Thrawn's Revenge

Mod & Network News => News & Updates => Topic started by: Corey on July 02, 2014, 06:33:42 AM

Title: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Corey on July 02, 2014, 06:33:42 AM
We've been very adamant that we wouldn't be doing any major updates to the mod past 2.1. We lied. This post has a rundown on what kind of new things you can expect to find in the next version, which is turning out to be more than just the little patches we were promising.


...Improved Models and Skins...

One of our primary goals in the last few versions has been to redo out of date or un-optimized content, ranging from entire redesigns as with the majority of the Empire of the Hand, to smaller model optimizations like with the Clawcraft. We're continuing on with that goal in 2.2, using models and skins we've been developing for our Sins of a Solar Empire mod, Ascendancy (http://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-ascendancy). So far in 2.2, the most prominent of the reworks are the Strike Cruiser, which has been entirely remodelled with a sleeker design, and the Bothan Assault Cruiser and Assault Frigate, the models for which have been significantly optimized, and the textures for which have been entirely redone.

(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/8/7376/thumb_620x2000/swfoc_2014-06-23_05-09-32-24.png)

...Bugfixes and Balancing...

We're also focusing on tracking down and eliminating some bugs, many of which we addressed with our mini patch beta (http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php?topic=4976.0) addressed, such as the crashes when you tried to change eras after a faction was already eliminated. This also includes reworking some of the ship rigs where bones faced the wrong way, like the Venator. We also have the defreezer by Pox and Fregge, which adresses the unit selection bug and allows us to re-enable galactic AI for minor factions in GCs, so Hapans and other groups are able to attack you.

(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/8/7376/thumb_620x2000/swfoc_2014-06-16_20-21-59-42.png)

...Particle Rescaling...

One of the changes people ask for most often is for us to scale down the particles for Turbos and Ions, because they have a to obscure the ships behind them, and be larger than the things they're shooting out of. So, we've both reduced particle sizes by 50%, and sped them up considerably. The latter change is meant to reduce the amount of particles on screen at any time, which should improve performance without really sacrificing anything.

(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/8/7376/thumb_620x2000/swfoc_2014-06-23_16-16-46-40.png)

...New GC Scenarios...

We're doing at least one, maybe two new Galactic Conquest scenarios. The first one is a scenario which expands the mod back in time to cover the original timeperiod of FoC, the pre-Endor stages of the Galactic Civil War. This will be a medium sized scenario with new planets, and time period-appropriate units.

...New Units...

Along with the Galactic Civil War GC units, there'll be a few new units for other eras in this release as well. Most of these will be split between the Pentastar Alignment and the Empire of the Hand. These include the Gladiator Star Destroyer for the Pentastar Alignment, and the Alaria for the Empire of the Hand. The Alaria was designed for Ascendancy as a supply ship, so the version in ICW will be a heavy carrier refit for the later eras. We'd also like to include another capital ship for the Empire of the Hand, depending on how quickly it gets completed. we have a thread (http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php?topic=4995.0) dedicated to discussing the nature of the Pentastar Alignment and what should be done with them on our forums as well.

(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/8/7376/thumb_620x2000/swfoc_2014-07-02_06-25-46-33.png)


...New Feature: Diplomatic Planet Influence...

Smallpox has been working on creating a new system for the mod, which adds a non-military option to convert planets to your cause. We've put out a test version for the base, unmodded Forces of Corruption game to get a sense of how people feel about the system, what should be added or changed, and whether or not they would like to have it added to Imperial Civil War, along with any bug reports/performance issues it causes. Click here (http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php?topic=4946.0) to go to the thread and download it, and please give any feedback you have, even if it's just to say you do or don't like it. Guests are able to post, so you don't need an account to respond to threads.

...And more?

If there's anything else you'd like to see, we encourage you to post your suggestions on our forums (http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php). We're definitely going to be doing Let's Plays of Ascendancy as we get closer to release for that, so I'm playing with the idea of doing one for ICW as well, if that's something anyone would be interested in.

