[Realspace MODS] "STARS" - "XRSGE" - "REM" - various

[MarineMorton]

I have found that AI is not using the most out of the boost speeds for its ships.

For example, in Belt Aguilar VIII the Ice field stops hyperdrive around the accelerator Zone Alpha so 12 Tel trade ships were stuck in go slow, I just boosted past them all. With such distances bottlenecks like that might cause a lot empty stations.

[Realspace]

I have found that AI is not using the most out of the boost speeds for its ships.

For example, in Belt Aguilar VIII the Ice field stops hyperdrive around the accelerator Zone Alpha so 12 Tel trade ships were stuck in go slow, I just boosted past them all. With such distances bottlenecks like that might cause a lot empty stations.

Do you use rem Hyperdrive? I made two versions, the one with ai scripts has conditions to use the booster. I could indeed write the same for xrsge too. I think that the condition "travel is not possible" is available in the script properties. So commanding the ai to use the booster when travel is not possible and the distance longer than 50-80 km as I did in Hyperdrive.

[Folker]

Hey, I still haven’t received any reply from Shuulo concerning his authorization (to use the effects and soundsof his mod), so I worked on shields and turrets. I’m still working on the statistics of weapons and when or if I have the authorization of Shuulo I will add the effects.

In my personal mod, I increased the difference between the classes of ships. So I increased shields power and rate for capital ships. Like I increased the power of capital ships, I increased the damage of L and M turrets.
M and S ships have destructible equipment and weapons, so when you don’t have shields or your enemy has a weapon which penetrate the shield, you should be careful. If the equipment is damaged it become unusable like capital ships weapons. But you can repair this with repair beam or in equipment docks.

SHIELD :

Shield XL : Power and Rate increased by 3
Shield L : Power and Rate increased by 4
Shield M : Power and Rate increased by 1,5 (I’ll maybe turn it back to default REM) => 1000 Hull for M Ships : CAN BE DESTRUCTED
Shield S : Power and Rate increased by 1,2 => 100 Hull for M Ships : CAN BE DESTRUCTED

TURRETS :

Turret M : Between 5000 to 10000 Hull for all M Turret => For M Ships : CAN BE DESTRUCTED

I created different types of bullets for each faction. So now every faction has its own bullet type, this means that instead of bullet_gen_beam we now have for example bullet_tel_beam or bullet_arg_beam.
This extend possibilities to increase the uniqueness of each faction.

SMALL NOTE

I noticed that the inertial speed with truster is more important than the engines ones, for example for the Eclipse the improved truster have 2560 m/s and the engine boost of argon combat engine reach 1923 m/s. So for the gameplay if the player wants to go in a place and he can’t use the travel mode, he should use inertial speed and not the boost. Also the acceleration of truster is faster than the acceleration of main engines, for example the truster acceleration reach 75,2 m/s2 and the main engine maximum is 67 m/s2 with the same configuration of the Eclipse.

The inertial speed is also greater than the ship's base speed, so the player moves diagonally or sideways towards the target to reach it faster.

I understand that you want to give a certain inertia to the ship and that this allows you to accumulate a certain speed that must be eliminated to change directions, but I think that by changing the maximum inertia speed, equalizing it with the ship's unboosted speed, you can keep the ship's inertia by reducing the lateral/vertical acceleration speed.

I'm only submitting the idea, because I think it's a possible improvement, I don't dare touch it to test it because you've made this mod and you probably know more about it than I do.

[Realspace]

What do you refer your multiplier to, vanilla or REM? Because REM already changes all those statistics, shields (and hull) of cap ships are even 5x. It also changes the recharge rate and delay more than volume to differentiate between combat shields and civilian shields (the latter being slow but high).

REM also increases shield's hull (resistance of shields to damage) even 10x for L and XL ships. This is needed because weapons are faster (so deliver higher damage rate and volume at the same damage points as vanilla). In REM everything was balanced around increased velocity of ships and bullets. That's why it had so mamy updates, these things are not easy to fine-tune without long testing.

