Binary Dawn: Gaians

[MercantileInterest]

In the Binary Dawn mod, the Gaians have the following stats:

TECH: {Centauri Agriculture}

DATALINKS2
+2 EFFICIENCY: {Experience with life systems & recycling}
-1 unit morale & -1 POLICE: {Freedom loving & pacifist tendencies}
+5% Psi combat strength: {Affinity with native life}
Need HAB COMPLEX for bases to exceed size 4: {Against large population centers}
TREE FARMs may be built before the discovery of Environmental Economics
Ignore negative effect of PLANET social engineering.
{May not use Free Market economics.}

I'm considering running them in my multiplayer game but, in single player tests, they seem weak. What do you all think of abolishing the Morale or Police penalty? As they are, wouldn't risk them and would fall back on the Free Drones instead.

[MercantileInterest]

Perhaps boosting their PSI bonus to +15%...

[Nevill]

What is the use for ignoring the negative effect of PLANET if they don't run FM which is the biggest source?

Yes, they are weak. Requiring HAB Complex is a big penalty, and they no longer have positive PLANET which gave them a unique playstyle in the original.

Building Tree Farms before the tech is researched is kind of irrelevant, since they cost 120 minerals. Early game can't take advantage of that.

I am mostly unsatisfied with the tech tree (I think it is very uneven - some branches require a pittance, like Nano-something tier 4 tech having 3 prereqs, while some tier 3 techs have 6 prereqs), I think it moves too many things into mid-late game, and makes some techs not very useful. But I am used to different pacing, so don't know how much my opinion is applicable.

If Gaians can't build native life until Xenobiology or something, Psi bonus isn't going to help them much. Still, +2 EFFIC is a big bonus, it's just the penalties outweigh it.

[MercantileInterest]

Tree farms aren't entirely irrelevant. You'll get a couple by flipping pods, or throwing down a lot of cash.

Ignoring negative PLANET helps with Subsistence economics. Other folks start with -1 Planet. Gaians do not.

Yes, the tech tree could stand to be ironed out. Maybe add a few more prerequisites to some of the Level 4 techs. Just don't want to throw all that into the middle of the naval game.

...and you're certainly used to a fiercer pacing than the rest of us.

[Nevill]

See, my problem with the tech tree is that it's somewhat... disjointed?

Like, there is no thematic connection. Fundamental networks has probe (good), Self-adapting software has HoloTheater/Planned (good)... and Command Nexus? What do perimeter defences have to do with it? Next in line is Particle Chemistry (how is it connected to SAS?), which allows a level 5 weapon with no prerequisites. High-Intensity lasers are a tier 2 tech with 2 prereq tech and a lower-tier weapon on route.

And next is Nanominituarization which has Naval Fuel nanocells and Aerofuel. But it can be researched before naval techs! What use are they to the player, and what sense does it make?

It is kind of random. Why does Wealth necessitate the research of two weapons techs, one of which is inferior to the other? 'No, I know you have 6-tier weapons, but you also need this inferior 5-tier or you won't be able to progress with your peaceful builder style'.

The original handled the themes quite well, it just could use a few rearrangements (more early Centauri techs for fungal production, less OP airforce, less early OP projects).


But that has less to do with Gaians and more with the rest of the game. I am just not sure how to buff factions without the tech tree ironed out, because what civics they can/can't run and what techs they have available and when decides the strength of the faction. See Morgan beelining to Wealth, or Sparta beelining to Elite units.

[MercantileInterest]

Oh, the techs are arranged thematically. It made sense to me to for Secrets of the Human Brain and Central Command Structure to lead to Advanced Social Theory, or for Self Adapting Software to lead to breakthroughs in Particle Chemistry. Also spent a decent amount of effort trying to make the described technology fit the improvements it allows. Suppose you're seeing my tendency towards artistry in place of technical details.

We've just started our game, so not much point rearranging everything right now, but I'm not so conceited as to ignore others when they know better than me. If you want to rearrange the tree, I'd (probably) be satisfied with making a few minor adjustments to your work.

[Bearu]

In the Binary Dawn mod, the Gaians have the following stats:

TECH: {Centauri Agriculture}

DATALINKS2
+2 EFFICIENCY: {Experience with life systems & recycling}
-1 unit morale & -1 POLICE: {Freedom loving & pacifist tendencies}
+5% Psi combat strength: {Affinity with native life}
Need HAB COMPLEX for bases to exceed size 4: {Against large population centers}
TREE FARMs may be built before the discovery of Environmental Economics
Ignore negative effect of PLANET social engineering.
{May not use Free Market economics.}

I'm considering running them in my multiplayer game but, in single player tests, they seem weak. What do you all think of abolishing the Morale or Police penalty? As they are, wouldn't risk them and would fall back on the Free Drones instead.

The faction appears weak on several fronts but the ability to discern the strength in a multiplayer game requires the presence of other players, and the balance against the strength of the other factions.