TobiWahn_Ke...

I do not like the "upgrade" bitbucket just implemented!

After working with it for a while I've come to like it actually.

G_Bison, thanks.

Thanks, that's very welcome

A few ideas for artifacts

• The Great Machine : -15% research cost & time taken, large increase to that planet's health
• Triluminary : +2 or +3 relationship bonus, +3% growth rate for all planets in your control.
• Ikarran Vault: +10% hull, +2 armour, large bonus to hull regen rate (maybe Sins rate) to reflect organic tech , -1 relationship (Ikarra was somewhat xenophobic)
• Eyes of Z'ha'dum : Crews of hostile ships entering this planet's grav well are enticed into perpetual service to your empire. (10-20% chance say)
• Forge of the First Ones : An ancient, but highly efficient, Quantium-40 refinery reduces jump-gate construction cost by 20%

My initial thought was that The Great Machine could also use the Revelation's Clairvoyance, emulating the occupant's ability to "walk among the stars" with his mind. But I don't think planets can have abilities like that.

Forge of the First Ones could also reduce the cost of cap ships by 15% to reflect the lower price of expensive jump engines.

Is it also worth looking at fleet supply/cap ship crew numbers?

If you max out your cap ship crews there's not much fleet supply left for frigates/cruisers.

NewHorizons,

EA Hyperion BlackStar Killer mine ability uploaded.

I'm not sure where the artifact data is stored. I suspect in a planet bonus .entity but haven't had the chance to dig through and find out. I'm sure several experienced modders could point the way. Fellows?

Recommend opening tickets for each idea to be closed when populated and accepted or closed as unexecutable.

So much stuff to test and tweak... TobiWahn is making good headway clearing out or updating status on open tickets.

One question Harpo, are the Artifact entity names hardcoded or can they be changed? Thanks

Harpo and SpartaSon21,

Thanks.

NewHorizons,

Feel like trying your hand at artifact .entity files? They look straightforward and ZombieRus's site: http://code.google.com/p/soaseplugin/wiki/ResearchSubject

Will serve as a good guide as to the parameters of the possible.

TobiWahn,

Recommend giving NewHorizons the researchWindowLocation fields or just code that part when adapting the new artifact entity file. From where I sit a productive week. Go team! Go!

The Planet files have an artifact path section but the mechanic of the random assignment to any particular planet is not obvious and could be an integration spot.

I like the Vault of Souls planet bonus idea. I also like the Ikaran Vault idea ... though it would need to be nerfed quite a bit I believe we should keep it in.

Some Minbari AI player names.

Fragment of English.str:

Fragment of PlayerMinbari.entity:

I've used "3rd" instead of "Third" etc to minimize the overrun in the diplomacy screen.

I would have liked to have used clan names from the Warrior Caste, but they're already used for names of techs.

Maybe when SotYR moves to Rebellion this could be changed as these two castes would be logical factions for the Minbari.

Not sure (lore wise) how the Narn, Vorlons & Shadows would be split up, but the EA (Clarke vs Sheridan) & Centauri ('reformers' - Turhan, Vir, Urza vs 'hawks' Refa, Catagia) are believable.

Artifact suggestions

A technomage coven - a diplomacy bonus and a modest research time bonus.

An abandoned elder race colony world, oh the wonders... several possible combinations of weapon speed, damage bonuses, armor bonuses, bonuses for ship tactical speed or turning rates. Many possible things.

Not all artifacts need have benefiticial properties or are a mixed bag.

A plague world would be a good reason to abandon an otherwise useful world.

The Vorlons do have two factions.

There is the one faction that Kosh Naranek belonged to, that want to protect and guide the younger races. Since this was the original goal of the Vorlons, they would naturally be the loyalist faction, or maybe "Guardians".

And then there are the extremists, like Kosh Ulkesh, for whom prooving the Shadows wrong has become more important than their role as teachers and protectors. Since these Vorlons lost sight of the true purpose for which they remained in our galaxy, they are the natural rebel faction. Maybe you could call them "Extremists" or "Fanatics" (blowing up planets and all that does sound pretty fanatical to me).

While this split is only hinted at in the actual series, the second and third books of the "Passing of the Technomages" Trilogy "Summoning Light" and "Invoking Darkness" specifically mention this division, with one group being more moderate, while the other is demanding the outright and merciless destruction of anyone touched by the shadows, with the latter faction gaining more and more support and ultimately gaining the majority with Kosh's death.

For the Narn, there would be those that prioritise rebuilding Narn and those that advocate the destruction of the Centauri above all, though it's hard to tell which ones are the rebels in this case. Maybe they could be called "Militarists" and "Preservers".

For the Centauri, the "Old Guard", lusting for a return to their old glory would make up the loyalist faction (Londo during the first three seasons, Cartagia and Refa being good examples), with the more peacefull faction (like Turhan, Londo between "And the rock cried out no hiding place" and his surrender to the Drakh or Emperor Cotto) making up the rebels.

The EA is pretty obviously split between the democratic pro-alien group and the xenophobic dictatorship of Clarke. The problem is, which are the rebels. In the series itself, Sheridan & Co where the rebels, but they remained true to the actual mandate of earthforce, while Clarke betrayed everything Earth and Humanity stood for, which would make him the rebel...

If there is ever going to be a Drazi faction, they would obviously be split into green and purple.