Mad Scientist Mod
v2.5 Entrenchment Edition
ModDB Page
Support Email: [email protected]
New Technology Count: 94
New Plantary Ability Count: 30
MODS INCLUDED
1) Sins Plus v1.3 by Uzii (Modified)
2) Volumetric Explosions & Damage Effects ver. 1.12
3) Bailknights Graphic Mod v1.1
The mod is now available to modders to use in their own creations. All that I ask is that proper credit is given.
Current changes:
New Opening Theme Song: O' Fortuna: a song that I believe gets the blood pumping without taking away any of the atmosphere of the game.
Retroactive Researching: Reorganized the research benefits to give more sway to those with technological superiority against those of numerical superiority. All technologies that require previous research in the same exact subject have been changed, such as a laser damage tech that requires a previous laser damage tech. The game orignally gave the same bonus to both techs, usually 5%, and even though the second tech cost more to research, you still only squeezed out the same damage increase of the cheeper tech. For example
Tech 1: 5% damage increase
Tech 2: 5% damage increase
Tech 3: 5% damage increase
Tech 4: 5% damage increase
What I have changed is that I have made such researches retroactive in that the further you progress in that line the greater the bonus you receave per tech. The formula I used is (current bonus + previous bonus=New current bonus) So lets see that example again with the changes.
Tech 2: (5+5)10% damage increase
Tech 3: (5+10)15% damage increase
Tech 4: (5+15)20% damage increase.
I did this change for not only for weapons but all areas. The techs in which this applys includes: Weapon Damage, Weapon Recharge Rates, Shields, Hulls, Antimatter, Armor, Trade, Resources, Planet Population, Culture, and maybe one or two I can't remember. Note that this make certain aspects of the game you may have not concidered a threat much more powerful, such as enemy culture spread.
Fleet Tree Reorganized: I have reorganized the Fleet Tree to accept additional technologies to be researched. Note that any technologies I place in there will be able to be researched using both the military and civilian research stations.
Defense Techs Moved: While doing the Retroactive Researching protion of the mod I fully realized that civilizations that progressed heavily in the non-combat research fields would basically stand little chance against the military minded civilizations as they would be easily destroyed. In order to help prevent this I have moved the defense technologies from the combat tree to the fleet tree to allow all to research them.
New Techs Added To Military Tree: With the void now in the combat research tree I needed to come up with new technologies to fill it in, and with defenses now in the fleet tree but what else to put in there but more firepower. All races now have added technologes that increase the rate of fire of all their weapons. The bonuses here are also retroactive and if you research one weapon to its fullest, you will be pumping out an impressive 2x the rounds in the time span (100% increase)
Upgradeable Hanger Squads: This change will allow you to upgrade your defense hanger fighters per squad. It will be placed in the fleet tree along with the standard hanger defense tech that unlocks it so it is available for both research fields. Both TEC and Vasari will be able to add a total of 18 fighters to their hangers through research (.5/.5==1.5/1.5==2.5/2.5) x2 squads and because the Advent already had a tech that did this I deleted it and the will be able to add a total of 24 fighters (1/1==2/2==3/3)
Required Weapon Platform Research: Because the Hanger Defense is now available to both research trees, I am going to make the Defense Platforms (Gauss for TEC, Beam for Advent, and Missile for Vasari) a required research within the military tech tree. Note that this will make it so one can no longer build defensive structures without the proper research.
Added Elements from the Sins Plus By Uzii (Modified): I have added certain additional planets from the Sins Plus mod into this one. The following Planets are now included within this mod: Urban--Paradise--Industrial--Toxic--Relic--and Barren. Gas Giants are also now colonizable. Also added population cap research included in Sins Plus for both Gas Giants as well as Barren Planets and Astroids.
Starting Local Militias: The starting Militias will be changed and spawn based on the theme of the starting planet stated above. TEC's on Tec Planets, Advent on theirs, and Vasari on theirs.
