New Armada 2 Modding 2024

[Hath]

I think the problem lays in the fact that when you move a warp capable construction ship across the map you use the MOVE command and the warps over there. You then use the build command (I think this is hard code at least I couldn't find a build.odf ) to build you station. The AI is STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!! When it wants to build a station it uses the build command and poot poots over to the construction site at impulse. I did some digging and I cant see a way around this. I just figured that if the AI is to stupid to use warp that's its problem!

 

[Rifraf]

I was thinking along those lines as well. I went ahead and made construction ships have faster impulse speed roughly more fitting the setting for a cruiser. Helps the game along.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
I did the same for the Species 8472 mothership and passive embryos, I didn't make them fast, but now they move at a bearable pace .

 

[CptBenSisko]

probably the classlabel.. but if you change the classlabel, then it wouldnt be a construction ship

 

[Hath]

I think CptBenSisko may have just cracked this one! Rifraf I would definitely change the classlabel to say ( #include "cruise1.odf" ) on one of the computers construction ships and see what happens.

 

[Rifraf]

Well, all ships reference the craft.odf which contains classLabel = "craft".

In the const.odf which construction ships are bound by there is classLabel = "constructionrig". So changing the class label would render the construction ship a cruiser which I found by // commenting out the classLabel of the construction ship and making it #include "cruise1.odf" so that's a no go

 

[Hath]

Rats I thought that would work

 

[Rifraf]

I forgot to clarify that commenting out the classLabel = "constructionrig" did make the ship warp around it just couldn't build anything as it's build list was not accessible.

 

[Rifraf]

You guys gave me something to think about. I think now the AI might casually fly their ships across the map and right into the range of the enemy starbase because the AI gives them a move command instead of an attack command. Only once they reach their destination do they start attacking the first thing in range. Unfortunately they are usually right next to the base and get blown to bits.

Sometimes it's an attack command because a group of ships warps out and flies right to a location to start attacking. Other times a few ships here and there just impulse off like I described above. Still play testing with the AI to figure this stuff out.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
If we could somehow decode the game files we could ask ChatGPT to help a fellow AI... then we'll all die

 

[Rifraf]

Has anyone changed the resources in their stock A2 or modded A2 games? Did you just keep dilithium moons and metal planets or did you change the names of the resources? Did you change the mining rates of dilithium to be slower and increase its need for building? Looking for different ideas that others may have tried to make the game a tiny bit more realistic.

I always hated how you mine a dilithium moon in huge quantities but actually use very little for building where as metal is the biggest resource needed but not as easily stockpiled.

 

[Hath]

I did change my dilithium moons and metal planets resource levels to ALOT! But I never did get the graphics to match the new levels. Also when I went back to the stock levels the graphics were still screwed up. Make sure you BACKUP your files before you start messing with these settings!!!

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
What I have always wanted to do was the change the resources in some planets. Like why would a D class moon have more biomatter than an M class planet?

 

[Rifraf]

I thought of changing the amounts of resources on planets and moons as well. Easy in the odf's but have to delete them all from every map and replace them again so very tedious. I thought of making dilithium used more but it's not really used in the construction process of stuff. Plus, whatever you do needs to be AI friendly.

I thought of changing the color of the latinum nebula and calling it a something else. Only the Cardassians, Klingons and Romulans really use it anyway. I also thought of making the mining rate of dilithium moons very slow and only require smaller amounts per ship but would that really accomplish making the game more immersive?

 

[Hath]

Well the dilithium could be mined in grams and the metal in tons so it could work out.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:

I thought of changing the amounts of resources on planets and moons as well. Easy in the odf's but have to delete them all from every map and replace them again so very tedious. I thought of making dilithium used more but it's not really used in the construction process of stuff. Plus, whatever you do needs to be AI friendly.

I thought of changing the color of the latinum nebula and calling it a something else. Only the Cardassians, Klingons and Romulans really use it anyway. I also thought of making the mining rate of dilithium moons very slow and only require smaller amounts per ship but would that really accomplish making the game more immersive?

I agree that dilithium should be used only for starships, because of the warp cores. But how would that affect gameplay when it comes to resource and trade?

