In this thread i will share my modding experiences as i move from stage to stage. This first post will be re-done for better readability and hopefully i will present my experiences in such a way as to help other budding modders coming into it behod me and possibly create some assets others might find usefull.

Coming update will depict:

-Project tasks

-Completed, ongoing, pending tasks

-Experience summaries with usefull tips

 This thread is a continuation of my "Getting Started Thread"

https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/407410

Please note that the following is not intended to be released as a mod. This is intended as my own learning experience in preparation for "Rebellion".  I might decide to give assets i create to the makers of "Requiem" for their review and possible inclusion.

Also bear in mind i only started modding 2 weeks ago and while i`ve done alot already i have never actually created a 3d modell and learning to do so and implementing my own models will take up to six months (i think)- trying to be realistic).

Stage 1:

Races

Re-balancing EMPIRE, TEC AND ALLIANCE.

I want them to have their own tactical flavours and unique abilities.

Abilities                                                                    Weapons

-Frigates now have 2 abilities                                      Projectiles are now long range weapons (12-15km)

-Cruisers now have 3 abilities                                      Lasers are medium range weapons (8-10km)

-CapitalShips now have 5 abilities                                Missiles are short range weapons (5-7km)

New abilities:                                                            Ranges:

Tactical Jump drive                                                    Front firing weapons get a range bonus

Jump Portal Projection                                               Sideways firing weapons have the standard range

Warp Scramble                                                         Rear-firing have range penalties

Stasis Webifier

Cloak

+some other stuff

Ships

EMPIRE SSD can be built and deployed on any map.

TEC will get a unique Flagship (i have the design, but i`ve never modelled anything before)

ALLIANCE will be getting a Flagship carrier with some special functions (shouldn`t take long)

Price and supply cost for EMPIRE and TEC ship is increased.

1 capital ship for each race has been downgraded to cruiser. Cruisers now range from light, standard to heavy and battlecruiser

VSD-I  is now 3500 credits 60 supply

VSD-II is now 4500 credits 75 supply

ISD-I  is now 6000 credits 85 supply

ISD-II is now 6000 credits 100 supply

SSD is now 16000 credits 250 supply

VENATOR has been downgraded to the cruiser line

*TEC ships have been boosted but price etc only slightly modified

**Abilities have been shuffled around and some replaced alltogether.

***Battlecruisers start off slightly better than capitalships but are generally outperformed by level 3.

Ship specialization is more important now. Two Kol Battleships can have totally different roles.

Some ships will have 15 trainable levels while others will have as little as 10-12.

With the changes to abilities, how they work and who has what ability, it is far more important to have the correct mix of ships.

Ability Chaining is now an important issue. While capitals are powerfull and rightly so a pair of battlecruiser with only a small support group can create a very large headache.

EX. You`re facing a venator protected by a command & control cruiser, escort carrier and a couple of frigates. They`re punding your capital and your first instinct is to kill the venator. It`s however getting a boost from the command cruisers designate target, repair droids and low cost abilities. So maybe kill the command crusier first? Or maybe you should start with the escort carrier using it`s transfer antimatter ability supported by a steal antimatter ability and giving targeting uplink info to the squad. The light frigates providing cover are keeping you webbed (slowing your speed) and keeping you from the edge of the gravity well.

CAPITALS ARE STILL IMPORTANT BUT I`VE INCREASED THE STRENGTH AND USEFULLNESS OF MIDRANGE SHIPS.

 Logistics

Max Supply has been increased to 3000. This is to accommodate new supply cost for capitals as well as Flagships.

Whether focusing, and when to buy, capital ships will be an important consideration. It could put you at a major disadvantage to get the logistics in order for that extra capital IF your opponent is spending those 10-15k (cost of capital ship crew + logistics research + cost of ship) on a well balanced more mobile cruiser heavy task force.

LOGISTICS IS ALSO INCREASED TO BETTER ACCOMODATE STRIKE CRAFT WITH FRIGATE ABILITIES.

The alliance will be building X and A-wings with frigate abilities. so the carrier can be deployed in a different system then the one under attack. I`ve got the balancing worked out and the abilities, but it will cost some logistics if you have a couple of carriers. (This will be a late stage carrier similar to EMPIREs SSD and TECs Flagship).

While Frigate Class Strike craft are intended ONLY for Alliance i will implement  a "Gunboat" strike craft WITH frigate abilities for Empire. It will delpoy as an ability from the SSD and possibly the ISD-II. Whereas the Alliance will use Frigate style "strike craft" far more commonly. 

Starbases

Getting some starbases from other star wars mods so that you can build multiple purpose specific starbases

-XQ1

-Golan

*I`ll credit the people who`s resources i base my effort on as i get to it.

GravityWell

Considering increasing the size of gravity wells to better allow for greater variation in engagement ranges and more fleet tactics in the wells, but this would require a total rewrite of all abilities and structures. I`m not entirely sure how it would work out or if it`s entertaining enough to warrant doing it, but i`m looking into it. I might do it if i come up with more abilities and other solutions that would make it fun.

The balancing would be daunting though.

 I have some ideas so at the moment it looks like i`ll be going through with it.

Stage 2

Working on this now.

-Audio and video capture to get more star wars audio and pictures in the game.

-Replacing icons with stuff from the movies

-Maybe get som video in the game? (might not be possible)

 -I`ll be making a brand new introduction video (theme and scenes are mostly decided, will start recording and editing game footage in a couple of days)

Stage 3

-Large Unique Star Wars map

-Buildable death star

*This will take a long time as i just got the software and barely started on some tutorials.

CURRENT STATUS:

Stage 1: Mostly completed - can be done in a week if i don`t change the gravity wells.

Stage 2: Started - I have found alot of the sound bites and video i want will start extracting with VirtualDub and MeGUI

                          Not sure how much time the new introduction video will take. Hoping to finish "Stage 2" in 2 weeks.

Stage 3: Not Started- Focusing on "Stage 1" and "Stage 2" while looking into tutorials and trying to figure out the bare

                              basics of just opening and editing effects and meshes. Won`t get serious for maybe a month and

                              then i expect another 3-6 months before i actaully manage to create anything usefull.