Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Topic started by: Green1 on August 04, 2013, 11:39:39 PM

Title: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 04, 2013, 11:39:39 PM
I present the ANSWER to this blight that has been unleashed on my laptop called the Antimind. For dozens and dozens of games (yeah, I play this game too much) it has laughed in the face of Marr and H'imilee. Even powerhouses like Yang get a lump in their throats. Santiago checks her panties for BM. Antimind rules the PLANET that dwells on the laptop. An undisputed monster.  It's tentacles and fusion planet busters with no one (except my Miriam. When I have to get Miriam, you know I mean business. I see me playing Miriam as me cheating) to play on it's level. NO MORE!

The polar opposite of good old fungus breath is here! Meet the Exterminatus. Unlike Antimind that wants to meld and become one with everything to become a superior creature, the Exterminatus want to destroy everything to evolve into a godlike instrument of entropy.

I designed the .txt files.
The graphics are done by Jarlwolf.

The txt and datalinks. Sounds over powered, but remember MOST OF AC2 are at Thinker + level of play! This is actually balanced for us :D (but, it may well adjust downward at lower difficulties if you are still getting there) Plus, it is going against Antimind. The bonuses and stuff actually work out.

Quote
;
; Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
; Faction Editor
;

#EXTERMINATUS
The Exterminatus, The Cleanser, Exterminatus, M, 2, E'xitus, M, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1,
TECH, Physic, TECH, Indust, SOCIAL, +++INDUSTRY, SOCIAL, -GROWTH, SOCIAL, +++MORALE, SOCIAL, -----PLANET, FACILITY, 19, IMPUNITY, Fundamentalist, FANATIC, 0, ALIEN, 0, PSI, 50, TECH, 2,
Politics, Fundamentalist, POLICE,
Future Society, Eudaimonic, nil,
Exterminatus, Exterminatus
E'xtor, E'xter, Hymn of the Void
Harbinger, Godlike, sociopathic, destructive, sociopathic,
Crazed Monster
destroy all existance
bring death and void to all
flourishing on this planet
flourishing on this planet
demolish everything in your path
abusing human life and spirit
abusing human life and spirit
wanting to end all existance including the universe itself
army, M1
overall survival, M2
erradication of everything, M2
tithe for ignoring, M1
in destroyindall meddlesome life
the Extermination Squads
of not being dead yet

#BASES
Exterminatus : Begin
Umbral : Blot
Extermination : Inevity
Planet : Gone
Human : Extict
Adaption : Duty
Suffering : Begun
Nexus : Ending
Seed : Doom
Nonexistance : Host
Host : Nothingness
Void : Power
Planet : Dust
Evolution : Selection
All : Culling
#END

#WATERBASES
Ocean: Dry
Death :Tears
Isledeep: Husk
Savior : Corpse
Decay : Imminent
Wrath : Peaceful
Dark : Void
Sea : Last
#END

#BLURB
Evolution of our species : Must continue. To sustain
evolution : must cleanse all impurities to create :
perfection.
^
^        -- Sagar E'xitar
^

#DATALINKS1
^LEADER: {E'xitus}
^BACKGROUND: {Progenitor Evolution Cult}
^AGENDA: {Culling of any impure, including Planet}
^TECH: {Applied Physics, Industrial Base plus 2 free techs}

#DATALINKS2
^-5 PLANET: {Even Planet senses dark intent and will attempt to stop the Cleansing}
^+3 INDUSTRY: {The machines of destruction turn.}
^+3 MORALE: { Zealous followers who exist only to exterminate}
^-1 GROWTH {Constant destruction leaves little time for procreation)
^Free Robotic Assembly Plant each base: {The machines of destruction}
^Impunity to Fundamentalism  penalties
^+25 % attack, +50% to PSI combat: (Zealous devotion to the purge)
^{May not use Future Society :Eudimanic}

#FACTIONTRUCE
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"Destruction : cease?"

"Good.  End of Planet: Not begin with you."
"I, $TITLE0 $NAME1, shall never let monsters like you
for all!"

