Hemothep’s Dynamic Difficulty

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Author: hemothep

Last revision: 23 Feb, 2022 at 12:34 UTC (8)

File size: 8.19 KB

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Description:

Attention: This mod has been updated to 3.3. You can still use it under any version from 2.2.0 upwards. Just ignore the out-of-date notification.

Ever had the problem that early game was way to hard and either you die early, or the game becomes boring very soon afterwards? Then you need a Dynamic Difficulty mod!

Do you want to control over every minutia of the games difficulty settings? Do you want to control how strong fallen empires or crisies are in comparison to the rest of the game? Then you found the WRONG mod. Gratak’s mod of the same name is what you are looking for: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1590362799

However: If you just want to install a mod and forget about it, letting it control the difficulty of the game in the backround then you came to right place! Just start a game at any difficulty and watch the AI get stronger after you got stronger. Even a game started on ensign can be challanging.

By the way: Both dynamic difficulty mods are completely compatible. You can customize your starting experience with Gratak’s mod and ensure it doesn’t get stale with this one.

How it works: Except in the cooldown-period after difficulty changes (18 months after increase; 6 months after decrease), this mod will analyse the game state every month. It will look for a ai-empire* that can be considered to be a worthy opponent for the strongest player. This challenger needs to fullfill one of the following criteria:

-The Challenger is at least equivalent in overall comparisson and equivalent in technology.
-The Challenger is at least equivalent in overall comparisson and overwhelming in fleet power.
-The Challenger is at least superior in fleet power and equivalent in technology.
-The Challenger is at least superior in overall comparisson.

If a Challenger has been found, nothing happens. If there is no such ai-empire* then the difficulty is going to be increased by one stage. However if there is a Goliath, a ai-empire* that fullfills one of the following criteria:

-The Goliath is overwhelming in overall comparisson and at least inferior in technology.

Then the difficulty is going to be lowered.

You can install and uninstall anytime you want. It leaves some modifiers behind, that the player never sees and do nothing after you removed it.

Obviously it changes checksum, so no achievements, but there shouldn’t be any issues with any other mod.

*fallen empires, crisies and other anormal empires aren’t considered for the buffs to trigger, but they still get stronger. Beware if you want to conquer the galaxy before endgame. The highest difficulty setting is four times stronger than Grand Admiral.

Changelog (23. Feb 2022; Version 3.3.1.A)

Changelog (22. Nov 2021; Version 3.2.1.A)

Changelog (14. Sep 2021; Version 3.1.1.A)

Changelog (15. Apr 2021; Version 3.0.1.A)
– Many talk about the D, but only few deserve the Phillip.

Changelog (12. Mai 2020; Version 2.7.1.A)
– Maybe may have made some mayhem in may, but maybe not.

Changelog (18. March 2020; Version 2.6.0.A)
– Corona may change our Society, but the Federations DLC won’t change this mod.

Changelog (24. Octobre 2019; Version 2.5.0.A)
– Did not include rock based puns.

Changelog (11. Octobre 2019; Version 2.4.1.A)
– Remembered that I also had to update the localisation.

Changelog (09. Octobre 2019; Version 2.4.0.A)
– Nothing substantial changed. Only the new Launcher required this update.

Changelog (28. July 2019; Version 2.3.3.C):
– Fixed the any_country bug. There is no random element in increasing or decreasing the difficulties anymore.
– Removed economic power as criteria, because the necessary command simply doesn’t work. You can see the new criteria for a worthy opponent above.
– Included a debug mode. This can be activated/deactivated by using the command "event hemo_DyDiff_debug.1" in the console. It will tell you what this mod does to your game, when it does it. It’s main purpose is to help me improve this mod, but it also can be used, so you don’t have to take my word and can see for yourself how it works.
– added a system to identify the mod version.
– changed the cooldown period. It is now 18 months after a increase and 6 months after a decrease. It used to be 13 months for both.

Changelog (25. July 2019; Version 2.3.3.B):
– Completely overhauled the file structure, most importantly the trigger. Everything now follows a single on_action event, which allows for greatly improved complexity of the mod, while improving performance at the same time. The followup events are also spread out over 8 days, as to not put the entire pressure on a single day.
– The mod can no longer jump several stages at once. Instead it will stay at one difficulty setting for at least 13 months.
– The mod no longers compares the overall power of the empires like the contact screen, because in some cases this can meander between inferior and overwhelming. Instead it focusses mainly on economic output and scientific achievement.
– Included build speeds in the buffs, to make it easier for the AI to leverage its additional ressources.
– Every empire will have at most one modifier. Previously each empire got one modifier per stage. Special kind of empires that don’t ever need a buff (the shroud, the global event country and others) are completely excluded. Therefore reducing the overall number of modifiers and improving performance.
– Allies and Federation buddies of player nation no longer get left out of the buffs. Instead they receive a weaker version of the buffs. Subjects of player nations have been included in this category.