Compatibility
Maelstrom is currently compatible with
Original v1.195 | Entrenchment v1.055 | Diplomacy v1.37 | Rebellion v1.94
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Credits
For contributions in testing and concepts ICEman, Quiet_Man, Malanthor, UncleJ and many others _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
The Maelstrom Mod introduces four new races to the SoaSE Universe.
It keeps the original races, the TEC, Advent and Vasari who are still to be found building and battling as usual.
All of the new races are independent of the original races and have unique strengths and weaknesses.
Learn more and download the Maelstrom Mod at ...
ModDB Website
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Please note that for all mods the 'Installation and Change notes' are included in the download.
Use the recommended 'Graphics Effects Setting' as stated in the Installation notes of the mod.
I have downloaded .zip.
I have played Systems of War.
I have v1.191.
Sorry for my bad English.
And I have the German.str
Oh,Sorry for the few posts
Hi Looseer,
When you say you have the "German.str" does that mean you replaced the "english.str" in the Maelstrom mod directory?
Looseer, please note this extract from the "Star Trek: Sacrifice of Angels" forum ...
"The mod has been tested only on the US English version of sins. Other languages may, or may not work. If you are using a language other than English rename the "English.str" file in the mods strings folder to whatever language you are using. Example: "German.str" if you are using the German language version."
Like the Star Trek mod Maelstrom has only been tested on the US English version of SoaSE.
Sounds good. Thanks for the throrough explanation.
Just a note about your website...if you go to the home page (at least for me, using the latest version of Firefox)...you can't click on most of the links on the left side of the page...I was only able to click on the picture links for the fleets of the 3 new races as well as the orbital structures pic page. I had to put in what i guessed was the "Credits" page's URL based on the other ones...and then once i got to that (http://www.soase-maelstrom.com/maelstrom_002.htm for reference) I was able to click on all the links from that page.
The problem is also evident on the Replicator Fleet page, where the only other link that can be clicked takes me to the Orbital Structures picture page. Once you get to that page, though...none of the "links" on the left side are clickable and you can't go anywhere without clicking the "back" button. The Trade Alliance page is also the same as the Replicator Fleet page.
Aside from that, the models look amazing imo. I haven't played it yet as it's still downloading so I can't comment on the gameplay.
I do have a few questions, though...
1. Are any of the "original" SoaSE game files changed or is it possible to take the files from the Sins Optimization Project and directly combine them with the files from this mod into one "mod"?
2. Is it just me or does the ancient world look like a cube surrounded by "defensive rings"?
3. Do the ships use high poly/vertex counts like the original models for the original races did before the optimization project vastly lowered them? As in...will the game slow down late in it on big maps when you have a lot of trade ships, refinery ships, etc running about?
4. Are there plans to add more planets/research tree options/star types to this after you get the mod released for all the expansions and whatnot?
Overall, though...it looks like a mod well worth playing. Thanks for all the hard work!
Hi Caudyr,
Thanks for the feedback!
I've updated the website several times over the weekend and ran tests on IE. Checked the links in Firefox, and yes your right the links have been broken. I'll endeavor to fix them today!
Regarding your questions
1. The "original" SoaSE game is our gold standard. So the game files, models, textures have not been touched. It is my intention, in the near future, to either use the "Sins Optimization Project" mod directly or in a targeted fashion.
2. The Ancient world has a "dark star" in its center (i.e its a ring world!). Have you seen the latest Star Trek movie - the rip in space-time had a similar effect.
3. For testing purposes 3 map scenarios are played in multi-combination's of player - small, medium (Maelstrom map) and the Single Random Huge, i.e tests are run with 1-10 players. No problems so far. The new ships and structures have poly/vertex counts similar to the original models.
4. a. the research tree is more or less full for all new races. b. the number of planets was chosen to double the original number of planet types, stars were added for fun ( as there is not much to a star ). To add more planets and stars would take a lot of resources and it is preferable to add new ships and structures as they are more dynamic to game play.
I have the German version of the game
And can you give me the english.str please?
harpo
Hi loooseer,
I assume you have the english.str, because if you didn't the mod would surely crash.
Now, harpo99999 (Reply #61) has given you the file location i.e "???\soase_maelstrom_orginal_1.182_1\string", "???" is the directory you extracted (or copied) the Maelstrom mod to.
So great you found the english.str file! Now right click on the file and choose rename ... rename the file to german.str
True enough, and I was just curious about that.
The whole "dark star" thing at the center of the ancient world is an awesome concept.
