Final Frontier With Individual Planets?

[JebusHCripes]

Does anyone know if there's a mod for Final Frontier that uses individual planets as 'cities' rather than a single plot with planets stacked as it is out of the box?

I'm really enjoying the mod, but I really dislike the system/planet implementation the way it's designed for several reasons, primarily because it basically forces you to micromanage (or more specifically makes using a build queue almost impossible). It also makes the game rather tedious in many respects, so I was hoping that someone had already made a mod that basically makes each planet a colonization point (ala Moo2, which I was hoping the Moo2Civ mod did, but alas doesn't).

So am I SOL here?

Jebus

 

[PsiCorps]

There isn't a mod for this unfortunately, i think the game would need triple the map size at least to put in 5 or 6 solar systems in the manner you have requested.

 

[JebusHCripes]

There isn't a mod for this unfortunately, i think the game would need triple the map size at least to put in 5 or 6 solar systems in the manner you have requested.

I don't see why. The largest systems have 5 planets, placing 5 planets in close proximity to each other within say a 4x4 grid or even as large as say 5x5 wouldn't require any map resizing at all.

They'd basically be the exact same as it is now, except that the planets would of course be static rather than the animated orbit animation. I'd imagine a slight adjustment of things like city placement would need to happen, but otherwise, the game would be virtually identical to what it is now, except just without the forced micromanagement.

Jebus

 

[Agent327]

Actually, systems can have up to 6 or 7 planets, but that need not be an objection, following your suggestion. I think the problem is more of having a properly editable space map for this (which isn't available yet), so in fact a no-FF space map. At least it needs some editing skills that are beyond mine...

But it would be great if anyone could make a map along these lines. Perhaps if you posted a Request in the Maps section?

 

[JebusHCripes]

Actually, systems can have up to 6 or 7 planets, but that need not be an objection, following your suggestion. I think the problem is more of having a properly editable space map for this (which isn't available yet), so in fact a no-FF space map. At least it needs some editing skills that are beyond mine...

Ah, my bad, you're right it's more than 5 (dunno why I thought it was 5), but as you've already noted, not really important and shouldn't impact the feasability.

It's too bad about the editor too. I was thinking I could just toss a bunch of systems near each other and have them all be just 1 planet, but while you can place systems, I see no way of editing/altering how many planets are in the system once placed :/

I'm starting to think I should just go play Galciv2 again instead.

But it would be great if anyone could make a map along these lines. Perhaps if you posted a Request in the Maps section?

I think I'll do that. Ideally what would be great is if someone could create a script, or possibly even get an external editor to work with FF, as that would solve everything.

Btw, how's things coming along with the Moo2civ mod? I tried it out a couple of days ago and was thinking about offering some help with some of the text/civilopedia entries and such (assuming you still need a hand with that).

Jebus

 

[JebusHCripes]

FWIW, if anyone's interested, I've manually edited a worldbuilder save/scenario.

Obviously it's not an ideal solution, but it's more of a proof of concept type of thing. After playing on it a little bit, I'm convinced that it's more than possible to do via script, but should really get a couple of tweaks to gameplay (min colonization distance, and possibly adding in or altering some tech to grant another food improvement).

The biggest difference I noticed was the propensity for the AI to expand WAY earlier than in a normal FF game, which I'm still convinced is buggy due to the stacked planets. In every stock FF game I've played I haven't seen the AI expand before turn 100-ish, but on this map, they started expanding around turn 20-ish and even on Settler I'm racing to colonize the remaining planets.

Jeelen: I'm also thinking something like this would be a great addition to the Moo2civ mod, as the techs lend themselves well to this alteration of gameplay, not to mention being much closer to the original Moo2.

The only thing that's an issue is the minimum distance between cities setting. Currently it's creating a maximum star system size of about 3 planets not initially colonized on gamestart, otherwise it just becomes a large field of planets (especially on smaller maps). If I can adjust it, the map size won't be an issue.

Also, there would need to be some graphics adjustments, but that's more of an aesthetic concern.

Anyway, FWIW, the mod just became MUCH more playable for me. The tedium and excessively click heavy controls are gone, and the AI seems far better at playing the map rather than sitting there with their thumbs up their asses

Jebus