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Author Topic: Vacuum - Build a Stellar Empire. (0.62a ALPHA build 34) (TC Mod)  (Read 418487 times)

xenoargh

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Re: Vacuum 0.1 Alpha Release
« Reply #15 on: September 07, 2012, 04:40:41 PM »

Quote
Some strange things in this mod. Most of all is the energy slot decision. Energy slot weapons get the flux bonus. It's not weapons that do energy damage, it's guns in energy slots.
Couldn't be helped; it's one of the engine-side things I had to deal with.

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So a thumper gets high energy focus +50%
Yeah, that's a bug, it's getting fixed :)
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xenoargh

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Re: Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2012, 12:08:01 AM »

Version 0.2a.

Still alpha, but it's getting better :)

Adds:

1.  Basic diplomacy system.
2.  A huge number of new ships and stuff like that.
3.  Some new weapons.
4.  The Glaug.

Improves:

1.  Balance overall is better.
2.  Lots of little details of 0.54 have been dealt with; for example, you can start off as a Pirate, with choice of Pirate ships, instead of the generic starts.
3.  Some initial work on procedural battlefield stuff (very early).
4.  In general, it's a lot more polished.  Stuff like AI variants not using OPs has been addressed, and the game's considerably more challenging. 

Fixes:

1.  Some minor issues with the system generator.
2.  Various code-cleanup things; for example, the ships can now use lists that are easily maintained going forward.

Future Plans:  

1.  Implement much fancier procedural battlefield stuff.
2.  Implement a trade-route system and mining system that's simple and clean.
3.  Implement a war system that's non-complex and easy to explain to new players.
4.  Look at issues of strategic-level AI for the computer players.
5.  More new content.

I'd like code help; I'm getting stuff done but it's turning into a pretty big project.  If anybody's interested please let me know via PM.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2012, 12:16:21 AM by xenoargh »
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a ] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2012, 06:42:33 AM »

Just some of the new ships:



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WKOB

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2012, 06:59:02 AM »

Awesome, been waiting for this to keep getting expanded. Loved Blood and Steel and well, everything else you've done. Out of curiosity, you messing with that Cortex Command mod at all or is that semi-permanently back-burnered?

More on-topic, are all of the ships you've posted on Medikohl's thread in this version or just some?
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2012, 07:17:51 AM »

Just about everything's in it, along with other stuff that was kindly gifted to me; there are something like 100 ships in the mod atm :)

BTW, I'll be updating it again sometime today; I've tried the Pirate start, and while it's cool to be friendly with the Pirates and neutral with the Glaug, it's darn-near impossible to get going.  

It could be the lack of caffeine, but there's something about meeting illegal variants of Tempests paired with Strikers that is making it a wee bit difficult to find any targets that are suitable for a pirate to attack.  Which is realistic (who'd leave their poor weak freighters defenseless, after all) but it makes it pretty ouch to get a toe-hold, even with some fighter support.

So I'll fix the Tempests having weapons they technically shouldn't and introduce some smaller, weaker fleets for all sides to pick on so that early players can get going.  If that proves too easy, it's NP to address it later on.

If I have time, I'll put a little bit more work into various things on the code side, there are bazillions of things I want to get done :)
« Last Edit: November 25, 2012, 07:19:28 AM by xenoargh »
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Aklyon

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2012, 07:37:55 AM »

How cheap are the fighters, exactly? Are broadswords as cheap as talon wings now?
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2012, 09:41:00 AM »

They're pretty cheap, and probably need to get bumped back up again; I wanted to make sure players could afford some at the start of play if they didn't want to save up for a second Frigate, but now that you can start with different amounts of cash, I can probably do it a little differently.  Sorry if that seems weird or whatever, fighters are meant to be a little more expendable in the mod and that part of the balance was done back when everybody started with 2000 :)
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Aklyon

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #22 on: November 25, 2012, 10:22:27 AM »

Well, that was an interesting start. Floating around at the very start, and then suddenly PIRATE SWARM AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH FLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I got chased halfway across Corvus with what looks like the entire piratical fleet, just barely ahead enough to reach the independant station that has the mothball/recommision ships text but not the mothball/recommision function.

