[X3LU] Mayhem 3.21b

[4square425]

@azxcvbnm321: There's a timer before a ship turns OCV. It's "infected" when you build it, then turns red after some time, meaning that the timer can still be on when the event ends.

@4square425: I can add a "Station" target priority. Combat scripts are entirely rewritten, nothing is hardcoded, except the attack itself (the manoeuvres a ship does to attack its target).

That's going to be so helpful, thanks!

[djmidex]

finally, i have completed the xenon stage (i have never come so far before) and here is some feedback:

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I managed to defeat the enemy having 5 sectors. i won, yes, but it was not easy or god damn hard, there were some risky moments for me: two times i had massive xenon invasions in my sectors, they almost destroyed one of my precious, sanctuaries! it was fun to switch my fleet to attack/defend role during the gameplay (i was short on resources to have two fleets). I can say that "Xenon" phase is well balanced in terms of warfare. What i disliked so far:
1) I play on shattered galaxy (12x13) with non-clustered xenon, and i had 11 Xenon sectors all across the map. It took me 4 in-game days to complete the stage! I think it is too much, though i am a big fan of Mayhem gameplay, there were some moments i was thinking to abandon the run. I suppose the amount of Xenon sectors depends on the galaxy size, but i dont think small galaxies are fun to play, I would be happy to have 5-6 Xenon sectors in my size of the galaxy. It would make gameplay more dynamic.
2) Xenons attacking my jumpbeacons spawn too frequently. It was annoying to defend them all the time. I could not win without using the beacons on enemy territory, as the xenon sectors are scattered through the galaxy and it would take ages for my fleet to reach the target otherwise. Another part of the problem is that my ships OOS could not defend them efficiently, I used 3-fighter fleets for each beacon and order "defend ship" to the leader to defend the beacon. Maybe i should experiment with fleet settings, as Hector0x likes to do. dunno. Anyway, in the end it was always me in the cockpit of my Appolox manually doing pew-pew around the beacon. when i left the sector - i lose the beacon. Anyway, less frequent spawns would make my game less stressful.

Lets see what Yakis bring to the party.

[Joubarbe]

Thanks for your feedback. I think the two problems are related and that reducing the number of Xenon sectors would help solve the second problem as well.

[Hector0x]

Amount of Xenon sectors is also dependent on galaxy progression. My galaxy with advanced progression only had 6 to begin with (second largest X/Y size and shattered).

preventing beacon infection:

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1) stationary defense:
- fleet with at least 2 ships
- commander won't do anything and can be a cheap M4 (TM is a bit more expensive but also works well as a carrier)
- scanning range at 0, follower scanning range 10km
- commander "move to postion" to the beacon

Commander will stay on top of the beacon. His followers will kill all incoming xenon scouts. (commander scanning range 0 generally works well to stay at certain positions to camp gates and such).
The downsides are clutter (1 fleet per beacon) and having to move the commander on the beacon again if he needs to retreat (for example from a faction task force which is trying to kill the beacon).

2) rapid response:
- small fast fighter fleet works well
- set to monitor the sectors with beacons (and only those)
- set to ignore freighters and big ships
- maybe set retreat down to 2:1

The fleet will hang around all monitored beacon sectors and quickly respond if the xenon scout is detected. Since they always use beacons to jump in, their speed can be lower than the xenon scout. He will mostly run directly into them.
If a strong enemy fleet with fighters in space enters the sector, your small fleet first responds, but then retreats. And they can always respond again so this generally works fully automated.

Downside is that your fleet always monitors the entire sectors. They engage other fighters or small groups of them, which could make the xenon slip through. And if strong enemies are present anywhere in sector they could also ignore the xenon scout and retreat. But if you'd disable retreat they would suicide into large enemy fleets once they detect any enemy fighters, so don't do that either. I don't know any perfect solutions yet.

Information about when the player needs to intervene could be conveyed better.

suggestion: t-file option for onscreen message everytime a fleet retreats (on by default)
suggestion: Maybe hard to do, and not really necessary. But sector monitoring shouldn't make fleets respond if the current enemy presence would trigger an instant retreat anyway. An onscreen message would be helpful too (fleet X wanted to respond in Y, but enemy presence was too strong.)

[Joubarbe]

Still, I'm going to reduce the beacon killers, because I don't think it's very fun.

[djmidex]

@Hector0x thanks, i knew you always had a proper solution

[Joubarbe]

The number of Xenon sectors is now limited to a maximum of 6. New galaxies only.
The number of beacon killers that the Xenons send from their "small" invasion groups is scaled to the number of beacons you own. ie. having two beacons is less dangerous than having six.

