I’ve been running tests using the methodology described above and have been tweaking values based on results. Thanks to clone wars I’m able to test things that would have otherwise taken too long. Objective changes have been thoroughly tested and the mod is very stable but the ideal game play experience is still subjective so please let me know what you think. I'm done testing and working on this now.
Here's more information regarding changes that I didn't discuss before because it's too much work to explain and make these posts.
- - Set the research power for all bodies = ((research points/32) * 2)
- Set the research power for all weapon turrets = ((research points/32) * 1.5)
- All other research power = research points/32 (previously discussed)
The last damage upgrade for all weapons do slightly more damage to reward players for finishing a research line before opponent and increase volatility at the end of the game to avoid stalemates.
- R-Wpn-AAGun-Damage06 25 --> 45
R-Wpn-Howitzer-Damage06 25 --> 45
R-Wpn-Mortar-Damage06 25 --> 45
R-Wpn-Cannon-Damage09 25 --> 45
R-Wpn-Rocket-Damage09 25 --> 45
R-Wpn-Flamer-Damage09 25 --> 45 (burn time 25 --> 55)
R-Wpn-MG-Damage08 25 --> 35
R-Wpn-Energy-Damage03 25 --> 50
R-Wpn-Missile-Damage03 25 --> 50
R-Wpn-Rail-Damage03 25 --> 25 (Untouched, gauss is already dominant)
Changed VTOL bomb HP’s after using clone wars to more thoroughly test VTOL/AA interactions. Found HP's needed adjustment as a result of VTOL's flying faster. I made sure the incendiary weapons tested slightly better than their non-incendiary counter parts but fly slightly slower.
- VTOL Bomb HP’s:
- Cluster 440 --> 350
Phosphor 320 --> 350
HEAP 480 --> 450
Thermite 360 --> 450
(In other words, heavy bombs --> 450 and light bombs --> 350)
This is the body/turret combinations for optimal VTOL speeds starting early tech--> late tech:
- Cobra/Non-Bomb (early game)
Scorpion/Cluster
Scorpion/Phosphor
Leopard/HEAP
Panther/HEAP
Retalliation/HEAP
Retalliation/Thermite
Retribution/HEAP
Retribution/Thermite
Retribution/Plasmite
VTOL lasers and mg’s are good alternatives to bombs too and can use any of the bodies above.
* Took away hover speed bonus for HPV and gave it to assault cannon instead. Assault cannon and light cannon are the only cannons that receive hover speed bonus (3 tiles per second instead of 2).
* Slightly boosted leopard engine power to ensure leopard/assault cannon/hover gets speed bonus and so that it flies HEAP bomb faster than scorpion. Leopard research points reduced by 3000 but panther increased by 3000 to create separation and a window for leopard.
As a result of the changes in droid speeds, the rocket/cannon balance needed to be re calibrated. These changes have always been present in this mod but I never specifically discussed rocket/cannon balance because it's information overload.
- Note: that rocket and cannon arrival times always vary between half base, no base and full base starts.
Starting from early tech --> late tech, rocket vs cannon balance changes are:
• Mini-pod research points were slightly increased from 1200 --> 1600 since it now has speed advantage over light cannon.
• Cannon cyborg HP increased from 80 --> 85 but weight increased from 120 --> 140 to increase relevancy and further distinguish
• Medium cannon is now slightly faster on half-tracks meaning it’s much more competitive vs mini-pod than before.
• Medium cannon cyborg only requires cyborg armor03 instead of 04 meaning it arrives about 2 minutes earlier. I didn’t like the fact that HPV cyborg replaced medium cannon cyborg as soon as it became available so I separated the research distance between the two to give each a window.
• Medium cannon cyborg weight was increased from 120 -->150 (max weight before it loses 1.5x speed bonus) to make it slower but also gets slightly extra HP’s 110 --> 120.
• Once lancer arrives, rocket vs cannon should be dead even whereas before I think rocket was slightly favored.
• HPV arrival time was pushed back 4800 --> 5200 because medium cannon has improved speed + medium cannon cyborg arrives earlier.
