Star Wars: The Mod Awakens 1.11

[RedMaul]

It would completely rewrite the game but Kobayashi's Civ2 landmark Star Wars: Insurrection worked that way: Space was ocean and ships were... ships, so you needed ground units to actually seize the planets. Cost aside, I was always a little confused what the point of surface units is in this.

Re land units, I use them as buffers while the fleet can come and bring relief to a besieged planet. Plus they don’t count against the total for maintenance and they can be mass-produced by planets with lower industrial output. They work well in combination with planetary big guns. From a roleplay standpoint they are quite in line with what I would envision for Star Wars land armies.

Which raises another query on whether fighters and bombers should count against the maintenance free limit of the fleet?

 

[Ozymandias]

Re land units, I use them as buffers while the fleet can come and bring relief to a besieged planet. Plus they don’t count against the total for maintenance and they can be mass-produced by planets with lower industrial output. They work well in combination with planetary big guns. From a roleplay standpoint they are quite in line with what I would envision for Star Wars land armies.

Which raises another query on whether fighters and bombers should count against the maintenance free limit of the fleet?

Why not forget using naval units as spacecraft, at all? Make "Space" Tiles Impassable, and have your spacecraft work as aircraft, including Transports. All "Ground" assaults are made by Parachutists "Special Aerospace Assault Forces. Of course, this will provide an opportunity to provide pre-made maps, with well-thought-out different lines of attack, and defensive positions, depending upon airdrop ranges.

 

[RedMaul]

That's a good idea but my modding skills are non-existent, let's see if MeteorMan or AJB are interested in exploring this any further

 

[ajb]

Star Wars: The Mod Awakens 'EPIC MOD' 2.0 is here and will be available for download in another 2 hours (or so). Can be found here https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-the-mod-awakens-epic-mod/downloads/star-wars-tma-epic-mod-v20

A number of changes (I really should write a change list), too many to list, so I'll talk about the big big ones. Using the C3X_R15 by Flintlock I've changed how starships and starfighters are built, now you need:

• an Extensive Orbital Shipyard to build the largest capital ships
• a regular Orbital Shipyard to build starfighters and smaller ships (frigates, picket cursers etc.)
• Heavy Industry to build most heavy equipment (like an AT-AT)
• Even more buildings needed for a unit here or there.

The build list has been changed generally requiring more strategic resources, many of which need to be local, however this allows for a much more diverse set of planets where every one will feel unique and not like a "Generic Star War planet #333". This allows for pleasure planets, local slave markets, agricultural colonies, fuel depots and more.

Hero Units are mostly removed and replaced with flagship units which can be upgraded (there is a way to get more of them but it is hard). The flagship units are generally a beefed up version of whatever the underlying unit is, so for the ISD I believe that is one more HP and a couple of extra attack and defense. Use these units to crack the hardest targets.

Update (forgotten info, kind of important) - Planetary shields now provide +200% defense; Fortress Worlds now provide +500% defense. Now you need an entire fleet to take a fortress planet even if it is defended by somethin modest like the MC80 or a planetary defense cannon. Utilizing espionage to spy planets defenses become more valuable than ever, as do superweapons and super starships. This attempts to fix an exploit where you wait until the New Republic is off fighting some other nation and take several planets (offer peace which they will accept) and repeat until they are sufficiently weakened to attack head on. You will find the Republic is far less willing to accept peace and the planets you do take will be of limited value or a liability if not extremely costly in terms of capital ships, which you (or anyone) can not easily replenish (with exception of the republic, which I believe has the capacity from start to build up to 10+ capital ship production centers).

Hyperlane movements have been increased from 1:3 to 1:5 (the hyperlanes are more valuable than ever).

New units (including the Enforcer Picket cruiser for the Pentastar Alignment).

Updated Wookieepedia entries and images.

Updated graphics for fortresses (starbase) and radar station (sector command) and others. Now when you build a fortress you will see a Golan III Space Defense NovaGun!

Meant to be played as the Galactic Empire. . . economy is in shambles, check costs and read the details in the building to find out more.

I think new resources and technologies (though they may be more in the background).

Chiss Ascendancy is more playable now.


I might have time towards the end of summer to make an update, so please provide suggestions on where to add/improve, I read it all.

C3X_R15 is used extensively for the Mod, it is playable but most of the more intricate features I've worked on require this (not to mention now saves have units facing whichever direction they were facing before woo hoo!!!!).

 

[ajb]

I look forward to the next update. In the meantime I'm toying with the idea of changing things so that only troops can capture planets but ships can still move in and through them.

I'm interested to see how you accomplish, this, I'd like to see this, as I think this would add realism.

Thanks ajb, these updates look great!
The picket enforcer of the PA could work well with the Vindicator GFX, if I recall correctly they were 418 Interdictors refitted by the PA.

