Proportions Mod Versions 2.5.2 and 2.5.3 available

[PvK]

Proportions Mod Versions 2.5.2 and 2.5.3 are now available for download from the Proportions web page.

(Note than games in progress with many remote mining bases may want to upgrade to 2.5.2 rather than 2.5.3, if avoidance of disruption and balance issues is desired.)

Changes Log:
============

Version 2.5.3:

--------------------------
Remote Mining Adjustments:
--------------------------
* This Version is designed for newly started games, or for games where it
is accepted by players that large bases filled with remote miner
components will no longer be allowed. It is suggested that any pre-
existing bases with more than two remote miner components, should be
retrofitted to designs obeying the new limits. For players who want
to continue games without this disruption to remote mining production,
use of Proportions Version 2.5.2 is suggested.
* Added restriction on remote miner components per unit to two, halved
structure, and doubled size of ship/base Versions (compared to 2.5.1).
This prevents massively productive mining bases, which were possible
before but were unintentionally overproductive. It also presents
interesting choices between ship, base and satellite miner designs.
Pre-existing bases in upgraded games will retain their former abilities
(except structure, and bases upgraded from 2.5.2, which would be half
as productive).
* Remote mining now does not reduce value in unlimited resources games.

Version 2.5.2:

--------------------------
Remote Mining Adjustments:
--------------------------
* This Version is designed to upgrade with minimal disturbance to existing
games which may already include signifigant numbers of remote mining
battlestations. It doesn't fully correct the problem with the extreme
production from remote mining bases. It does prohibit filling starbases
with remote miner components, but pre-existing miner-filled starbases
will still operate. It is suggested that such starbases be retrofitted
with the new components, which will limit their production to about that
of a battle station filled with miner components.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Changes for smoother upgrades for existing games using 2.4.2:
-------------------------------------------------------------
* The Fighter Carriers tech added in 2.5 now costs more, is expanded in
both directions to five levels (using the Tiny and Massive carrier images
from the SE4 Image Neo-Standard) and provides improved classes compared
to the standard carriers. Existing carriers have their costs and to-hit
penalties somewhat increased. The five new carrier classes are Escort
Carrier, Advanced Light Carrier, Advanced Carrier, Advanced Heavy Carrier,
and Super-Heavy Carrier.
* Pre-existing special armors downgraded to compensate for their
ability compared to the new armors that require specialized research, and
to compensate for changes to Emissive Armor from Gold patch Version 1.78.
Unlike 2.5 & 2.5.1, they can now continue to be deployed, and may be good
choices for large ships (since they don't use Scale mounts and so will be
smaller on large ships).
---------
Gameplay:
---------
* Added six levels to the new Stealth Armor tech area, allowing eventual
(expensive) blocking of all Active and Passive EM scans.
* Added a new "Fast Colony Ships" tech area, for players who wish to develop
somewhat faster colony ships.
* Added a new "Massive Base Ship" class.
* Added nine more population modifier brackets to smooth curve for fully
populated worlds (5% jumps every 500M rather than 10% every 1000M).
------
Fixes:
------
* Fixed crippling Sergetti design bug - thanks to Oleg again!
---------
Cosmetic:
---------
* Added a new image for the Arcology facility, created for Proportions by
Bill Elliott (aka mlmbd) - thanks Bill!
* Added generic worldship images from SE4 Image Neo-Standard Expansion Pack.
* Fixed minor typo in to-hit description of some ships (said "base").
* It is highly recommended that players install the SE4 Image Neo-Standard
Expansion Pack available from www.sandman43.fsnet.co.uk/neostandexpansion.htm

PvK

[mlmbd]

Oh, goodie! Thank You, PvK!

mlmbd

[ZeroAdunn]

Excellent!

So, when are you going to make it fully Neostandard compliant????

[PvK]

Maybe 3.0.

Edit:
Although... what does that mean? I think the Neo-Standard is just a naming convention for any types the mod might add. I don't think the Neo-Standard says "all mods should include all these types". So, I think the only way to not be "Neo-Standard compliant", would be to include a ship that is clearly like something in the Neo-Standard, but then ask for a picture called something else (e.g. "FunShipPic"). So in that case, Proportions has been "Neo-Standard compliant" for most or all of its existence. There are a couple of types Proportions has that don't match anything in the Neo-Standard: Starliner and StarlinerLarge, for instance, and InfantryElite.

PvK

[ February 07, 2003, 17:18: Message edited by: PvK ]

[oleg]

Now that AI uses master computers, the whole Computers tech. branch is a no-go to AI...

PvK, can you please reduce accuracy penalty on MC ? They are way too harsh, IMHO. Or can you separate MC and Robotoid factories, for example by introducing a separate research area ?

[Fyron]

Those accuracy bonuses to MC don't even make sense. A computer can easily keep track of more things than people can.

[oleg]

Agree. You spend a fortune of research points and get an expensive component that makes your ships a sitting duck. Not to mention computer virus. The only argument is the protection against psychic races but it basically makes MC a very specialised thing worthless 90% of the game.

[PvK]

For the AI's sake I agree it would make sense to make master computers a seperate tech.

I should proabably revisit master computers a bit, but the point of the penalty is that I do not agree that a computer makes as good a warrior as a martial-minded biological. As we all know, AI's tend to be predictable and unable to adapt to the unpredictable complexities of an evolving tactical situation.

This has nothing to do with target tracking. That is covered by combat sensors and multiplex tracking, which can be used by humans or computers alike. The combat penalties for MC represent the very real factors that are beneath the scale of SE4's combat engine to represent in detail, but which would in my opinion make experiencd biological crews more formidable than computers. Ingenuity, innovation, unpredictability, will to survive, etc.

Also, I think master computers should definitely NOT have the "ability to gain experience". Relative ability arguments notwithstanding, with a computer, if it could learn, there would be no reason you couldn't download and broadcast its data to other computers, and have all master computers at the same experience level. It's not possible to mod that, nor to mod away their learning ability. The penalties therefore also compensate for this silly ability of master computers.

However, if you do climb to the top of the master computer tech tree, the penalties are only -5/-2.

PvK

[Spoo]

Originally posted by PvK:
if it could learn, there would be no reason you couldn't download and broadcast its data to other computers, and have all master computers at the same experience level. It's not possible to mod that, nor to mod away their learning ability.

What about the neural combat net (I think that's what it's called). That allows sharing of experience.

[Phoenix-D]

Spoo is right I think..just give any MC the same ability the Neural Combat Net has, and any MC in combat will have the same experience as the highest-rated MC..at least until that MC is destroyed.

Phoenix-D