25th Anniversary Edition mod for Battle Isle 4: Incubation

This mod overhauls weapons, equipment, enemies and both campaigns.

It also fixes bugs that were in the game and makes it playable on Windows 10

Click "READ MORE" for full details.

Tested with the English GOG version of Incubation, but works with other versions as well.

Gog.com

However, since I have changed many descriptions, most of the written text will then be in English or optionally in German.

Put the mod folder "Battle Isle Incubation" into the folder where you installed Incubation and choose "overwrite all", e. g.:

C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games

Regardless of this mod if you're having trouble setting up Incubation using Windows 10:

Start setting.exe and choose 3Dfx.

If your game keeps switching to desktop, try the following:

• right click launcher.exe --> compability --> check the disable full screen optimization box

If your game music is stuttering, try the following:

• right click launcher.exe --> compability --> enable Windows 8 compatibility mode

You can also seek help on Discord.gg.

The differences between the difficulties are as follows:

• on difficulty 3 you get less experience per kill than on difficulty 2
• on difficulty 2 you get less experience per kill than on difficulty 1
• on difficulty 3 50 % more Scay'Ger spawn than on difficulties 1 and 2;
or in other words: on difficulties 1 and 2 33 % less Scay'Ger spawn than on difficulty 3
• on difficulty 3 some hand placed Scay'Ger get upgraded to stronger variants;
(Ray'Coo to Squee'Coo, Squee'Coo to Gore'Coo)
• difficulty 1 reduces the damage Scay'Ger as well as marines can deal by 1 (hard coded)
• difficulty 3 increases the damage Scay'Ger as well as marines can deal by 1 (hard coded)

The original campaign will no longer be a piece of cake.

• more challenging missions throughout the game, but especially in the late game
• new enemy types added: Gore'Coo, Tea'Ther, Bea'Coo
• some enemies may use Defense Mode - as in the Add-on;
  no longer can you beat the entire campaign without getting hit a single time
• fair campaign paths, e. g. the Explosion Pack is now accessible on both routes
• half of the enemies that spawn from air ducts and doors can now - as in the Add-on - attack immediately
• every mission has been playtested to be solveable using different strategies on any difficulty

The wilderness campaign now consists of much better balanced missions.

• easier and less tedious early game missions
• any detour within a mission can be taken
• you'll never have to rely on save scumming to solve a mission;
even on the hardest difficulty if you know what you're doing
• difficulty 3 adds new challenging aspects to the few missions that were originally too easy
• more variety of opponents in missions, especially in the jungle
• reencounter the Norc'Yn, a gigantic immobile spider with two incubation tubes
• take once more control of a ComBot, a giant mech robot, in two missions
• every mission has been playtested to be solveable using different strategies on any difficulty

The accuracy of most weapons has been altered to a state that purchasing a Target System becomes viable.

A new ammo system is introduced for the secondary mode of energy weapons, which limits the amount of times these very powerful modes can be used per mission. On the other hand, these secondary modes no longer generate heat.

Since the Ammo Pack now requires a higher skill level in terms of a marine's condition, the ammo count of some weapons has been increased by 12.5% to 40%. However, this only applies to those weapons whose damage has not been increased in the same step.

Weapons with a higher tech level now cost significantly more.

Only the most important changes are listed here.

• doubled damage (4 --> 8)
• highly reduced ammuniton (15 --> 9)
• overheats faster (4 --> 2)
• is now classified as an early game light/heavy combo weapon

Those changes are done to differentiate the Sniper Rifle from the Standard Assault Rifle and Light Plasma Gun.

It is now truely an early game version of the High Energy Laser.

• can now be used in defense mode
• removed secondary weapon mode
• no overheating --> 5/1

Removing the secondary mode has the side effect that Bea'Coo no longer are totally overpowered when getting converted via the Enhanced Laser Gun. The Flamethrower's defense mode, on the other hand, can generate great tactical value.

• higher damage (4 --> 5)
• less range (10 --> 7)
• overheats faster (10 --> 7)

Each bayonet in the game now deals the same damage as shooting the corresponding weapon.

