Homeworld Evolved

Given that Homeworld has always (and will remain) the ultimate space based RTS it only seems appropriate that its brought to a new medium for a new group of players to enjoy. A few months ago I started a topic asking the quesiton who would want a HW Universe mod and they was an overwhelming answer, so now here is the starting ground for a mod based on the HW Universe. At the moment it is and will remain a discussion until permission is given by Relic to use the HW Models, as well the modders of Homeworld who have made some great mods in the past.

As the tools aren't out yet in full for Sins and I'd rather not wait, the mod is to be created along the lines of what is currently possible, even with it limits its quite possible to be creative and get around these limits. So to begin with who would be interested in providing a helping hand or even starting a mod team or do you believe this is better served as community mod? What races should be included (if not all) and it we can only use 3 races which 3 should be used? Given so far theresa hardcode limit of 5 caps ship per race which ships do you think should be used? These are the sought of questions that need to be asked and discussed.

As an outline heres what I have in mind

Hiigarans - Replace TEC
Cap ships
Destroyer, Destroyer from PDS, Carrier, Battlecrusiers, Mothership (scaled down as a mobile fortress w/ the ability to colonize)

Taiidan / Vaygr - Replace Varsii
Cap Ships
Taiidani Destroyer (from dust wars mod), Taiidani Heavy Crusier (dust wars mod), Vaygr Carrier, Vaygr Battleship, Vaygr mothership (scaled down as a mobile fortress w/ the ability to colonize)

Progenitors
Dreadnought, Keeper Destroyer, Keeper Carrier Varient, Sajuuk, Planet Killer (Mobile doomsday weapon)

The map will also use the TrueSpace, though edited to reflect the Homeworld Galaxy (as stated in the Dust Wars)

The ultimate goal will to have each invidual Homeworld race playable and have stats to represent them (for example the Turanic raiders a nomadic pirates) Even races that are super powerful will be balanced but never comprised from there original HW status. For example the Bentusi are ancient powerful race, but few in number so to balance this there ships will be expensive and losing them will be costly. The Progenitors again extremely powerful and are large in number but to balance this research and construction will take a very long time, a turtle race if you like.

One thing that would need to be addressed is stations, they play a major role in Homeworld, from tanis station to the floating megabases of the Taiidan / Vagyr. I am unsure if you can add weapons to base structures but a station which can produce fighters and act as a system denial would be perfect (using the super base from HW2). For the hangers, the small tanis base would be perfect. Theres also a number of mods that have created bases for the Turanic Raiders as well, again these would be useful. The mothership will act as the Pride of the fleet, hugely expensive super weapons capable of constructing anything upto a crusier, dozens of weapons and a huge shield. It would be akin to the Deathstar, however given its size it would require alot of research, resources and time to be built and only one could be built.

Stealth & Recon should play a major part given the scope and scale, so a system of cloaking & sensors would need to be divsed. Finally a control system akin to the Homeworld sensor map would need to be devised, or using the exisiting Sin setup but heavily editied. As I say its all theory stuff at the moment so discuss! :)


14,481 views 21 replies
Reply #1 Top
Damn, I was just going to announce my Homeworld mod.
:(

Beat me to it. D:<

Looks like you are going with the Homeworld 2 story, although I had a different idea.


Reply #2 Top
Erm, how about working together? Half the work between you, and half the time it would've take you both on your own. ;)
Reply #3 Top
I am unsure if you can add weapons to base structures but a station which can produce fighters and act as a system denial would be perfect (using the super base from HW2). For the hangers, the small tanis base would be perfect. Theres also a number of mods that have created bases for the Turanic Raiders as well, again these would be useful.


This is possible, in general :) WeaponDefense structures can have up to 3 weapon types (just like anything else), and 120 different firing points (just like everything else :P), but it can't have strike craft. Converesely, HangarDefense can have fighters, but not weapons. I believe both can have the usual 4 abilities.

The mothership will act as the Pride of the fleet, hugely expensive super weapons capable of constructing anything upto a crusier, dozens of weapons and a huge shield. It would be akin to the Deathstar, however given its size it would require alot of research, resources and time to be built and only one could be built.


