[REL] Gouldjg's Crew Ability Balancing Mod

[gouldjg]

VARIOUS CREW ABILITY BALANCING MODS TO SUIT VARIOUS PLAY STYLES (Jsme and patch 1.2 compatible)

Downloads

MOD 1 = Unlockable Abilities with more realistic settings and working points system in place for upgrading (due this week as going through some test)

Link to readme for this mod = TBA today

Note:- This mod is in effect still the default system yet in many places, I have just got rid of the massive jumps in % when upgrading e.g. rather than 20, 30, 40, 50 % speed increases which took the sub to like 25 Knots, I set this to be more like 5, 7, 9, 12 because at those setting, the sub never really goes into stupid speed mode. Like wise for many other areas. You stillcan upgrade and still get upgrading but in a much less gamey way.


Mod 2 = Unlocked Abilites with middle of ground values but no more upgrading for consistency = http://www.filefront.com/16455827/Go...ent%20v1.2.rar

(Should work with all other mods unless the use change the same file e.g. other ability mods) Basically this one is a middle ground mod where it uses averages of each ability barring a few such as sub speeds and torpedo speeds which had to be tweaked / fixed so not as to affect maunual targeting too much and sub does not go at rediculous speeds

Note:- the above mod are is most areas worked out at averaged values e.g. where a 5 stage passive ability such as torpedo damage looked like this 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%, this mod will round the ability to 17%. However the torpedo speeds needed to fixed along with more realsistic subs speed so in such cases, the numbers were kept minimul so as not to uber the boat too much that it actually felt like a arcade game. When using this mod, you will unlock all talents at the start and never need to unlock them as you go. Downside is that you will not be able to spend the crew talent points you aquire during your campaign.


Detailed changes for Mod 2


CHIEF

Can repair destroyed items = Currently kept to default values.

Repair Speed = Currently kept to default values. In future will possibly tweak this add extra things on this such as penalties whilst it is used e.g. a small negative effect on all other passive bonuses,

Reduce Flooding = Currently kept to default values. In future will possibly tweak this add extra things on this such as penalties whilst it is used e.g. morale loss,


EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Battle stations = Currently kept to default values which gives a 30% boost to all other passive skills and keeps activated bonuses up for 20% extra time.

Silent Running = Currently kept to default values.


MOTOR OFFICER now only has single upgrade level available.

Engine speed increase = Set to 6% increase in surface speed and 6% submerged speed. Reason for change was fact that default boost went up to 25% thus taking the sub to a gamey level of 24 Knots plus.

Reduce battery recharge = Set to 25% which is middle ground from default 5 stages ranging from 10% to 50% increases.

Reduce engine noise = Set to 12% which is middle ground from default stages ranging from 5 to 25 % increases.

Overcharge diesal = Set to 9 % increase in speed and 20 % fuel consumption. Much better IMHO that the 30 % speed and 50% fuel consumption. You get a extra knot or 2 max but thats it.

Overcharge electric engine = Set to 8 % increase in speed and 20 % battery consumption. Again, there is a very small speed increase but nothing too WoW styled.


NAVIGATOR

Max dive depth = Set at 17% from stock max 5 - 25%

Increase in turning rates and sturning speeds = set to standard 6 % from stock 6 - 30%. Again, I am not happy that a WW2 sub was ever meant to turn on a dime so to speak.


TORPEDOMAN

Increase torpedo speed and damage = Set to 1% for speed and 14% damage. As we know the stock values went upto 30% speeds and this was not being accounted for in TDC thus major missing of shots was encountered. This is a fix for that problem. Also stock damage boost was like 70% which is just overpowered.

Reduce torpedo loading times = Set to -15%. I wanted to try and increase the loading times as they were too fast by stock values of upto -50%.

Reduce torpedo dud chance = Set to -15% from stock max of 50%.

Pre Heat torpedo = Set to 35 % damage increase and a very small 3% speed reduction. Again for the TDC but I wanted a small number to avoid absolute pin poining shots.

