[REL] Adrianna's Butcher of Meanies (GW Loadout)

Discussion in 'Released Mods' started by bsergent, January 22, 2015.

  1. bsergent

    bsergent Active Member

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    The Adrianna's Butcher of Meanies loadout does the following:

    // Technological Merits
    // -
    // SXX and requisites unlocked
    // Subcommanders: 1
    // Direct build of bot fabbers and orbital launcher.
    //
    // Technological Flaws
    // -
    // No Navy
    // 1 Slot

    The objective here is not a cheat loadout, but rather an easy to use, ultimately versatile, and fully balanced loadout. I want it to feel like something that would be right at home with the other stock loadouts.

    The direct build of bots to me skips a superfluous middle man. I think direct build of them is fair for a variety of reasons and what, if any, advantage is granted is offset by the credit given and used by other loadouts. Especially the bacon commander, which in my opinion is a bit of a cheat loadout, not that I'm judging.

    Some comments on balance:

    Here are prices paid in exchange for concessions gained in the stock loadouts. This is a partial reference to explore my justification for the contention that ABM is not a cheat loadout by any means.
    http://pamatches.com/wiki/game-types/galactic-war/galactic-war-commander-loadouts/

    Orbital/Bot/Air/Vehicle Commanders
    Pay: Nothing
    Get: Basic Tech Tree X or a full tech tree in the case of orbital.

    General Commander
    Pay: Start tree + 1 slot
    Get: 2 Subcommanders

    Artillery Commander
    Pay: Nothing
    Get: All artillery units. It also enables the Commander to build radar, double barreled turrets and basic artillery turrets.

    Storage Commander
    Pay: Flame tanks
    Get: Storage tech

    Assault Commander
    Pay: Basic defenses.
    Get: All basic factories and units.

    Bacon Commander
    Pay: 2 Slots
    Get: Rate of fire x2, Uber Cannon energy cost -75%, Health x2, Walk speed x3

    So given the trends above, when building my own loadout I feel that gifting a partial tree direct build (bot), a specific unit (SXX and requisites), and a subcommander seems completely fair.

    After that point additions need to be paid for with flaws, which I did with two slots, just in case.

    Judging from the general commander, 1 sub commander is worth around half a tree and half a slot. Slots seem to be the most high density currency for purposes of balance trading given that the bacon commander is like a one unit zerg rush versus any other type of commander. So paying 2 seems to be more than enough to cover what advantages I granted directly into the loadout and indirectly via the additional mods.

    Trivia:
    The "merits and flaws" language is a direct nod to original vampire the masquerade.
    This loadout has a minimal narrative behind it. Adri's Butchers are all that's left of a cult dedicated to the annihilation of pain and the direct ascension of all life to equality with their goddess. (Basically I really love my girlfriend and I wanted to dedicate this to her, hence the name and flavor text.)

    The reason I used the word "meanies" is because I personally find it annoying that there is no way to call someone mean without it sounding either childish, like a compliment, or a body part or function. I'm implying a point in the future where the word meanie is the lowest most vile thing someone can be. Equivalent to heretic or blasphemer in ultra religious eras.

    P.S.

    Thank you trialq, cptconundrum, SXX, and wondible for all your help. :)

    Note: If you do not acquire a basic technology card, the support AI will do nothing. I consider this an AI bug. It should attempt to build whatever it can, not hang when some prerecorded script item is missing.
    Last edited: June 11, 2015
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  2. Nchalada

    Nchalada New Member

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    In PAMM the mod continues to say it needs updating, however the update button does nothing. Something's broken somewhere :/

    edit: Also, the link in your post comes to a 404 page on copy.com :/

    Nchy
  3. bsergent

    bsergent Active Member

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  4. wondible

    wondible Post Master General

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    What didn't work?
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  5. bsergent

    bsergent Active Member

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    Well so far it's not even showing up as a choice among the other loadouts. If you could tell me changes I need to make in a general way to get to that stage it might point out some obvious thing I'm forgetting.

    So far all I did was edit gw_start.js and gw_dealer.js.

    In start I added: { id: 'ino_start_modular' }, to the start cards. And I added 'ino_start_modular', to var extradeck.

    I haven't touched ino_start_modular.js itself yet so the error is probably in there somewhere.

    My next step is to look at one of the other start card files and compared it to mine and see what changed, so that maybe I can adapt the old one.

    Given the changes to GW though, I'm going to make some changes to the loadout itself. I made aspects of the loadout to compensate for no chance of new technology without a fight in smaller galaxies, but since a couple pieces of starter tech are essentially assured now that change isn't strictly needed. But first things first, I'd like the thing to show up in the loadouts list.

    :)

    Thanks for helping yet again :)
  6. wondible

    wondible Post Master General

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    I got a locked slot to show up as soon as I added it to gw_start. I had to add the makeKnown call to unlock it. I think gw_dealer matters, but I didn't really push it to see why.
  7. bsergent

    bsergent Active Member

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    I don't know how to add a make known call. As usual Google/search isn't helpful in this context :/
  8. wondible

    wondible Post Master General

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    Thats odd, I got it from your previous modified file. Maybe this will be easier:

    http://wondible.com/pa/com.pa.Innomen.ABM.zip
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  9. bsergent

    bsergent Active Member

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    99% of my work is modified versions of other files. I can in no real sense code

    You've helped enough to count as an author, if you ever want me to append your name to the mod, let me know.

    Either way, thank you for repairing my loadout :)
  10. hellwroughtangel

    hellwroughtangel New Member

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    The fact that the commander can build a T2 bot fab, without any tech cards is really strong, because of the economy implications. Do you really think this is necessary as oppose to just being able to build a T1 bot fab? I have no complaints other then that, it is quite a fun load out. I wonder if someone has made a mod reminiscent of Total Annihilation: Kingdom's Zhon race with mobile unit builders. :)
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  11. bsergent

    bsergent Active Member

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    Thank you for giving it a play and leaving a comment/feedback :) I appreciate it.

    Eh, I don't think so because I still have to build and defend an economy for it to be useful. Fixed energy draw means that I'll essentially screw myself if I build it and use it too early or build it and don't use it or don't defend it. Also it's an early weak point. It's much easier to destroy than a t2 factory, and it's cost is by definition game balanced.

    To me it was a bit of a compromise based mostly on real world logic. I picked the bot fabs because the commander himself is a bot.

    By logic I mean I see no plausible reason why the future projecting version of a 3d printer would be limited to what it can build, only at what speed it can build. He has to have the schematics in his database.
    The only reason I don't unlock every unit for every builder is because it would clutter the UI and would be difficult for me to implement in galactic war because I'd have to edit so many cards. And it would as you say destroy the game's balance and I'm not prepared to run down that road because of the staggering workload it would mean for me.

    If it's a little OP in your opinion, you can always compensate by upping the difficulty or simply waiting to build it nethack conduct style. I routinely die at the AI's hands even when using this build simply because the AI essentially can see the entire map at once and issue commands at light speed. Frankly the support AI is in my opinion way more OP than being able to make t2 fabs out of the gate.

    My puny human brain has limited command bandwidth and APM abilities :)

    Thanks again for your comments.

    Besides Adri's crusaders should be a little OP. They have the favor of a goddess after all :)

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