Matrix Games Forums

 Forums  Register  Login  Photo Gallery  Member List  Search  Calendars  FAQ 

My Profile  Inbox  Address Book  My Subscription  My Forums  Log Out

Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods?

 
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? Page: [1]
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 3/30/2017 12:14:16 AM   
aster

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 11/2/2014
Status: offline 		Hi all,

I've had Distant Worlds for a while but just recently took the plunge, using Timotheus' awesome full-manual newbie guide. Was really fun to learn the ropes, but once I did (i.e. after my first game) it's become ridiculously easy.

I'm not even a big min-max or AI exploiting type player, but at a sensible rate of economic & colony expansion plus pretty basic military tactics, I'm just steamrolling everyone sooner or later. Tried to up the difficulty to Hard, still easy.

So my question is - what sort of setup do you find a challenge? Are there any mods that improve the balance & AI? Galaxy generation options & settings? Ideally I'd like a result more satisfying than giving the AI massive economic bonuses, but guess I'd take that too if it means being challenged on what's otherwise a fantastic game.

Thanks in advance!
Post #: 1
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 3/30/2017 12:55:12 AM   
Retreat1970


Posts: 948
Joined: 11/6/2013
From: Wisconsin
Status: offline 		There is an extreme setting. Play with house rules. Play AI improvement mod or RetreatUE mod. Play against more advanced empires. Play against all bugs. Play small map with you prewarp and 10 bugs tech 7 on extreme. Let me know if that'd be easy.

(in reply to aster)
Post #: 2
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 3/31/2017 12:55:41 AM   
aster

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 11/2/2014
Status: offline 		Ah, I didn't mean to give the impression I didn't think the game was capable of challenging me. Just want to figure out what combination of mods/settings veterans have found the most entertaining. For example, is it worthwhile to bump up AI aggression? Or does that have unforeseen effects?

Any preference between the AI Improvement and RetreatUE mods? I'm leaning toward the former because it seems a little more comprehensive, no idea really though.

(in reply to Retreat1970)
Post #: 3
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 3/31/2017 4:00:04 AM   
Retreat1970


Posts: 948
Joined: 11/6/2013
From: Wisconsin
Status: offline 		I like the RetreatUE mod, but I'm biased. Read twigsters AAR in the AAR section. It's hard.

(in reply to aster)
Post #: 4
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/24/2017 12:34:32 AM   
aster

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 11/2/2014
Status: offline 		Thanks for the suggestion - I've been playing RetreatUE and enjoying it.

But.... is there a way to rollback the race additions? I feel like the stock races are the perfect # for me to keep track of mentally, a lot of these new ones blur together. Is it just a matter of copying the races folder from the vanilla game or are there other changes I'd have to make?

(in reply to Retreat1970)
Post #: 5
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/24/2017 2:36:38 PM   
Bingeling

 

Posts: 5186
Joined: 8/12/2010
Status: offline 		I would try to use just the AI mod, with or without the Extended included. The thread should have both options.

(in reply to aster)
Post #: 6
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/24/2017 3:48:51 PM   
Retreat1970


Posts: 948
Joined: 11/6/2013
From: Wisconsin
Status: offline 		Icemania's AI mod is very good. 1.04 is the stock races version.

(in reply to Bingeling)
Post #: 7
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/25/2017 5:32:55 AM   
SirHoraceHarkness


Posts: 400
Joined: 5/17/2015
Status: offline 		I couldn't play the game without icemania's ai mod. I tried a few games of vanilla without it and the ai is just too easy to steamroll unless you really stack the deck hard with tons of insect empires and pirates and such.

(in reply to Retreat1970)
Post #: 8
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/25/2017 9:52:26 PM   
aster

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 11/2/2014
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Retreat1970

Icemania's AI mod is very good. 1.04 is the stock races version.


Is there any notable difference from 1.04 to 1.05, aside from the extra races (and their associated exclusive tech)?

(in reply to Retreat1970)
Post #: 9
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/30/2017 1:27:16 AM   
Sabranan

 

Posts: 418
Joined: 2/24/2016
Status: offline 		RetreatUE uses scripted research orders for the AI so it would probably be a bad plan to restore the stock races, since that would seriously affect the game's balance.