At 5 damage, this weapon now becomes the missing link between the Standard Assault Rifle and the Double Fire.

• replaces the Heavy Machine Gun
• higher damage (5 --> 7)
• less ammunition (15 --> 11)
• overheats faster (4 --> 3)
• can now use the secondary mode previously assigned to the Flamethrower

The best weapon to prep spawn points for destruction by explosives - at least until the Plasma Gun becomes available.

Combined with its long-range spray attack, using this weapon can be worthwhile even in the late game.

• is one tech level earlier available
• causes slightly less damage (10 --> 9)
• mode B now costs 2 ammo instead of 1

This is simply done to increase the weapon pool in the first half of a campaign.

Mode B was too powerful to cost just 1 ammo.

• can now be fired without spending action points
• overheats twice as fast, but still cools down quickly (6/2 --> 3/2)
• slightly decreased range (20 --> 15)

This is done to differentiate this weapon more from the Rapid Fire Machine Gun, which still deals the same damage per shot, but on the other hand has better range, accuracy, ammo, cooling, and a secondary weapon mode.

There are a lot of possibilites using action point free shots such as running behind a Scay'Ger with one action point left and shooting several times into its back.

• reduced damage (10 --> 8)
• overheats now, but rather slowly (15/1)
• increased range (1 --> 2)
• can now be used in defense mode
• is now classified as a light/heavy combo weapon

Wasn't there anything more annoying than not being able to use the chainsaw on Bea'Coo, which explode on death?

The Chainsaw is now worse against Tea'Ther and Bea'Ther but more useful against any other Scay'Ger type and its defense mode is great for taking out threats in close proximity while ignoring distant, less important enemies.

• is one tech level earlier available
• causes slightly more damage (10 --> 11)
• mode B now costs 2 ammo instead of 1

This is done to make explosive spiders available earlier, which are particularly good against Tea'Ther encountered in the mid game.

Mode B was too powerful to cost just 1 ammo.

• reduced accuracy at very long ranges
• mode B generates no heat
• mode B can be used 3 times per mission (or 6 times with an Ammo Pack)

This means no more chain-locking huge enemies by paralyzing shots.

• is now one tech level earlier purchasable
• deals slightly less damage (10 --> 9)
• mode A costs no ammo, but needs 2 action points to fire and has greatly reduced accuracy (100% --> 13%)
• mode B generates no heat
• mode B can be used 2 times per mission (or 4 times with an Ammo Pack)

The Plasma Gun's secondary weapon mode was propably the most overpowered ability in the entire game. By limiting its usabilty to 2 - 4 times per mission the late game missions of a campaign will be more challenging.

• is now two tech levels later purchasable, but you still get it earlier via Ramone in the Wilderness Missions
• mode B generates no heat
• mode B can be used 1 time per mission (or 2 times with an Ammo Pack)

Using this weapon's secondary mode was annoying as it could cause the weapon to explode even though it was fully cooled. On the other hand, it was possible to convert literally any number of opponents by abusing the save/load function.

Now you can convert maximum 1 to 2 enemies per mission - or more if you find ammunition chests.

Since Mode B no longer generates any heat at all, your marine wielding this weapon will no longer randomly explode.

• greatly increased ammo count (4 -->7)
• mode B now costs 2 ammo instead of 3

With originally only 4 ammo, this weapon didn't seem worthwhile, especially for the campaign where you often have to fight masses of respawning Scay'Ger.

In the original game, the gear you bought for a marine was ultimately always the same.

That was mainly because the Servo System shared the same skill points with the Ammo Pack, Standard Armor, Light Stimulants, Small Medic Kit and Scan Module.

And in the late game - when the Jet Pack became available - the best thing you could do was to accumulate 3 more skill points per marine to buy one for each.

Both the Target System and the Large Medic Kit, on the other hand, were typically never purchased due to the large number of skill points required for a single proficiency.

This will no longer be the case with this mod, meaning most of your marines will have unique proficiencies.

Additionally, Cooler and Damage Absorbers are no longer to be found in equipment chests during missions and can instead be purchased in both campaigns.







The magnifying glass now gives detailed information about every Scay'Ger type in the game.

