Creating a Borg Scenario

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RogueMOOer
Posts:4
Joined:Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:21 pm
Creating a Borg Scenario

Postby RogueMOOer » Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:42 am

Via liberal use of save game manipulation, I intend to create a civ2-like scenario where the player acts as the Borg (custom meklar) from Star Trek. After reviewing their technology, I realized that Moo2 would be (almost) perfect for the simulation -- except the fact that much of the scenario events will have to be done by hand. Like that's going to stop me.

I was a lurker but I've never actually gone through the mods on this site yet, but I'm getting to that now. Quite a while ago, I did my own rebalancing of racial picks, which I will compare. The difference is mine are bent on the assumption of maximal player universes with AI in play. Picks were evaluated by how easily they allowed a player to win an all AI game with the possible substitution of 1 human opponent.

But I digress. I'll be posting save games of the major phases of the game (before and after the assimilation of a new race which sparks some save game editing) for everyone to enjoy along with an explanation of the changes that occur in that 1 turn.

Starting Borg Characteristics: Unlike normal races, the Borg advance themselves rather than just their technology.
Initial, permanent
Feudal (-6 in vanilla scale) -- the nanoprobe-driven ships making makes sense. Barracks are added into each new colony, although no morale leaders or buildings are allowed. I'm ok with Moo1-style transports so the ability to build them doesn't bother me.
Pop -50% (-5) -- they don't grow drones initially and forcing them to mate would be horribly inefficient)
Repulsive (-5)
Farm -1 (-4) -- freed drones don't feed themselves well. This isn't a necessary starting value but it does add to the challenge.
Note that they start out with food replicators once they become cybernetic -- which should happen upon discovering computers. Keep in mind that this is significantly harder considering the early science & feudalism hit.
Their food replicators cannot be stolen (something else will be stolen instead) unless it is taken by another cybernetic race.

Initial, temporary
Science -1 (-5) -- they assimilate, not invent. Once they have enough individuals to query, they do better. Each assimilated encounter/species gives a 3% science bonus to bring them to -0% science. See below.
Low gravity (-5) -- a stretch, but it feels right
Attack -20 (-4) -- they use superior firepower, not good aim.
Spying -10 (-3) -- they aren't very sneaky...
Industry -1 (-2) -- they start out clunky and slow
Def -20% (-1) -- they kind of sit there while being attacked
Ground -10 (-1) -- they also just walk up to those they board, at first

Totaling -41

Traits of the Path of Assimilation, in order:
Cybernetic (2) -- They weren't always this way, but it even includes the regenerating ships :)
Bc +1 (4) -- the Borg are really good at resource allocation, except they don't trade...
BC +2 (6)
Initial, Temporary negatives removed as above, in reverse order
Attack +20 (1)
--Breaking Point for Confederation: -33% science
Ground+10 (1)
omniscient (1)
stealth (1)
Industry +1 (2)
Defense +25 (2)
Ground +20 (2)
high gravity (2)
Spying +10 (2)
Trans-dimensional (2)
Warlord (3)
Defense +50 (3)
--Breaking point for Unification (8 ) and removal of all but home barracks. Yay for -0% science
Attack +50 (3)
Spying +20 (3
Science +1 (4)
Industry +2 (4)
telepathic (4)
*aquatic (5)
*subterranean (5)
Sci+2 (7)

Quick Tally 58 stacking bonuses (this is 7 over the negatives. The +sci isn't strictly necessary, but the Borg eventually do do their own research.) Technically the order isn't strict, if a race something within the same 'tier' is assimilated slightly early.

Genetic Mutation would be Pop+100% (4) once Borg start to grow drones.

All other AI players:

Cannot by unification (only the Borg have a hive mind). Feudal is allowable only for distant neighbors.
Huge (2 cost via vanilla scheme), Artifact (3 cost) home world

Picks the Borg cannot assimilate:
Food bonuses. It isn't in their path to perfection.
Lithovore (9) -- they still have to use up energy (production), so no-go
Tolerant (10) -- the Borg do terraform, unlike this pick
Creative (10) -- I'm on the fence about this one.
Democracy (11) -- they aren't the federation!

Once a close race is conquered, the last "clean" save (starting at the beginning) is run by rapidly clicking next turn. This gives expansions as if the Borg had no contact, effectively allowing an extra race to be added to the map. Of course diplomacy might be difficult to reset and only 7 opponents will be on the map at once, but the 'safe expansion' empire data can be manually stuck into the "real" save.

A 30 total races (including natives, and the star trek universe seems to have more natives than normal Moo2...) can be used/emulated. Anytime a planet is conquered, the population is immediately turned into Borg -- conferring all the benefits of the race. Ships captured have their full technology gains via save reloading.

Leaders aren't paid, they are captured. Their skills can be readjusted (it makes them fun and useful) because nothing says Borg like amputating limbs to replace them with cybernetics. Those leader drones have a new purpose now!

I was thinking about having a well spread-out huge galaxy with a fair amount of large planets. It helps to compensate for the lots and of scattered planets effect from Star Trek. First the 7 should be all near but as the Borg expand their picks get scrambled and their empires get moved to the matching boarders as if they had always been there.

Keep in mind the pick values are tentative and not entirely relevant. Other than that, I'm interested to hear your thoughts.

User avatar
Darza
Posts:134
Joined:Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:09 am

Postby Darza » Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:38 am

If new pick values in brackets was really "evaluated by how easily they allowed a player to win an all AI game ", than Image

RogueMOOer
Posts:4
Joined:Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:21 pm

Postby RogueMOOer » Thu Oct 04, 2012 7:44 pm

Thank you. Your hard work, clear explanation, and elegant use of space have persuaded me. You are so right there is no need to return to under your bridge. No more explanation is required on any of your forums. You are free now


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