Balance Mod Available for SE:V

[Captain Kwok]

The AI is not too bad at refueling ships and does make decent usage of frontier Resupply Depots when it builds them. Anyhow the revised engine system will improve the ranges for most ships.

To some degree, Raapys is right about the AI and its attack locations. It generates it's attack location list each turn and I would think that if an area of enemy strength is not visible on its sensors, it won't be considered. Although I have seen times when a large fleet is nearby and will attack the next turn, but it depends on a myriad of factors. Overall from looking through the scripts, the AI is generally designed to attack enemies in shared systems first rather than launching longer "preemptive" strikes.

The AI is also told not to start hostilities if there is still open space to explore - I'll likely change this to reflect the nature of the AI - that is, whether it is peaceful, neutral, or aggressive.

I think it might be good if the AI always saw the contents of the system as well.

[Captain Kwok]

Just in case you couldn't guess, the next version of the mod probably won't be good to go until Wednesday as I need to implement the new propulsion scheme and make a few script adjustments.

[AstralWanderer]

Captain Kwok said:
It's a proposal for a change to the Engine system. There's not much change to the actual mechanics really, but I think it restores some strategy back to engine usage that was sort of lost with the current Balance Mod engine system.

The only downside there would be the need to calculate manually how many hexes a ship design could move (and presumably fractional values would be lost rather than carried over to the next turn). Also could other components (e.g. Solar Sails) still provide an element of extra movement?

I would certainly agree with removing the "hard" limitations on engine usage but adding other incentives for developing older engine types, e.g. lower cost, features like a stealth bonus (due to reduced emissions) or a combat maneuverability bonus (improved control systems) could add extra depth to the game.

[Captain Kwok]

AstralWanderer said:The only downside there would be the need to calculate manually how many hexes a ship design could move (and presumably fractional values would be lost rather than carried over to the next turn). Also could other components (e.g. Solar Sails) still provide an element of extra movement?

You already do this now, except now you don't even know your ships EPM (engines per move) value. At least now it would tell you and it'd be a relatively round number. The mechanics are the same as currently, but the movement bonuses have been dropped in favour of a gradual increase in engine movement points.

All in all, 94.5% of people just add to max engines anyway.

Interesting note, the ship stats summary will actually round your ships movement up if its appropriate to do so, but your real movement for your constructed ship is the truncated value.

[Spoo]

Captain Kwok said:
Interesting note, the ship stats summary will actually round your ships movement up if its appropriate to do so, but your real movement for your constructed ship is the truncated value.

That sounds more like a bug to me.

[Captain Kwok]

Greetings!

Well another change (and delay) for the next version involving ship level progression. Not too much change at the bottom end, but the larger ships now have more levels - which was a big request/wish for many players.

Relevant thread:
http://www.spaceempires.net/home/ftopict-2121.html

Long story short: It doesn't change the min or max size for a ship type, but does give finer graduations of size for the big ships.

[AAshbery76]

There is enough to research already without these balance killing multiple ship sizes.Bad move for game and A.I.

[Captain Kwok]

It's purely a cosmetic change. No real effect on the AI or changing balance.

The research costs have been adjusted so that the total tech area costs the same as before. So it's really just opening up 50kT increments per level for the big ships rather than the 100kT increments that were in place.

Overall, each ship type still retains the same proportions of space they did for engines, weapons, etc.

[javaslinger]

Licking my fingers in anticipation of the next Balance mod....

Javaslinger

[Captain Kwok]

Working on it as I post. Lots of data entry with this update!

Any observations on the AI and their treaty behavior from v0.99? I'll be working on the script updates and haven't seen much about it since the last version was posted.