Starfire Mod

[Bremen]

I've been working on a Starfire mod off and on, mostly off, for awhile. It's reached a playable stage, although it has no AI profiles so I wouldn't advise trying a strategic game against the computer. It is also not yet balanced or completed, but I've put a lot of free time into it, and I want to see how everyone likes it

If you would like a copy of the data files, please email me at [email protected] (with the word "Starfire" in the subject, please.) I don't think it's completed to the extent that I'd post it yet.

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Starfire Mod for Space Empires 4, Version .1

Starfire is a tabletop wargame by Starfire Design Studio (www.starfiredesign.com/starfire). It is set in a science fiction universe that, by intention or coincidence, somewhat resembles the rules for Space Empires 4. The goal of this mod is to alter Space Empires to be even more like Starfire, and to focus on some of the most interesting technologies and strategies of the Starfire Universe.

The starfire Universe also spawned a series of novels, by Authors David Weber and Steve White, and published by Baen Books(www.baen.com). This mod is based as much, if not more, on the books as on the novels.

Installation

First, backup the Components.txt, Facility.txt, TechArea.txt, and VehicleSize.txt files in your Space Empires/Data directory.

Unzip the contents of the Data.zip archive into your Space Empires/Data directory. It will overwrite the files you had just backed up. Now run Space Empires.

*Note: As of the current Version, there are no AI profiles for the new technology. This will probably generate a spate of AI error Messages when you start Starfire and every turn you run with AI players in the game. See Known Problems and Planned Changes.

Starfire Basics

There are several large changes from standard Space Empires in this mod, including:

� Much Larger ships and smaller components. The largest ships and bases could include hundreds of components
� Simpler strategic management: The complexity of colonies and resource collection has been heavily reduced, and they now take a sideline to ship design and combat.
� Increased tactical options and more weapons. There are many new types of weapons, And while there are fewer types overall then Space Empires, they are all designed to be different and ahve their own uses.
� Larger emphasis on seeking weapons and fighters. Many ships in the starfire universe depend almost entirely on long ranged, seeking weapons, and carriers are a backbone of any fleet.
� No Stellar Manipulation. Stellar manipulation is not a part of the Starfire universe, though I may add it back in in later Versions if everyone seems to want it.

Known Problems

� The AI has not yet been adapted to the new changes. This will produce error Messages and a lack of action on the AI's part.
� The mod is not balanced yet. All technologies cost the same, weapons are not balanced, and so on.
� The Tech Tree is extremely simplified, and many things that will eventually have their own branch are currently linked to the Construction tree.
� There are no doubt many typos and bugs throughout the game. If you find one, please send a mail letting me know to [email protected]

Planned Changes

� Universal balancing
� Add AI compatibility
� Increase the complexity of the tech tree and add more components
� New Weapon: Anti-Drive Missile. Seeking missile that will target engines
� New Weapon: X-Ray Laser Missile. Seeking missile that pierces shields
� New Weapon: Kinetic Weapons: small, medium range weapon effected by shields and armor
� New Weapon: Capital Force Beam: Double sized force beam, increased range and damage.
� Specialized Satellite equipment and weapons. Change Satellite name to Automated Buoy
� (When I get Gold) Drones. Change name to gunboats, launched from external racks
� Balance Supply and Supply usage

Please send any suggestions you have to [email protected]

[Bremen]

I forgot to Add: I don't have Gold, and this Version was written for SE Version 1.49. It's just data file changes, however, so it should work with Gold unless there are changes I don't know about.

[Skulky]

OK, i just posted a fat thing in the HH discussion by accident (or dumbness) so here i go again.

I think it woudl be easier to use the drones as the SRHAWKS/SBMHAWKS adn other such things that are warp capable b/c these things can warp and coudl potentially carry weapons with them (component destroyed on use) adn then die pretty quickly. The gunboats could then be simulated with a smaller size (just as the drones woudl be shrunken (in the order of 50 kt with maybe 2 moves and then a HAWK specific weapons package)) that woudl only require one comp (gunboat C+C). This could be done by changing the Life support ot Life support + Crew Quarters and making the Crew Quarters component used for Gunboat C+C. Then you could make a bunch of mounts that could only be used on Gunboats or something like that or i dunno what. Then they could do warp too even though no internal racks but at least you would have the SR/SBM HAWKs taht are such a crucial part of the game at least IMHO. And R2's could be done by placing another race with a special sat that sits in the middle of EACH system (the maps would have to be scenarios taht start out wiht this race added) and has 1000000000 hp and can therefore be targeted by drones (the SR/SBM/R2s) and will be attacked, however the drones will have literally no supply so unless launched near one of these things they couldnt' ever reach it.

