STM "Final v1.7.5" Discussion

[Atrocities]

Info for those who like to read.

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The Star Trek Mod
Version 1.3.4 Play By Web Version

By Atrocities and Captain Kwok

Offical v 1.0.0 Released 7-21-2003
Version 1.3.4 Released 11-26-2003

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INSTALLATION
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1. Unzip stmfull***.zip to your your Space Empires Directory as you would any other mod.
2. Verify that you have a mod folder named Star Trek Mod
3. Use the Mod Launcher program to start the mod.

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UNINSTALL
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1. Delete the folder name Star Trek Mod from your Space Emires IV directory.


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INFORMATION
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1. This mod uses the Image Mod Pack (Not Included):
A. Planets Mod - Not Included
B. Components Mod - Only the New Images for this mod are included)
C. Facilities Mod - Not included

2. This mod uses the Fyron Quadrant Mod Delux 2.4 - Modified & included
3. This mod uses the Fyron Ultimate Strategy Mod 1.1
4. This mod uses the Eye Candy Events file
5. This mod uses AI designed by Malfador, and members of the TDM-Mod
6. This mod uses custom ship images by William Christopher
7. This mod uses custom images by Captain Kwok
8. This mod uses custom images by Atrocities
9. This mod uses a custom button interface by General Woundwort
10. This mod uses the Colony Tech Mod by: Ed Kolis

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BETA TESTERS
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I would like to say thank you to all of the beta testers for their help and support during the beta period of the mod.
(If you participated in the beta and I did not include your name, please email me at atrocities@astmod.com so that I can include it in later Versions)

Captain Kwok
CNC Raymond
Fyron
TNZ
General Woundwort
mottlee
Suicide Junkie
Mudshark
Lighthorse
Frank
George
Rollo
Ruatha

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QUESTIONS COMMENTS OR BUG REPORTS
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1. Email Atrocities at atrocities@astmod.com
2. Post a message in the Shrapnel Games Intel Forum http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...ubb=forum;f=23


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TROUBLE SHOOTING
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Question: I get all kinds of errors when I start the mod what do I do?
ANSWER: Make sure you have installed the full Version of the mod and not just the patch.

Question: I get an error saying that my race does not have Phased-Energy weapons. What is causing this?
ANSWER: You have installed only the patch and not the full Version of the mod. The Game is substituting other races for the missing ones and is using there AI data which is not set up for the STM

Question: I get errors saying that I do not have a BMP file. Why?
ANSW$ER: You need to install the Image Mod Components/Facilities/Planets/Combat modules.

Question: Can I modify the EMP files?
ANSWER: Yes, but I would recommend that you save them under a differant name as not to currupt the orignals.

If you have a quesition about this mod please email me @ startrekmod@astmod.com

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INFORMATION
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Disclaimer: The images contained in this mod were created and or developed for the game of Space Empires IV. The image creators
have received no compensation what so ever for their work and the images are the respective property of their creators. Where possible a credit is given for
images that were not new created for use with this mod.

Space Empires IV is a registered Trade Mark of:
Malfador Machinations
PO Box 3972
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-3972
Email: info@malfador.com
Web: http://www.malfador.com

And Published by:
Shrapnel Games
www.shrpanelgames.com

The creators of this mod have created it for the sole purpose and enjoyment of the game.
No compensation has been given nor is any sought. Enjoy.

[Renegade 13]

I've experienced a few minor problems in the PBEM game we're playing. When I installed the 1.3.4 patch, a few of the Ferengi components were affected. A couple of the weapons were changed into a weapon I hadn't researched yet. A minor problem easily corrected Last turn, but I thought you might want to know

Renegade 13

[Atrocities]

The problem that caused this was the changing of the family names. I should have anticipated this, but since I was only play testing the Cardassans and Borg it did not effect me the way it is effecting your games. I sincerely apologize for this.

[Renegade 13]

Hmm....this is a little odd.

In Version 1.3.4, the Dominion seems to be adding colony components to their mine and satellite laying ships. This reduces the number of mine/satellite laying components they can fit on their ships, making those ships virtually useless. Thought you might wanna know.

Renegade 13

[DavidG]

Just My 2 cents worth based on a multi-player game that is at about turn 100:

The Federation is way too powerfull! I think the combination of the Fed Sensor array and their training facilities (which can take ships to 25% very quickly) makes them uber powerfull. Compare this to the Romulans who can only train to 12% and have no equivalent to the fed sensor array. In ships with similar level of tech this results in the Feds having a 58% advantage in combat. This makes them pretty tough to beat. I think the fed sensor arrays benefits should be much lower. (even if it gave say a 5% combat bonus it would be a usefull componet due to it's long range scanning ability)
IMHO the training facilites need to be balanced out a bit. I think it is one of SE4's major failings that training is so important. Personally I would like to see the maximum levels reduced and the training speed slowed down.
Also I think warrior races like the Klingons and Romulans should be able to train a bit (just a bit) higher than the Federation.

