SMAX - The Will to Power - mod

[Nexii]

It's set in #TECHNOLOGY section of alphax.txt

Biogenetics,                Biogen,  0, 0, 0, 1, None,    None,    000100000

The highest numbered priority of the 4 will be what kind of tech it is considered. I believe if you set equal priorities it takes the last. The order is conquer, discover, build, explore. The numbers can be greater than 0 or 1 to fine tune beelines or make the AI prefer key techs more.

Yea pop control is drones control. Although I do have punishment sphere and police state as conquer exceptions.

[Nexii]

I agree this is a lot of work. Especially, when you keep changing versions. I don't think there is a need. What one can get from this "big picture"? I use it to track a development to a single target technology. And, to be frank, it is not really such a big help in it. I always can check immediate prerequisites in game and 99% of the time this is what I only need. When I plan the tree I only need to know which level each tech is to make sure I place them right. Plus I make sure they are do not cluster too much. I.e. there is no easy way for some high level tech. However, the latter is impossible to catch visually, anyway. So I have a program for that.

Yea if you're really worried tech diving/beelines you can do both prereqs at n-1. Meaning for example a level 7 tech takes 2 level 6s.

I did n-1, n-2 for the tree up until the end. So a level 7 tech takes a level 6 and a level 5. So you can never get too far ahead down one path, but there is the option to dive a little. As long as you don't continually alternate the same branch it's pretty hard to get way ahead in any one category. It will be kind of obvious you'll see a lot of the same number as the +# as you go across

[Hagen0]

If I could relax the n-1/n-2 to sometimes allow n-2/n-2 or n-1/n-1 (all techs still retain 2 prerequisites) that would already help a lot.

[Nexii]

Not talking about AAA tracking. You need that too and it would be excellent on Optical Computers. I meant the SAM ability needed to attack flying targets. If you do not have that you just die vs needlejets even with AAA tracking mainly because you can't attack land units under a needlejet so they can just walk up to your bases with infantry or probes and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Yea I have SAM one tech before DocAir. That's more lenient than the stock tech tree which requires DocAir. If that's not enough for you, you could move it back to AdapDoc at C3

[Nexii]

If I could relax the n-1/n-2 to sometimes allow n-2/n-2 or n-1/n-1 (all techs still retain 2 prerequisites) that would already help a lot.

I'm not sure if n-2, n-2 will always work if intermixed. It should I think but it might mean some levels will have more techs than others

[Hagen0]

I see what you mean. It would need to be n-1/n-1 and n-3/n-1 one level above as a variant to keep the structure.

[Nexii]

I see what you mean. It would need to be n-1/n-1 and n-3/n-1 one level above as a variant to keep the structure.

Yea on second thought it always pushes the parent tech down. So n-2, n-2 would become n-1, n-1

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

@tnevoling
Movement is still bugged in v.58

first save:
Unit seems to be able to move diagonally on river tiles for < 1 movement point. In std game it can go so along the river, no shortcuts.

second save:
Somehow that Colony Pod in Halls of discipline can move 4+ tiles. Its weird like its rounding ?! on some tiles it spend 2/9 on other 3/9 points.

Excellent catch! Thank you for being on top of that. That was an experimental feature and we uncovered few more game quirks (or my omissions) with your help. 😉

Apparently, I forgot that river flows only straight on Alpha Centauri, never diagonal. So I didn't check the direction and only source and destination squares have river.
For the second one I didn't check for base in square. Apparently, game does not mark base square as having road/tube but it does count it as having one.
Both fixed now.

# Version 59

* Fixed advanced movement on river. River direction is always straight across tile edge - never diagonally.
* Fixed advanced movement when leaving or entering a base. Previously base didn't count as having road.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Ok. Where there's just a # that's for n-2. For n-1 I wrote it out.

Had to redo it but your way was better for visualization.

Looks pretty colorful. I assume this straight line of red techs in the middle is the weapon path?

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

One key aspect of balancing out Needlejets is to put Air Superiority well before Doctrine: Air Power so that factions without Air Power can fight Needlejets.

I would also give them AAA too for early protection.

Oops. Hagen0 just replied the same few messages below. Just saw it.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

It's set in #TECHNOLOGY section of alphax.txt

Biogenetics,                Biogen,  0, 0, 0, 1, None,    None,    000100000

The highest numbered priority of the 4 will be what kind of tech it is considered. I believe if you set equal priorities it takes the last. The order is conquer, discover, build, explore. The numbers can be greater than 0 or 1 to fine tune beelines or make the AI prefer key techs more.

Yea. I know how it works. I am curious how you specifically divided them in groups? Did you set yourself a rule to use certain gap between different values to make sure it is well aligned with the color like if you set Discover value to be 4 other values cannot go near it to not spoil the grouping? Or it is completely arbitrary? Meaning in conquer you can have equally any of 4333 or 4000 or 1000, etc.?

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

If I could relax the n-1/n-2 to sometimes allow n-2/n-2 or n-1/n-1 (all techs still retain 2 prerequisites) that would already help a lot.

You cannot have n-2/n-2, unfortunately. At least one of them should be n-1. 🤣

Darn. Again I am reading too slow. Nexii has already answered that.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Thank you for all your tech tree suggestions. I've already collection some action points for me. However, I have to postpone the corresponding release it as I am currently working on terraforming AI. Will do tech tree after that.

[Nexii]

Yea. I know how it works. I am curious how you specifically divided them in groups? Did you set yourself a rule to use certain gap between different values to make sure it is well aligned with the color like if you set Discover value to be 4 other values cannot go near it to not spoil the grouping? Or it is completely arbitrary? Meaning in conquer you can have equally any of 4333 or 4000 or 1000, etc.?

I have them all with one 1 and rest zeros, except Biogenetics and Industrial Base, which are 1112 and 1121. Haven't gotten too fancy yet with it. You can't get too far ahead in any one area so even a single focused faction will pick up techs outside their priority.

But yes, 4333 and 4000 and 1000 would all be considered conquer. The first would get more priority by non-conquer factions and blind research. The second would get more priority for conquer factions over say other 1000 techs.

Tech tree is a ton of work. I recommend doing what Hagen0 did in Excel if you ever do. I used a similar method but simplifying it helped as a double check in the end

[Nexii]

Looks pretty colorful. I assume this straight line of red techs in the middle is the weapon path?

Yea more or less, up to weapon 8. orbital spaceflight is 10, advanced spaceflight 12.

Though you can't go directly down that line, each one has the n-2 prereq. It's kind of an aggresive line since it's mostly armor prereqs