WIP-FA mod: [SC2] Balance and Playability Mod v1.138 (Merge Mod)

[:1]Bast mods proudly presents:
SC2 Balance & Playability Mod (B&P Mod): This started out as a list of change requests in the Sup Com2 suggestions forum. A lot of those change requests evolved as the game did, and my understanding of competitive play grew. The chief goal of this mod is playability and competitive balance. New and long time players who play this mod should feel like things fit together more smoothly with units performing adequately in expected areas. The interface should improve player's command and comfort. Finally, top players should agree that this mod addresses particular imbalances with the Navy and Air combat theatres.

Download B&P Mod, SC2MM v1.02, and Mod Support v7
To learn more about Mithy's Mod Support.
To learn more about CerusVi's SC2MM.
To install:
1. Complete the download of B&P_Mod, Mod Support and SC2MM.
2. Find a file location that you like for these files.
I chose: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\supreme commander 2\gamedata\mods
3. Unzip the 'SupCom2_Mod_Manager (SC2MM)' folder into the location you chose.
4. Open the folder and make a shortcurt of 'SupCom2_Mod_Manager.exe'.
5. Click the shortcut to run SC2MM. You should now have SC2MM open.
6. Click 'Add' and use browse to find 'B&P_Mod.scd' and 'Mod Support.scd' in the file location you chose.
7. You are done installing. To play the mod click to check the box next to both mods and then click launch within SC2MM.
Note: The Mod Files B&P Mod and Support Mod are not zip files. They are ready to go and do not require opening or decompression.
Mod Includes Improve Elements of Playability, Balance Improvements, Bigger Formation Spread, Tech Adjustments, Buff Adjustments and Unit Functionality changes.
Elements of playability are not game changers. They shouldn't disrupt the balance of the game in terms of counters, but they may make a unit slightly more flexible on the map, easier to micro, more reliable in a support role, or just look like it's doing what it's supposed to better.
-Cybran ACU weapons improved visually.
-Jump Jet speed improved.
-Mega Armor speed improved.
-Field Engineer more like the original Sparky.
-All TMD improved substantially.
-Factory TML now chooses structures as its first priority target.
-Structure Trainings each provide a 5% increase to mass extractor production rate
-Cybranosaur Derp Less.
-Now benefit from shield upgrade: engineers, field engineers, TMD and bodabooms.
-Gunships are slightly faster.
-Cobra slight range increase.
-Cybran Engineer slight range increase.
-Fatboy turret rotation improved. Fatboy now equipped with torpedoes.
-Urchinow speed increase.
-Megalith speed reduced slightly and given radar stealth.
-Assault Bot Combat Buffs
-Darkenoid can shoot underwater with it's main beam.
-Experimental Gantry is more survivable.
-Reduced movement rate of ships.
-WYSIWYG: Super Triton, King Kryptor, AC1K, Darkenoid, Sooprizer, Transports
What You See Is What Your Get (WYSIWYG) - meaning a projectile is doing damage and area of effect proportional to your visual expectations.
Balance Changes are balance of power adjustments. These changes have been made to the mod because a certain unit is more than dominant and better than good. Balance changes in this area include:
-Salem vs. Tigershark (no more need to attack ground)
-Tier1 ships vs. Yenzoo (no more infinite dodging with Yenzoo)
-Executioner vs. Poseidon (Executioner is worth building)
-UEF land factory shield vs. ACU Rush (10K like the other land facs)
-Airnomo vs. massed air (you wanted flak)
-Kraken vs. Ships (better range and torpedoes)
-Command Class (very useful rather than slightly useful)
-Overcharge vs. Land (basic land is less disadvantaged)
-Weebs (Flare and Scorch were both unreasonably good and are now ok fine)
-All Assault Bots equally short range (less kiting around)
-TMD do not miss (accuracy vastly improved)
-Wilfindja vs. Ships (something to support your tank formations)
-Air vs. Mastadons (Mastadon AA was toned down but is still the best naval AA.)
Slight Adjustments Include:
-Aeon and UEF mobileAA improved shields to improve transition into late game.
-Poseidon AA (Poseidon AA is abysmal)
-Reduced sonar availability.
-All non-experimental land units without a shield bubble, now benefit from personal shield upgrades.
-Slight boost to mobile AA speed
-Slight nerf to demolisher speed (Base speed still faster than Brachman. Range still longer due to upgrade prereq.)
-KK and C-Rex given slight build time decrease and improved weaponry.
-UGC given a range improvement to help compete with monkeylord technology.
-Monkeylord removed AOE from eye laser.
-Aeon Shields reflect 400% more projectile damage than they did before. Lower shield health is not a reduction in durability due to increased damage reflection.
Tech Changes:
-Purely defensive research techs are made cheaper.
-A few techs rearranged due to better similarity of technology.
-Land unit upgrades are more in line with other tech tree costs.
-Detonate is higher on the cybran tech tree allowing some gunship use against Cybran.
-Spruced up the weak branches of the tech trees.
-Cybran Air and Navy research techs improved to keep up with Aeon and UEF late game.
-UEF ACU research tech improved to match Aeon and Cybran ACUs.
-Tech prices are more intuitive and systematic.
Wormhole Techs:
-Naval Transport is now available for research after you research transport capacity in the air research tree.
-Eagle Eye Torpedoes upgrade is now available for research after you research the Atlantis experimental aircraft carrier in the Naval Research tree.
Abilities:
-Improve the Cybran ACU push from Quantum Force Blast.
-UEF Bomber Camera Radius and Length increased.
-Aeon PDHunker affects AATowers too.
Formations:
-All formations have been spread out a to help you manage your forces. Don't forget to use your cntrl clicks to take advantage of the best benefits of concentrated and/or spread formations.
UI: User Interface
-Separate Submerge and Surface command for Submarines.
-Mod and Version on the main screen when you start the game.
Thanks to SC2MM this mod is super easy to install, load, play, unload ad infinitum! Thanks to Mithy for Mod Support making adding mod features far easier and improving mod compatibility. This is ready for play in skirmish or multi-player as is. Both players must have mod installed for game to function properly over the Steam client. I have found playing it in skirmish against Sorian's AI it to be enjoyable.

