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Author Topic: [0.95a] The Mayorate v1.1.0 (2021-11-25)  (Read 320050 times)

kazi

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #75 on: March 28, 2014, 03:32:45 AM »

UPDATE!!!!

Here's some pictures of the new stuff (also in OP):



I didn't get quite as many features crammed into this update as originally planned, but there's still a lot here. I spent A LOT of time improving/redoing old artwork for this update. Everything looks cleaner/prettier than it did before. Almost all of the sprites have been edited in some way, and there are new portraits that don't suck as much as the last one haha... There are two new weapons, both of which are extremely flashy code-wise and graphics-wise (kudos go to MesoTroniK for the shockwave fx), so I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Also, new ambient track, much more eerie and foreboding than the last one. The other ambient track has been tacked on to the end of the new track so it doesn't play quite so often (it was originally intended to be more of a "spacer" to break up the longer dark ambient tracks, if that makes any sense). I'm moving to a bit of a slower release cycle, doing things on more of a "when I'm in the mood" basis now than before. Check the OP for the latest news, I usually silently post teasers there long before I release a patch. Anyhow, enjoy!

Changelog for v0.6:
Spoiler
-Improved Del Azarchel, Cimeterre, and Lilith sprites.
-Improved Graser weapon sprite.
-Added 2 new portraits (old portrait has been removed).
-Added the Jamaran-class cruiser. The Jamaran is a slow, heavily armored carrier that can usually hold its own against enemy cruisers and destroyers. The Jamaran excels in the fire support role and lets you repair/deploy fighters much closer to the center of battle (meaning you will have less fighters "wasted" as they taxi back and forth to your carrier). Replaces the Esfahan.
-Removed the Esfahan from most Mayorate fleets. It's going to disappear altogether once I add a light carrier.
-Added the Flux Torpedo, a heavy energy weapon that devastates enemies at range (if you can manage to hit them with it...). Kudos go to Mesotronik for the wonderful "shockwave" effect code. Comes as part of the Jamaran's standard loadout.
-Added the Laserhead LRM, a medium AOE missile. Upon reaching its detonation radius, the laserhead fires a spread of 20 laser bolts in random directions. Generally does more damage to larger foes, and tears apart tightly packed groups of frigates/destroyers INCLUDING your own (be careful!). Comes as part of the Jamaran's standard loadout.
-Added the Kashef Sensor Suite hullmod. Grants 50 percent bonus to sensor range and 10 percent bonus to weapon range. It's extremely useful for figuring out where the enemy is sending the bulk of their forces, giving you a much longer time to give orders/respond to threats. Comes as part of the Jamaran's standard loadout and has no skill requirements.
-Added "The Expanse" ambient music track.
-Sprint drive cooldown increased by 25%.
-Miscellaneous bugfixes and other small changes not really worth mentioning.
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« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 03:35:12 AM by kazi »
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Lakis

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #76 on: March 28, 2014, 08:04:52 PM »

Hey hey, just dropping by to tell ya that that in the fx folder on linux the 'k' in "L_Kayser.wav" should be lowercase for Linux.

That's the only problem that I've had though, otherwise this is a great mod!

Something I truly think will be with me for as long as it's around!   ^^
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http://fractalsoftworks.com/forum/index.php?topic=8100.0 - Metelsons Faction Mod - Occasional contributor - mostly a cold dead planet.

Uomoz

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #77 on: March 31, 2014, 03:10:19 PM »

Hey there! The latest uss dev has this gem integrated :).

Btw, I noticed the hullmod you added and I think it would be a "better" implementation if it was exclusive to maj ships (like brdy special hullmods). I will probably make that change in the uss version to keep hullmods vanilla-only.

EDIT: some balance feedback as well: the Lilith class is a tiny bit too powerful in the combat layer, given it has a pretty standard-low punishment for it in the campaign layer. Cycerin was stomping hard with one of them in streaming (not a surprise), but it was that type of effortless stomp that feels a bit meh.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2014, 03:25:01 PM by Uomoz »
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Nanao-kun

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #78 on: March 31, 2014, 03:23:48 PM »

Hey there! The latest uss dev has this gem integrated :).

Btw, I noticed the hullmod you added and I think it would be a "better" implementation if it was exclusive to maj ships (like brdy special hullmods). I will probably make that change in the uss version to keep hullmods vanilla-only.
Isn't the Mayorate Hullmod described as a "Widely Available" piece of Mayorate software/hardware?
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Cycerin

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #79 on: April 01, 2014, 07:28:41 AM »

It should still be restricted to their ships, because 4op for 10% more weapon range is close to a no-brainer.

