Mephisto MOD Version 1.2 Online

[Mephisto]

Hi,
I just put my most recent MOD-file on the board. Any feedback is strongly welcome!

MOD Version 1.20
14/12/00
Space Empires IV Version 1.11

This is a MOD ship design files to every race of Space Empires IV Version 1.11. It also includes a new race - the Earth Alliance.
I felt bound to honor the overall design of SE4 as it was designed by Malfador Machinations. You won't find altered tech trees, new components or new facilities in my MOD, just tweaks to get the most out of what is already there.

Please note that all this is work in progress and any feedback is welcome!

There are to folders:
1.) The backup-folder contains the original data-files of all races from Space Empires 4 Version 1.11.

2.) The Mod-folder contains the tweaked data-files. Just copy the "picture-folder" in your SE4 folder and override every old file.

3.) If you use the Earth Alliance race and downloaded the custom shipset from http://www.xmission.com/~rstulce/SE4-Index.htm, make sure you FIRST install the custom ship set and SECOND install my MOD.

LIST OF CHANGES/MODIFICATIONS:

MOD Version 1.20

1.) All AI races have been modified to use such equipment as Combat Sensors, ECM and Quantum Reactors. Generally ships have been tweaked to be more efficient.

2.) The Earth Alliance race has been added. This race has a completely new research file written from scratch, uses hundreds of fighters and should be tougher to come by in general.

That’s it. Have fun.

Contact me at HeavyLoad@Gmx.de


Addendum:

1.) You can find the most recent release of this MOD in the MOD-Section of http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi

2.) The Earth Alliance shipset can be found at http://www.xmission.com/~rstulce/SE4-Index.htm

3.) This MOD can be freely distributed as long as no file are modified, added or deleted.

[Talenn]

Mephisto:

I am using only the EarthForce AI you put out at this point as the rest would require alot of work to be compatible with my mod set.

In using the EA though, I've seen quite a few typos that crash it out. Multiple instances on the word 'Sensor' instead of 'Sensors', mispelling of 'Construction' in the Research file. Also, their 'General' file has some problems with multiple lines in the 'Number of Abilities' for Starts 2 and 3.

I've corrected them in my set but you may want to hunt them down, fix them, and re-post it for those who are less savvy with the ins and outs of the data tweaking.

I've skimmed through the EA AI and I'm really looking forward to seeing a heavy fighter-using race out there.

Talenn

[Shadow99]

Hey Mephisto, would you like to work on a more complete Bab5 mod with myself, Rambie (aka the one to put together the EA shipset), & maybe a few more people later? If so send me an email to the adress in my profile...

[Mephisto]

Thanks Talenn for the input.
I have fixed the problems you mentioned. The new file is on the board. I did not find other bugs, so where there any one you noticed and did not post here?

How is the AI performing?

[Talenn]

Mephisto:

Well, I'm partway through one game with them out there. They have been steadily holding in the top 3 all game. The spread like the PLAGUE! My gawd. 20 Colonies early in the game!

And they have a HORDE of Fighters. I mean a HORDE! But I didnt see too many regular ships. Usually at most they had 1 or 2 at a time. This could change over time. I'll let you know.

One thing I did notice was the 'scrapping' issue again. I saw that they had 2 bases early in the game and eventualy, 2 or 3 turns later it scrapped them both.

So far so good though. I'll keep you posted.

Talenn

[Mephisto]

Ah, that's nice th hear.
I can tweak ship building a bit but this will hamper fighter production on the other hand.
I have no plan how to stop the AI from the "scrapping issue".

Later in the game the AI should research and actually use atmospheric converters. If they can colonize some planets in the later game, they will have some BIG planets.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Talenn:
Mephisto:

Well, I'm partway through one game with them out there. They have been steadily holding in the top 3 all game. The spread like the PLAGUE! My gawd. 20 Colonies early in the game!

And they have a HORDE of Fighters. I mean a HORDE! But I didnt see too many regular ships. Usually at most they had 1 or 2 at a time. This could change over time. I'll let you know.

One thing I did notice was the 'scrapping' issue again. I saw that they had 2 bases early in the game and eventualy, 2 or 3 turns later it scrapped them both.

So far so good though. I'll keep you posted.

Talenn

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[Talenn]

Mephisto:

Ok, I just finished my first game with your EA AI. They did as well as can be expected given the limits of what we can influence. In the end, I easily blew through them but that was a result of the AI's lack of attacking. At one or two points they had the firepower to easily overwhelm my forward colonies but never attacked. They even had enough Cruisers at one point to defeat or at least mutually annihilate my Strike Fleet...again, it simply split up it's ships and moved them away.

So, of course I was eventually able to go through and glass about half of their worlds, occupy a few of the major ones and go on to win the game. If they actually attacked me back instead of flailing around, they might have won or at least occupied me long enough for someone ELSE to win. Economically, Militarilly and Technologically they were my equal or superior for most of the game (with 1000 more RPs and the Low AI bonus). But none of that will matter if it never masses and attacks.

I think this was most depressing game I've played to date. Most of the other games I've played the AI never had near parity in ANY of these fields. Between your AI and the general tweaks I've made to the AI, its getting to the point where it can rival human players 'on paper'. But it's utter and pathetic usage of the military it possesses is very discouraging.

I VERY much hope that the new patch for next week is planning on tweaking the AI's ABILITY not just its hostility and production capability etc. It wont matter HOW much of a bonus it has and how many ships it can build unless it finally gets around to using them in a halfway effective manner.

But, from the programmible AI standpoint, I say NICE JOB! Its certainly better than the AIs that shipped and it was downright terrifying to see that many fighters from an AI player.

One other downside though is that the AI doesnt seem to recognize Fighters as being able to move within a system. Personally, I think this ability should be removed from fighters in general. It would make them less of complete system defense and more of a planetary or sector defense and this is how it should be IMO. Given that the AI doesnt seem to take advantage of the fact that they can move, IMO, its just one more reason to kill the capabilty.

Thanx for the time you spent on this and I look forward to seeing forthcoming mods from you.

Talenn

[Shadow99]

Actually I'd like to see MM add a 'navigation' tech area which allows system navigation & later on allows fighters to navigate warp points (though it's only feasable to use those on large fighters)....

I play with alot of fighters though (probably 50% of my forces & most of my defense)... So movable fighters is important to me...

[Mephisto]

Thanks Talenn.
There is room for improvement for the AI and there is room for improvement in the script files so one can plan better what the Ai should use.
It's somewhat sad that the AI is so reluctant with its fighters in a system but I saw them using fighter Groups In-system not just sector. If the AI would mass it's fighters and through it against a human attack fleet it would be much more of a challenge.


I'm rather busy right now but when I find some time I will make a shadow race and one race that will use torpedoes.

[Talenn]

Mephisto:

Heh, if the AI would mass ANYTHING and throw it at the enemy it would be a huge improvement! I think that would be my number one complaint at this time...the lack of AI 'aggression'. I can get it to be as hostile as I want it to be and I can usually make it build a sizable amount of competent hardware at this point too. But the lack of the AI's ability to USE that hardware is the stumbling block.

My efforts at modding and altering are on hold until a significant patch that allows the AI to DO something with what it has comes along. I will continue to futz about with it in Hotseat play, but I see no point in continuing against solely AI players unless/until they are actually PLAYING the game.

Here's hoping that we see some nastiness from the AI this coming week.

Talenn