Note: this mod is not intended as a SC2 replacement, but I put in more than a few hours into assembling it, and I really like how it runs. I assembled it specifically so I could see if my suggestions to GPG actually look good in game. I am posting it here for the curious, those who are also interested in balance/playability and those who are looking for some new elements of fun in their skirmish games at home.

Work in Progress
WARNING: If you do not like teasers, do NOT read ahead!
Balance and Playability Mod
a. Toggle to turn on/off combat selection for engineers and ACUs
b. Toggle to turn on/off DoT Bombs
c. Improved DoT Bomb Visual Effects
1. Mass Convo nerf (waiting to see what Mithy comes up with)
2. UEF Research Convo buff (how would you like to produce mass from research?)

Downloadable Content Mod [DLC]
FA Battle Units [DLC]
If we do add units to SupCom2 it would be good for the most part to make them equal with the current land units rather than a higher tech grade that would replace them. One of the advantages of SupCom2 is that our units are available for the life of the game, and we don't want to give that up.
FA Units (SupCom2 Converted) [DLC]:
UEF:
Percival - UEF Sniper Bot (shotja) (maybe slower rate of fire and higher dps)
Cybran:
Deceiver - Cybran New Unit type to SC2 (7RP) (unique in FA)
Fire Beetle - Cybran New Unit type to SC2 (9RP) (unique in FA)
Hoplite - Cybran New Unit type to SC2 (7RP) (unique in FA)
Aeon:
Fervor - Aeon Mobile Artillery (Demolisher, Brachman)
Asilum - AEON Mobile Shield (Adapter, P-Shield)