I've been using Liliths a lot due to the hand I was dealt in my recent USS voidwalker run, and I really love the damn things. The amount of damage they can deal is fantastic. I don't think they are as out of line as Uomoz does, because I could have done the exact same thing in a Wolf (within reason) since I was speccing Combat. What I'd do is lower the range of the Light TPC.

The Cimeterre is also a really fun destroyer, I've fought a few and really want to get my hands on a blueprint. I gotta give some love to the Light Graser too, such a great allround weapon, especially on a turret with good coverage. Obliterates unshielded fighters and really punishes ships who lower their shields vs kinetic damage, but being a beam weapon with high flux buildup, you are highly rewarded for micromanaging whether or not it is allowed to fire. A good example of a simple weapon design with emergent depth.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 07:32:34 AM by Cycerin »
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kazi

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #80 on: April 02, 2014, 12:21:30 AM »

Isn't the Mayorate Hullmod described as a "Widely Available" piece of Mayorate software/hardware?
Generally I base the lore around the mod features, rather than the other way around. It's "widely available" just because I didn't restrict it or anything. Originally it was +sensor range% only, but I was worried no one would take it so I gave it the slight range increase (but now it's a little too good lol). I might actually get rid of the +weapon range bonus and replace it with +weapon tracking (same bonus as the gunnery implants skill).

And yeah, I've always been a little worried that the Lilith was slightly too strong. The thing packs a lot of punch but has relatively low survivability. It's so-so in the hands of the AI (the AI simply doesn't understand when to disengage), but a good player will simply steamroll with it. I'll try nerfing the TPC a little bit to compensate like Cycerin suggested. As with the Lilith, probably the biggest balance issue with this mod is that all of the ships are a bit meh in the AI's hands but nearly unstoppable when player piloted (often even more so than in most other mods).

Here's another example of player vs. AI broken-ness (that I'm not quite sure how to fix):
The way to play the Ravana is to close into point-blank range and get your flux as high as absolutely possible (basically the opposite of every other ship in the game/all mods). Once your flux is at like 90%, drop your shields and start firing your grasers like there's no tomorrow. Because they are beams, they will fire regardless of how much flux you have and do +50% damage (with the flux bonus). It's impossible to overload (because your shields are down), there's no flux limit to how much you can fire, and your main weapons are nearly impossible to disable because of their placement in the middle of the ship. Yeah, you'll take damage, but there isn't really anything that can stop a player-piloted Ravana. Meanwhile, the AI-controlled Ravana simply dodges in and out of range meekly (and fires the grasers at the enemy collision radius instead of the actual target because of how beam AI is programmed) until something comes from the side and kills it. Sigh...

@Viyemese- Spent a bit of time looking over the mod files in question and both the .wav file and sounds.json use "l_kayser.wav" (thought I fixed this bug from the last version). I'm not sure where you are getting the "L_Kayser.wav" reference, but is it possibly from an old version (completely delete my mod and reinstall to check)? Or did I forget to change a reference somewhere?

@Uomoz- On the topic of hullmods, it might actually be interesting to allow players to "unlock" different hullmods by joining factions or by paying for them. When you either join a faction or pay them some amount of credits, "hullmod x" becomes unlocked for all of your ships.
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Cycerin

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #81 on: April 02, 2014, 02:54:04 AM »

Blackrock has a lot of the same problems, esp. re: AI vs player piloting. It goes for most vanilla ships, too, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

As for the Lilith, the most powerful aspect of it is that it doesn't have a CR timer. Not sure if that was intended.
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Ishman

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #82 on: April 02, 2014, 05:29:41 PM »

Kazi, you might try just running a find and replace using a regex module for notepad++ if you run into a problem with capitalization  again.

I've often mentioned it before, but I don't believe it's a good idea to balance ships based on how they perform in player hands, but how the AI does with them - there's only a handful of ships that can't be made abusive versus AI with proper setup and supporting skills (it's missile boats, they suck) so I'd say that you should simply consider how they'll perform as enemies to fight against and allies to play beside, and whether they're fun or not.

An easy example: if you were to set up a race that had nothing but scratch damage weaponry - except they dealt MASSIVE emp damage - they'd be incredibly FUN (in a dwarf fortress sense) to play against, though as an allied support ship it'd be a devastating inclusion. All in all a net loss to include, as the frustration of facing against em would overshadow any fun of playing as them (stunlocking an enemy while you chip their health away very slowly is almost the exact opposite of my idea of fun (and yet every ARPG seems to think that's the only way endgame can be...)).