#FACTIONTREATY
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"Destruction : Yours Delayed , $TITLE0 $NAME1. I suggest: Treaty of Friendship. Our species: aid in eventual destruction of everything"

#ALIENFACTIONTRUCE
#xs 440

#ALIENFACTIONTRUCE
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
#ALIENFACTIONTRUCE #xs 440 #caption $CAPTION7 #ALIENFACTIONTRUCE #xs 440 #caption $CAPTION7 #ALIENFACTIONTRUCE #xs 440 #caption $CAPTION7 #ALIENFACTIONTRUCE #xs 440 #caption $CAPTION7 #ALIENFACTIONTRUCE #xs 440 #caption $CAPTION7 "Your eventual nonexistance: delay . A Truce: please concur"

"Agreement."
"$NAME3. Destruction: prepare!"

#ALIENFACTIONTREATY
#xs 440
#caption $CAPTION7
"$TITLE0 $NAME1, clearly you are one with the extermination. Treaty of Friendship: teach me more of my potential"

"Welcome back: prodigy. Aims: similar. Treaty: fine idea."
"Your understanding of your inevitable nonexistance : feeble. Treaty: not at this time."

# ; This line must remain at end of file

I am just about happy with the way it is a present and how the AI plays it. I am also enjoying putting it up against Ete's Annihilators. Man, what interesting battles to watch.

It makes me want to make a "cage match" scenario and place these guys, the Antimind, Marr, and Yang in a 4 way!

Anyways, I have the files attached if you DARE to put this into one of your regular SP games just to make things... well... interesting.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 04, 2013, 11:44:02 PM
A four-way with any of the aforementioned individuals strikes me as the opposite of good porn...
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 04, 2013, 11:55:11 PM
A four-way with any of the aforementioned individuals strikes me as the opposite of good porn...

But somewhere out there, there is someone who gets off on it
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 04, 2013, 11:55:32 PM
A four-way with any of the aforementioned individuals strikes me as the opposite of good porn...

Rule 32!

It would be porn for geeks such as ourselves. I do need to design a map for it. I think I should invite Ete's Annihilators to the party as well. Make it a 5 way! Put Yang in the middle.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 12:11:53 AM
I think Yang will just have pain then, no pleasure.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: ete on August 05, 2013, 12:12:57 AM
I like it. Properly broken in a focused way (insane mineral production, powerful army, uses Fundy well). Excellent graphics too JarlWolf.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 05, 2013, 12:13:44 AM
A four-way with any of the aforementioned individuals strikes me as the opposite of good porn...

But somewhere out there, there is someone who gets off on it
Do you mean rule 34?  [admin hat]If you do, don't try to post that junk here.[/admin hat]
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 05, 2013, 12:14:52 AM
Okay, I googled rule 32, and my admonition stands.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 12:23:27 AM
But how can he post an AAR then?  ???

 ;lol

Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 05, 2013, 12:24:41 AM
By leaving out the dirty pictures.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 12:30:12 AM
Crap! I meant rule 34..lol.

Rule 32 is pics or it did not happen! God.. typos/ brain farts.

Well, I do suppose I can share some AI play testing.

But, BU has admonished me. I would be banned from posting. Because you know if I did such a thing, I do detail.

On the other hand, there is a Fallen Enchantress developer named Frog Boy. For fun, all he does is make AIs and watch them play over and over.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 05, 2013, 12:36:26 AM
That's okay; I quoted the wrong post to reply to.

Just bring the AAR goodness w/o your dirty, dirty, smut, and you're earning points - and as Draz likes to say, points mean prizes.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 12:41:06 AM
AAR5 will come Aug-Sep. That will be a special, painful time for me. Plus, I will be too busy making fun... er... cheering on Ete. Because I think Powergamers are the Chosen Ones and Blessed of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

For this, it would be an AI playtest for my own sick curiosity.

Thing is.. is this durn scenario editor. I had a heart attack when I saw the one for Age of Wonders:SM. This one is no where near the complexity of AoW, but it is not as intuitive, either.

