Advanced hybrids and hidden maps - not a good combo

[Nodor]

Doesn't the Advanced Hybrids + Hidden map + Dyson Sphere require you to have started with all of those options activated?

Ergo, if the AI kicks your door in, via these options you deliberately selected, is that really a "problem" per se?

I really really like the idea that rating 10 with everything turned on means player has an almost 0% chance of winning.    This makes it a lot easier to manage the difficulty via the vast number of toggles.  Base AI rating, activated options, AI auto progress etc - and the ability to alter which options you use between games provides great variety, but also enables experienced players to manage the difficulty to keep the game interesting, but also reasonably challenging.

Now, personally I love that astro-trains are avoidable now.   But one of the game versions I want to play (eventually) is vs. a train master where I kill all of the trains and the stations.   Leaving in hard options - and combos that really mess with the difficulty is very cool.     

My last multi-player loss was caused by dealing with a CPA, an exo-galactic strikeforce, a pair of core world raid engines, and a "normal" wave at the same time on difficulty 8-9.   Any one of those items... not a problem - all of them at the same time,  a real problem.   I think that "scalable challenge" within an AI difficulty level (by adding more stuff) is an awesome feature.    While I really appreciate the balancing between ship types of the latest patches, my desire to not be able to activate all of the options at once without losing due to compound risk increases, has rendered me a little worried about the substantial number of buffs/tweaks that have gone toward the player in the recent spate of patches.     

[keith.lamothe]

While I really appreciate the balancing between ship types of the latest patches, my desire to not be able to activate all of the options at once without losing due to compound risk increases, has rendered me a little worried about the substantial number of buffs/tweaks that have gone toward the player in the recent spate of patches.   

I've been conscious of that trend too; don't worry, it's not all going to go the player's way

[chemical_art]

While I really appreciate the balancing between ship types of the latest patches, my desire to not be able to activate all of the options at once without losing due to compound risk increases, has rendered me a little worried about the substantial number of buffs/tweaks that have gone toward the player in the recent spate of patches.   

I've been conscious of that trend too; don't worry, it's not all going to go the player's way

Have they? Aside from the hacking patch they have been balanced, the minor factions haven't been buffed. They've been nerfed a tiny weeny bit, but the bonus ships buffs apply to ai ships too.

[Wanderer]

While I really appreciate the balancing between ship types of the latest patches, my desire to not be able to activate all of the options at once without losing due to compound risk increases, has rendered me a little worried about the substantial number of buffs/tweaks that have gone toward the player in the recent spate of patches.   

I've been conscious of that trend too; don't worry, it's not all going to go the player's way

Have they? Aside from the hacking patch they have been balanced, the minor factions haven't been buffed. They've been nerfed a tiny weeny bit, but the bonus ships buffs apply to ai ships too.

 

+1.  If the AI pulls Acid Sprayers, say goodnight to anything polycrystal.  Remember they're missile/sniper immune.

[keith.lamothe]

I wouldn't say that there's been a huge swing in favor of the player, but there has been something of one:

- the bonus type changes are global, yes, but the m+c and e cost cuts don't help the AI.
- ai superforts were nerfed, and other ai forts to a lesser extent
- black widow and artillery golems got major buffs; the AI benefits too but I've seen a lot more stories since then of players taking advantage of it
- the plasma siege starship is at least better than the previous iteration, and generally sees more human use than AI use
- turrets were significantly reduced in energy cost, and the AI doesn't use them
- the sniper and spider turrets were _massively_ reduced in m+c cost
- ally-dysons are now allowed to target mkV stuff
- spirecraft shield bearers are now about half as "expensive" in terms of asteroids
- flak & lightning turrets were made a lot more viable due to the damage-under-ff-rule change for them, and lightnings were made still better by the near-removal of their stagger
- heavy beam cannons got a pretty massive buff, too

On the other hand, there have been nerfs like on riot tazers (a pretty brutal one, compared to "I can stop an arbitrary number of paralyzable AI ships as long as I want to").

Overall I'm thinking the "tradeoffing" of k-raiding and superterminal will counterbalance a lot of this in terms of "how far can optimal play get you" (not so much in terms of "how far does average play get you" since most players don't k-raid multiple times in a game or ride the ST to the floor).  Then there's the ARS changes, which will certainly have an impact, but I think a good one for fun.

