Babylon 5 Mod

[Timstone]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
The ancients should have nasty fleets, seeing as they are at war with each other.

What if the ancient maintenance reducing components were simply made to require an "RP" racial trait?

RP racial trait? What do you mean?

The Ancients are way overpowered now. They have far supperior weaponpower (as should be), but they also have the same ships the other races have. Combine the two and you have an adversary you really can't get into the grave, not even with a good ally. Because they have no transports, no colonising ability they are slow starters, but when their warmachine gains momentum they are unstoppable. One of their weapons does 360 damage every 2 turns. That's a hell lot of power.
You know what. I'll leave them as they are now (no special ships) and when the first release comes we shall see how they behave.
First the AI thingies Grumbler is working on. In the meanwhile I'll continue building weapons.
Yeah, I'm Weaponmaster Jha'Dur (well, the male counterpart).

[pathfinder]

Well, finally getting the Vorlons and Shadows to at least design some decent ships. Can't seem to get them to design popluation transports but other than that

Did any other race besides the EA (Minbari?) have shipboard telepaths?

[ March 27, 2004, 14:10: Message edited by: pathfinder ]

[Suicide Junkie]

An RP racial trait.
Go into racialtraits.txt, and add "Roleplaying".
Make the ancient maintenance reduction require that racial tech. (Plus any other appropriate items)

So, if you're playing a free for all, you don't take the RP trait, and it works out to be about balanced.

If you're in a Roleplaying game, you can take the trait, and have the ancient uberpower races we all know and love.

[grumbler]

Okay, Tim, email en route. The pefect weather here finally broke, and so I have an excuse to stay indoors!

As for the ancients, maybe I am misunderstanding something here, but I thought the ancients were just supposed to fight one another (i.e be a part of the "ancient age" mod). Trying to mix ancients with youngers is a recipe for trouble in game balance, IMO, with the obvious exceptions of the Vorlons and Shadows, whose impact can be limited by their demeanor and happiness type (as well as the fact that they are being played by the AI, which isn't very aggressive). Having a bunch of ancient races strewn around the galaxy seems to me to be taking away, not adding to, the game.

That's just my opinion. In any case, I think it best to try to get the main races balanced out first, before worrying about how to balance the youngers with the ancients.

[Timstone]

SJ: That RP trait is going to have to wait. untill later. First Grumbler and I need to solve some issues.

Grumbler: E-mails finaly read and response is underway.

[grumbler]

Maybe someone can help me to get the AI to design the ships properly in this mod. I am starting simple, with a 100kt scout and a very simple set of files, so as to test the engine components mod. The contents of the files are all listed below. The game was set with max tech to start with, so racial traits are not an issue.

The goal is to have the AI build a ship with a military crew (0kt), bridge (10kt), a light reactor (10 kt), four engines that use the engine mount enhancement (40kt), and then fill the rest with a Medium BLast Cannon X (17kt) and 23 Light Armor Class 6F (23 kt).

The design instead has no crew designation, a bridge (10 kt), then four engines that use the engine mount enhancement (40kt), a light reactor (10 kt), then the Medium BLast Cannon X (17kt), and then two more engines (20 kt) and no armor. When the design is opened for editing, it warns that the design cannot be made because there are only four engines allowed.

So, what gives? Is anyone familiar enough with the AI_D_C to say what is happening here? It's driving me crazy (and the engine mod SOUNDED so cool!)

Sorry about the difficult formatting.

