Topic: Ancient Era Mod released

[TarMinyatur]

Hi all. I have been working on this conjectural-era mod for a while. It comes with a Mod Swapping utility to make changing between mods (and the default version) easy.

It includes Tholian models (from Brezgonne), a Tholian psuedo-web caster, and more-or-less balanced ships for single-player and multi-player skirmishes.

Please check it out. I think you'll enjoy the tactics required in an era with more primitive tech.

Download it here. (A newer version is available.)

Here's the readme:

Tar's Lightweight Mod Swapper for SFC2 (EAW, OP, CE)
Version 1.0
Created on October 5, 2012

This utility adds my Ancient Mod to SFC2.
For expansion, you can also swap two additional mods (if they exist).
The game's regular unmodified ("Stock") files can be quickly restored, too.

1. Make sure SFC2 is in its unmodified text file configuration. (Don't delete your mods! Just store them somewhere. Your custom models are unaffected by this utility.)
2. Extract all of AncientMod.zip's files to your SFC2 "..\Assets\specs" folder. (Don't use "..\Assets\specs\AncientMod".)
3. Exit the AncientMod.zip archive.
4. Open your SFC2 "..\Assets\specs" folder.
5. Click "Setup.bat" to setup this utility.

Swapping Instructions:

1. Open your SFC2 "..\Assets\specs" folder and look for a file named "Mod_Swapper.bat".
2. Click on "Mod_Swapper.bat" and choose Ancient, Stock, Mod1, or Mod2 to play.
3. I recommend making a desktop shortcut for "Mod_Swapper.bat".

Notes:

Mod1 and Mod2 are intentionally empty. There's no problem if they remain vacant. However, if you wish to use these two expansion slots:

Copy your mod's "strings.txt", "aaStrings.txt", "quicktips.txt", and "shipnames.txt" into your "..Assets\Strings\Mod1" folder.
Copy your mod's "shiplist.txt", "ftrlist.txt", "model.siz" into your "..Assets\specs\Mod1" folder.

(Repeat this procedure for Mod2's folders.)

Any questions? Please post on the Dynaverse.net forum.

Thanks.

[TarMinyatur]

Version 1.1 fixes minor issues. Same Skydrive download location as in previous post.

Please uninstall v1.0 before installing v1.1

L-D's disruptor arcs have been swapped to match weapon panel's UI
L-LC's model size has been increased to match other races' Light Cruiser dimensions
A directory checker's message has been corrected

Thanks

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in version 1.3:

This utility will work with any version of SFC2 (EAW, OP, CE) since the assets directory structure is the same. (OP doesn't work with this mod's EAW-based string files. I am working on an OP-compatible version. 3/6/13)

The Psuedo-web caster has been removed. (It could be thwarted by a 1-point tractor beam set to GRAB rather than repel. Back to the drawing board for a long-range tractor device...)

Tholians receive two extra tractors to partially simulate web snare technology.

Added a better uninstall batch file, such that your mod's copies aren't automatically deleted within the Mod1 and Mod2 folders. It confirms deletions.

Uninstall 1.2 or earlier versions, then install 1.3.

Same download link as above. (Newer version available.)

Thanks

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in version 1.4:

Added 27 "Agility, Acceleration" refits for the 2220 A.D. era.
Added 27 "Shield, Mine" refits for the 2227 A.D. era.
Added "Ancient Battles" multi-player script. Capture is enabled.
Added "Ancient Skirmish" single-player script.
Removed shields from 2201 A.D. and 2220 A.D. Tholians.
Clarified the vessel library.
Modified some quicktips.

Download it here. (Newer version is available.)

Please uninstall earlier versions, then install Version 1.4.

Edit: Unfortunately, FMSE-made scripts like "Ancient Battles" and "Ancient Skirmish" will cause SFC:CE to crash! Please delete these two scripts from your SFC:CE's "..Assets\scripts" folder.

Thanks

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in version 1.5:

Deleted FMSE-made "Ancient Skirmish" and "Ancient Battles" scripts because they crash SFC2:CE.
Cleaned up some strings and quicktips for clarity.
Enabled Battlefest-style scripts by adding a "Frigate".
All '27 refits get 2 more Batteries
'27 Klingons get FAR/FAL Disruptor Arcs to deal with newfangled shield technology
'27 Kzintis get B-racks to tie up starcastlers phasers

Uninstall 1.4 or earlier,
then Download 1.5 here. (A newer version is available.)

