[MOD] [TC/AP] X3 Rebalance Mod (XRM) - Total conversion - v1.30d (02.12.13)

[StoogeR]

Does the lead paranid ship have a destination assigned? It may simply be enroute to another sector and has run out of energy cells/has a damaged jumpdrive.

I know for sure that they were going after another ships in the system. Both terracorp OWP's and few stations were destroyed.

[SimB]

Is the Bonus Package for Terran Conflict usable with this mod? Or will it be obsolete because its features are already integrated into this mod?

[paulwheeler]

Is the Bonus Package for Terran Conflict usable with this mod? Or will it be obsolete because its features are already integrated into this mod?

Its usuable, but I recommend downloading the stand alone versions from this forum. The bonus pack is very out of date.

[paulwheeler]

Does the lead paranid ship have a destination assigned? It may simply be enroute to another sector and has run out of energy cells/has a damaged jumpdrive.

I know for sure that they were going after another ships in the system. Both terracorp OWP's and few stations were destroyed.

If you look at the ship information it will tell you if the ship has a destination. Also, is the lead ship owned by a station? All XRM military ships (except RRF and they wont leave owned sectors) are owned by a station.

[grayx]

XRM is a great mod (it really is), but I noticed there is some sectors that are almost a cheat.

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Those are Heretic End, Menelaus paradise, Grand Exchange and some others, close to Xenon sectors in general (Heretic End and Circle of Labor are due Argon-Terran war I guess).

The reason I think this is because of amount of loot those destroyed ships leave behind and efficiency at which drones collect it. I usually have an Orca (at least) stationed at or in near-by sector which sole purpose is to collect those spoils-of-war. From time to time it feels there is no need to do anything else but to sit patiently at some of those sectors and collect goods. I think this should be toned-down a lot.

There could be few ways to tone-down, by enabling NPC to collect goods themselves, to reduce chance of generating loot at those sectors in particular (Argon-Terran war ships should't be that generous as they are now).

I know that this require a lot of work but I would like to see some realism when weapons are concered. If some destroyed ship leave some equipment (aside probably missiles) they shouldn't be available for use in our ships before refitting it is EQ or Military station (for a price of course). Those weapons leaved by destroyed ships are 99% damaged in some way, and that is the chance to differentiate brand-new equipment bought at stations and those acquired by looting. Just an suggestion, but my main point is those over abundance of equipment at above mentioned sectors.

Maybe difficulty settings could determine probability of loots and bailing (I didn't noticed that in this iteration).

Generally, I like X universe as a harsh place hard to obtain money to upgrade ships. If someone wants faster progression, he could choose easier start. I started as a poor renegade and after few hours by just watching and sitting idle at those sectors, I amassed iirc over a million credits by just selling missiles and stuff. I did it, but it felt somehow too easy.

"Return ship" quest (in which we keep a ship) is another big issue. Too much money too fast, although I saw that Paul (I guess) tried to address this by hostile group jumping in - it's easy to avoid them. And there is a issue that some stations ask to return some M6's back to the station, but that station can't dock that M6 (Raven and some others due its size).

All in all, this is probably a minor problem for most of you, but I find it somehow a flaw in otherwise great mod, I hope this could help for it to be even better.

[Tolmos]

That is usually caused by installing the cat/dats to the base TC folder not the AP (addon) folder. Please recheck your installation ensuring you follow the AP installation instructions (the second set).

Ok, I did another clean install of TC/AP and followed the installation instructions perfectly, making sure to install all the files exactly where they needed to be, but it still freezes at the loading screen when I start a new game. It says it should only take about two or three minutes but it's been ten now and still nothing. Something's wrong. What am I forgetting?

First I would like to say to the XRM team- this looks amazing and I really appreciate the work you guys have put into this! I am completely blown away by the amount of effort that was put into this!

Anyhow, I am in the same boat as the poster above. Clean install of X3:TC/AP. I followed the instructions to the letter, then proceeded to install some of the optional scripts listed in the thread. I did my very best to follow the instructions to the letter, though I am guessing I made some mistake. I started a new game, first option (Argon Peacekeeper I think), and let the loading screen sit for a bit. 10 minutes later it was still loading.

