Proportions Version 2.0 available

[PvK]

Thanks for the feedback, Nigel Wulf! These were the sorts of effects I was trying to get, and it's very nice to see them happening for other players!

I'm about to release a small 2.1 patch which fixes and improves a few things, and 2.2 maybe for this weekend or next, which will adjust a few of the facilities' Ratings. I think I'm going to be waiting for more testing and feedback before adding much more except tweaks, so I expect to focus on AI improvements. The first Gold patch adds several powerful AI customization improvements that should be very helpful for making the Proportions AI much more effective.

Oleg, your game sounds pretty neat - I hope you do write an account. It is fun and useful to see what the mod does in players' games. AI bonus is quite hard to overcome in this mod, as you can see.

PvK

[wr8th]

Actually, I prefer the slower game and the slowed building up of infrastructure. Too often in the unmodded Version, I'd leave a colony to languish (who cared if it got gobbled up and it was not yet developed, I'll go back in in a couple turns and retake or glass it). No longer. Now it requires attention to develop and defend. My colonization fleet ships (Colony Ships and Pop transports) now carry mines/AFVs/fighters.

The effect of distance is now enhanced, as are the supply planets' ability to extend the reach of your empire. By far, the largest difference is the need for a dedicated migration fleet. Because of it's relative importance in developing colonies' population and production, it cannot be ignored to provide maintenance points for warships. A compromise is to mount some weapons and better engines on some of the Pop transports so that they can act as privateers in times of urgent need (not really meant to act as warships, but to augment the existing fleet).

This past weekend I started 3 different games just to get a better feel for the opening moves of Proportions. Including the efficient engine models, small missile sytems and changed ground pounder rules, this mod should help me kill many hours I'd likely be spending doing something productive like remodeling the kitchen or bathroom or some such frivolity that wives like.

[PsychoTechFreak]

When do you implement upgradable Cities/Metropolis, is it in 2.1 already ? At the moment I would have to scrap a City to build up a Metropole, right ?

[PvK]

Yes, that's right. I have it in 2.1, but I remember why I didn't put it in originally. SE4 does not allow upgrades to intermediate levels - only to the highest level. This means that as soon as you develop Megalopolis, you won't be able to upgrade from City to Metropolis, only to Megalopolis (which will take a long long time). I'll send a request in case it's easy for MM to allow intermediate upgrades, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I'll still add upgrades to 2.1, but this is a kind of annoying limit. If anyone knows of a way around this, let me know.

PvK

[PvK]

wr8th, I'm glad you're getting so much out of the mod. Yes, arming transports (and/or using convoy tactics) can be helpful, also because enemy raiders will have a harder time against them. The maintenance reduction means it's not prohibitively expensive to add some interesting abilities to transports.

PvK

[wr8th]

PvK,

Somewhat off-topic, but I checked your profile and you list yourself at wargamer.com. Co-incidentally, I remember a couple years back looking around for scenarios for some Talonsoft games and coming across that website.

Are you a webmaster for that site? Jes' wunnerin'

[PvK]

I was the executive editor at The Wargamer for some years - now I'm Editor Emeritus (meaning I contribute what time I can spare).

PvK