Heavy Battle Units (Heavy FA Units) [DLC]:
UEF:
Commanche - UEF Heavy Assault Bot (12RP Total) COMPLETE (I would like to have the Comanche convert into an AAGunship but this would require a new model designed by a skilled modeler)
Cybran:
Wagner - Cybran Submersible Heavy Tank (12RP Total) (COMPLETE (The Wagner's rocket has been replaced with an AA projectile. This tank can retake the ocean, surprise the enemy from the depths and fight small air attacks.)
Aeon:
Obsidian - Aeon Super Heavy Tank (14RP Total) COMPLETE (The Obsidian had monster shields in FA. This is also true in B&P Mod. The Obsidian is the toughest to destroy of the heavy units.)
Heavies are not replacements for the regular bots or tanks. They have a special role as more resilient and pinch worthy than tier 1 tanks. They are designed to die to swarms of tier 1 tanks or bots, but to excel in pinch situations such as AOE attacks or scrunched land battles. Slightly slower, they a slight range advantage and superior shields.
Though the 'Tier 2' combat units fit the higher tier nitch in Sup Com 2, the higher cost will keep players from spamming these unless their economies out paced normal factory production.
Experimentals [DLC]
I am planning to add FA experimentals to SupCom2. These will be coming last.
-Fatboy I as Big Daddy (new title for the original unit will avoid further confusion)
-Megalith as Widow Maker (new title for the original unit will avoid further confusion)
-Scathis
-Paragon
-Tempest
New Research Content [DLC]
UEF
-Add an Engineering AI upgrade that allows UEF engineers to automatically start capturing on their own. I know this should be a cybran tech from the campaign, but the UEF engineer needs something.
-Build Cost Reduction upgrade for land units (-10% Mass and Energy). COMPLETE
-Submersible upgrade for land units. COMPLETE
-UEF Structures Health II upgrade of 25% health COMPLETE
-Mastadon Tacticle Missile Launcher upgrade (TML now requires an upgrade). COMPLETE
-Damage upgrade for UEF Navy. COMPLETE
-Heavy Shields upgrade for UEF Navy. COMPLETE
-Shield Generator for UEF ACU.COMPLETE
-SpeedOverdrive for UEF ACU.COMPLETE
Cybran
-Damage upgrade for Land. COMPLETE
-Add a Mass Production upgrade after the Recycler upgrade (25% buff). COMPLETE
-Structures Bigger Detonate +25% blast radius. COMPLETE
-Naval Factories to be built on land called Launch Ashore Naval Deployment. This upgrade costs 3 RP and comes after LEGS. COMPLETE
-Sonar upgrade for Navy. COMPLETE
-Extra Torpedo Tubes upgrade to the Cybran Navy for 6 RP after the Sonar upgrade. Increase torpedos fired by each ship with torpedoes. COMPLETE
-Damage upgrade for Navy. COMPLETE
-Gemini Torpedo upgrade after Damage. COMPLETE
-Gemini Stealth Field upgrade after Nanoshield. COMPLETE
-Mega Armor for Cybran ACU. COMPLETE
-PowerShuntRegeneration for Cybran ACU. COMPLETE
-EscapeDetonate for Cybran ACU. COMPLETE
Aeon
-Pulse AA weapon unlock for Vulthoo Gunship.
-Aeon structure Range upgrade of 15% (reduce Aeon Pd range to 40) affects: PD, AAT and TML. COMPLETE
-Aeon structure Damage II upgrade of 25% COMPLETE
-Super Nanites for Aeon ACU. COMPLETE
-Research Income for Aeon ACU. COMPLETE
-Chrome Health for Aeon ACU. COMPLETE
All Factions
-Mass Production II upgrade of +50% mass production to mass extractors. COMPLETE
5. Separate Auto Groups from Grid/Hum
6. DLC Unit & Upgrades Wishlist
8. Ground Fire and Multiple AOE Attacks
9. Unit Selection Layers Criteria Improvements
10. Improved Firing and Movement Commands
11. Interface Improvements
12. Rename Units
13. Paint Wreckage and Paint Guard

