Yes, when I first looked into the player entity files I was searching hard for that, only to find it in the constants file to my disappointment.

For all, XP for cap progression in SotYR is much higher (and slower) than in SoaSE but various techs make it fairly simple to upgrade through training (spending credits) as high as level 4 (less for some factions). Sadly till all the abilities are implemented it is unlikely to be worth the while except for those few ships that have a complete ability set.

Also note abilty selection is a bit more restrictive than in SoaSE, some abilities are not accessible till higher ship experience levels.

The Diplomacy update 1.37 appears to be compatible with SotYR 0.431 though it does require a new mod path and wipes out any previous save games.

TobiWahn,

G.O.D. should be a level 4 tech with Minbari War Victory as a prereq. That creates a huge hole in the EA defenses though and generates a need for either a less effective cheaper planetary module at tech level 2, or an upgrade to the existing hanger that provides it a longer range missile or pulse weapon (via ability) or both.

Not necessarily.

You could lock up the G.O.D.s beam cannon and only unlock it once Minbari War Victory is finished researching, or implement a new technology that adds the beam to the G.O.D. You could call it "G.O.D. upgrade" or "G.O.D MK2" or somesuch.

    fireConstraintType "Research"
        researchPrerequisites
            NumResearchPrerequisites 1
            ResearchPrerequisite
                Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_OF_CHOICE"
                Level 1

That way at least the technological side would be made inline with the backstory (i.e. no beams untill after the E-M war).

If you could also change the model in a way that the beam cannon visually only shows up after the upgrade (like the missile launchers and meson cannon on Tech Gauss platforms for example) it would be perfect.

And since we are on the G.O.D already, in the TV show they also had pulse cannons (the shots looked like those the Auroras fire, but bigger). Could you replace one of the missiles launchers with those, or if Rebellion allows it for structures too, add them as a fourth weaponsystem? They could act as close range and/or anti-fighter weapons.

Minbari envoy can use its own abilities (eg Secret Aid) on your own planets. Could the abilities be made to only target planets owned by your allies?

Only gotcha I noticed so far is the 'String not found' on the main menu, where the 'Play Entrenchment/Plan Sins' buttons have been replaced by one to upgrade to Rebellion.

We'll need this in the string file

StringInfo
        ID "IDSMainMenuScreenRebellionButton"
        Value "Sins: Rebellion Upgrade"

and Rebellion's 'fist' icon.

Edit:

The beam upgrade is quite a neat idea, the Aegis (G.O.D) is a laugh to watch - it is seriously nasty, just a shame that the AIs don't appear to build them. However we'd have to be careful not to make it over powered when adding extra weapons.

I support this idea!!!

Update on the strike craft problem i was having.

Seems that AM was the main issue, although i still see my fleet building badgers when i have not told them to ESPECIALLY  when i'm building thunderbolts after i have selected a group of ships, it's not so bad if you go and do it 1 by 1 but that's not always an option.

However i can live with that problem as there not so bad.

keep up the work.

Badgers are supposed to have a rear firing weapon which will be fixed in a future upgrade. While a little slower Badgers are a very good fighter and coupled with the cheaper AM and faster build time as compared to the Firebolt or Thunderbolts. We may have to tweak them a bit. I'll play with it and see about additional tweaks.

I don't think so. The term Allied seems to also apply to own planets. Using an envoy ship in your own systems could be a good boost but if you don't like the benefit... If the abilities don't seem to agree with the string file let me know it is possible there are stubby finger errors. I've found a few between versions and I'm sure there will be more.

I also like the approach but it will have to wait till 0.45 as 0.44 is the minimum required to drag the mod to the Rebellion standard.

Part of the full revision will be a reworking of each race tech tree. There are also a few sequence errors that need to be adjusted while we are at it. Initial effort took about a year. With more help this time around I'm hoping it will go faster.

As to G.O.D. being OP keep in mind it was specifically fielded to take on Minbari ships. I'll admit the beam could do with a slighly longer delay between firing. We only have coarse balance so far. As more playing is done and issues crop up please let is know the more specific the better.

Locking up weapons untill the research requirement is met doesn't need Rebellion. I already did that in Diplomacy so I know for sure it works there too.

TobiWah,

Reworked all the files in ticket 132, they are now Rebellion copmliant and passive as an optimization measure.

Impacted ship entity files will need the new ability names to complete. I changed a couple of the earlier proposals, if you disagree or want to add more let me know.

Agreed, however we are scoping work and the direction from the mod leader is 0.44 will focus on converting files for Rebellion compliance with little to no additional content. Reworking the race tech trees to include faction specific techs with all the associated files and possible modules and ships will be a lot of work and will wait till 0.45.

