More Neutrals

[Jubala]

Good idea Baron. I created a racial tech tree for neutrals in which they had a universal colonization component so they could settle all planets in their homesystem at once when I first got the game. But back then I didn't know how to make them research and use it so I gave it up. Now that I do maybe I will take it up again.

What I would want the neutrals to do in general to protect themselves is to mount serious warp point defenses with tons of sats, mines, fighters and bases. I wish the AI in general was better at this, but neutrals in particular. It should hurt to break into a neutrals system that has had some time to prepare fixed defenses. Mines, satellites and fighters doesn't cost any maintainance and bases have 50% reduced upkeep so that's what neutrals should concentrate on imo. I have never seen the AI build a base at a warp point so I don't know if it can.

[DirkHowitzer]

These are all good ideas, but you have to consider reality as well...I mean in the real world how long would a country like Switzerland/Cuba/Phillipines/Swaziland/etc...(small countries...Switzerland was actually neutral in WWII)...Last against the US or other large power if that country really decided that they wanted the smaller one. So don't give the neutrals to large a bonus.

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"He's dead, Jim."-- Lt. Commander Leonard "Bones" McCoy |Chief Medical Officer / USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

[Baron Munchausen]

quote:

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Originally posted by DirkHowitzer:
These are all good ideas, but you have to consider reality as well...I mean in the real world how long would a country like Switzerland/Cuba/Phillipines/Swaziland/etc...(small countries...Switzerland was actually neutral in WWII)...Last against the US or other large power if that country really decided that they wanted the smaller one. So don't give the neutrals to large a bonus.

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This is true, of course. The real restraint on a ruthless conquering sort of empire is the diplomatic consequences of being too brazen about it. If the other AI empires would take notice of your behavior and dispute with you then the neutrals would be more survivable. And it doesn't have to be only "nice" AIs that stick up for neutrals. Another ruthless conqueror might just as likely say "Hey, that's MY turf" and threaten you for taking the neutral system because they want to take it themselves.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 21 January 2001).]

[Barnacle Bill]

quote:

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Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
This is true, of course. The real restraint on a ruthless conquering sort of empire is the diplomatic consequences of being too brazen about it. If the other AI empires would take notice of your behavior and dispute with you then the neutrals would be more survivable. And it doesn't have to be only "nice" AIs that stick up for neutrals. Another ruthless conqueror might just as likely say "Hey, that's MY turf" and threaten you for taking the neutral system because they want to take it themselves.

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This is exactly how it should work. The diplomatic model should create grave consequences for beating up on neutrals.

[DirkHowitzer]

Excellent ideas as usual...perhaps other ideas could be intituted as well(If this was ever considered by MM or the modders)such the AI's getting pissed of when you used biological weapons and such. You might recall that this was already done in MOO2.

[This message has been edited by DirkHowitzer (edited 21 January 2001).]

[Baron Munchausen]

I designed a special tech for the Neutrals, but have not found a way to make the facility get used in game setup. Apparently something about the initial facilities on a homeworld is hardcoded. I created a new "Racial Ability" for a tech called "Neutral Society" in RacialTraits.txt:

Name := Neutral Society
Description := Gains access to Neutral Society Technology. NOT FOR PLAYERS! NEUTRALS ONLY!
Pic Num := 0
General Type := Advantage
Cost := 1000
Trait Type := Tech Area
Value 1 := 1
Value 2 := 0
Required Trait 1 := None
Required Trait 2 := None
Required Trait 3 := None
Restricted Trait 1 := None
Restricted Trait 2 := None
Restricted Trait 3 := None

(Note, I re-arranged/numbered the racial tech areas while I was at it.) Then I made the technology in techarea.txt:

Name := Neutral Society
Group := Theoretical Science
Description := The science of lore of small societies which survive in the larger context of galactic politics.
Maximum Level := 1
Level Cost := 50000
Start Level := 1
Raise Level := 0
Racial Area := 1
Unique Area := 0
Can Be Removed := False
Number of Tech Req := 0

Then I created a facility:

Name := Seat of Government Facility
Description := Central government of a neutral race.
Facility Group := Population support
Facility Family := 255
Roman Numeral := 0
Restrictions := None
Pic Num := 68
Cost Minerals := 2500
Cost Organics := 5000
Cost Radioactives := 2500
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Neutral Society
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 5
Ability 1 Type := Spaceport
Ability 1 Descr := Acts as a spaceport for this system.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Change Bad Intelligence Chance - System
Ability 2 Descr := Strong sense of identity reduces success of enemy infiltration/sabotage by 50 percent.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 50
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Ability 3 Type := Change Population Happiness - System
Ability 3 Descr := Strong sense of identity increases population happiness.
Ability 3 Val 1 := 3
Ability 3 Val 2 := 0
Ability 4 Type := Combat Modifier - System
Ability 4 Descr := Clear command hierarchy and good morale makes for 20 percent combat bonus.
Ability 4 Val 1 := 3
Ability 4 Val 2 := 0
Ability 5 Type := Damage Modifier - System
Ability 5 Descr := Training and good morale makes for 10 percent boost in weapon effectiveness.
Ability 5 Val 1 := 10
Ability 5 Val 2 := 0

I then added the special ability "Neutral Society" to all of the neutrals. It works in that this facility is AVAILABLE to them when I look, but it doesn't get used in the initial setup of the homeworld even though I put an ability that it carries, 'Change Population Happiness' as the FIRST thing in the homeworld build queue. I can only guess that this setup is actually hard coded, as I said... <shrug>