Rise of Mankind 2.9 discussion

[zappara]

Now that v2.8 is finally out we can start planning the next version (slowly). RoM 2.8 includes already just about everything I want to have in this modpack (the necessary stuff) so I think v2.9 will be much smaller patch and it won't add new things except perhaps couple mod components like Mercenaries mod. So the main focus will be in fine tuning and game balance and filling up the rest of the missing pedias and update the strategy texts. Improving the language texts is one thing to update, as long as I've been provided some new translations as I can't do that stuff myself (I'm considering translating the mod to my own language, Finnish). There's few other things that I'd like to try to make with python but since they are experiments I'll rather not talk about them at this point.

[Afforess]

Originally Posted by zappara

it won't add new things except perhaps couple mod components like Mercenaries mod.

I agree. RoM 3.0 might (dare I say it) be a final release. Mercenaries modcomp would be very cool to add.

[zappara]

Originally Posted by Afforess

RoM 3.0 might (dare I say it) be a final release.

I've been thinking the same - modding three years the same mod and using most of my time for it has "prevented" me from trying some other stuff. Now there's also coming great new games that I'd like to get my hands on (like Dragon Age, Mass Effect 2, Earthrise etc)... Though I'll never stop modding, I'm too addicted to it

[Afforess]

Originally Posted by zappara

Though I'll never stop modding, I'm too addicted to it

I know exactly what you mean. Although, once I get my 1.4 out, I plan on actually playing a few games for a change.

[generalstaff]

The Mercenary Mod is cool. Is White Lies Black Ops (WLBO) going to be included, or is that going to end up being a modmod?

I also agree that 3.0 should be the final version for adding things (leaving it to the modmodders), with updates being done through patches (i.e. Patch A and Patch B or 3.01 and 3.015).

[Iceciro]

Do whatever you have to do to mesh your mod with the next, MP ready RevDCM.

[Hydromancerx]

So the modmods will stay as just that? None of them will ever get put into the actual core game?

[Afforess]

Originally Posted by generalstaff

Is White Lies Black Ops (WLBO) going to be included,

It's an SDK mod, so it would have to be a modmod of some kind, since Zappara doesn't want to mess with C++ changes.

[Crusis]

Afforess, have you upgraded your modmod that returns the early ships to coast only to 2.8 yet? Because I just can't stand it with the way it is.

Also, is there a way to turn off the storms? I think they're really adding overhead to the game and slowing it down, and once I figure out how to return the galley, war galley, trireme, and siege chimichanga to coast only then storms will be someone irrelevant.

I've been looking through the CIV4UnitInfos file, I've found the ships, and there is a line that says

<Domain>DOMAIN_SEA</Domain>

I suspect if I changed that to Domain_Coast it might solve the issue for me, but not sure yet. I guess I will try it and see, there is nothing to lose.

EDIT: That didn't work. Don't try that. I'm on a mission now, I'll find it shortly.

EDIT EDIT: HA! I found it. You have to add the ocean to the terrain impassables tag for each unit you wish to bar from the ocean. I'm doing the happy dance. Now to update war galley and trireme, then figure out how to kill the storms.

[zappara]

Originally Posted by Hydromancerx

So the modmods will stay as just that? None of them will ever get put into the actual core game?

Let's just say that I'm careful on what to add and what not at this point. Anything is possible...

[Nickos]

I think that, like someone else mentioned, "White Lies, Black Ops" mod would be a Uber addition

[Hydromancerx]

Originally Posted by zappara

Let's just say that I'm careful on what to add and what not at this point. Anything is possible...

*nods* I understand.

I do have a question though. Do you ever play RoM with modmods? If so which ones? And if not why not?

[NCC1017spock]

if you are running out of ideas.... I want to say.... make a star trek mod!

[Afforess]

Originally Posted by NCC1017spock

if you are running out of ideas.... I want to say.... make a star trek mod!

There already is a star trek mod.

[NCC1017spock]

With star trek ships in it? hmmm... I want to do a real, full blown star trek mod... I looked at the one I think your talking about.... I did not see any star trek ship models in it... only leader head pictures....? And new faction names...

EDIT: Oh my... there are two star trek mods then.... a great one... with everything, and the one I was talking about above lol....

[MrAdam]

Any chance on a civic change? I know that you don't want to re-do them but they are just so unbalanced

[JosEPh_II]

Why should the Civics be balanced? Wouldn't that create "sameness"?

I use this "civic" to offset that "civic" to achieve the benefits I need and learn to live with the negatives. I think that is what Big Heb and Lawrie worked so hard to accomplish. And what Zappara liked and agreed to.

It took a few game to start to learn how to mix and match for the Goal I wanted. Maybe that's what you are now experiencing?

JosEPh

[generalstaff]

Originally Posted by JosEPh_II

Why should the Civics be balanced? Wouldn't that create "sameness"?

I use this "civic" to offset that "civic" to achieve the benefits I need and learn to live with the negatives. I think that is what Big Heb and Lawrie worked so hard to accomplish. And what Zappara liked and agreed to.

It took a few game to start to learn how to mix and match for the Goal I wanted. Maybe that's what you are now experiencing?

JosEPh

I have to agree entirely, and not having to entirely rebalanced Modular Civic Buildings is not the reason. Part of the fun I had initially playing Rise of Mankind was trying different combinations of civics and see the results. As for negatives, early civics should have negatives, which encourage civilizations to move on to "modern" civics.

Now if the issue is with a minor aspect of a civic (i.e. Caste giving a bonus at Lumbermills, too large a gold penalty with Communist, President giving stability with Revolutions, etc.), that is a different issue entirely.

[MrAdam]

What I mean by balance is I almost always use feudal asap and then use it throughout the game because of the +2 gold and +1 food per farm. Compared to nationalist or liberal, both of which are available much later, feudal is overpowered.
Or like religion, secular is pretty bad, the happiness you get from it is outweighed if all your big cities have the state religion and getting rid of religion you lose 30% faster buildings and 30% more gp and a lot of other bonuses. Free church is available much earlier and is much better

Balance doesn't mean the civics should be identical or easily interchangeable, but like divine right (or whatever it's called) shouldn't be avoided like the plague and I always find myself choosing the same civic or two within each category.

[Crusis]

Often what came earlier WAS better. Fascism came later than Monarchy, but I think most everyone would agree that the results of monarchy were often good when you had a benevolent King. The results of Fascism were rarely good, because of the national fervor and bigotry associated with it.

The game offers choices, not balance. You play what you want to play. If you want to be King Richard, go for it. If you want to be Mao, just build up a huge population then start burning your own farms, assign all citizens to the mines, and watch your population plummet. Make sure you build plenty of monuments. You can draft then delete units to simulate murdering your own populace. After a while switch to mercantilism and stop killing units, but put the 'no growth' feature on several of your cities.

Gee, I don't know, even tribalism sounds better than that.