Advancements Production

[jdmillard]

Advancements now have a production component.

What does this mean?

[fortydayweekend]

I figured it means they're like a civ "national wonder", you have to build them in a city before getting the benefit

[SephiRok]

Yap!

[jdmillard]

Awesome. I think that's better. I can't wait to see how much production... but I gotta hurry up and finish my current game so I can update.

[fortydayweekend]

Hi Rok, it's a bit off-topic but any chance of being able to mod the AI morale bonus for difficulty levels? I'd like to increase difficulty (without having to mod the factions every game or by holding back growth in some way).

If it's at all possible at some point it'd be much appreciated!

[SephiRok]

It is very much possible; we want to add that. Can't promise when right now.

[Apheirox]

I'm in a 1.1.4 game with Xytop right now. Xenology costs 48 production - that may be a bit too much.

[jdmillard]

I'm in a 1.1.4 game with Xytop right now. Xenology costs 48 production - that may be a bit too much.

For Zenology, you're probably right... but the powerful ones later should be pretty high.

[Xytop]

We had the alien setting on high and shortly before I finished researching it (I think it was only on the third level) the aliens started attacking. And at this stage of the game, it takes you between 8-10 turn to build something that costs 48 production. The question is, what does -25% aggression exactly? Are there different levels of aggression or only those 3 simple levels (neutral / 2.0 hostile / 8.0 hostile)? If its only those three, then I find it quite an useless technology. At least for the hard and very hard level.

[fortydayweekend]

It is very much possible; we want to add that. Can't promise when right now.

Now that's service! Thanks!

[player1]

I'm in a 1.1.4 game with Xytop right now. Xenology costs 48 production - that may be a bit too much.

I think biggest problem with Xenology is that it is available too late to be beneficial.

With new changes where first alien aggression starts around 40 turn, you need to be able to both research and produce this advancement, in order to benefit from it. And 48 production is way too much. At this point of game, you usually want to at least get one Colonizer first, and then bunch of units.

At higher aggression levels it is even less useful. Only Terra Salvum has good enough timing to benefit from this advancement properly.

Note that I do not know if alien aggression already started, will this advancement help with delaying aggression from giant units. If yes, that's nice, but less useful.

[SephiRok]

We've added moddable AI morale bonuses with 1.1.5.

Xenology works both for bigger aliens and Xenos even after they become aggressive.

We could put it into the first two columns, but that might be too good. It might allow you to get both that and expand safely. I definitely want the player to feel under pressure on an unknown world.

[player1]

Ok, I understand it delays aggression. And it's good to how that it delays aggression of giants.

But how does it help for xenomorphs after they are already aggressive?


P.S.
Putting Xenology at lower tier might have been too good when advancements where free. Now not really. Combined cost is way too big.

[boulugre]

Ok, I understand it delays aggression. And it's good to how that it delays aggression of giants.

But how does it help for xenomorphs after they are already aggressive?


P.S.
Putting Xenology at lower tier might have been too good then advancements where free. Now not really. Combined cost is way too big.

I don't think it delays aggression but lower the odds of beeing attacked by aliens. Playing with terra salvum the effect is very clear as most of the time alien life will ignore your units and cities and just walk by. Attacks still happen from time to time but they are rare.

[fortydayweekend]

I usually skip Xenology, going for tanks instead... the aliens aren't much of a threat once you have Avengers (unless you're landlocked on a large pangaea..)

We've added moddable AI morale bonuses with 1.1.5.

Thanks for that being so quick! I was a bit scared of following the pattern and choosing 16/32 so I went with 12/24 and after taking out the Imperium early was just on par with the others, and it was only after taking over Togra that I began to pull ahead, and I was always playing military catch-up until the few turns before science victory. Much better!

[player1]

I don't think it delays aggression but lower the odds of beeing attacked by aliens. Playing with terra salvum the effect is very clear as most of the time alien life will ignore your units and cities and just walk by. Attacks still happen from time to time but they are rare.

Oh... It does delay ageression and effect is very clear.
First agression report will happen TWICE later for Terra Salvum. And even more later if they research Xenology.

It's easy to test. Start new game with Terra Salvum and count the turn agreysion stsrts.
And then fo the same for different faction.

Note that since they are only faction with such ability they will not be attacked by xenos, sharks and birds while other races are.
And when giants start attacking other factions, thats when xenos will attack them if there are any left, while giabt will ignore them.

[SephiRok]

I'm convinced, we'll move Xenology to the first subtier.

Aliens are aggressive in waves, 5 turns after you get the report they attack you for 12-18 turns and then chill for 30-40 turns modified by reduced alien aggression.

[player1]

Thanks for the info SephiRok.

It's always nice to get knowledge about underlying mechanics.

Additional questions:

1) What of these factors are modable?

Only thing I was able to find was when specific alien races are triggered to be aggressive (for medium difficulty).

2) How much alien aggression setting affects these triggers? Is difficulty setting also a factor?


EDIT:
One more thing:
I'm pretty sure that my scouts started dying right after alien aggression report, not 5 turns later.

Does "5 turn later" thing affects maybe when will they group to attack cities or something else?

EDIT2:
Would it maybe help gameplay if this was more transparent?
Like getting message when alien aggression cools down, and then again later when they get aggressive again.

[SephiRok]

Only turns until first aggression is currently moddable. And how many turns before aggression the report comes, but that doesn't seem to currently work properly.

The following affects alien aggression:

Code: Select all

double WorldParameters::getAlienAggressionModifier() const {
	double alienAggressionModifier = 1.0;
	if (alienAggression == ALIEN_AGGRESSION_VERY_LOW) {
		alienAggressionModifier *= 0.5;
	} else if (alienAggression == ALIEN_AGGRESSION_LOW) {
		alienAggressionModifier *= 0.67;
	} else if (alienAggression == ALIEN_AGGRESSION_HIGH) {
		alienAggressionModifier *= 1.5;
	} else if (alienAggression == ALIEN_AGGRESSION_VERY_HIGH) {
		alienAggressionModifier *= 2.0;
	}
	if (pace != PACE_STANDARD) {
		alienAggressionModifier *= 1.0 / getPaceModifier();
	}
	return alienAggressionModifier;
}