...Follow the mod...
Forums (http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php) - Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thrawnsrevenge) - Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/user/ThrawnsRevenge)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Carnivore Jacques on July 02, 2014, 07:06:00 AM
I am so excited for this. Nice job on the new AF texture.
Did the Venator's rigging actually cause any problems? I hadn't noticed any.
I'd also be interested in watching the Let's Play.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Corey on July 02, 2014, 07:21:28 AM
Quote
Did the Venator's rigging actually cause any problems? I hadn't noticed any.

Everything on it was still functional, it just messed with the firing arcs since some bones were backwards. It could shoot left and right pretty much fine, but it had too much coverage behind it and not enough in front.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Eclipse on July 02, 2014, 11:11:48 AM
This looks, very very interesting, can't wait to see what you guys can do, of course it will be something awsome, just the idea of eliminating the freeze and the diplomatic influence, it all sounds great, keep up the great work.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: tlmiller on July 02, 2014, 04:17:50 PM
This looks, very very interesting, can't wait to see what you guys can do, of course it will be something awsome, just the idea of eliminating the freeze and the diplomatic influence, it all sounds great, keep up the great work.

Yeah, them finding a way to negate the freeze is HUGE for this game.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Thuellai on July 02, 2014, 08:27:21 PM
Sounds great.  Super exciting about the idea of throwing down during the GCW with Thrawn's Revenge gameplay.  Does this mean we'll be seeing the Dauntless?
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on July 02, 2014, 10:35:17 PM
perhaps the Orinda campaign? Zsinj's ISDs producing Raptors in his GC, and some fine tuning with some new VOs for characters not already with them?
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: tlmiller on July 03, 2014, 12:37:17 PM
perhaps the Orinda campaign? Zsinj's ISDs producing Raptors in his GC, and some fine tuning with some new VOs for characters not already with them?

I would like to see the Raptors for Zsinj.

The Orinda campaign would be cool, although the everpresent elephant for that is Megador and Dominion.  We know they were Dreadnoughts, but nothing else.  Vulcanus used Praetors for them, which while making them more powerful than most any other unit in the game, drastically understates their true power levels.  But you make them Executors, and it gets almost too easy to win as the IR given how bad the AI is at dealing with fighting SSD's.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Vulcanus on July 03, 2014, 01:22:42 PM
I would like to see the Raptors for Zsinj.

The Orinda campaign would be cool, although the everpresent elephant for that is Megador and Dominion.  We know they were Dreadnoughts, but nothing else.  Vulcanus used Praetors for them, which while making them more powerful than most any other unit in the game, drastically understates their true power levels.  But you make them Executors, and it gets almost too easy to win as the IR given how bad the AI is at dealing with fighting SSD's.

Megador and Dominion are indeed a bit problematic, because if you make them SSDs, you've got to give NR the Guardian to balance it out. That means 5 SSDs in what is a relatively small campaign, unless one wants to give NR more starting planets to make them more powerful. I used Praetors for them because even if they are not quite as powerful as Megador and Dominion were, they are proportionally just powerful enough for a small 30+ planet GC.

I could convert my Orinda Campaign into a stand-alone ICW compatible GC, without additional units and some heroes of the submod, but still retain the Guardian capture plot and Lusankya turbolasers. The biggest task in converting to ICW would be rebalancing the starting units, as I don't have combat values for ICW New Republic space units.

That is, if you Thrawn's Revenge mod team folks want it  ;)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on July 03, 2014, 07:45:01 PM
Megador and Dominion are indeed a bit problematic, because if you make them SSDs, you've got to give NR the Guardian to balance it out. That means 5 SSDs in what is a relatively small campaign, unless one wants to give NR more starting planets to make them more powerful. I used Praetors for them because even if they are not quite as powerful as Megador and Dominion were, they are proportionally just powerful enough for a small 30+ planet GC.

I could convert my Orinda Campaign into a stand-alone ICW compatible GC, without additional units and some heroes of the submod, but still retain the Guardian capture plot and Lusankya turbolasers. The biggest task in converting to ICW would be rebalancing the starting units, as I don't have combat values for ICW New Republic space units.