Well the dilithium could be mined in grams and the metal in tons so it could work out.

Well, that can always be a comment in the odf and the gameplay won't get altered. Just some added lore.

 

[Rifraf]

Hypothetical, make a sovereign require 100 dilithium and change the mining moons to have a mining rate of 1 or 2 so really slow. Make the freighters only able to carry 25 units of it? Would slow things down a bit. But would it take some of the fun away from the game? I found some old ideas I had wrote down so will post some more tomorrow.

 

[Terra_Inc]

One of the ideas I had for Wastelands is to offer more than one type of mining freighter... there would have been a base model (cheap, can't carry a lot of ore) and at least one industrial version (more expensive, can carry a lot of ore). You'd unlock the industrial version later on and it would help get resources faster for the higher end ships and stations.

EDIT: I also thought of offering a military version with decent armor and defensive weapons - for those mining outposts farther out that are more difficult to defend as ships would be much slower - but without models that wasn't going to happen.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:

Hypothetical, make a sovereign require 100 dilithium and change the mining moons to have a mining rate of 1 or 2 so really slow. Make the freighters only able to carry 25 units of it? Would slow things down a bit. But would it take some of the fun away from the game? I found some old ideas I had wrote down so will post some more tomorrow.

Well ,the base game is extremely fast-paced, so perhaps your idea can be welcomed, although we know some might take more time to get used to it. But with a slower-pace we could get to enjoy more of the ships.

One of the ideas I had for Wastelands is to offer more than one type of mining freighter... there would have been a base model (cheap, can't carry a lot of ore) and at least one industrial version (more expensive, can carry a lot of ore). You'd unlock the industrial version later on and it would help get resources faster for the higher end ships and stations.

That is a very good idea indeed! Same as you can get better combat ships, the idea of better support non-combat ships cen be very good!

EDIT: I also thought of offering a military version with decent armor and defensive weapons - for those mining outposts farther out that are more difficult to defend as ships would be much slower - but without models that wasn't going to happen.

Ohh dang!

 

[Rifraf]

That's a good idea Terra. Risk/Reward. Use cheaper gatherers for the short term or invest more for some durability. Here's some other ideas I had:

Implement refits for every race as better weapons/shields/engines get researched? Every ship should be able to upgrade over time and not necessarily become obsolete. This would require lots and lots of ODF's though.
-Expensive research yields more damage done by Borg weapons? (Adapting)
-Expensive research yields less damage to Borg vessels/stations by other races? (Adapting)
-All Borg vessels have regeneration?

Ship yards are generally just a gantry in space, have minimum crew, no/or low power supply so have limited shields and low hull strength so you can build a lot of them, but they are weak. The ships are where the strength and costs are so they will limit your production not the number of shipyards you have. This will also let the AI attack shipyards with weaker/lower numbers of ships since even destroyers will most likely be stronger than your average shipyard

Maybe give every race a torpedo like the poleron torp, but with higher recharge and less chance to hit that may randomly disable a system? Like in the shows a system may go down occasionally during battle and the crew has to work to get it operational again. It would look the same as a normal torp though so as to not stand out.

 

[Hath]

To go from a level 1 ship to a level 2 will take 3 odf files. One odf for level 1 ship, 1 odf for level 2 ship, and one odf for a replaceweapon file to upgrade the ship

Spoiler: Sample

//Display name for this weapon
wpnName = "Akira Refit"

//tooltips
tooltip = "Akira Refit Level 2"
verboseTooltip = "Refits the Akira with more powerful shields - 50d"

//Time Delay between shots - not used
//shotDelay = 0.0
//Location of the button in the speed panel
buttonSlot = 4
// location of the button in the popup palette
popupSlot = 5
// Priority of button in the speed panel, this is only
// used if it is non-zero.
buttonPriority = 10

//Type of border to use for this button.//0 = No border.//1 = Offensive border.//2 = Defensive border.
//buttonBorder = 2

special = 1
specialEnergyCost = 0
//Programming Stuff DO NOT CHANGE
classLabel = "replaceweapon"
dilithiumCost = 50
replacementkeepName = 1
replacementkeepOwner = 0

replacement0Class0 = "fcruise1-1.odf"
replacementCreationType = 2

replacement0Class0Position = 0,0,0

 

[Rifraf]

Will replaceweapons work in stock A2? I was more thinking 2 odf's. One for level 1 and one for level 2 only level 2 can't be built until the research pod exists upon completion of research.

