Techmod test - pbem

[Mart]

I look for one person or possibly 2, if there is such interest to try play a technology tree mod. The mod itself is for download here: Link
The link is to a thread where Maniac discusses some other mod. This new tech tree is only a proposed one, so maybe discuss it here, not there.

This game would not be quite for someone who never played SMACX pbem before, since it is severe tech modification. It may teach wrong habits

I would forgot. Anyone wishing to try, I will create a scenario for this mod, where AI players will have large advantage over human players. Then, AI will have a chance to actually compete.

[Mart]

Crawlers here are cheap and available from the start. What it does:
- no more obligatory B-line to Industrial Automation. It is more difficult in this aspect, that you will not quite know where your opponent heads now in the start. Before, it was like IndAuto most likely.
- availability from the start represent not automated workers. Just possibility of population to gather stuff from areas not worked on regular basis, like all nuts-mins-energy is collected by worker. crawler has to choose one of resource.
- cheap does bad thing to SP hurrying. Now you have to have more of them, and there is limitted number you can use when crawling near the base you plan some SP. You can always build more expensive ones, but it is the same issue, when a crawler every turn can crawl already, and that more expensive one locks itself for more turns in the base it is built. If you understand what I mean here

[Lazerus]

I think its amusing that it's possible to get transcendants by 2135 with gaians, before even librarians

[Mart]

It might be changed, though I do not know how now.
Anyway, librarians imply libraries. Are libraries required to transcend... Gaians going planetary techs may get transcends fast.

2135? Turn on tech stagnation. And I should maybe further slow research rate. Or it was mainly trading/stealing?

And the scenario attached is for playing PK only. All other factions get start with 5 bases connected with roads and sensored

[binTravkin]

I sign up.

[Mart]

I will remove some small bugs from the current techmod and post here the final version to play. It will be virtually the same as version1, but there is something small to change, that I noticed.

Any preferred faction? Proposed 5 opponents? I will create map and propose 2 locations for human players. You choose yours then I complete scenario and we play.

[Mart]

Well, there is one more issue, which I think needs to be attended to. Air units. Changing copters to 4 turns fuel made them a bit unbalanced, so I think this might work better:

Chassis------moves----fuel
Copter---------2----------4
Spaceplane----8----------4
Gravship------12----------N/A
Missile--------12----------N/A

[binTravkin]

My faction will be PKs and Im okay with the changes you make.

Think it even might come out funny with those modifications you propose.

[Mart]

Yes, especially copters have new quality. When turn ends and you see a copter unit outside a base or airfield and it no longer makes that rattle it is really a nice feeling.

I would propose standard map 40x80.
I will take... Cult
Other factions:
Gaians (to challenge the Cult)
Hive
Univ
Consciousness
Pirates

And a question about IoDs
As you maybe noticed, foils are here switched with cruisers. It is smth I took from aldebaran mod, where it is an interesting twist. Foils work fine as fast and smaller cargo vessels. And they are at the end of the research line. Like the last word in "civilian" sea techs.
Cruiser has moves 4
Foil has moves 8
By mistake I left IoDs on foil chassis, but I want to degrade alien sea units to cruiser chassis. The same maybe sea escape pod and unity gunship.

[binTravkin]

Im okay with all your proposals.

Probably only don't degrade anyone from foil chassis..