Idea Bin
-Turbo Extraction for the Mass Extractor (costs some amount of energy to turbo charge you economy for a time period. Mithy's idea.)
-Research Center produces research based on the number of engineers you have.
-Add a Harbinger Shields upgrade for the Harvog. This upgrade will change the personal shields of the Harvog into small stackable bubble shields.
-Add a Flakk upgrade for the Crashdow.
-Attack Pods upgrade for Aeon ACU. Attack pods is a couple wilfindja attack pods.
-Add an EMP Laser upgrade that replaces to the loyalist's third weapon.
-Flakk upgrade for the Archanist.|||Havent tried it out, but all the changes looks great! Except for Harvog AA. Theres no reason for a buff, except for that UEF have a better upgrade. Maybe make the UEF one worse.|||Grim Tuesday|||Grim Tuesday|||Ok, haven't posted an update in a while.
Here are the new planned additions:
1. WYSIWYG isn't just for the Triton.
-AC-1000
-King Kryptor
-Transport
2. Aegis: Reduce Cost of Aegis Shield Recharge. [DLC] (Change dropped. Instead, massive regeneration worthy of a shield of this size.)
3. UEF Shield Generator buff
4. Sooprize Stealth. [DLC]
5. UEF Land Units: Cut Railgun AA upgrade in half.
6. Should I put AA on the Carrier? I think the answer is probably YES to this one. But the answer turns out to be NO mostly because it's really good as is. (also we nerfed the weebs bombs which helps Cybran Ships a lot.)
7. AC-1000s and Experimental Transports slight cost increase
8. AC-1000 range adjusted so that ground AA units fired upon can fire back.
Coming soon..|||Highlights:
1. Wilfindjas have shields and extended range but reduced dps for more favorable results.
2. Ships are much slower
3. WYSIWYG isn't just for the Triton.
-AC-1000
-King Kryptor
-Darkenoid
-Sooprizer
-Transports
2. Aegis: Shield given regeneration instead of recharge cost reduction. [DLC]
3. Shield Generators are doubled health and cost to help UEF shield effectiveness.
4. Sooprizer Stealth [DLC]
5. UEF Land Units: Cut Railgun AA Upgrade in half.
7. Improvements made to all major experimentals other than the Monkey Lord.
8. Slight buff to all bomber base AOE. Does not affect bomb upgrades. Will improve the Gemini bombing capability.
9. Nerfed Weedoboth Flares to each absorb one projectile only.
10. Nerfed Weedoboth Scorch damage from a double increase in damage to about what the UEF bomb deals after it's upgrade.
11. Mega Fortress production rate reduced slightly. (change dropped)

Coming soon?
1. Should I put AA on the Carrier? (I am leaning towards no. It's an excellent factory advantage for Air Superiority already.)
2. Fatboys with Torpedos (Working almost perfectly.)
3. Larger Spread Formation option to mitigate bombing runs, Overcharge, Jack Hammers... you name the AOE. (Complete)
6. Less C-Rex derp (Complete: has fingers crossed)
7. Less AC-1000 derp (not sure how to fix this)
8. Research Tech ala Nephy? (Complete)
4. Mass Convo nerf
5. UEF Research Convo buff
6. Big Daddy (probably take me a while)
7. Tech 2 Battle Units
Link for more ideas DLC2 Thread:
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=48606
This is kind of like a public to do list. So keep me accountable with encouragement and suggestions if you got some.

More information on Tech 2 Units and introduction of FA Unit Plans:

FA Units

UEF:

Cybran:

Aeon:

Tier 2 Units

Experimentals:

|||Hi,
Firstly thank you for your efforts, though I haven't tried it yet, many of the changes look very well thought out.
I noticed it looks like you're interested in adding some new units. If possible can you make 2 versions then?
One with just balance changes and another that would include new units?|||Callouseye|||Bast Mods Proudly Presents B&P v1.12
As promised Balance and Playability mod v1.12 is being released without adding new unique content. I would be happy to go back to the more dps shieldless Willy, because that would be a lot closer to GPG's original intent. Not sure if the Wilfindja Bubble is a problem. You tell me if you like it or you want something more true to the design intentions in the vanilla version.
This mod is aimed at balance and playability of the core GPG content. This mod changes stats, unit parameters, buffs, tech layouts, tech costs and formations to provide a more premium SupCom2 gaming experience. The first post of this thread has been updated to describe the latest modification improvements.
BP&DLC v1.00 coming soon.
However, changes have already been made to the the Vanilla DLC1 B&P to make adding new units and features less difficult and fit together well.
I hope you enjoy. If you do, don't forget to thank CerusVI.
The txt file listing all the changes made is located inside the .scd file, and can be reached by opening the file with Winrar. Please follow Cerus's readme to run and disable the mod. Thanks to SC2MM this is super easy, so enjoy. This mod has future changes to be applied, but is ready for play in skirmish or multi-player as is. Both players must have mod installed for game to function properly over the Steam client. I have found playing it in skirmish against Sorian's AI it to be very enjoyable.
To be honest there are very few future changes ahead for vanilla B&P. There are some 'abilities and powers' which I have yet to hack that need some modification like Mass Convo, but for the most part this should be a concrete product. Also, I will add more bug fixes or improved control features if I can.|||Do you plan on adding mass+energy costs in addition to research points in order to unlock items in the tech tree?
Also, maybe consider putting your mod on the SupCom 2 list of mods sticky.|||madface|||Bastilean|||LayZboy|||Made a ninja edit on the latest release so you can play with Fatboy torpedoes as described in the notes above.|||Supreme Commander 2 B&P Mod v1.130
This mod is now completely merge friendly with all new whizzbangs and compatibility options supported by SC2MM.
See the original post for a description of the latest update to download.|||Word noticed a couple changes that didn't make it over into the merge mod.
Salem and Command Class didn't receive the muzzle velocity buff the rest of the tier1 ships did.
These items have been have been corrected.
I also made a slight adjustment that should blend the velocities and accuracy better visually for tier1 ships with battleships.
If anyone sees discrepancies people notify me either here or through a PM, and I will remove them. Thank you Word.|||Cerus gave me some pointers on sprucing up my mod to easily replace older versions. When you add this version of the mod SC2MM should ask you if you would like to replace the older version.
Also, I have added a comprehensive description to the SC2MM format, so that you can read the changes and adjustments in SC2MM.
Thank you CerusVI.