80-85% of the needed ship abilities are already done but abilities are a tricky beast that have led to many a minidump so there is extenisve testing that still needs to be done as those are added to successive internal builds. With some of the optimizations done for Rebellion we need to relook at those and ammend as needed as well account for any updates to functional terms within the files.

TobiWahn is our single integrator and it is easy to backlog work so prioritization and periodic testing is required. Testing in isolation is easy but sometimes quirky things are encountered when several new abiliites interact in game. The last thing we want is a build that has random minidumps, that is why so many abilities were backed out earlier in the effort.

Ticket 134 is updated but from what I've seen this new addition:

frigateRoleType "Corvette"

statCountType "FrigateCorvette"

Will force us to review every single current and proposed ability and associated ability files. This is not only because of the new role type but also because:

instantAction  buffInstantActionType "DoDamage"  instantActionTriggerType "OnDelay"  delayTime 0.000000  damage   Level:0 20.000000   Level:1 28.670000   Level:2 37.330002   Level:3 46.000000

and

entityModifier  buffEntityModifierType "LinearMaxSpeed"  value   Level:0 -0.250000   Level:1 -0.450000   Level:2 -0.660000   Level:3 -0.863000

and

finishCondition  finishConditionType "TimeElapsed"  time   Level:0 15.000000   Level:1 15.000000   Level:2 15.000000   Level:3 15.000000

The new level:3 propogates across the ability and entity files, the above are examples.

Also looked at the titan files which upgrades like a combined starbase and captital ship and comes with a new armor and weapon attack type. The addition of titans will be a bit involved but somewhat straightforward though it will require new research, ability, and upgrade files.

TobiWahn,

Will 0.44 include the titan conversions? If so I'll open a ticket for each proposed ship and do the intitial scope of the conversion.

Keep in mind for balance reasons that these new armor types can be placed on non-titan ships. So if you're running into issues where you want capital ships to be a bit tougher, switch their armor to that found on titans and it works very well. Just something to keep in mind.

Theoretical Example: IF you're tired of your Narn capitals exploding from strike craft spam from EA ships, change their armor value to that of the titan ships and while they still explode, they would be more resilient to strike craft while still being about as tough compared to everything else.

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that lying around, would you?

Mapped the first stab at what it will take to convert to a titan. Probably a few hours of work each once the pain of figuring out the first try is complete AND assuming the abilities were complete to be converted, AND the initial testing does not lead to a death sprial of minidumps. Tickets: 28, 41, 43, 51, 58 and 61 have been updated to reflect the new level of effort.

Making new Titans is easier if you make the FrontEnd not spawn an actual map; this means you don't have to make those cosmetic Titans and also can result in faster boot times for Sins.

When that happens it will be less of a pain if they want to make them on there own then lol! - cheers.

Here are the wide range of planet types, sizes, planetary abilities, as well as a rather large list of planetary bonuses that can be discovered from the DS mod team. I believe Stant 123 updated them recently.

I say stuff a 'ton' of planetary bonuses into the B5 mod so you never know which one you're going to get. It adds to the excitement of the universe you are exploring and playing in each time.

http://sinsdistantstars.wikia.com/wiki/Planets_-_Abilities_and_Bonuses

I copied and pasted them here for ease of reference as well. Feel free to place a B5 spin with B5 names, tweaking as necessary to make them significantly unique, and go to town. This is intended as inspiration for what is possible with planetary bonus abilities, not to be copied word for word without permission from the DS mod team.

Exploration Bonuses

A

Abandoned Smugglers Base - Tax income +1, trade income +40%
Active Smugglers Base - Tax income -2, trade income -60%
Adhesive Resin - Trade income +25%, development build cost +10%
Ancient Planetary Shield (Damaged) - Planet health +700
Ancient Planetary Shield (Working) - Planet health +2000
Automated Defense Droids - Max population -100, Population growth -100%

B

Beautiful Population - Culture spread rate +40%, trade income +20%, population growth +30%
Black Market - Trade income +500%
Breathable Atmosphere - Max pop +200, development build cost +50%, Development bult rate +50%, population growth +20%
Brilliantly Designed Buildings - Max population +250, planet health +500, population growth +20%

C

Caustic Atmosphere - Max population -15, development built cost -20%
Completely Hollow Core - Gravity well radius -66%
Completely Overgrown - Max population -100, planet health +800, development build rate -90%, population growth -50%
Conductive Mantle - Culture spread rate +25%
Constant Flooding - Max population -20, development build cost -40%, development build rate -40%
Construction Droids - Structure build rate +50%, development build rate +100%, extra constructors +3
Corrosive Atmosphere - Planet health -100, trade income -1, development build cost -50%

