Critics of The Zenith of Fallen Empires 3.0 have often cited the "disastrous" mod compatibility that the country type change causes, but when asked which specific mod isn’t compatible, or what issues could arise from it that couldn’t be fixed with a simple patch, they often answer with silence. Nevertheless, this misinformation had been allowed to circulate in the community because players didn’t understand compatibility as a spectrum, but rather, a simple black-and-white issue. So I'm back to address this misinformation for good.

The Zenith of Fallen Empires 4.0 now offers two distinct modes, the Vanilla Mode and the Sandbox Mode. Vanilla Mode does not change country type on Ascension while Sandbox Mode does, so it is important to distinguish the compatibility of each. Sandbox will provide all the features of the mod including the vanilla overrides required, while Vanilla will have limited features but greater compatibility.

If you have modded ZoFE 3.0 before, you may be familiar with the is_zofe_compatible = yes trigger, which can be used to replace all instances of is_country_type = default found in every single mod, should you wish their features be usable by the new country types introduced in this mod.

In 4.0, this scripted trigger is no more, and is instead replaced with a new scripted trigger: is_playable_country = yes. This scripted trigger is more powerful than the 3.0 version since it will include all playable country types added by other mods too, and is similar in function to other mods that have a scripted trigger based on the same code. While PDX is slowly replacing some of their own triggers with playable countries, this still only accounts for roughly 30% of their code, so ZoFE country type change still remains ahead of its time for now.

The country type change is actually a ZoFE feature since 2017, and no other mod does this at the time. No other contemporary mod did the graphical change either. But there is a price to pay for being ahead of its time, and I can assure you that I, the modder, have had to work twice as hard just to create workarounds after each update over the last six years.

Many mods have since attempted to clone or overwrite aspects of ZoFE, feeding off of the work I started and made inferior knockoffs of it on Steam, but I persist because I believe my vision is worth saving and that there are players that really appreciate what this mod has to offer, and will remain by my side. I am very grateful to have met many passionate fans of this series, whose support have given me strength to continue to mod for you all.

With this post, I intend to communicate the most accurate information about the compatibility situation of Zenith of Fallen Empires 4.0, and I implore my fans that if the misinformation about ZoFE continues in your proximity, you may find this information helpful in clearing it up.


Since Compatibility is a spectrum, I will provide a list of ratings and attribute these to each mode of ZoFE 4.0.

• Compatible – No issues. Can play together without a patch.
  
  
• Minor Issues – Minor issues reported. Can play together without a patch.
  
  
• Requires Patch – Major issues reported. Requires a compatibility patch.
  
  
• Overlap – Overlapping of content or functionality leading to a cluttered game.
  
  
• Incompatible – Not recommended. Play together at your own risk.

That said, I will attempt to update this list when new information comes in. It will be impossible for me to keep track of mod developments everywhere, so I am relying on player reports here. If a mod is not listed in here, it simply means that I have no information on it until someone reports it to me – not because it is necessarily incompatible. So please don’t ask me about X or Y mods that are not in here because the most likely scenario is that I don’t have the information you seek.



Vanilla: Overlap
Sandbox: Overlap

Originally a submod of ZoFE 2.0, the two mods have a great deal of duplicate technologies and concepts due to their shared roots. You’ll have to pick and choose carefully from both mods’ menus to avoid a cluttered game.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

ZoFE doesn’t touch AI in any way. The new country types use the special Fallen Empire AI, and if it improves FE AI, ZoFE will be improved as a result.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

No issues. However, ZoFE components won’t use the new graphics introduced by Amazing Space Battles, since they use vanilla graphics. Do look out for a potential strike-craft behaviour issue and if it happens, I'll revive the old ASB/ZoFE patch to fix it.