A couple more adjustments:
Also switched the torpedoes with the Wilfindja in the tech tree making the torpedo 8RP and the Wilfindja 15RP.
Lastly reduced the buff on the UEF Naval Radar to 100% to be more in line with other naval intel nerfs. Still highly valuable and better than the Cybran equivalent.|||Chrono noticed that the mexicans (mas extractor PD) were working, but the dominicans (mass extractor AA) were not dominating air or even existent. Many of you probably know that Neph's mod has been plagued by this bug. Domincans have been repaired in this last patch thanks to Esch1lus. Patch repairs both mexes as well as research structures.
Also, Chrono had some questions about how to install, so I provided a quick reference guide in this thread to install the Mod as well as the Mod Manager.

Thank you Chrono and Esch1lus!|||I like what you're doing with the mod. Keep it up!
Just a couple of small suggestions that I think could add a little bit more diversity:
(1) Create more wormholes; and
(2) Consider adding persistent mass, energy, and research production/consumption rates to the units themselves, but in such a manner that balances out the choice of units between factions. This wouldn't have to be for every unit or structure in the game, but maybe just a few key ones.
For example, let's say that air experimentals produce a lot of mass, drain a lot of energy, and produce nominal research. Then, land would drain a lot of mass, produce a lot of energy, and drain nominal research (i.e., your research goes DOWN). Then, naval experimentals drain a LOT of mass and energy, but produce a LOT of research, so like a temporary boost that will allow you to unlock more things quickly, but also at a cost to you. If the unit is alive for too long then, your whole economy suffers greatly.
The above is just an ad hoc example. The main idea is to introduce a mechanism by which to inhibit spamming, but also to add an "experimental" nature to the Experimentals. Since they are "experiments", there should be some adverse side effects.|||madface|||Very small adjustment to the cybran acu tech tree that is purely visual, and upgraded this mod to a superior host site for easy access and download.|||I too very much like where this mod is going!
question: does the ai behave well with the current changes? does it use the
structure bonuses on the mexes well?
very nice going there, bast, keep the good work up! :)|||Bastilean|||Updates for Version 1.135
Wormhole Techs:
-Naval Transport is now available for research after you research transport capacity in the air research tree.
-Eagle Eye Torpedoes upgrade is now available for research after you research the Atlantis experimental aircraft carrier in the Naval Research tree.
Abilities:
-Overcharge energy cost to activate increased for all ACUs.
-Improve the Cybran ACU push from Quantum Force Blast.
-UEF Bomber Camera Radius and Length increased.
-Aeon PDHunker affects AATowers too.|||I like what you're doing with this mod. I think I'm going to require it as the SC2 portion of my Unholy Alliance mod

WIP-FA mod

Friday, April 13, 2012

[SC2] Balance and Playability Mod v1.138 (Merge Mod)

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