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[MOD] Sins of a Solar Empire: INVASION (new screenshots, May 28th, 2012.)

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[MOD] Sins of a Solar Empire: INVASION (new screenshots, May 28th, 2012.)

Previously known as "The Last Stand"

from Sins Forums

 

 

Sins of a Solar Empire: INVASION is an addon project aiming to expand upon the existing universe of the Sins of a Solar Empire, providing original and high-quality content on top of the original game. Aside from the new content, the addon will also include multiplayer-friendly gameplay changes as well as reworked or new visuals/sounds.

ETA: To Be Announced

Planned changes/content will include:

  •  A new playable race, created to the highest quality standards. The Xin are a race of utterly alien origin, and the massive fleets of their living, semi-sentient ships have been ravaging the galaxy for millenia. Countless races have perished under their onslaught - and now TEC, Advent and the Vasari will have to face this terrible enemy and win - or die trying.
    Assume the role of the defenders and try to stem the tide of death and destruction, or take command of the invading armada and destroy the impertinent insects wherever they choose to make their last stand. 
  • Volumetric Explosions & Damage Effects, providing not only greater excitement to your space battles by transforming all explosions and persistent damage effect into true 3D affairs, but also better visual cues as to how the battle is going, enabling you to spot at a first glance the hotspots and even the level of damage on particular ships.
  • Dynamic Battle System, where each ship class' strenghts and uses are not determined only by its stats and abilities, but also by its flight characteristics. Certain ship classes will be able to move during fleet battles, which, coupled with the reworked stats of all ship classes should prevent "cookie-cutter" or "spam" strategies.
  • New Ship Classes for the new faction, ranging from specialist ships such as the Warmaster or Emperor Battlecruiser all the way to Titans acting as mobile superweapons capable of facing down an entire fleet on their own or even destroying an entire gravity well in one powerful surge.
  • Reworked Balancing, aiming to further focus various ship classes on their roles, removing any overlapping advantages which ultimately make one ship type or the other the ship to produce. Changes will also include increased gravity wells as well as greater class difference in turning rates and top speeds in order to further accentualize fleet placement, strategic positioning of forward bases and other such details which a great admiral make.
  • New Planet Types, which will also be visually enhanced, primarily by increasing their size in order to make them a true centerpiece of a given sector. New planet types will provide greater variety without providing game-breaking advantages to players.
  • Enlarged Gravity Wells which, coupled with the dynamic nature of space combat, will challenge players to an even greater level, requiring careful placements of planetary defenses and orbital structures, as well as fleets.
  • Unique Structures for the new faction, ranging from formidable Heavy Defense Batteries to deployable Outposts which will be capable of guarding even sectors around otherwise uninhabitable astronomical bodies such as stars or gas giants.

==MEDIA SECTION==

 

==SCREENSHOTS==

 

==TRAILERS==

DRONE SPOTLIGHT I

A short ingame exposition of the Scout, Assault and Siege drones.

 

 

 

==BACKGROUND LORE==

Pangalactic War Timeline 

Clicking the above link will lead you to the download of a .pdf document detailing the rich and dynamic history of the factions which will play a major role in the Last Stand mod, so if you are into background lore, be sure to check it out!

 

==UNIT INFORMATION==

 Pending.

 

modding
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Reply #351 from Sins Forums Top
Greetings ManSh00ter,

Excellent work from what I have seen in this thread. I would like to offer my services should you need assistance in any capacity on this project. Please feel free to contact me and let me know if you need additional help.

In the Titan debate, I would like to make a recommendation. A good way to assure that Titans are end-game units would be through the research tree. My suggestion would be to have it as a last linked research option at the end of the Military type tabs, however, upon completion of that research it opens up a new tab for Titan research specifically. Inside this tab you may want to put minor upgrades for shields or weapons or so forth, and primarily the set of skills for the 4(?) "tiers" of usable skills and give the player a choice on how he wants to "customize" his ship. For instance, his choices for "tier 1 research" may be "Overextended Shields" or "Instantaneous Phasic Jump." The player may choose to research Overextended Shields and thus lose access to the research of Instantaneous Phasic Jumps. "Tier 2" would contain two new sets of skill options to be researched. Overextended Shields would now become the skill available to the Titan and can garner upgrades through experience much in the same way Capital ships do.