Vanilla: Incompatible
Sandbox: Incompatible

Although initially marketed as a compatibility patch between ZoFE and ACoT, it doesn’t actually serve that function any longer. ZoFE never needed it to run. Allowing it to override ZoFE simply means you aren’t actually playing ZoFE as it was designed, but the way the AoT author wanted you to play ZoFE.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Minor Issues

Depending on the mod. Sandbox overrides the Archaeoengineers perk to provide damage bonuses to Lost Technologies, which is the only thing ZoFE changes regarding Ascension Perks.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

A lot of people use building slot mods to maximise the automated buildings provided by ZoFE. Is it overpowered? Yes. But is it compatible? Also yes.



Vanilla: Overlap
Sandbox: Overlap

Mods that provide ship and weapon components have a tendency to overlap in terms of function, stats, or theme, leading to duplicate technologies or components that are simply ‘better’ than others. Select “Masters of Warfare” to OFF in the content menu to disable components provided by ZoFE to avoid clutter.



Vanilla: Incompatible
Sandbox: Incompatible

Star Wars or Star Trek type conversion changes most aspects of the game, so it won’t be compatible with the vanilla nature of ZoFE.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

Flags, Emblems, Galaxy view etc are mods that don’t interfere with ZoFE whatsoever.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

Just make sure you don’t accidentally make crises super hard by selecting super high difficulties in both mods. The difficulty modifiers will stack.



Vanilla: Incompatible
Sandbox: Incompatible

Their author said, and I quote, “it would be stupid to use both mods at the same time anyway”. Go figure.



Vanilla: Requires Patch
Sandbox: Requires Patch

ZoFE is heavily entrenched in vanilla ethics, as the Fallen Empires are entrenched in 4 fanatic ethics. It’s difficult to even handle 3 ethic points, let alone mods that allow you to have 2 fanatic ethics which the ZoFE infrastructure isn’t really designed for. A patch is required to take these into consideration as well as adding the relevant ZoFE content to the new fanatic ethics, which is no small feat in itself should someone attempt this. However, if you only use vanilla fanatic ethics, a patch may not be required.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Minor Issues

The worst thing that can happen is that the event won’t fire for the country types added by this mod. The easiest thing to do in that case would be to replace every instance of the is_country_type = default requirement to is_playable_country = yes. And if you’re a modder, try to include the same scripted trigger in your own mod or make a similar one that uses the same code. It’s a small change that doesn’t require a lot of effort.



Vanilla: Minor Issues
Sandbox: Minor Issues

I have heard some reports regarding ringworld models that use Fallen Empire textures in ZoFE. And the Ancient Custodians may not be able to damage the Compound. Dyson-Ringworld Custom systems on Sandbox may also not spawn correctly. Trying to turn the bigger ringworld systems into utopian ringworlds will also result in a graphical glitch.



Vanilla: Minor Issues
Sandbox: Incompatible

Make sure to keep your graphical culture during A Question of Style (or switch it to OFF) as there are no FE models provided for the new ship classes being added, which could either lead to fallback textures and models, or turrets on FE ships. Ascended Empire AI do not build non-FE ships as they are not scripted to do so. Crash has been reported when used with Sandbox.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

Namelist Mods are pretty much compatible with everything.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

Portrait Mods are pretty much compatible with everything.



Vanilla: Requires Patch
Sandbox: Requires Patch

System scaling can cause issues, and may require a patch such as adjusting ZoFE weapon component range or ship speeds, or ringworld models. Without system scaling they are compatible.



Vanilla: Minor Issues
Sandbox: Minor Issues

Make sure to keep your graphical culture during A Question of Style (or switch it to OFF) as there are no FE models provided for the new ship classes being added, which could either lead to fallback textures and models, or turrets on FE ships. Ascended Empire AI do not build non-FE ships as they are not scripted to do so. That said, I don't know what other issues it could cause.



Vanilla: Requires Patch
Sandbox: Requires Patch

Any mod that makes vanilla ships ‘smaller’ will make them smaller, but the ZoFE ships will remain big. If you want to make the FE ships in ZoFE small, make/use a patch and reduce their size in the same manner.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

ZoFE doesn’t touch the UI in any way, and as such all UI mods are compatible.



Vanilla: Compatible
Sandbox: Compatible

Official ZoFE submods listed in the playlist will always be compatible.