... tangents aside, point is balance for AI not players, players gonna break your game anyways, just try to eliminate any outrageously OP combinations (regenerating armor + armor strength hullmods as some other modders have found out)
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kazi

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #83 on: April 12, 2014, 03:01:26 PM »

@Cycerin - Heh, I've never been much of a fan of the CR timer. It takes the fun out of flying frigates, makes it feel like I'm constantly "racing against the clock." Limited ammo (like missiles) and low survivability are much better ways of implementing a similar "timer" mechanics without putting too much time pressure on the player imo.

@Ishman - Yeah I've been balancing everything around the player for the most part (basically ensuring things aren't super broken), and then seeing how the AI performs with it. If the AI doesn't "get" how everything works, I rebalance it.

Attempting to make another frigate (in reality, its probably closer to a destroyer escort). Using my tablet only this time around and hand-painting everything. Curious to see how it will turn out in the end relative to the modeled ships.

Original crap sketch/current WIP (40-50% done, needs detailing and more complex shading- currently its just light/dark)
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JDCollie

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #84 on: April 17, 2014, 01:22:10 AM »

Easily my favorite looking ships in the entire Starsector modded universe. Nice work!
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JDCollie

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #85 on: April 24, 2014, 01:10:50 PM »

Also, out of curiosity, do you have any plans for a Mayorate freighter? I only ask because I love your ships and irritates me to no end to be forced to sully visual purity of my glorious Mayorate fleets in Exerelin with fuel tankers and freighters from . . . lesser factions. :D
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kazi

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #86 on: April 25, 2014, 08:48:31 AM »

Also, out of curiosity, do you have any plans for a Mayorate freighter? I only ask because I love your ships and irritates me to no end to be forced to sully visual purity of my glorious Mayorate fleets in Exerelin with fuel tankers and freighters from . . . lesser factions. :D

Hah, that made me chuckle a bit. Yeah I'll try to throw in a destroyer-sized freighter for you next patch.

I've been rebalancing things a bit, especially campaign-level stuff. The Mayorate seems slightly OP in its current incarnation... they're very, very hard to beat relative to other factions even under AI control (the Lilith/Reaver/Esfahan are the worst offenders). In all honestly though, progress has been rather slow. It's been the "perfect storm" of me frantically attempting to finish everything for lab meeting next week + conference in Whistler this weekend (for those of you who don't know how these things work: open bar/free wine all day + SCIENCE + maybe a little bit of skiing ;)). Should have a bit more time after Monday though, so we'll see what gets done.
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JDCollie

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #87 on: April 25, 2014, 09:59:44 AM »

Also, out of curiosity, do you have any plans for a Mayorate freighter? I only ask because I love your ships and irritates me to no end to be forced to sully visual purity of my glorious Mayorate fleets in Exerelin with fuel tankers and freighters from . . . lesser factions. :D

Hah, that made me chuckle a bit. Yeah I'll try to throw in a destroyer-sized freighter for you next patch.

I've been rebalancing things a bit, especially campaign-level stuff. The Mayorate seems slightly OP in its current incarnation... they're very, very hard to beat relative to other factions even under AI control (the Lilith/Reaver/Esfahan are the worst offenders). In all honestly though, progress has been rather slow. It's been the "perfect storm" of me frantically attempting to finish everything for lab meeting next week + conference in Whistler this weekend (for those of you who don't know how these things work: open bar/free wine all day + SCIENCE + maybe a little bit of skiing ;)). Should have a bit more time after Monday though, so we'll see what gets done.
No worries, sir!  I'm just glad to see that you're actively working on the mod, even if progress is slower than you'd ideally prefer :) 

Good luck at your conference :D
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Aklyon

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #88 on: April 25, 2014, 07:57:55 PM »

Liliths aren't a huge problem to face, singularly and not face-on. Usually they're in fleets though, fleets tend to be less easily evaded to the side of, and the same weapon that makes them pretty awesome to use is unsurprisingly painful to get shot with ;)
« Last Edit: April 25, 2014, 07:59:47 PM by Aklyon »
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kazi

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Re: [0.6.2a] The Mayorate v0.6 (updated 28/3/14)
« Reply #89 on: April 30, 2014, 08:29:13 PM »

Just *** around with a few ship sketches. I REALLY like the carrier on the left.
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