The only deviation that I took from the installation instructions was that I installed the latest bonus pack and Lucike's Script Collection, since I could not find a standalone CODEA install. This collection was tested on a separate AP install, but maybe it doesn't get along with XRM? It's the only thing I can think of

Lucike's Script Collection - http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=271491

Here is a screenshot of my Addon folder.

http://i.imgur.com/wqRjR.jpg


{Images posted directly to the forums should not be greater than 640x480 or 100kb, oversize image now linked - Terre}

[Reliku]

Idea:
Remove need for energy cells, and the need to keep shields down while hacking. Hackerchips could be transported aboard the target ship using a transporter device, after the shields are down, and the link with the SOS would not be severed by shields. Because it's a radio signal, and we use radio all the time with our shields up. And then just wait for it. Hacking mechanics are the same, but once we have them beamed aboard we can fly away and wait, instead of having to stay there and take pot shots, and avoid collisions while keeping shields down, and get p**** because of everything else that may go wrong. Still won't be easy, but it won't be near impossible, if someone is as unlucky as i am

I would like to hear opinions from others as to how balanced SOS is. Do others find it too hard? I'm certainly open to suggestions on what needs to be done. I've had some feedback, and it was mostly positive about the balance, but if people feel its too hard please let me know. I don't want it to become an easy way to steal ships though. It needs to be on a similar level to the vanilla boarding in terms of frustration and time so as not to make that method redundant.

I have been able to capture up to Xenon C's using a hyperion, but beyond that it is pretty difficult. M2 and M1 are just too hard to keep alive, keep shield down, and keep yourself alive in order to hack. I have tried the ion cannon route, but these are huge dinosaurs that if you are too far away you get caught in their weapon arc, and too near you will likely crash into them. So in my experience, M3-M8's are just fine, M2 and M1...use a missile frigate. I have to admit though, I would like to hack my own Xenon beer can and Xenon I, cause marines and xenons dont mix...

[MacrameGod]

Can you post a screenshot of your installation folder? It will make it easier for me to see what's going on.

http://i.imgur.com/cV0ON.jpg

04 and 05 are the XRM files. I was going to include the cockpit addon, but I decided to hold off until I can get the actual mod itself to work. I keep all the addons I plan on using later in the folder named "modz".

{Images posted directly to the forums should not be greater than 640x480 or 100kb, oversize image now linked - Terre}

[Boredom]

Its hard to get a good balance on this matter, since there's always the tendency to abuse it if it's too easy. It would be much to get things balanced if there was any RPG elements in X, being much harder in the beginning, then the common place point here and there makes things more accessible, but the only options we have are equipment, and a common good that might be being underused: marines.
With this hacking stuff in place, i start thinking about using marines to buff up ships instead of giving them guns and sending them to suicide missions in egg shell pods or stone age spacewalks. More like a real crew, its hard enough to train marines to 5* as it is, it would be a tremendous and VERY expensive task training a battalion of marines to man the big ships in the fleet, that would get buffs according to their skills, using their mechanics for shield, engine and repair buffs (marine repairs is a good example for a starting point), engineering for weapon buffs and hacking to man those sweet SOS caps, making them more effective! Being a tremendous effort for the player, the "overpowered" factor wouldn't matter anymore, since this would only be really achievable in mid to late game, where the hard part really is the painfully boring micromanagement of all the assets. It doesn't need to be considered overpowered at all, by the way, with buffs in the order of 5-10ish% tops, it would make a difference, but it wouldn't be nothing like god ships one man army to conquer this universe and all dimensions that get in the way. Anyways, it's pretty much possible to wipe out entire sectors with a single M2 armed to the teeth, and some good dodging; i called it a quits playing AP without XRM when i wiped Xenon core something and adjacent lairs with a single Boreas, without a coffee break. By reducing this micromanagement requirements and allowing players to have smaller fleets buffed up by crews, also diminishing the "AI stupidity" and reliability factors that make a big mess of fleet ballet in space while they should really be fighting, i think it would open way for a much more enjoyable experience with what we all play to see, big battles that lead to victory, not big messes that makes me thing something like "WTF ARE THEY DOING @#$%^&*!!!!!!!!!", i really try to avoid that, but maybe it's just me
I know zit about modding/scripting in X, i like the playing part much more, but i've been around since the very beginning... so much i'd like to see, and i regret not having the knowledge to do it myself...

[d_ka]

@Boredom:
I laughted a lot reading your answer. Mainly, because i have experienced some of the things you described myself. That Advanced Khaakh Corvete i had managed to capture was destroyed 20 seconds after i gained controll over the ship - by some pesky Khaakh scouts, which i would have killed within seconds, but just haven´t been able to react quickly enough to save both ships.
Therefore i´ve braught a TM + Fighers to a sector for the next time to back me up against those little annoyers. Due to CODEA installed on that TM i could train my Pilots very quick, while beeing really usefull against poping up Clusters ( i was in Zeta Rho sector ).