This said, as long as you do the mod working on top of REM it is your vision, do as you wish
Btw, destructible m turrets could give some problem but ask Shuulo about this. I never tested them.

About inertia, it does not work like that. Inertial acceleration or lateral/vertical acceleration refers to thrusters. So reducing it, as it is in vanilla, means making the ships sluggish (as in vanilla, where the reason is removing the gap between player and npc that do not use thrusters). What you mean is the lateral/vertical drag which REM indeed reduces to 1/10 of frontal drag to increase the driftness of ships but also lateral/vertical top speed.

On top of this you have to add the lateral inertia that ego added with 7.50 which is dependant from engines thou, not the ship. There we could still work to make combat ships more agile. While in vanilla all ships mount all engines, in REM combat engines are for combat ships only so you can fine-tune the driftness or inertia by either reducing it or increasing the differences ego already makes between different race's engines

If you think that ships drift too much, you can simply remove that parameter completely, as I did in previous REM for beta 7.50 (you find it in old files tab), before reworking all the engines in this latest, where I re-added the new inertial parameter of engines to keep ego's vision of differences between races, which also fits in my vision.

Inertial cap and booster cap are two different parameters. While inertial cap (set to booster instead of normal speed) is in only for the player in f.a.off (because ai ships do not use f.a.off) so drifting is not a problem since the player uses thrusters to compensate (and they are strong in REM); booster cap is another thing, working for all ships in f.a.on, npc too. It keeps momentum after boost. If you remove this, and bring it back to vanilla, surely the ai will manouver easily but will be much slower than the player. Also will not be able to boost at 2000ms in no-travel areas (adding issue with xrsge). And will be too vulnerable to high-speed weapon's bullets REM introduces.

I think you could focus on the fx effects for start, even creating your own. This would add a lot of immersion to the different classes REM introduces for equipment but, as tod, your vision your mod, as long as it remains compatible.
Btw I could help you for that, know how to create the effects (I did for things that are not the bullets), just ask if you decide to work on them. And maybe start by looking in Shuloo's files to see how.

[Folker]

What do you refer your multiplier to, vanilla or REM? Because REM already changes all those statistics, shields (and hull) of cap ships are even 5x. It also changes the recharge rate and delay more than volume to differentiate between combat shields and civilian ships (the latter being slow but high).

REM also increases shield's hull (resistance of shields to damage) even 10x for L and XL ships. This is needed because weapons are faster (so deliver higher damage rate and volume at the same damage points as vanilla). In REM everything was balanced around increased velocity of ships and bullets. That's why it had so mamy updates, these things are not easy to fine-tune without long testing.

This said, as long as you do the mod working on top of REM it is your vision, do as you wish
Btw, destructible m turrets could give some problem but ask Shuulo about this. I never tested them.

About inertia, it does not work like that. Inertial acceleration or lateral/vertical acceleration refers to thrusters. So reducing it, as it is in vanilla, means making the ships sluggish (as in vanilla, where the reason is removing the gap between player and npc that do not use thrusters). What you mean is the lateral/vertical drag which REM indeed reduces to 1/10 of frontal drag to increase the driftness of ships.

On top of this you have to add the lateral inertia that ego added with 7.50 which is dependant from engines thou, not the ship. There we could still work to make combat ships more agile. While in vanilla all ships mount all engines, in REM combat engines are for combat ships only so you can fine-tune the driftness or inertia by either reducing it or increasing the differences ego already makes between different race's engines

If you think that ships drift too much, you can simply remove that parameter completely, as I did in previous REM for beta 7.50 (you find it in old files tab), before reworking all the engines in this latest, where I re-added the new inertial parameter of engines.