I think this method would help make them costly (in research, design, and build) and furthermore have a long "lead-up time" before they will be seen in battle.

Hope this made sense!
Reply #352 from Sins Forums Top
Just finished reading the thread; I'm completely blown away by the quality of work here. :)

On the titan issue--I like the idea of obtaining them through research. Here's what I thought:

Titan construction could only be on the planet designated as home. It would require two points of tier 8 military research and two points of tier 8 civilian research, which would enable the player to upgrade his homeworld with something such as "Extended Military Infrastructure" that granted him the ability to construct the titan using either an ability or through new structure, an upgraded cap ship yard.
Star Control: Origins
Reply #353 from Sins Forums Top
Damn nice work. Can't wait for you to get done with this project and hopefully get another going cause your damn good at ship design.
Reply #354 from Sins Forums Top
Glad you guys like the work so far! :)

Also, I like the ideas being thrown about for Titan works. The customization approach sounds nice, I'll definitely have a look if it can be done once I get around to scripting the research tree. Homeworld-only production also sounds interesting, though I have to actually bury my nose in the game .entity files a bit deeper to see if it can be done (most of the work so far has been spent on graphical assets since making the scripts is much easier and I like to do the time-consuming part first).

A little concept update for the race; it has no real bearing on gameplay, just background stuff for those who enjoy such things (I know I enjoy writing it :p ):

Xin do not build ships in space - they (im)port them.

When the invasion hits the neighbourhood, it will quickly become obvious that the alien menace is not just a local threat. In fact, the invasion is just a probing atack from an interstellar empire spanning hundreds, if not thousands of star systems too far removed from the area of space known to the TEC, Vasari and Advent for them to have any chance of reaching them in anything less than several generations spent under full phase propulsion.

Using their bioforming technology, the Xin are able to form vast underground caverns filled with water, even on planets which normally are devoid of such things, like volcanic worlds or asteroids. The caverns are then used in the gestation process of many diverse creatures which, after maturing, are grafted with designated systems and converted into starships and drones.

Instead of spending vast amounts of energy for lifting the newly birthed ships into orbit, the Xin construct special "space-folding" portals simmilar to their Quantum Gates which speed up interplanetary travel by a considerable degree. These portals then form localized wormholes through which the ships are pulled from the gestation caverns and inserted into orbit.

When it comes to the greatest of their ships, the process is even more mysterious. The vast creatures which are used for capital ship construction often take decades to mature; too long for practical purposes of an invasion. Thus, the structures dubbed as "capital shipyards" are in fact giant wormhole generators capable of ripping a tunnel through the space-time continuum and linking the "shipyard" with the Xin Home Worlds. The emerging behemots thus come straight from the great oceans which served as their birthplace and cradle, deep in the Xin Empire, many thousands of light-years away.
Reply #355 from Sins Forums Top
HOLY FRIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nice story line, i love it, this will be by far the greatest mod of all time, the mod itself will make spore look like a minor release. :LOL: anyway, i like the idea for the research of titan ships. as for the xin, well, i cant really say much because im in shock. that storyline is awesome i love this mod. WHEN DOES IT COME OUT
Reply #356 from Sins Forums Top
Sweet, i think that sums it up. i especially like the ships, they remind me of sea creatures.

i this i can speak for everyone when i say, are you nearly done yet?
Reply #357 from Sins Forums Top
Not... exactly. :p

Ships are 75% done. Stations still have a while to go until they are finished, but the good thing is, that's pretty much the last major hurdle to overcome. Sound design, based on my initial trials, will go along smooth and quick. Scripting is not so time consuming either. Minor graphical art will be also done, but very likely the mod will be released with only the basics (ship icons, portraits, etc.), with other fluff being added with the inevitable updates.

