STM "Final v1.7.5" Discussion

[TNZ]

Ideas for StarTrek Mod

1.New propulsion components: warp nacelle and impulse drive.

2.New propulsion system. The Cardassian_AI_DesignCreation
and Default_AI_DesignCreation have been set to used the new propulsion system and new propulsion components.

3.New Cardassian_AI_DesignCreation file. The Cardassians will make ships now. It seems the Minimum Speed and Desired Speed were set too high before, and the AI would not make ships.

4.New cargo bay and compact cargo bay. It seems a cargo bay component must have the most cargo storage ability or the AI will use a Drone Launcher instead.

5. New sizes for components: supply storage 15kt, emissive armor 15kt and shield generator 30kt.

All File Provided.
1058915819.zip
Originally posted on July 23, 2003, 7:40

[ July 30, 2003, 13:27: Message edited by: TNZ ]

[openair]

I would like to point out the uselessness of some of the weapons in the this mod...

the Nova Torpedo compared to the quatum torp, which all come at the same levels, is 100% useless, half fire rate, exactly half damage, for a double damage to shields... the double is canceled by the half damage, and then the half fire rate on top of that......

thats just one example, ill post more later...

PS: only 8472 having phased shields?

[Captain Kwok]

Did you use the "Extra Movement Generation" ability for the movement bonus for Captain components. I believe this works fine and does not interfere with engine requirements etc.

[Captain Kwok]

Other things:

Impulse engine in my original concept was a 10kT comp that added extra combat movement as tech level increased. There is no point in giving this comp any map movement, since the whole FTL concept doesn't work out in SE4.

Shield Generators were also 20kT, in part to make them more viable on the smaller ship designs to help balance combat between small and large ships.

I don't understand the switch to make Dominion PPBs skip armor? I never saw this on the show and plus doesn't the mod use leaky armor anyways? There wouldn't be much difference at all...?

Just some points, I intend to take a closer look at the mod later on this week and will make more suggestions.

[Fyron]

Originally posted by openair:
I would like to point out the uselessness of some of the weapons in the this mod...

the Nova Torpedo compared to the quatum torp, which all come at the same levels, is 100% useless, half fire rate, exactly half damage, for a double damage to shields... the double is canceled by the half damage, and then the half fire rate on top of that......

Actually, half damage and half fire rate means it is EXACTLY as powerful as the other one. Consider the formula damage / size / ROF for comparing weapons.

Now that I actually look at the weapons, Nova Burst is about one third as expensive as QT. So, it is not quite a useless weapon.

[ July 31, 2003, 02:58: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Suicide Junkie]

Originally posted by openair:
I would like to point out the uselessness of some of the weapons in the this mod...

the Nova Torpedo compared to the quatum torp, which all come at the same levels, is 100% useless, half fire rate, exactly half damage, for a double damage to shields... the double is canceled by the half damage, and then the half fire rate on top of that......

With Double damage to shields, that means 33% is absorbed, instead of 50%...
So the hull damage is only increased by 30%... half damage and half firing rate would mean the weapon is 1/3rd as effective. (132% /2 /2 = 33%)

If you mean instead it fires twice as fast (half the ROF value), then it is 32% better.

I don't understand the switch to make Dominion PPBs skip armor? I never saw this on the show and plus doesn't the mod use leaky armor anyways? There wouldn't be much difference at all...?

Big Difference! If it skips armor, then the leaky shields will be disabled!

"Skips armor" damage does not trigger the Crystalline ability!

[ July 31, 2003, 03:03: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Fyron]

Actually... it seems as if the halving was done the wrong way.

QT III:

Cost Minerals := 400
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 80
40 kT
Weapon Damage At Rng := 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 0
Weapon Reload Rate := 1

Nova Burst III:

Cost Minerals := 150
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 30
40 kT
Weapon Damage At Rng := 40 40 40 40 40 40 0
Weapon Damage Type := Double Damage To Shields
Weapon Reload Rate := 2

So, I retract my earlier statement. The Nova Burst is indeed a useless weapon. The reduction in cost does not justify having 1/4 base firepower against hull and 1/2 against shields.

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
Big Difference! If it skips armor, then the leaky shields will be disabled! "Skips armor" damage does not trigger the Crystalline ability!

Ugh! I never thought about it like that.

*Puts on dunce cap and retreats to corner*

[openair]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
The Nova Burst is indeed a useless weapon. The reduction in cost does not justify having 1/4 base firepower against hull and 1/2 against shields.

Exactly... ive noticed more few other unbalances... tho can't seem to think of any right now... the gravimetric torps could use more then 3 levels...

and shields! need more then 6 levels of shields... and only one race having phased shields is a major unbalance in my opinion...

[Atrocities]

I am really not in the mood to work on the mod right now. I have one update almost ready. It fixes a few things, like cargo and supply usage. The propulsion system is of no concern to me at the moment nor is the adding additional racial techs at that would really be a huge undertaking.

The problem with making Ancient Race an AI technology or trait is:

1. The AI will only use colony ships and no design or build other ships.
2. If the AI surrenders to you, POOF, you get all the star charts.
3. I would have to remake ALL of the EMP files and additional ones like CNC recommended.
4. It will hurt the AI in the long run just like Fyron said.

The best option open to me to make the AI expand is to either revamp the entire mod, something I am not willing to do at this point, or trouble shoot. I will increase the supplies available to the AI and add the Cargo concept by TNZ in one form or another.

The AI 'should' expand without problems, but it is very tempormental about it. I have had games where the AI expanded just fine, and then other games where it has not.

These are all great ideas, and good points, but I am only one man, and I am getting kind of run down with SEIV right now.

I know that the mod is solid, that is to say a good mod with a lot of potential.

The issues with weapons, components, expansion and other can and will be taken care of over time.

If a weapon does not work, offer a suggestion. Most of the weapons were only worked out on paper by Kwok and not really tested in game. There are bound to be issues, and like any thing, they can be fixed.

People who have issue with one thing or another, weapons, shields, or whatever, should be aware that they are free to make improvements where they can. I would welcome the help.