It'd be pretty awesome if there were a way to make it so a race could "colonize actual stars" at the center of systems.
One thing I never got about the way the system is set up is it seems the "stars" are actually galaxies when you zoom out in the standard view, lol...why wouldn't they just be called "galaxies", then?
Anyway, awesome work and I agree on the ships stuff!
How about this for a huge map ... 100 billion stars, for a galaxy, and each star has several planets. As a keen colonizer I'd say it would keep you busy for a while! Trade routes would be out of control!!
Yeah, I can agree...it was more an observation of the "misuse" of the terms when the "star" looks like a galaxy when you zoom way out, lol. Not saying it bothers me, just something I found a little quirky. It "fits better" than throwing a black hole at the center of every "system", lol.
I just know I noticed the whole "star as a galaxy" thing when I made a map with multiple stars and they each ended up with the "galaxy" graphic when I zoomed out...although they did end up making a pretty cool looking map from a distance, lol.
Oh, and for the record...I do have a custom map I set up (using the in-game thing, so I can automatically get the "mod planets" and whatnot in on it) that has on average over 600 "planets" in each "star system/galaxy/thinger" that I play around with, lol. It's a reeeeeeeeeally long game.
I just played this mod and thought it was great.
A couple questions:
Are the Replicator's ships supposed to have no texture?
How long have you been working on this?
Do you want help with particle effects?
Played each race through and discovered that the Norlaminians had a huge imbalance in their favor. If one quick-teched up to the frigate capture ability, and had a fleet with just two of the frigate capturers, one could own the opponent's entire fleet in seconds. I did this against the Replicators.
Also, the Replicators can go out of control. I had full antimatter research and two scouts. They explored and put probes at every planet and then went out of control at the pirate base. They replicated until I had 250 and they owned the pirates massively.
I have a screen as the Norlaminians. I captured ONE scout and then set it at an opposing planet and left it alone. I went away, and when I came back I had 55. This might need a little bit of help. Maybe the ability stops working if they are captured?
Hi Syneptus,
Thanks for the feedback. Firstly, to answer your questions ..."Are the Replicator's ships supposed to have no textures? "What you see is what you get ... they are textured but with a simple conformal texture effect."How long have you been working on this?"For 1 year. To be frank I am the only developer. ICEman helped with ideas and some testing but he is a game player i.e Alpha Centuri, Space Empire V, Galactic Civilzations II, etc. All models, textures, audio and so on are my first attempts. So there is a certainly room for added polish to the mod ... help is welcome."Do you want help with particle effects?"Now your talking! Specifically, and first of all, the Replicators ... one reason for keeping the textures simple was that I was considering a nanite flow effect over their hulls'. If you can image billions of nanites on the hull moving around, building repairing, replicating. Like a wave effect on the Hull. Not sure if it can be done?Any suggestions for particle effects you would like to see in the mod?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now with regards to your feeback, "SPOT ON" the 3 new races are not completely balanced.Verion 1.181 of Maelstrom is frankly not balanced. I setup the website for test purposes only and noticed hits so I thought I'll get the ball rolling and announce it more broadly on the SoaSE mod forum. I wanted to finish Entrenchment (got there almost) before releasing regular Maelstrom. Currently, I'm working on 3 veriants of the mod ...
1. For regular SoaSE: Maelstrom v1.191. Rebalancing of v1.182 with work on a couple of abilities (in particular gravity attraction)2. For regular SoaSE: Maelstrom the Expansion v1.191. With a Dreanought capitalship for each of the six races and related abilities research.3. For entrenchment SoaSE: Maelstrom Entrenchment v1.051. All the mods are at an advanced stage (i.e all could be pre-released or beta released) ... models, textures, abilities, research and so on done. All tested and working with no major bugs detected ... however more thorough testing is required, also I don't want to release mods with semi-complete models/textures/abilities/.... but ...I've already backed off antimatter restore rates (1/2) on the Replicator scouts in v1.191. Well spotted.Though the Replicators can "replicate" quickly and cheaply they are still locked in by their fleet logistics. A fleet of scouts can be quickly destroyed by a fleet with carriers. But Replicators in large numbers are tough to beat! All thier frigates are mobile frigate factories and the harder you hit them the more likely they'll replicate!!I've already backed off antimatter restore rates (1/2) on the Mallidax Cruiser in v1.191. Well spotted.Norlaminians: Mallidax Cruiser - requires 8 combat centers and 2 technologies platforms, for Frigate capture ability to be active. The solution to the Mallidax Cruiser is to take out Norlaminian combat research structures or just run! Of course, as they capture more of the enimies craft their fleet logistics go into the red i.e target their Mallidax Cruisers with fighter squadrons and they can't build more Mallidax cruisers.Also, I've back down the scout's Hull's and Shields for the 3 new races. In the past they were used for testing and debugging i.e spam them for rapid game start. Capitalships are rebalanced, and so on.