 

[Terra_Inc]

Ship yards are generally just a gantry in space, have minimum crew, no/or low power supply so have limited shields and low hull strength so you can build a lot of them, but they are weak. The ships are where the strength and costs are so they will limit your production not the number of shipyards you have. This will also let the AI attack shipyards with weaker/lower numbers of ships since even destroyers will most likely be stronger than your average shipyard

Yeah, I had a similar idea planned for my mod. The overall concept was that ships would take much longer to build (being generally more expensive, but also much tougher - the main idea was to move away from A2 cannon fodder fleets). To balance this out, shipyards would be quite a bit cheaper compared to other stations. This would encourage players to build multiple shipyards, so that you can still build fleets in a reasonable time but can't just pump out battleships at a moment's notice.

 

[Rifraf]

In general, a game with the AI passes pretty quickly. 15-20 minutes if you're not really trying hard to wipe them out and dependig on how many there are. So, it's hard to come up with ideas that will play well but fit within a game and that the AI can use.

I've thought about redoing turrets in my personal mod as well as they shouldn't be uber strong emplacements. Would make sense that they are small to be able to build a lot of them for not a ton a resources but also make ships reasonably surviveable against them and able to take them out as well. Does a phaser turret have a warp core in it or a more conventional power supply? That would be a lot of warp cores for unmanned stations if you built them in numbers. I've thought of requiring crew to man then too. And how many torpedoes could a smaller turret hold anyway. Game playability vs realism.

Something I just thought about was that the AI spends a lot of time sitting in one spot just trying to kill stations (not counting the starbase). Why not make stations generally cheaper and less shielded so the AI can swoop in, kill it and move on. Yeah, orbital and mining stations need shields, but 2000 to 2500 health? There are ways to speed up the game in somce instances while slowing it down in other. If stations aren't as strong work the AI to defend a little more so they come to the rescue sooner would be one way. Just food for thought.

 

[Hath]

Yes replaceweapons work in stock A2.

If you ever downloaded the Prometheus class this is how they made the multi vector ship separating into 3 hulls work.
I also used it to make a Hero Galaxy class that had saucer separation in my own mod.

Copy of all 3 odf files needed to upgrade my Akira Class. Yellow colored text highlights key parts of code. You will also need to update your tech and sprites files.

Spoiler: fcruise1.odf

#include "cruise1.odf"
physicsFile = "sfedcruiserphys.odf"
unitName = "Akira Class"
tooltip = "Akira Class - 800 shields, 81 hp, & Quick shield and system repair"
verboseTooltip = "FED_CRUISE1_V"
race = "federation"
buildTime = 26
officerCost = 6
crewCost = 200
dilithiumCost = 250
metalCost = 90

maxHealth = 800
maxShields = 800
shieldRate = 8.25
shieldProtection = 1.0
// Hitpoints
shieldGeneratorHitPoints = 175
enginesHitPoints = 165
weaponsHitPoints = 190
lifeSupportHitPoints = 170
sensorsHitPoints = 100
maxSpecialEnergy = 750
specialEnergyRate = 7
//**********************************************************************
//WEAPON total hp = 80.7
// Phaser 61/1.5= 40.7 500f
weapon1 = "fc3phas"
weaponHardpoints1 = "hp01" "hp02" "hp03" "hp14" "hp15"

// Photon torpedos 80/2= 40 500f
weapon2 = "fakiraphot"
weaponHardpoints2 = "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"

// Quick Repair
weapon3 = "hregen"
weaponHardpoints3 = "hp3" "hp05" "hp08" "hp10" "hp11"

// Towing Beam
weapon4 = "gtracbm"
weaponHardpoints4 = "hp3" "hp05" "hp08" "hp10" "hp11"