Planet Rebalancing: The following displays the method I will be using to rebalance the planets in the game. Hopefully this will allow the planets to become unique without any of them becoming less important then the others. Each planet has 20 points to spend among the 5 fields.
Reorganized Research Techs: With the introduction of the new Defense Research Tree, I will be reorganizing the techs to allow for a more eye appealing layout as well as redefining the trees that certain techs should be in.
Planet Abilities: Every Planet will have an ability available to all races to research along with an additional researchable ability for the race best suite for the planet type. What this means is now instead of only being able to research the planest that your race best represents, you will be able to research abilities for every planet type, but you still recieve an additional researchable ability on your race favored planets.
White = Universial, Green = TEC, Blue = Advent, Orange = Vasari
Terran: Population Growth Rate (+33%,66%,100%)///Weapon Range (+50%,100%,150%)
Urban: fighters per squad for structures (+1,2,3)///Fighters per squad for Starbases (+1,2,3)
Paradise: Planet Upgrade Cost (-20%,40%,60%)///Culture Spread (+50%,100%,150%)
Old Naval Base: Weapon Cooldown (+33%,66%,100%)///Shield Restore (+50%,100%,150%)
Forest: Structure Build Rate (+33%,66%,100%)///Hull Restore Rate (+50%.100%,150%)
Desert: Chance to be hit (-10%,20%,30%)///Culture Spread (+50%,100%,150%)
Ice: Speed of enemy ships (-10,20%,30%)///Shield Restore Rate (+50%,100%,150%)
Ocean: Planet Bombing Damage Absorb (+20%,40%,60%)///Energy Weapon Cooldown (+50%,100%,150%)
Relic: Ability Cooldown (+33%,66%,100%)///Antimatter Cost on non-ultimates (-20%,40%,60%)
Savannah: Structure Build Rate (+33%,66%,100%)///Hull Restore Rate (+50%.100%,150%)
Volcanic: Damage for Structures (+33%,66%,100%)///Culture Spread (+50%,100%,150%)
Toxic: Damage for Mines (+33%,66%,100%)///Shield Restore Rate (50%,100%,150%)
Industral: Ship Build Time (-33%,66%,100%)///Hull Restore Rate (+50%.100%,150%)
Barren: Planet Bombing Damage Absorb (+20%,40%,60%)///Speed Increase for Ships and Starbase (50%,100%,150%)
Swamp: Structure Build Rate (+33%,66%,100%)///Weapon Range (+50%,100%,150%)
Five Strike Craft Per Race:
Intercepter: When it comes to the dog fight there is no equal. With unmatched speed and manuverability, Intercepters are by far the best strike craft to clear the way of fighters and provide valuable escort for bomber squadrons. (Real World Representation: Mig series Fighter)
Fighter: While the Intercepter is its greatest threat, the fighter is the greatest threat to bombers. With the ability to severly disrupt any bomber offensive, they provide valuable protection for structures and ships. (Real World Representation: F-series Fighter)
Light Bomber: Because it is classified as a light bomber, do not think that this craft is a pushover. It is in fact the toughest and most heavily armored strike craft available, and it has to be, as its job is to take on anti-strike craft frigates and carriers. (Real World Representation: A-10 Warthog)
Medium Bomber: A heavy cruiser's nemisis. The medium bomber can deliver ordinace that can turn even the heaviest vessels to clouds of debris. Only moderately armored and relitively slow moving, these bombers can fall prey to enemy fighter formations if proper precautions are not taken. (Real World Representation: B-52 Superfortress)
Heavy Bomber: Go big or go home some might say, and these ships definately represent that very idea. While only somewhat effective against most vessels, these strike craft shine when brought up against massive targets like capital ships and structures. (Real World Representaion: B2 Bomber)
Roles for Strike Craft Building Units:
Capital ships: can build all three bomber types, as well as fighters, which make them strong in many areas. They can be powerful in assulting enemy planets and heavy vessels(medium and heavy bombers), can be strong against other fleets with large frigate numbers (light bombers) and can protect their own fleet against bomber raids from other capital ships (Fighters). Their flaw is that fighters only provide a marginal amount of protection against other fighters as well an intercepters. This is where the need for cruiser carriers come in.
