11 replies to this topic

[Spud_Dastardly]

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:

Spoiler

 

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:

Balanced Races mod

Strong Empire Defense mod

Tech Tree mod

Galaxy Setup mod

 

Edited by Spud_Dastardly, 12 November 2016 - 11:12 AM.

[Setlec]

i love your mods! thx mate!

 

[Summon3r]

more great stuff

[Setlec]

for a name the "Community Edition Balance mod" or "Spud's Balance mod"

Edited by Setlec, 02 October 2016 - 04:14 PM.

[jasonwclark]

Neah don't go for the same old same old in a name. Pick a short name that'll be catchy or which can be shortened to a catchy acronym. You know like...

 

X4

 

Dastardly's: D

Overlord: O

of Orion: O

Modification: M

 

DOOM1, DOOM2, DOOM3, DOOM4

 

Singularity: S

 

DOOM'S 4X 

 

Doctor up your MOO game with the DOOM package? You know, something like that. Haha

 

Or give each individual mod a cool codename, so they all spell something clever when put together into a singular Singularity package.

 

There's always a million mods called Somebody's ultimate whatever mod. Or Balanced Mod by yadda yadda. Go for something with solar flair in the acronym, that's my suggestion!

 

And nice work man!

 

 

[Skaughtey]

Ooo I missed the line in globals about battlefield size. I hate how small it is now! Where is the line that I need to change? I could probably find it after awhile on my own but it will be a few days before I have time to look myself so I thought I'd ask.

[drewklar]

Spud_Dastardly, on 02 October 2016 - 03:10 PM, said:

• 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.

Great work on the mods, Spud.  That one issue you fixed above is just one example of the many bizarre feature choices in this game.

 

I have some suggestions, in interest of saving you time, and also as I've had experience supporting community mods myself for a different game:   I would hold off on the combination mod, as at some point soon the developers are supposed to "officially" release modding support.  We will have to see if that means they will document what the variables in the yaml files do, if not self-explanatory.

 

After they release the "modding support" then at that point you could plan on releasing the combination mod and also perhaps additional documentation on what the game parameters do, in case the developers leave anything important out (which I'm sure they will).

 

Then going forward your mod should be documentation-only.  The reason being is that each time you release a combination mod, and the developers decide to patch the game, then the community will be expecting you to make updates to your combination mod ASAP.

 

Instead if you have documentation-only then people can take to modding the games themselves after each update, and then post up or share their modded files if they so wish (unsupported, of course).  That way you don't have to spend time on the unpaid job of having to keep your mods up to date.

 

I've supported community mods before and turned into a lot of work, having to fix my mods with each patch.  And if there is some glitch or issue in the mod update the community is not very understanding (which I found out the hard way).

 

A Wiki-like page for describing how to mod the game and explanations for what's in the yaml files might even be more useful, that way you don't have to document the modding features all by yourself.

[EmperorFredd]

Another set of great ideas, Spud.  How about making the AI not get mad when you decline to share charts?  I hate that.  I don't want theirs and I don't want to give them what they need to invoke strikes and poison the food supply on all my planets.  When I see who will be friendly, then I sometimes trade, but it sucks to get off on the wrong foot with the AI early because they want to trade charts and I don't want to, especially before I cna put embassies in and start trade treaties.

[Spud_Dastardly]

I'm glad you all are enjoying my mods!  I'm still trying to come up with cool name.  I think jasonwclark is right about avoiding generic names like Spud's Balance Mod.

 

Skaughtey, on 02 October 2016 - 06:08 PM, said:

Ooo I missed the line in globals about battlefield size. I hate how small it is now! Where is the line that I need to change? I could probably find it after awhile on my own but it will be a few days before I have time to look myself so I thought I'd ask.

 

It's at the very bottom of the Globals.yaml file.

drewklar, on 02 October 2016 - 06:35 PM, said:

Great work on the mods, Spud.  That one issue you fixed above is just one example of the many bizarre feature choices in this game.

 

I have some suggestions, in interest of saving you time, and also as I've had experience supporting community mods myself for a different game:   I would hold off on the combination mod, as at some point soon the developers are supposed to "officially" release modding support.  We will have to see if that means they will document what the variables in the yaml files do, if not self-explanatory.

 

After they release the "modding support" then at that point you could plan on releasing the combination mod and also perhaps additional documentation on what the game parameters do, in case the developers leave anything important out (which I'm sure they will).

 

Then going forward your mod should be documentation-only.  The reason being is that each time you release a combination mod, and the developers decide to patch the game, then the community will be expecting you to make updates to your combination mod ASAP.

 

Instead if you have documentation-only then people can take to modding the games themselves after each update, and then post up or share their modded files if they so wish (unsupported, of course).  That way you don't have to spend time on the unpaid job of having to keep your mods up to date.

 

I've supported community mods before and turned into a lot of work, having to fix my mods with each patch.  And if there is some glitch or issue in the mod update the community is not very understanding (which I found out the hard way).

 

A Wiki-like page for describing how to mod the game and explanations for what's in the yaml files might even be more useful, that way you don't have to document the modding features all by yourself.

 

This is some good advice; thank you!  I was already planning to wait until the next patch, but your point about the documentation so that I don't have to do all the work is a very smart idea, since I don't know that I'll always have the time or inclination to update the mod.

 

EmperorFredd, on 02 October 2016 - 07:21 PM, said:

Another set of great ideas, Spud.  How about making the AI not get mad when you decline to share charts?  I hate that.  I don't want theirs and I don't want to give them what they need to invoke strikes and poison the food supply on all my planets.  When I see who will be friendly, then I sometimes trade, but it sucks to get off on the wrong foot with the AI early because they want to trade charts and I don't want to, especially before I cna put embassies in and start trade treaties.

I believe this mod already does that as well, though I haven't tested it.  The parameter I changed was something like "reject_generic_deal," which covers I think all trade agreements (but not treaties, gifts, or demands).

[Archont4000]

EmperorFredd, on 02 October 2016 - 10:21 PM, said:

Another set of great ideas, Spud.  How about making the AI not get mad when you decline to share charts?  I hate that.  I don't want theirs and I don't want to give them what they need to invoke strikes and poison the food supply on all my planets.  When I see who will be friendly, then I sometimes trade, but it sucks to get off on the wrong foot with the AI early because they want to trade charts and I don't want to, especially before I cna put embassies in and start trade treaties.

 

Share charts shares only info about planets, not colonies, right?

 

[Spud_Dastardly]

Share charts reveals planets, not colonies.  However, if you have a military base set up and your opponent has not explored the planets, then visiting the outpost does not reveal any colonies in the system for them if they don't have deep scanner.  If they received the planet info from share charts, then they can see your colony once they go to the military base, so there's no way to prevent them from spying on you at that point.

[Spud_Dastardly]

Version 1.1 update:

 

Slightly reduced the risk factor of spying again, made trade and research treaties cheaper to help the AI afford them.