Some questions on SWR ESB mod and modding

[SD_NZ]

Hi all,

 

new to this, I was a huge fan of SWR when it came out in 1998, so I know the basics of the game. So I rushed out and got EAW when it came out and of course I was disappointed - there is no stragtegic depth like in SWR! So what di I do, I reinstalled SWR to relive old glories...

 

Anyway, that's when I realised that there must be other crazy, retor SW fans like me that prefer the old game, hence finding this site. Great stuff everyone, I love it! So I got myself SWR ESB mod from here, again excellent work, but I do have a few questions, mainly about the AI. I always found SWR too easy and the AI pretty silly, so:

 

does ESB or any mod work on the AI specifically?

 

Can the AI 'colonise' uninhabited planets yet?

 

What does the disable advanced AI on/off button do in the preferencs screen? I get confused whther it should be on or off.

 

Will the AI ever make a fleet that could challenge my preferred battlefleets of 20 SD IIs?

 

Any more recommended mods out there for experiencd SWR players?

 

thanks for your help!

[Cain]

I think you are refering to PTESB Mod.

 

1. The PTESB mod tryes to make the AI's life a bit more easyer. The SWR AI is actually acceptable compared to EAW as long as you take your time to actually tune all the stats to perfection.

 

2. Yes the AI colonises uninhabited planets.

 

 

3. That button was suposed to make a change in the stats live useing RebEd but it was not fully implemented since I didn't had the time nor a programmer.

 

4. It will if you play relaxed. Also remember that some of the troops have shields and cannot be bombarded so it will be a bit more hard to take over.

 

In the last version availeble for download can support one more polishing but the differences will be minimal but since they always variate ... you never know.

 

My advaice to you is to play relaxed on medium or even easy if you don't bother the AI in the first 100 days.

 

Don't play on hard - this gives to the AI more troops and in different locations - this is slowing him down since between 5 moves 2-3 are good and he looses a lot of precious time.

 

Also a good experience will be for you to select a game that has all your starting planets very close ... I love that.

 

Btw you could try the Admiral Nightmares scenarios on a clean SWR.

[SD_NZ]

yeah - thanks! I am playing the PTESB mod. I usually leave several sectors alone to the AI, particularly in the core while I colonise the outer rim, even when I am the empire. in my new game I have all the ssweena sector with coruscant and another core systrem while I go for half the of the out rim and hope the AI takes the rest and builds up...

 

In the readme for PTESB it says not to change the stats. if I change the fact that ISD can't be built by the rebellion or lower the maintance of most capital ships, will this affect the AI? Is using rebed ok for admirals nightmare?

[Cain]

Admiral's Nightmares are scenarios - but they are made on the unmoded SWR.

 

For ex: Imagine starting to play against the empire with only one planet or... if you are more hardcore with only one ship or even 2 characters only ... win that if you can.

 

Usually before I start a game I generate multiple ones until I select a galaxy layout that I like.

 

If you are going to play with the stats the removal of buildable units will not affect anything ... lowering the maintance will. Its all in how simetrical can you make it to affect all ships.

 

The AI builds ships based on the stats so I ended up once with it building only one ship or not building others etc.

 

So you must be very delicate ... look at the closest ship. If you make it worth more than that the AI will forget about it.