All in all, should be done by Christmas. :p

I know, I know... its tough to wait for it when you want to play it, but when all is said and done, I think everyone would prefer to wait longer and get a quality release which feels like a proper add-on and not some rushed thing with lots of immersion-busting holes and half-assed solutions.
Right? :)

The new Battleship is modelled and UV mapped. After I texture it and rig it for the game, I was thinking of putting together the first ever teaser video for the mod, as I finally have enough ships to actually showcase it properly.
Reply #358 from Sins Forums Top
The new Battleship is modelled and UV mapped. After I texture it and rig it for the game, I was thinking of putting together the first ever teaser video for the mod, as I finally have enough ships to actually showcase it properly.
End of quote


sweet!  :CONGRAT: 
Reply #359 from Sins Forums Top
Here is a little update: the first model I created for the new race. The textures need a bit of touching-up here and there.The name of the race will be Xin.Top:Bottom:Front:A bit of lore.The ship in question is the Xin "Feeler" Scout Analog. This is actually the only Xin craft which flies completely without crew. Instead an autonomous creature is gestated at a Breedery, then provided with an artificial exoskeleton, armor plating (in addition to its natural scaled hide resistant to the rigours of open space) and propulsion. The creature is several times the size of a whale for comparison. Long crystalline feelers (hence the nickname) that protrude from its body on the unarmored sides of the "head" serve as highly sophisticated sensors, able to detect all kinds of occurences, including mass detection. Another large crystalline protrusion is embedded right above what serves for the creature's brain - surrounded by knotted tendons and hard tissue, this glowing dome represents the "eye" of the creature. Capable of incredible magnification and observation of a large spectrum, the Xin Scout can even "see" radio waves and other electromagnetic, infrared and visible spectrum emissions, helping it to hunt down and pinpoint even the most elusive targets with relative ease.Unlike most Xin vessels, this "ship" is neither well shielded nor provided with a dedicated weapon system. Instead, the creature inhabiting the exoskeleton posesses a natural ability to emit magnetically shaped gobs of superheated plasma via a dedicated organ protruding through an opening left in the armor plating on the underside of its flat head. The plasma however dissipates before long, and while individual hits are relatively damaging they do not have much of a reach, nor can the creature expel them at anything faster than a snail's pace.This leaves the Scout allmost useless for frontline combat, and although it is faster than other ships of its class, like all Xin craft it lacks in the department of engines. However, even though its shields are nowhere near as strong as the Xin standard, they are capable of taking more punishment than any other reconaissance vessel currently known to the other races.
End of quote


Hi there... that looks pretty awesome. If there is any way for you to get those feeler sensors to sort of undulate and ripple you got to do it!! :)

Reply #360 from Sins Forums Top
All in all, should be done by Christmas.
End of quote


well, everyone, merry Christmas to all and to all a good fight :LOL:
Reply #361 from Sins Forums Top
Lol, anybody else think the Xin look like a race of space-faring ipods?
Reply #362 from Sins Forums Top
I´ve learned to wait for the good things in life...

But now I have to learn to wait for the BEST thing in (virtual) life ;)

I really like the ideas around the TITAN-ships :)

@ManShOOter:
One question by my side: I saw some mods around where you are able to research the shields and so on many, many times, for example.

Is there also one of these thoughts around your project?
Reply #363 from Sins Forums Top
CrazyJoe, yes I've seen the mods you mention and the idea seems interesting. Right now I envision the research as close to the original, but if it turns out feasible would not mind mixing in several research options which can be repeatedly researched to place an emphasis on continuous technological development. So most likely the end result will be a mix of both, where "bonus" research topics, those which provide a boost to certain abilities and stats, will be "repeatable" to a certain extent.
Reply #364 from Sins Forums Top
Xin super weapon? something cool please, closer to the anti planet cannon (novalith) than that crappy culture spreader the advent have
Reply #365 from Sins Forums Top
How does a huge ship, dwarfing even the largest of capitals, bundled together with an artificial singularity generator capable of wiping out entire fleets in one shot sound? Cool enough? :p
Reply #366 from Sins Forums Top
How does a huge ship, dwarfing even the largest of capitals, bundled together with an artificial singularity generator capable of wiping out entire fleets in one shot sound? Cool enough?
End of quote


 That'll work  ;p 
Reply #367 from Sins Forums Top
How does a huge ship, dwarfing even the largest of capitals, bundled together with an artificial singularity generator capable of wiping out entire fleets in one shot sound? Cool enough?
End of quote


i can live with that
Reply #368 from Sins Forums Top
How does a huge ship, dwarfing even the largest of capitals, bundled together with an artificial singularity generator capable of wiping out entire fleets in one shot sound? Cool enough?
End of quote