Cruiser Carriers: Unlike in vanilla sins, cruiser carriers are now more protectors of their own fleet then an assult force. They can launch powerful attacks against enemy frigates and cruisers (light bomber), can protect against enemy bomber forces (fighter), but are also tasked in the protection of the capital ships bomber forces against the enemy providing needed strike craft to act as escorts(Intercepter). Their flaw is that they are weak against structures as well as heavy vessels. This is where the Capital Ship squadrons come in.
Hanger Defenses: Like Cruiser Carriers, the Hanger Defense also provides the same protection toward the planet it surrounds. Its light bombers can devistate enemy frigates and hult their attacks. Its fighter squadrons can hult the attacks of enemy capital ship bombers against the orbiting structures, and its intercepter squadrons can be used to protect the light bombers against invading forces that are relying on fighter support. Their flaw is they cannot provide a powerful punch against heavy vessels such as capital ships themselves. This is where Star Bases come in.
Starbase: Starbases provide the same protection that Hanger Defenses with one notiable difference between them. The starbase can also be strong against the heaviest of vessels, such as capital ships and heavy cruisers, with its ability to build medium bombers. This allows it to provide the final area of protection that hanger defenses lack in.
Error Free: In making the mod error free, I was forced to make Gas Giants uncolonizable, as the research to make them colonizable was causing issues with the game engine and giving me the an error. While many people did not have a problem with, it was causing crashes on some systems, and therefore was decided to remove it.
Planet Abilities now require Starbases: Planet abilities now require starbases in order to access them. Some might think this as restrictive, however, I feel it adds to the depth of the whole entrenchment experience.
New Changes for 2.5:
Dubbled Max Research Levels:Max levels of many of the research will be dubbled in order to further use of the mod into later stages of the game. Along with the Increased Need for Trade described below, it will definately be of use into many more hours of play then usual. Take note that both ship supply and capital ship max will also be effected by this, dubbling the amount of vessels you can have.
Increased Need for Trade and Foundries: There will be an increased need for trade and foundries within the game. No longer can you expect to run a powerful empire on just taxes and extractors alone and still drown yourself in spare credits and resources. No longer will you merely laugh when your full entire fleet gets wiped because you can easily have another ready in mere moments. No longer can you expect to complete all the research in a cupple of hours on a meager handful of world.
Reorganized Pirates: With the increased power given by the added technologies, pirates have become seriously dwarfed by the strength of the empires, but no longer. Pirates vessels themselves will improve as the game moves on, and once again become a feared enemy in the galaxy, or a powerful tool if you have the credits.
No Problem. Glad you got it solved.
Okay. I have sent word to the creators of some major mods to get their say on me creating a mergeable version of this mod for theirs and as answers come back to me I will announce which mods have agreed to it. Hopefully I get some positive feedback and I can progress in that field.
this does add quite a bit of interesting features to the game. i specialy like the new fleet menu, gives me a hell of a lot of new space to play with. keep up the good work. Ive merged this with like 3 other mods + my own so im not sure exactly how much of this mod is soly this mod (if you get what i mean), but the layout is really nice for the tec trees, its a pitty theres a limit to what you can do with the engine but hey, i think you pretty well maximized the research part. all thats left to do is get creative with other things besides weapons/shields/hull/armor research.
Ive fooled around with research quite a bit to be honest, but ive never went as far as you have with this mod, in my opinion, its really nice, for what it is, it works out really well, dont think theres really much more you can do with it untill entrenchment comes out, unless you want to deversify planets even more.
Yeah, I was pretty much thinking the same thing. As of right now I personally beleave I have reached the limits of what the game will allow without putting in unnessary items. Until Entrenchment when I have access to mines and starbases the Research protion will have to remain as it is. That is my main motovation to start making it univerally mergeable, and I have also been throwing around ideas of including some other mods within it and spreading into different fields, such as the graphics and sound parts of the game, as well as making sure it is balanced further then what I already have. The last thing I want to do however is let it sit without working on it, as I don't want it to become stale.