Concerning the difficulty of capturing: I´ve managed to hack 1xK ( in my HQ sector 4-15, but payed a price loosing 2xM7 + Fighers, so totaly non profitable aqcuisition, but it´s a K! ), 2xG + 2xQ (unknown secotr at the east of Zeta Rho ), 1x Hayabusa ( Atreus Delta ), 1xKariudo ( some border Boron sector ), and a couple of Khaakh Corvetes ( though, it was in previous save ). Except the Kariudo, which i captured on an unintended anti Yaki Patrol ( i do not need another enemy in the neibourhood with M8/M7M... ), all these ships were captured in Unknown sectors. My last attempt to get the "J" failed ( i was hoping the Treser Chest would stay calm long enough, till i can finish my "work", but well... ). The capturing felt not very difficult: maybe because i had no other hostile ships around, and/or because i think i´ve figuered the best way to hack enemy ships ( that small "guide" i wrote in my previous post ).

The Boron Ion Cannon is perfect for hacking of larger ships - M7/M2 (against Corvetes IPG would be better suited, imo): not only it disables shield, makes very moderate damage to hull, but it also really "stunns" the enemy ship - consequently reducing it´s speed and draining weapons energy. I have observed several times the fights between Boron and Xenon navies, and it was quite funny to see, how 3-4 Boron ships were surrounding the remaining capital ship of the Xenon, making it "freeze" at place by firing their Ion weapons ( they just couldn´t finish it effectively ).

The lack of crews on X3 ships will be adressed in Rebirth, till then one has to stick with what we´ve got. Also, modders like Lucike have written some cool scripts to emulate the crews on the ships, at least for the player.

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Btw, this is a stand alone CODEA link ( the site has a lot ore, but it´s in german ) http://www.xuniversum.info/index.php?op ... &Itemid=62

I should continiue my game and will definetly try to cap a "J" or/and an "I", and be back with reports about how challenging it was, if possible at all.

Does anyone know which ship class is concidered "higher" in the ranks M1 of M2? *bump*. Thanks in advance

[Tolmos]

Can you post a screenshot of your installation folder? It will make it easier for me to see what's going on.

http://i.imgur.com/cV0ON.jpg

04 and 05 are the XRM files. I was going to include the cockpit addon, but I decided to hold off until I can get the actual mod itself to work. I keep all the addons I plan on using later in the folder named "modz".

lmao Dude, we're idiots =D You posting this picture made me realize why mine wasn't loading either.

Take all the scripts out of your scripts_AP folder and put them in the scripts folder. Then go start a new game. It'll load this time =D

Derp. The second I saw it I was like "no there is no way this is the cause...", moved the scripts and felt completely stupid haha

[StoogeR]

If you look at the ship information it will tell you if the ship has a destination. Also, is the lead ship owned by a station? All XRM military ships (except RRF and they wont leave owned sectors) are owned by a station.

No destination. Home of both m2s is a military outpost in empire's edge.

[cjm3fl]

If you look at the ship information it will tell you if the ship has a destination. Also, is the lead ship owned by a station? All XRM military ships (except RRF and they wont leave owned sectors) are owned by a station.

No destination. Home of both m2s is a military outpost in empire's edge.

I also have a Paranid incursion in Argon space. Red Light sector.
For more then 2 full (game)days I have noticed a Poseidon (M2) and a Deimos (M7) running around the sector. There is an Argon bounty on the Poseidon of almost 10m credits. Tempting

It's home is the Military Base in Empire's Edge. The Deimos is an 'escort' of the Poseidon.

In the beginning of my game, there was a large Paranid incursion in this same sector. The fleet decimated anything "Argon". I just thought this was the nature part of the game's beginning so I didn't think anything of it.

It's possible (I didn't pay attention) that these ships are part of that same fleet, even 16 game-days into play.
I visited the sector and the fleets were active/aggressive.
From a distance (OOS) I noticed them there, but new stations appeared and remained intact with 100% shields and hulls.

They might have become aggressive (again) once I re-entered the sector.

I'm playing TC, 16 game-days and 6 hours into a Goner start.
They are leaving my Stott Complex in that sector alone so I don't' have a problem with them.

[Arisk]

Regarding SOS usage

I managed to capture an I in a paramid sector unholy descent, using ion canons I managed to isolate it and after 20+ hacker chips the ship was mine with 10% hull

I also managed to capture a Z in sector 472 but it took me hours, I had to destroy all the escorts moving between gates and after several spawned Q and fighters.

But the most difficult was the kha’ak advanced destroyer usually moving alone in teladi or paramid sectors only 3% hull and 30+ hacker chips.
When you approach your target make sure that its alone without friendly’s or else use them to lower shields with their fire only fighter can be used but you are open to enemy fire so for destroyers forget it only for frigates and lower.

Spoiler

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I use Tempest with turbo to approach and have my turret weapons in up position 30-40 deg. so I have room to maneuver but is hard as it is, with improved races and the response system is nearly impossible to use SOS on commonwealth and xenon ships so only option is marines with all the cost.