It would be primarily used for getting the R2's through and in system (the R2's could have lvl 5 cloaks that take up all remaining space) for the imagry neccessary for SR/SBM targeting.

No ideas on Primary packs, shortened fighter range or how to mod the interpenetration dealio.

Also, mines are usually organized in a radius aroudn the WP's and while always there were always eliminated (except when the bugs came out of Home Hive 2 or 3 with gunboats chasing after Murkamura's fleet) so i don't see how to show the need for mines but also the way in which they can be destroyed (not swept per se). Finally, how about ECM buoys? O not quite done yet, i just thought how to do bomb pumped lasers and the non bomb pumped lasers, the non bomb ones would have 25-30 fire rates (so they could concievably fire twice) andthe bomb pumped ones would say that it either destroyed ship on use (not sure if that works) or just destroyed weapon on use making the sat obsolete.

Wow i can't stop... how woudl you make the realtime idea of ships being able to move insystem very fast (in response to attacks that very month) and get to the other side? And also what about those things the "old enemies" used to liberate planets that were basically little rockets that accelerated to like 30% of c and were either shoulder fired or fired from orbiting bases.

When and if you finish this i'd love to play test and make a scenario or two. email me at [email protected] if you have questions or want help.

[Bremen]

Thank you for the suggestions

Embarrasingly, I completly forgot about SBMHAWKs. But you're right, drones would be an ideal way to simulate them.

I may use both gunboats and SBMHAWKs as drones, and use various ship sizes and comp requirements to distinguish them, like I did with the external racks.

I'm thinking gunboats would require 100% cargo units, and I would give all gunboat components the cargo ability, and SBMHAWKs would require 100% Fighter Bays, and give all of those components the fighter bay ability.

This would, unfortunatly, make it almost impossible for the AI to design drones and gunboats, but maybe something could be done. I'm no expert at AI programming.

I don't plan to use R2s, atleast beyond using 1 shot empty drones that get destroyed when they exit.

Mines in Starfire were placed surrounding a warp point rather then on it, because the gravity effects of the warp point would destroy anything placed on it. I wonder if warp points can be given a mine-sweeping ability. Worth a look .

I don't think components can destroy a ship on use, and while there is a "Destroy component on use", it is used on components used in the strategic game rather then battle, and I'm not sure if it would work on a weapon. Anyone know? I planned on just making them 30 fire rate weapons.

Fighters do indeed have primary guns, something which I expect to need a lot of balancing (Imagine 30 fighters firing null space weapons).

I plan to leave ship movement mostly the same, or even slower. Troop combat I havn't tackled or planned yet.

P.S. I am leaving for a three week vacation Monday. If possible I will have a new Version by then, and I'll post a link to it in this topic. But I'll be busy, so don't count on much new stuff, if any.

[Phoenix-D]

"And R2's could be done by placing another race with a special sat that sits in the middle of EACH system (the maps would have to be scenarios taht start out wiht this race added) and has 1000000000 hp and can therefore be targeted by drones (the SR/SBM/R2s) and will be attacked, however the drones will have literally no supply so unless launched near one of these things they couldnt' ever reach it."

Won't work. You cannot fire a drone into a system unless you have a non-mine unit in the system.

Phoenix-D

[Bremen]

"Won't work. You cannot fire a drone into a system unless you have a non-mine unit in the system."

That puts a dent in my SBMHAWK plans.

[Skulky]

instead of a "mine unit" we could put a base or a 1 kt ship. Besides, SBMHAWKS, while not used by the bugs are an integral part of the game. When designing the races somethign culd be done to make the Bugs have better attack ratios or somethign but have some of their ships randomly destroyed (interpenetration?) I really want to sim that. wahtever, thanks for the mail.

[Phoenix-D]

"instead of a "mine unit" we could put a base or a 1 kt ship."

Those can't be loaded into other ships; you'd have to build them on-site. Would have to be a ship, bases can't move.

Phoenix-D

[Phoenix-D]

"When designing the races somethign culd be done to make the Bugs have better attack ratios or somethign but have some of their ships randomly destroyed (interpenetration?)"

You can make them be able to build LOTS of ships- just reduce the cost of their components. In a trade off, give them really crappy sensors. That way they'll miss a lot and it'll even out.

Phoenix-D

[Bremen]

My plan for the bugs was a little behind the scenes cheating .

Lower comp costs, some altered AI profiles, and give them some outrageous racial bonuses (sky high pop growth for instance).

However, I am no where near making the AIs and cultures yet. Before I can really do that, I need to have everything else done. If I designed the AIs now, then added new weapons, they would never use them.