Posted November 22, 2018
I'm having a great deal of difficulty posting about this. Let's see if I can get a post up on the board, then edit it to say what I actually want to say. Stay tuned. Ok... seems it won't let me post links, which is counterproductive. This stuff is all on the Alphacentauri2 website, in the Modding section of their forum.
After 6 calendar months of development, my SMACX AI Growth mod version 1.25 has been extensively playtested for you to enjoy! I have improved everything about the game that I could, that could be done by fiddling with a .txt file. Some people actually patch the game's .exe binary to make changes, but much can be done by simply changing the tech tree, the faction balance, the few AI input parameters, the world generation parameters, the predefined units, etc. Be the 1st kid on your block to embrace the coolest game changes since it came out 20 years ago. Things that used to bug you, maybe don't bug you anymore! Grind up your enemies with a better vision of society than previously possible. See attached screenshot.
If you are unsure how SMACX is played, I have just the thing for you! I just finished an After Action Report with this very mod. In it I will advise you on the most lethal way to legally stomp your enemies in the early game. Nerve gas! All things are possible to a sufficiently compliant Planetary Council. And trust me, you do want the legal way. The illegal way is a mindworm horror show. I've done AARs on that; they're only fun if you're reading them, not playing them. See attached screenshot.
DESIGN SUMMARY
I began this mod in mid-April of 2018. Its design, and all the playtesting needed to improve it, have taken 4 PERSON MONTHS of full time work to produce. In some other universe where I made money, that could have been a third of a year's salary! This mod aspires to professionalism, to be substantially better than the original game. I hope people will try and enjoy it, as that validates the effort spent. Please let me know if you find any bugs or omissions.
- I've tried to make the AI play better. That's really important.
- Factions are better rounded, and most don't have penalties. This helps the AI.
- Aliens are no longer overpowered. They are no better than normal factions.
- The world generator is tweaked to give the AI factions more land to grow in.
- Enormous 80x160 and Giant 128x256 maps are defined.
- Choosing 30%..50% land mass yields substantial continents, but still plenty of ocean for the Pirates.
- This mod is designed for a Huge map with 30%..50% land mass.
- On a Standard map, some AI factions will not have enough room to grow.
- Techs, facilities, units, and abilities are completely reordered, for what I consider to be good pacing.
- Armor has been strengthened to match weapons at the same tech level.
- Secret Projects come later in the game and cost at least 300 minerals.
- Overpowered Secret Projects come MUCH later.
- Social Engineering choices are gradualist and incremental, to facilitate mixing and matching.
- Future Society choices become available in late midgame and are not overpowered.
- Completing the entire tech tree is required to Transcend.
- Facilities, abilities, and units are assigned to Explore, Discover, Build, or Conquer according to what they actually do.
- "Explore" really means "colonization and growth" to the AI. It doesn't mean exploring.
- The AI uses Foil and Cruiser Probe Teams now. Watch your sea bases!
- The AI uses armored Probe Teams now. Better have a weapon when they come!
- Planet Busters and Conventional Missiles can hit anywhere on Planet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, INSTALLATION, LICENSE, DESIGN DETAILS, CHANGELOG - see the included readme_mod.txt, or go to the home site of SMACX AI Growth mod. Everything you ever wanted to know about 6 calendar months of work, but were afraid to ask!
After 6 calendar months of development, my SMACX AI Growth mod version 1.25 has been extensively playtested for you to enjoy! I have improved everything about the game that I could, that could be done by fiddling with a .txt file. Some people actually patch the game's .exe binary to make changes, but much can be done by simply changing the tech tree, the faction balance, the few AI input parameters, the world generation parameters, the predefined units, etc. Be the 1st kid on your block to embrace the coolest game changes since it came out 20 years ago. Things that used to bug you, maybe don't bug you anymore! Grind up your enemies with a better vision of society than previously possible. See attached screenshot.
If you are unsure how SMACX is played, I have just the thing for you! I just finished an After Action Report with this very mod. In it I will advise you on the most lethal way to legally stomp your enemies in the early game. Nerve gas! All things are possible to a sufficiently compliant Planetary Council. And trust me, you do want the legal way. The illegal way is a mindworm horror show. I've done AARs on that; they're only fun if you're reading them, not playing them. See attached screenshot.
DESIGN SUMMARY
I began this mod in mid-April of 2018. Its design, and all the playtesting needed to improve it, have taken 4 PERSON MONTHS of full time work to produce. In some other universe where I made money, that could have been a third of a year's salary! This mod aspires to professionalism, to be substantially better than the original game. I hope people will try and enjoy it, as that validates the effort spent. Please let me know if you find any bugs or omissions.
- I've tried to make the AI play better. That's really important.
- Factions are better rounded, and most don't have penalties. This helps the AI.
- Aliens are no longer overpowered. They are no better than normal factions.
- The world generator is tweaked to give the AI factions more land to grow in.
- Enormous 80x160 and Giant 128x256 maps are defined.
- Choosing 30%..50% land mass yields substantial continents, but still plenty of ocean for the Pirates.
- This mod is designed for a Huge map with 30%..50% land mass.
- On a Standard map, some AI factions will not have enough room to grow.
- Techs, facilities, units, and abilities are completely reordered, for what I consider to be good pacing.
- Armor has been strengthened to match weapons at the same tech level.
- Secret Projects come later in the game and cost at least 300 minerals.
- Overpowered Secret Projects come MUCH later.
- Social Engineering choices are gradualist and incremental, to facilitate mixing and matching.
- Future Society choices become available in late midgame and are not overpowered.
- Completing the entire tech tree is required to Transcend.
- Facilities, abilities, and units are assigned to Explore, Discover, Build, or Conquer according to what they actually do.
- "Explore" really means "colonization and growth" to the AI. It doesn't mean exploring.
- The AI uses Foil and Cruiser Probe Teams now. Watch your sea bases!
- The AI uses armored Probe Teams now. Better have a weapon when they come!
- Planet Busters and Conventional Missiles can hit anywhere on Planet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, INSTALLATION, LICENSE, DESIGN DETAILS, CHANGELOG - see the included readme_mod.txt, or go to the home site of SMACX AI Growth mod. Everything you ever wanted to know about 6 calendar months of work, but were afraid to ask!
Post edited November 22, 2018 by bvanevery
