Orbis - the original thread

I am of the opinion that including FF content isn't necessary or even a very good idea, but that using the same DLL and schema could greatly improve your modmod. That is what I intend to do with mine (although I may make minor SDK changes too, at least eventualy). Also, it would make it pretty simple for others to merge Orbi and FF if they so desire.

Ahwaric said:

Do you think I should base Orbi on FF in more or less distant future ?
I can't support both FfH and FF versions. Too much work in updating and too much differences to make both veresions balanced without introducing big differences

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No, I was not expecting you to do so if you had not already. I was just confused because I either missed or did not notice that you had added the Mazatl specifically to your own modmod, as opposed to operating through FF.

I have no concerns with Orbi modmod being based on FFH alone.

Back in action after a run-in with particularly bad computer virus.

"Graphic meltdown" only happens in Orbi. But it's likely a weird bug caused by my aging hardware. Lategame CtDs are actually far less common then "vanilla" FFH, and Orbi seems far more stable then FF. Why FF keeps dying on me is a mystery.

I've got a few suggestions for features but I'm not sure how feasible they are.

- Please remove the instakill result from exploring lairs. It's not fun.

- Add guild specific events. Would gladly help brainstorming.

- Add unique unit spawn from lairs (New feature in MarnokMod). Good fun.

- Change Privateer graphic for one with animated attack. Or drop the unit, since you inserted a promotion that overrides the need for it.

- The Dovellio faction could use a little boost since you gave their advantage to all civs. (Units no longer have building requirements.) Since they got a wolf theme I was thinking that you could add a hero wolf pack unit to their starter army. One more unit that early makes a lot of difference, and their current "hero" could use the support.

- Unique unit recruits. Either through guild events, or through lairs/villages. Or even both. I'm sure you got a bunch of unit graphics that you wanted to add but couldn't fit in with any civilization.

- Remove some promotions from archers. Since you added metal & duskwood promotions as well as ranged attack these units have become far stronger compared to FFH. So if possible remove some of their versatility to compensate. Or give -1 unit strength.

- General promotion overhaul. I have no idea if it's possible but some unit/promotion combinations are very strange and since everything can counter everything the need for a mixed army is pretty small. The AI can not deal with massed archers. Perhaps a system hard counters could be used? But that feels like a heck of a lot of work to fix a nonissue. Maybe for Civilization 5.

- Flying units, or really mobile amphibians. Griffons got all the glory here, and the AI is actually good as using these guys. Clashes between naval armies are a lot of fun but very late game it can turn into a chore. A group of fliers (limited to four per civilization) could speed up the destruction of an already beaten AI, and adds another layer of late game strategy. No dragons though.

- Resurrection ritual, that brings back either a fallen hero (Any fallen hero?) or your highest level unit (No ships). Death by lucky shot is somewhat too common, sort of like having your battleship sunk by pitchfork wielding militia in Civilization 2.

- Interguild competition. There's too much advantage in having as many guilds as possible in your cities. Perhaps some of them don't mix well?

- Wolves, lions and tigers are rare and crappy units. Could you give wolves Mobility 1, Lions combat 1 and tigers Woodsman 1?

Some feedback on the AI:
- AI doesn't know how to use or counter archer type units. High strength units are quickly cut down to size since each cheap archer does percentage ranged damage. Suggestion: -1 unit strength on archers. Locks them into support roles.

- AI doesn't know how to spread guilds. Occasionally uses massed guild units as expensive cannon fodder. Suggestion: Founding city spreads guild like religion.

- AI makes very competent use of naval units. Suggestion: Keep up the good work.

- AI surprisingly unaggressive. I'm nearly always the one who declares war in an otherwise peaceful, not very apocalyptic, world. Hyborem needs to get his act together. Suggestion: Hyborem & Basium in permanent alliance with summoning civilization. Both start with strong armies and immediately declare war on all other civilizations. Doomsday needs a kick start.

- AI does a fair job at using spells. It does a bad job at building prospectors. Suggestion: Drop the spell on prospectors and give the founding building +1 earth mana? Or can you increase the chance of mines finding resources without granting the magic?

I really like Wauthan's suggestion for guild events. For instance a war between two guilds that would require you to exile one or the other, or to pay them both off.

And if you do integrate the enhanced Mercenaries, consider extending it to other guilds that have specialists to offer.

Finally, from time to time I have a Prospector gain some experience points along with the Adventurer promotion. How about an Adventurer 2 promotion or something else to use those EPs on? (And might Explorer be a better term? Less likely to be confused with the Adventurer unit)

Thanks for the sugestions. Keep it up!
I really like most of them, but unfortunatelly I will not have internet acces and time in the next week to work on Orbi. The good part for me is that I will have to update it only once and will skip all the 0.33 patches that will be released this week. Also, I should have much more time in september.
I will take a look at the new version of Marnok's mod and see what I can carry over here. Expanded mercs will be in for sure.

