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Starsector 0.98a is out! (03/27/25)

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Author Topic: [0.98a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework  (Read 199466 times)

Lukas04

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[0.98a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« on: August 07, 2024, 01:00:20 PM »






About



Second-in-Command is a full overhaul of the games skill system.
It replaces the existing skill screen with new UI that functions differently to before.
Make sure to read the compatibility section further below before downloading.

All skills except for Combat skills have been replaced. In their place, you now find Executive Officers.
Where you previously found the Leadership, Technology and Industry trees, you now find three slots to assign this new type of officer to.
Each executive officer has an aptitude, said aptitude determines which skills they provide when assigned in to one of those slots.
Every officer has their own skill points to spend, up to five. The player now uses their maximum of 8 skill points on any of the 14 vanilla combat skills.
Overall, the mod as of now adds 105 new skills mixed in to those new aptitudes. You can find an overview of all of them on the mods wiki.

Wiki

The mod has its own Wiki, with a list of all aptitudes from the mod itself, and also pages for crossover aptitudes from other mods.
You can find pages both for individual aptitudes and a page that lists all aptitudes in a single page.
Additionaly you can find an overview of every aptitude in the ingame codex.









What differences does it make?

With those changes, as the players skillpoints are seperate, the player no longer has to decide between piloting and fleet-wide skills.
No longer do you have to give up your fun in piloting a ship to get great logistical bonuses.

With the 10 aptitudes and 105 skills within them, you now have much more choice for your builds.
However, since only three aptitudes can be active at the same time, you have to make much more specialised choices.

You could say that the base-games system brings you towards a Jack-of-all-trades build.
Meanwhile this mod encourages you to combine the aptitudes that would most support your fleet build.
You could combine the Automation, Smallcraft and Piracy aptitude to create an a swarm of automated ships. 

Officers have to first be found, that can be in comm-links on colonies, or in cryo-pods during exploration.
A unique bar-encounter is available right after beginning a game to choose a starting officer.

Very importantly, NPCs have not been left out!
All NPC fleets have their own executive officers with their own choice of skills.
As you face stronger fleets, you also encounter them with more of skills.







Compatibility

As this mod is a rather intrusive change to the system, some minor issues are to be expected.
Notably, this mod is not compatible with most other mods that perform changes to vanilla skills or the system.
Those are currently: Quality Captains, A New Level of Confidence, Truly Automated Ships & Adjustable Skill Thresholds.

Mods that add skills that are not normaly visible on the skills screen however will generaly work.
If for example, a mod adds a skill that is applied to an officer or the player through some unique interaction, it will generaly work.
Mods that add skill bars to the base games system will have them not show up here, but should otherwise do fine.

Custom Starts that start the game of with the "Automated Ships" skill will have the skill replaced with an Automation XO.
If a mod gives the player a vanilla skill that isnt a combat one, it is automaticly deactivated.

Cross-Mod Support

List of Mods with Second-in-Command Integration

Random Assortment of Things (2 Aptitudes)
Emergent Threats (2 Aptitudes)
Secrets of the Frontier(1 Aptitude)
Dustkeeper XO - Secrets of the Frontiers Integration (1 Aptitude)

Integrating your own mod

The system is easily modifieable to add new aptitudes with their own skills.
Aptitudes can be made to be unique and only show up on custom officers, or only spawn on a specific factions fleet.
You can the modding documentation here

You can ask me to have your mod added in the list above, however i may not add it there if it doesnt atleast somewhat follow the design guidelines shown in the documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this mod be added mid-save?
Technicly yes, but as there are a few things during progression that differ, and since leveling up officers takes some time, i would not recommend it.

Can you do X large change?
I'm pretty happy with how the mod is at its core, so i don't plan to really change its fundementals at all.
I am mostly looking for feedback on the things existing in the system as it is.

The logistical aptitudes feel required, can you do something about them?
Personaly i think you can do just fine without Logistical aptitudes.
Invest more in to your logistical ships, install some logistical hullmods like Efficiency Overhaul in to your military ships.
The tradeoff of using a few hullmods like this is very much worth the additional combat skills you can get instead.
When you make a build, take a bit to consider if you could not make do without one, or if you want the pure convenience of having one.

« Last Edit: April 07, 2025, 05:14:00 PM by Lukas04 »
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Lukas04

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Re: [0.97] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2024, 01:00:31 PM »

Reserved
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AdamLegend

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2024, 01:01:11 PM »

Oh wow. Another amazing mod from an amazing author. Can't wait to try this out!
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Neverr

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2024, 01:11:55 PM »

I've been playing with this mod and it's by far by most preferred method of skill progression. It feels fluid dynamic and creates a lot of interesting build choices we may normally not have. Definitely recommend.
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Wispborne

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2024, 01:35:09 PM »

This fills the "bridge crew" void *while* addressing the wonkiness of having to choose between becoming a better pilot and making your overall fleet better.

I've played briefly with it and (spelling/grammar aside), it feels beautifully vanilla. Crossmod XOs are going to be really cool. This will end up a must-have mod.
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Dal

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2024, 02:33:20 PM »

Congrats Lukas! I've been greatly enjoying watching this mod evolve, I think it's an instant classic! ;D
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Adex

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2024, 03:28:24 PM »

Since transverse jump is unlocked by default, did anyone test that we can still let SebestyƩn know that we can do it (very important)?
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Proxima-b

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2024, 04:38:41 PM »

I really like the combat skill in "quality captain" and the max level increase by "A new level of confidence", are there ways to make them work with this mod?
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Lukas04

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2024, 04:58:49 PM »

I really like the combat skill in "quality captain" and the max level increase by "A new level of confidence", are there ways to make them work with this mod?

No, as this is an entirely different system, and both of those skills mods work with the base one, they are not compatible.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2024, 06:06:20 PM by Lukas04 »
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Octavus

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2024, 07:48:56 PM »

This mod looks great, however I know fossic mods such as borken and gamma legion do add their own skills to the skill trees which will most likely cause mod conflict. Hopefully some workaround can be found so I can keep playing with all these mods. :P
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Lukas04

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2024, 10:32:49 PM »

This mod looks great, however I know fossic mods such as borken and gamma legion do add their own skills to the skill trees which will most likely cause mod conflict. Hopefully some workaround can be found so I can keep playing with all these mods. :P

Generaly for mods like this theres a good chance it will just work, but you wont have any way to access those skills.
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oddisz

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2024, 01:17:06 AM »

Alex please integrate this into vanilla, it is too good to pass up.
I've never seen such innovation for a skill system in any game so far, and this fixes most of the problems I had with it too.
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Octavus

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2024, 01:43:00 AM »

This mod looks great, however I know fossic mods such as borken and gamma legion do add their own skills to the skill trees which will most likely cause mod conflict. Hopefully some workaround can be found so I can keep playing with all these mods. :P

Generaly for mods like this theres a good chance it will just work, but you wont have any way to access those skills.
Ah great news, borken does offer some unique skills that ties in with their ships though so hopefully they can coexist in the future :D
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Vellentretenmert

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #13 on: August 08, 2024, 02:13:04 AM »

Lukas, does this mod require new game or can I add it mid-save? Anyway, looking interesting and I hope it's +-balanced.
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oddisz

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Re: [0.97a] Second-in-Command | A full-scale skill system rework
« Reply #14 on: August 08, 2024, 02:20:19 AM »

After playing with it for a couple hours - I wish that the green skill tree skills were kinda, built in the character just like combat skills are. They are essentially mandatory for me to take every time - max officer skill is relevant for other officers as well and removing the command officer negatively affects the others.

I don't know if this is intended as a way to balance John Starsector
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