I have also not done a lot of reading on it, since I love random maps in any 4x and a scenario editor has not been a necessity for me to figure out. (Any 4x without random maps is crap in my opinion) But, for this, I would need to figure out how to put 4-5 things down without needing all 7. Also, I do not want a lot of sea travel. I want them to go in and start duking it out! I would want something like the "wheel" RNG map setting  in Civ 4 where everything connects to everything else and you have to guard against attacks from all directions. God, that was a fun map. I would set it "always at war" and fight 10 civs at Prince. I would always lose, but the idea was to see how long you lasted.

PROTIP: do it with Khmer. Those Baray elephants hit way out of their class range. Just watch for spears.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 05, 2013, 01:18:22 AM
No Flying Spaghetti Monster pr0n, okay?

What are you needing the scenario editor for?  I'm just wondering if a third-party map would do; Mart and Petek are both good at maps, if you could talk one of them into helping.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 01:44:11 AM
No Flying Spaghetti Monster pr0n, okay?

What are you needing the scenario editor for?  I'm just wondering if a third-party map would do; Mart and Petek are both good at maps, if you could talk one of them into helping.

I need a map to test AIs. I should be able to only have to put in 3 if I want to, or 5. No more than 5. Resources must be balanced at start areas so there is no unfairness. It should be either a tiny map or small. LOTS of FUNGUS, but I do want to be able to see ground. About as much fungus as Abundant Lifeforms which is the perfect amount.

I think the coolest layout is based on the "wheel" RNG of Civ 4. Some of the MP folks may like this, too. The starting areas are in the circles. The lines are passages to the different starting area "continents" Those "lines" can be as thin as 2 squares, but I think they should be 4. Bonus points if there are cool resources where those lines intersect.

The idea is the AIs do not have to mess with sea warfare to mess with each other. (Although putting someone like Sven on the outside terrorizing may be fun for a go or two)

Small to tiny map would be the ideal.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: ete on August 05, 2013, 02:01:38 AM
I should be able to make a map like that. How balanced do you want the start locations (the more balanced the longer it'll take), and what dimensions should the map be? Also, how much fungus and do you want those five start locations exactly?

Also, I tend to play with settings which link up everything into one big continent (or sometimes an island or two, but most factions joined) in order to avoid the AI's poor handling of sea.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 02:07:47 AM
Does not have to be TOO obsessive-compulsive balanced, Ete. We are SP guys. We will let kirov, EM, and them obsess over balance because that is serious business over on that end of the forum :D

I will run one more test for myself using the random tiny or small map and 7 factions, then the next AI test, I will put in another thread in the next few days so we can view our handiwork.

BTW, lurkers and posters and such... use these factions for a try. Put them in a regular Crossfire game just substituting them for Usurpers and Caretakers. I think they would be funner than you anticipate - even for purists.

take Ete's as well for even MOAR fun :D

Comrades vs Antimind? Children of Tomorrow vs Exterminatus? Some joke faction Cannibus League vs the Annihilators? Bring more insanity.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 02:12:48 AM
Don't be afraid to try out my other factions too: I'd dare see you moldies try to fight off a Valhallan Warband or an advance by the Iron Regime. Or deal with the calculative Machine Mandate. And of course, the vigor of the Comrade's revolution, or the full might of the Imperium.

Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 03:15:07 AM
Beautiful pr0n.

Lots of destruction!

the Caretakers caught in an Antimind and Exterminatus sandwich.

But... The Annihilators... building... waiting to pile in. One city has like 9 troops.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 03:32:59 AM
Woo Comrades lead in Tech!

 ;lol
 :danc: :danc: :danc: :danc: :danc:
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Sigma on August 05, 2013, 04:34:18 AM
Hey Jarlwolf, where did those base pics come from?

I can't wait to watch this AAR and see how my Procyon fare against such monsters. Hopefully their sheer growth rate as well as aquatic nature will give them enough of an edge to hold out for a while.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 04:49:57 AM
Hey Jarlwolf, where did those base pics come from?

I can't wait to watch this AAR and see how my Procyon fare against such monsters. Hopefully their sheer growth rate as well as aquatic nature will give them enough of an edge to hold out for a while.

