Fixing Data Angels

[FleetingPenguin]

What's the best way to fix or work around the bug in the Data Angels faction where +4 probe values and higher are treated as +0 for some purposes?

[Maniac]

reduce the Angel probe bonus to +1...
You could give them some other bonus as compensation, such as immunity/impunity/whatever to the -Probe from Knowledge.

[gwillybj]

(clarification)

Either "IMMUNITY, PROBE" or "IMPUNITY, KNOWLEDGE".

Pick your favorite, as they accomplish the same thing, as Maniac indicated, that is, preventing the -2 Probe in Knowledge.

[FleetingPenguin]

Could you explain a bit more? What exactly does that accomplish?

Is it possible to get buggy probe values even with a starting +1 probe value?

[gwillybj]

Assume you start with +2 Probe. Without any -PROBE avoidance, you would end up with Zero Probe if you select Values, Knowledge, due to its -2 PROBE rating. With either IMMUNITY, PROBE or IMPUNITY, KNOWLEDGE, you get to keep your +2 Probe.

It is possible to trigger the bug even with +1 Probe.
If you use both Fundamentalist and Thought Control. Each gives +2 Probe, for a total of +5. If the bug applies to all values +4 and up, the in-game result would then be Zero.

[FleetingPenguin]

Thank you!

[aapo111]

It is possible to trigger the bug even with +1 Probe.
If you use both Fundamentalist and Thought Control. Each gives +2 Probe, for a total of +5. If the bug applies to all values +4 and up, the in-game result would then be Zero.

- How then to prevent the bug from working? Normally Data Angels get +2 probe and automatic Covert Ops for additional +2 probe, thus triggering the bug and instead of immunity to mind control, enemies have reduced mind control cost against them.

Changing the bonus to +1 prevents the bug, but also takes away half the advantage. How to balance properly?

[GooglyBoogly]

Get EA games to release the rights to a decent developer to make SMAC 2. The bug cannot be fixed without access to the sourcecode (which nobody has)

[aapo111]

Yes, but there's a text file which allows me to modify faction. I want to modify it by reducing the bonus to +1, so that bug wouldn't trigger automatically. This modification would also make the faction weaker, so I'm asking for suggestions how to balance it.

One idea: give immunity to probe teams (Hunter-Seeker Algoritm bonus) right at the start? It would be closest to what the original bonus tries to accomplish. How do I edit this?

#ANGELS
The Data Angels, The Infogrrrrl, Angels, F, 2, Roze, F, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0,
TECH, InfNet, TECH, PlaNets, SOCIAL, ++PROBE, SOCIAL, -POLICE, PROBECOST, 75, FREEFAC, 34, TECHSHARE, 3, UNIT, 6

[vyeh]

Darsnan wrote How to Build Ghost Secret Projects.

This is what he had to say about replicating HSA in the faction file:

"HSA: MINDCONTROL, 0 (note: bases still susceptible)"