Overcharge torpedo = Set to 15% range & 3% malfunction chance. Stock was max 30% range and 2% malfunction. Basically middle ground chosen here.


BOSUN

Reduce morale loss = set to 13% from stock max of 20%.

Reduce o2 consumption = set to -20% from stock values ranging from -10 to -50 % Basically middle ground chosen again here.

Propaganda = 20% bonus time effects , 15% time extention on the cool downs. Stock ranged from 10 - 30 %. Basically middle ground chosen again here.

Riposte = -40% effect on loading times as stock starts with -80%. I wanted a longer loading time so reduced the effect.


Cook

Increase morale pool = set to +3 slots from stock max 5 slots.

Special meal = Set to +2 morale to all crew from stock max 3.


SOUNDMAN

Boost sonar range = set to 20 %. Stock ranged from 5% to 25%. I think there is more potential here if sounman does indeed turn out to be useless.

Reduce darkness penalty = set to -20%. Stock ranged from -5 to -25% so I went to the middle ground.

Reveal enemy convoys = set to middle ground settings. May reduce time up in the futue

Total revealing = set to middle ground.

I may reduce the time that Reveal enemy convoys and Total revealing are on display in the future as I prefer the option to just get a glimpse rather than have them displayed on the map for long periods.


RADIOMAN

Boost Radio = set to 16% which is just above middle ground from stock values. I like radio updates.

Radar range = set to 20% which again is just above middle ground from stock values.

Safe Communications = set to 50% less chance of airstrike. This was a middle ground setting and dependant on whether of not late war air strike are not enough or too much, this will be tweaked.


GUNNER

Boost guns = set to middle ground settings 15% for all factors. Stock max went to 30%.

Reduce reload times = set to -10% as I like the relaod times being slightly longer. Stock reductions started at 10% but then ubered to -50%

Supress fire = set to -5% relaod times. Reasons same as above.


WATCH OFFICER

All settings kept to stock.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALL AND USE
Use with Mod Enabler or copy and place files in relevant locations. When starting a career, go to your crew screen and activate all available abilites.

SMALL REQUEST
As this has taken a painful number of days to put together, including lots of trial, errors and experiments with the occasional rolling back to basics and starting all over again, I would really appreciate some play tested feedback on this mod and the way I have set it up. Please have a good play around with it and post your feelings about it on here as this is one of those mods where players feedback will help further improve the mod to suit the different audiences.

Thanks and copywright
Thanks to the other Crew ability modders e.g. Avee etc. Please all feel free to use this mod as a base for any other mod, of course with due credit given to author.

Enjoy

[gouldjg]

This is 1.2 Patch compatible.

Save this Slot for further WIP and more detailed explanations.

Future work being looked into,

1. Look if more abilities can be added in one or two areas e.g. cook makes normal meal = 1 morale, cook makes special meal = 2 morale
2. Look to see if a rota system can be bought into play e.g. enhanced sound checks only available every six hours,
3. look at ying yang effects of certain abilities e.g. faster repair times but with penalties in other areas
4. Experiment if one can achieve longer repair times e.g. hours instead of minutes via abilities
5. Consider removing morale cost to items and replacing with ability bonuses or penalties
6. Working on new sub damage model to work with this system

[ddrgn]

Sounds great and I agree the uber effects are a little extreme. Will test and let you know how she runs. Thanks!

[UF582151]

First of all thanks for your work.

I want to try it out but enabling your mod brings up the following conflicts with other mods I dont want to part with:

1. "SpecialAbilities.upc" has already been altered by the "Torpedo_Speed_Abilitie_Fix_for_TDC_SH5_v120" mod.
2. "Dialogs.tsr" has already been altered by the "MCCD_1.04" mod.
3."Dialogs.tsr" has already been altered by the "MCCD_1.04_MFCM_1.2.1_compatible" mod.

Are your files compatible with these mods?

Thanks!

[gouldjg]

Originally Posted by UF582151

First of all thanks for your work.