That is, if you Thrawn's Revenge mod team folks want it  ;)

Well could do the Asserter class. I know I know. Hear me out. Have it GC or planet specific. With the Asserters having more punch than a praetor but less than the SSD, while carrying less fighters(Basically the concept of the Tector taken to maximum) This gives the remant significant punch but vulnerablility as well. While scaling would be difficult it could be that equivalent to two Praetors but with less hangar space, developed more as a battleship. The idea could be for the Remnant could be the heavy vessels but no replacements, a campaign where you truly have to use your elements correctly as they can't be replaced. The NR is a counter as it has Lusankya but mainly focuses on Fighter carriers. I know a large amount of the fanbase likes super ships(I actually am not a major fan of too many, but having one GC where such things go head to head could be a good thing)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: tlmiller on July 03, 2014, 08:36:10 PM
The problem with an Assertor is that while we don't have canon armaments for them, they were intended when Ansel penned them that they as far as weapons and shielding were actually SUPERIOR to an Executor, but without the assault capability or carrier ability.  Better that they'd be Bellator.  SIGNIFICANTLY closer to the Praetor II in power than the Assertor or Mandator-III, while still being a dreadnought in size.

However, the main problem with ANY of those is that I doubt the team would want to model them for something that's basically used in only 1 GC, and there's no good reason to make it available in any other GC's since all 3 of these classes weren't anywhere near as common as the larger Executor.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on July 04, 2014, 05:35:08 AM
Yes it's understandable
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Zsinj on July 04, 2014, 05:34:40 PM
Everything looks Amazing!
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: rumiks1 on July 05, 2014, 07:29:08 PM
more gc maps will be good if you can or have the time and what would happen in a 5-6 era vong or something?
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Revanchist on July 11, 2014, 10:23:34 AM
It would be cool if y'all made a mini-GC (like the BFC) with the Ssi-Ruuk and the New Republic duking it out.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on July 11, 2014, 12:28:31 PM
It would be cool if y'all made a mini-GC (like the BFC) with the Ssi-Ruuk and the New Republic duking it out.

Even could add the EotH. This is a good idea
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on July 11, 2014, 12:30:19 PM
How would you do the ground forces though? Animating the Ssi Ruuk and Pwi'wek troops would be a challenge in ICW id imagine
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Vulcanus on July 11, 2014, 12:44:45 PM
How would you do the ground forces though? Animating the Ssi Ruuk and Pwi'wek troops would be a challenge in ICW id imagine

Entechment-powered ground vehicles?
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Slornie on July 11, 2014, 12:53:42 PM
Entechment-powered ground vehicles?
You mean a colony of these (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ssi-ruuvi_security_droid)?  :P
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Vulcanus on July 11, 2014, 01:06:06 PM
You mean a colony of these (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ssi-ruuvi_security_droid)?  :P

Umm...probably not. That would be like having a mouse-droid 'armored' brigade buildable for the Remnant  ;D.

What I meant is that if you're going to add the Ssi-Ruuk to ICW, it could be easier to design new combat vehicles instead of dinosaurs with blasters.

Then again, dinosaurs with blasters are infinitely cooler than an enteched tank could ever be.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on July 11, 2014, 03:07:50 PM
Everything looks Amazing!

I must say i find your choice of faction avatar ironic considering what happened to your namesake because of them
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: jimkido on July 29, 2014, 04:00:36 AM
Thanks for this useful topic , I didn't know that I can do so much things .
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Delta104x on August 06, 2014, 03:48:09 PM
Super excited for this.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Cdodders on August 07, 2014, 06:13:57 AM
When is it likely to be out?? I would like to see older ships and fighter craft such as the Naboo starfighter (buildable only on Naboo), and mebbe a few more battlecruiser designs such as the Allegiance class, Assertor class and Harrower class
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Avarice1987 on August 07, 2014, 11:45:47 AM
When is it likely to be out?? I would like to see older ships and fighter craft such as the Naboo starfighter (buildable only on Naboo), and mebbe a few more battlecruiser designs such as the Allegiance class, Assertor class and Harrower class