Also I think the maximum trade level is too high. I know this is easily changed and I plan to for our next multi game. I think the trade level also benefits the Feds assuming you are role playing the race. A race like the Borg or Romulans doesn't have a hope of beating the feds since they would likely shun all traties.

P.S. these opinions are all based on the assumption you are playing an all human game.

[DavidG]

This mayn have been fixed but I've noticed in my ver 1.25 multi game that our Borg AI is putting a heck of a lot of Armor on it's ships. Like 8 armour components and only 3 for weapons. Seems like too much armour to me.

Edit: make that 12 Armour, 3 weapons, plus 2 shields.

[ December 01, 2003, 01:14: Message edited by: DavidG ]

[Lighthorse]

Atrocities,

Orginally posted by DavidG
The Federation is way too powerfull! I think the combination of the Fed Sensor array and their training facilities (which can take ships to 25% very quickly) makes them uber powerfull. Compare this to the Romulans who can only train to 12% and have no equivalent to the fed sensor array. In ships with similar level of tech this results in the Feds having a 58% advantage in combat. This makes them pretty tough to beat. I think the fed sensor arrays benefits should be much lower. (even if it gave say a 5% combat bonus it would be a usefull componet due to it's long range scanning ability)
Here my two cents worth also.

Since I have been play-testing the Federation, I had noice their only advantages lays in their training, sensor array and treaties/trade where as for the other races have their own special advantages, (ie Borg organic armor, special weapons mounts for mosy of the other races vessels take outfix most of their ship classes, the Federations only have one class that special mounts work on). Take that away or weaken it those special advantages and the Federation will becomes a third rate empire, I my opinal.
Its a balancing act or should it be? What should this mod be, balance equal races or reflex the special abilities each race had. Case in point, the Borg once they get rolling it should take more than one or two races to stop them and push them back. A reason to united together to fight a threat before its to late. For me I prefer the later type of mod. No its not balance, but it sure as hell reflex Star Trek.

That Gentlemen is my two cents worth
Lighthorse


PS Just got back from watching Timeline, good movie, doesn't follow the book perfectly, but still a good movie

[Atrocities]

Thanks guys, I can see I have my work cut out for me.

[Atrocities]

Many of the component and facility values are what Captain Kwok had selected for the mod long before I started working on it. I agree that an uber powerful empire that stomps on the other others is a bit unrealistic, and believe when I say I will review the Federation set up very closely now.

I alsow ant to beef up the Romulans a tad, as they are entirely to weak.

But they have cloaking ability, and that can prove to be a hell of an advantage.

Could you provide more info on this:

Also I think the maximum trade level is too high. I know this is easily changed and I plan to for our next multi game. I think the trade level also benefits the Feds assuming you are role playing the race. A race like the Borg or Romulans doesn't have a hope of beating the feds since they would likely shun all traties.

My brain in in a fog at the moment and I just can't seem to figure out what to do about equalling this out a tad, whe files to edit and such.

As for the dominion using colony tech, that I think I can fix and will soon.

The borg use a lot of armor that much is true, and this has been an issue for me for some time.

Like I said some time ago, we are now into the tweaking phase of the mod and all of these insightful Posts help me a lot in tweaking the mod. My goal is to make the mod a very fun and addictive mod to play.

Aaron has included many fixes in the next patch that will added a lot of flavor to the mod and that alone gets my blood pumping.

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Lighthorse:

Here my two cents worth also.

Since I have been play-testing the Federation, I had noice their only advantages lays in their training, sensor array and treaties/trade where as for the other races have their own special advantages,

Your missing another big Fed advantage; Their weapons size. 15kt from their main weapons compared to 20kt for most other races.
I curious, when u play tested the federation I assume you got to a point were your ships were trained to the max and had Sensor Array V, CS III and ECM III. Could any other ships even hit you? I only compared them to the Romulans and I think this result in 58% in favour of the feds. This I think would mean at a range of say 5 sectors the feds would hit 98% of the time and the Romulans 2%.

Attrocities: I think the setting for maximum Trade percentage is in settings.txt IMHO 30% is too high. Of course others may disagree. 30% makes treaties extremely important. It's hard to imagine roleplaying a race like the Borg (against human opponents) and having a hope of winning since you would fall so far behind in tech and resources due to the lack of treaties.

Its a balancing act or should it be?

I guess this depends on your style of play. If like me you play only human on human games then yes it shoule be. If you want realisitic trek for solo play then some races should be more powerfull. Although in the Feds case I don't think this should be in training. (perhaps simething to give them a research edge like cheaper Daystrom institutes) I would think warrior type races should have better training. (And if you want realistic trek type stuff for the feds shouldn't you change the Fed Captians to give a negative offensive bonus? You know to simulate all that time it takes Picard to decide to shoot back? )

Is this post long enough yet? Ok I'll stop now.