Thanks

Edit: Battlefests still don't work. These scripts are looking for stock ship designations, so they will never load a F-D, for example. I would need to rename the Fed's Ancient units to F-DD, F-CL, and F-CA to get them to work with 'fests...unless I can somehow alter the .scr files.

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in Version 1.6:
Added 18 Ancient Battleships. (Customarily, they could be called Light Dreadnoughts with a 1.25 move cost...but I believe "Battleship" is a better description.)

You may download it here. (A newer version is available.)

Uninstall earlier versions before installing this one.

Thanks.

Edit: Some of the Battleships are using Heavy Cruiser models. I'll fix this in the next version. I'm trying to make a stable Dynaverse mod using these Ancient ships...but I'm not satisfied with the results thus far.

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in Version 1.7:

--Now works with Dynaverse, if your campaign .mct files contain exclusively Met_*.scr missions. I included Marine Transport Ships (loaded with assault shuttles) to assist in the invasion of Planets. They are listed as War Destroyers with regard to production, but they are Freighters otherwise.

I recommend changing the spec paths in your "Assets.gf" file to:

ShipSpecs      = ".\Assets\specs\shiplist.txt"
FighterSpecs   = ".\Assets\specs\ftrlist.txt"

If you do, the single-player Dynaverse will automatically load the spec files that are selected by the Mod_Swapper.
 
--Some Battleships were using Heavy Cruiser models. Fixed.
--Increased the size of R-HC and R-LC models to better match other races' ships of those classes.
--Adjusted the Monsters because ships either lack shields or have 2-strength shields.
 
Please uninstall earlier versions, then download Version 1.7 here. (A newer version is available.)

I assembled eight Ancient .mct's that work with this mod. They are available here.

Thanks

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in version 1.8:

Two initial commented lines in ftrlist.txt mysteriously cause a "possible cheat' message to be displayed, even in single-player LAN mode. I removed one comment to fix this.

Uninstall earlier versions, then download it here. (A newer version is available.)

[TarMinyatur]

I am working on version 1.9.

I'm thinking of removing some disruptors from the Tholians. Maybe I'll replace one with a photon. Without the web, they don't have much flavor.

The Klingon vs. Kzinti battle seems fine -- Klink's superior engine power and agility vs. Kzinti's pivoted dizzy arcs and two Type-IV drones per turn.

Gorn vs Rom and Lyran vs Hydran match-ups seem good.

Has anyone tried this mod?  I'd appreciate your comments.

Thanks.

[TarMinyatur]

Unfortunately, the Romulan/Tholian user interface for Photon Torpedoes is broken. It's a bug that's in EAW, too. I never noticed the inability to use overloads, proximities, or offline mode. Well, this is not surprising, since the Romulans do not use Photon Torpedoes...

I don't like the idea of moving the Tholians into another host empire (such as Klingon or Federation, which have working interfaces).

I do like the Tholian/Romulan combination, both tactically and philosophically. So for now, the Tholian Fleet shall remain armed with Disruptors, Ph3's, and a pair of Ph1's, and remain very maneuverable (since opponents can't be stuck in web).

[TarMinyatur]

Adam, I thank you for your ideas and efforts. (I never thought about editing bindings.ini.)

It is possible, in multiplayer skirmishes, to select an alternate UI for Tholians (just before starting the mission) to fully enable Photon control. So that's a minor inconvenience.

But in singleplayer, I suspect the Tholian AI will be unable to fire proximity or overloaded Photons... Does the UI affect the AI? Hmm...

I'll check that out.

[Corbomite]

Unfortunately, the Romulan/Tholian user interface for Photon Torpedoes is broken. It's a bug that's in EAW, too. I never noticed the inability to use overloads, proximities, or offline mode. Well, this is not surprising, since the Romulans do not use Photon Torpedoes...

I don't like the idea of moving the Tholians into another host empire (such as Klingon or Federation, which have working interfaces).

I do like the Tholian/Romulan combination, both tactically and philosophically. So for now, the Tholian Fleet shall remain armed with Disruptors, Ph3's, and a pair of Ph1's, and remain very maneuverable (since opponents can't be stuck in web).