[paulwheeler]

Can you post a screenshot of your installation folder? It will make it easier for me to see what's going on.

http://i.imgur.com/cV0ON.jpg

04 and 05 are the XRM files. I was going to include the cockpit addon, but I decided to hold off until I can get the actual mod itself to work. I keep all the addons I plan on using later in the folder named "modz".

lmao Dude, we're idiots =D You posting this picture made me realize why mine wasn't loading either.

Take all the scripts out of your scripts_AP folder and put them in the scripts folder. Then go start a new game. It'll load this time =D

Derp. The second I saw it I was like "no there is no way this is the cause...", moved the scripts and felt completely stupid haha

Yeah that's likely the problem. None of the ships that are spawning can find their job scripts. Well spotted.

@MacrameGod - I recommend unchecking hide file extensions in Windows as this means you don't see the .cat extension which can also cause issues when renaming them.

[paulwheeler]

If you look at the ship information it will tell you if the ship has a destination. Also, is the lead ship owned by a station? All XRM military ships (except RRF and they wont leave owned sectors) are owned by a station.

No destination. Home of both m2s is a military outpost in empire's edge.

I also have a Paranid incursion in Argon space. Red Light sector.
For more then 2 full (game)days I have noticed a Poseidon (M2) and a Deimos (M7) running around the sector. There is an Argon bounty on the Poseidon of almost 10m credits. Tempting

It's home is the Military Base in Empire's Edge. The Deimos is an 'escort' of the Poseidon.

In the beginning of my game, there was a large Paranid incursion in this same sector. The fleet decimated anything "Argon". I just thought this was the nature part of the game's beginning so I didn't think anything of it.

It's possible (I didn't pay attention) that these ships are part of that same fleet, even 16 game-days into play.
I visited the sector and the fleets were active/aggressive.
From a distance (OOS) I noticed them there, but new stations appeared and remained intact with 100% shields and hulls.

They might have become aggressive (again) once I re-entered the sector.

I'm playing TC, 16 game-days and 6 hours into a Goner start.
They are leaving my Stott Complex in that sector alone so I don't' have a problem with them.

Right, what is likely happening is that the local defenses are destroying the Paranid m6/m3 incursion. The Paranid military base then sends the M2 plus escorts in response. As the Paranid are not enemies to the Argon (the incursion M6s and M3s run scripts which makes them enemies) the Argon don't consider the paranid m2 a valid target so ignore it. Also, the Paranid m2 will only go after ships that have attacked the paranid insursions, so it should leave traders alone.

The only way to make the Argon respond properly is to make the argon and paranid full enemies. I don't really want to go down this path though. The military base will recall the paranid m2 in time. Also, the local argon military base in either Elena's Fortune or Ventura's Sentinel may well send a response. Its just RRF that will probably ignore it. The Argons are likely busy with the Terran fleet or Xenon incursions.

What I could do is impliment a clean up routine in the main scripts, but it will be difficult to stop it interefering with other scripts that may deliberately add this kind of large scale incursion like IR. So I'm tempted to leave it alone. As i said, the military base should recall it eventually. If it bothers you that much, you can always cheat destroy the m2. The escorts will then retreat.

[Strike-Météor]

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/3527 ... n00001.png that's what I'm talking about guys

[StoogeR]

Well, I'm far beyond of the "home of light incident", but I've found something else.

Ceo's Sprite sector, xenons are attacking (xenon K, P and wing of L). K is badly damged. After some time teladi m7 went from the north gate. I thought teladi m7 would engage the K, but all it did was docking with the military outpost (home) and jumping out few seconds after undocking. A few minutes later the mighty teladi flagship with full escort came through the north gate but still no luck, it just flew behind the military outpost and sat still. Noone was fighting xenon K. The K disgusted with teladi cowardice stopped shooting at the shipyard and went in the direction of south gate. I don't know if it was destroyed there or jumped through the gate.

Paul, you told that MBRR would work with ap+xrm. I don't want unlimited rrf ships, I want ships existing right now to behave as they should. Maybe mbrr without its optional features will do that?

[paulwheeler]

The ships you are seeing are running the vanilla "defence base" script. This does largely the same thing as MBRR but not quite as efficiently. The outpost sends its ships on patrols against enemies, incursions etc. Also, if a ship needs more missiles, ecells, repairs etc. Is sorts that too. In addition there are several RRF ships. These respond to attacks more directly than the military outpost ships. Again, I suspect the teladi rrf are busy elsewhere. Give it time and I'm sure they will sort it out.

Of course, this is assuming that the xrm is installed correctly and your universe was initialized correctly at the start of the game.

Save your game and then use the cheat scripts to spawn satellites in all sectors. Have a look around - are the teladi military responding to threats? Check sectors like grand exchange, scale plate green and eighteen billion (e.g. sectors boardering xenon space).

[Strike-Météor]

heee me and what do we do about my problem?? http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/25 ... 00001.png/