Is AI weak in Prospectors, millers & traders only or all guildmasters? I tried to copy everything from BtS (especiall for all except the above three), so AI shoul know how to use them...

In my games, the AI handled the spreading of corporations quite well (in Immortal games). I have not checked for their use of the prospectors' or miller's ability to find new resources. Maybe someone could run a couple of automated games and see what they do with those units? (I already updated to 33, erasing my 32 copy.)
I am relatively sure that the AI has used archers to diminish defenses when attacking cities, although I can't recall right now if the AI has used them to attack units outside cities nor for "softening" units before sending in troops with higher strength.
As I said before, great mod. Great use of resources that might otherwise lie idle.

Thank you.

Hi friends,
I worked hardly with NifSkope & PaintShopPro9, so here is my personal set of Svartalfar units, waiting seZ

• Archer: from Dark Elf Only Mod 1.1J, adjusted ears and skin palette
• Longbowman: from Dark Elf Only Mod 1.1J, adjusted ears and skin palette
• Assassin: from Dark Elf Only Mod 1.1J, adjusted ears and skin palette, retained old model head, added just some red lines on face, changed weapons
• Shadow: from Dark Elf Only Mod 1.1J, adjusted ears and skin palette, retained old model head, added cape, changed weapons
• Ranger: from Dark Elf Only Mod 1.1J, adjusted ears and skin palette, added cape, changed weapons
• Swordsman: great model and texture by neener, adjusted skin and armor palette, added ears and changed weapon&shield
• Champion: : great model and texture by neener, adjusted skin and armor palette, added ears and changed weapon&shield

Hey... still no closer to getting the internet! lol

Any idea when the 0.33 compatible version will be out?

Thanks

Al

Well, assuming that Ahwaric is back from his net-less existence it will probably take him at least a week just to catch up with 0.33e. With patch master Kael working his magic FF has changed quite a bit, so I doubt Orbi will "upgrade" smoothly.

But my predictions have been known to occasionally be wrong.

I am back

In fact I am back for a few days already, but was too busy to post or mod anything.
Fortunatelly I will have more time now, so expect update to 0.33e in a day or two.
I have to check the changes in 0.33 and see what should I change in orbi. I also want to check some other mods development to see what I can get.
If you have some more suggestions post them here.

it's good to see you're still around Ahwaric, lots of good stuff going on in here

Good to see you're back Ahwaric. Looking forward to be playing Orbi again. Got a few suggestions for guild specific events, but those can wait until you're up and running again. But if you do have time to spare it would be neat if you could post some lore or other fluff about the guilds.

Also glad to see you back Ahwaric. Definitely looking forward to the next version.

WOOT! Ahwaric! Ur back! So looking forward to this. Internet arriving soon as well so I'll be able to dl it at home!

Al

Howzit coming? (Thought maybe giving the thread a bump might help.)

I am really sorry for breaking my promise. I had some real life stuff that I had to take care first, then took some days of holidays (at last!

Anyway, I already updated my files to schema changes in FfH 0.33 and will work on the other things tomorrow, so I hope it will be avaliable soon. No exact terms this time, just in case

Good to see that you are still interested in this modmod

Dear Ahwaric:
Great to read you are back. I will be looking forward to the updates.

Regards

No worries Ahwaric, everyone needs some downtime no question.

Glad to see you're back on the case though.

Just wanted to let you know that there are those who enjoy your creations and are looking forward to the next version. Your modmod has some fun stuff that we don't get anywhere else. But don't feel like you have to rush.

That was a hard one. It took a while to update Orbi to 0.33g, but it is finally here.
Not many changes this time, apart from the update itself. There are some things I am thinking/working on and I hope to include at least some of them before 0.34. Now when my thesis is finished I hope to spend my time better...
Full changelog is in the second post, as well as some of the things I am working on.

Unfortunatelly I had not the time to play any FfH game (modded or not) since 0.34 is out, so I just checked some changes. If you find any additions/changes to the basic mod that you think I have missed, please let me know. The same applies to any other bug.

If you have any ideas for guild events, please post them too Or any opinion on the things I am working on/should focus on.

Have fun!

Edit:
I accidentaly disabled TumTum for barbarians. Here is a quickfix (deleted)

Edit2:
Found a big bug with somnium (did not start at all). It is now fixed and you can get patch 0.13a here. Changelog in post 2