Inertial cap and booster cap are two different parameters. While inertial cap (set to booster instead of normal speed) is in only for the player in f.a.off (because ai ships do not use f.a.off) so drifting is not a problem since the player uses thrusters to compensate (and they are strong in REM); booster cap is another thing, working for all ships in f.a.on, npc too. It keeps momentum after boost. If you remove this, and bring it back to vanilla, surely the ai will manouver easily but will be much slower than the player. Also will not be able to boost at 2000ms in no-travel areas (adding issue with xrsge). And will be too vulnerable to high-speed weapon's bullets REM introduces.

I think you could focus on the fx effects for start, even creating your own. This would add a lot of immersion to the different classes REM introduces for equipment but, as tod, your vision your mod, as long as it remains compatible.
Btw I could help you for that, know how to create the effects (I did for things that are not the bullets), just ask if you decide to work on them. And maybe start by looking in Shuloo's files to see how.

The multiplier refers to REM, so I keep your vision of REM, but I need to use a multiplier because when I made the mod I tested it between several ships with a cheat code I spawned ships for example Katana vs Xenon P, and Katana was equipped as a terran ship. Now when I spawn a terran/paranid/argon/split ship, they're all equipped with argon equipment, so it's very difficult to test the balance. It's from the timeline DLC that I didn't install, I don't know if that has any influence.

So I'm multiplying some ships' hulls and shields to match my mod and that keeps REM vision. Then I think of adding the turret value of my mod and changing the DPS with a multiplier or a division to have a compromise between our two visions, because it's your mod, and for me it's essential to keep your vision, so I try to adjust our two visions. That's why I use multiplication and division. That way, the balance I've made is reshaped to fit your vision.

Otherwise my vision is the same as X3's, as REM is based on X3's vision, I think we have broadly the same vision. I'll explain in more detail what this mod does, so you can get a broader view if you like :

Split: Very powerful weapons (can use an L shotgun, fast rate of fire weapons to destroy shields, has sticky projectiles, split weapons don't shoot far), very weak shield.
Paranid: Powerful weapons (especially beam, very effective against hunters, but uses it to destroy enemy weapons to wear them down, but also uses impulse weapons), weak shield.
Argon: Balanced weapon (similar to XR, weapons shoot far), balanced shield
Terran: powerful weapons (similar to X3, EMPC, SSC, PSP) with slightly more powerful shields, weak hull to compensate.
Boron: Balanced weapons that destroy shields and immobilize targets (tip: use with missiles), balanced shields.
Xenon: These are machines, powerful weapons (the P penetrates shields, and the M turrets penetrate shields very weakly, just enough to destroy the main weapons), balanced shields.
khaak: High-tech ships, powerful weapons, powerful shields. As they are few in number, this compensates

Thanks for telling me about the destructible turrets, I'll take them into account.

Ok, I understand, is difficult to create balance with your mod, and is probably very different from mine.
I don't know how create weapons effects, so is a pleasure for me to create it, I'll no longer be limited by the weapon effects created by egosoft and other modders, I'll be able to make lots of different ones.
If you want I create the effect with your help and add these effect to your mod. And after I see if I can made a compatibility

I see the effects of VRO and how to modify them, I saw Lens_effects for PPC, GLOW1 and GLOW2, I understand how to modify them size, but I don't know how to edit the color

[Realspace]

Then I think you can focus on weapon's racial differences and fx of course. Make it working on top of REM then we start a testing period to see how it goes. After that we could even integrate the changes in REM directly.

The more focused the changes (weapons only) the easier is to test them for balance. Changing too much makes the testing a nightmare.

Just explore deeply what I did to weapons in REM, the #power/#light version, some race-specifc strength and weakness I already added. I like the idea of even more differences between races. X3 was indeed miles ahead in term of different plays you can have by choosing different races.

In 7.50, as told, ego added this flavour back to engines (which affects ship's physics too), don't think they did the same for weapons. Since REM allows engines to be mounted only by ship of the same race, this already creates a big difference between ships, more than in vanilla where any ship can mount any engine.