Anyway, I think the oscillations are within normal parameters

[Wanderer]

I wouldn't say that there's been a huge swing in favor of the player, but there has been something of one:

True, I hadn't quite thought of all those together.  More along the lines of bringing things way out of ocillation back in line, but you're right, it does swing a balance.

On the other hand, there have been nerfs like on riot tazers (a pretty brutal one, compared to "I can stop an arbitrary number of paralyzable AI ships as long as I want to").

Overall I'm thinking the "tradeoffing" of k-raiding and superterminal will counterbalance a lot of this in terms of "how far can optimal play get you" (not so much in terms of "how far does average play get you" since most players don't k-raid multiple times in a game or ride the ST to the floor). 

Other than the ST I'm not sure how many players this will truly affect, besides yours truly.  I'm trying to think of 'fun' AI buffs for regular game though.  I'll get back to you.  I don't have any that aren't teeth-gnashingly painful.

[keith.lamothe]

Other than the ST I'm not sure how many players this will truly affect, besides yours truly.

Extensive k-raiding isn't an isolated phenomenon, I assure you.  But yea, most players don't put themselves through as much of that grind

I'm trying to think of 'fun' AI buffs for regular game though.  I'll get back to you.  I don't have any that aren't teeth-gnashingly painful.

I'm certainly interested.  Mostly what I'm playing with lately is moderate unpredictable "rules bending" that's a bit off the beaten path.  More mundanely, I'm hoping to do a balance pass on AI guardians and guard posts before too long, which will probably result in them putting up more of a fight.

[Wanderer]

I'm certainly interested.  Mostly what I'm playing with lately is moderate unpredictable "rules bending" that's a bit off the beaten path.  More mundanely, I'm hoping to do a balance pass on AI guardians and guard posts before too long, which will probably result in them putting up more of a fight.

Warp Gate Gaurdians, Laser Guardians, and EMP Guardians do NOT need a buff.  Please.  For the love of Bacchus and his wine.  I almost had a random Warp Gate Guardian III take out the homeworld once while I was off cleaning out a III world and he snuck out the back.  They just don't DIE....

[keith.lamothe]

Yea, some of them are certainly already performing up to snuff   Particularly the deliberate-pants-kick ones like the EMP and warp guardians.

[TechSY730]

The guardians are not too far off balance. Yea, some of them need a bit more "teeth", but most of them are at least something I would want to take out due to them being somewhat threatening. I will save details for a different post, but I would say that the warp-gate guardian is a bit stupid-durable even by "supposed to be stupid-durable standards" (relative to what would be considered durable by guardian standards)

The guard posts are what need the rebalance much more.

[Shrugging Khan]

Now I'm just about a little bit frustrated.

New game with the PzKpfw Tiger Tanks. 80 planets, hybrids and dyson both. 10 hours in, 13 planets conquered, the entire map scouted, two golems, five fortresses, and generally solid infrastructure. Have been looking for the damned antagoniser for the last hour, and I swear I checked the entire map.

Then the Dyson turned bad, and backstabbed my Homeworld within minutes of me even noticing.

So, a simple request: Can someone please give me three screenshots - one of the Antagoniser as it looks in the flesh, one of it in the right-hand planetary list, and one of it in the galaxy view?

The next time I comb the galaxy for that bastard, I want to know in advance what it looks like.

[keith.lamothe]

It looks like any other hybrid facility.  Helpful, I know   If you have a scout on the planet the alert in the upper-left-hand corner should say something like "dyson antagonizer on " followed by the planet name, and you can click the alert to go to the planet.

[Shrugging Khan]

If you have a scout on the planet

Can that be changed to "if you ever had a scout on the planet since the antagoniser appeared", please? For sanity's sake?

[TechSY730]

If you have a scout on the planet

Can that be changed to "if you ever had a scout on the planet since the antagoniser appeared", please? For sanity's sake?

+10 to that

Once you find where the antagoniser is, is seems that the UI should "remember" where it is, just like the planetary summary views do. (Except in extra fog of war I think, where planetary views do not remember previously seen stuff)

[Shrugging Khan]

And while we're at it...is it named "Hybrid Facility" in the galaxy view, or does it actually appear as something more distinct?