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My goals when making this were:
1) To make factions that blanced with each other, and the other human 12
2)Make factions that fit with the smac atmosphere as much as possible, grapically and storywise. So, all the bases/portraits are from somwehre in the graphics file, except for the symbols somewhat.
3) Take advantage of seldom used modifiers when making custom factions - especially the + and - Offense/Defense modifiers, hopefully creating some interesting combat scenarios.
Here are the factions:
PLANET INSURGENCY:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Spartan Kel}
^BACKGROUND: {Lieutenant, Spartan Special Forces}
^AGENDA: {Guerrilla warfare}
^
#DATALINKS2
^-1 ECONOMY: {All available monies put toward better training}
^-1 INDUSTRY: {Bases little more than ambush sites}
^+75% Offensive combat: {Exquisitely planned ambushes}
^-75% Deffensive combat: {Poorly amoured troops}
^Cloaking Device FREE for all units upon discovery: {Masters of stealth}
^Deep Radar FREE for all units upon discovery: {Vital to discover enemy before he dicovers you}
^Dissociative Wave FREE for all units upon dicovery: {Special abilities ineffective against small, superior force}
^Free PSI GATE at each base: {Highly mobile army}
3 special abilities looks excessive at first. But only one (wave) really makes a signifigant impact, the cloaking comes too late to make much of a difference, and deep radar is nice, but not a game changer.
UN UNITY CREW:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Pascal Jones}
^BACKGROUND: {Commander, UN UNity}
^AGENDA: {Survival, apprehension of Captain Garland's assassin}
^TECH: {Applied Physics
#DATALINKS2
^+1 SUPPORT: {Maximize resources}
^+1 EFFICENCY: {Centrifugal toliets}
^+1 MORALE: {Highly trained personal}
^-1 GROWTH: {Haphazard bases leave little room to expand}
^AAA Tracking ability FREE to all units upon dicovery of Doctrine: Air Power: {Gifted pilots}
^Need HAB COMPLEX for bases to exceeed size 5: {Space at a premium}
This is the first faction I did graphics-wise, it was a good tutorial for Paint Shop Pro because I've never done anything thing related to graphics before. This faction is also the closest to the baseline faction of my new 6.
PLANET MECHANICS:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {James Reynolds}
^BACKGROUND: {UN Unity, Logistics Officer}
^AGENDA: {Research, conservation of available materials}
^TECH: {Nanometallurgy}
#DATALINKS2
^-2 PROBE: {information sharing leads to lack of security}
^-2 MORALE: {LOVE tinkering. Actual warfare, not so much}
^Share Tech w/Inflitrator: {information sharing leads to lack of security}
^Free COMMAND CENTER with discovery of Doctrine: Loyalty: {Skilled machinsts}
^Free NAVAL YARD with discovery of Doctrine: Initiative: {Skilled machinsts}
^{May not use Police State politics.}
This is the weakest faction storywise, the whole point of is an excuse to give a faction Nanometalurgy as a starting tech. In human vs. computer, this faction is probabaly overpowered since the computer can't use probes effectively and you could pound them with carriers/noodles. Human vs. Human though? Shame on you if you can't inflitrate someone by doc: air power. (Does reverse engineering work with human vs. human? That could be another way to get carrier decks.) The free center/yard are there for the fast repair and not the morale.
MINDWORMS:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Lumbricus mens mentis}
^BACKGROUND: {unknown}
^AGENDA: {To feed}
^
#DATALINKS2
^+2 PLANET: {Worms are native lifeforms}
^+1 Nutrients/Minerals/Energy in fungus squares
^+100% Psi combat modifier: {Worms are adept at psi combat}
^Mind Worms do double police duty: {Worms are native lifeforms}
^-95% Offensive combat: {Unable to field conventional forces}
^-95% Deffensive combat: {Unable to field conventional forces}
^{May not use Democratic politics.}
This is the faction most balanced in computer v.s computer hands. I'm very reluctant to weaken it though, becasue it's not so much overpowered as it is just EFFECTIVE. For example, the fung bonus allows this faction to kinda have decent terraforming. In human hands though, fungus is nice alternate to forrest, but probablly not a reaplcement for boreholes/condenser (at least until wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy late game). The computer AGGRESIVELY builds mindworms once its gets empathy (every base almost), and with the +100%, they are actually decent troops, and pretty much remain so the whole game, instead of the computer running with missles when you got shard. Again, not overpowering in that a good human player would use a healthy dose of scout trance/empath against them instead of high quality units. An interesting side effect with the -95% is that atry is no longer nearly as effective against the mindworms. You see, the -95% is the last thing applied, so the +PSI isnt actually 100 in the game file, its 3900. Well, the -95% applies to every type of combat except for the spore launchers defending, so they end up with an absurd amount of strength. It's only on defense though, so its not a huge deal, and actually kind of brings back some balance to to artillery vs. natives. Now arty vs. naked mindworm = mindworm with 1 health. Arty vs. mindworm and sporelauncer = dead arty.