I don't see the problem with using the Klingon interface as the tholians were on their border in SFB (if that's the set up you are using). It would seem logical that they picked up some of their tech. It's a shame you don't have the pirate interface available as it is set up to use just about everything. Another thing that might be interesting (if you are commited to keeping the Rom interface) is Disruptors + Plas-F (no bigger) and keep your Phaser numbers low and short range like you have now. I think Plas-F are a better swap for the web than Photons as Photons are a long range, low yield weapon compared to Plas-F and the ultimate intention of a web: to shut down the opponents ability to move in order to blast them. That combo gives the Tholians the ability for sustained long range fire, with a constant energy draw, and a short range stop-em dead weapon if they get the opening. It works for the F-BCF (and a handful of other Fed ships) and the ISC, why not the Tholians?

[Corbomite]

I really like corbs idea

Which part? It's actually two ideas. I just had another crazy thought. I've always thought that Disruptors + Hellbores would be a a sick combo, too powerful really, assuming one could afford the power and move the same time  . But it occured to me that each Tholian ship of a certain size or larger could have one Hellbore to simulate a web caster mount of sorts. A standard loadout for a NCL- CC+ would be 2-3 Disruptors, 1 Hellbore, 2 Plas-F, 2 PH-1 and a handful of PH-3's.

[Corbomite]

Even crazier idea: Make the Plas-F into Plas-I instead (any firing arc you like, the intention is to take the pseudo torp away and if you only mount the I-Torps one at a time the defensive value is the same as an F-Torp). This means no keeping people at bay with fakes.

[TarMinyatur]

Thanks for your input, Corbomite and Adam.

I've been playing Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire lately (which is getting great unofficial patches), so the Ancient Mod has gotten dusty.

Hmm...Tholians with Hellbores or Plasma-F/I ?

2/3rds of the ships in the Ancient Mod have no shields, so Hellbores (and Enveloping Torpedoes) are relatively enhanced compared to regular SFC.

The Galactic setup for this mod is intended to be standard SFB (Fed/Gorn/Kzin/Hydran vs Lyr/Rom/Klink, with ISC unpredictable, except that the Romulans are allied and fully integrated with the Tholians.

[TarMinyatur]

...I suspect the Tholian AI will be unable to fire proximity or overloaded Photons. Does the UI affect the AI?

I'll check that out.

An AI Tholian (Romulan) hit me with an overloaded, a regular, and then a proximity Photon Torpedo. That is good news! So a player only loses the proximity function, which isn't a big deal for ships equipped with Disruptors.

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in version 1.9:

Interface now shows SFC:CE version number 2.670 (after splash screen), and shows Ancient 1.9, too.
Klingon LC2 was missing its battery refit. Fixed.
Removed Tounament Cruiser clutter.

Quicktips often annoyingly covered by cursor. Fixed.
Multiplayer ship-names are now more conventional.
Removed a fair amount of shouting (i.e. caps lock) from interface.

Lowered the acceleration values of Tholians from 16 to 9 (early) and from 20 to 15 (thereafter).
Lowered the acceleration values of galactic ships from 8 to 6 (early only). 

Removed one Disruptor and one Tractor from every Tholian warship.
Added 10 Probes and one Shuttle to every Tholian warship. (Probes do 16 damage to units that begin the scenario without shields, such as shuttles and all the pre-2227 ships.)
Added one Transporter to the T-D2, T-LC2, T-HC2, and T-B2.

---

Please uninstall previous versions.

You can download the mod from my Skydrive at http. (A newer version is available.)

[TarMinyatur]

Changes in version 2:

All shielded ships now have "New" in their designation (e.g. old LC2 is now called NLC, New Light Cruiser).
Added the Federation Cruiser (designation: F-C), an alternative configuration of the F-HC for the Romulan border.
ISC Destroyers: Removed the Plasma-G. Added two Plas-I's. (So now only Roms and Gorn use Psuedo Plasma trickery.)
ISC Battleships: Replaced the two Plas-F's with two Plas-I's. Added one RH Ph1, for a total of 5 Ph1's -- the greatest count in the mod.
Orion weapon packages modified (AI only).
Long-range Tactical Info now properly shows "Destroyer" and "Battleship" (instead of Frigate and Dreadnought).

Known Issues:
Attack Probes do 16 damage to units that lack shield generators, but do 5 damage otherwise.
There are two identical F-D's in the shiplist. This enables the "choose variant" button so you can select the F-C in 2201-era multiplayer.
Quicktips are technically correct. The game, however, has bad pointers. ESG/Fusion may be referenced when another weapon is expected.

Please uninstall previous versions.

You may download Ancient 2 for Community Edition from my Skydrive here. (A newer version is available.)