This is the only ship available in AI_D_C.txt

Name := Scout
Design Type := Attack Ship
Vehicle Type := Ship
Default Strategy := Optimal Firing Range
Size Minimum Tonnage := 95
Size Maximum Tonnage := 140
Num Must Have At Least 1 Ability := 1
Must Have Ability 1 := Solar Resource Generation - Minerals
Minimum Speed := 4
Desired Speed := 4
Majority Weapon Family Pick 1 := 25001
Majority Weapon Family Pick 2 := 25002
Majority Weapon Family Pick 3 := 25003
Majority Weapon Family Pick 4 := 25004
Majority Weapon Family Pick 5 := 25005
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 1 := 25001
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 2 := 25002
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 3 := 25003
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 4 := 25004
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 5 := 25005
Shields Spaces Per One := 150
Armor Spaces Per One := 0
Majority Comp Spaces Per One := 100
Majority Comp Ability := Weapon
Secondary Comp Spaces Per One := 0
Secondary Comp Ability := Weapon
Num Misc Abilities := 9
Misc Ability 1 Name := Standard Ship Movement
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One := 25
Misc Ability 2 Name := Sensor Level
Misc Ability 2 Spaces Per One := 100
Misc Ability 3 Name := Point-Defense
Misc Ability 3 Spaces Per One := 50
Misc Ability 4 Name := Long Range Scanner
Misc Ability 4 Spaces Per One := 100
Misc Ability 5 Name := Combat To Hit Defense Plus
Misc Ability 5 Spaces Per One := 100
Misc Ability 6 Name := Combat To Hit Offense Plus
Misc Ability 6 Spaces Per One := 100
Misc Ability 7 Name := Scanner Jammer
Misc Ability 7 Spaces Per One := 100
Misc Ability 8 Name := Cloak Level
Misc Ability 8 Spaces Per One := 100
Misc Ability 9 Name := Solar Resource Generation - Minerals
Misc Ability 9 Spaces Per One := 100

These are the only components available in the components.txt:

Name := Military Ship
Description := Ship has a military crew and funding.
Pic Num := 50
Tonnage Space Taken := 0
Tonnage Structure := 2
Cost Minerals := 0
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := Ship
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := One Per Vehicle
General Group := Vehicle Class
Family := 11083
Roman Numeral := 0
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := B5 Standard Race
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 4
Ability 1 Type := Modified Maintenance Cost
Ability 1 Descr := Military ships pay full maintenance and fight without penalties
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Combat To Hit Offense Minus
Ability 2 Descr :=
Ability 2 Val 1 := 0
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Combat To Hit Defense Minus
Ability 3 Descr :=
Ability 3 Val 1 := 0
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Ability 4 Type := Combat Modifier - System
Ability 4 Descr :=
Ability 4 Val 1 := 0
Ability 4 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Bridge
Description := The main control center of a starship.
Pic Num := 1
Tonnage Space Taken := 10
Tonnage Structure := 10
Cost Minerals := 500
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Vehicle Control
Family := 2
Roman Numeral := 0
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := B5 Standard Race
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 1
Ability 1 Type := Ship Bridge
Ability 1 Descr := Contains a ship bridge.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Light Fission Reactor
Description :=
Pic Num := 674
Tonnage Space Taken := 10
Tonnage Structure := 10
Cost Minerals := 300
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 300
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Supply
Family := 11450
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Fission Utilization
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Solar Supply Generation
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 2500 supplies for each star in a system per turn.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 2500
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Supply Storage
Ability 2 Descr := Stores 2500 units of supplies.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 2500
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Solar Resource Generation - Minerals
Ability 3 Descr :=
Ability 3 Val 1 := 0
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Fusion Engine I
Description := Fusion Engine for sublight travel.
Pic Num := 703
Tonnage Space Taken := 500
Tonnage Structure := 15000
Cost Minerals := 15000
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 1500
Vehicle Type := Ship
Supply Amount Used := 1000
Restrictions := None
General Group := Engines
Family := 11400
Roman Numeral := 6
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Propulsion
Tech Level Req 1 := 6
Tech Area Req 2 := Fusion Utilization
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Tech Area Req 3 := 0
Tech Level Req 3 := 0
Number of Abilities := 1
Ability 1 Type := Standard Ship Movement
Ability 1 Descr := Generates 6 standard thrust.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 6
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Medium BLast Cannon X
Description := The MBC is much like the light Version, but is more powerful and has a much higher damage yield.
Pic Num := 530
Tonnage Space Taken := 17
Tonnage Structure := 23
Cost Minerals := 46
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 1
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base\Sat\WeapPlat\Drone
Supply Amount Used := 3
Restrictions := None
General Group := Weapons
Family := 12509
Roman Numeral := 10
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Matter Weapons
Tech Level Req 1 := 10
Tech Area Req 2 := Belt Alliance Medium Weapons
Tech Level Req 2 := 4
Number of Abilities := 0
Ability 1 Type := 0
Ability 1 Descr := 0
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := 0
Ability 2 Descr := 0
Ability 2 Val 1 := 0
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := Direct Fire
Weapon Target := Ships\Planets\Ftr\Sat\Drone
Weapon Damage At Rng := 78 76 75 73 71 69 68 66 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Normal
Weapon Reload Rate := 2
Weapon Display Type := Beam
Weapon Display := 149
Weapon Speed := 0
Weapon Modifier := 9
Weapon Sound := Mattergun2.wav
Weapon Family := 25003