Im currently working on a large scale mod for the game and was looking into doing much the same things as part of it but would rather not redo work already done. I was wondering if you minded me using your mod within mine
khill9981: As of right now I wish to keep this mod independant for reasons that some might say are rather selfish, and I would probably agree with them, so at this time I do not want my files to be publicly redistrubuted, but this is subject to change.
However, I do plan on opening positions for additional modders to become part of this mod as I am working on expanding it beyond research and into different areas of the game. If you think we share a common vision and that idea appeals to you then I am willing to hear your ideas eather here or through pm (In order to keep it from the public eye). If I feel your goals would be in the best interests of the mod then I would more then willing to offer you such a position.
As you should have already noticed I have decided to add Bailknights Graphics mod and the Volumetric Explosions and Damage Effects mod. The reason for this is I really believe that these two mods are awesome pieces of work and will further enhance the enjoyment of the Mad Scientist. Also, because they concentrate on a very different aspect of the game, there was really no interferance in the vision I have for this mod. I have also added a new opening theme song called "O' Fortuna' which tends to get my blood flowing without taking away any atmosphere that the game provides. Hope you enjoy them.
I truly must say that I do love your choice of menu music, it almost puts the original to shame. (Who doesn't love O'Fortuna? *goosebumps*)
I have detected some misspellings however (such as "hanger" instead of "hangar" and so forth), if you're looking for a tester/spell checker I'm on it
Yeah, I love that song, and it fits in so well. I pretty much consider it the best fighting song of all time. Makes you want to crush nations beneath your feet.
I'll tell you a horrible secret. I have not acually played the game since I started the mod in October, as I do not really have time to do both and still deal with real life. Weard thing is I acually don't miss it all that much. I find it just as much if not more entertaining seeing what I can make out of it.
In that aspect, I am always looking people to find errors and give feedback, and in such I use that information to make it better, so I really cannot turn down such an offer. Consider yourself an official tester of this mod.
I really don't know if this has been reported, but it appears that Planet upgrades are on even if they aren't researched (i.e. Ice -> Shield Restore Bonus). It comes up in the infocard as I mouse over a militia ship or mine.
I'm Vasari, too, so it shouldn't be giving me an Advent bonus anyway.
Apologies if this has been reported already, or if it's intended/whatnot.
Nice mod, though. I like it.
Edit: It doesn't seem to happen once the planet is colonized and one jumps away and then comes back. Only when neutral.
Nice mod you combined some of my favorites for a delicious combo.
Enderjmu: huh, no that one was not reported, and thanks for the heads up. I will look into that one. Kinda confused as why that is happening as the ability has to be researched. Perhaps putting in a finish condition of "researchnotmet" will assist in it. Thanks again for the info.
Did you try giving the abilities the researches as pre-requisites?
They were already given the prerequisites, and also why it works fine when the planets are occupiied, hint the confusion. Planetary abilities are something newly done as far as I am aware of, and I guess under neutral occupation the militia has access to them. That is why I believe that the researchnotmet finish condition is nessary. Will get to testing this later and probaly have a patch up today if my theory is sound.
only thing that i noticed is the AI does not touch the extra research in the fleet menu, which is a pitty really.
well if the bonus stays on the planet after the player looses it, i would try "ownerchanged" as a finish condition (sorry for the double post, wanted to qote what you said)
The owner changed finish condition is already on the abilities, and I believe that the problem is only that before the planet has an owner, and not when an owner changes.
