Babylon 5 Mod

[Timstone]

G'day mates!

Say, I have arrived in the final stages of testing the basic setup of the game (THE moment to bring in some final changes). After this stage I will build some races and bring out a test Version of 2.0.
I begun my testing with a game against a few computers and high tech (i.e. all tech). I took a look at my homeplanet. EEK! It was terrible! Downright scary I tell you! All my Mining Colonies were replaced by Aggressive Mining Colonies! So I had no %'tages left in Minerals, Organics and Rads. My whole planet was stripmined in the first round (looked like Narn Homeworld, hehe...). The horror! So, how do I solve this?

Grumbler: Cool numbercrunching mister! Great job, I certainly include your AI_Facilities Construction file, but I don't really know about the thrust modifications. To be honest, I don't really know what to do with it. You're the first one to bring it up and quite frankly I want to hear the oppinions of other people too. Anyway, great job!

Edit: SJ: Could you make an armor especially for the Ancients? They have very good armor in the board game but not in the game. So, would you like to do this?

[ July 05, 2003, 21:24: Message edited by: Timstone ]

[Fyron]

The HW facilities will be as follows:
1) The Last Spaceport facility in the file that is available with starting tech.
2) The Last SY facility in the file that is available with starting tech.
3) The Last Resupply facility that is the file that is available with starting tech.
4) One facility that is the highest producer of Organics.
5) One facility that is the highest producer of Radioactives.
6) One facility that is the highest producer of Minerals.
7) One facility that is the highest producer of Research.
8) Repeast 6 & 7 until the planet is filled.

Position in the file and tech reqs (other than if it is available) are irrelevant for the resource/research facilities.

So, if you start off with Mining Colonies and Aggressive Mining Colonies available, then the Aggressive ones will be picked because they produce more resources.

[Timstone]

Ah, yes, now I see. Thanks IF.

Ehh... to repeat my question to SJ (see dit Last question): Would you like to make an armor especially for the Ancients (maybe seperate armor for the organics based, the telepathic based and the gravitic based races)?

[grumbler]

Timstone: yep, I noted that Homeworld bug for agressive mines a few days ago, while I think you were off-line. Kinda scary, huh? Just makes you want to be even more careful when "fiddling" with stuff.

Another thought for Version 2.0: it strikes me as redundent that we have light, medium, heavy, and mega Versions for a lot of weapons, and then regular, large, heavy, and massive ship mounts. It seems to me that we could have a basic Version of the weapon and then make the costs, size, damage and range vary by mount.

This would also make it easier to create race-specific "better" Versions of various weapons, as there would be no need to create 40 weapons profiles - just ten.

This would also get rid of much of the seperate different types of weapons for each race and "general" that need be researched, if that was a goal of yours.

Something to think on.

Also, along those same lines, I was thinking about increasing the differentiation between the sizes of ships, so that the LC isn't just a larger Version of the DD, but a slightly different animal. If, for instance, you limited DDs and smaller to "light" weapons mounts, they would have shorter ranges (since in my model weapons mounts increase range as well as damage etc) and thus wouldn't be worth building UNLESS you also gave them (in addition to the defensive bonus they now get) some inherent combat speed bonus. Larger numbers of smaller, cheaper vessels would then be able to get close to their larger opponents faster, and this would make them worth buying.

Thoughts?

[Timstone]

About the weapon mounts: Please explain. I've been drinking heavily when typing this (and fiddling with my GF (she made me type this btw), so I'm not too clear anymore. Please elaborate about the concepts you were typing about.

About shipsizes: The whole purpose of this new Version of the mod is that it will be finished when StarFury arrives. I hated the concept of an eternal mod (eternaly in development), so I began work on this Version. I won't incorporate it into the first Version of 2.0, but maybe in later Versions (when you've fully developed the concept ). Okay?

Oh man, I go to bed now, this girl is killing me, so is the booze... G'dnite Everyone, see you tommorrow... or not...

[Timstone]

Grumbler: I looked through your AI Facilities Construction File, but I haven't got a Trading Port in 2.0. I checked the older Version (which I used as a basis for 2.0, but there isn't a Trading Port in that either. Is this facility an invention of yours or... also please explain.

[Timstone]

Okay, this sucks BIG TIME!!!

When I was searching for the Trading Port Grumbler mentioned, I discovered I was using Version 1.49.30 instead of 1.49.33. This means I have to implement A LOT of thingies again to make it right. Sugh, the first big setback in the history of 2.0. A well, it's only the first setback. There will be more, I hope they won't be as big as this one.