it ios done when it's done^^
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Thuellai on August 07, 2014, 01:13:32 PM
Looking forward to it, Corey.  Love how you guys always find something new and interesting to add to the mod instead of just a couple visual tweaks or a new unit that serves no purpose.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: jordanthejq12 on August 07, 2014, 04:14:34 PM
When is it likely to be out?? I would like to see older ships and fighter craft such as the Naboo starfighter (buildable only on Naboo), and mebbe a few more battlecruiser designs such as the Allegiance class, Assertor class and Harrower class

Right now the focus is presumably on Ascendancy (with a target date of Aug. 31 for a full release). I'd chance that 2.2 comes out before the end of the year, but maybe that's a tad optimistic. (It sounds like a pretty hefty update.)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: tlmiller on August 15, 2014, 11:59:19 PM
Aug. 31 for a full release?  That sounds a bit optimistic to me considering it's still alpha testing, and hasn't even made it to a full realistic beta.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Settra on August 16, 2014, 12:03:31 AM
Right now the focus is presumably on Ascendancy (with a target date of Aug. 31 for a full release).

lol wat, nobody has mentioned a deadline, ever.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Corey on August 16, 2014, 12:11:58 AM
For the last few months I've been putting the release date on ModDB as the end of the current/following month, because that's what I find fun. There was a point where we considered doing a single-faction public release as a demo but that's pretty cliche in the Sins community. The part about focusing on Ascendancy before 2.2 is correct, however.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: tlmiller on August 16, 2014, 12:15:11 AM
For the last few months I've been putting the release date on ModDB as the end of the current/following month, because that's what I find fun. There was a point where we considered doing a single-faction public release as a demo but that's pretty cliche in the Sins community. The part about focusing on Ascendancy before 2.2 is correct, however.

OK, makes more sense then where the 8/31 came from...
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Settra on August 16, 2014, 12:18:24 AM
OK, makes more sense then where the 8/31 came from...

Ah ha! It sure does.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Pali on August 16, 2014, 04:53:19 AM
It's just Corey and the rest of the staff playing with our hopes and dreams again.  Nothing new there. ;)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Corey on August 16, 2014, 05:41:06 AM
Nah, just me. Slevered, Kalo, Codeuser and Enceladus didn't know until I told them after they got confused about so many people saying August 31st. I don't think Slornie and Davis even know it's a thing. I''m just practicing managing a disappointed fanbase for when we release our indie game.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Pali on August 16, 2014, 08:12:50 PM
All right, we'll just blame you then. ;)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Revanchist on August 16, 2014, 08:45:48 PM
Nah, just me. Slevered, Kalo, Codeuser and Enceladus didn't know until I told them after they got confused about so many people saying August 31st. I don't think Slornie and Davis even know it's a thing. I''m just practicing managing a disappointed fanbase for when we release our indie game.

Indie game??
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Adorician on October 17, 2014, 11:05:45 AM
I apologize if this has been answered elsewhere, but will the Pentastar Alignment be getting a Survival mode, or will we still be looking with envy and shame at our better   more powerful   more popular rivals?
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Musashironinit on November 18, 2014, 12:34:43 PM
First, my compliments to everyone. Great work in this mod. I just want you suggest a few tactical/Strategical improvements that would render the gameplay a little better, from my point of view.

1 - Golan weapon Platforms are a lot overpowered from the original system. A single Golan I platform should be able to withstand the assoult of a couple star destroyer. And the golan mark 3 should be able to defend single handed even a super star destroyer. So the building price for the golan should be augmented. But also the firepower and the hardness, as well as a little firing range. Right now it seems pointless to build a Golam for the price of a Phalanx Destroyer if you can have a moving destroyer. Also Golan are very expensive in maintenance, so Would be interesting to reduce income every Golan you build.

