Cloak and Sensor levels - can they be increased?

[PraetorSpectre]

I've read how the levels work, cloak in relation to sensor detection, here on the forumn. Can the levels be increased, ie cloak component upto level 10 and say, gravitic sensors to level 11? or is it limited to game default (ie cloak level 3, etc)
I ask because my group tends to nullify cloak by researching sensor tech fairly quickly.
I couldnt find info on this anywhere.
Thanks!

[Fyron]

Yes you can increase them. Simply add new levels to each component field. Copy the Cloaking Device III to a new component and adjust its abilities and cost appropriately. Make sure to increase the max tech levels so that the new items will be available. Then do the same for Tachyon Sensors, Hyper Optics, Psychic Receptors, Temporal Sensors and Gravitic Sensors.

Be careful to keep the same relation between ability value and level listed in the description of the components.

[TurinTurambar]

Along that note, and not horribly off-topic:

What are the ability differences between active and passive scanning? You research tachyon sensors to 3 and get level n active scanning, and hyperoptics to whatever and get level n passive scanning. I always assumed hyperoptics to be superior given the cost difference...

But what does it mean man... what does it mean...

[Fyron]

There is effectively no difference between active EM, passive EM, psychic, gravitic and temporal scanning abilities (as with the corresponding cloaking abilities). They all function in identical manners, just against different cloaking abilities. 5 separate scanning and 5 cloaking abilities are provided to allow modders to set up more complex cloaking systems. Each cloaking ability prevents a certain range of levels of scanning components with the corresponding ability to detect the vessel (when the cloak is active). Active EM cloaking blocks Active EM scanning in the same exact manner that Temporal cloaking blocks Temporal scanning.

Basically, if you have just one scanning ability present in the system that is of sufficient level to detect the corresponding level of cloaking ability that the cloaked vessel has, you can detect it. For example, your cloaked ship has level 100 cloaking in all areas except Gravitic, in which it has level 2. A level 99 active EM scanner would not be able to detect it. However, a level 3 gravitic scanner would be able to, in spite of the comparatively high levels of other cloaking abilities.

Note that all ships have built in level 1 active and passive EM scanners, which is why cloaking devices start with ability value 2.

[Captain Kwok]

Note you can use the different cloak abilities in a mod to create the need for different sensors etc. It's just not set up that way in the stock game.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

IIRC ALL anticloakscanners (Wow, that's one for Scrabble) cost the same. Yes, you can increase cloak/sensor levels manually.

What you could also do;

As the level of advancement of cloaking devices progresses, gradually increase the cost/size, and eventually split off cloaks for certain sensor types. In the end, you MIGHT be able to have unbreakable cloaking devices, BUT - there are separate devices for each type of scan, they are monstrously huge and prohibitively expensive. Also, Scanners should increase in size/cost as they advance, but their increases should be more steep to reflect the fact that cloaking technology advances in leaps. Also, IMO, stock scanners are WAY too powerful - one hi-lev scanner sat in a system is enough to render the use of cloaks completely useless, but if you make the higher-level scanners even more monstrously huge than the same level of cloak, and even more prohibitively expensive, then cloaks might be useful into the late game, as you won't be able to deploy cloak penetrators and keep any economy at all going on at the same time. Especially if you have a vast Empire, placing cloaksing scanners in every system could cripple or even kill your economy.

[Riesig_Bar]

I guess this sort of answered a question I was going to post. But to be really sure I will ask it.

I was going to ask if Tachyon Sensors III could detect cloaking III. Since I am resaerching TSII I don't know what it does yet or the next level TSIII. If not how do I find enemy ships that have cloaking III?

Hope this not hijacking thread. If it is it is unintensional.

[Fyron]

Tachyon Sensor III will detect Cloaking Device III. However, it is far more expensive to research than Hyper Optics III, which does the same job. It is under Advanced Military Science 6, which is much cheaper to get than Sensors 6 (base cost 5000 instead of 50000 and you need AMS 3 to get level 3 training facilities anyways).

[Riesig_Bar]

Imperator Fyron said:
Tachyon Sensor III will detect Cloaking Device III. However, it is far more expensive to research than Hyper Optics III, which does the same job. It is under Advanced Military Science 6, which is much cheaper to get than Sensors 6 (base cost 5000 instead of 50000 and you need AMS 3 to get level 3 training facilities anyways).

I never heard of this Hyper optics. I haven't tried the ship training past 1. So I will check that option too. Thanks.