// Refit to level 2 - 50d
weapon5 = "fcruise1-1r"
weaponHardpoints5 = "hp3" "hp05" "hp08" "hp10" "hp11"

// Hardpoints to hit for various systems and other locations.
enginesTargetHardpoints = "hp06" "hp07" "hp08" "hp09" "hp10"
lifeSupportTargetHardpoints = "hp11" "hp12" "hp13" "hp14" "hp15"
weaponsTargetHardpoints = "hp01" "hp02" "hp03" "hp04" "hp05" "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"
shieldGeneratorTargetHardpoints = "hp16" "hp17" "hp18" "hp19" "hp20"
sensorsTargetHardpoints = "hp21" "hp22" "hp23" "hp24" "hp25"
hullTargetHardpoints = "hp06" "hp08" "hp10" "hp12" "hp14" "hp16" "hp18" "hp20" "hp22"
criticalTargetHardpoints = "hp07" "hp09" "hp11" "hp13" "hp17" "hp19" "hp21" "hp23"
//**********************************************************************
possibleCraftNames = "USS Defender" "USS Pathfinder" "USS Renegade" "USS Spirit" "USS Endeavor" "USS Templar" "USS Morningstar" "USS Timberwolf"
"USS Apache" "USS Resolution" "USS Gallant" "USS Nautilus" "USS Thunderbird" "USS Venerable" "USS Seattle" "USS Trojan"
"USS Essex" "USS Fearless" "USS Rhodes" "USS Bonaparte" "USS Washington" "USS Lafayette" "USS Jefferson"
"USS Vicksburg" "USS Antietam" "USS Stalingrad" "USS Jaganath" "USS Montgomery" "USS Sumter" "USS Goliath" "USS Minotaur"
"USS Hotspur" "USS Nostromo" "USS Crusader" "USS Avondale" "USS Bishop" "USS Winchester" "USS Peerless" "USS Maxwell"
"USS Martinez" "USS Courageous" "USS Jarl" "USS Verite" "USS Mathias" "USS Androsia" "USS Darius" "USS Rigel"
"USS Theodore" "USS Meer" "USS Virgil" "USS Trinity" "USS Lakota" "USS Rapier" "USS Centaur" "USS Inverness"
"USS Magellan" "USS Norris" "USS Poseidon" "USS Resilient" "USS Merlin" "USS Geneva" "USS Jupiter" "USS Nordhaus" "USS Brazas"
//**********************************************************************
attackPower = 0.65f
intrinsicValue = 0.28f

enginesRepairTime = 1.0f
lifeSupportRepairTime = 0.1f
weaponsRepairTime = 2.0f
shieldGeneratorRepairTime = 2.0f
sensorsRepairTime = 1.0f

enginesCrewLoss = 5.0f
lifeSupportCrewLoss = 1.5f
weaponsCrewLoss = 2.5f
shieldGeneratorCrewLoss = 2.0f
sensorsCrewLoss = 1.0f
lifeSupportLoss = 0.5f //The percentage of crew lost every second while life support is disabled

enginesHitPercent = 10.0f
lifeSupportHitPercent = 2.0f
weaponsHitPercent = 8.0f
shieldGeneratorHitPercent = 13.0f
sensorsHitPercent = 5.0f
crewHitPercent = 5.0f //Percent Chance out of 100 of hull being hit (crew dying)
hullHitPercent = 57.0f //Percent Chance out of 100 of entire ship exploding

weaponYellow = 1.0f
weaponRed = 1.5f
//**********************************************************************
hotkeyLabel = "HOTKEY_F9"
ScaleSOD = 0.35

Spoiler: fcruise1-1r.odf

//Display name for this weapon
wpnName = "Akira Refit"

//tooltips
tooltip = "Akira Refit Level 2"
verboseTooltip = "Refits the Akira with more powerful shields - 50d"

//Time Delay between shots - not used
//shotDelay = 0.0
//Location of the button in the speed panel
buttonSlot = 4
// location of the button in the popup palette
popupSlot = 5
// Priority of button in the speed panel, this is only
// used if it is non-zero.
buttonPriority = 10