Also, all of the combat command names are screwed up. You need to know what the descriptions of each were to be able to figure out what they do.
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conorano

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #23 on: November 25, 2012, 11:00:54 AM »

The mod looks interesting. But the only thing that bothers me is the art style of some of the new ships. They just look out of place. I could be wrong becouse i havent played the mod yet
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Aklyon

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #24 on: November 25, 2012, 11:08:56 AM »

Fusiller doesn't start with enough crew to fight (it needs 5 more), xenoargh. Lower its crew requirement?
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #25 on: November 25, 2012, 12:08:03 PM »

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the only thing that bothers me is the art style of some of the new ships
Personally, I think it works fairly well; one of the cool things about Starfarer's art is that each faction's stuff isn't strongly typed, so a lot of variety works OK.  I've tried to keep all of the stuff that's radically different from the Vanilla stuff mainly confined to the Indies and the Pirates, where we'd expect more variety.  Anyhow, I like it :)
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Fusiller doesn't start with enough crew to fight (it needs 5 more),
That, or ensure more crew if a valid choice in that code, oops.  Sorry, didn't test every combination, it was Pretty Darn Late when I got that stuff in.  I'll fix that later tonight when I'm back at my regular keyboard :)

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I got chased halfway across Corvus with what looks like the entire piratical fleet, just barely ahead enough to reach the independant station that has the mothball/recommision ships text but not the mothball/recommision function.
Yeah, being chased by pirates is normal, welcome to the mod.  IDK about the mothball/recommission issue, I remember seeing it but then not caring too much because the shop works. It's like anything "neutral" is hardcoded to do that. I'll check out if there's a fix for that via defining the Independents as a new Faction.

Quote
Also, all of the combat command names are screwed up. You need to know what the descriptions of each were to be able to figure out what they do.
Oops, I probably need to fix something in the descriptions.csv for that.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2012, 12:13:49 PM by xenoargh »
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2b Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #26 on: November 25, 2012, 03:04:16 PM »

Version 0.2b bugfix release.  Probably should do a clean install for this one, as it deletes a few important files.

Fixes:

1.  Tempests having illegal variants.
2.  Combat command strings.
3.  Various issues with descriptions.  Yes, most of the new stuff doesn't have one yet; I'll get it done when I can.
4.  Fusillier not having enough crew if picked as starting choice.
5.  Independent stations now belong to the Independent faction, no more "mothball" bug.

Balance changes:

1.  Fusillier now has Fast Missile Racks.
2.  Fighter costs all went up by 2000 credits to be more in line with new player starting cash.  Let me know which ones still need major cost buffs.


Still working on making a good mix of easier fleets for all the factions to make the early ramp a little less steep.  Suggestions about the ramp in general are welcome, although I think that we probably need to wait until I've done more work on the battlefield code before we worry too much about balance at the high end.
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.2b Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #27 on: November 27, 2012, 09:57:44 PM »

Version 0.3 now available.

Fixes:

1.  Various small goofs in some of the ship designs.

Adds:

1.  A new system for fleet generation and deployment.  The different factions will deploy their fleets in a more tactical and focused way.  This is a placeholder for the battle system, but it changes the feel a lot; the Hegemony, for example, dispatches "expedition fleets" that attempt to clear the Corvus system of enemies.
2.  A lot of polish to the balance ramp, with more small fleets to fight during the early stages of play, medium fleets and so forth.
3.  The diplomatic-relations code now penalizes players for turning on a faction they've become friendly with.

Balance Changes:

1.  The Phaeton's been buffed to be more like the larger version of the Dram it was supposed to be; tougher, better-armed and with a pretty decent potential DPS. 
2.  Various buffs and nerfs to ships. 
3.  Cleaned up some weapon graphics and other things.

I think that these changes have greatly enhanced the campaign experience; early play's still brutal but it's doable, no matter which choices you make at the start of play.

Anyhow, I think the next release is going be a pretty big code project; I'd like to get the procedural-battlefield stuff done and maybe get the war system built so that dynamic campaigns become possible.  I think balance is looking fairly good at this point; although it's arguable that a few of the starter ships just aren't quite competitive enough yet, I've been able to get through early play with all of them with a little patience. 

Feedback about what works, what's fun and what still sucks would be much appreciated, especially if I've left any really easy ways to build a Glaug-killin' fleet ;)

Alex apparently will be fixing one of the other biggies I want to use, custom damage and FX systems, but that has to wait until the bugfix release of 0.54, so I'll have to wait before doing more experimental stuff.
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xenoargh

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.3 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #28 on: November 28, 2012, 03:55:11 PM »

Had a minute, so I finally got around to making some Glaug-themed weapons.  PD, Tri-Laser, Shard Spammer, Cluster Launcher and Thermal Gun, respectively:



Anyhow, I'll get them implemented soon :)
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ssthehunter

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Re: [0.54a] Vacuum 0.3 Alpha Release- Procedural Solar Systems and much more
« Reply #29 on: November 30, 2012, 03:55:53 PM »

Nice work :) I love this mod, but can you make so that you have a smaller chance to spawn with all factions hostile with you? I've had over 8 saves with everyone hating me ( what did I do!?! D:)

other then that, this mod is really fun :), especially when you kinda cram in the OMEGA class from omega's minimash (sorry if I shouldnt have, I couldnt resist.)
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