I'm strangely comfortable with this concept.  :CONGRAT: 

Reply #369 from Sins Forums Top
How does a huge ship, dwarfing even the largest of capitals, bundled together with an artificial singularity generator capable of wiping out entire fleets in one shot sound? Cool enough?
End of quote


well, um let me go to the bathroom(MUFFLED YELLING BIGINS: AWESOME, SWEET, WAY, WAY BETTER THAN NOVALTH, IM PLAYING XIN ALL THE TIME WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO)

Well, i'm back, i suppose that will work well :CONGRAT:
Reply #370 from Sins Forums Top
just a thought, is it possible to use particle forge to get a sort of ripple effect, as in a pulse or two of transparent (or seemingly tranparent) particles for the firing of a really big gun which makes it look like it produces a shockwave or it distorts space or sommin?
Reply #371 from Sins Forums Top
I assume you are thinking of a "heatwave" sort of effect? If so, then no. Such effects require specialized shaders which displace pixels in a pattern which then creates the shimmer or ripple effect (for example with water and liquids). As far as I know, Sins do not have such a shader, though personally I think it would be perfect for shields (with a bit of colorization thrown in) and such.

I am not a programmer, but from what I've seen of the existing shader architecture, it could be possible to make one - if you're a dev. So go bug them about it. ;)
Reply #373 from Sins Forums Top
Well most people do bash the advent super weapon, but paired with eyes of the converted it works as a very effective early warning system and a weak planet capturer. Anyway a new super weapon for the Xin, I'd like it to be different from the ones everyone has now. Hows about something that disables all ships in orbit for a set time? Leaving a heavily defended planet vulnerable for a short period of time giving the firing empire an edge in combat or time for a joint strike on an empire focused on defending, for example I play 7 deadly sins, and the Military planets have up to 58 tactical slots not including and possible planetary bonus. Thats a lot of defensive fire power, plus the passive bonus of the planet give all ships and structures in oribt + 50% range, 50% chance to hit and 10% to firepower. That coupled with a decent to massive fleet make the planet risky to even attempt to over run alone. But just a suggestion, mod looks great so far :).
Oh and the humongous fleet zapper does sound enticing, but I could see it being abused easily like the novalith cannon, Do you think you could add an option to the options screen, something like a tournament mode where you can only have 1 super weapon?
-Sorry for the long post :P
Reply #374 from Sins Forums Top
The way this superweapon will work is going to ensure that it is not easily abused.

First, you have to actually fly the ship to the sector you want to "zap". Unlike with vanilla superweapons, this automatically creates a risk factor for your shiny toy.
Second, the weapon will have a relatively long charge-up time before it detonates. In this time window, the defending forces can attempt to knock out the Titan - not an easy task, but possible with a massive focus of fire.

If they fail, their sector will be completely wiped out. The gravity shockwave will destroy everything, from smallest frigates to capitals. Of course, the defenders can choose to retreat before the weapon fires (I will attempt to have a direct visual cue as to how close the Titan is to generating a black hole), to save their fleet.
Unless the Xin have brought some Suryata cruisers along, which will require destroying first since they can keep a fleet from phase jumping.

Combine that with the new toys the vanilla races will get, like mines, interdictor cruisers and improved static defenses, and you will have an interesting set of tactical moves and counter-moves which I hope will spice up the gameplay some, especially in multiplayer.

Also to note is, although the Last Stand will include new planet types made by Uzii (and probably a few by myself), they will be adjusted for balance. For example, I don't like the bonuses the Military planet gives. Coupled with the massive tactical slot count, minefields and improved defenses the mod will bring, they would be somewhat unassailable and no one wants that. The Xin specifically, being a turtler race, would be able to fortify such a world to a degree which would make it virtually impossible to crack.

And the disabler weapon you speak of sounds interesting... perhaps the Remnant or the Hegemony will have some use for it. The Xin like to simply smash through he enemy and then drop those nasty bioforming spores on their planets (aside from the World Devourer the Xin have no dedicated high-yield bomber) and consume them slowly.

And... no problem about the long post. I seem to like long posts. As is evident. ;)
Reply #375 from Sins Forums Top
love the artwork on the new race.