Name := Light Armor Class 6F
Description := A low density, high strength composite material best for protecting delicate components.
Pic Num := 723
Tonnage Space Taken := 1
Tonnage Structure := 15
Cost Minerals := 30
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := All
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Armor
Family := 5101
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 3
Tech Area Req 1 := Inert Armor Physics
Tech Level Req 1 := 5
Tech Area Req 2 := Inert Armor Manufacturing
Tech Level Req 2 := 6
Tech Area Req 3 := Inert Armor Engineering
Tech Level Req 3 := 1
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := None

This is the vehicles.txt file:

Name := Scout
Short Name := Scout
Description := Scout ship designed for extra-small crews
Code := SC
Primary Bitmap Name := Scout
Alternate Bitmap Name := Escort
Vehicle Type := Ship
Tonnage := 100
Cost Minerals := 200
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Engines Per Move := 4
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Ship Construction
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := B5 Standard Race
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 3
Ability 1 Type := Combat To Hit Defense Plus
Ability 1 Descr := Small profile makes ship 50% harder to hit in combat.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 50
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Ship Life Support
Ability 2 Descr := Contains life support.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 0
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Ship Crew Quarters
Ability 3 Descr := Contains Crew Quarters
Ability 3 Val 1 := 0
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Requirement Must Have Bridge := True
Requirement Can Have Aux Con := True
Requirement Min Life Support := 0
Requirement Min Crew Quarters := 0
Requirement Uses Engines := True
Requirement Max Engines := 4
Requirement Pct Fighter Bays := 0
Requirement Pct Colony Mods := 0
Requirement Pct Cargo := 0

This is the ComponentEnhancement.txt file:

Long Name := Engine Mount1
Short Name := Engine Installation
Description := Installation mount for a ship engines.
Code := E+
Cost Percent := 2
Tonnage Percent := 2
Tonnage Structure Percent := 2
Damage Percent := 2
Supply Percent := 2
Range Modifier := 0
Weapon To Hit Modifier := 0
Vehicle Size Minimum := 99
Vehicle Size Maximum := 101
Weapon Type Requirement := None
Comp Family Requirement := 11400,11401,11402,11403
Vehicle Type := Ship

[Fyron]

The game was set with max tech to start with, so racial traits are not an issue.

Yes they are. Even on max tech, you can not have technologies that require a racial trait to be researched.

[grumbler]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Yes they are. Even on max tech, you can not have technologies that require a racial trait to be researched.

Well, the Narn (and the Minbari and the Centauri, all my test races) happily used the Belt Alliance weapon!

[TNZ]

[ March 29, 2004, 23:07: Message edited by: TNZ ]

[Fyron]

With engines, it is completely unnecessary to use standard movement as a misc ability. You want to set the desired speeds with "Minimum Speed" and "Desired Speed". The AI can use QNP engines just fine to get the entered values, after engines per move.