I want to try it out but enabling your mod brings up the following conflicts with other mods I dont want to part with:

1. "SpecialAbilities.upc" has already been altered by the "Torpedo_Speed_Abilitie_Fix_for_TDC_SH5_v120" mod.
2. "Dialogs.tsr" has already been altered by the "MCCD_1.04" mod.
3."Dialogs.tsr" has already been altered by the "MCCD_1.04_MFCM_1.2.1_compatible" mod.

Are your files compatible with these mods?

Thanks!

I have not yet loaded this to see about compatabilites but I will put a warning in the first post.

In relation to you problems,

1. My mod has also got a torp speed adjustments so that the TDC is not affected so much e.g. I set the speed increase to only allow 1% thus there is no great ammount of innacuracy of what the TDC is telling you. That said, I have left it at 1% merely because I do not want to be able to pin point. On the flip side, there is a 3% speed penalty when using one of the active torpedo abilites thus over a greater distance, there may be a small chance of innacuracy of the shot but nothing to be alarmed about. I just wanted this in as a kinda "**** happens" factor.

2. Altering the dialogs and localisation files can be easily fixed as all my mod does is slightly changed the wording at the sound man station to one of a personal preference.

You could simply just delete those concerned files out of my mod prior to putting in the mods folder and stick with the abilitity file alone. All it would do is replace my changed text with the stock text and has not effect on the ability changes I have done.

[UF582151]

Ok thanks!

I checked the dialog.tsr file and yours seems to be missing a few dialogs (1200s range) that MCCD needs. I just deleted your file because apart from dialogs 30 and 31 where phrasing was a little different there was no difference at all between the files.

If you dont mind some advice, I'd change your dialog.tsr file with a MCCD compatible one and flag it as such. If your not using MCCD the extra dialogs wont hurt anyway so it would work for all set ups.

keep up the good work!

[gouldjg]

Yes I was thinking that myself.

I will just do another upload in the morning and have it as the abilities file only because that really is the only thing that matters with this mod. The text changes I made were insignificant anyway.

Thats why I never took drastic changes where I would need to completely overhaul the dialogs and localisations and in some caces, I would need to change the crew members speach files and gestures to match some of the changes i was planning.

An example of this is when having a ability such as overcharge engines set up so it can continually run till you deselect it. Likewise for repairs etc.

I can set them to be on & off but when switching them off, the guys do it whilst saying it is not possible and shaking their heads in a negative way.

There is a way to have it so they nod and change the dialog and speach to a positive responce e.g. yes sir but this requires multiple file manipulations and is propably somthing for the future but not yet.

At the moment I am just concentrating on getting a balanced ability which does not put the sub or crew in WOW style uber modes. Its definetly getting there now.

[gouldjg]

Have updated 1st post which now includes another version that only uses the SpecialAbilities file.

This should reduce conficts with mods that change dialog or localisation files.

[gouldjg]

Fist post now updated with detailed description of changes made to stock system.

Please note, there will in the future be a number of these to suit players different requirements e.g. some players may want a bigger boost in the sonar department and some may want less or no effects for added realism.

[kylania]

I'm sure most of us realize this, but this is one of the types of mods you MUST be in port to deactivate. If you start a patrol with it active, then in mid patrol think to yourself, "Self, I think I want a reason to spend my promotion points!" and uninstall it, your save games will CTD.

Not that any of you would ever try to uninstall a key mod in mid patrol. I know I didn't, a little birdy told me that this would happen...

Also it should be mentioned that once you've installed this you MUST keep it installed for the entire campaign. If you remove it while in port and try to load a game, it'll CTD.

[renthewog]

So..where exactly is the download link for this? cheers

[dougandtoni]

Originally Posted by renthewog

So..where exactly is the download link for this? cheers

Do you see where it says MOD 2 = in blue? Its right at the end of that line. And it says at the end of the MOD 1 = line that it is due later

[LiquidKameleon]

Sorry for reviving the thread, but the download link is dead.

Can anyone provide a working link, please? Thanks.