New SE V game

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

The old game was fun while it lasted, but its time has passed. The main things that brought it down were that it was too large and became too micromanagement-intensive, the distribution of players was very uneven with two players controlling half the map, and those two players became allied with each other. There are a few ideas for a new game:

1. Balance Mod 1.10. I consider this fairly boring, since we just did a BM game, but it could still be fun if we watch out for the things I mentioned.

• Pros: Turns can be run automatically if we don't use custom shipsets.
  Cons: We just did it. Drones are excessively powerful in BM.

2. Devnullmod. This is a new mod from the mighty Devnullicus based on the Balance Mod.

• Pros: Devnullicus makes good mods, and it's based on the BM, so it should be good.
  Con: Untested, may not be as polished as stock BM. Turns can't be run automatically.

3. Kingside's mod. Haven't played it myself, so I can't give specific pros and cons.

• Pros: Made by one of our own.
  Cons: Turns can't be run automatically.

4. DJAS mod. This is my mod based on the Balance Mod, but incorporating some significant changes.

• Pros: Made by one of our own.
  Cons: Turns can't be run automatically.

Others are free to suggest alternatives, of course, but I think those are the main choices.

[SilverWingedSeraph]

The only one of those I have any experience with is the Balance Mod, but I'm fairly easy. I'll go with the majority vote on this one, because I don't have any real preference.

[Trogdor]

Kingside's mod sounds like an interesting change of pace to me. My vote goes to that one.

[Nephtys]

I'm not sure if I'd be up for a new round or not. I'd probably vote for a variant mod, such as the homegrown.

[SilverWingedSeraph]

Kingside's mod sounds interesting. Having us all start in one large solar system could certainly make things... fascinating. But as it stands, I will remain neutral until I know more about each mod...

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

So I'm reading two for Kingside's, one for Balance, and one for DJAS counting Kingside's vote in the other thread and Neph's as one vote for each homegrown mod.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Well, it doesn't sound like there's an explosion of enthusiasm right now. Perhaps we should let it lie for a couple of months to let people's desire for SE V to build back up?

[SilverWingedSeraph]

Damn... well, I can wait until there's more enthusiasm for it, I suppose.

[Trogdor]

Perhaps if we knew a bit more about the mods in question? After all, besides what Kingside's told us, we don't know anything about his mod. And I for one don't know anything at all about the other two.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Well, DJAS is built on the Balance Mod, and it has ships separated into Destroyer, Cruiser, and Battleship which all get bigger together as large scale construction is researched. Drones, fighters, etc. are all available from the start of the game as well and get bigger with small scale construction. Drones have been balanced by keeping everything pretty much the same as BM, but removing their ability to go through warp points.

Weapons have been divided into beam laser, pulse laser, mass driver, and missile and these are all available from the start. There are three tech levels like in Total Annihilation, which unlock the next level of weapons, shields, and armor.

There are also varying sizes of space yards and sensors, and a few other new ideas.

[Luke Starkiller]

One of the things I like about the DJAS mod is that you can stuff as few or as many engines as you like into your ships. So you can have very lightly armed, disgustingly fast ships for hit-and-run and slower mountains of armour to glass planets and everything in between.