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

[Dausuul]

You don't happen to have the source code for MoO2, do you? Even just a decompiled version? If you do, I'd be happy to take a look at it, though I make no promises.

Unfortunately, without the source code (and I'd be very surprised if you have it), any programming task is harder by a couple orders of magnitude. And I mean that literally--100x as long to do anything. Think of it like trying to make changes to a book written in ancient Sumerian. If you have an English/Sumerian dictionary and grammar textbook, you can work it out. If you don't, you're going to spend 99% of your time just trying to figure out the alphabet, never mind figuring out how to improve the story. It'd be easier to rewrite the entire book from scratch in a language you know.

(I should also add that, source code or no source code, writing a good AI for a strategy game is really, really, really, really, really hard. There's a reason why just about every strategy game out there gives the AI generous cheats on the higher difficulties; it's the only way to make it competitive with a smart human player. It's easier with a game like chess, where the number of options is limited and there's no random element or hidden information. Even then, however, it took an immense amount of time, money, and effort to get to where computers could beat human grandmasters.)

[Darza]

If source code of moo2 was at ANY known person's disposal - there would be at least pair of complete rewrites\ports available, no mention deep modding. But its officially lost, as claimed by creators, so all you have is some not-deep mods and few dead-at-birth rewrite projects.

[Dausuul]

If source code of moo2 was at ANY known person's disposal - there would be at least pair of complete rewrites\ports available, no mention deep modding. But its officially lost, as claimed by creators, so all you have is some not-deep mods and few dead-at-birth rewrite projects.

Yeah, I kind of figured that would be the case. Ah well.

[Overlord2]

VDC 47 Uploaded with tractors enabled. I would be greateful if someone could report how Ai treats new tractors.

[flyinfart]

I've followed this thread off and on for years now and have always wondered why Advanced damage control isn't higher on the tech tree. It seems that by not having it so early would open up a lot of early game strategies, especially considering how disadvantaged invading fleets would become. It would make lasers significantly more interesting early game too.

[Overlord2]

Hi,
Well, I have different opinion. I think Advanced Damage Control is very minor tech in fact. It finds its use only in one situation: when you lose a combat and retreat - in that case enemy chasing you won't be fighting with damaged ships on your arrival to the outpost or else. When you are fighting on own outpost or at enemy's colony and succeed (invade), your ships automatically repair. So basically no sense placing this tech anywhere with more significant techs.

[Overlord2]

VDC 47a uploaded, fixing small bug.

[Overlord2]

VDC 48 uploaded with race costs and AI races updated. For all changes see VDC_Readme file.

[BrecMadak]

appreciated for such enthusiasm you have put. Will check this week-end hopefully.

[Overlord2]

Thanks, I wonder which of the AI races are the strongest/weakest in VDC. Some feedback would be appreciated.

[Pawlys]

Oddly bulrathi and alkari have stomped me a lot of times.

[Overlord2]

Bulrathi, unification +2 prod, often gets tolerant improvement as AI...I guess some AI bonuses are imbalanced. I will look to change them.

[Haelkyon]

I just installed the Mod and I'm getting an odd 'bug' or at least I can't find any reference to the change in the Readme.

When I first start the game all the starter ships show -### space when designing new ones and they all have things like Battle Scanner, Scout lab, Reinforced Hull and Security Stations pre-installed. Is this intentional? I don't see any of the Techs that are installed as researchable items anymore, so I guess yes? I'm just worried that if this is bugged, there might be other stuff wrong.

I'm using the Gog.com files(1.40b23), and just overwrote with the VDC download running VDCREG.EXE.

[Overlord2]

Hi,

These are AI autobuild patterns, which use +50% space. To make AI more competitive I increased space for AI ships. You may disregard predefined designs and construct your own designs by means of clear button and adding your stuff.

[Haelkyon]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Nice mod but these Antarans are crazy. I don't know if this is geared towards small galaxy or MP but I ran an omniscient race on Huge and just spammed "Turn" to see what they'd do. Once the Antarans started on turn 100 or whatever they did NOT stop lol. Like literally every turn a new fleet spawned somewhere, I think I had 4 Antaran fleets on the map at once at one point each wiping out a planet

I actually almost won simply by the fact they ignored my single planet(I was Lucky) while completely destroying every other race in the galaxy.

I changed the Frequency rate from 2 in your mod to something close to the original number and will see what happens now.