Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Topic started by: Dio on January 30, 2014, 03:02:13 AM

Title: Special Abillity Costing
Post by: Dio on January 30, 2014, 03:02:13 AM

I am hoping to use each of the 9 or 10 different special ability costing formulas at least once among the original 24 special abilities. Do you have any suggestions for which abilities should have a special costing option?

Here are the costing options and default special abilities:

; Cost   = Cost factor of ability
;          1+ = Straight Cost; 25% increase per unit of cost
;           0 = None
;          -1 = Increases w/ ratio of weapon to armor: 0, 1, or 2.
;               Rounded DOWN. Never higher than 2.
;               Examples: For a W1,A2 unit, cost is 0
;                         For a W3,A2 unit, cost is 1 (3/2 rounded down)
;                         For a W6,A3 unit, cost is 2
;          -2 = Increases w/ weapon value
;          -3 = Increases w/ armor value
;          -4 = Increases w/ speed value
;          -5 = Increases w/ weapon+armor value
;          -6 = Increases w/ weapon+speed value
;          -7 = Increases w/ armor+speed value

Super Former,           1, EcoEng2,  Super,     00000010111, Terraform rate doubled
Deep Radar,             0, MilAlg,   ,          10000111111, Sees 2 spaces
Cloaking Device,        1, Surface,  Cloaked,   00001111001, Invisible; Ignores ZOCs
Amphibious Pods,        1, DocInit,  Amphibious,00000001001, Attacks from ship
Drop Pods,              2, MindMac,  Drop,      00000111001, Makes air drops
Air Superiority,        1, DocAir,   SAM,       00000001111, Attacks air units
Deep Pressure Hull,     1, Metal,    Sub,       00000111010, Operates underwater
Carrier Deck,           1, Metal,    Carrier,   00101101010, Mobile Airbase
AAA Tracking,           1, MilAlg,   AAA,       00010001011, x2 vs. air attacks
Comm Jammer,           -1, Subat,    ECM,       00010111001, +50% vs. fast units
Antigrav Struts,        1, Gravity,  Grav,      00000111001, +1 movement rate (or +Reactor*2 for Air)
Empath Song,            2, CentEmp,  Empath,    00010001111, +50% attack vs. Psi
Polymorphic Encryption, 1, Algor,    Secure,    00000111111, x2 cost to subvert
Fungicide Tanks,        1, Fossil,   Fungicidal,00000010111, Clear fungus at double speed
High Morale,            1, Integ,    Trained,   00000001111, Gains morale upgrade
Heavy Artillery,       -7, Poly,     Artillery, 00010001001, Bombards
Clean Reactor,          2, BioEng,   Clean,     00000111111, Requires no support
Blink Displacer,        1, Matter,   Blink,     00000001111, Bypass base defenses
Hypnotic Trance,       -1, Brain,    Trance,    00010111111, +50% defense vs. PSI
Heavy Transport,        1, Disable,  Heavy,     00100100111, +50% transport capacity
Nerve Gas Pods,         1, Chemist,  X,         00011001101, Can +50% offense (Atrocity)
Repair Bay,             1, Metal,    Repair,    00100100111, Repairs ground units on board
Non-Lethal Methods,     1, Integ,    Police,    00000001001, x2 Police powers
Slow Unit,              0, Disable,  Slow,      00000111111, -1 moves

Title: Re: Special Abillity Costing
Post by: Yitzi on January 30, 2014, 03:41:13 PM

There are only 7 special formulas.  As for what would make sense for each:

-1 is good for defensive abilities, such as ECM, Trance, and AAA (ECM and Trance already have it.)
-2 is good for abilities that are overpowered on high-weapon units; cloaking/deep pressure hull would be good candidates.
-3 is good for abilities that are overpowered on high-defense units; carrier deck is a good choice.
-4 is good for abilities that are overpowered on fast units; putting it on blink displacer could work well.
-5 is good for abilities that are meant for fast but weak units; I'd put it on drop pods.
-6 is good for abilities that are meant for slow defensive units; non-lethal methods might be a good choice.
-7 is good for abilities that are meant for slow offensive units; it's already on heavy artillery, and that's a good one to use.

Title: Re: Special Abillity Costing
Post by: Dio on January 30, 2014, 07:03:13 PM

Quote from: Yitzi on January 30, 2014, 03:41:13 PM

There are only 7 special formulas.  As for what would make sense for each:

-1 is good for defensive abilities, such as ECM, Trance, and AAA (ECM and Trance already have it.)
-2 is good for abilities that are overpowered on high-weapon units; cloaking/deep pressure hull would be good candidates.
-3 is good for abilities that are overpowered on high-defense units; carrier deck is a good choice.
-4 is good for abilities that are overpowered on fast units; putting it on blink displacer could work well.
-5 is good for abilities that are meant for fast but weak units; I'd put it on drop pods.
-6 is good for abilities that are meant for slow defensive units; non-lethal methods might be a good choice.
-7 is good for abilities that are meant for slow offensive units; it's already on heavy artillery, and that's a good one to use.

That is very helpful and thank you for the input.

Title: Re: Special Abillity Costing
Post by: Geo on January 30, 2014, 07:18:24 PM

 :ok: