ESCHmod 1.51 [Update 21\07\2010]

SUPCOM 2 BALANCE MOD 1.51
AKA ESCHmod
Update 21\07\2010

Special thanks to:
- mirko03, who believed in my mod even when it was totally crap;
- okorop for intense testing;
- michaelone for his constant presence;
- eaglepryde for full support;
- RCIX for his help and project sharing;
- and at last, but not least, machater for general script help and hints to reduce the mod dimension (that's just AWESOME)
- all those I don't remember but are enjoying playing this mod.

=============
ABOUT THE MOD
=============
This mod aims to correct all the game balance issues and problems found by the community. In this mod you will find:

- Tough MOBILE Experimentals: End game is a reality
If you remember old FA days, Mobile Experimentals were the ultimate war machines. Maybe too much, so the goal is to enhance all the mobile experimentals while keeping the original taste and feeling, without privileging anyone.

- Better Nukes: Tired of Cheap nukes?
Everytime I go inside the lobby I see No Nuke games. Or rather, almost all of them are actually no nuke games. Since nukes are a funny part of the game, my objective is to make them end game weapons, hard to build, but still counterable.

- Land, Air, Naval Balance: no unit will be better than others;
Many players are keeping wailing and complaining about brackmans, artillery, gunships, transports, et cetera. It's the hardest part of the mod, since it is the main balance part. All units are working like a charm and no one is better than other. Useless units (like Kraken, Wilfindja, Bots) are now useful, so there's a reason to unlock them again.

- ACU utility: Useful in battle, more resistant, less uber;
ACU got huge upgrades, but main values (like health and damage) are insignificant. They have been beefed up without any chance of ACU rushing anymore. Notice that after patch 1.13 upgrades damage has been removed from the mod.

- Economy Overhaul: you won't run out of mass anymore;
There's always too much energy and lack of mass, so many unit\structure costs have been tweaked for a better mass\energy ratio. Notice that you won't have a huge boost in resources though, just a balance between them.

- Better Research: you have to decide where to spend your points.
Research is the big afford to change the game mechanics, but it was too quick for many players. The new value (75% of vanilla) is a viable choice: Slower at the start, quicker at the end.

====
FAQ
====
Q Is it compatible with 1.xx version of the game?
A Yes, it is compatible with EVERY version of the game. It just "overwrites" gamedata files but it won't ruin any game file at all.

Q This mod sucks.
A Maybe you're right, but let me know why it actually sucks. That's a good way to get the mod better and better

Q Is your project finished?
A It is not finished but it is stable, polished and generally speaking it is well balanced.

Q Is GPG going to ban me for cheating with this mod installed?
A If you're trying to play this mod with anyone without it, the game simply desynchs\crashes. So no, there's no way to cheat with this mod.

Q Is it bugged?
A Although I'm always checking if I did a mistake, I'm human so it may happen that you'll find a bug or something that is not working as intended.

====================
NEWS FROM VERSION 1.51
====================
- A better mass\energy ratio;
- Fixed the UEF ACU error which prevents him to be modified by this mod;
- Fixed Illuminate ACU Superiority and Instant Healing OPness.

==============
MOD VERSION 1.51
==============
ECONOMY
- Metal Extractor cost has been changed. Now it's 120\300;
- Metal Extractor Mass from +1.2 to +1.5\tick.
- Energy Generator cost increased to 220\475; production decreased to 4.5\tick;
- Research Station Research Point rate -25%;
- Research Station cost increased to 320\800.

LAND
- Bots +10% damage, Radius from 17 to 18, speed +1, AA damage set to 40 for both bots;
- Brackman nerf: damage from 250 to 200, Radius from 32 to 36, Splash Radius 6->5;
- Demolisher nerf: damage\radius slightly decreased (like Brackman);
- Yenzoo weapon range increased from 20 to 24;
- Loyalist buff: increased damage 38\18\18 and range 18;
- Rockhead hp increased to 1650, damage decreased to 55;
- P-Shield buff: 760 HP, 1050 Shield, Regen 2 hp/s, health increased, health regen 2 hp/s, cost 42/205;
- Adaptor balance: 560 HP, 850 Shield, Regen 2hp/s, Shield Regen 2hp/s, Cost 65/185;
- MML damage halved; HP from 950 to 850; Shields from 95 to 195;
- UEF and Illuminate AA damage boost +50% (from 44 to 66).

AIR
- Bombers\Fighters health DOUBLED, damage +20%;
- Gunship HP reduced from 1350 to 1150; Max Radius from 13 to 18.