Currently it's not possible to have a ship that can produce other ships :( There are some theoretical workarounds I can think of, but they may not work and may be kinda icky if they do. Likewise, there's really no way to limit it to 1 ship only, though it is possible to create whatever research prereqs for it you like.

Stealth & Recon should play a major part given the scope and scale, so a system of cloaking & sensors would need to be divsed. Finally a control system akin to the Homeworld sensor map would need to be devised, or using the exisiting Sin setup but heavily editied. As I say its all theory stuff at the moment so discuss!


I haven't gotten a chance to do cloaking yet, so I can't say with certainty, but in theory it should be workable fairly effectively. Sensors, however, nope. Not within the same grav well, anyway :(
Reply #4 Top
you could create a ship that creates other ships, using the scramble bombers ability as a basis (modifying how long it lasts, what it creates via a new spawn file..etc), however with the limitation to the UI, you could possibly make it so the mothership can only create 4-5 different ship types.
Reply #5 Top
Yep, that's one of the workarounds :P But that way you can't give them resource costs or anything, unfortunately.
Reply #6 Top
Homeworld was good. But a lot of people overlooked Haegemonia: Legions of Iron. The game came out a while back, and in my opinion has a one-up on Sins graphically. I like some features better in Sins, but graphically I think Haegemonia still rules the Space RTS genre. For a game meant to run on a PIII that's impressive in my opinion...
Reply #7 Top
Damn, I was just going to announce my Homeworld mod.Beat me to it. D:


Actually there is no story, yet. Since its not possible in Sins atm its more about creating complete races to duke out it so to speak (the only story would be back stories) so yes it would be much better to work together that way where not covering the same ground (model conversion for example) I've sent an email to relic, hoping to hear from them soon.

One idea I did have was to have the Somtaaw from Hw:C and use the Kushan ships as 'Kiiths who didnt quite agree with the plans of Hiigara and whats to become of it' It'd explain there apperent older tech and allow the use of the Kushan ships.

Reply #8 Top
As much as i like Sins, no game has anything on Homeworld 1 and 2. They are both unique and to much fun, and amazing to look at. Sins is a bit slower and the look and feel is different. Not that its a bad thing, as any different game should have there own atmopshere.

I think if the combat can be modded, it could get close to how good Homeworld was. Homeworld with the empire building of Sins would be the game that would end time with its greateness.

Kye.
Reply #9 Top
Though I've only done alittle bit of testing the first headache is the ship movement, ships seem to remain static and shot. I'd like the frigates to circle and strafe unless in a tight formation
Reply #10 Top
Homeworld was good. But a lot of people overlooked Haegemonia: Legions of Iron. The game came out a while back, and in my opinion has a one-up on Sins graphically. I like some features better in Sins, but graphically I think Haegemonia still rules the Space RTS genre. For a game meant to run on a PIII that's impressive in my opinion...


My idea was more of a prequel style thing, set back whent the Hiigarans became the Exiles, when they were fighting the Bentusi etc.
Reply #11 Top
I believe sins has alot more potential graphics-wise than any of these other games. The dev's decided to leave alot out graphically and gameplay wise for cost reduction and for performance. I agree, for a game released in 2002 Haegemonia looks great. One of the best without a doubt.

A homeworld mod would be good, just a huge challenge in my oppinion. making all of the content will be a huge undertaking.
Reply #12 Top
I think that if there was the capability to use graphics like Haegemonia, the gameplay of Sins, and the story of Homeworld... you'd have a ringer!!!
Reply #13 Top
I loved all the Homeworld series.
For me the best game with Imperium galactica 2 Alliances!!!

I'm really disapointed with some features of Sins. The graphics are not great, ship designs are a little on the weak side. Need more diplomacy, spying etc...
Reply #14 Top
I would LOVE to help with this mod
Unfortinitly I have only played HW1, and I'd prefer if you do HW1 instead of HW2. But I'd love eather one.

I can't do realy complicated modding, however I can do lots of little things, balencing ect..

I have all the HW1 music (imported from the game it self) I already have a simple HW music mod that I run in sins. I be happy to make a more complicated music mod, to put into this one.

