Anyone play without mods?

[Elowan]

Originally posted by evader:
I don't use whole mods my self. I make tweeks to data files. Decrease cost here, change size there. Maybe take some ideas from other mods like new systems or formations but don't ever realy add a full blown mod. Who else plays it like this?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's basically how I play but I'm intrigued with the Proportions mod.

[oleg]

Evader, I think this is how most mods originated: some tweak here and there, add something, balance some weapons. You will not notice before you'll have full Devnull mod in your hands http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Proportions is indeed very different. It turns whole SE4 gameplay upside down and it is obvious that PvK made it in revolutionary, not evolutionary way.

[capnq]

A quick survey of my Savegame folders:

Straight v1.67 - seven solo games, 1 Play-By-Web, two scenarios (which are technically mods).

v1.67 + TDM-ModPack - 3 solo games

v1.67 + DevNullModGold,
v1.67 + my Hypermaze,
v1.67 + my Hypermaze plus experimental tweaks,
v1.67 + Pirates & Nomads,
v1.67 + Proportions - 1 solo game each

v1.49 + TDM-ModPack - 1 PBW

I still find the unmodded game interesting enough that I don't feel a strong urge to explore the tech mods.

[Fyron]

Most PBW games use vanilla SE4.

[evader]

I don't use whole mods my self. I make tweeks to data files. Decrease cost here, change size there. Maybe take some ideas from other mods like new systems or formations but don't ever realy add a full blown mod. Who else plays it like this?

[Raging Deadstar]

Yeah but thats only cos i'm working the with demos right now, god why did i lend out my SEIV full game? WHY? It's kinda fun when u make all the racial traits cost nothing lol

[Baron Grazic]

One day when I get sick of the Standard Game, I'll switch to a mod, but that day still hasn't arrived, even after 12 months.

[dogscoff]

I love the standard game, but I played Proportions a few months back and now I'm hooked. All my vsAI are proportions these days. It will take something really special to drag me away from that. (Derek's Mod?)

[oleg]

My only gripe with Proportions is damn pacifist AI - reflection of PvK philosophy, I guess http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
For my games I copied AI_anger and politicics files from corresponding TDM races. Now I have a really bloodthirsty Sergetti and Crystoline !

[dogscoff]

I'm in a really cool vsAI game at the moment where I started in the same system as a xenophobic neutral (ClukRuk) - they declared on me immediately (as did all the other neutrals I've met since) and have been really making my life difficult, because it's hard for mee to get those slow colonisers out of the system. Without extra- system resources I can't out-produce him and if I can't do that I can't beat him.

I managed to overwhelm his fleets using boarding parties (heheheheh=-) but all the captured ships sent me bankrupt! Now I've had to mothball loads of space stations and freeze most of my construction queues while I try to ramp up my resource production. Maybe then I can knock out his defence stations and land some troops.

All this has taken 50 or 60 turns - you just wouldn't get that kind of epic campaign in a standard game- especially against a neutral.

[oleg]

Interesting. I never played Proportions with Neutrals. My experiance with non-moded SE was that neutrals only make life easier. May be I should give them another sporting chance.

[dogscoff]

That's another reason why Proportions is so cool - neutrals are significant powers rather than just cannon fodder. Because the homeworld is so important, a one- system empire can have an economy (and therefore military) to rival an interstellar empire until well into the late game.

It would be interesting to play Proportions *as* a neutral...

[geoschmo]

Capnq, you aren't in enough PBW games. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[capnq]

Capnq, you aren't in enough PBW games <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I had a third active game that finished a few weeks ago. I'm committed to another game that I expect to start shortly after Patch 2 is released, and intend to join your next History of the Galaxy game whenever that can start.

I know from experience that 3-4 PBW games is my upper limit; I'm too much of a micromanager to handle more than that.