2 - Golan weapon platform are limited to 2 for system. You could correct this easily adding a progressive serie of golan 2x, 3x, 4x 4x of the same Golan Structure each one with a prerequisite of the precedent to be buildt. You can't produce the 2nd Golan if you haven't produced the first.

3 - The AI seems in some ways overpowered when fighting in Auto-resolve combat. Even if you have a crazy battlefleet, they seems to win easily......

4 - I'm not able to see incursors. I would suggest to add them back but adding also a security platoon so that they have a high disadvantage hitting planets with a sec team in it.

5 - The gravity well of some ships should work also stopping passing by ships, let's say like 50% of them.  Not in combat, but on the strategy map

6 - With the same system I suggested on the Golam, you can add a series of Defensive buildings and troops,  like a level 1 defense on  ground and so on. No defensive system is sure. But you can't have so much depending on the ai. Usually, a defense Win for sure unless there's some genius plan or a 10-1 force ratio against.

7 - All the anti-fighters ships seems to work less than they should.

8 - I would add back the steal technology, but adding it for a heroes for each faction, and giving it the ability to steal an enemy design of choice. But lowering the chance of success and eventually giving him the chance to be captured.

9 - I understand you want heroes to have their original ships, but why I can't upgrade the ships owned by heroes? Can't you separate ships and heroes? I mean I have a general with a corvette in the middle of a fleet of MC90 or MC108..... How weird is that?

thx again.....


PS I doubt it's possible to do anything, but the original research system sucked. I don't know if it can be modified, but that would be great..... With each level raising the power of the shields, the range of the weapons, and so on......
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Pox on November 18, 2014, 04:43:59 PM
5 - The gravity well of some ships should work also stopping passing by ships, let's say like 50% of them.  Not in combat, but on the strategy map

Are you referring to the galactic view? If yes, enemy fleets can't pass through a system owned by another player unless they have stealth anyway. However, even if that wasn't the case it would be rather complicated to implement that kind of system.

Quote
8 - I would add back the steal technology, but adding it for a heroes for each faction, and giving it the ability to steal an enemy design of choice. But lowering the chance of success and eventually giving him the chance to be captured.

Only one faction can have the stealing ability. Adding a success chance would again be complicated.

Quote
PS I doubt it's possible to do anything, but the original research system sucked. I don't know if it can be modified, but that would be great..... With each level raising the power of the shields, the range of the weapons, and so on......

ICW uses the era system instead of a research system, adding a research system on top of that would be a lot of work. Considering that the next version of ICW will most likely be the last big update I doubt that we're going to implement anything like that.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Revanchist on November 18, 2014, 05:44:29 PM
Considering that the next version of ICW will most likely be the last big update.

You mean just like 2.1 was?? ;D
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Vulcanus on November 18, 2014, 05:51:19 PM
I have to say that the lack of research system is one of the biggest reasons I'm still playing ICW.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: tlmiller on November 18, 2014, 06:03:03 PM
You mean just like 2.1 was?? ;D

Exactly.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: kucsidave on January 15, 2015, 03:36:36 PM
I don't know if it only bugs me or not, but in skirmish you can use the dark gray color, what is totally annoying.
Please change that color to something else, because if anyone uses that color you can't decide if a building is neutral, or just belongs to him, and if you actually play that color you don't know when do you cap the building... I would be more than happy to see brown. ;)
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: heisenberg on January 16, 2015, 09:13:07 PM
What is the status on 2.2? really want a Endor-era GC!
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Corey on January 16, 2015, 09:37:40 PM
As we've said, we're not working on it until after we've finished Ascendancy 1.0. Also, my version of 3DS Max 9 has broken and refuses to let itself get fixed, which means it's impossible for me to rig models for EaW at the moment and possibly forever. Which is a problem.
Title: Re: What You Can Do in 2.2
Post by: Lord Xizer on January 17, 2015, 01:40:48 AM
What is the status on 2.2? really want a Endor-era GC!

Patience you must have. The team always comes through, the longer the wait, the better the payoff.