Thanks.

[TarMinyatur]

Hi. I'm back with an update to my favorite mod.

Uninstall previous versions. Then you can get the new one here: http://1drv.ms/1z88XHR


Changes in version 2.1:

ISC Destroyers now use an enlarged Frigate model (matching the current UI).
Kzinti Destroyers now use Destroyer models and UI's (instead of Frigate stuff).
The Tholian '27 refit now lists the addition of a Transporter.
Swapped the Probe launcher for an additional Mine on unshielded Tholian ships.
Kzinti Battleship made slightly smaller.


Thanks.

[TarMinyatur]

I'm working on 2.2 now...

Here's what I'm thinking: The Hydrans will finally get a Carrier in 2227, the H-C. It would get a flight of 4 Fusion-equipped fighters. The idea is that the Carrier will be an equivalent-power and equivalent-BPV refit of (and complement to) the workhorse H-NHC, exchanging Hellbores for Fusion Beams on its wings. The H-C's fighter bay would reduce the nose-mounted Fusion Beams from 2 to 1, as well.

The H-C would be able to move fairly quickly with only three Heavy Weapons to arm and hold...but with relatively slow fighters, a dual overrun isn't likely to happen.

Preliminary Stats for the fighters:

Max speed 16
10-Box hull
1xPh2 FA, 1xFus FA (with 30-second cool-down), and an ADD6*

*The ADD6 sometimes results in a mine-laying fighter! It can't fire ADD's, but it can drop a mine in lieu of chaff pods.

Making progress on some things that always bugged me in the UI. I always wanted to know the drone control rating of a ship. Now it is visible in the vessel library. (I sacrificed the unimportant "crew" slot for drone control information.)

Thanks.

[Corbomite]

You know Tar, you could probably put the drone contol rating in the Strings file to to show up in the refit field and not have to forgo the crew quantity at all. Just a thought.

Are these mine laying fighters in the shiplist or fighter list?

[TarMinyatur]

The mine-laying fighters are in ftrlist.txt.

Thanks for the tip about putting drone control in the refit description. I guess I could fit a "Double Drone Control" description in there...and preserve the crew info.

[Corbomite]

I'm a litte confused then. Where does the mine come from? I have put ADD on fighters and never seen them lay a mine, or did I miss something?

I'm not sure how many characters the refit field will take, but you could always abbreviate it like DrC12 or something.

[TarMinyatur]

Corbomite, I've been trying to figure out how I did it the past hour...I stumbled across this feature when I was trying to simulate a Web device years ago. (A high hitpoint fighter dropping many mines can act as a psuedo-web.)

The mine is completely unexpected! I believe I set fighter's weapon to "1 ADD6 ALL". The ADD_6 column is inactive and empty. I chased the web-fighter and it dropped several mines.

The game version may have been EAW 2.036 or CE 2.6.6.0.

Have you ever seen a fighter use an ADD in SFC? I suppose PF's can use them, but they are ships, not shuttles. 

[Corbomite]

The mine is completely unexpected! I believe I set fighter's weapon to "1 ADD6 ALL". The ADD_6 column is inactive and empty. I chased the web-fighter and it dropped several mines.

Have you ever seen a fighter use an ADD in SFC? I suppose PF's can use them, but they are ships, not shuttles.

Yes, my Borg polyhedron fighters use an ADD6 just fine in OP. I believe that your problem (or strangely beneficial mistake) is that you are giving a firing arc to the ADD when it doesn't need one. They are not drones and have a default 360° firing arc. The arc column is for the number of reloads the ADD has and the ADD6/12 columns are to tell the ship/ftrlists how many units are installed. Without that entry the game doesn't know there are ADD on board (at least not entirely). Is there an unlimited number of mines on these things or do they run out eventually? Neat find in any case. I have a minelayer probe with some robot fighters that emerge. It might be a hoot to give the fighters mines too!

[TarMinyatur]

The supply of mines was at least 6 and perhaps unlimited.

Corbomite, can you activate fighter-based ADDs in EAW? I doubt I was using Orion Pirates to build mine-laying fighters, but I could have been using OP.

When AMDs became hit-and-runnable (in 2.005?), didn't the ADD_6 and ADD_12 columns become obsolete? I'm  sure that ADDs work properly if the ADD_n columns are blank in shiplist.txt. It may work differently for ftrlist.txt...
 

