SMAX - The Will to Power - mod

[Tayta Malikai]

I just don't know how to explain user why surplus doesn't match base yield in base screen. Maybe use one of these notification lines when they say something like "production boom" in right top corner?

On the base screen, would it be possible to simply extend the minerals surplus readout, adding another component for minerals inbound from other bases?

So it would read +X+Y, where X is local surplus and Y is minerals from other bases.

This format could also be extended to other mechanics, like how Cloning Vats work now, where the base receives its regular nutrient surplus X and also the minerals-to-nutrients surplus Y. There is certainly enough room on the base screen for it currently.

Well I'm tying to  figure out how it changes the game. Like how it changes the AI.
It looks interesting but if I want to change this back I'll probably need to  reinstall
from GOG.

You can always keep multiple versions of the game floating around and just label them by which mods are installed. They're only like half a gig each.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Are you asking what it has changed? If you just want to skim it - read changelog. 😊
Otherwise, I can answer specific questions.

Well I'm tying to  figure out how it changes the game. Like how it changes the AI.
It looks interesting but if I want to change this back I'll probably need to  reinstall
from GOG.

There are many changes. Which one you are referring to, specifically? If all of them then sure, clean GOG install is the way to go. For most of controversial changes I also make a configuration parameters. So you can switch them off.

It is impossible to tell how it changes the game without actually trying and feeling. The mere combat mechanics (which this mod revolves around and that was introduced like eons ago) changes game play so drastically that people still keep mentioning it.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

On the base screen, would it be possible to simply extend the minerals surplus readout, adding another component for minerals inbound from other bases?

So it would read +X+Y, where X is local surplus and Y is minerals from other bases.

This format could also be extended to other mechanics, like how Cloning Vats work now, where the base receives its regular nutrient surplus X and also the minerals-to-nutrients surplus Y. There is certainly enough room on the base screen for it currently.

Good idea. However, it means putting some new graphical field there. Not sure how easy it is. Let me poke it.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

On the base screen, would it be possible to simply extend the minerals surplus readout, adding another component for minerals inbound from other bases?

So it would read +X+Y, where X is local surplus and Y is minerals from other bases.

This format could also be extended to other mechanics, like how Cloning Vats work now, where the base receives its regular nutrient surplus X and also the minerals-to-nutrients surplus Y. There is certainly enough room on the base screen for it currently.

You gave me an idea by that. I usually don't like to introduce new game elements like new interface or rule. Prefer to stick to existing one and modify them smallest way possible.

Even though I conceptually like new rules for popboom and CV, they introduce questionable arbitrary rules and change in UI. Would it be better you think to replace this new "+nutrients" popboom rule to Bumper crops event instead? Conceptually it is exactly the same (+nutrients). Quantitatively it is slightly different but not much (+1 nutrient per worked tile instead of flat +5). This way we will completely reuse existing game mechanics as well as completely transparent UI - everything is visible and marked.

CV can be then reverted to permanent popboom (= bumber crops) as well instead of minerals to nutrients conversion. Even though conversion is quite lore matching (biomachinery = machinery -> food/people) it is still some revolutionary new mechanics in game that didn't exist before (sort of stockpile energy but to nutrients). So new players may not grasp it easily.

Update

Still not quite satisfied with that. GROWTH rating should work with growth box width (= population growth speed), not with nutrient surplus. Maybe +6 GROWTH just makes growth box even narrower? Say 4, as it would normally be? Then CV just subtracts one too. So they can both be in effect simultaneously reducing growth box width to 3 combined? It's still a huge bonus: +20-25% increase in growth speed.

Update 2

I guess we can reuse original GROWTH mechanics in this way. Vanilla GROWTH is capped at +5. Anything above it triggers popboom. What if we allow CV to contribute to GROWTH (+1 or +2) and move cap to +9? This way popboom mechanics is still there but it more difficult to achieve with all SE, CC, golden age and CV contributing toward it. One needs +10 combined GROWTH which can be achieved by CC + golden age + 6 GROWTH from SE or by CC + golden age + CV + 4-5 GROWTH from SE.

Seems pretty logical and completely reusing current mechanics. Base view don't need any UI modifications.

[vonbach]

There are many changes. Which one you are referring to, specifically? If all of them then sure, clean GOG install is the way to go. For most of controversial changes I also make a configuration parameters. So you can switch them off.

