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

[nap_rz]

well I use mars and still EMR misses a lot of shots...

I never used that weapon too much /or was used against, but with it's speed and stats it certainly seems strange.

it's probably the small hitbox size as I suggested before that may solve one of the problems if we're going to have super fast PPC...

[deca.death]

that may solve one of the problems if we're going to have super fast PPC...

I wouldn't hold breath on that one ;) ... but what stops you to change things via Xeditor, playtest it extensively in as many scenarios as possible and share with use here comprehensive post action report; making few YT videos to confirm your conclusions wouldn't be bad idea as well. That would be something interesting to read, unlike "hey I have cool idea, could you make it happen" stuff we get every day.

[NeverSnake]

Update on the boarding saga.

I reduced the value of boarding pods in the MDMk2 script and it changed the behavior, unfortunately the change was only that the turrets waited until the pods were closer before engaging but they were still shooting them down infallibly.

However, given the response when you asked about how smart turrets worked I've turned that on for NPCs and it's done wonders. Now I've got a good chance to get all of my pods through with appropriate distractions. I'd definitely recommend smart NPC over Missile Defense Mk2 for anyone who wants to go boarding.

Unfortunately, the Xenon Z is not yet mine because it's killing my marines faster than I can get them onboard so now I'm going to have to work out a way to send more over at once effectively.

Although this situation is strangely familiar...

[ external image ]

"Open the pod bay doors, HAL."

"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

[morikaane]

"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

2001: A Space Odessey. It is a good movie.

Still makes me laugh that they derived HAL from the letters IBM. I could never decide whether it was corny or cheesy.

M.

[deca.death]

I reduced the value of boarding pods in the MDMk2 script and it changed the behavior, unfortunately the change was only that the turrets waited until the pods were closer before engaging but they were still shooting them down infallibly.

You probably removed them from "top threat" list, that only means that they won't get attacked first, but will get attacked on their share in shooting cycle anyway.

However, given the response when you asked about how smart turrets worked I've turned that on for NPCs and it's done wonders. Now I've got a good chance to get all of my pods through with appropriate distractions. I'd definitely recommend smart NPC over Missile Defense Mk2 for anyone who wants to go boarding.

That's good to hear. I've used SMART for NPCs in the beginning and it seemed too effective so I've tuned it off /basically turned MD mk2 so I've made things probably even worse :) But now at least I have feeling that I've been into /and survived Stalingrad of X boarding :D

Unfortunately, the Xenon Z is not yet mine because it's killing my marines faster than I can get them onboard so now I'm going to have to work out a way to send more over at once effectively.

Well I'm leaving xenon for end. My marines are not 100% at hacking yet (have been leaving hacking for last /you need only two hackers for all targets except xenon)

If your marines are 100% leveled, shooting 21 of them (do we have ships that carry 30 marines in XRM anyway?) at target and little abuse of reload button should net you xenon capital with minimum casualties, you can loose 1 or two per level tops to have chance of successful hack. I had all xenon capitals in vanilla and I lost 7-8 marines, tops. I used to reload 7-20 times. And sometimes it's almost impossible, if you see ship is too tough, just blow it up and wait for next.

Beware, you Xenon hunters...

[panzerkw]

bare in mind explaining how to do this for one item may send you on a dark path of stat editing and creating super ships lol i dont take any responsibility for you loosing the enjoyment of xrm by making things too easy!

Oh I'm fine with the other changes XRM made, it's just the JD cost (not ware size) that's grating on me since it sort of negates the whole UT aspect of trading

[vkerinav]

I've sorted something out for Earth.

I have basically split the Torus wreck model into three separate scenes and moved them quite a bit towards the planet. This now allows the sector to actually have ships in it!

Now all I've got to do is work out a script to make all the universe changes necessary without forcing a restart. I hope the MD can manipulate "special" objects like the Torus wreck.

The old Torus model--or a part of it--could be converted into a station(or a unique OWP). I don't think it'd be unreasonable to imply that some sections survived intact.

It'd clearly take some time and effort on the part of a modeller to accomplish, perhaps too much. But it's a thought.

[NeverSnake]

You probably removed them from "top threat" list, that only means that they won't get attacked first, but will get attacked on their share in shooting cycle anyway.

Yeah, I'm missing something, I went through the rest of the script and it seems like it should prefer ships over missiles. Perhaps boarding pods come up when you search for ships as well or perhaps I'm just missing something. Either way I'm satisfied that the smart turrets algorithm is sufficiency random or sufficiently easy to confuse that boarding pods stand a chance.

Well I'm leaving xenon for end. My marines are not 100% at hacking yet (have been leaving hacking for last /you need only two hackers for all targets except xenon)

If your marines are 100% leveled, shooting 21 of them (do we have ships that carry 30 marines in XRM anyway?) at target and little abuse of reload button should net you xenon capital with minimum casualties, you can loose 1 or two per level tops to have chance of successful hack. I had all xenon capitals in vanilla and I lost 7-8 marines, tops. I used to reload 7-20 times. And sometimes it's almost impossible, if you see ship is too tough, just blow it up and wait for next.

I was using 20 marines from my Brigantine rather than 21 and they weren't 100% but they were all 5* 85+ and I was typically losing 4-5 per deck. I could probably have reloaded loads of times to get it, but thankfully I didn't have to.