Next megathread will not be an AAR. AAR5 is late this month, maybe early September. This is the crucible which AIs factions will be tested. I have decided that we have a lot of new factions in the modding section nowadays, and they must be "benchmarked". Who better suited since I now have a "dog in this fight" to use a Southern US saying. (Thanks Jarlwolf)

Your faction will be in on the official AI test. The pic above, I just wanted to mix things up a bit. As far as monsters eating you I do not think your AI will have issues with them. But, the isolated nature means you may win by Progenitor Victory if you are left alone. Your AI for some reason builds SP after SP!
Do not get your hopes up too much. Some of these monsters WILL come after you and remember, sea bases are a [complaint or disagreeable woman] to defend.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 04:54:19 AM
Hey Jarlwolf, where did those base pics come from?

I rip pictures from various sources and make my own edits to them via gimp and paint.

This one in particular had sprites from Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun. I heavily modified the building though and added bits/changed bits to it. I just literally take screenshots from a game, cut out the buildings from them, re-arrange and piece them together as I see fit/modify them in paint and its a simple and effective way to make bases.

And I can take any building and make several out of one: Merely by cutting and re-arranging it.

As for their faction logo: All I did was cut the head off the Progenitor picture, tinker with some settings and made it that crazy colour on GIMP, then I inserted it on said black circle. Use colour tricks/saturation to mess with on GIMP to make variations, bang done.

And for the Progenitor picture itself, I modified Marr's with GIMP/Paint, merged a picture of some cyborg and welded the modified Progenitor head on top of it, and that's that.
The process I follow is stupidly easy and fast. The only hard part is cutting out the shapes and other things.

Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Kilkakon on August 05, 2013, 05:59:55 AM
By the way JarlWolf, as you know by now I've been modding C&C for even longer than SMAC. If you ever want graphics from the games I can totally just export the frames and send them to you.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 06:20:41 AM
Speaking of CnC mods did you do any mods for the other games in the series? I'd love to try out Red Alert 2 mods, or even Generals Zero Hour ones if you have them.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Kilkakon on August 05, 2013, 06:24:28 AM
I spent a few years making one for Red Alert 2, and then one for Yuri's Revenge. I learnt the lesson of how important graphics are the hard way! The YR one is up on my site at least. :)
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 06:28:33 AM
Also, PM me if you are willing to do an online match with me or something, wouldn't mind having a round or two with or against you. I have the First Decade pack, but I am only using Generals Zero Hour (with various mods I can select from) and Red Alert 2+YR. (Plus I have the Mental Omega modification.)

But back to the subject, Green, will you just sort of do a somewhat AAR where you won't actually play, but we get to watch the computers tear out each others spleens and kidneys?
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 07:33:28 AM
Also, PM me if you are willing to do an online match with me or something, wouldn't mind having a round or two with or against you. I have the First Decade pack, but I am only using Generals Zero Hour (with various mods I can select from) and Red Alert 2+YR. (Plus I have the Mental Omega modification.)

But back to the subject, Green, will you just sort of do a somewhat AAR where you won't actually play, but we get to watch the computers tear out each others spleens and kidneys?

Well, I am doing them anyways. Might as well let you guys watch.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 10:20:30 AM
Excellent, looking forward to the grinder!
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Sigma on August 05, 2013, 01:04:39 PM
Your faction will be in on the official AI test. The pic above, I just wanted to mix things up a bit. As far as monsters eating you I do not think your AI will have issues with them. But, the isolated nature means you may win by Progenitor Victory if you are left alone. Your AI for some reason builds SP after SP!
Do not get your hopes up too much. Some of these monsters WILL come after you and remember, sea bases are a [complaint or disagreeable woman]to defend.
Plus the blobs aren't exactly the best fighters either. I don't usually make factions that are that monodimensional, so I'm really interested in seeing how they do. I'm not deluding myself into thinking that they're going to be more than an annoyance though.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Sigma on August 05, 2013, 01:12:46 PM
Beautiful pr0n.

Lots of destruction!

the Caretakers caught in an Antimind and Exterminatus sandwich.

But... The Annihilators... building... waiting to pile in. One city has like 9 troops.
BTW I love how starkly the Exterminatus progress bar stands out from the rest of the factions. It just looks like a looming borg cube about to assimilate everything.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on August 05, 2013, 01:28:22 PM
Why I chose the Green colours. Its stark, digital and cold. Green can be a colour of life, but this green? It's a colour of killers.

