"Very Difficult Choice" Mod, irc channel: irc.quakenet.org/vdc

[Overlord2]

OK, I had changed Attack Frequency Determinant from 2 to 95, for example, and antarans stopped to spam every turn. But they come every 12-15 turns anyway if I even change AFD to 200 (as is in vanilla 1.31), to 400 or above.

The higher you set AFD value the higher will be chance that antarans won't attack longer, but as I mentioned before the strength of such attack will be maximal. The exact formula of attack probability is given in help to that section.

And about other changes in that section: if I decrease Antaran Fleet Size Limits on some positions why the game ignores it? I mean if I set q-ty of Offensive Marauders to 3 the antarans send 4 or 5 with 1 B-ship anyway, for example.

Not sure, might be the ship which survives on previous attack isn't counted in fleet size limits...needs checking. Could you send me the save and the text file (ocl_Improved) of the mod settings?

And one more question: does the time spent on 1 turn affect the results of that turn? Sometimes I observe the results are better when I simply click on 'TURN' button without any delay: high lvl leaders come, spies successfully steals techs, researchers make breakthrough and so on. Or that's just random?

I believe the latter. The functionality you described would be illogical.

[JarekIII]

Not sure, might be the ship which survives on previous attack isn't counted in fleet size limits...needs checking. Could you send me the save and the text file (ocl_Improved) of the mod settings?

I send you both (the 2 saves & text file).

[Darza]

And one more question: does the time spent on 1 turn affect the results of that turn? Sometimes I observe the results are better when I simply click on 'TURN' button without any delay: high lvl leaders come, spies successfully steals techs, researchers make breakthrough and so on. Or that's just random?

If you just press a turn for some straight turns it will hurt your performance in result, and game is trying to help a races what doing bad with good events, in a way you describing. In general - the worse you play, the more lucky in random you get in result.

[Overlord2]

Not sure, might be the ship which survives on previous attack isn't counted in fleet size limits...needs checking. Could you send me the save and the text file (ocl_Improved) of the mod settings?

I send you both (the 2 saves & text file).

Made some tests: from what I can see the antaran fleet size limits data is written into the save. Consequently if you started a game with other fleet limits, it will be using those values to the end of the game. Got to use the updated exe from the beginning to get new fleet size limits.

[Overlord2]

Uploaded VDC 45e: Starfortress nerfed a bit, star bases specials list revised.

[Pawlys]

Hello,
first off, Thank you for this great mod Overlord2, it really does revamp good old MoO2 and makes it a lot more challenging and replayable.

I do have one question though: Why can't I beat this game?
Well I have beat it a couple of times by beating antarans at their HW or vetoing senate and going one vs whole galaxy, but what puzzles me is the start of the game.
I have been following this discussion and taking tips about race picks, tech paths, strategies, yet I just can't compete with AI at even hard mode (not to mention impossible). It usually goes 2 ways: either AI out-techs me(can't do much with mass driver vs plasmas) or out-swarms me (like get a fleet of 20+ warships and then just sweep my systems one by one before I cam pump out enough ships to beat them(this scenario usually involves me being in tech advantage, but they win by sheer numbers). Is there live a detailed guide to early AI game for VDC that you could point me to? Or maybe you could drop some hints for me yourself?

[Overlord2]

Hi,

Thanks for high appraisal of the mod.
About the strength of AI I want to say the two things:
1) AI strength much depends on the racepicks it gets, you can edit stock AI races to get much easier game.
2) The set of AI races I made is meant for advanced players who had a lot of practice before and to provide some challenge for SP.

My advice for getting better: use one of the strong races prompted in the last sheet of supplied .xls file; use the tech path I advised in the thread some pages ago; use housing heavily for growing pop and more practice (10-20 completed games should be enough I think). If this doesn't help then idk.

PS. You might want to start a new thread in strategy section of this forum like 'Tips to beat impossible AI in VDC mod' and may get the answers from other players.

[Overlord2]

VDC 46b is uploaded with adjustments for blitz games.

Edit: 46c reuploaded. Compared to 46b no changes except for leaders table.

[BrecMadak]

Hello Overlord2, your mod looks like a great overhaul over vanilla of MoO2, thus I'm so excited to try out your mod. Additionally since June 2013, it hasn't been updated I think, so is next version likely to come out soon what can you tell me about the progress which was written in main post under 'Future Planned Changes' section ?

Cheers !

[Overlord2]

Hi,

The forum engine must be displaying it wrong, since I updated it many times after that. The last version 46e was released on 2013-12-21.
The changes I mentioned on the front page are the changes, which I wish could be added to the VDC mod, but some of them will be very difficult to implement, if possible at all. Currently working on tractors and hope to finish them soon.

[BrecMadak]

Overlord2, checked changelog yesterday night before sleep, and was drooled right away, man that is really a hit, well done. Really worthy effort you have shown there.

I over-wrote files in rar, but in-game screen doesn't show any indication that VDC is in effect like a small text atached to main menu and the likes, but checked racial values and it looks lilke its modded already.
Additionally is there other mod/patch you would suggest that goes well within your mod ? Even ones like hi-res, cursor sensivity option adder, etc would be handy.

[Overlord2]

Overlord2, checked changelog yesterday night before sleep, and was drooled right away, man that is really a hit, well done. Really worthy effort you have shown there.

Many adjustments, because I am active player and something which needs adjustment appears very often. I hope to stop them at some point, although there are many things, which still could be improved in this game.

Additionally is there other mod/patch you would suggest that goes well within your mod ? Even ones like hi-res, cursor sensivity option adder, etc would be handy.

The mod is a patch itself, it doesn't require any additional files. If there is some, I will include them into the package. As for resolution the game works in old 640*480 resolution, but in dosbox you can set resolution for window mode. Check it in dosbox.conf file (e.g. windowresolution=800x600). As for the mouse setting I have no idea, never touched that.

[BrecMadak]

Thanks for the reply !

Glad to hear you are an active player !
I think mouse sensivity being high comes from the resolution its being displayed in default (640*480) but as you said will try to open at 800*600 and even try 1024*768 when I arrive at home)

Just read your AI investigation posts which take place under different topics, and curious if you or any other modder is able to overcome those issues ?

Engine limits and such; not even having a small portion of knowledge myself when it comes to modding; on the other hand improving AI is quite crucial point in my eyes personally. So would like to ask you if there will be ever an option in future changing monotonous and pre-defined AI behaviours to a larger extent at least ?

[Overlord2]

Just read your AI investigation posts which take place under different topics, and curious if you or any other modder is able to overcome those issues ?

No, didn't have time for AI modding recently.

Engine limits and such; not even having a small portion of knowledge myself when it comes to modding; on the other hand improving AI is quite crucial point in my eyes personally. So would like to ask you if there will be ever an option in future changing monotonous and pre-defined AI behaviours to a larger extent at least ?

That will require quite an effort, and it will need a lot of testing in SP. Also one should know what to mod, however it's not clear now. Maybe situation is so that no modding will help AI, but complete rewrite of their functions, which requires appropriate skill, which I don't have. As you can understand this is not commercial project and what I do here is minor modding for multiplayer. For bigger jobs I need to hire programmers, but I am not in position to do so. Hope this answers your question.

[BrecMadak]

Yes, much appreciated I see better now. Changing AI is a serious task which requires maybe full time working and all, wish there would be a kickstarter or any similiar kind project ever happen in future, an ambitious project which its goal staying true to its roots and just improving AI by not adding unnecessary stuf and such, but I doubt it.

If there ever happens I'd straightforwardly want to donate for sure. *Yawns*
I would really really want it happen but...