EXPERIMENTALS:
- All experimentals health has been multiplied by 4 times; damage x2, buildtime x2, with exceptions:
- Transport experimentals received a health boost considering they don't have any attack (health x5 instead of x4);
- Bomb Bouncer has a huge Shield boost instead of just Health Boost (x8);
- Kraken and Darkenoid receive a x3 bonus for beam weapons;
- Buffed Wilfindja Pods Health x4 too;
- Experimentals structures have not been touched apart from x4 health.

ACU
- ACU life doubled;
- ACU Main weapon damage increased from 400 to 600;
- Illuminate ACU fixed: Shield Regen Rate -15%, Rogue Nanites Damage and Instant Healing from 5000 to 3000.

STRUCTURE
- Nuke Revamp:
- NUKE 1000 mass \ 5000 energy, buildtime 540, max 1
- ANTINUKE 500 mass \ 3000 energy, buildtime 540, max 2
- Research Station cost reduced to 320\750;
- Point Defense general Buff: +50% Health, +10% damage, +10% cost, +25% buildtime.

SEA
- Tigershark Buff: torpedo damage +10%, turret damage 165, turret max radius from 16 to 36, cost changed to 100\325;
- Poseidon Debuff: HP 9750, Overall Damage -20%, Speed decreased to 3\3, Radius decreased from 112 to 60;
- Executioner General Buff: HP 9250, Overall Damage +10%, Speed decreased to 3\3, Radius decreased from 112 to 60;
- Salem Class and Mastadon equal in DPS, radius from 60 to 40;
- Command Class Buff: 12000 HP, 50 Max Radius;
- General buildtime has changed as follows: submarine 0:45, medium vessel 0:55, battleship 1:35;
- General Output Damage of Medium\BS +20%.

===============
DOWNLOAD LINKS
===============

ESCHmod 1.51
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mbhdqbjv7br3khm

HOW TO INSTALL ESCHmod

Put the .scd file in \gamedata folder, and delete all previous versions of the mod.

[White Castle]

So you beefed up the experimentals but you didn't increase RP or build time? So in a match yesterday I had a Urchinow out in 8 minutes and now it will be two times as powerful and four times as strong?

Doesn't seem right. But otherwise, I like changes... except the Disruptor is already annoying before this buff.

[RCIX]

Hello
Looks like we got ourselves a showdown here...

So you beefed up the experimentals but you didn't increase RP or build time? So in a match yesterday I had a Urchinow out in 8 minutes and now it will be two times as powerful and four times as strong?

Doesn't seem right. But otherwise, I like changes... except the Disruptor is already annoying before this buff.

Not properly. RP gain is halved and buildtime is doubled, so it's actually 4x times harder to build them. Excuse me for not mentioning the buildtime in the description.
Talking about the Distruptor, it could be changed in future; we tested almost every land\air\naval unit, but fixed experimentals (like distruptor) were difficult to test directly.

[White Castle]

Originally Posted by Esch1lus

Not properly. RP gain is halved and buildtime is doubled, so it's actually 4x times harder to build them. Excuse me for not mentioning the buildtime in the description.
Talking about the Distruptor, it could be changed in future; we tested almost every land\air\naval unit, but fixed experimentals (like distruptor) were difficult to test directly.

Oh okay nice, that makes sense. Now it looks good.

My suggestion: play Setons and have the back two factions play UEF and go turtle and spam nothing but Disruptors and Noah Unit Cannons.

[thecommanderd]

Interesting. Not sure if I agree with some of the Exp and ACU changes, but a good mod. Good for if people want to go back to FA style strategy and game play.

ACU rushing seems like it's a loophole in the system and not a legitimate strategy; instead of nerfing ACU's, ACU rushing should just be discouraged and looked down upon. This is just me ranting, not judging your mod, so pay me no mind.

Well, ACU balance has been one of the biggest problems out there. GPG patch corrected the repair rate and many other aspect of the ACU, but it was still too good.
Talking about Seton's with Distruptor and Noah, they're incredibly powerful indeed. The real problem is testing - it requires time and the mod is not played by more than 12 people at the moment (although in my mediafire page I saw 200+ downloads which is nice to see ^^). Fixed Exps (ie all those are good already) have not been tested too much because we concentrated our energies on UP units and experimentals. We thought that we needed to fix UP units first, and then all others. Anyway, in the next upgrade there's a big chance that ACU and Distruptor will be changed as you mentioned. If you are interested in testing the mod, add me Esch1lus in steam.

As asked, in 1.22 you'll find:
- Tigershark Damage 135 -> 110, cost exactly a half of a salem;
- Distruptor Damage\Radius enhancement removed;
- Kraken torpedo Radius 25% better than tigershark (60 exactly);
- Demolisher\Brackam damage set to 200, damage radius 5, max radius 30->36;
- Possible issues with 1.11 solved.