Which is most fitting because this faction is exactly that: Killers.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 05, 2013, 10:38:59 PM
Why I chose the Green colours. Its stark, digital and cold. Green can be a colour of life, but this green? It's a colour of killers.

Which is most fitting because this faction is exactly that: Killers.

The color was not what I was expecting, but oddly fitting.

I think after a few trial runs, the faction is out of beta. I think it is ready to stand with everyone else. It will also, because of my play style, be part of a rotation.

Now, usually, like with AAR4 once I am convinced I would be challenged (you MUST test custom factions unlike regular), I would proceed with an AAR at that point. But, there are a lot of these custom faction threads and folks needing feedback. Plus, there are others that want to try their hands commenting on gameplay, which I encourage. Now, the rest of the community has different talents. Ete can dissect and analyze. Yitzi can theorycraft and code. I must help out the only way I can. You guys need an honest feedback and AI analysis.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 05, 2013, 10:51:11 PM
And if everyone contributes in the way they best can and are comfortable doing, then we got ourselves a THING going right here, all right! ;b;
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 19, 2013, 02:51:21 AM
Well, Exterminatus makes the cut. I am stealing the Annihilators, too.

After AAR5, I think I am going to continue collecting monsters not for more AARs necessarily, but for personal use.

One of these days, though, we are all going to need to get OP factions on MP and duke it out. Hell, I would even like a co-op AAR at some point with one other person who was reliable enough to see it to the end.

My early practice with Morgan indicates I am probably going to get creamed.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Kilkakon on August 19, 2013, 02:57:41 AM
Haha well it'll be a fun death to watch~
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 19, 2013, 03:04:34 AM
Haha well it'll be a fun death to watch~

Exterminatus, ironically, is less broken than the Annihilators. Those early locusts are huge.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Kilkakon on August 19, 2013, 03:07:46 AM
I'm just glad that they aren't Doom Butterflies ala Lost Eden's Locusts. They had free sleep gas pods (-2 enemy morale). :|
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 19, 2013, 03:09:48 AM
I'm just glad that they aren't Doom Butterflies ala Lost Eden's Locusts. They had free sleep gas pods (-2 enemy morale). :|

Good grief.

Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: ete on August 19, 2013, 09:28:06 AM
I've not been at home with a comp hat has AC since like the 8th so have not actually done much testing of the new Annihilators, if they're significantly above the AntiMind and Exterminatus I could tone them down a little at least for the general release version (my AAR version wants to e badly broken compared to other monsters). My suggestions would be dropping the Psi bonus to 25-30% and maybe giving them a 20-30% conventional combat penalty. That way they still have huge scary hordes, but at least they're easier to kill.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Green1 on August 19, 2013, 01:40:23 PM
I've not been at home with a comp hat has AC since like the 8th so have not actually done much testing of the new Annihilators, if they're significantly above the AntiMind and Exterminatus I could tone them down a little at least for the general release version (my AAR version wants to e badly broken compared to other monsters). My suggestions would be dropping the Psi bonus to 25-30% and maybe giving them a 20-30% conventional combat penalty. That way they still have huge scary hordes, but at least they're easier to kill.

Easier?

Meh, I will take them broken. I like using factions as they were intended by the original artist :D. Plus, it is practice for Earthmicheal, who I seem to have in one of the MP clustermess games going on.

The good thing is, as long as I do not make them mad, they seem to be content with a few units in my territory and bashing everyone else. So, unless they just come up and vendetta, I should have time.

And, I have seen Exterminatus beat Annihilators. I have also seen Antimind wail on both, too. But, Annihilators do have the edge 60 -70 percent of the time.
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: JarlWolf on March 20, 2014, 01:43:48 AM
Bumping for all comrades to see
Title: Re: The Exterminatus - companion to Antimind (Final Beta)
Post by: Dio on November 16, 2015, 12:42:32 AM
The same event appears with the links for this faction. When will someone post new links so that everyone can enjoy the incredibly overpowered factions?
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