Will keep delving into these but I believe that the coming update will be fantastic and full of nice Easter eggs.

I am currently playing through a nice CSA campaign.

If possible having tried Restored Empire, PA, Pentroch, and First Order I would say that Restored Empire could do with a bit of buff as PA tends to swallow pretty quickly RO and FO (playing on Yoda as advised).

Thanks for the love still given to the mod after these years

Added, also various versions of the Acclamator and Venator, though they are for different peoples (I want ships that big to only be buildable by extensive shipyards, not every one has access, so some races have the earlier versions which can be built in regular shipyards).

For the Restored Empire, have you tried using the Venator's you do have as starfighter carriers (specifically carrying TIE bombers)? Whenever I play as them, I take the nearby independents, maybe go for the nearby Black Sun then make peace with them ASAP, and build up a TIE bomber wing or two, then try to take the nearby PA planets only (make peace, there is no way to take all of them in one go). The TIE bombers are key (keep your Venator's alive at all costs).

In case you wish to add some corporations to the game here are a handful with some existing background:

- AruMed in Bonadan system https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/AruMed
- Pri-Andylan Propulsion Systems in Duro systen https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Pri-Andylan_Propulsion_Systems

As it is I'm cannibalizing buildings, all the low hanging ones are gone, now it would be more visible buildings, so I think we are at our limit.

 

[ajb]

Re land units, I use them as buffers while the fleet can come and bring relief to a besieged planet. Plus they don’t count against the total for maintenance and they can be mass-produced by planets with lower industrial output. They work well in combination with planetary big guns. From a roleplay standpoint they are quite in line with what I would envision for Star Wars land armies.

Which raises another query on whether fighters and bombers should count against the maintenance free limit of the fleet?

Fighters and Bombers no longer count towards troop maintenance limits, nor do constructors. Enjoy

 

[RedMaul]

Wow! Many thanks ajb!

 

[RedMaul]

Just done the set-up. Gorgeous loading screen and getting this message - does not prevent from starting the mod though.

 

[ajb]

Just done the set-up. Gorgeous loading screen and getting this message - does not prevent from starting the mod though.

I think I know what the problem is. That error is because C3X is looking for units which are not found. . . those units are the ones I added since version 1.2 which also need building prerequisites. You need to fix this for the mod to work properly (It will be very unfunctional, I'm shocked you were able to load it up).

I don't really label things properly as this mod is fun for myself, I'll try to label things better whenever I get around to another update.

It is an easy fix, all you need to do is overright the "Star Wars TMA 1.10_BIG.biq" from the previous "Epic Mod" v1.2 with the "Star Wars TMA 1.10_BIG.biq" scenario that came v2.0. I know the same file name (might even be the same size, but it is very different. . . visually not too much, but mechanics wise quite a bit).

Sorry about not changing the file name (I'm a little scared to change it to be honest).

Let me know if you need more help

 

[RedMaul]

It worked, thank you very much. New game launched and the tech tree reshuffle feels great as well as new units and buildings .

I have tried to start with Zsinj and CSA and seem to be getting the option to build assets on every planet from the Black Sun (please see screenshot enclosed). A clean reinstall did the trick!

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

I'm interested to see how you accomplish, this, I'd like to see this, as I think this would add realism.

Well I looked into this last night to see what would need to be done to make this happen. The first thing I noticed is that all map tiles are either considered land or impassable. All the units are classified as land units with the exception of the fighter aircraft.

I think what I would do is to make all the hyperspace lanes and empty space tiles as sea tiles. Change all of this capital ships as well as the transport ships into navy sea units. Keep all the other units in their current classification.

The 'worker' unit would have to be changed to a navy sea unit but then I'm not sure if it can still "work" sea tiles.

This is not going to be an easy task.

 

[ajb]

Well I looked into this last night to see what would need to be done to make this happen. The first thing I noticed is that all map tiles are either considered land or impassable. All the units are classified as land units with the exception of the fighter aircraft.

I think what I would do is to make all the hyperspace lanes and empty space tiles as sea tiles. Change all of this capital ships as well as the transport ships into navy sea units. Keep all the other units in their current classification.

The 'worker' unit would have to be changed to a navy sea unit but then I'm not sure if it can still "work" sea tiles.

This is not going to be an easy task.

Interested to see how this works. While you are at it, there is an issue with turn times. I suspect the lions share is the hyperplanes and calculations associated with them. I theorize if no planet (city) had any connection to any other planet via hyperlane, but instead was connected through a starport (using the Airport connection feature) turn time would dramatically improve. With hyperplanes x calculates are made to optimize the trade network and I assume pathing, with the air travel, it is instantaneous, thus no wasted time path calculating.

 

[RedMaul]

On a more pedestrian note, the last changes to the mod, including with tightened building requirements are vastly improving the feeling when playing. No more Victory SD farming for instance and capital ships are no more expendable with mid-line ships useful to fill in gaps. Amazing job!

