New Mod: The Art of War Mod

[dumbluck]

Sure, here's my latest history file and to-do lists. I've been working on the "Weapons or Butter" decision balancing lately.

History:
to do: v0.81
X-Reduced the Robotoid Factory bonuss by 1/2.
X-Move individual resourse bonus facilities to their own trees.
X-Balanced facility costs for individual Resource bonus facilities (mineral scanner, etc.)
---Balance Robotoid Factory facility costs.
---Balance facilty costs for Resource Extractors.
X-adjust Crew Areas maint. reduction.
---extend resource extractors down to 10 levels (9 researchable)
---change monolith research to be dependant on resource extraction research. (ala P & N)
---Adjust Research Center and Intel Center points generation.
---Adjust Citizen Database and CCC bonus %s.

v0.80
-Added 9 levels of Space Yard(facility) and SY(component), researched thru Ship Construction and Space Yards(tech), along with Temporal counterparts.
-Added Armor Regeneration ability to all hull sizes. (excluding units)
-Cosmetic bug fix on abilities displays for hull sizes.

v0.71
-Ship Sizes changed in preparation for mQNP addition.
-NoAI mod files added.
-TDM Modpack formations.txt file added.
-Added Maint reducing components & ship specific mounts.
-Added P&Nv3.1b Maintenance settings.
-Adjusted ship hull costs to $1.2/kt.
-Rebalanced the number of Crew Quarters and Lifesupport with vessel size.

To Do list:
--Cut out some of the more extreme changes. Stick to the basics for this mod---
-- playtest v.81 ---

+++Maintenance+++
X-P&N maintenance settings.
X-Maint reducing components & ship specific mounts;
X-Adjust maint. reduction of Crew Areas to 8%.
X-Rebalanced # of Lifesupport and Crewquarters with shipsize.
---Adjust ship hull costs to 2.0$/kt.

+++Miscellaneous+++
X-Add no-AI mod files.
X-Add TDM Formations
---Add some P&N mounts.
---Balance the Cultural Modifiers.

+++Damage Allocation+++
---Small racial armors.
X-Add OA ability to all hull sizes. (excluding units)
---Various weapons balancing issues.

+++Ground Combat+++
---Ground combat down to 3 turns.
---Increase "damage to kill 1m population" setting.
---Increase damage rating of the Neutron Bomb.

+++Space Combat+++
---Change space combat to 20 turns.
---Rebalance the tohit%/ecm% (increase costs of characteristics, ala P & N)
---Add Manuevering thrusters.
---Ship/Fleet Training components (NOT facilities)ala P&N
--- ??? Change tohit size bonuses to 12% per 100kt.
---Correct tohit% size bonuses on non-standard hull sizes.

+++"Weapons or Butter"+++
X-9 levels of SY, researched thru ship construction, along with Temporal counterparts.
X-extend resource extractors down to 10 levels (9 researchable)
---Adjust Research Center and Intel Center points generation.
---Adjust Citizen Database and CCC bonus %s.
---change monolith research to be dependant on resource extraction research. (ala P&N)
X-Reduce Robotoid Factory bonuses by 1/2.
X-Move individual resourse bonus facilities to their own trees.
X-Balanced facility costs for individual Resource bonus facilities (mineral scanner, etc.)
---Balance facilty costs for Resource Extractors.
---Balance Robotoid Factory facility costs.

+++Engines+++
---Supply usage decreases with engine tech level ala P&N, Exodus
---Double combat movement rates for fighters, missles.
-??Smaller vessels can mount more engines than
larger ones (ala dreadnaught and
baseship).
OR
Add combat movement bonuses to smaller
hulls
OR
Make size-specific mounts for
manuevering thrusters; they add the
combat movement bonus.
---Extend tech tree (ala Exodus mod)

Note: mQNP is out, for the time being. One of the reasons is that I've got too many other things I want to experiment with (heck, I'm still coming up with ideas!). Another is that it might restrict the number of players interested in the mod. Once I get most of the basics worked out, I'll add it in (or perhaps make 2 Versions of the mod, on with mQNP, and one without). Of coarse, if there is a large public outcry, I could probably be persuaded to put it back on the to do list... ;P

[dumbluck]

Is anyone besides mumbles following this? I could use some feedback on my "Weapons or Butter" modding (ie I think I might have been a bit too ... enthusiastic with some of the changes). I've got most of it planned out, I just need to go in and actually make the changes.

edit: One other question. Do you think I should include mQNP?

[ December 17, 2002, 10:57: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[Haven]

Do you think I should include mQNP?

I tend to play more with the original movement system, but find the mount based mQNP to be intersting.

[dumbluck]

That's it? ONE vote? I'm disappointed.

[Krsqk]

I vote for mQNP, too.

[Pax]

Originally posted by dumbluck:
That's it? ONE vote? I'm disappointed.

Oh, come on. mQNP is my BABY. Did I even realy have to give VOICE to my vote ... ?

Well, just in case, it's YES.

[dumbluck]

Ok. Due to popular demand (relatively speaking), mQNP is back in. I was going to upload the newest Version (0.81) but after some playtesting I decided that some of the numbers need "jiggled" a little bit...

edit: Of coarse, I'll probably have to re-jiggle them once I get the population modifiers in...

[ December 21, 2002, 12:35: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[mlmbd]

Yeah, mQNP!

mlmbd

[Pax]

Woo hoo!