[Corbomite]

Corbomite, can you activate fighter-based ADDs in EAW? I doubt I was using Orion Pirates to build mine-laying fighters, but I could have been using OP.

I don't have EAW installed anymore so I can't say either way, but the ship and fighter lists are the same in both so I don't see why not.

When AMDs became hit-and-runnable (in 2.005?), didn't the ADD_6 and ADD_12 columns become obsolete? I'm  sure that ADDs work properly if the ADD_n columns are blank in shiplist.txt. It may work differently for ftrlist.txt...

I'm not sure I see the correlation, but the ADD6/12 columns are filled out in OP and if what you say is true Taldren would have been able to delete those entire columns without a detrimental effect, yet they went ahead and filled them out.

[TarMinyatur]

Well, I just tested CE. The arc of an ADD6 on a ship is irrelevant. I tried "ALL", "RH", "3", "1", and "0". The Antidrone Device always gets 2 reloads. The RH arc was not enforced, although the MFD displayed the 180 degree arc. I also removed the entry in the ADD_6 column. It made no difference -- I think it's no longer referenced.

Mine-laying shuttles might be a quirk found only in EAW. Going to download EAW now.

[Corbomite]

Make sure you are not confusing reloads with total ammo. The ADD starts loaded. A 1 in the ARC column should give it two total magazines, a 2 three total etc. I'm pretty sure Firesoul tested all this out for OP+ otherwise he wouldn't have messed with it at all, but it may be wrong for all we know. Leaving it blank may assume one reload.

[TarMinyatur]

Interesting. I'll check out the relationship between ammo and ADD arc again. So a "4" would be needed to get triple reloads? Perhaps the minimum reloads for an ADD is two. I've never seen anything but a 12 in the reloads box in the AMD panel at the start of a game.

I was able to get fighters to drop mines in Orion Pirates today. They didn't drop more than one mine. My memory of seeing them do this in modded EAW/CE may be false.

[Corbomite]

I've never seen anything but a 12 in the reloads box in the AMD panel at the start of a game.

If you were looking at an ADD12 that would be correct, assuming one reload. Of course the thing might actually be displaying total ammo. Looks like some testing is required to find out just what is going on.

I was able to get fighters to drop mines in Orion Pirates today. They didn't drop more than one mine. My memory of seeing them do this in modded EAW/CE may be false.

Was this using the method you outlined before?

[Corbomite]

I just looked at an ADD6 with one and two reloads and you're right, the display always reads 12 in the reloads section, so either reloads are hard set and adding more is irrelevant or the extra don't show up until the counter runs down. I'll have to do some counting later when I get the time.

[TarMinyatur]

I tried setting the ADD arc to "4" and this didn't increase the ammo supply. The AMD panel's display of "reloads = 12" didn't reset to 12 after the first 6 rounds were fired. I'm thinking the ADD6 is hard-coded to have exactly 2 reloads. Similar to how fighters always have 2 ECM and 2 ECCM, regardless of the entries in ftrlist.txt.

I've been attempting to reproduce the mine-laying fighters in OP. I had a tractor beam on my own fighter when it dropped a mine. The mine didn't activate until the fighter left the "hex". There were also enemy fighters on the map. No unexpected mines in other situations thus far. When I figure out the precise conditions, I'll reportthem.

What surprised me tonight was the deactivation of my tractor beam (which was holding a shuttle) when my far away target cloaked. My tractors should not turn off if my target cloaks! If I target a ship that has already cloaked, the tractors aren't deactivated. Going to test CE now... Ok, this bug isn't present in CE. Good.

[Corbomite]

It's not just the ADD6. I looked at an ADD12 and it has 24 reloads regardless as well. I could have sworn FS tested this, but I may be wrong. He may have just assumed. I never really paid much attention to ADD because I never relied entirely on it for PD aganst drones and fighters. To me it was just a bonus.

[Corbomite]

Tested a F-FFB that said it had one reload and it had two for a total of three magazines. I guess it is hard coded. I wonder where people got the impression that it was changeable because I remember much discussion about back in the day.

[TarMinyatur]

Yeah. I thought the very late refits got triple reloads (48 shots per ADD12!)...I can see how that might spark debate.

[TarMinyatur]

Here's the version for SFC 2.672.

A couple of experimental ships were unintentionally included in this version. I've fixed the ancientshiplist.txt. If you find a H-C or a X-Test, download the archive again or delete them from your shiplist. The H-C carrier can crash the game because its fighters aren't in the ftrlist.txt.