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Interested to see how this works. While you are at it, there is an issue with turn times. I suspect the lions share is the hyperplanes and calculations associated with them. I theorize if no planet (city) had any connection to any other planet via hyperlane, but instead was connected through a starport (using the Airport connection feature) turn time would dramatically improve. With hyperplanes x calculates are made to optimize the trade network and I assume pathing, with the air travel, it is instantaneous, thus no wasted time path calculating.

What I did was turn off trade over sea/ocean as this map is one giant connected 'landmass'. I made all maintenance costs for buildings = to zero. Both of these have an impact on long turn times.

 

[ajb]

What I did was turn off trade over sea/ocean as this map is one giant connected 'landmass'. I made all maintenance costs for buildings = to zero. Both of these have an impact on long turn times.

Ok, well maintenance costs are a key part of the mod, I think it would change much of what I'm tying to accomplish (the heavy costs of everything force the player to pick and choose what is best for their type of play/ particular situation).

However, turn times are brutal, how exactly did you turn off the trade over sea/ocean? I just use the basic editor which comes with the game, I didn't see any "turn off sea trade", nor did I think any planets traded via sea.

Perhaps a screen cap? Extremely appreciative of any optimization suggestions

 

[tjs282]

However, turn times are brutal, how exactly did you turn off the trade over sea/ocean?

Those abilities are tied to Techs. In the 'Civilization Advances' tab of the Rules, there are 2 boxes called "Allows safe Sea travel" and "Allows safe Ocean travel", which, by extension, also allow safe intercontinental trading. So that can be disabled by simply leaving those boxes unchecked for all Techs in the game.

 

[Civinator]

Those abilities are tied to Techs. In the 'Civilization Advances' tab of the Rules, there are 2 boxes called "Allows safe Sea travel" and "Allows safe Ocean travel", which, by extension, also allow safe intercontinental trading. So that can be disabled by simply leaving those boxes unchecked for all Techs in the game.

These are the boxes in the tech settings that enable sea- and ocean trading:

This doesn´t stop water trade completely. To stop water trade via coastal waters it is also necessary, to disable the "allows water trade" option in the building settings. The same could be done with the "allows air trade" option in the buildings settings:

Some thoughts to science fiction mods/scenarios on "all land terrain maps" and on "space is water" terrains:

More than 20 years ago I made a science fiction mod for Civ 2 ToT based on two reworked Kobayashi land terrain maps (one of them mirrored) and until now I have a lot of fun playing this mod and consider it to be my best Civ modding work. More than ten years ago I gave those Civ 2 ToT units simple combat animations in a time when no standard combat animations for Civ 2 ToT were available. So at present no download is available, many screenshots can be seen here and in the following posts of that thread. I didn´t reupload it again, as I am reflecting to change it to Lua programming (with the help of Civ 2 modders) after having finished CCM 2.6 and its related mods and scenarios (RARR, SOE and WW2 Global Gold) and to give it a more spectacular end with the Lua programming (may be the explosion of both galaxies or something like that if some events cannot be stopped).

In my eyes Civ 2 ToT until now is the ideal Civ version for such science fiction mods, as this version with its multiple maps system allows invasions from other galaxies or quadrants of a galaxy and therefore adds "a third dimension" to game play. Civ 2 diplomats and agents also are the ideal Yedi knights, as they have the power (to bribe). The events system of Civ 2 ToT is also very helpful for science fiction mods.

In general, science fiction fixed maps based on land terrain (with suns as water terrain and existing planets that can be settled) in my eyes have the advantage of a more rapid expansion of the civs all over the map. In scenarios with preplaced inhabited planets (= cities) I think for C3C water based maps (space=water) should be the better solution as this setting allows more options of C3C in the game.

This said, I am very happy about the good work that is done with the C3C scenario in this thread.

 

[RedMaul]

Having played a bit longer, I love the new system that restricts units according to buildings. However I would suggest to allow lower tier naval units, like Marauder or CR90 for instance to be buildable with Starport II or III only as these units tends to get less showtime otherwise.
Lovin' the mod

 

[RedMaul]

Just an additional comment on AI behaviour. The New Republic, in theory the good guys, tend not to behave differently and at times are most aggressive than the Galatic Empire or the other baddies (CIS, Hutts, etc.) and they don't seem to mind allying themselves with the Imps, the CIS, the Rhand Sorcerers, etc.
Is there a way to make them behave in a "peaceful" way and maybe preventing them from declaring war offensively or allying themselves with certain factions?

 

[Thorvald of Lym]

I believe "Shunned Government" affects AI attitudes, but that would require all the "baddies" use the same gov't. Otherwise, the best bet is the Aggression level, but there isn't really a way to fine-tune the AI's outlook.