As for the AI, I am pretty certain it does, but I will run some more tests in developer.exe to make sure. Bascally what I do is build a custom map within the game and test it out, so I can see all planets and players. Then using the debug mentu within developer I can see spacifically what techs the AI is researching down to the very name. Then I just sit there and watch. I ran this similar test at the beginning of this venture to make sure that it was even going to work, and was successful, but perhaps something had changed from patches 1.05 to 1.12. I will post when my results are in, but probaly won't be able to run the test until the beginning of next week, as I will be leaving home shortly and won't return until then.
well, i know when i used the mod and was atacking the AI, he didnt have some of the armor and shield upgrades. i never thought of looking via the developwe menu tho. perhaps ill try it myself again soon, i might have broke it in the merging process since i just tweek the game for my personal use.
Someone is free to correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that in concern for the Research Trees, the AI works more toward researching in a particular tree more then a spacific technology itself, which is determined by priority within the traits that the civilization has been given (Aggressive, Defensive, etc). That is also why the AI will research added technologies within other trees without any issues.
The reason that the Computer Player may have been missing Techs from the Fleet Tree is that the Fleet Tree is probaly low on its list of priorities, and so it does not research in that field as often as it does the other two. To fix this I will probaly need to go in and tweak these numbers to more balance out the trees. If that doesn't make sense please let me know.
I will still run the test in developer just to make sure I have not overlooked anything, and will have a fix for that as soon as I can, but as I have said before I am not going to be at my home computer for the weekend. (I am writing this off my brothers computer at his place right now) I will still be on site to answer questions and whatnot, I just do not have access to the files or even the game itself to really do anything about it.
would fleet size (the option when starting the game) have any play in this i wonder? and keep in mind, AI do not like to be tweeked
The fleet size option should not have anything to do with it, because the capital ship and supply are merely researches. I could easily add or change them without concern, and there is no reason that would effect it. If something does not effect the rest of the Research trees there should be no reason why it should effect the Fleet tree. Do not think that the way the fleet tree works is somehow different then the noncombat or combat trees, or you will be quite mistaken.
Also, before I did not mean tweaking the AI, as I do not plan on messing on anything hardcoded. At the beginning of the game, each computer player is assigned a different profile on what it should take priority over other things. Much like in the galaxy file, which assigns certain planets to spawn more often then others and can be modified, so can this file. Basically, I am not changing the AI, I will be merely changing what these profiles mean toward telling the computer what to take priority over another. I cannnot remember the name of the file at this time, might be the constrants file but I cannot be sure as I cannot look for it being away from home, and my hangover has blurred my memory.
I know how the AI works with new research more then most people, as I should. Other then the graphic mods and the files from Sins Plus, this mod is an original piece of work written by yours truly, and as far as I can tell something no one has done other then me. In my opinion you are overthinking a minor problem, making it seem greater then it really is, perhaps because of a lack of understanding on how it works.
Anyhow, I will be getting back home later today and I will take a look into it.
Do we have an idea when it will work with entrenchment or will not?
awolf
I will be purchasing Entrenchment sometime next week, as I am still recovering from the holiday season. Once I get ahold of the beta, I will work toward that goal, as when that happens it really should take no time at all. My only concern is the graphic mods and Sins Plus that I have included as to how much work will be involved in converting them for entrenchment. I may very well exclude them for the first Entrenchment Compatible release to get it out as quickly as possible. As for a date, I am uncertain at this time as I have yet to gather the appropate files and have no ability to test it.
lol ive been moding sins long before you although i never really got into research to the depth you have. my point still stands tho, some thing that can be modded are still a bit touchy as to how the ai will handle it. and no need to get worked up over siggestions m8. and its not really "overthinking" a problem, sure, your the first to modify the fleet tree like you have but you also make it seem like your the most experianced modder out there which came off a little on the strong side. i know there are a lot of new modders out there now, but your opinion comes verry close to an insult.
??? I wasn't worked up nor was I trying to be insulting, was just explaining my position. If I was worked up I would have used more colorful language. Sorry if you took it the wrong way.
Anyhow I have added a picture of my testing at the top of the page, so you should be able to see that as can tell the AI reconizes the additional techs in the Fleet tree (the hull tech, the shield tech, the planet ability desert tech, and the improvement_psihanger0 tech).
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