Been thinking seriously about making a SMAX mod with the revised splinter factions, and wanted to solicit for ideas, and get some feedback on some thoughts that I had.
Things I’m considering changing:
Increasing the costs of techs!! As it is, the game moves much too quickly and so many people have gotten very good at getting multiple techs per turn, or tech in 1 that a slowdown seems in order.
I really like the changes made in the SNAC mod re: choppers, though I’m not sure I agree with the four!? Movement rate for them. I was thinking six, which would still make them useful on the attack (and able to GET to a distant battle), but they’d no longer be the lords of the air that they are now. So, either six mv. With increased cost per the SNAC mod, or four move with the same cost. Thoughts here?
Setting up a more realistic unit support scheme. Since there’s no way to create a situation where creating a combat unit decreases the population of your base (which would be more realistic, IMO), then the only alternative I see to limit the size of the unit pool is to do away with clean reactors as a special, and give all factions an inherent support penalty. Doing so will force you to really weigh your options regarding what unit to create, and it will make the inherently “clean” probes and crawlers even more useful.
Thinking about disabling a number of SP’s too, starting with the CBA, but I’m also considering dropping the Cloning Vats into the Recycling Tanks.
Pulling some of the late game projects forward. No specific thoughts here, but it’s been said repeatedly that there are a number of really good late game SP’s, made almost useless by just how late in the game the ability to build them arrives.
Carrier deck NEEDS to be in the game sooner, rather than later, especially if chopper movement is reduced. Was considering making it available at the same time Cruisers and MTC (Doct: Initiative).
Anybody know if it’s possible to introduce new graphics for units or terrain enhancements into a mod? At the moment, I’m just thinking out loud…haven’t even cracked open the editor to see what all I can and can’t do, but if there’s a way to add custom graphics, then it opens up a whole lot of options….
Gonna revise the splinter factions and use them as the basis for the unique factions in the game. It’d be really cool if I could give the AI players the equivalent of “clean” reactors, but turn that option off for players. I have no idea if that’s possible or not, but…
Anybody know if it’s possible to increase the price you pay when you make SE changes? 40 credits just ain’t enough!
Was considering starting every faction out with a former, but pushing the advanced terraforming options back (and because of this, potentially eliminating the WP)
Making pods such that you NEVER get tech or AA’s from them
Was also considering starting every faction off with a –2 Research hit, meaning that you get no tech at all for the first ten turns, forcing you to make the most of your starting former
With a –2 Support hit, and a –2 Research hit off the bat, obviously some tweaking will have to be done with the SE table, or certain choices just wouldn’t be viable. Was also thinking of (and I don’t know if this is even possible), adding a +1 research bonus to the player who completes the HGP, which would be HUGE, under these conditions, and perhaps adding +1 Support to whomever snags the VW(?)
All SP’s should at least double in price, IMO.
What I’m shooting for is a game with more realism built in. It should be damned hard starting out on a new world, building up an empire from scratch. SMAC is a fun game….god knows I’ve stayed up all night too many times to count playing for “just one more turn.” And maybe what I’m proposing here wouldn’t be of interest to many folks, or maybe I’m just masochistic. What I want though, is to create a mod which would be more in keeping with just how difficult it would really be to get started on an alien world.
Thoughts and opinions please!![Smile](https://apolyton.net/core/images/smilies/smile.gif)
-=Vel=-
Things I’m considering changing:
Increasing the costs of techs!! As it is, the game moves much too quickly and so many people have gotten very good at getting multiple techs per turn, or tech in 1 that a slowdown seems in order.
I really like the changes made in the SNAC mod re: choppers, though I’m not sure I agree with the four!? Movement rate for them. I was thinking six, which would still make them useful on the attack (and able to GET to a distant battle), but they’d no longer be the lords of the air that they are now. So, either six mv. With increased cost per the SNAC mod, or four move with the same cost. Thoughts here?
Setting up a more realistic unit support scheme. Since there’s no way to create a situation where creating a combat unit decreases the population of your base (which would be more realistic, IMO), then the only alternative I see to limit the size of the unit pool is to do away with clean reactors as a special, and give all factions an inherent support penalty. Doing so will force you to really weigh your options regarding what unit to create, and it will make the inherently “clean” probes and crawlers even more useful.
Thinking about disabling a number of SP’s too, starting with the CBA, but I’m also considering dropping the Cloning Vats into the Recycling Tanks.
Pulling some of the late game projects forward. No specific thoughts here, but it’s been said repeatedly that there are a number of really good late game SP’s, made almost useless by just how late in the game the ability to build them arrives.
Carrier deck NEEDS to be in the game sooner, rather than later, especially if chopper movement is reduced. Was considering making it available at the same time Cruisers and MTC (Doct: Initiative).
Anybody know if it’s possible to introduce new graphics for units or terrain enhancements into a mod? At the moment, I’m just thinking out loud…haven’t even cracked open the editor to see what all I can and can’t do, but if there’s a way to add custom graphics, then it opens up a whole lot of options….
Gonna revise the splinter factions and use them as the basis for the unique factions in the game. It’d be really cool if I could give the AI players the equivalent of “clean” reactors, but turn that option off for players. I have no idea if that’s possible or not, but…
Anybody know if it’s possible to increase the price you pay when you make SE changes? 40 credits just ain’t enough!
Was considering starting every faction out with a former, but pushing the advanced terraforming options back (and because of this, potentially eliminating the WP)
Making pods such that you NEVER get tech or AA’s from them
Was also considering starting every faction off with a –2 Research hit, meaning that you get no tech at all for the first ten turns, forcing you to make the most of your starting former
With a –2 Support hit, and a –2 Research hit off the bat, obviously some tweaking will have to be done with the SE table, or certain choices just wouldn’t be viable. Was also thinking of (and I don’t know if this is even possible), adding a +1 research bonus to the player who completes the HGP, which would be HUGE, under these conditions, and perhaps adding +1 Support to whomever snags the VW(?)
All SP’s should at least double in price, IMO.
What I’m shooting for is a game with more realism built in. It should be damned hard starting out on a new world, building up an empire from scratch. SMAC is a fun game….god knows I’ve stayed up all night too many times to count playing for “just one more turn.” And maybe what I’m proposing here wouldn’t be of interest to many folks, or maybe I’m just masochistic. What I want though, is to create a mod which would be more in keeping with just how difficult it would really be to get started on an alien world.
Thoughts and opinions please!
![Smile](https://apolyton.net/core/images/smilies/smile.gif)
-=Vel=-
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