Also, I am good at making sins maps, I made a few in the beta. Unfortinitly, due to lack of time, I have only made one for final realease (Adam's way, can be found in the map download area) I have tried to make a giant HW sins map, unfortinitly I accidently deleted it after spending an intire day in it.

I would LOVE to see turanic raiders and Kadesh as playable civalizations. (I don't like the idea of projentitor, to make it realistic, the ships would have to be INSANLY expensize, and impossible to balence) However it would be more classy if mabe eather the keepers (or turanic raiders) replaced pirates. Also I wouldn't mess with the gameplay too much in sins. Maby change jumping a little to fit HW lore better (if possible.) But again, I will follow and do what is needed.
Reply #15 Top
I would LOVE to help with this modUnfortinitly I have only played HW1, and I'd prefer if you do HW1 instead of HW2. But I'd love eather one.I can't do realy complicated modding, however I can do lots of little things, balencing ect..I have all the HW1 music (imported from the game it self) I already have a simple HW music mod that I run in sins.


Hello could you tell me how to put music in my Sins? I have all the music but in MP3 format, do I have to convert it in a special format?
Do you have a download mirror with the good homeworld music format?

thanks
Reply #16 Top
you have to put the music into OGG format.

Many converters will do it Switch is one. (don't know where to get it, just type it into google)

it is very simple. I also have all the music, in WAV format. and I mean ALL of it. Extracted it out of the HW music file, using a tool I found in the RELIC site.
Reply #17 Top
I'm no modder, but I figure it can't hurt for me to try to help anyway. I loved HW1 (played it on multiplayer for about..3 years I think. It was quite awhile ago now).

Regardless of whether the mod is based off Homeworld 1 or 2, theres really only 2 races to work with. The Kadesh, Turanic Raiders and Progenitors do not have a large enough variety of ships to work with (if *we* stuck to canon i.e. did not introduce new ships) to fill every void, I think. Using the Progenitors would be a balancing nightmare, and the Turanic Raiders as a cohesive 'race' would not make sense according to canon. The Turanic Raiders were pirates, not a species. So - the pirates should be..Well, Pirates in SoSE - simple. Theres enough ships in the Turanic Raider lineup to fill that void.

That leaves the Taidan, Kushan, Hiigaran and Vaygrr as workable 'races', I think. The Kadesh would need a lot of work to fill out (off the top of my head, they only have; Swarmers, Advanced Swarmer, Multi-Beam Frigate, Mothership and Fuel Pod. There was a Kadesh mod, I believe, but I never played it and do not know where to get it.) if the Kadesh were to be a 'race'. The Hiigarans/Kushan would replace the TEC, as said earlier.

So..What to do about the 3rd race? I wish I knew. Really, I'm just stating the obvious so far...Moving on..

Since SoSE is not a 'story' based game (not in the traditional sense of a game), I don't think having a Mothership class (i.e. Pride of Hiigara) would be a good idea. You see, the Pride of Hiigara was designed to carry one of the Hyperspace Cores, in addition to acting as the flagship and hub of a Hiigaran fleet - if there were no core to transport, there'd be no Pride of Hiigara. The Hiigarans would have, I guess, just built more of a regular fleet instead of such a flagship.
Thats my opinion, from a backstory point a view.

Having a Homeworld-esque mothership in SoSE would be silly, from a 'gameplay' view- planets already take up that role with Frigate/cap ship facilities, and leave fighting to capital ships. The Hiigarans only had Hiigara as their planet - no others. So having a facility such as the Mothership to act a mobile ship yard makes more sense for long-range incursions. In SoSE, you can (if you want), have a ship-building planet only a few jumps away.

Not that the PoH (heh) should be omitted entirely - I just don't think it's feasible/a good idea to implement a 'fully featured' version of it in SoSE.