I've just managed to cap the Xenon Z using my brigantine, with a little help from my Gannet to launch the first invasion wave. It took a couple of runs to get the timing right (I didn't allow for the acceleration of the missiles from my own ship so on the first couple of runs the gannet's pods steaked past mine and their defensive wasps) but after all this trouble the capture wasn't all that bad.

So basically the way I did it was:

1. Get the Z to follow my brigantine. I picked up a Xenon Command Ship Z in Black Hole Sun leading an invasion so all his missiles had been spent and the sector defence was in ruins and unable to interfere.

2. Let my super long-range gauss cannons whittle the Z's shields down out of his cannon range, 8x gauss cannons do slightly more damage than the Z's shield regeneration, which is handy for launching boarding attempts but does mean it takes 10-20 minutes to get rid of his shields if he keeps shooting all your hornets down, still being on MDMk2 at that point.

3. Launch All Marines on the gannet. I jumped it in using a gateless jumpdrive script, but leading the Z back in the direction of the gate would have worked just as well.

4. Launch a boarding pod on the Brigantine some way before the gannet's boarding pods draw level with the brig to allow for acceleration, then switch to wasps and hammer the fire missile key.

5. Pray that the boarding pods don't get shot down. I actually lost the boarding pod from the brig here but I'd fired it far too early so I got a second one going in time.

6. Once the marines have cut through the hull and are fighting, launch the remaining 10 marines from the Brigantine. They should arrive just in time to shore up the half-depleted marines on the Z to their full strength of 21 at around deck 4-5.

Lets see you get out of this you marine eating Xenon monster:
[ external image ]


7. One Xenon Z, property of Nopileos. How plain it looks for so much effort.
[ external image ]

[Nemesis_87]

Just out of curiosity, what mods r ppl now running with XRM-AP?

[joelR]

@dougeye

Have you had any issues with the values not changing even after saving and opening the PM?

I noticed that I could change things in the part 2 cat without issue but the PMs twaret file is still showing the old values. Changing that does no good as it just creates a new one with the old values.

[joelR]

Just out of curiosity, what mods r ppl now running with XRM-AP?

I assume you mean scripts as well.

I dropped MBRR and am using PG and Brennas Triumph Tortuga for a little more action, not that XRM needs it. I just love those scripts.

All of Luckies scripts of course. Smart for turrets, PC and NPC, and MARS for goblins.

Thats basically it for scripts. For mods Im using EED, ACH (advanced complex hub) and 2 different HUD mods. And the medium hull pack of course. Which I may switch to High now that software doesnt get destroyed when taking hull damage.

[paulwheeler]

Out of interest, has anyone had any CTDs with XRM:AP yet? I'm hoping its fairly stable without mbrr or the missile boat script running. I've not had a single crash yet.

[joelR]

Out of interest, has anyone had any CTDs with XRM:AP yet? I'm hoping its fairly stable without mbrr or the missile boat script running. I've not had a single crash yet.

I havent had the time to really invest in a long game but so far nothing. It runs really well even with all the extra job related things going on.

[paulwheeler]

I spotted this vid on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohGfo86X ... ata_player

Gives a good impression of the size of the battle between the argon and terrans.

[morikaane]

Just out of curiosity, what mods r ppl now running with XRM-AP?

Not too many... just... Turbo Booster, CLS/CAG, Ware Manager, Dockware Manager, NPC Bailing, Terran Marines, Marine Training Manager (to train terran marines), Marine Repairs, Production Modules, Energy Cell Generator and a bunch of libs to make it all work.

I'm hoping that Trixx will release the AP version of his UI soon... the vanilla one is driving me nuts (his UI is awesome).

Out of interest, has anyone had any CTDs with XRM:AP yet? I'm hoping its fairly stable without mbrr or the missile boat script running. I've not had a single crash yet.

Nope. Just a few moments of lag (about 2-5 seconds) when entering a sector where there's a massive fight going on... but really no surprise there.

M.

[Erenar]

No CTDs yet...

To reduce them in TC I applied the LAA patcher which prolonged gameplay as i think the crashing was lack of addressable ram for the most part. Not sure if AP has the LAA enabled but it seems a damn sight more stable with XRM, PG, ADS, YA and most of the scripts Joel mentioned.

Which UI is that? post ingame pics!

[Argon Destroyer]

After installing this mod, AP is losing his new ship(Albion Pride for example). I thinks that's because into tships was added information about new ship from X3TC, not from AP.
And the AP's plot is not starting...
Is that right?

[morikaane]

To reduce them in TC I applied the LAA patcher which prolonged gameplay as i think the crashing was lack of addressable ram for the most part.

Pretty sure its already enabled, my system has been using near 3GB in X3:AP.

Which UI is that? post ingame pics!

Trixx has some screenies in his Gold UI thread.

M.

[joelR]

I spotted this vid on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohGfo86X ... ata_player

Gives a good impression of the size of the battle between the argon and terrans.

Nice job Nick. That gives a good feel of the mod. Make more!

[Joubarbe]

One crash for me. I was selling some missiles, but the original crashed as well, so I'm not sure it's related to this mod.

It's very stable nonetheless, because I played for 25 hours.