SMAX - The Will to Power - mod

[dino]

As for magtubes, I'd make magtube movement cost 1/3 of roads ( as in 3x speed, adjustable in the ini anyway if someone would want faster magtubes ), but then I'd multiply movement cost on tubes by the speed of the unit.

This way all units would have the same speed on magtubes, to simulate being transported by trains without introducing new parameter.
At 3x speed, it'd be equal to hovertank on roads 9 tiles/turn for example.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Movement cost is not dependent on unit cost. This is terrain parameter. It would be pretty difficult to make it dependent.

I may forget initial point but what was the problem with rovers moving twice as fast on any terrain including roads and tubes?

[dino]

You could just multiply movement points substracted from the unit by its speed stat when moving on magtube.

This way all units would traverse the same distance on magtube per turn, like they would be transported by train instead of using their own drives
Just a little simulationist thing for versimilitude and wouldn't require an additional unit stat to govern unit speed on magtube, like someone proposed on the previous page.

For game balance tubes having double speed of roads works decently for me, so it's just a low priority idea to consider.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

I understand the train simulation idea but question the strategic purpose. Why it is strategically bad for speeders moving faster on tubes? Isn't it this one thing why we build them? If everything moves same speed on tubes then in late game, when everything is tubes, infantry gets an advantage over hovertank. It seems like a backward evolution.

[Neil]

What about disabling the bonus when using enemy magtubes?

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

That is one thing I proposed long time ago for slowing down the unstoppable army. Along with other disadvantage to intruder like disable road/tubes, destroy sensors when they flip to territory when base is captured, etc.
People liked it 50/50. So I didn't implement it.

[dino]

Magtubes counting as regular roads on enemy territory seems great for both balance and simulationist versimilitude since we can imagine you need to take over control and power facilities before you can use magtube.

I was under impression most people were against disabling roads, I'm sure many would like disabling magtube on enemy territory but still counting it as a road.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Yea. That is a compromise option. However, it does not kick in until tubes are widely built. So not until some after mid game.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Training my AI. Going very very slow. A lot of details to tackle. Here is the current state where Hive (WTP AI) plays against vanilla factions.
Hive started on small *incredibly crappy* island. You can see their starting location. Almost completely arid, U.N.S Unity Wreckage. First 20 turns it developed soooo slow barely producing colonies to fill up starting island. However, it sent few Gun Foils for sea pod popping. And by luck and craft captured all other faction ocean bases they just built. Imagine that: just a crappy fleet of basic sea units captured all other factions' ocean bases. All of them. All ocean bases you see in the southern hemisphere belonged to others. Besides, they also captured couple of University's bases on their native island to the East. I could not believe it but now they are ranked #1 overrunning PK who landed on jungles! Funny.
 

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Another interesting development.

First screenshot is AI playing Hive. But we are here for Believers vs. PKs. Lal landed on jungle and was first in development for long time (until AI Hive didn't overtake him). Believers, though were progressing exceptionally badly being squeezed by fat PKs and waging constant war with them (unsuccessfully).

Therefore, I decided to see what AI can pull out as Believers. Second screenshot.
I was quite pleased with Believers now swarming the map with Scout Patrols (thanks to their extra support) and just taking empty PK bases - eliminating them for good and taking this jucy jungle spot! No even after 20 turns passed so I can check dominance chart.
 

[DrazharLn]

Its cool that you're doing some development on this again! How have you changed the AI?

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

A lot of small things here and there. Just keep adding more and more. I'll probably list them all at release time.
Besides economy I also try to teach them to fight better. Now they can evaluate the amount of forces to gather and to coordinate the attack (to some extent).

[DrazharLn]

Nice! Good luck!

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

I think I am sufficiently satisfied with this AI stage. It consistently beats all non WTP AI factions within 50-100 turns. This becomes actually pretty boring how pre-WTP AI leaves their bases unprotected letting neighbors just to take them for free. Besides, WTP AI also consistently takes weakened neighbor bases by force one by one unless they are smart enough to seal the treaty stopping slaughtering. That even works against Hive with their PDs.
I also do a standard reverse test replaying the least developed faction after first test only to see how it becomes the superpower even from the worst starting conditions.

Example below. Hive (WTP AI) was placed on the peninsula blocked by Believers and deprived the juicy jungle placements. Yet it was able to expand and take their territory by force skyrocketing the development close to turn 50.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

From now on I am working on general optimization and bug catching. Can release it for early testers if anyone is interested.