Chassis cost factor in alphax.txt

chuft

Chieftain
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Feb 1, 2008
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Does anyone know if/how the chassis cost factor works in alphax.txt?

In this line

Copter,M1, Chopper,M1, Rotor,M1, Lifter,M1, 8, 2, 1, 0, 1, 8, MindMac, Gunship,M1, Warbird,M1,

the 8 should mean the chopper has a cost factor of 8 compared to 1 for infantry and 2 for rovers. However a copter equipped with the same armor and weapons as a rover costs the same as the rover, not 4 times as much. Is there something broken about the cost factor? The hovertank has a cost factor of "3" but it far more expensive than a copter with the same equipment.
 
Does anyone know if/how the chassis cost factor works in alphax.txt?

In this line

Copter,M1, Chopper,M1, Rotor,M1, Lifter,M1, 8, 2, 1, 0, 1, 8, MindMac, Gunship,M1, Warbird,M1,

the 8 should mean the chopper has a cost factor of 8 compared to 1 for infantry and 2 for rovers. However a copter equipped with the same armor and weapons as a rover costs the same as the rover, not 4 times as much. Is there something broken about the cost factor? The hovertank has a cost factor of "3" but it far more expensive than a copter with the same equipment.

Do you have Prima's Official Strategy Guide? Although there are players that scoff at it, it does contain nuggests of useful info. On p. 20:

IMPORTANT FORMULAS

Unit Cost

The basic cost formula to, which there are several modifiers, is:

Cost = [Weapon x (Armor + Speed) x 10]/(Reactor Base)

Reactor Base: Reactor 1 = 4; Reactor 2 = 8; Reactor 3 = 16; and Reactor 4 = 32.

  • Weapon value never less than 1/2 Armor value.
  • Non-combat units substitute "Equipment Cost" for Weapon value.
  • Cost is halved for units with Speed 1.
  • Armor is discounted 50% for sea units, and then total cost is halved.
  • Cost is quartered for combat air units.
  • Armor cost is doubled for air units.
  • Cost +25% for each unit of Special Ability cost.
  • Cost +10 minerals if both Weapon and Armor are greater than 1.
  • Cost +10 minerals if a Land unit's Weapon, Armor and Speed are all greater than 1.
  • Minimum cost with Reactor 1 = 10, with Reactor 2 = 30, with Reactor 3 = 50, and with Reactor 4 = 60.
(underlining added)
Caution: The Strategy Guide is a starting point. You should go into the unit workshop and test this formula. However, the underlined modifier seems to answer your question.

Perhaps Petek has come across some threads that have tested this formula.
 
Interesting. The formula is rather complex, I am having a hard time following its implications. As someone noted on WPC, the bettter the reactor, the more expensive the copter but the cheaper the hovertank with the same weapons and armor.

costs.jpg
 
Applying that formula I can't come up with the correct results for the copters shown above, or the armorless one which costs 60.

costs2.jpg
 
As I said, the formula in the Official Strategy Guide is a starting point.

It is pretty clear that the "10" is at Librarian level (where there is 10 minerals per row). Your numbers seem to be divisible by 12, so I am guessing your examples come from the Thinker level.

Note that the speed of the shard copter is changing as the reactor goes up. The jump from fusion to quantum isn't that much. It would have been interesting to see the change from quantum to singularity.

The armorless shard copter appears to be the minimum cost for quantum (if you assume "50" means 5 rows). Note that the shard hovertank also appears to be at the minimum cost.

Also note that you are using resonance armor. The Prima Guide was written before SMAX. I expect resonance 8 armor cost more than 8.

What I would suggest is that you test every chassis and reactor for weapons and armor = 1.

Then using the copter and hovertank chassis and every reactor, check for weapons = 1 and vary the armor and then for armor = 1 and vary the weapon.

Finally, check a few cases where both the weapons and armor are different from 1.

Do use the scenario editor unless you have a save where you have researched all the techs.

You said you can't come up with the right numbers for the 'copters. What about the hovertanks?
 
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