ALGORITHMS:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Hunter Seeker Algorithm}
^BACKGROUND: {Development lab, Alpha Legacy}
^AGENDA: {Control information}
^TECH: {Planetary Networks}
#DATALINKS2
^-1 INDUSTRY: {Lack of manual labor}
^-50% Offensive combat: {Lacks advanced millitary algorithms}
^-75% Probe Cost: {Programmed for information warfare}
^Immunity to Mind Control: {Hunter Seeker Algorithm}
^Air Superiority ability FREE to all units upon discovery of Doctrine: Air Power: {Allows probe teams to subvert air units}
^Empath Song ability FREE to all combat units upon discovery of Secrets of the Human Brain: {Probe teams cannot subvert native units}
^
At first you might say -75% cost? Are you insanse? But like all the other factions I made, there still counter strategies you can use. Stacking your units is now important since they can only hit you with 50% strength. The air superiority is what can really make this faction interting though. Imagine this faction getting nanometalurgy, then building submarine probes that subvert overflying aircraft
. The empath is just so for game balance, mindworms would run them over without it.
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Planet Freight Board of Trustees, Ocean Division}
^BACKGROUND: {Spinoff IPO, Morgan Hydrochemical}
^AGENDA: {Free trade}
^TECH: {Doctrine: Initiative}
#DATALINKS2
^-1 SUPPORT {Extra resources required for sea colonies}
^-1 ECONOMY {Lack of tarrifs lead to trade deficit}
^+3 Bonus Commerce Rate {highly skilled traders}
^Amphibious Pods ability FREE to all units upon prototyping
^Penalty to Democratic Politics: {Extra resources required for sea colonies}
Basically Morgan of the Sea. The negative ECON is there to make you work a little for that +1, since sea sqaures already give globs of it. The only real point of the negative -1 support is to prevent a power/demo combination (and negate the 2 per unit mineral cost). I didn't want to give them a -1 growth and remove popbooming completely, but I did want to make it very expensive to do, especially since there arent usually a whole lot of sea minerals. The amphibious pods are more for peaceful reason than combat ones. If you want to terraform an archipeligo with the Pirates, you really have to build a former for each island + a transport; not a viable strategy. At least this way, you only need the former.
That's it. Any suggestions, balance issues, etc.? Oh, and I migh redo the Algorithms symbol, it doesnt look that great.
1) To make factions that blanced with each other, and the other human 12
2)Make factions that fit with the smac atmosphere as much as possible, grapically and storywise. So, all the bases/portraits are from somwehre in the graphics file, except for the symbols somewhat.
3) Take advantage of seldom used modifiers when making custom factions - especially the + and - Offense/Defense modifiers, hopefully creating some interesting combat scenarios.
Here are the factions:
PLANET INSURGENCY:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Spartan Kel}
^BACKGROUND: {Lieutenant, Spartan Special Forces}
^AGENDA: {Guerrilla warfare}
^
#DATALINKS2
^-1 ECONOMY: {All available monies put toward better training}
^-1 INDUSTRY: {Bases little more than ambush sites}
^+75% Offensive combat: {Exquisitely planned ambushes}
^-75% Deffensive combat: {Poorly amoured troops}
^Cloaking Device FREE for all units upon discovery: {Masters of stealth}
^Deep Radar FREE for all units upon discovery: {Vital to discover enemy before he dicovers you}
^Dissociative Wave FREE for all units upon dicovery: {Special abilities ineffective against small, superior force}
^Free PSI GATE at each base: {Highly mobile army}
3 special abilities looks excessive at first. But only one (wave) really makes a signifigant impact, the cloaking comes too late to make much of a difference, and deep radar is nice, but not a game changer.
UN UNITY CREW:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Pascal Jones}
^BACKGROUND: {Commander, UN UNity}
^AGENDA: {Survival, apprehension of Captain Garland's assassin}
^TECH: {Applied Physics
#DATALINKS2
^+1 SUPPORT: {Maximize resources}
^+1 EFFICENCY: {Centrifugal toliets}
^+1 MORALE: {Highly trained personal}
^-1 GROWTH: {Haphazard bases leave little room to expand}
^AAA Tracking ability FREE to all units upon dicovery of Doctrine: Air Power: {Gifted pilots}
^Need HAB COMPLEX for bases to exceeed size 5: {Space at a premium}
This is the first faction I did graphics-wise, it was a good tutorial for Paint Shop Pro because I've never done anything thing related to graphics before. This faction is also the closest to the baseline faction of my new 6.