As soon as I am at pc will look for color settings in effects and let you know.

---------------------------

Changing topic, how do you guys find the new starts? I personally dislike vanilla choice of removing all the pre-plot related to Boso and Hq and making it magically appear in heretic's end for other starts than Emergence, which in so doing has no reason to exist.
There are two further changes I can provide:
1. Changing the starting position of the hq for some starts, so not all starting in Grand Exchange, as I did for the Scion start. If this, please suggest some starting location for each start.
2. Removing the hq (not existing) story introduced by Boron dlc and restoring the old story in val selton start.

I have not tested the terran start with boro dlc, does it also assign the hq through magic appearance in heretic's end or does it still follow the old project genesis?

[ziplock815]

I remember you created a pirate start some time ago. Does it still work? If so, the best locations for HQ would be Windfall or Ocracoke's Storm/Loomanckstrat's Legacy and so on, maybe some Teladi Sectors such as Hewa"s Twin (since lizards are in good relations with pirates). For each races HQ might be located in main sectors of the races - Argon Prime/Black Hole Sun/Antigone/Zyart's Dominion/Holy Vision

[Realspace]

I remember you created a pirate start some time ago. Does it still work? If so, the best locations for HQ would be Windfall or Ocracoke's Storm/Loomanckstrat's Legacy and so on, maybe some Teladi Sectors such as Hewa"s Twin (since lizards are in good relations with pirates). For each races HQ might be located in main sectors of the races - Argon Prime/Black Hole Sun/Antigone/Zyart's Dominion/Holy Vision

Yes it is in XRSGE Tweaks mod
TWEAKS MOD (WITH ARGON PIRATE START) https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1372
There, Val selton start is replaced by a true pirate start, with a lot of features such as unlocked scaleplate relationship and unlocked ship upgrades if using a tool you can buy, but you start enemy to all

[Realspace]

I've fixed all the scripts of REM Hyperdrive. Version 2.1

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1572

Autopilot will use booster when travel drive is not possible or some disrupts are in actions so as proximity to stations/gates.
AI move scripts will do the same, so NPC ships will have the same identical disrupts as the player. It harmonizes with the same proximity alerts and interrupts the player (only) has in XRSGE 8.
REM Hyperdrive is mandatory for XRSGE 8 (no restriction in the files if you don't use it but please use it to have a coherent gameplay experience).

------------------------------------------------

I've updated REM Overhaul to version 7.6.3.

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/848

Lot of fixes for Timelines' ships and loadouts (it should be possible to do the entire Timelines game with REM installed).

Very important change in ships' physics. Version 7.50 of the game introduces a kind of friction applied on steering (yaw, pitch, roll etc.) that increases with speed. So the faster you go the bigger this friction. This of course makes ZERO sense in actual space physics. You cold go at almost speed of light and the turning or rolling of ship would require the same identical force as going very slow, you do not apply a force contrary to the main vector when rolling or yaw. This happens on contrary in atmosphere where the faster you go the bigger the friction given by air around the ship, which is indeed used to fly with wings.

So I remade the entire steering friction force. Up to top booster speed (2000 ms avg), steering resistance is the same (no increase), while beyond, in travel mode speed, the friction is huge. This is very immersive, travel drive acts as an hyperdrive where ship is pushed in a sort of distortion channel in space so this resistance makes "sense". This effect of course is perfect if you use REM Hyperdrive too with its very high speeds.

------------------------------------------------

Update for The Expanse - XRSGE 8 to version 8.0.2.