Honestly i'm more  curious what the EXE file changes. Pretty much I'd like to know what cant be easily removed.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Sorry, man. There were so many of them. I don't even remember them all.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

# Version cloning_vats_and_population_boom

Test version for new CV and popboom mechanincs

* The Cloning Vats gives +2 GROWTH rating instead of triggering population boom directly.
* GROWTH rating upper cap = 9. This makes population boom very hard to achieve.
* Base nutrient view now displays population boom message when appropriate.
* Planned: --EFFIC, ++GROWTH, +INDUSTRY, -RESEARCH.
* Eudaimonic: ++ECONOMY, --EFFIC, ---MORALE, ++GROWTH.


Experimental version. I'll appreciate if anyone tests it and/or give me feedback how logical and interface convenient that is.

The big idea is that popboom is still there. However, GROWTH cap now 9 instead of 5. Therefore, it is quite difficult to achieve. One need to collect five +2 GROWTH bonuses out of possible six: 3 SE choices, CC, golden age, CV. One of the SE choices is Eudaimonic which is 50-60% down the tree so it is not possible to trigger it until then or until obtaining CV which is also past mid game.

All these bonuses have +2 GROWTH so any faction +1 GROWTH innate bonus won't be enough to replace any of above for popboom triggering purpose.

Popboom is still abusable to extent. Setting all three positive GROWTH SEs may be nasty but extreme faction population boom may offset negative effects in 10-20 turns. Do you still want it or should we disable it completely? After all +9 GROWTH is by itself a super beneficial setting increasing population growth 10 times. If so then we can relax GROWTH requirements and make some SE/CV to deliver only +1.

The Cloning Vats gives +2 GROWTH rating instead of triggering population boom directly. As you could guess already.

[vonbach]

I'm trying out your mod now. Very oddly even  though I changed the alpha file  I can use my custom factions.
The penalties for some of the economic choices are a bit extreme -4 Police for FM. Green has -3 growth and an Industry penalty.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

I'm trying out your mod now. Very oddly even  though I changed the alpha file  I can use my custom factions.

Factions are controlled by their own files. I didn't touch them. So that customization is up to player.

The penalties for some of the economic choices are a bit extreme -4 Police for FM. Green has -3 growth and an Industry penalty.

Eh. SE is an open field for experiments. There are myriads of possible combinations. I can even adopt somebody else's model. No biggie.

-4 Police for FM is extreme for you? Err, how about -5 in vanilla?
Police specifically has very long negative spectrum. Anything but -5 is quite tolerable.

[vonbach]

Factions are controlled by their own files. I didn't touch them. So that customization is up to player.

No I mean they worked without me altering the alpha file at all.

-4 Police for FM is extreme for you? Err, how about -5 in vanilla?
Police specifically has very long negative spectrum. Anything but -5 is quite tolerable.

I always considered it to harsh. I always modified it.

Tech seems to come faster in this mod by  quite a bit.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Factions are controlled by their own files. I didn't touch them. So that customization is up to player.

No I mean they worked without me altering the alpha file at all.

You are confusing me. When was it different? They are supposed to be completely independent.

-4 Police for FM is extreme for you? Err, how about -5 in vanilla?
Police specifically has very long negative spectrum. Anything but -5 is quite tolerable.

I always considered it to harsh. I always modified it.

Are you saying FM doesn't deserve that much penalty?

Tech seems to come faster in this mod by  quite a bit.

First few tiers are somewhat cheaper than in vanilla. Later on they get more expensive. You are supposed to acquire one per 4-5 turns by all means. Count how many you have every 50 turns or so to make sure you are on track.

[vonbach]

You are confusing me. When was it different? They are supposed to be completely independent.

Its odd I can use my custom factions but I cant change them in and out without altering the file.

Are you saying FM doesn't deserve that much penalty?

I always thought the FM penalties were much too harsh.
Planned  was overpowered for its penalties in the base game.
Just like Democracy.
I'm to the point of removing most if not all penalties to make life easier for the AI
in my games.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Are you saying FM doesn't deserve that much penalty?

I always thought the FM penalties were much too harsh.
Planned  was overpowered for its penalties in the base game.
Just like Democracy.
I'm to the point of removing most if not all penalties to make life easier for the AI
in my games.

Some society effects are difficult to perceive. Even harder to analyse and compare. ECONOMY is clearly visible and people always thought +2 of it is a big boost.

How do you want to change it?

[Hagen0]

Free Market is powerful enough. There is absolutely no need to make it even better.

[vonbach]

How do you want to change it?

I usually do something like remove the Police penalty altogether.
Though sometimes I just remove all the penalties from all the choices.

Free Market is powerful enough. There is absolutely no need to make it even better.

The whole game has a left wing bias.  Free Market and Planned is a good example.