New Mod: The Art of War Mod

[geoschmo]

I believe maint bonuses do stack. So that about clinches it. You will still need to have an engineering section on you ships with master computers, ubless you have pleanty of money and don't care about the maintenance reduction. But for a large ship the 40Kt sholdn't be that critical.

I am still interested in the missles. I just haven't got to that point in the mod yet.

Geoschmo

[Phoenix-D]

OK. I'll try and clean them up a bit, balance them out better.

Are you planning on adjusting weapon damage any? Because these were based on the standard CSM damage and changed from there. PM me when you get around to wanting them, and I'll send over what I have.

Phoenix-D

[Taz-in-Space]

Geoschmo, One thing I really liked about the deathstalker Mount Mod was the Mini Mount for components. (you know, the one that halved the size of non-weapon components for twice the price)
This allowed you to create 'Elite' ships that were costly to build, but could carry much more.
This trade-off between Build time/Maint-and- repair-cost and capability was self balancing IMO.

[Skulky]

This mod is really cool, i haven't played too far yet but it is very interesting. I liked all hte work you put in on the ships. I did go after ECM tech as i usually would and found to my dismay and then eventual joy that it didn't work as well.
This is much more realistic and i really like that, also the engineering component thing is cool too.

[QuarianRex]

Geo,

Nice mod concept, I like. Took a look at the components and was a little taken aback with the sensors/ecm balance. I know that you wanted sensors to have the edge but by five times? Ouch. Was that intentional?

Wouldn't a 50/30 or even a 50/20 sensor/ecm split be somewhat better? At least then you'd have some small sense of accomplishment (having researched ten levels of combat support after all).

I would think that any self-respecting Supreme Galactic Overlord would have his researchers flogged for so piddling a result as 1% per level.

[geoschmo]

If you add in the ECM bonus for Stealth and Scattering armor it's not nearly as bad for the sensors. But I still wanted the sensors to have tha advantage.

One of my biggest problems with combat in the stock game is that with a slight edge in ECM+Stealth+Scattering Armor your ships become almost unhittable. Throw a couple PDC's to hanlde the missles, and a couple shields to soak up the few lucky shots that do manage to get through, and you have a ship that all to often will escape a battle completely undamaged.

It's not even uncommon for battles to be so lopsided that 10 ships with said ECM advantage can wipe out 50 or even more that are otherwise equal in tech, without losing a single ship, or even suffering much damage.

By giving sensors the advantage, or less of a disadvantage at least, those battles have a different dynamic. You should still expect to win with superior tech and equal or nearly equal numbers, but you should at least suffer some casualties and damage and have to be more selective about when and where you fight.

What I was going for with the slow progression of the combat modifying techs is to make it take more of a comitment from an empire to develop them. To keep anyone from getting a big advantage very early. However one side effect of this is that if a race ignores these areas long enough it will be next to impossible for them to catch up. Not sure if I have the balance right yet.

I also wanted experience to be more of a determining factor, because that's something I can't really control since it's hardcoded. But I weakened the training facilities so you have to earn the experience the hard way.

Geoschmo

[ May 19, 2002, 23:37: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[dumbluck]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
I also wanted experience to be more of a determining factor, because that's something I can't really control since it's hardcoded. But I weakened the training facilities so you have to earn the experience the hard way.

Geoschmo

I wish I had more time, I'd like to check out the beta. So when I make suggestions, keep in mind that it's kind of like the blind leading the blind. But anyway, have you looked at SJ's P&N for inspiration here? The way he handles it (numbers are rough estimates, I haven't used his training facilities for a while) is that level one goes up to 15%, with 3% gained per turn (maxed in 5 turns). Level 2 goes up to 20% but with only 2% gained per turn (maxxed in 10 turns). Level 3 goes up to 25%, with only 1% gained per turn (max in 25 turns!). So to get the higher % takes much more time. I thought that was a pretty cool idea. Maybe you could plagerize, or at least use it as inspiration? Or not, I don't know. Hell, maybe you already have!

[Phoenix-D]

"I haven't used his training facilities for a while) is that level one goes up to 15%, with 3% gained per turn (maxed in 5 turns). Level 2 goes up to 20% but with only 2% gained per turn (maxxed in 10 turns). Level 3 goes up to 25%, with only 1% gained per turn (max in 25 turns!). So to get the higher % takes much more time. I thought that was a pretty cool idea."

Or if you build all three it's maxed in 23 turns, total.

Phoenix-D

[dumbluck]

Hey, quick question: Do those facilities stack? If not, how does it choose which facility is "active"? (does it pick most increase per turn, or highest max?)

Edit: sorry for taking this thread OT. It won't happen again, I swear!!!

[ May 20, 2002, 08:09: Message edited by: dumbluck ]

[Phoenix-D]

even if they don't, just put them on nearby planets.. I haven't tested it.