• Lancer cyborg weight went from 120 --> 105 meaning it is slightly faster and lancer tank is also faster than HPV and medium cannon by ~.15 tile per second.
• Single assault cannon build time 800 --> 700 and research points 8000 --> 7000 but twin assault research points 9600 -->10600. Gives bigger window for single assault cannon.
• Heavy cannon and twin assault are slower on tracks but faster on half-tracks (unintended) so I reduced tank killer research points from 10,000 --> 7200 and tank killer build points from 1250 --> 1100 (scourge is 1200 for reference). Tank killer arrives just seconds after twin assault cannon.
• Tank Killer cyborg HP went from 90 --> 100 but assault cannon cyborg went from 110 --> 120
• Ripple rocket dmg 45 --> 80
• Little scourge cyborg build time went from 1000 --> 700 (big scourge is 1000). Big scourge cyborg HP went from 90 --> 100. Little scourge cyborg weight 120 --> 110
• Little needle cyborg build time went from 800 --> 700 (equal to little scourge) and little needle cyborg also penetrates now whereas it didn’t before. Needle cyborg weight 120 --> 115
• Needle unlocks EMP which should hopefully be useful (penetrates now but has slow ROF)
• Rail gunner cyborg now penetrates and HP’s went from 110 --> 130 but weight went from 120 --> 140
• Scourge tech line finishes slightly before rail tech line and also gets the 25 --> 45 bonus damage for scourge-damage03
• Arch angel dmg 160 --> 200
• Double Gauss dragon tracks is strong and I think is the most intuitive way for the game to end (best weapon + best body)
Lasers should be neck and neck with scourge/rail, perhaps slightly better with heavy laser arrival. However, red bodies give huge increases in thermal armor and so does the last thermal armor upgrade. It means HEAT weapons (plasmite/thermite bombs + lasers) are not as effective at the very end of the tech tree, especially vs red bodies but prior to that time HEAT/incendiary weapons should be considered superior.
Generally speaking, the tech tree researches slightly slower up until scourge. When neural research MK3 finishes in 3.1.5, MK2 is just finishing under modded balance. This means the modded balance is about ~5 minutes behind. However, neural mk3 research multiplier went from
30 --> 100 meaning the end of the tech tree is much more condensed. All of the 8 and 10 minute research items at the end of the tech tree now take about 5 minutes. Overall the tech tree still takes approximately the same time to finish but it’s slightly slower before scourge and slightly faster after that point. I think this is good but it's subjective.
I also abandoned all changes I made to the power upgrade multipliers and kept it simple by changing the power generator power points from
55 --> 80. I think players will appreciate the new medium power setting being equivalent to the old high power setting which would give players an option for a truly high power game if they desire. This would revitalize all of the low oil maps because they can be experienced with a new high power setting. This would also cut back on those ridiculous 40+ oil maps. This would eliminate the low power setting but it’s rarely used in comparison to high power.
Medium power setting = 1x power
High power setting = 1.25x power
If we want the new medium power setting to be equivalent to the old high power setting then 55 * 1.25 = 68.75… but I set it at 80.
The reason I set it at 80 instead of ~70 is because I added research points to all of the power upgrades to spread them out over the course of the tech tree which means the upgrades aren’t applied as fast. When power-upgrade06 is finished in 3.1.5, power upgrade-04 is about halfway done in modded balance.
Over the course of the entire tech tree, 55 --> 80 should be close to transitioning the high power --> medium power but still gives slightly more power in early T1 games (~4,000 power over first 20 minutes). However, some things do cost slightly more e.g. derricks 0 --> 25, some research items and some structures so it should be okay. Therefore I think 55 --> 80 is most appropriate to shift high power --> medium power even though it’s mathematically 68.75. I originally had 55 --> 100 but none of the power options were comparable to 3.1.5 so players might lose their reference point to what they were used to. But low oil maps @ 55 --> 100 high power settings could be a lot more fun.
The very last power upgrade was increased from
30 --> 40 to keep on par with costly droids, increased research costs and improved build times.