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Deimos experiment is designed to test several changes to the game including changes to alphax.tx file.
You play as University. Any other faction is designed for AI.
General description
Ant-ICS test. Scenario attempts to promote non-ICS strategies. In this case following changes were made:
- Base tile has 0,0,-1 resources.
Note:
It has been found, that a base cannot any longer receive +2 nutrient from a terrain bonus. However, mineral bonus works. Energy bonus works too, but not in the turn, when the base is established. Landmark benefits show ok.
- Satellites cost now 50 rows, not 12. ICSing has to now have over 4 times more bases in order to receive the same bonus for the cost.
- Recycling tanks now give only 2 minerals
- Nutrient restrictions were dropped completely. This is in order to counterbalance the fact that bases may have now serious problems in growing beyond size 1.
- In order to help human player develop, two supply crawlers (Unity Supply Droids) are provided. These units cost 1 row, so have little value for prototypes or secret projects.
- AI are given all 3 kinds of satellites, this helps, since Unity Supply Droids do not work ok, if not approprietly conditioned.
Other test, used two new building types:
Trade Center, +10 EC/turn
Central Exchange, +50 EC/turn
This enhances AI economy in addition to energy satellites. It might be a bit overpowered at first. This scenario gives +70 EC/turn for AI.
Factional atributes enhanced as in Nexus Experiment
Many factors improved
+4 fungus energy
Dropped, however 200 defensive bonus, for the reason of the next mentioned change
Armor values doubled:
--- no armor --- 2
--- synthmetal - 4
--- plasma ----- 6,
etc.
This change is supposed to counterbalance the fact, that offensive to defensive ratio in the game is of sort 2:1. Now it is more or less 1:1.
Best offensive now: 30 string weapon
Best defensive now: 24 stasis generator.
There is a small issue, that probe team no longer uses that "human" shilouette, but rover one. "No armor" could be set to 1, but I think that "no armor" 2 gives quite advantage to scouting units. This possibly makes game faster. Not to mention, early wars are favouring defenses, what was intended.
Other changes to alphax.txt
1) -1 nutrient penalty in mine square is removed.
2) Copter move points limited to 4
3) Amphibious Pods are now available for non-combat units
8) Antigrav Struts are now available for air units
9) New units:
Probe Cruiser,
XX Missile---nerve gas,
Police Guard---high morale,police, forced cost 1,
Eco-Formers----high morale,clean,
Trawler,supply,
Unity Supply Droid,supply
Support Copter,6-1-x
The support copter has "AI plan" set to 1=combat
Missile weapons, if you can take a closer look what AI does with them.
Comments on playstyle
1. The Map.
You may notice the map as being familiar. If you can bring back some memories...
2. Free crawlers.
They are here to offset lost nutrients from base tiles. However, you have only two of them. So use them wisely. Placement of new bases is now this much more important. You might prefer arid and flat tiles, for they cannot give you anything good anyway. You most probably would get nutrients by them, but if you find a better tile with minerals or energy, the choice is yours.
3. No nutrients restrictions and free formers.
This here is to facilitate the fact, that lost nutrients from base tile make it very difficult to grow. Your first worker must work at least 3 nutrients on its tile, to get a base growing. Therefore it is possible to build farm on a rainy tile and get 3 nutrients right from the start. Use nutrient bonus tiles wisely. Do not build bases on them, since a base cancells nutrient bonus, as opposed to minerals and energy, as mentioned above. Free formers can help you a lot in establishing new bases early. AI has its nutrient satellites, so they have other way of dealing with things. So far I have not seen any event destroying nutrient satellites, as oppose to minerals and energy, that get destroyed almost 100% of the time.
4. Nut/min/energy satellites cost now 50.
So let us say, you have +20% industry. Total cost is 8x50 = 400 minerals. Having 20 bases you get return after 20 turns. Having no industry modification, it is after 25 turns. The return is thus much lower. I have no idea, what AI will do.
5. Challenge.
Try to use popboom instead of ICS. Population boom is also somewhat hindered, as you no longer have free 2 nutrients from the base tile. It would need to be offset by an additional crawler. Anyway, I think the game may be quite interesting in the first turns due to all changes mentioned here. Any comments on overall changes to playstyle due to them?
Installation guide
This is SMAX mod
This mod has the following files:
- alphax.txt
- helpx.txt
- scenario.txt
- deimos-01.sc
All these files are in folder "SMACX_deimos_01". You can place this folder anywhere on your hard drive, not necessarily in game folder.
Note:
You must keep the 3 txt files in this mod in the folder, from which you initiated the game using deoimos-01.sc. Only in this way they can effect the game, as the game file records the path where the scenario has been initiated. If the game cannot find appropriate alphax.txt, helpx.txt and scenario.txt in this folder, it will not use it. Since it is singleplayer, you can place "SMACX_deimos_01" anywhere you wish on hard-drive (easiest way and better than on movable drive).
