SMAX - The Will to Power - mod

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

One other project that I felt was mistimed as of v66 (don't remember where it is now) is the Universal Translator. 2 techs are worthless in the beginning when you can steal/trade them from other factions, or research them in just 20 years. They are absolutely priceless when those techs are tier-8/tier-9, as having a few years on your opponent can give you a big advantage in the mid-late game, giving access to another reactor, or a high-tier Future Society, or some important facility, or letting you get a headstart on a project.

20 years in early game is ~60-100 minerals; 20 years in midgame is 600-1000 minerals, and you could do a lot more with those, which is why the project is only meaningful in that phase of the game - that's when you can take advantage from it.

Absolutely fine with me. When do you want it and what should it cost?

Although, I believe stealing intensifies toward the end of the game. More bases in general + more enemies + more sea bases = more entry points.

[Nevill]

I have a wild idea. What if we pursue the idea of free citizens traveling across the empire at any time? Not necessarily at the base creation time. For example, let disgruntles citizen those otherwise turn into drones travel to better places in other bases those have excess of happiness and where extra citizen does not become a drone yet?

It would be inventing a mechanic for the sake of a single project which only a single faction would be able to build.

Plus it runs into the problem of the contribution mechanics in that a base should be a self-contained, independent entity. All effects should be evident from looking at the Psych tab and should not depend on situations in other bases.

Absolutely fine with me. When do you want it and what should it cost?

I'll have to check the new tech tree, but in general the later it comes, the more valuable it is, unless it comes too late to matter.
So anywhere from tier 5 to tier 8, and ranging from 400 to 600 would be my guess.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

I have a wild idea. What if we pursue the idea of free citizens traveling across the empire at any time? Not necessarily at the base creation time. For example, let disgruntles citizen those otherwise turn into drones travel to better places in other bases those have excess of happiness and where extra citizen does not become a drone yet?

It would be inventing a mechanic for the sake of a single project which only a single faction would be able to build.

Plus it runs into the problem of the contribution mechanics in that a base should be a self-contained, independent entity. All effects should be evident from looking at the Psych tab and should not depend on situations in other bases.

Yeah. I feel the same already. Too complicated. 🤔
I guess, we'll go with your average base size approach for now.

[dino]

Maybe just keep PTS as original, but reduce bonus pops to 2 ?

Or make PTS do something completely different but thematically fitting: give +SUPPORT

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Maybe just keep PTS as original, but reduce bonus pops to 2 ?

That is possible. However, that'll just halves the benefit. Are you sure it brings it from broken to not broken?

[dino]

I think coupled with delaying it to mid game it would, maybe make it monopole magnets related ( don't remember when you get MM in WtP ).

It can be considered OP only because of  popboom changes, in vanilla game you could pump colony pods from booming bases, to achieve simillar result.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

# Version 112

* AI build more defensive units based on: the combined strength of enemy attacking units, their distance from own bases, the diplomatic status, whether the player is human/AI.


This is a beginning of small incremental AI improvements. Any tests and feedback would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind that it is far to sophistication. Small incremental improvements are meant to be simple and stupid. The purpose is no to grow an excellent sparring partner but to raise AI to the level when it is tough to beat at highest difficulty.

This change in particular computes total attacking strength of other faction units.
Excluding natives.
Excluding all psi attack units. Meaning this is for anti-conventional defense only.
For land and sea units counting only those in the same region with own base.
Any unit that is able to reach own base in 4 turns is counted for its full strength. Any farther units are contributing proportionally less threat. I.e. unit within 8 turns contributes its half value, etc.
Faction innate attack and defense bonuses are accounted for.

Pact units are excluded (this is to avoid overbuilding defense when allied units are traversing through own territory).
Treaty units are counted at 0.25.
Truce units are counted at 0.5.
Vendetta units are counted at 1.0.

Then the above value is compared to total own units defense value.
If the defense value is less than attack value the needs for building more defensive units arises. The worse matching the more the urge.
The idea is to match vendetta faction attack potential with equal own defense potential. That with +50% territory and +50% base should give enough protection.

Also AI tries to build units in bases with at least average mineral_surplus.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

# Version 113

* Simplification in PTS functionality: https://github.com/tnevolin/thinker-doer#the-planetary-transit-system.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

# Version 114

* Combat units are reassigned to avoid oversupport. Configuration parameter: unit_home_base_reassignment_production_threshold.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

I see the problem for new Recycling Tanks functionality. It works absolutely perfect for land bases where it can be built as a facility of choice. However, for ocean bases it is integrated into pressure dome. I don't like the inbuilt abilities to generate 50% more minerals automatically as well as pay 2 maintenance in each newly built base. I also don't like it to be not a facility of choice anymore. So, I guess I should reinstate such ability and separate it for stand alone facility for ocean bases as well. Any objections?

[lolada]

Hey Tim do i need to change something in Thinker.ini to use your terraforming AI ? Or is it now used by default.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

It is on by default in latest version. However, you can also check this option to be sure.
ai_useWTPAlgorithms=1

[lolada]

Thanks! Starting new game then I am interested in changes and I should have a bit more time now. Lets see what happens, playing it kind of blind.

http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=21510.new#new

[MercantileInterest]

I have a wild idea. What if we pursue the idea of free citizens traveling across the empire at any time? Not necessarily at the base creation time. For example, let disgruntles citizen those otherwise turn into drones travel to better places in other bases those have excess of happiness and where extra citizen does not become a drone yet?

It would be inventing a mechanic for the sake of a single project which only a single faction would be able to build.

Plus it runs into the problem of the contribution mechanics in that a base should be a self-contained, independent entity. All effects should be evident from looking at the Psych tab and should not depend on situations in other bases.

Yeah. I feel the same already. Too complicated. 🤔
I guess, we'll go with your average base size approach for now.

A very intriguing idea, if you mean a mechanic that lets the player manually redistribute his citizens across his bases. You've reached your population cap? Send excess citizens to smaller bases. Nutrient failure? Evacuate half the base. Captured enemy territory? Move the inhabitants back to your own empire.

In scenario editor, you can manipulate population with - or +. Imagine, after you build PTS, you select a base window and press either - or + (doesn't matter which.) Another window opens, showing all of your bases and a field to enter a number. If you enter the number 3 and select Gaia's Landing, 3 citizens will be sent from whatever base you were looking at to Gaia's Landing.

Might add a check to keep this from breaking population caps. Might not.

AI would have a hard time handling this. Perhaps it could have a different effect for them, closer to what Nevill has in mind.

[MercantileInterest]

To clarify, you can already break population caps by sending a colony pod to join a full base but the swollen base still can't grow normally until you build the appropriate facility.