PBW Multiplayer Mod

[Geckomlis]

I would like to see a Mod and/or set of rules to balance play in PBW multiplayer games.

One of the PBW games I have been enjoying most has been geoschmo’s Mediocrity.
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...3;t=008938;p=5
The premise is that that everyone starts neutral: Neutral Culture, No changes to Characteristics, no Advanced Traits/Racial Traits.

One of the ideas for a game that I really like is DavidG’s PBW Multiplayer King of the Hill or 'hate everyone' rules.
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=23;t=009682
no treaties, no trades or gifts, no ruins, no surrender, no intel

And of course, there have been the ubiquitous “balance” suggestions, usually restricted to actions that will not break the AI – not a consideration in PBW.

So I am compiling a list of ideas:

1. Change settings.txt so that all Characteristics are Min Pct/Max Pct = 100. (Mod)
2. Remove all Cultures except Neutral. (Mod)
3. Remove all Advanced Traits/Racial Traits. (Mod)
4. Change the Racial Traits Tech Areas to Theoretical Sciences at a cost of 100k research points each. (Mod)
5. Allow Gifts/Tributes = False (Setup)
6. Allow Technology Gifts/Tributes = False (Setup)
7. Allow Surrender = False (Setup)
8. No Ruins on Planets = True (Setup)
9. Remove the Applied Intelligence tech tree. (Mod)
10. Can only send a General Message from the Communicate screen. (Rule)
11. Create a pool of reasonably balanced maps. (Mod)

Comments, additions, corrections?

Gecko

[Suicide Junkie]

I suggest a big one:
Change weapons to use SE3 values (x10 damage)

SE3 had a very nice weapons balance, IMO, and the damage per kt was smaller as well, so ships survived better and shield regenerators were useful.

[Geckomlis]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
I suggest a big one:
Change weapons to use SE3 values (x10 damage)

SE3 had a very nice weapons balance, IMO, and the damage per kt was smaller as well, so ships survived better and shield regenerators were useful.

I was not an SE3 player. Could you give some examples? i.e. what the values of specfic SE4 weapons would be after "SE3" adjustments.

[Suicide Junkie]

Lets see:
damage x10, and range +1 since ships can't stack in the same combat square.
Also important is that all components had only 10 SE4 hitpoints, even large weapons... Big guns didn't bulk up your ships like they do in SE4.
Only armor should do that.

APB 1: 20 - 10 (@ range 4)
APB 12: 60 - 20 (@ range 9)
(30kt)

CSM 5: 150 @ 9
(50kt, reload 3)

MB 6: 30 @ 7
(20kt)

AMT 5: 50 @ 7
QT 5: 100 @ 7
(50kt, reload 2)

PPB 5: 40 - 20 @ 7
(30kt)

RB 4: 60 @ 3
(20kt)

IB 3: 100 @ 7
(50kt, reload 2)

WMG 3: 200 @ 9
(70kt, reload 3)

GHB 5: 300 - 60 @ 9
(60kt, reload 2)

SD 5: 150 @ 8
(20kt)

[Geckomlis]

SJ,
Hmmm, I see your point about all components had only 10 SE4 hitpoints in SE3. I actually like the SE4 system though – it is provides more variety and is consistent with other “design-a thing” games. Also, didn’t SE3 follow the Starfire convention of left-to-right damage resolution?

Back to weapons - not sure if I am understanding you, call me math challenged:

APB 1 - Stock SE4
RNG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DMG 20 15 15

APB 1 - “SE3” Adjusted
RNG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DMG 20 ? ? 10

APB 12 - Stock SE4
RNG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DMG 65 60 60 55 55 50 50 45

APB 12 - “SE3” Adjusted
RNG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DMG 60 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 20

Gecko

[Grandpa Kim]

I do understand there is a market-- Mediocrity being a prime example-- for a game or mod with this many restrictions, but to me it is bland, bland, bland! I think I'd rather pull out my chess set.

Just my opinion.

[Suicide Junkie]

The blanks in those damage Ratings are just a smooth decrease in strength over range. I didn't care to write out all the values; just interpolate.



SE3 had quite a nifty damage system.
Armor was initially impenetrable, but once some of the components were destroyed, damage could leak through the gaps to hit your internals.

I'm not saying you should try too hard to emulate the SE3 system, as it just won't happen. Leaky armor is probably the best approximation you'll get and its fairly difficult to implement properly with AIs.

The thing I'm pushing for is the weapon values.
The weapons are all useful in their own way, without a clear uberweapon in the system.

SE3 damage FYI:

Three ship levels:
Armor (max 10%, only armor)
Outer Hull (no max, any comps)
Inner Hull (max 25%, any comps)

When a shot hits, the following occurs:
1) Pick a random component from the armor level (if none exists, skip to outer hull section)
2) If the component chosen is already destroyed (a hole in the armor), skip to the outer hull section.
3) Apply damage from top to bottom, but starting at the randomly chosen component. If you reach the bottom of the armor section keep going from the top as if it were a circular list of components (or perhaps pick a new random armor, I don't recall exactly)
4) If all armor is destroyed, remaining damage hits outer hull, starting with the top component.

5) Outer Hull: Pick a random component, just like as above.
6) If chosen component is already destroyed, goto the inner hull section
7) Apply damage from top down.

8) Inner hull: Pick a random component, again.
9) Apply damage from top down
10) If no inner hull components remain, goto 1 with remaining damage points.

[ August 09, 2003, 02:41: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Geckomlis]

Thanks SJ for the FYI on SE3. Is SE3 still available for download somewhere?

[Suicide Junkie]

Yeppers.

Visit malfador.com, and hit SE3 -> downloads.

[Geckomlis]

Originally posted by Grandpa Kim:
I do understand there is a market-- Mediocrity being a prime example-- for a game or mod with this many restrictions, but to me it is bland, bland, bland! I think I'd rather pull out my chess set.

Just my opinion.

I agree it is a niche flavor of PBW SEIV.