Does anyone know who to disable the auto-difficulty

Din Ahmed · #1 November 29th, 2003, 03:05 PM

Okay.. I'll have to come out and say that I haven't gotten to a stage where the enemies have improved their firepower but is there a way to make it so that the enemy doesn't improve their cabalities with you based on your equipment rather based areas.

I mean, certain systems have power enemy ships whereas others have weak pressence regardless of you ship. Just wondering whether this is possible... I have a gut feeling it isn't at least not without serious modding...

Please dont get me wrong, I know it's a feature and all, but I am just curious.

Suicide Junkie · #2 December 1st, 2003, 12:26 AM

Not sure exactly what you're asking for there...

You could set the experience required for level 2 to be veryvery high, so you get a static tech universe...

You could also place extra ships in some systems (homesystems) like the starbases get placed.
I'm not sure about how to add more random per-visit ships to certain systems, but I haven't done too much modding in that area.

Ed Kolis · #3 December 1st, 2003, 01:56 AM

Not sure if this would be practical or even work... but what if you made "high tech" and "low tech" Versions of each race - gave them the same color on the galaxy map and everything, or just assigned all the systems belonging to both to one of them; made them friends with all the same races and with each other; and made duplicates of all the components, so that the high-tech race's components were normal, but the low-tech race's components had all the "increase per level" stuff set to zero, or half that of the high-tech race, if you just want them to advance more slowly?

Phoenix-D · #4 December 1st, 2003, 02:41 AM

The problem with that is allied races will not support each other in combat- so if you fired on the high tech race, the low tech one couldn't care less, and vice versa.

Din Ahmed · #5 December 1st, 2003, 04:57 AM

Let me explain my point.

I worked ages to get a pretty well kitted out Destroyer Mk III. But it seems that all the baddies have roughly equivalently capable ships to mine now too. They all seem to have roughly about the same tech level of weapons too... but thats okay I guess. But...

So I played aroung with fitting the destroyer with better shields and lo behold the baddies have better shields too... damn. I thought all that extra money was supposed to buy you an advantage. I seems I'm just were I started 4 hours ago though the equipment change. And I get pirates using Cruisers even when I still using the Destroyers... (Level 10 right now, forgot the rank just know I have 45 points to use up).

I'm guessing the equipment level matches your char level since I'm getting level 10 equipment as well.

What I'm trying to say is when I spend a tons of creds I expect to have some good advantage. So far the only advantage money has given me is allowing me to buy those shield/energy/armor rechargers so I don't die too often in batles.

Phoenix-D · #6 December 1st, 2003, 06:16 AM

What that money does do is prevent you from falling behind. So yeah, in this sense you're just playing catch up. To diable that..hmm. Can't think of a way offhand, actually..

EDIT: I should point out that as you level, the enemies improve. Period. Actually buying anything doesn't affect their power.

[ December 01, 2003, 04:24: Message edited by: Phoenix-D ]

Rollo · #7 December 1st, 2003, 12:58 PM

One way to assure that buying equipment puts you ahead in the tech race is to raise the level offset in the shops.
Perhaps mod a few spacedocks that sell for high prices, but give you equipment that is several levels higher.

Rollo · #8 December 1st, 2003, 01:16 PM

Another way would be to lower the increase of abilities per level on components. So it doesn't matter that much, if you are behind.
And at the same time increase the effects of command points. So superior tageting, evasion, and repair rates will give you an edge.

LesserHellspawn · #9 December 1st, 2003, 01:57 PM

If you still fly around with a destroyer, you'll get slaughtered in no time anyway. According to my playing experience, it's highly advisable to earn yourself enough credits for at least a cruiser before even reporting to Yorkshire III in campaign 1. Not too difficult with Pirate trading missions and a destroyer with 800+ speed. Stay out of combat using superior speed. And I found it also highly advisable to save for a battleship before moving on from campaign 1 to campaign 2. I finished campaign 1 in an Abbidon cruiser 2 MK III with little trouble. The very same cruiser already got owned in the very first mission of campaign 2. You certainly can't expect to get ahead in tech in this game, but you can even out the odds by packing more of that tech into a bigger hull. 4 weapons do cut through shields and armor faster than two, and 20/40 kt shields do take more damage than 10 kt ones before failure.

Din Ahmed · #10 December 1st, 2003, 04:55 PM

Interesting. I'd always wanted to play a small fast ship going against bigger ships beating them with skill/strategy versus firepower so thats why I stuck with the Destroyers...

Kinda like a space shooters where Interceptors can still whack Heavy Fighters due to the speed & Maneuverability advantage.

The way you put it bigger ships are the only way to go... Oh, how/where do you get other than Terran ships anyway?

Whats so good about cruisers anyways... only 2 Lasers face front and Missles & Torps get bLasted by Point Defence too easily...