Devnull Mod is back!

[Rollo]

I am getting some interesting results from the design creation minister. If the design calls for extra supplies, engines will be added instead. I have 15-engines-hyperfast-scouts flying around now . Of course they are illegal, but since the minister created them they will be built and used by the AI.

Rollo

[geoschmo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rollo:
I am getting some interesting results from the design creation minister. If the design calls for extra supplies, engines will be added instead. I have 15-engines-hyperfast-scouts flying around now . Of course they are illegal, but since the minister created them they will be built and used by the AI.

Rollo

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Are you talking about all the Devnull races, or just your vikings? I am going to have to do some tweaking with all the ai's if I can figure it out. I am a total rook when it comes to the AI files, so hopefully I don't break something else when I fix a problem.

Geo

[Rollo]

I was talking about the Vikings. However, this is not race specific. Other races build things like 7 engine colonizers as well. I *think* this has to do with the order of the components in the data/components.txt file. I am pretty sure either S_J or Phoenix-D will have a better answer (and solution) to that.

Rollo

[Phoenix-D]

If the engines provide more supply storage than the supply components, they'll put engines in instead.

EDIT: yup. The high level Devnull engines give more supply than any supply component, especially with the bug listed below.

Also, I found a bug in the supply components. Supply storage I, for example, SAYS it gives 500 supply, but it's actually set to give 250..and ion engine I gives 500, so it'll be used instead of the supply storage component. It's the same for all the storage components- they give much less than they say they do, and so the engines provide more supply.

Phoenix-D

[This message has been edited by Phoenix-D (edited 21 November 2001).]

[geoschmo]

Cool, I'll have to fix that. I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew here.

Geo

[zen.]

Good idea on the update! I've actually been carrying ideas from this mod from Version to Version since way back in Derek's initial mod, using it as a 'base' model to incorporate other mods into.

One of the things I'd advocate changing back would be some of the small weapon (i.e., fighter) damages...it seems like they're just minor annoyances as opposed to a real threat with the decreased damage potential. Or is this just me?

zen

[mottlee]

YEA!!!!!!! I Love this mod! I wish I was able to help on it but I'm Compuiter Illerit


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mottlee@gte.net
"Kill em all let God sort em out"

[Rollo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
If the engines provide more supply storage than the supply components, they'll put engines in instead.

EDIT: yup. The high level Devnull engines give more supply than any supply component, especially with the bug listed below.

Also, I found a bug in the supply components. Supply storage I, for example, SAYS it gives 500 supply, but it's actually set to give 250..and ion engine I gives 500, so it'll be used instead of the supply storage component. It's the same for all the storage components- they give much less than they say they do, and so the engines provide more supply.

Phoenix-D

[This message has been edited by Phoenix-D (edited 21 November 2001).]

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Ah, I see. Thanks, Phoenix-D.

I guess that means that the supply storage has to be put back to 500 supplies. From what I gather in the readme the size and supplies has been halved. So instead of 500/20 it was changed to 250/10. By comparing to the unmodded Version I noticed that the mineral cost has not been halved, though. Don't know if that was intended (thus doubling the cost of extra supplies) or just forgotten to change like the description.

In order to avoid conflicts with the supply storage at a later time, the advanced engines should probably not carry more supplies, but stay with 500 supplies. To get a similar effect of extended range with better engines the "supplies used" could be lowered.

Please let me propose the following:

current system: all engines use 10 supplies

Ion Engine I/II/III supplies: 500/550/600 range: 50/55/60
Contra Terrene Engine I/II/III supplies: 600/650/700 range: 60/65/70
Jacketed Photon Engine I/II/III supplies: 700/750/800 range: 70/75/80
Quantum Engine I/II/III supplies: 800/850/900 range: 80/85/90

proposed system: all engines carry 500 supplies

Ion Engine I/II/III supplies used: 10/9/8 range: 50/55/62
Contra Terrene Engine I/II/III supplies used: 9/8/7 range: 55/62/71
Jacketed Photon Engine I/II/III supplies used: 8/7/6 range: 62/71/83
Quantum Engine I/II/III supplies used: 7/6/5 range: 71/83/100

This would leave the resulting range pretty close as it used to be. Versions I and II of each engine type have slightly inferior range, while Versions III have slightly better range. Note: when the engines use less fuel, extra supplies and solar collectors will be more useful as they used to be. That is not a bad thing IMHO, especially when it comes to the AI getting a better range to its fleets.

What do you think Geoschmo? It would leave the spirit of the mod more or less unchanged, while getting rid of the design problems.

Rollo

[geoschmo]

Rollo, I think that is an elegant solution to the problem. I expect Devnellicus would have done it that way originally if he had thought of it and been aware of the problem with the ship designs. The end result is the higher tech engines have a longer range, which is what the purpose was to begin with.

Thanks, and keep the suggestions coming.

Geo

[Rollo]

Okay, great.
As a matter of fact I have already tried if the changes would work and they do .
Unless you have already changed something else in the components.txt file, here is the fix. It is the original file with only the changes that I suggested below. Maybe that can save you some time.

I will continue with my little test game tomorrow and let you know, if I notice something else.

Rollo