This mod is no longer actively supported and may not function on the latest version of the game. It has been replaced with my new mega mod: 5X - The Ultimate Balance Mod, which you can get here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=797954504
http://www.nexusmods.com/masteroforionconquerthestars/mods/6/?
Original Post:
I'm definitely getting that "just one more mod" feeling from this game. This one will be my last before the new patch though since I'm expecting the new patch to break all of my work, and I'll have to redo all of the mods. This is a smaller mod than my other three. It's designed to make spying more effective and the AI less prone to reacting badly to innocuous activities. You can download it here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32174515/Spying%2C%20Diplomacy%20Mod%20v1.1.zip (version 1.1)
Instructions: Move the yaml files to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Master of Orion\MasterOfOrion_Data\StreamingAssets\GameplayData.
This mod has the following effects:
- The AI takes very little offense if you reject a tech trade. Feel free to reject those bad deals!
- The AI takes less offense if you make a deal with someone they're at war with. That's none of their business anyway.
- The AI no longer takes offense if you catch one of their spies. I was surprised to learn simply catching a spy caused any penalty at all.
- The AI takes less offense if you kill one of their spies. I mean, they kind of had it coming when they decided to spy on you.
- The AI takes less offense if you reject their offer for an alliance.
- Research treaties cost significantly less but offer less benefit. It's about time too!
- Trade treaties offer slightly less benefit. This is mostly made to synergize with my Tech Tree Mod, which gives you better income generation so that you aren't so reliant on trade treaties. The reduction is small enough that even without the other mod, you probably won't miss it.
- Spies travel twice as fast
- You can now have up to 15 spies. Fortunately, the espionage screen already has a scroll bar programmed in for when you get above 10.
- Slightly increased the security provided by counter espionage.
- Decreased the length of the 2nd and 3rd tier spying missions.
- Slightly reduced the risk factor of 3rd tier spying missions.
- Revolt now only lasts 10 turns. At 20 turns of no colony control it was definitely the best spying mission. Because it's easier to achieve now, 10 turns seemed more appropriate.
- Finally, one nice miscellaneous bonus feature that came out of modding Globals.yaml: I increased the radius of the tactical combat battlefield by a factor of √2, which doubles the area of the battlefield.
- Version 1.1 update: slightly reduced the mission risk for spying again, since it was still just a little too hard. Let me know if I overdid it.
- Version 1.1 update: made trade and research treaties cheaper so they AI can afford them more easily.
It is my hope that you find spying a more relevant and useful part of the game and diplomacy a little less frustrating. Any suggestions for changes are welcome. Upon request, I suppose I could also design an alternate version of the mod that effectively disables spying entirely.
After the next patch, once I verify the compatability of each mod, I plan on combining all four of my mods into one package. I'm missing one thing though: a good name. Any thoughts? A good abbreviation might do, like the MoO2 mod VDC (very difficult choice).
Check out my other mods too:
Edited by Spud_Dastardly, 12 November 2016 - 11:12 AM.