Sins of a Solar Empire is often described as a 4XRTS game, or a game that tried to merge the action and tactics packed gameplay of a Real time strategy game with the deep, complex, empire wide strategy of a 4X turn based game. It's up to debate whether Sins succeeded in this goal, but I think all can agree that of the 4Xs of "explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate", Sins is much more focused on the exterminate than on the others. This mod seeks to give more depth to the other 3Xs of the game by adding additional game elements or refining the existing ones to reward players who give more strategic thought to the non-combat side of the game. Combat will still be the center point of the game, but players will find that the non-combat options available will be much more rewarding. Spying, exploring, sabotage, diplomacy, culture, and economic development have all been added or changed in innovative new ways. Regardless of what you think Sins is, this is the 4XRTS it should have been.
While a little bit of a misnomer, the next E4X and Interregnum update will include a new minimod, "Infinite" Research. This adds two new techs to all faction's tech tree, each of which can be researched 999 times!
These two techs are Survivability Mastery and Weapon Mastery, and essentially improve the total HP and damage done by your units by 1% each time they are researched. This is a small boost that is very inefficient compared to the normal tech tree research, but it provides a valuable money sink for large late game super economies that already have maxed out fleets and research. The last research alone will cost you ~200,000 credits, but by then your fleet will easily wipe the floor of anyone who hasn't been matching your research spending.
Be warned that unit stats can get pretty crazy if you actually purchase these techs a lot, which may skew the balance of the game a bit, especially with abilities. But as all factions have access to this, it is more or less fair for all sides.
I feel like this should be locked to the TEC. Their flavor is supposed to be the toughest ships in the game. Although I don't think it will mesh well with the doubled research minimod. It might break the game.
Both are needed because if players research equal amounts of both, they cancel each other out. The TEC are still the toughest if they researched this tech at the same rate as other factions. Making it only for specific factions defeats the whole point.
Expanded Research only affects the normal game techs, so there's no overlap. Indeed it could have a funny effect on balance, mostly on abilities, but that's why its a minimod.
I hope this minimod comes soon!
The most games i am playing i end up with some million of credits and hundret of thousands metal and crystal.
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