many pictures and descriptions. I compiled my working Version from 2 Versions of the mod. But I won't play it now. I'll wait untill there is a decent Version for the gold edition.
Thanks for asking.
Keep up the good and hard work. I would like to participate in the hard, but fun, work on the mod. But I really have to do something about school. This year is "break or make".