Questions about CultureBalancing Mod on CDRom

[davewski]

Has anyone used this mod? What were your impressions? Does anyone know where the weightings used for the categories came from? (Are they 'Official' or home built?)

Has anyone tried different factors when balancing races?

Thanks

[Fyron]

I believe that the cultures were balanced so that they had the same net point cost if you were instead to purchase all of the bonuses and penalties with racial points, assuming you start from 100% in all characteristics.

[davewski]

Yes, that's what I gathered also. In the guts of the spreadsheet, Production is weighted at 3, Space Combat at 2, and all of the other factors are weighted at 1. I'm trying to figure out whether these factors have been assigned by the author or the game designer.

My other question is whether anyone else feels that the cultures need to get balanced in this manner?

[spoon]

Yeah, the one on the CD is pretty weak. PvK did a better one in his PvK Balance mod (that tweaks characteristics, advanced traits, cultures).

[Fyron]

Cultures are very imbalanced. In stock, Berzerkers is by far the best. Combat bonuses make a huge difference. Take 120 aggressiveness and defensiveness too, and... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/shock.gif Merchants comes a distant second, if you take 115 maintenance aptitude characteristic. The idea is to spam the Berzerker with lots of ships...

PvK Balance Mod is your best bet for stock-like game racial balances. It alters the cost of racial characteristics as well, which are quite imbalanced in stock...

[davewski]

Thanks guys! That's what I wanted to know.