- Re-balance of frigates and strike-craft to be more effective, and cheaper to better represent their correlation to super-capital class ships.
- Updated Campaign adding in mods new features, and more challenges along the way.
- Updated, ships and armaments, to include the Hiigaran Missile Cruiser, Vagyr Light Cruiser, Vagyr Heavy Destroyer, and more.
- New turrets.
- A new custom UI just for Advanced Mod.
Here's a summary of whats been done to re balance the ships, and I'm pretty sure most of the players here would agree the mod really needed these:
1. Using the destroyer as a basis ship with its cost, time, armor, damage, and speed as a comparison tool for all other ships, I have successfully re-balanced all the frigates, corvettes, and fighters for both races.
2. All frigates have been repriced amongst themselves to better accurately show their usefulness in combat, and then I dropped all of there prices and build times by 25%.
3. Increased the armor on bombers and plasma corvettes a little, the damage output as well, and then reduced the price and build time by 25%.
4. All fighters and corvettes were rebalanced amongst themselves to better accurately show their usefulness in combat, and then I used the bombers (the only real link between strike craft classes and frigates/cap ships) as a comparison ship to modify costs and build times.
5. Removed friendly fire.
After playing the campaign to test the edits with the strike-craft and frigates I came to the realization that I really needed to update the campaign, a few things here and there, and then a lot more and here are the general changes I have made to the campaign:
Mission 1. Realizing that a combat trail wouldn't consist of just normal target practice I decided to update it a little, and I made the target drones fire emp missiles. That isn't all I did though, due to the fact that strike-craft are cheaper now, and I added a few more available RU's to the general area. I have increased the number of enemy ships launched at the mothership, so expect the mission to be a bit more tactically fulfilling.
Mission 2. I didn't really have to do a lot with this mission, it automatically increases the number of ships attacking by the amount of ships currently available, and after mission 1, that's going to be higher than normal. What I did do though will probably anger more than it satisfies. You'll just have to find out yourself though what that is. Oh yea, I edited Captain Soban, hes a little cooler now.
Soban redesign for updated campaign. - Mod DB
Mission 3. I really had no good ideas on how I should go about changing this mission. I changed a few things here and there like updating the attacking group and making them more effective. Also I added in a Vagyr strike destroyer, and 2 gunfrigates that supplement the carrier strike force.
Mission 4. This mission I found was almost well made in the fact that the mission set up AI players and gave them general missions then let them go. A few edits here and there, and voala, much harder, and much more effective.
Mission 5. Finding that in this mission the AI used the platforms a lot, but was in a defensive position, I didn't remove the platforms, I just worked hard to make the AI use the newer ships, and use them more frequently. Other than that, no real changes.
Mission 6. Movers are gay, have always been gay, and as far as I can care, will always be gay. But this is merely just my opinion, so don't sue me. I have not changed this mission
Mission 7. When the Vagyr show up to intervene, they aren't what they once were... a nuisance, they are a full fledged assault out for blood. Watch yourself, those dust clouds are not kind.
Mission 8. Realizing the keeper weren't what they once were I decided to make them a little more effective. I made the drones more powerful and fly in flights of 3. The keeper, I tried adding a defense field to, but he usually jumps out before turning it on.
Mission 9. The counter attack just like in the original will have you on the edge of your seat providing spot corrections and fighting for your life from second 1, but the real surprise comes when the vagyr super capital ships arrive, because no longer is it 2 predetermined super capital ships... Its a fight.
Mission 10. Limping out of the last battle you were in and landing right into the hands of 3 keepers and a various multitude of upgraded keeper drones. Right off the bat is not usually the way a commander wants to start off their day. Which is why this mission will surely have you hating me when its over.
Mission 11. This mission as it was in the original home world campaign was never kind. The Vagyr come in with a surplus of ships, and waste everything in their path while they make off with your hyperspace core like a bunch of grubby yoinking pirates. Sad to say, Advanced Mod makes them more efficient at this job...
Mission 12. Generally just updated this mission to be compatible with advanced mod.
Mission 13. This mission... is hard. I literally had to change the mission and make the Vagyr power core attackers, only show up after you've nearly finished off the force that comes at you right off the bat. My suggestion is save that enemy shipyard for a bit so you can rebuild, and only worry about saving one core. Your gonna pull out all your hair if you don't.
Mission 14. Makaan comes at you hard, he builds no platforms, and invests himself purely with destroying you, which if he fails at, will try again if you take too long.
Mission 15. No edits to this mission yet. I have big plans for this later.
I have actually devised a new campaign that I would like to make, and release with the next version of Advanced Mod. I know that's it will be a lot of work, but outside of a new campaign there isn't a whole lot more to do. i have pieced together a real general idea of what I want to do with this campaign, and even would like to share a little of the script from the first mission with you all.
Campaign: "Trails of 4/87th"
Mission 1: "Trial by fire"
Defend shipyard Nabaal, after the motherships fleet proceeded into hyperspace.
Mission 2: "Escort Duty"
Defend fleeing civilian vessels outside the angel moon.
Mission 3: "Counter Offensive"
Link up with friendly carrier group 2nd of the 137th and hit a forward Vagyr rally point.
Mission 4: "Huston, we have a problem."
Get pulled out of hyperspace retreating from Vagyr rally point into a Vagyr ambush, Opening scene is watching friendly carrier group whipped out by incoming vagyr attack group.
Mission 5: "Cloak, and dagger"
Help with Captain Sobans mission and provide escort ships while he gains access to the where-bout's to Balcora Gate.
Mission 6: "Priority Alert\"
Support in the defense of Hiigara as the Vagyr begin to take foothold in upper orbit of the home planet.
Mission 7: "This isnt looking good fleet"
Retreat to lower orbit of Hiigara, and support the fleet in its final stand over Hiigara.
This is the script for the beginning of Mission 1. anything inside "--- ---" is an action. Anything inside "( )" is a voice speaking.
***Opening script for Mission 1***
---black screen---
(computer voice): Carrier completed, Combat management Display...
---screen fades in---
(computer voice): online.
(Fleet Intel): Welcome commander. This is Senior Chief Petty Officer Thurgood. I will be your acting fleet intelligence for your commanding term in the 4th of the 87th forward carrier attack group.
---Zoom in on carrier beside Shipyard Nabaal---
(Fleet Intel): The 4th of the 87th has just been founded with you sir. We are a multi-kiith unit with no additional ties, and answer straight to the Hiigaran Military.
---Zoom out to open up visible zone---
(Fleet Intel): We launched today from the Shipyard Nabaal. Our current objective as of launch is to produce an escort and defense force for shipyard Nabaal while they finish repairs, and prepare effective defensive forces. We will receive further instructions from there.
---Remove controlled environment, and give play back full access---
(Fleet Intel): With the recent attacks from Vagyr infiltration groups production was cut short and the carrier was not outfitted with any production facilities, clearly, were going to have to begin production of subsystems. We should begin with a fighter facility subsystem, but the choice is your commander. Remember, the Vagyr were just here, and they are nothing if not persistent, so, it might be in our best interests, to move quickly.
Nice update and interesting campaign outline.
I really hope to try the new version.
Thank you. Gotta start acting professional sometime. I mean I have been modding for something like 10 years now.
God, thank you for the campaign updates, as soon as i got into mission 13 i had 8 battlecruisers on my *** and the powercores were nearly dead before i managed to finish them off.
The general rebalances sound great too.