Version 1.22 released. Previous notes are still valid.

QUICK FIX
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?dyl4jmtnzdm
PGEN 120\250 -> 200\400

HOW TO INSTALL
Simply open .scd mod file with winzip\winrar\7zip, then overwrite the files you find in the fix .zip.

You'll find them in the following folders:
\units\UCB0702
\units\UIB0702
\units\UUB0702

The mod is completed now. Enjoy ^^

[RCIX]

Sp you say you've completed work on it? Good luck with the downloads...

Since this file is a seperate .SCD file to the other mods which use the bp.scd and lua.scd files, what would happen if I were to mix mods?

Did you just go through and post a link to this thread on every suggestions page at gpg?
I identified a specific problem with 1 unit, the kraken is a unit meant to fight for control of the sea, but it is so expensive that you can't build 1 unit after you control the sea.
I had a specific solution to fix it, reduce cost, (and hitpoints) so it can switch places with the battle ship on the tech tree.

Your mod doesn't have anything thing to do with that.

listen carefully I'm not going to play your mod!

I don't want to mess about in kernals and c:'s and that ♥♥♥♥, I'm not a l33t hax0r. I'm going to play the game that gpg gives me. I'm not interested in fracturing the already small community. The last thing SC2 needs right now is a dozen different mods all playing the same game with slightly different balances. The exclusions are bad enough for that.

It's great you like the game it's great you are being constructive about it, and coding instead of just playing all the time. There's a lot more future in making games then playing them. I'll tell you a secret, one it took me a long time to learn. There are some problems you can not fix, not because you don't know the answer but because it's not you job to fix them. The game balance is one of those problems, gpg will fix that, and if you want to help put your suggestions in the box like every one else.

So stop derailing everyone else's threads shilling your mod. If you were shilling for a different website like that you would be baned.

[RCIX]

Lol, reaction a bit much? He just thought you might be interested in something to make the kraken useful and was not thread spamming. I didn't get nearly as volatile a response after much more "shilling" as you say. Also, why do you call it l33t h4x0r1ng when it is literally and simply a file copy. Morever, for the most part it IS the community's job to fix balance, especially when GPG doesn't do anything. Now, they've done a remarkable job fixing a lot of things so far, but a few things (namely ACU rushing) have been left alone.

I identified a specific problem with 1 unit, the kraken is a unit meant to fight for control of the sea, but it is so expensive that you can't build 1 unit after you control the sea.
I had a specific solution to fix it, reduce cost, (and hitpoints) so it can switch places with the battle ship on the tech tree.

Your mod doesn't have anything thing to do with that.

Let me say that I'm glad that someone is criticizing my mod. It is absolutely needed in order to improve my work. But the example you did here is wrong and let me show why.

The kraken is an Experimental. This means that it is a special unit. If you downgrade it to a different Battleship, you're actually killing a unit. Since it is an experimental, and since every unit should be changed according to others, I cannot consider your own idea useful for a balance change.

I don't want to mess about in kernals and c:'s and that ♥♥♥♥, I'm not a l33t hax0r.

It is notepad editing ^^

I'm going to play the game that gpg gives me. I'm not interested in fracturing the already small community.

Actually the mod itself is not popular, and you can disable it easily, so, what are you talking about?

Tha aim of this mod is not glory. At the moment there are roughly 20 people playing and testing my mod, and many of them are really happy of it. Do you want to know why? The reason is that there's someone that likes my attention to details and to game balance. If they say that this unit is better than others, I do thousands of different tests with them and in this way the unit will become better than it was before. In other words, they see a REAL RESPONSE to their questions and complains.
For many this is a great solution. Don't you like the main l33t community? Don't you like GPG slow patch rate? Well, I got a solution, which is quite appreciated. Don't you like it? Well, feel free to not download my mod.

There are some problems you can not fix, not because you don't know the answer but because it's not you job to fix them. The game balance is one of those problems,

Look at almost every RTS out there, and you will find a Balance Mod. I think that only players can say what balance is. Developer are mainly experts in codes and languages, not in gameplay. That's why Beta Tests exist.

So stop derailing everyone else's threads shilling your mod. If you were shilling for a different website like that you would be baned.

I did it once or twice, so no one could ban me. If I suggests a possible solution to your problems, you should consider it a good thing.

@RCIX: I invite you using my mod and doing a ACU rush. You will have half of RPs, Half of ACU TML\Arty damage, highly priced Research Stations. I think that is has been nerfed enough.