Should be better.

[4square425]

Reducing the laser production time should equalize everything, so ships are ready to go without having to wait for lasers.

[Joubarbe]

Auto-replace your dead Workers!

[Hector0x]

Much appretiated! Instant Explorer replacement

You're introducing a timer? Didn't expect that. Any specific reasons?
Not that i'm complaining or that your mod was dependent on mainstream approval. I always liked the focus only deadlines can bring to the table. But something tells me that timers are a huge reason why people stayed clear of Litcube, or Mayhem 2. Even if the "pressure" is mostly imaginary. Knowing about a background timer puts a lot of folks off. It intimidates us because we believe there is not much wiggle room for trial & error. Even if it's so generous that it could very well be absent (Pathfinder Kingmaker got flak for no rational reason over exactly such thing )

It should activate after the Ascension, right?

[Joubarbe]

That's two days before the AI can conquer Unknown Sectors. Even then, that doesn't mean it's going to conquer everything in 5 minutes. It will take hours. Plus, AI can get stuck, or exploited, with this restriction permanently on. You still have a lot of time, in my opinion. And the mod has had recent changes in latest patches that makes things easier. The galaxy is not yours after all

When people complain about the timer in LU, someone says "you can deactivate the OCV", and they do that. Well, I say you can increase the timer in the t-file. But again, in my game I'm at 26 hours or something (no permanent wars), and things would be a lot better if the AI was not restricted; the galaxy would be more lively and it would make sense that they do not just wait for me endlessly.

The timer is playing time, disregarding the Ascension. I may change that. EDIT: I just did that, now the timer only begins when the Ascension is over.

There are many things you can do to avoid being crushed by the AI. Getting behind other factions is a good idea, and with the favor points easier to get, you have more strategic options. It's time to play smarter!

[Taylor2008]

Hey , i love your mod and i am really thankfull for all your work , BUT PLEASE MAKE THIS TIMER OPTIONAL !!!!!!

I am a slow going gamer , i really hate , if there is only one way to master a game ; and with that timer on , one have to find the ideal way and that is it.

[Joubarbe]

Only one way to master the game? From what statements of mine do you come to the conclusion that removing an AI behavior after some time would force you to play the game only one way?

[dunderhead327]

Surely the timer makes it easier for a slow player (I am one too). It means there is a pause during which you can build some ships and infrastructure before the AI empires start expanding. If it's set in the t-file, you can increase it to suit your style of play anyway.

If there's no timer, the either the AI can never capture Unknown sectors (which wouldn't make sense), or you get steamrollered by the AI capturing all the vacant sectors before you can.

[Joubarbe]

Surely the timer makes it easier for a slow player (I am one too). It means there is a pause during which you can build some ships and infrastructure before the AI empires start expanding. If it's set in the t-file, you can increase it to suit your style of play anyway.

If there's no timer, the either the AI can never capture Unknown sectors (which wouldn't make sense), or you get steamrollered by the AI capturing all the vacant sectors before you can.

In the current version, the AI will never capture more Unknown sectors than you own (or something like that). The timer just removes this limitation (after 2 days).

[dunderhead327]

Ah, that makes sense. Am I right in thinking that you will be able to change the timer in the t-file, though?

[Joubarbe]

Timer will be off by default. ie. feature cancelled.

[4square425]

I think that two days post-Ascension is pretty balanced, with Outpost building being free, one Outpost can build another, and so forth. Depending on your galaxy settings, you could easily carve out a respectable piece of space. The limitations tend to be the reputation drop if other race's sectors in the way, and the increased threat of Xenon/Pirates. Having the option in the t-file is good, although maybe an entry in the galaxy start settings on "how expansionistic the races of this galaxy are" might be good too.

[Betelgeuse97]

2 questions, both related to each other:

1. Is there a way to give control of a sector to a faction (in my case the Teladi) WITHOUT your conquering of an unknown sector first? In my case, right now I have an unknown sector I liberated from the Xenon but it's next to another neighbor (in my case the Paranid), not to the Teladi. I want to give this sector to the Teladi without upsetting the Paranid, as conquering it as my own first would get me to negative rep with the latter.

2. If the above is not possible without taking control of the sector yourself first, can I use one of those favors by having the Teladi focus a battle group on that unknown sector, in turn claiming the sector since a battle group that visits an unknown sector takes it over?

[Joubarbe]

Mayhem 3.4 released