//Type of border to use for this button.//0 = No border.//1 = Offensive border.//2 = Defensive border.
//buttonBorder = 2

special = 1
specialEnergyCost = 0
//Programming Stuff DO NOT CHANGE
classLabel = "replaceweapon"
dilithiumCost = 50
replacementkeepName = 1
replacementkeepOwner = 0

replacement0Class0 = "fcruise1-1.odf"
replacementCreationType = 2

replacement0Class0Position = 0,0,0

Spoiler: fcruise1-1.odf

#include "cruise1.odf"
physicsFile = "sfedcruiserphys.odf"
baseName = "fcruise1"
unitName = "Akira Class"
tooltip = "Akira Class Level 2 - 850 shields, 81 hp, torpedeo burst, & Quick shield and system repair"
verboseTooltip = "FED_CRUISE1_V"
race = "federation"
buildTime = 26
officerCost = 5
crewCost = 200
dilithiumCost = 300
metalCost = 90

maxHealth = 850
maxShields = 850
shieldRate = 8.75
shieldProtection = 1.0
// Hitpoints
shieldGeneratorHitPoints = 190
enginesHitPoints = 185
weaponsHitPoints = 195
lifeSupportHitPoints = 180
sensorsHitPoints = 100
maxSpecialEnergy = 750
specialEnergyRate = 7
//**********************************************************************
//WEAPON total hp = 80.7
// Phaser 61/1.5= 40.7 500f
weapon1 = "fc3phas"
weaponHardpoints1 = "hp01" "hp02" "hp03" "hp14" "hp15"

// Photon torpedos 80/2= 40 3 shot max 500f
weapon2 = "fakiraphotburst"
weaponHardpoints2 = "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"

// Quick Repair
weapon3 = "hregen"
weaponHardpoints3 = "hp3" "hp05" "hp08" "hp10" "hp11"

// Towing Beam
weapon4 = "gtracbm"
weaponHardpoints4 = "hp3" "hp05" "hp08" "hp10" "hp11"

// Photon torpedos 80/2= 40 500f
//weapon2 = "fakiraphot"
//weaponHardpoints2 = "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"
// Photon torpedos Burst 80/7.8= 10 500f
//weapon3 = "fakira2phot"
//weaponHardpoints3 = "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"
// Photon torpedos Burst 80/7.9= 10 500f
//weapon4 = "fakira3phot"
//weaponHardpoints4 = "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"
// Hardpoints to hit for various systems and other locations.
enginesTargetHardpoints = "hp06" "hp07" "hp08" "hp09" "hp10"
lifeSupportTargetHardpoints = "hp11" "hp12" "hp13" "hp14" "hp15"
weaponsTargetHardpoints = "hp01" "hp02" "hp03" "hp04" "hp05" "hp26" "hp27" "hp28" "hp29"
shieldGeneratorTargetHardpoints = "hp16" "hp17" "hp18" "hp19" "hp20"
sensorsTargetHardpoints = "hp21" "hp22" "hp23" "hp24" "hp25"
hullTargetHardpoints = "hp06" "hp08" "hp10" "hp12" "hp14" "hp16" "hp18" "hp20" "hp22"
criticalTargetHardpoints = "hp07" "hp09" "hp11" "hp13" "hp17" "hp19" "hp21" "hp23"
//**********************************************************************
possibleCraftNames = "USS Defender" "USS Pathfinder" "USS Renegade" "USS Spirit" "USS Endeavor" "USS Templar" "USS Morningstar" "USS Timberwolf"
"USS Apache" "USS Resolution" "USS Gallant" "USS Nautilus" "USS Thunderbird" "USS Venerable" "USS Seattle" "USS Trojan"
"USS Essex" "USS Fearless" "USS Rhodes" "USS Bonaparte" "USS Washington" "USS Lafayette" "USS Jefferson"
"USS Vicksburg" "USS Antietam" "USS Stalingrad" "USS Jaganath" "USS Montgomery" "USS Sumter" "USS Goliath" "USS Minotaur"
"USS Hotspur" "USS Nostromo" "USS Crusader" "USS Avondale" "USS Bishop" "USS Winchester" "USS Peerless" "USS Maxwell"
"USS Martinez" "USS Courageous" "USS Jarl" "USS Verite" "USS Mathias" "USS Androsia" "USS Darius" "USS Rigel"
"USS Theodore" "USS Meer" "USS Virgil" "USS Trinity" "USS Lakota" "USS Rapier" "USS Centaur" "USS Inverness"
"USS Magellan" "USS Norris" "USS Poseidon" "USS Resilient" "USS Merlin" "USS Geneva" "USS Jupiter" "USS Nordhaus" "USS Brazas"
//**********************************************************************
attackPower = 0.65f
intrinsicValue = 0.28f