[grumbler]

Originally posted by Timstone:
Grumbler: I looked through your AI Facilities Construction File, but I haven't got a Trading Port in 2.0. I checked the older Version (which I used as a basis for 2.0, but there isn't a Trading Port in that either. Is this facility an invention of yours or... also please explain.

The Trading Port is the first facility in the Facility.txt file Da path sent out:
Name := Trading Port I
Description :=
Facility Group := Miscellaneous
Facility Family := 1102
Roman Numeral := 2
Restrictions := None
Pic Num := 261
Cost Minerals := 9050
Cost Organics := 2263
Cost Radioactives := 1508
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Industry
Tech Level Req 1 := 0
Tech Area Req 2 := B5 Standard Race
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 10
Ability 1 Type := Planet - Shield Generation
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 1000 shield points
Ability 1 Val 1 := 1000
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Resource Generation - Minerals
Ability 2 Descr :=
Ability 2 Val 1 := 50
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Resource Generation - Organics
Ability 3 Descr :=
Ability 3 Val 1 := 50
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Ability 4 Type := Resource Generation - Radioactives
Ability 4 Descr :=
Ability 4 Val 1 := 25
Ability 4 Val 2 := 0
Ability 5 Type := Spaceport
Ability 5 Descr := Provides a small space port and trading post for the planet.
Ability 5 Val 1 := 1
Ability 5 Val 2 := 0
Ability 6 Type := Cargo Storage
Ability 6 Descr := Provides 500 extra cargo spaces.
Ability 6 Val 1 := 500
Ability 6 Val 2 := 0
Ability 7 Type := Resource Storage - Mineral
Ability 7 Descr := Can store 1000 minerals for the Empire.
Ability 7 Val 1 := 1000
Ability 7 Val 2 := 0
Ability 8 Type := Resource Storage - Organics
Ability 8 Descr := Can store 1000 organics for the Empire.
Ability 8 Val 1 := 1000
Ability 8 Val 2 := 0
Ability 9 Type := Resource Storage - Radioactives
Ability 9 Descr := Can store 1000 radioactives for the Empire.
Ability 9 Val 1 := 1000
Ability 9 Val 2 := 0
Ability 10 Type := Scanner Jammer
Ability 10 Descr :=
Ability 10 Val 1 := 1
Ability 10 Val 2 := 0

Note that Ability 10 "SJ" will be "Palace" in the mod Version, as then only one will be built per system.

This is necessary for the construction of space ports in a system, as currently the AI uses the most advanced SP-capable facility when that ability is called for, and that is the Homeworld Hub (which takes 4.2x10^3 years, or sumpin, for a newly colonied planet).

[grumbler]

Originally posted by Timstone:
Okay, this sucks BIG TIME!!!

When I was searching for the Trading Port Grumbler mentioned, I discovered I was using Version 1.49.30 instead of 1.49.33. This means I have to implement A LOT of thingies again to make it right. Sugh, the first big setback in the history of 2.0. A well, it's only the first setback. There will be more, I hope they won't be as big as this one.

Boy, that sucks even bigger-time than you thought, as all my stuff is Gold Version (1.84, I think it is up to now). I cannot guarantee any compatability.

Still, analysis is analysis, and the biggest headache remaining is the components.txt file, and that is not Version-specific.

[ July 07, 2003, 01:15: Message edited by: grumbler ]

[grumbler]

Another kinda random thought: I had complained that the Vorlons and Shadows were too powerful, but after playing another couple of 300+ turn games, I have decided that y'all were right and I was wrong!

In the latest game, as the Centauri, I fought a losing war along with my allies the Minbari against the Vorlons. Each of us lost about three systems (mine were just wiped out, but the Minbari system closest to the Vorlons was actually invaded and captured).

Then the Vorlons left us alone except for intel attacks. It forced me to invest heavily in intel facilities, but that is all to the good. After leaving a big buffer zone around the Vorlons (who waged war on every single species they encountered, BTW, including a takeover of the Gaim), I was able to procede with my plans.

In short, it felt about right.

In the other game, as the Minbari, I just watched as the Vorlons smoked first the Centauri, then the Narn, systems within four systems of the Vorlon Homeworld. Of course, they DoW'ed me as soon as they encountered me, but I left them alone and they didn't bother me (much - intel attacks again, but much less strong).

Again, it felt about right. It was kinda fun sending in scouts who got to watch my allies get toasted and then run for home (only to come back later and find empty systems).

Planet killers seem like a waste of time for a race that has Heavy Lightning Guns, though!

I still like the idea of Line of Sight (20-range) telepath attacks rather than the short-ranged ones in the game as is, but that is another story, for another day, as Emperor londo liked to say.