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

It is a minor update but requires a new download, I separated folders into two cat file so next updates will be lighter.
- fixed one of the Blue Horizon superhighways (probably will remain "strange" if using old saves)
- fixed some other gas regions (with disrupts) that are too big, in route zone instead of low orbit (f.i. Hatikvah's low orbit's zone)
- removed most of move scripts to be harmonized with REM Hyperdrive (which is mandatory to use!)
- fixed a couple of starts and various errors, added HQ in Pirate sectors for pirate starts.
- changed Scion start: 150.000 cr and various bonuses (SETA, decrytion modules, etc.) but you have NO ship. You start on the Trade Station where Hatikvah awaits you for the starting mission of Hatikvah Revolution. The starting ship will be the Callisto given by them. Remember that with REM Overhaul Callisto is not a trader but a military personnel transporter. You can use it to board bigger ships.

[ziplock815]

Using the last version of REM Hyperdrive and my ship doesn't keep the boost momentum as in previous versions - it does keep the momentum for a vhile, but returns to normal speed fater some time. Is it intended to be like that?
Edit: solved the issue by deactivating flight assist
Edit 2: Now I can't get up from my ship's seat

[Realspace]

That feature has been removed two versions ago, it is in REM Overhaul now. Players complained about unpredictable effects when booster keeps momentum in vanilla ships (no REM). The feature is in REM Overhaul because there all has been balanced, f.i. booster's top speed is avg 2000 for all and the duration is balanced around the type of ship. There it works perfectly, I use both mods of course and have no issue, also AI ships have the same path-finding as player's autopilot and do not travel close to stations, have instant stops and disrupts. Try updating all mods. Do you use REM Overhaul?
Consider that after 7.50, paradoxally REM makes ships easier to maneuver than vanilla. It has inertia (as vanilla, but not fake) but also poweful thrusters and no artificial friction at high speed as vanilla that makes even a scout clunky.
When updating a mod you have to first DELETE the old folder, otherwise some script or file that the modder removed remains active, eventually the one causing the stuck at seat in Hyperdrive mod.

[ziplock815]

I'm sure I deleted the folder before installation of the new version of Hyperdrive
Well, I reinstalled and ships keep losing momentum, but no "I don't want to get up" issue so far.
No, I'm not using REM Overhaul, but I think I'll give a shot. I remember you were saying it can be installed after a new game start and should have no issues with current saves...

[Realspace]

Yes, as told, they keep momentum only in REM Overhaul. And yes, REM can be installed in any moment. Issue can happen if you remove it and continue the game, ships/equipment go missing.

BTW I've made some fixes for the autopilot and AI move in REM Hyperdrive, please update to 2.1.1
https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1572

[Realspace]

Ehi guys, do you also have the poltergeist in Light of Heart sector?
There is an invisible force at first superhighway's enter/exit that destroys engines of big ships and they turn hostile to the player
I have no idea wtf is happening there..
Edit:
Mmm..not only there and seems that only big ships turn hostile. This is weird..
Ok, don't worry, it is not made by xrsge. Another mod does it, removed all but xrsge and stars and the glitch disappeared.

Ok found it, Sectorsatellites mod. Have no idea what happens but if you go close to big ships they turn ostile as if were attacked, also some have damaged engines. Really funny

[ziplock815]

Some kind of space anomaly obviously X games a so full of secrets...
Tried the newest version of Hyperdrive and still have the issue with getting up from the pilot seat

[Realspace]

Some kind of space anomaly obviously X games a so full of secrets...
Tried the newest version of Hyperdrive and still have the issue with getting up from the pilot seat

Yes I had too, is the player stuck. It is due to the routine to check if a station or gate is close to abort travel. I moved that to XRSGE where it harmonizes with the various disrupts, so Hyperdrive mod is now bug-free, the file is in XRSGE. I've changed it, removed the check intervals. It is less precise (requires to be triggered by specific events while before it checked continuosly) but is bug-free.
For now use ctrl+D or save/reload the game, it solves.

BTW I still see some big XL ships stuck at that superhighway in Light of Heart. Only there, seems like they can not use it, while can use the others. I will try to remake them entirely. I remember somebody else posted here about this issue, Please check if it happens in you game. I hope it is only there, can not understand why that single superhighway, that works normally, is not used

Ok I fixed it. Remade that superhighway and now ships are not stuck there. Please report if you see other places where big ships are not moving, close to superhighways. Do not consider the patrols, they do it normally, await there.

