Checked a small graphics update into the repository. Textures adapted for rebellion, rotating sections now use the proper shader. Due to a bug in the shader handling of particles I advise to turn of the bloom filter (it got worse with rebellion)

I'm having a slow go of it, lots of life issues have higher priority. I'm slowly building a tech graphic in powerpoint (I know how to use it and it is easy to modify on the fly) and I'll post when each race/faction is done. Since I don't know the exact mechanic used to shut off part of the tech path I'll box that part to ensure it is clear. Another bonus is I can use colored arrows to crosswalk between the four major tech fields. I'll probably also have to upload a text map to indicate points of proposed major changes that are not obvious in the graphical tech map.

Real life has always to come first. Looking forward to seeing your draft. All the best.

TobiWahn,

I've uploaded the EA Rebellion tech revisioning, (ticket 142). There are a ton of notes that I need to finish and upload so it all makes sense. I've reworked the linkages many, many times to optimize spacial placement as well to be as close to the B5 canon as I could get and still work within the Rebellion goal. Let me know if I'm off base but in any case all new techs will need explination and detail. It may be a week or more till the notes are done and is ready for uploading and hopefully by then I'll have your first comments.

I would like to see as many as three starbases for some factions. Do any of the lurking modders know if this is possible in Rebellion? For the EA in particular the star bases would be Jump Gate, Military Base, Babylon Station each with different modules for customization.

darvroth, from what I know about starbase modding, it is possible to have several starbases per planet by planet type for ALL races with the starbases line in the planet entity, and it is possible in rubbleion to add one of more additional starbases per gw for select races by research eg the tec loyalists tier 8 defence reserch item( I think it is a tier 8 but it is one of the new ones that is highlighted and from memory is the rightmost of those), but as far as restricting it to one starbase by type of starbase then no not possible, so for your example it could be three starbases of military,jumpgate and bablyon station and possible to have three babylons or three jumpgates or three military or any mix of the possible counts.

harpo

harpo,

Thanks though I think I may have muddled the issue and you provided your usual insight despite my failing. Based on your answer the engine will support at least three types of starbase per faction and can support as many as three starbases for any particular faction in a single gravital well (planet type dependent) and research limited but we can not limit the types a player may build if allowed to build more than one in a gravity well?

I  have had several starbases per planet, but have not suceeded in having more than one type of starbase, but did not try very hard on this, but by having the nine different upgrade types it might be able to simulate having different starbase types.

harpo

It is easily possible to have different starbases per race (tested with3 but think more are possible)

When I had every race with a military and a jumpgate starbase, the AI built only jumpgate starbases and I had no way of telling it which starbase to prioritize. So we need to make sure that the AI at least tries to build military starbases. For human players it is possible to open up the the possibilities by eg.

• Having a second ability on the sb module creator

• The ability creates another starbase constructor at the specified spot that has no movement

• The new starbase constructor has more construction abilities, one for each sb

I'll open up a ticket for the EA starbases so we can map out the tech and upgrades needed. Another approach is a seperate ability for the single constructor for each type of star base with the proper tech prerequisites though I don't know for sure how the AI will handle being given a choice.

EA Military Station

Jump Gate Construction

Babylon Project

We'll have to set as a condition for the Jump Gate that the system is not controlled. That will bring other problems... perhaps the AI only gets two choices of SB. Only testing can reveal the result.

Hi, there is no possibility other than the dev console, so the EA can travel between worm holes?

JB

So, you're saying the EA can't make use of travel through worm holes? Have you tried building a few jumpgates? Jump gates allow rapid transit between any two points and are a boon militarily and economically.

Will Rebellion allow for 4 weapons for a starbase? All the SoaSE Rebellion files only have 3.

Rebellion allows 5 weapons for most things.  Fighters, frigates, capitals, titans, structures, and starbases.  Just not planets.

Truth.

Currently there is no tech to allow wormhole travel IIRC. Might need to change that in the future.

TobiWahn,

I was doing some thinking this morning. I know dangerous thing...and was thinking why must we continue to follow the structure for starbase upgrades used in SoaSE? Rather than a single item upgrade path why not bundle them based on chronology? I was thinking of a short bundled upgrade path for EA Minbari War, a longer one for EA Minbari War Victory (which was a lengthy period of rebuilding). The remainder could be isolated selections to customize the base. To be clear a fully upgraded base will not long withstand a Minbari fleet though with fleet support will slow one down. We can also link some progression to tech unlocks. I'll work up something and post but it will not be a complete thought and will still require your guiding hand for the final organization.