PLANET MECHANICS:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {James Reynolds}
^BACKGROUND: {UN Unity, Logistics Officer}
^AGENDA: {Research, conservation of available materials}
^TECH: {Nanometallurgy}
#DATALINKS2
^-2 PROBE: {information sharing leads to lack of security}
^-2 MORALE: {LOVE tinkering. Actual warfare, not so much}
^Share Tech w/Inflitrator: {information sharing leads to lack of security}
^Free COMMAND CENTER with discovery of Doctrine: Loyalty: {Skilled machinsts}
^Free NAVAL YARD with discovery of Doctrine: Initiative: {Skilled machinsts}
^{May not use Police State politics.}
This is the weakest faction storywise, the whole point of is an excuse to give a faction Nanometalurgy as a starting tech. In human vs. computer, this faction is probabaly overpowered since the computer can't use probes effectively and you could pound them with carriers/noodles. Human vs. Human though? Shame on you if you can't inflitrate someone by doc: air power. (Does reverse engineering work with human vs. human? That could be another way to get carrier decks.) The free center/yard are there for the fast repair and not the morale.
MINDWORMS:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Lumbricus mens mentis}
^BACKGROUND: {unknown}
^AGENDA: {To feed}
^
#DATALINKS2
^+2 PLANET: {Worms are native lifeforms}
^+1 Nutrients/Minerals/Energy in fungus squares
^+100% Psi combat modifier: {Worms are adept at psi combat}
^Mind Worms do double police duty: {Worms are native lifeforms}
^-95% Offensive combat: {Unable to field conventional forces}
^-95% Deffensive combat: {Unable to field conventional forces}
^{May not use Democratic politics.}
This is the faction most balanced in computer v.s computer hands. I'm very reluctant to weaken it though, becasue it's not so much overpowered as it is just EFFECTIVE. For example, the fung bonus allows this faction to kinda have decent terraforming. In human hands though, fungus is nice alternate to forrest, but probablly not a reaplcement for boreholes/condenser (at least until wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy late game). The computer AGGRESIVELY builds mindworms once its gets empathy (every base almost), and with the +100%, they are actually decent troops, and pretty much remain so the whole game, instead of the computer running with missles when you got shard. Again, not overpowering in that a good human player would use a healthy dose of scout trance/empath against them instead of high quality units. An interesting side effect with the -95% is that atry is no longer nearly as effective against the mindworms. You see, the -95% is the last thing applied, so the +PSI isnt actually 100 in the game file, its 3900. Well, the -95% applies to every type of combat except for the spore launchers defending, so they end up with an absurd amount of strength. It's only on defense though, so its not a huge deal, and actually kind of brings back some balance to to artillery vs. natives. Now arty vs. naked mindworm = mindworm with 1 health. Arty vs. mindworm and sporelauncer = dead arty.
ALGORITHMS:
#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Hunter Seeker Algorithm}
^BACKGROUND: {Development lab, Alpha Legacy}
^AGENDA: {Control information}
^TECH: {Planetary Networks}
#DATALINKS2
^-1 INDUSTRY: {Lack of manual labor}
^-50% Offensive combat: {Lacks advanced millitary algorithms}
^-75% Probe Cost: {Programmed for information warfare}
^Immunity to Mind Control: {Hunter Seeker Algorithm}
^Air Superiority ability FREE to all units upon discovery of Doctrine: Air Power: {Allows probe teams to subvert air units}
^Empath Song ability FREE to all combat units upon discovery of Secrets of the Human Brain: {Probe teams cannot subvert native units}
^
At first you might say -75% cost? Are you insanse? But like all the other factions I made, there still counter strategies you can use. Stacking your units is now important since they can only hit you with 50% strength. The air superiority is what can really make this faction interting though. Imagine this faction getting nanometalurgy, then building submarine probes that subvert overflying aircraft
. The empath is just so for game balance, mindworms would run them over without it.#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {Planet Freight Board of Trustees, Ocean Division}
^BACKGROUND: {Spinoff IPO, Morgan Hydrochemical}
^AGENDA: {Free trade}
^TECH: {Doctrine: Initiative}
#DATALINKS2
^-1 SUPPORT {Extra resources required for sea colonies}
^-1 ECONOMY {Lack of tarrifs lead to trade deficit}
^+3 Bonus Commerce Rate {highly skilled traders}
^Amphibious Pods ability FREE to all units upon prototyping
^Penalty to Democratic Politics: {Extra resources required for sea colonies}
Basically Morgan of the Sea. The negative ECON is there to make you work a little for that +1, since sea sqaures already give globs of it. The only real point of the negative -1 support is to prevent a power/demo combination (and negate the 2 per unit mineral cost). I didn't want to give them a -1 growth and remove popbooming completely, but I did want to make it very expensive to do, especially since there arent usually a whole lot of sea minerals. The amphibious pods are more for peaceful reason than combat ones. If you want to terraform an archipeligo with the Pirates, you really have to build a former for each island + a transport; not a viable strategy. At least this way, you only need the former.
That's it. Any suggestions, balance issues, etc.? Oh, and I migh redo the Algorithms symbol, it doesnt look that great.
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