[dumbluck]

A new Version! 0.81 is out, get it here: Aow v0.81.zip

This upgrade consists almost entirely of "guns or butter" decision work. You'll spend a lot more time in the early game researching infrastructure techs now. If you don't think you'll get rushed, that is...

Note: I haven't had much of a chance to playtest the changes to the resource/research/intel bonus facilies yet.

History:
v0.81
-Reduced the Robotoid Factory bonuss by 1/2.
-Move individual resourse bonus facilities to their own trees.
-Balanced facility costs for individual Resource bonus facilities (mineral scanner, etc.)
-Balance facilty costs for Resource Extractors.
-Balance Robotoid Factory facility costs.
-adjust Crew Areas maint. reduction.
-extend resource extractors down to 10 levels
-Balance component costs for Robo Miners.
-Extend RoboMiners down the 10 levels of resource extraction.
-Adjust Resource Extraction research costs.
-x-Re-adjust Resource Extraction research costs. (could still use some fine tuning)
-Expand research and intel facilities to 5 levels.
-Expand research and intel bonus facilities to 5 levels.
-Balance research and intel facility costs
-Balance research and intel bonus facility costs.
-Reduced the intel and research bonuss by 1/3.
-Reduce default build rate to 1000m/o/r per turn.
-Move intel and research bonus facilities each to their own research trees.
-?-Adjust Research and Intel research costs. (More playtesting required)
-Change space combat to 20 turns.
-Ground combat down to 3 turns.
-Add Eyecandy Systemnames, Events, Empire names, etc.

v0.80
-Added 9 levels of Space Yard(facility) and SY(component), researched thru Ship Construction and Space Yards(tech), along with Temporal counterparts.
-Added Armor Regeneration ability to all hull sizes. (excluding units)
-Cosmetic bug fix on abilities displays for hull sizes.

v0.71
-Ship Sizes changed in preparation for mQNP addition.
-NoAI mod files added.
-TDM Modpack formations.txt file added.
-Added Maint reducing components & ship specific mounts.
-Added P&Nv3.1b Maintenance settings.
-Adjusted ship hull costs to $1.2/kt.
-Rebalanced the number of Crew Quarters and Lifesupport with vessel size.

To Do list:
+++Maintenance+++
X-P&N maintenance settings.
X-Maint reducing components & ship specific mounts;
X-Adjust maint. reduction of Crew Areas.
X-Rebalanced # of Lifesupport and Crewquarters with shipsize.
---Adjust ship hull costs to 2.0$/kt.
---Add Base only crew areas, researched with base construction tech. (extra's like minor repair ability, etc.)
---Adjust Crew areas mounts so that instead of a fixed tonnage structure, CrA now take up x% of total hull tonnage structure.

+++Miscellaneous+++
X-Add no-AI mod files.
X-Add TDM Formations
---Add some P&N mounts.
---Balance the Cultural Modifiers.
X-Add Eyecandy Systemnames, Events, Empire names, etc.

+++Damage Allocation+++
---Small racial armors.
X-Add OA ability to all hull sizes. (excluding units)
---Various weapons balancing issues.

+++Ground Combat+++
X-Ground combat down to 3 turns.
---Increase "damage to kill 1m population" setting.
---Increase damage rating of the Neutron Bomb.

+++Space Combat+++
X-Change space combat to 20 turns.
---Rebalance the tohit%/ecm% (increase costs of characteristics, ala P&N)
---Add Manuevering thrusters.
---Ship/Fleet Training components (NOT facilities)ala P&N
--- ??? Change tohit size bonuses to 12% per 100kt.
---Correct tohit% size bonuses on non-standard hull sizes.


+++"Weapons or Butter"+++
X-9 levels of SY, researched thru ship construction, along with Temporal counterparts.
X-extend resource extractors down to 10 levels (9 researchable)
---Extend Repair tech down to 5(?) levels
---change monolith research to be dependant on resource extraction research. (ala P&N)
X-Reduce Robotoid Factory bonuses by 1/2.
X-Move individual resourse bonus facilities to their own trees.
X-Balanced facility costs for individual Resource bonus facilities (mineral scanner, etc.)
X-Balance facilty costs for Resource Extractors.
X-Balance component costs for Robo Miners.
X-Extend RoboMiners down the 10 levels of resource extraction.
X-Balance Robotoid Factory facility costs.
---Change population bonuses (ala proportions, P&N PBW
-x-Adjust Resource Extraction research costs.
---Change: increasing facility tech levels equate to increasing construction costs.
X-Reduce research and intel bonus %s by 1/3.
X-Expand research and intel facilities to 5 levels.
X-Expand research and intel bonus facilities to 5 levels.
X-Balance research and intel facility costs
X-Balance research and intel bonus facility costs.
---Reduce default build rate to 1000m/o/r per turn.
X-Move individual intel and research bonus facilities to their own trees.
-?-Adjust Research and Intel research costs.


+++Engines+++
---Supply usage decreases with engine tech level ala P&N, Exodus
---Double combat movement rates for fighters, missles.
-??Smaller vessels can mount more engines than
larger ones (ala dreadnaught and baseship).
OR
Add combat movement bonuses to smaller
hulls
OR
Make size-specific mounts for manuevering
thrusters; they add the combat movement
bonus.
---Extend tech tree (ala Exodus mod)
---Due to popular demand (relatively speaking), mQNP is back in.

[ December 26, 2002, 10:37: Message edited by: dumbluck ]