PATCH https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

- fixed the player stuck at seat or in cabin
- fixed the above mentioned superhighway in Light of Heart
- various other minor fixes
- moved gate from Power Circle to Sonra VII closer to planet

NEW GAME is NOT required if you started after 8.0.0 - Saves before XRSGE 8.0.0 are not compatible, it means that all the saves made during the BETA (0.1-0.5) are NOT compatible.
Copy/paste ext_02 file inside your XRSGE installation and replace.

.....................

I've noticed that by activating protect ui the hud reports that xrsge 8 could not work properly. I have no idea why, I did not touch the UI. Anyway just telling, maybe the white sector glitch is due to UI protection active. That's indeed an UI element I change

[ziplock815]

Small micro bug found: Montalaar accelerator connects with the jumpgate in Herron's Nebula 7
Edit: Downloaded the patch for XRSGE, but still have the issue with getting up from the seat
P. S. Took a closer look at the main planet in Light of Heart and Wow - the level of terrain details is just amazing. Wish all planets were the same quality as this one

[Realspace]

Small micro bug found: Montalaar accelerator connects with the jumpgate in Herron's Nebula 7
Edit: Downloaded the patch for XRSGE, but still have the issue with getting up from the seat
P. S. Took a closer look at the main planet in Light of Heart and Wow - the level of terrain details is just amazing. Wish all planets were the same quality as this one

I wish that too but is too long work. Well there are at least other 6-8 (don't remember) earth-like planets I did from scratch using the "old" texture-meshing method but saving the new clouds tech of X4 which is very good. Earth itself has high level of details, did you try flying close? Argon Prime too, you should even see some rivers before....exploding in atmosphere
Others are in windfall 2, then aladna hill too and black hole sun, Ianamus zura too you can fly very low orbit, another in a paranid sector and in split too. I also made some green-moon like planets that are widely used as secondary planets, such as power circle or akeela beacon. Rarely are vanilla planets used in xrsge and those that are used, such as gas giants, are totally changed by STARS mod. Btw did you find any of the new (no stripes) gas giants? I also remade many orbital planets, added rings...sometimes even if rings are far, should you fly there you'd find the asteroids (not only the ring mesh) there is quite new stuff to see and explore in xrsge 8
Space feels true space and, to me, adds deepnes to playstyle too. One thing is protecting a box of 200km, another is a whole planetary system of 200.000 km with several zones and many internal connections to keep safe. I am eager to see the ai in action, despite I already see very interesting patrols and actions in those zones.
You can spend hours in a single sector and this makes the game deeper, the going from box to box that is vanilla really lowers the quality of the otherwise great game simulation.

[ziplock815]

Antigone Memorial 4 - south west gate - sun shines through the planet, because the jumpgate's too close to the planet and the star moves behind it after approach to the gate.
Perpetual Sin 3 - when using south west shw - ship flies through the asteroid

[Realspace]

Fixed, together with other small fixes and a couple overlapping superhighways. Fortunely when it is just the offset to change a new game is not required, I only have to rename the superhighways.

I need some feedback by those having already some hours in the mod.
1) Do you see enough challenging encounters in open space? Because in my game all seems too peaceful in comparison to xrsge 7 (xenon/khaak patrols are the same).
2) How is the reaction of sector's patrols to invasions? I am thinking or redoing the added patrols by xrsge as only local (even zones or max sector) because sectors are huge and one sector is big like half vanilla map now.
3) how is the faction's aggressiveness? Do they invade other systems. I tried to reduce the resources to increase the search for space but still they are plenty in comparison to vanilla. I could increase more the aggressiveness in the settings..
4) How is economy in the long run? Stations are a lot so some single one remaining drained is to expected, but in general.