PSI combat ratio/results mismatch: Bug or Feature?

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Author Topic:   PSI combat ratio/results mismatch: Bug or Feature?

agoraphobe posted 04-02-99 01:05 PM ET
This was most recently raised again in the TI thread, but I thought it better not to clutter up that valuable thread with so specific an issue (although, if it turns out to be a feature, we'll need to discuss strategies to deal with it ).
The question with the short answer is: Is this a confirmed bug, i.e., does Firaxis say it's a bug? If the answer is yes, then end of thread.
If the answer is no, then does this need confirmantion or is it an undocumented feature? Note that there are other little- documented features in SMAC such as Datalink "Security Locks" that only the AI player can impose on its bases, and note that these are not always imposed after the first probe attempt and at times they are imposed _before_ a first probe attempt.
When I first encountered this discrepancy in a typical endgame "Planet Rising" mindworm rush scenario that involved heavy PSI combat, I actually thought that this might be an intended feature. Why? Because: 1) this discrepancy does not seem to appear earlier in the game - I can usually rely on the ratio readout to predict PSI combat results as accurately as conventional combat; 2) In my experience, the discrepancy was more likely for some units rather than others - particularly PSI Choppers. In fact, I ceased producing PSI Choppers in the face of this result, they performed so poorly, especially against IotDs. And yes, I made sure to build/possess all the PSI-enhancing stuff before cranking out these combat units.
And finally there's the reason that also serves as the punchline of this thread: the "plausible" game storyline reason. PSI combat is by its nature relatively "unpredictable", and one of its elements could be "bad" ratio readouts that lure overconfident units to their death!
Yeah, go on and laugh, but what a way to turn this into a feature!
So, like, is Firaxis messin' with our minds, or what?
Certhas posted 04-02-99 01:52 PM ET
I want to add that someone supposedly pointed out the reason for this discrepancy, which is that L4 Reactors only get 30 HP but damage by Psi combat is quadrupled. With L3 Reactors damage is three times as big, with 30 HP, which makes sense, for this way MindWorms aren't total crap in the endgame due to their 10 HP.
Another point is that the manual says that the "Strength" values determine the plausibility to hit, but in this case a 45/30 ratio should be as good as a 1.5/1 ratio, but it isn't, and I know that because my Singularity/Psi Gravships encounter such ratios pretty often. I nearly always win the former, even if the power ratio is heavily against me (me 5 he 10/20), but the second case I VERY often loose although I have 30 and the enemy 10 (remind you, the 30 count as 7.5 due to the point above).
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Author	Topic: PSI combat ratio/results mismatch: Bug or Feature?
agoraphobe	posted 04-02-99 01:05 PM ET This was most recently raised again in the TI thread, but I thought it better not to clutter up that valuable thread with so specific an issue (although, if it turns out to be a feature, we'll need to discuss strategies to deal with it ). The question with the short answer is: Is this a confirmed bug, i.e., does Firaxis say it's a bug? If the answer is yes, then end of thread. If the answer is no, then does this need confirmantion or is it an undocumented feature? Note that there are other little- documented features in SMAC such as Datalink "Security Locks" that only the AI player can impose on its bases, and note that these are not always imposed after the first probe attempt and at times they are imposed _before_ a first probe attempt. When I first encountered this discrepancy in a typical endgame "Planet Rising" mindworm rush scenario that involved heavy PSI combat, I actually thought that this might be an intended feature. Why? Because: 1) this discrepancy does not seem to appear earlier in the game - I can usually rely on the ratio readout to predict PSI combat results as accurately as conventional combat; 2) In my experience, the discrepancy was more likely for some units rather than others - particularly PSI Choppers. In fact, I ceased producing PSI Choppers in the face of this result, they performed so poorly, especially against IotDs. And yes, I made sure to build/possess all the PSI-enhancing stuff before cranking out these combat units. And finally there's the reason that also serves as the punchline of this thread: the "plausible" game storyline reason. PSI combat is by its nature relatively "unpredictable", and one of its elements could be "bad" ratio readouts that lure overconfident units to their death! Yeah, go on and laugh, but what a way to turn this into a feature! So, like, is Firaxis messin' with our minds, or what?
Certhas	posted 04-02-99 01:52 PM ET I want to add that someone supposedly pointed out the reason for this discrepancy, which is that L4 Reactors only get 30 HP but damage by Psi combat is quadrupled. With L3 Reactors damage is three times as big, with 30 HP, which makes sense, for this way MindWorms aren't total crap in the endgame due to their 10 HP. Another point is that the manual says that the "Strength" values determine the plausibility to hit, but in this case a 45/30 ratio should be as good as a 1.5/1 ratio, but it isn't, and I know that because my Singularity/Psi Gravships encounter such ratios pretty often. I nearly always win the former, even if the power ratio is heavily against me (me 5 he 10/20), but the second case I VERY often loose although I have 30 and the enemy 10 (remind you, the 30 count as 7.5 due to the point above).