[edit]: Gah! it is now obvous why the files are organized the way they are! I still really like the idea of chronolgical and tech linked upgrades.

Large Missile Silo tech - Unlocks missile weapon

Earth Minbari War Victory - Unlocks station Beam weapons

Hull MK II and Hull MK III

Babylon Defense Grid - the weapons upgrade B5 received shortly before the EA civil war (not for the military outpost starbase)

Progressive improvements in range, cycle time and damage for pulse weapons.

Rework fighters from 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 to an integrated approach with 6 squadrons per level in a modular "fighter bay" that is a grafted on improvement. Progression 2, 8, 14, 20, 26, 32 - some focused upgrades could include 2 modules for 12 squadrons...

I'd still like to see there be a broad base upgrade path with a mix of specific more focused improvements. The broad approach has less improvement in any given area but improves more station systems with each upgrade than a focused upgrade. Example: a hull specific upgrade may add 6k hull while a general upgrade would only add 2k hull but also offer modest improve to armor, AM, add fighters with a modest weapon upgrade (say .05 damage and range).

I'd think EA would start with TargetCountPerBank: 2 upgradeable to 3 but use all five weapon slots:

Weapon 1: Medium pulse gun

Weapon 2: Light pulse gun (Fighter flag set true)

Weapon 3: Missile

Weapon 4: Laser

Weapon 5: Heavy pulse gun

As I understand the system it is additive and does not set a new upper limit...If I'm wrong I still hope some of this can be salvaged.

[end edit]

Darvoth,

I really like this idea if it is possible! To me it feels more like a faction leader (like EA President) making a decision such as "That's it! We need to upgrade our fighter squadron technology and capacity to handle these increasing threats." or "The current generation of starbases were never meant to defend against that kind of Minbari weaponry! We need to start improving their armor and defensive systems!"

Basically, it begins to feel more fluid and more tactical on which and how you pick your refits and what you choose to research. I like it!

TobiWahn,

I uploaded the notes for the proposed EA Rebellion tech path upgrade. It may not be complete and I did not account for all the prerequisite changes that would need to be made if it were to be adapted in whole.

Still mulling the general and specific upgrade approaches for the star bases.

Darvroth's upgrade packages does fit will with B5's refit from the Gropos episode, nice ideas.

Is that only a limitation for EA? Seems a bit unfair that certain races can never traverse wormholes - I'm sure other races can use wormholes.

I've just been looking at my proposed revision to the Stealth ability and found that it didn't level with capital ship experience - level 2 was as high as it would go. However I've got a fix in hand for that now (in Rebellion). 

When uploading fixes to bitbucket, should we be using Diplomacy or Rebellion format entity files?

Also I've been testing my planet bonuses in Rebellion - the dev.exe didn't seem to have any objections, but the chance of finding them seems a lot lower than Diplomacy - only found 2x Docker's Guild & 1x Q40 deposits (in addition to normal Sins bonuses) in a large map where I had ~50 planets.

Meanwhile, I have myself added to the EA Techtree.

JB

I'd state clearly in the ticket or title which version to decrease confusion.

I'll finish tweaking starbase upgrades then on to the Minbari.

Not sure but if you file a ticket it will be rectified at some point.

Rebellion please. Diplomacy has failed. Rebellion is now our last hope for victory

Wonderful, so much to do for 0.45.

Meanwhile I've today had my first working prototype of a Victory Destroyer as Titan. Database is almost completely Rebellion ready, just the added InstantActions/PeriodicActions/OvertimeActions are missing.

There appear to be several duplicates in entity.manifest. Pushing it through the sort and uniq commands indicates around twenty or so.

After some more scripting with sort & uniq, the duplicated manifest entries appear to be

Also AbilityStealthMode.entity appears to be redundant, I couldn't see it referenced anywhere...

Hi, have a little problem there. Some spaceships / fighter flight within a planet very often endlessly away from a attacker. The enemy spaceships / fighter fly behind it. If you do not then there intervenes via dev console, which is very annoying. you can change this somehow?

also the behavior of AI research is very weak. many areas are either not, or only very late explored, although they are available for a long time.

only the brisk research is explored very quickly, which of course has the disadvantage that the AI hardly attained income.

JB