Moving onto other ships...
Homeworld 2 gives the following ships for the Hiigarans:
Fighters: scouts, intercepters, bombers
Frigates: Flak, Ion, Marine, Field, Torpedo
Gunships: Gun, Pulsar, Minelayer
Capital: Destroyer, Battlecrusier, Carrier

They all fit pretty well into SoSE. since I really don't know if new ship types can be added, I'll just list what I think each HW2 ship should replace a pre-existing vessel. I'll just make a bulleted list instead of prattling on:
Frigates/Strike Craft:
SoSE > Homeworld
Fighter Squadron > Intercepters
Bomber Squadron > Bombers
Scout Frigate > Probe or Scouts
Light Frigate > Pulsar or Gunship corvettes. Maybe a mixture of both. I really don't know if you can add new ships to SoSE, having the Gunship and Pulsar Corvettes as their own replacements of the 'ligth frigate', but whatever.
LRM frigate > Ion Frigate?
Siege Frigate > Torpedo Frigate
Flak Frigate > Flak Frigate
Colony Frigate > Marine Frigate

Crusiers:
Light Carrier > Crew Transport? (http://shipyards.relicnews.com/hw2/unknown_11.htm)
Robotics Crusier > Support Frigate (it was an out-take - http://shipyards.relicnews.com/hw2/support_frigate.htm)
Command Crusier > Mobile Refinery, perhaps? It looks liek it'd fit.
Heavy Crusier > Gunship corvette?



Capitals get a little hazy, though.
Theres five classes to work with in SoSE, but only 3 (4 if you count the Mothership) in Homeworld 2.

Battleship > Hiigaran Battlecrusier
Mothership > Pride of Hiigara, for now.
Carrier > Hiigaran carrier
Battlecrusier A >
Battlecrusier B >
Siege > Destroyer?

As unoriginal/lazy as it sounds, the best way to get more milage out of the 4 capitals Homeworld 2 offers would be to reuse the same models but with different ability loadouts.

The other issue is structures:

SoSE has Hanger Defenses, Guass Platforms, Traders, Refineries, research stations, frigate/capship facilities, broadcast centres, extactors, phase distruptors, super weapons, and shield projectors.

Hanger defense > Chimera Station
Gauss Platform > Gun platform or Ion Platform. OR add both. I'm sure someone who's mod savvy can do that.
Trader station >
Research Stations > Tanis stations?
Frigate factory >
Capital factory > Shipyard?
Broadcast centre >
Extractors >
Phase Distruptor >
Super Weapon (for TEC) >
Shield Projector >

The way I see it, new models would have to be made. Homeworld 1/2 never had a big emphasis on space structures.

Eh, its 4am. So I'm off to bed. I'll think more about this later. Sorry for the long post, and I'm sure I probably repeated a few things already said, but I'm sure I was helpful somewhere.
Reply #18 Top
I think that support frigate should be 2 in 1 = Robotic cruiser and light carrier, but it would be more expensive.

Light frigate => HW1 assault frigate or Vaygr assault frigate, or higgaran ICF.
LRM frigate => should be HG torp frigate and vaygr missile frigate and HW1 ion frigates.

Also I think that it would be better to have 4 races separated: Kushans, Taiidans, Vaygrs and Higarrans.

Some non canon models would nice to fill gaps (like no siege frigates).
Reply #19 Top
I again have ideas of my own, but they are not better, nor more expansive. I just think we shouldn't be afraid to go non-cannon, provided we do plenty of reaserch. Thier is plenty of accepted non-cannon ideas out thier.

O yea, have you gotten permission yet?
Reply #20 Top
Would the Beast be possible?

5 races:
Imperialist(Or Republican, depending on era) Taidan
Vagyr
Kushan/"Mercantile Hiigarans"
Military Hiigarans
Beast

The Beast would have duplicates of many Taidan ships, simply "Corrupted".

Each race would have only a few capital ships; Carriers, Dreadnaughts, and Motherships.
Using existing in-game powers, we can give a Mothership a long recharge time on a "Call the dark fleet" type power; allowing it to summon/"Construct" backup ships of its race. (Scramble bombers mechanic perhaps?) Unfortunately you couldn't charge resources via this mechanic.


Reply #21 Top
why can't we make an ability that sucks reasources?

for example, take the Sova's ability to steal reasources, change what it can target, so it targets allied planets instead of enemy onse. then make it so you don't get the reaserources back. Combine this with scranble bombers. (exept with a differn't ship) I think I might try this.

also...were is Echo-appolo? he hasn't replied to this thread in a while....