Only the most important changes are listed here.

• completely ignore armor and always deal 2 damage
• adjusted the height of Ray'Ther to match the height of Squee'Ther, Dec'Ther, Beac'Coo and Bea'Ther so weapons can shoot over them

Those changes are done to make the Ray'Ther as the most common Scay'Ger stronger in the late game.

Both machine gun weapons and the Multi-Target Destroyer are indirectly buffed by Ray'Ther's reduced height, allowing their spray attacks to hit targets behind them.

• increased action points: 2 --> 3

Increased their action points as your marines will now start as well with 4 instead of 3 action points. Otherwise this enemy type would be mostly useless.

Since Ray'Ther now always deal 2 damage, converting a Gore'Ther via the Enhanced Laser Gun is less problematic for mission design - you have to protect them, after all.

• damage: 4 --> 3
• can use defense mode
• no overheating --> 3

Giving these Scay'Ger types the ability to use defense mode will make early missions more interesting.

• range: 40 --> 30
• no overheating --> 5

This is not only done to nerf the Gore'Coo you are facing as a player, but also to prevent abusing them to kill unlimited Ray'Ther or Dec'Ther per turn after you have converted them via the Enhanced Laser Gun.

Also, the shock weapon used by Gore'Coo no longer sounds like a claw attack, and instead has a proper energy weapon sound.

Additionally, some missions have AI scripts implemented that allow Gore'Coo to act more cleverly.

• can no longer use the Flamethrower's secondary weapon mode as it has been removed from the weapon ID
• no overheating --> 5
• could theoretically use defense mode, but won't --> however, you can use defense mode, after converting one

Converting Bea'Coo with the Enhanced Laser Gun will no longer be as overpowered because they can't use the secondary weapon mode of the Flamethrower anymore.

• can no longer only be wounded by the Enhanced Laser Gun
• explosions caused by barrels or Bea'Coo now reliably destroy it
• any form of claw attacks from tamed Scay'Ger can cause damage to it

You will encounter this rare enemy one additional time in the original campaign.

In the Wilderness Campaign, where you previously couldn't encounter this kind at all, you will now face it twice when playing on the highest difficulty setting.





Marines now start with 4 instead of 3 action points. This is to make early game missions less tedious and the Servo System to be no longer a must-have item.

Since the purchase of Servo Systems will no longer be desirable for every marine due to the new skill requirements, this change should not greatly impact mid and late game mission play.

You will no longer encounter heavily underleveled marines in your campaign missions who could potentially die from a single stray shot.

In the same way, marines who join your squad as campaigns progress will no longer be completely overpowered (Mendel, Wayne and Ramone each had more than 30 skill points over the regular 12 - 16).

Ms. "Chainsaw" Steele is now actually useful, being equipped with a Chainsaw, Cooler, Damage Absorber, Long Range Scanner, Small Medic Kit and Heavy Stimulants, making it more believable that she was actually able to survive half a year alone in the wilderness. She also no longer only has 6 hit points, but 15.

• some of the campaign missions no longer play wrong cut-scene tracks and instead play proper music tracks;
  a fix to the GOG version, this bug wasn't in the original game
• you will no longer win a mission if, in addition to meeting all victory conditions,
a defeat condition has been triggered in the same turn, e.g. your leader Bratt just died
• invisible walls
• units or laser barriers shooting through walls
• units walking through walls
• non-functioning teleporters
• walking on air
• flying objects
• texture flickering caused by overlaying objects

• the in-game music now loops up to 7 different soundtracks, selected from a total pool of 14 files, depending on the world type
• includes Windows 10 fix (sound.dll and audio.dll files)
• continuity: e. g. all subterranean entry points can be blown up by using an Explosion Pack
• mission briefings now include details about which equipment crates contain skill implants
• enemies can no longer spawn out of thin air without having any spawn point nearby;
  (the first turn is an exception, as this is the way hand placed Scay'Ger get inserted for the different difficulties)
• most previously encoded data files are now decoded and thus readable
• added a folder called "Extras" that contains the comic for the Wilderness Mission intro, the manual for the editor and some box art