You could delete the non-stock races from the RetreatUE races folder, but there are references to race names in the research.txt file (ALLOWED RACES) and raceBiases.txt (obviously). On top of that there are the policies, design templates, dialogue and character folders which will contain files for each of the races.

It's hard to say exactly how DW will react to having a load of orphaned race references. Best case scenario is it just ignores it, worst case is it'll refuse to start.

_____________________________

Distant Worlds: Universe Modding Tool

(in reply to aster)
Post #: 10
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/30/2017 2:10:59 AM   
Retreat1970


Posts: 948
Joined: 11/6/2013
From: Wisconsin
Status: offline
quote:

Is there any notable difference from 1.04 to 1.05, aside from the extra races (and their associated exclusive tech)?


Nope, but that being said I haven't put it under a microscope. There may be something.

(in reply to Sabranan)
Post #: 11
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 4/30/2017 8:43:20 PM   
Twigster

 

Posts: 1023
Joined: 1/13/2015
Status: offline
quote:

There is an extreme setting. Play with house rules. Play AI improvement mod or RetreatUE mod. Play against more advanced empires. Play against all bugs. Play small map with you prewarp and 10 bugs tech 7 on extreme. Let me know if that'd be easy.



Yeah- it is.

< Message edited by Twigster -- 4/30/2017 8:45:04 PM >

(in reply to Retreat1970)
Post #: 12
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 5/1/2017 10:57:43 AM   
Icemania


Posts: 1847
Joined: 6/5/2013
From: Australia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: aster

Hi all,

I've had Distant Worlds for a while but just recently took the plunge, using Timotheus' awesome full-manual newbie guide. Was really fun to learn the ropes, but once I did (i.e. after my first game) it's become ridiculously easy.

I'm not even a big min-max or AI exploiting type player, but at a sensible rate of economic & colony expansion plus pretty basic military tactics, I'm just steamrolling everyone sooner or later. Tried to up the difficulty to Hard, still easy.

So my question is - what sort of setup do you find a challenge? Are there any mods that improve the balance & AI? Galaxy generation options & settings? Ideally I'd like a result more satisfying than giving the AI massive economic bonuses, but guess I'd take that too if it means being challenged on what's otherwise a fantastic game.

Thanks in advance!

My very first post in this forum was basically a complaint about difficulty, much like this one!

The suggestions from posters above are all good but I just want to reinforce house rules. There are some parts of the game, despite how great the game is, that are a little bit game breaking, like technology selling ... which we can't mod.

My personal house rules:

• No Homeworld Invasions are permitted until the 30 year mark and no use of sneaky fast troop transports (otherwise too easy, although harder now that what it used to be and I've done what I can in the AI Mod)
• Intelligence Agents must remain on Counter Intelligence duties (otherwise agents can sometimes become uber powerful particularly if they have concealment, there really should be a lower cap on skills)
• Recovered ships must be retired (as they are super powerful although with the AI Mod the AI explores much better so more will be found and fight against you)
• Debris field ships may not be recovered until they are within my territorial influence (as a huge research booster which the AI is uber slow to exploit, nothing I can Mod here unfortunately)
• Exploration ships must be on Automatic, no micro (stop and move to greatly increases exploration speed and goody finding)
• Cannot attack the Eruktah Refugees until they reveal themselves as the Shakturi (pure cheese)


(in reply to aster)
Post #: 13
RE: Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? - 5/1/2017 11:00:37 AM   
Icemania


Posts: 1847
Joined: 6/5/2013
From: Australia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Retreat1970

quote:

Is there any notable difference from 1.04 to 1.05, aside from the extra races (and their associated exclusive tech)?


Nope, but that being said I haven't put it under a microscope. There may be something.

Yeah there were really just some bug fixes in 1.05. 1.04 is essential though, huge changes in AI behaviour from 1.03.

(in reply to Retreat1970)
Post #: 14
Page:   [1]
All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> Upping the difficulty, improving AI, mods? Page: [1]
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts


Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI

0.750