You play as University. Any other faction is designed for AI.
General description
Ant-ICS test. Scenario attempts to promote non-ICS strategies. In this case following changes were made:
- Base tile has 0,0,-1 resources.
Note:
It has been found, that a base cannot any longer receive +2 nutrient from a terrain bonus. However, mineral bonus works. Energy bonus works too, but not in the turn, when the base is established. Landmark benefits show ok.
- Satellites cost now 50 rows, not 12. ICSing has to now have over 4 times more bases in order to receive the same bonus for the cost.
- Recycling tanks now give only 2 minerals
- Nutrient restrictions were dropped completely. This is in order to counterbalance the fact that bases may have now serious problems in growing beyond size 1.
- In order to help human player develop, two supply crawlers (Unity Supply Droids) are provided. These units cost 1 row, so have little value for prototypes or secret projects.
- AI are given all 3 kinds of satellites, this helps, since Unity Supply Droids do not work ok, if not approprietly conditioned.
Other test, used two new building types:
Trade Center, +10 EC/turn
Central Exchange, +50 EC/turn
This enhances AI economy in addition to energy satellites. It might be a bit overpowered at first. This scenario gives +70 EC/turn for AI.
Factional atributes enhanced as in Nexus Experiment
Many factors improved
+4 fungus energy
Dropped, however 200 defensive bonus, for the reason of the next mentioned change
Armor values doubled:
--- no armor --- 2
--- synthmetal - 4
--- plasma ----- 6,
etc.
This change is supposed to counterbalance the fact, that offensive to defensive ratio in the game is of sort 2:1. Now it is more or less 1:1.
Best offensive now: 30 string weapon
Best defensive now: 24 stasis generator.
There is a small issue, that probe team no longer uses that "human" shilouette, but rover one. "No armor" could be set to 1, but I think that "no armor" 2 gives quite advantage to scouting units. This possibly makes game faster. Not to mention, early wars are favouring defenses, what was intended.
Other changes to alphax.txt
1) -1 nutrient penalty in mine square is removed.
2) Copter move points limited to 4
3) Amphibious Pods are now available for non-combat units
8) Antigrav Struts are now available for air units
9) New units:
Probe Cruiser,
XX Missile---nerve gas,
Police Guard---high morale,police, forced cost 1,
Eco-Formers----high morale,clean,
Trawler,supply,
Unity Supply Droid,supply
Support Copter,6-1-x
The support copter has "AI plan" set to 1=combat
Missile weapons, if you can take a closer look what AI does with them.
Comments on playstyle
1. The Map.
You may notice the map as being familiar. If you can bring back some memories...
2. Free crawlers.
They are here to offset lost nutrients from base tiles. However, you have only two of them. So use them wisely. Placement of new bases is now this much more important. You might prefer arid and flat tiles, for they cannot give you anything good anyway. You most probably would get nutrients by them, but if you find a better tile with minerals or energy, the choice is yours.
3. No nutrients restrictions and free formers.
This here is to facilitate the fact, that lost nutrients from base tile make it very difficult to grow. Your first worker must work at least 3 nutrients on its tile, to get a base growing. Therefore it is possible to build farm on a rainy tile and get 3 nutrients right from the start. Use nutrient bonus tiles wisely. Do not build bases on them, since a base cancells nutrient bonus, as opposed to minerals and energy, as mentioned above. Free formers can help you a lot in establishing new bases early. AI has its nutrient satellites, so they have other way of dealing with things. So far I have not seen any event destroying nutrient satellites, as oppose to minerals and energy, that get destroyed almost 100% of the time.
4. Nut/min/energy satellites cost now 50.
So let us say, you have +20% industry. Total cost is 8x50 = 400 minerals. Having 20 bases you get return after 20 turns. Having no industry modification, it is after 25 turns. The return is thus much lower. I have no idea, what AI will do.
5. Challenge.
Try to use popboom instead of ICS. Population boom is also somewhat hindered, as you no longer have free 2 nutrients from the base tile. It would need to be offset by an additional crawler. Anyway, I think the game may be quite interesting in the first turns due to all changes mentioned here. Any comments on overall changes to playstyle due to them?
Installation guide
This is SMAX mod
This mod has the following files:
- alphax.txt
- helpx.txt
- scenario.txt
- deimos-01.sc
All these files are in folder "SMACX_deimos_01". You can place this folder anywhere on your hard drive, not necessarily in game folder.
Note:
You must keep the 3 txt files in this mod in the folder, from which you initiated the game using deoimos-01.sc. Only in this way they can effect the game, as the game file records the path where the scenario has been initiated. If the game cannot find appropriate alphax.txt, helpx.txt and scenario.txt in this folder, it will not use it. Since it is singleplayer, you can place "SMACX_deimos_01" anywhere you wish on hard-drive (easiest way and better than on movable drive).
Now this is interesting.
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