For the entrenchment mod, do you have any special stuff for your 3 factions? Like in entrenchment they added more weapons for the tec turrets, anti fighther weapons on the hangars etc, shielding on the advent hangar.
Do you have the same for your factions in entrenchment?
Hi Malanthor,
For Maelstrom Entrenchment the current abilities stackup for the 3 factions are as follows ...
Norlamins Upgradeable Defense Abilities
Disruptor Force - disrupts repair and regeneration of enemy craft within range of this structure.
Shield Extension - shields to nearby friendly structures
Norlamins Starbase Abilities Stasis Field - reduces planetary bombardment, denying enemy colonization
Commerce Hub - trade
Populace Education - cultural influence
Technological Awe - allegiance
Augmented Support - repair nearby friendly forces
Augmented Repairs - increase its own repair rates
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Replicators Upgradeable Defense Abilities
Coordinated Attack - beam defenses jointly reinforce each other
Deadly Trackor's - destruction zone for the Tractor is substantially increased
Deadly Thumper's - destruction zone for the Thumper is substantially increased
Replicators Starbase Abilities
Collective Control - reduces planetary bombardment, denying enemy colonization
Zero-G Populations - starbase population
Collective Override - allegiance
Hord Manufacture - constant stream of Hord frigates produced
Solorus Cloak - in and out of phase space
Trade Alliance Upgradeable Defense Abilities
Expert Strike teams - number of strike craft in each Hangar Defense squadron
Augmented Defense - firing range of the Beam Defense Platform is substantially increased
Trade Alliance Starbase Abilities
Mercenary Protection - reduces planetary bombardment, denying enemy colonization
Extended Trade - trade
Stun Field - temporarily stop the local movement of nearby hostile ships
Training & Propaganda - allegiance
Empire Tribute - collect tribute from enemy craft and enemy empires
Debris Bombardment - bombard the planet
I've included a Picture Set of the Entrenchment models on the SoaSE-Maelstrom website, check the News page.
Ohh, very cool stuff.
This is a great mod! ive been playing it extenesivly over the last week and im very glad you made it. Really looking forward to the entrenchment version.
If you have any suggestions let me know ...
Also, any crashes of the mod?
Will do hehe, by the way: when i reach lvl 6 with the replicator capitol ships they.. hmm how to explain this in english. When i mouse over the individual cap ships they switch back and forth between one version which is without the lvl 6 abbility and one where it is there. This dont happen without having bought the lvl 6 abbility that gives antimatter conversion extra armor etc. Hmm do you understand what im talking off? Hard to go into technicalities in english (not my native language)
edit: 1 week vacation now. So cant answer back if you ask me to clarify what i mean.
I haven't played it yet but it looks wonderful! Thank you in advance!
In response to your question about incorporating "Sins Optimization Project" mod into Maelstrom ...
I've commenced an optimization process for the Maelstrom mod based on the ideas of the "Sins Optimization Project" (SOP). All new mod releases will incorporate these changes. Initially, the optimization process is focused on game speed/efficiency, following which optimization on memory footprint. Also I am targeting the Maelstrom races and not including the SOP mod (original races) as yet.
The reason behind this is because I've noticed game slow down (for v1.191) under the following scenario ...
1. Map: Single Huge
2. Players: 10
3. Player Races: 6 new races, 3 original, 1 random
3. Game time: mid to end of game, i.e couple of hours into the game.
So far I have reworked
1. Particles effects
2. Sounds
3. Planets meshes & textures
I will be reworking
1. Abilities
2. Ship meshes & textures
3. Structure meshes & textures
Also bear in mind that the Maelstrom mod has approximately double the ...
1. ship meshes (and textures) compared to the original SoaSE
2. orbital structure meshes (and textures) compared to the original SoaSE
3. planet meshes (and textures) compared to the original SoaSE
4. abilities compared to the original SoaSE
5. sounds compared to the original SoaSE
6. particle effects compared to the original SoaSE
i.e optimization is important for SoaSE, but even more so for SoaSE Maelstrom.
So how are things going with the upcoming releases? They still on track for release late this month?
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