D

Deadly Secret - Max population -1000, planet health -10000
Dense Canopy - Planet health +600
Dense Jungle - Max population -10, development build rate -75%, population growth -30%
Dense Molten Core - Gravity well +33%
Diseased Planet - Max population -20, tax income -2, trade income -50%, structure build rate -100%, development build rate -100%, population growth -90%

E

Entertainment Hub - Culture spread rate +10%, tax income +1/sec
Expert Agrarian Society - Trade income +10%
Expert Metal Miners - Metal extraction rate +50%
Expert Crystal Miners - Crystal extraction rate +50%
Extremely Valuable Timber - Trade income +50%

F

Floating Fauna - Max population -5, trade income +30%
Floating Islands - Max population +25
Foul Smell - Culture spread rate -20%, max population -20, trade income -10%, development build rate -30%, population growth -10%
Fresh Water Oceans - Max population +50, trade income +75%, population growth +30%
Frequent Meteorites - Max population -20, metal extraction rate +30%, crystal extraction rate +30%
Friendly Religious Population - Culture spread rate +60%, population growth +20%
Frozen Gas Core - Max population +5, Planet health +300
Frozen Over - Dev build rate -75%

G

Galactic Trade Center (Moon) - Tax income +1/sec, trade income +30%, population growth +20%
Galactic Trade Center (Dwarf) - Tax income +2/sec, trade income +30%, population growth +20%
Galactic Trade Center (Normal) - Tax income +3/sec, trade income +40%, population growth +20%
Galactic Trade Center (Huge) - Tax income +4/sec, trade income +50%, population growth +20%
Gas Storms - Max pop -5, Planet health -200, pop growth -25%
Geothermal Hot Spots - Logistic slots +4
Giant Fungi Forests - Max population -10, trade income +40%, development build cost -20%
Gravitational Anomoly - Logistic slots -4, tactical slots -5, gravity well radius -100%
Gravitational Boon - Logistic slots +4, tactical slots +5, gravity well radius +100%

H

Habitable Cavern System - Max population +15, planet health +500
Helium Rich Atmosphere - Trade income +25%
Hideous Population - Culture spread rate -20%, trade income -50%, population growth -30%
High Security Protocols - Tactical slots +5, trade income -20%
Hostile Religious Population - Culture spread rate -30%, tax income -1
Huge Comm Station Array - Culture spread rate +100%, tactical slots -8
Huge Crystal Processing Plant - Trade income +10%, crystal extraction rate +200%
Huge Herds of Cattle - Max population +40, tax income +0.5, trade income +20%, population growth +20%
Huge Metal Processing Plant - Trade income +10%, metal extraction rate +200%

I

Impure Crystal - Trade income -10%, crystal extraction rate -60%
Impure Metal - Trade income -5%, metal extraction rate -60%
Indigenous Carnivores - Max population -20, development build rate -20%, population growth -60%
Indigenous Satellites - Culture spread rate +20%
Industrial Wasteland - Culture spread -30%, metal extraction rate +30%, crystal extraction rate +30%
Ionic Storms - Max population -20, trade income +10%

K

Kalanite Deposits - Trade income +20%

M

Massive Pure Glaciers - Trade income +30%
Mega Fauna - Max population -15, trade income +25%
Militaristic Population - Planet health +1000, logistic slots -4, tactical slots +10, tax income -2, trade income -20%, extra constructors 1
Moon - Logistic slots +4, gravity well radius +25%, structure build rate +10%
Moons - Logistic slots +8, gravity well radius +50%, structure build rate +20%

N

Natural Radiation - Development build rate -40%, population growth -80%
Natural Thermal Lift - Structure build rate +25%

O

Old Military Outpost - Planet health +1000, tactical slots +10, extra constructors +1
Orbital Construction Specialists - Logistic slots +4, tactical slots +4, structure build cost +30%, structure build rate +50%, extra constructors +2

P

Penal Colony - Structure build cost +20%, structure build rate -30%
Perfect Holiday Destination - Culture spread rate +100%
Persistent Dust Storms - Population growth -25%
Pharmaceutical Flora - Trade income +20%, population growth +20%
Planetary Construction Specialists - Planet health +200, development build cost +30%, development build rate +50%
Planetary Insurgency - Culture spread rate -20%, planet health -150, tax rate -2, trade income -30%, metal extraction rate -50%, crystal extraction rate -50%, structure build cost +20%, development build cost +20%, structure build rate +60%, development build rate +60%, population growth -30%
Planetary Revolt - Culture spread rate -10%, planet health -100, tax rate -1, trade income -10%, metal extraction rate -20%, crystal extraction rate -20%, structure build rate +30%, development build rate +30%, population growth -10%
Pleasent Rodents - Culture spread rate +40%, trade income +20%
Plundered Booty - Tax income +3.5
Porous Core - Gravity well radius -33%
Precious Stones - Culture spread rate +20%, logistic slots +4, trade income +50%
Priceless Timber - Culture spread rate +20%, trade income +80%