enginesRepairTime = 1.0f
lifeSupportRepairTime = 0.1f
weaponsRepairTime = 2.0f
shieldGeneratorRepairTime = 2.0f
sensorsRepairTime = 1.0f

enginesCrewLoss = 5.0f
lifeSupportCrewLoss = 1.5f
weaponsCrewLoss = 2.5f
shieldGeneratorCrewLoss = 2.0f
sensorsCrewLoss = 1.0f
lifeSupportLoss = 0.5f //The percentage of crew lost every second while life support is disabled

enginesHitPercent = 10.0f
lifeSupportHitPercent = 2.0f
weaponsHitPercent = 8.0f
shieldGeneratorHitPercent = 13.0f
sensorsHitPercent = 5.0f
crewHitPercent = 5.0f //Percent Chance out of 100 of hull being hit (crew dying)
hullHitPercent = 57.0f //Percent Chance out of 100 of entire ship exploding

weaponYellow = 1.0f
weaponRed = 1.5f
//**********************************************************************
hotkeyLabel = "HOTKEY_F9"
ScaleSOD = 0.35

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
The last time I made modding was when EO asked me to make Fed turrets to aim at targets, like Cardassian turrets at the Chintoka System, besides that I haven't done any modding, but Iam liking the ideas a lot!

To use replacementweapon to upgrade ships is kinda similar to FleetOps' rank system (but the FleetOps system is automatic until reaching hero mode), but this alternative here allows for more fleet management, I admit I would use the idea forRobotech and Macross, so human ships can have get destroid mounts.

I think the shipyards' idea is very good too, as long as the ships take more time and more resources to build, otherwise you'll be overruning your enemies even faster than in StockA2.

 

[Rifraf]

I had another idea. I don't like the idea of having separate research stations. Why not research everything on your starbase? I wonder if you had like the starbase with lots of extra hardpoints for pods. Change classlabel from starbase to research, have it be able to gain crew and you have a starbase that can research, has lots of weapons, more health so it's harder to kill but really hurts if you lose it. You could make the pods with a very tiny scaleSod so they aren't visible. I don't think there's really anything special about the starbase class label? You can build the mining station now and then add crew to it later. Hmm. May have to try that.

 

[Rifraf]

Well, got it to work except building ships. Tried with Borg. In bbase.odf change classLabel to "research" and add research = 1. Delete or comment out the buildItem for the construction ship and mining freighter and the buildHardpoint line and builder_ship = 1. Then add the buildItem lines from a research station. You'll have to change the podHardpoints to match actual hardpoints on your starbase. Adjust your techtree so the pods don't require the research station and it works.

For some reason you just can't build ships as it crashes to desktop. Wish there was a way to build both ships and pods. Since you're not building research stations you could double or more the time and resources to build each research pod to balance it out?

 

[Chiletrek]

Maybe you can turn your base into a research station that the first pod is the yard that builds your ships? That way you can click it separately. Although I don't think it might work without the FleetOps patch or Armada 2 classic?

 

[Admiral*Alex]

Will replaceweapons work in stock A2? I was more thinking 2 odf's. One for level 1 and one for level 2 only level 2 can't be built until the research pod exists upon completion of research.

Yes it does work! There is even an example on A2F. Look up the Cheetah Class. If you mod in all files, you can upgrade/replace each version in-game. It's not listed in the original post or the read-me, but if you look at the .odf files for the ships you'll see it (or just see it happen in game).