What I can do easily is adding more section options for existing FE ships, that's quite simple and can be done relatively fast.

I just want the NSC ships to have FE models.


That’s literally it. I’m not particularly concerned anout balance, except maybe renaming the Zenith battlecruiser (don’t worry I have plenty of names you could use, Battlecarrier maybe?)

First of all, thank you for the thread. Yes, I know a lot of people have been asking for this, but this isn't really like 'press this button and it's added' type of deal as some people think it is.

I have already outlined many of these issues in the Mod Compatibility thread which you can of course read up again, but it boils down to three choices:

1. Make a direct compatibility patch for purely graphical reasons.
   
   
2. Make a compatibility patch for both graphic and gameplay balance.
   
   
3. Make something else which captures what people like in NSC.

After we have decided which choices to go with, we need to look at what is required:



Estimated construction time: ~4 hours

The current 'incompatibility' stems from the fact that ZoFE graphical cultures do not have models for NSC ship classes. I have already made a similar patch in ZoFE 1, but I am reluctant to do so again due to the frequency of updates in NSC, especially when people then start to ask for more ship mods to be included.

People are welcome to reverse engineer that compatibility patch to see what is being done, but basically, all (16+) ZoFE cultures need to have models for dreadnoughts, flagship etc for them not to show up as Mammalian. And please also understand that, had I actually kept the 'keep your ship set' button, you would now have to make all NSC graphical cultures (Pirates, AI, etc) to have ZoFE ship models too.

Since I see that NSC already have an expansion mod for FE models for their ships, it's just the task of asking for the author's permission and then create those ship classes + models for all of ZoFE cultures and make the mod load before ZoFE.



Estimated construction time: 8< hours

In addition to the above, one must also have good knowledge about the NSC mod and knows both mods inside out in terms of balance. Due to the nature of NSC constantly changing stats and balance and this mod also (in a lesser degree), such a mod requires continuous maintenance and monitoring, in addition to PDX game updates. Gameplay wise it will smooth out irregularities between two mods and hopefully balance some economic or other issues that may arise when playing two mods together.



Estimated construction time: varies

Going down this route depending on gathering a wide range of opinions in the hope of 'absorbing' the best aspects of NSC and interpret it in the ZoFE universe. It would require some imagination and creativity from both fans and developers alike, and whether it is viable for a submod also remains to be seen depending on the details being hammered out. But this does have the benefit of a rather low maintenance overall, as you don't have to update to the same schedule of both mods, but only this one.


I hope this helps clear up some stuff.

Thanks

(Please don't eat me)

Originally posted by Kolyn:

First of all, thank you for the thread. Yes, I know a lot of people have been asking for this, but this isn't really like 'press this button and it's added' type of deal as some people think it is.

I have already outlined many of these issues in the Mod Compatibility thread which you can of course read up again, but it boils down to three choices:

1. Make a direct compatibility patch for purely graphical reasons.
   
   
2. Make a compatibility patch for both graphic and gameplay balance.
   
   
3. Make something else which captures what people like in NSC.

After we have decided which choices to go with, we need to look at what is required:

Option 1:

Estimated construction time: ~4 hours

The current 'incompatibility' stems from the fact that ZoFE graphical cultures do not have models for NSC ship classes. I have already made a similar patch in ZoFE 1, but I am reluctant to do so again due to the frequency of updates in NSC, especially when people then start to ask for more ship mods to be included.

People are welcome to reverse engineer that compatibility patch to see what is being done, but basically, all (16+) ZoFE cultures need to have models for dreadnoughts, flagship etc for them not to show up as Mammalian. And please also understand that, had I actually kept the 'keep your ship set' button, you would now have to make all NSC graphical cultures (Pirates, AI, etc) to have ZoFE ship models too.

Since I see that NSC already have an expansion mod for FE models for their ships, it's just the task of asking for the author's permission and then create those ship classes + models for all of ZoFE cultures and make the mod load before ZoFE.

Option 2:

Estimated construction time: 8< hours

In addition to the above, one must also have good knowledge about the NSC mod and knows both mods inside out in terms of balance. Due to the nature of NSC constantly changing stats and balance and this mod also (in a lesser degree), such a mod requires continuous maintenance and monitoring, in addition to PDX game updates. Gameplay wise it will smooth out irregularities between two mods and hopefully balance some economic or other issues that may arise when playing two mods together.

Option 3:

Estimated construction time: varies

Going down this route depending on gathering a wide range of opinions in the hope of 'absorbing' the best aspects of NSC and interpret it in the ZoFE universe. It would require some imagination and creativity from both fans and developers alike, and whether it is viable for a submod also remains to be seen depending on the details being hammered out. But this does have the benefit of a rather low maintenance overall, as you don't have to update to the same schedule of both mods, but only this one.


I hope this helps clear up some stuff.

Thanks

(Please don't eat me)

Option one was what I was I was talking to Chirumiru about earlier. I think a full balance patch would be a waste of time and that first option is the best.

I vote Option 1
All I want is so that when your empire changes to FE ship sets that there are no flying boxes.

If someone wants it to be balanced, they can simply go and make a sub mod for personal or if they get permissions they release a sub patch for balance.


I believe people basically want the option one thats just graphics.

Thank you for making this post.
And thank you for considering to make a comp patch of some type.
Love your mod!!

Hi option 1 too : all NSC classes with FE graphic and no coloured boxes...
Thank a lot for this and your great mod !
regards.

Sounds like option 1 is the place to start either way, although I also think trying to balance them would be a wasted effort. FE ships are kind of supposed to be OP anyway.

Also, while the Goliath is plenty big, an absolutely ♥♥♥♥-off huge FE flagship sounds like fun

I vote also for option 1. Option 2 requires it anyway and option 3 would require copying most of the mod because different people like different aspects of NSC. For example, I installed it mostly for the new starbase tier.

Ok i was wondering if there was liek a secret option 4: allow you to chose to keep your "primitive" shipset and just get a default (or random color) for the AE ships only.

so lets say you have the plantoid ships and get up to an AE but want to keep tolling the lessers with your leafy corvett swarms and also make a fleet for fighting real threats out of your new ship classes. How much work would this take and is it even possable without going though each shipset and adding in the AE ship class skins?

PS: with this mod set I am running with my own mod pack of 43 mods and love it! Just want to be able to keep using any new shipsets I add rather then "upgrade" all of their looks.

Originally posted by HOWL Selkath:

Ok i was wondering if there was liek a secret option 4: allow you to chose to keep your "primitive" shipset and just get a default (or random color) for the AE ships only.

so lets say you have the plantoid ships and get up to an AE but want to keep tolling the lessers with your leafy corvett swarms and also make a fleet for fighting real threats out of your new ship classes. How much work would this take and is it even possable without going though each shipset and adding in the AE ship class skins?

PS: with this mod set I am running with my own mod pack of 43 mods and love it! Just want to be able to keep using any new shipsets I add rather then "upgrade" all of their looks.

Somebody made a mod for that

And where will I find such a mod?

Originally posted by HOWL Selkath:

And where will I find such a mod?

Zenith of the Fallen Empires: Classical Ascension