I've attached what I have so far. No actual "code", just some design docs.
The idea here is to make the SE4 tech tree more of a tree and less of a bush. I'll also be adding cross-linked techs and attempting to correct some perchived imbalances. Plus the new tech tree allows for more specilization. Don't want storm creators, but do want star creators? No problem. Want fast, nimble ships? Can do.
Ex:
Point Defense Weapons, researched by itself, gives you NOTHING. But once you research, say, Projectile Weapons, you get Point Defense Cannons. Research Rockets, and you get point-defense rockets. Just research projectile weapons OR point-defense doesn't get you the PD guns. You have to have them both.
Researching ship construction now opens up three fields:
-Escort Construction
-Cruiser Construction
-Capitial ship construction
Each hull size now has improved Versions (heh, heh, 90% bonus to defense escorts..), and the larger hulls have penalties to defense. I've added a few sizes as well.
I plan to change intel a bit as well, to help out the AI. It'll be split between espianoge (sp) and sabatoge. Just tell your AI to research sabatoge only, and no more AI using attacks it can't effectivly respond to.
Like the P&N mod, I plan on having optional newtonian movement, and empires will need to be patched to work.
The intersting part- if it works- will be this: default AIs will
still work with a minor mod. I'm making the default and new tech trees 0 point racial tech areas.
What I need: look over what I've posted. I'd like feedback on that and the idea itself. Right now, that's it.. but I've never done any AI work, so people willing to convert old AIs to the new tech tree would be very much welcome, as would playtesters
Phoenix-D
New tech mod plan
Threaded Mode