R

Raiders Outpost - Metal extraction rate +20%, extra constructors 1

S

Scented Plants - Culture spread rate +20%, trade income +20%
Seismic Activity - Population -20, planet health -100, tax -1, development build cost -30%, development build rate -10%
Signal Interference - Culture spread rate -20%
Slaves - Trade income +10%, structure build cost -30%, development build cost -50%, development build rate +20%
Solar Energy Harvesting - Max population +15
Space Ponies - Space Ponies! (No bonus except for achievement)
Spice Trade - Culture spread rate +5%, trade income +10%
Stable Debris Field - Trade income +20%
Storm Ridden Planet - Max population -50, development build cost +20%, development build rate -20%, population growth -40%
Strong Building Materials - Planet health +500, trade income +10%, development build rate -20%
Submerged Colony - Max population +140, planet health +800
Subterrainian Colony - Max population +80, planet health +1500
Super Dense Core - Gravity well radius +66%
Super Pure Crystal - Crystal extraction rate +200%
Super Pure Metal - Metal extraction rate +200%

T

Thaw Cells - max pop +25
Thick Atmosphere - Planet health +1200
Tibanna Gas - tactical slots +2, trade income +5%
Toxic Fallout - Max population -30, population growth -25%
Traces of Oxygen - Max population +50, population growth +20%
Tundra Farms - Max population +25

U

Unstable Ground - Development build cost +50%, development build rate -20%

V

Valuable Timber - Trade income +30%, development build cost -10%
Vermin Infestation - Tax income -1, trade income -30%, development build cost +20%, development build rate -20%

W

War Torn Planet - Culture spread rate -40%, planet health -200, logistic slots -4, tactical slots -6, trade income -30%, metal extraction rate -20%, crystal extraction rate -20%, structure build rate -40%, development build rate -20%, development build cost +60%, population growth -50%
Weapons Test Facility - Max population -20, tactical slots +8
Well Designed Buildings - Max population +100, planet health +200

Boshimi336,

Thanks but...you're a contributor to the distant stars mod team and based on earlier conversations along this line TobiWahn will want explicit permission from the whole team and/or lead as well as cite the contribution before including it in our mod. He will of course speak to the matter himself when he is next reviewing the forum.

If you are wanting to contribute directly to the B5 mod your credits indicate you can produce models and perhaps UI stuff and we really need both! Would you consider offically joining the effort?

I would expect no less! My goal was to show the surprising range with which planetary bonuses can cover. By no means do I intend for them to be "Copy and Pasted' into the B5 mod, but similar planetary bonuses for the B5 mod can be inspired from these, with an understanding of just what can be done. Just offering up a reference for inspiration. [Link for request for DS planetary bonus files (Nacey should ultimately be contacted): https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/335474/page/320/#3288074 ]

Unfortunately my 3d modeling is primiarly for solid modeling, not surface modeling. As has been asked in previous replies in this thread there is not an easy (though it is possible with some model fidelity lost) way to convert from SolidWorks 2011 (the program i have available to me) to a format that is usable by the mod team. I do not have the ability to do meshwork which is also another hindrance.

I have agreed, (once B5 has been ported to rebellion), to work with the galaxyscenariodef file and work on planetary militia templates and unique things which have a chance to spawn (like trading colonies / pirate raiding parties etc ...)

[Link for template statement: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/361694/page/146/#3288507 ]

You can throw me on the list an official contributor but time is something I have little of. I am involved in too many projects both from professional standpoint as well as a hobby standpoint. I will help where I can, when I can, but I can't guarantee that I'll make any commitments beyond what I already have stated. Just know that I'm around and will help here and there where I can.

Like you would believe! One class to go on my (while holding down a day job) masters degree. I will be so glad to have that thing done...

My wife finished up her masters degree a little over a year ago and was working full time as well. I have an idea of time involving it is.  I'm usually working between 40-60 hours a week and have no guarantee that I'll be home the next day or flying for business. The big issue for me is that I am involved in or head up other organizations and projects which take up the majority of what little free time I have left. Some weeks I have 20 hours of free time, others I don't. *shrugs*

Hang in there on that Masters!