Major Stress Major Stress

[MOD WIP] Star Trek: Sacrifice of Angels 2 (updated 01/10/09)

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[MOD WIP] Star Trek: Sacrifice of Angels 2 (updated 01/10/09)

from Sins Forums

Featured (by a small mention) in the October edition of PC Gamer magazine

Candidate for Mod Database's 2008 Mod of the Year

This is the OLD "Work in Progress" thread for the Star Trek: Sacrifice of Angels 2 mod.

The new WIP topic is here https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/342747

The "Release" topic can be found here https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/322473


The mod is intended to be a hommage, and tribute to the original Sacrifice of Angels mod for Homeworld. It will use many of the same models, and effects created for that mod by the Trekmods team. Like the original SoA mod SoA2 is set during the Dominion War era of Star Trek. Using both canon, and non-canon units to recreate those battles with Sins "empire building" mechanic added. Like in SoA you can fight battles in SoA2 using hundreds of starships. Sometimes thousands if your computer can handle it ;)

While the mod was not intended as a "Total Conversion". That is exactly what it is winding up being. There is much about the Sins engine, and mechanics that we still need to learn. There are some hard coded stumbling blocks we have to overcome.

The factions will be the Federation, Klingons, Romulan, and the Dominion (with Breen, and Cardassian ally units). The main factions seen in the Dominion War. With a "Surprise" as the Pirate faction.

Factions like the Borg "may" be added in the future. LokiGodofMischief is working on a very good 3rd party Borg add on for SoA 2. It is very possible his add on may be merged with SoA 2 at a much later time.

The current version of SoA 2 is  0.03b   "The Second Dominion War". Look for it here  https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/322473

0.03b only works with Sins versions 1.1, 1.11, and 1.12.

All previous versions of SoA 2 are obsolete, and will not be supported, or hosted anymore. All older version downloads will be removed.

We will NOT port SoA 2 over to Entrenchment until after Entrenchment is out of beta, and released. Along with proper forge tool updates.

I am working on the models mostly ALONE so it may take a while for any new ship model updates.

Darkshimmer is the Balancing guru, Code monkey, and Master at arms. We do have other contributers, and the best 3rd party work from the finest artists in the trek mod community to help make SoA 2 the best it can be.

Status of Demo 0.04  "The actors are in place" 

Will update when i have news.

General Changes:

Manshooters Volumetric Explosions mod will be included as of 0.03a

May include Sins Plus (planets), but ill need to see how much that mod needs changing to incorporate into SoA 2.

SoA 2 0.03 and above is now patch 1.1, and better compatable. Sins patches 1.11, and 1.12 only address balancing, and online exploits, and have no effect on the mod.

Ships will have some anti stike craft weaponry.

Ships are still being added and balanced accordingly.

More re-balancing so that one faction is not overpowered over the other.

The Federation:

Faction is complete. Only structures left

The Klingon Empire

Faction is complete. Only structures left.

The Romulan Star Empire:

Faction is complete. Only structures left

The Dominion:

Faction is complete. Still needs balancing work.

Pirates:

They were going to be the Borg, but that idea failed. So we are looking into Random multirace ship spawns.

Planetary Defenders

Basically "Ships of the week" like the Maquis, Sona, Ferrengi, Tammarian battle cruisers and the like.

Balancing:  Darkshimmer has the Federation, Romulan, and Klingon Empire, and Unified Dominion balanced.

Gameplay: We now have a working Cloaking Device! Check the ModDB page for the WIP video. Cloaking will not be fully implemented in the mod until version 0.04

Art: We are working on an LCARS style UI, adding proper icons, and pictures for all of the new units. The UI is going to take a while to do, because of all of the redundancy of the Sins UI. SoA 2 uses 2 sets of UI textures. Instead of the standard 4 textures for buttons, and 2 textures for icons. SoA 2 uses 8 textures for buttons, and 4 textures for icons which IMO is a major waste of resources, because sins loads all these textures at startup. Unfortunetly i dont see any other way to do it. What is kind of cool is that we dont have to use the same HUD for each faction. It is possible to have unique HUDs, but again the perfomance hit, because of the extra drain on resources could be big, and not worth it.

In Planning: (No promises, or guarentees, but we will try to add these if possible.)

Troop Transport effects.

Planetary invasion animations

Tractor beams. (need a code monkey for this)

Whatever else we can think of and are capable of doing.

Future Updates:

SoA 2 0.04 is now in planning, and will be focused primarily on Proper research trees, Ability's, and adding proper Structures. More than likely demo 0.04 will be the last demo. After that then the full mod should be ready.

SoA 2 0.05 will be the final spit, and polish of the mod. It will focus mainly on re-balancing if needed. Also final artwork changes will be made here. Which will include some ship model re-builds, and re-texturing.

The Full SoA 2 1.0 mod will be released "When it is Finished". We are doing this on our own free time. We aren't getting paid to do this. We have no set schedule. We have no time limit. I want this one to be good. So it wont go online until we feel it is ready.

*NOTE: Much about Sins as we are all now realizing is hardcoded. SoA 2 is going to be far from a perfect "trek" mod due to these hardcoded issues. However we will try to do the best we can with workarounds, and compromises to get it as close as possible. Like i said some things wont be perfect. Some things cannot be done at all. Enjoy the mod for what it is, and try not to be too "nit picky".

SoA2 will be hosted on Mod Database once it is ready http://www.moddb.com/mods/star-trek-sacrifice-of-angels-2

This main header will be updated when i have news to post.





modding
4,108,208 views 1,754 replies
Reply #301 from Sins Forums Top
This sounds like it'll be amazing. I look forward to playing this when its finished :D

That being said, here are some unsolicited suggestions regarding important Treky systems for maps. :CONGRAT:

The Betreka Nebula site of the infamous 18 year long Betreka Nebula "Incident" between the Cardies and the Klingons.

The Mutara Nebula, because everyone loves Khan.

The Chintoka System.

Betazed, because several core Fed systems were threatened when the Dominion took that system... (not sure if that's what you meant by "Beta Z" though)

The Dorvan System in the former DMZ (could be a whole bunch of planets from in or near the DMZ like Setlik and the aforementioned Portas system with the Breen)

Thats all I can think of for now that I'd ideally add in if I were on the team.

No comment on the Borg. However, I do feel that the Maquis are a little inappropriate for Pirates. And I love the idea of Orions.
Reply #302 from Sins Forums Top
dude this is like the best thing ever now only if some one will make a stargate mod to and this game would be my hands down favorite for years to come ^_^

i don't really have anything i can contribute sorry but i will wish you guys good luck.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #303 from Sins Forums Top
dude this is like the best thing ever now only if some one will make a stargate mod to and this game would be my hands down favorite for years to come ^_^ i don't really have anything i can contribute sorry but i will wish you guys good luck.


Im working on one, you should check the forums a little more, lol. Im not going to infringe on Major Stress's thread, but if you look around you cant miss it.

@ Major Stress, how are things coming with your model? Did my little guide help at all?

Reply #304 from Sins Forums Top

Just a thought for the pirates...

Since you cant find another way to use the borg, and the pirates don't seem to do much more than blow things up anyway, Why not have a rare chance that a borg cube warps in and starts blowing things to hell.

It would take an entire fleet to take down, and if you arn't careful, will rampage unchecked through your empire.

Its sure a hell of alot more interesting than regular pirates or Maquis, who may i point out, were wiped out by the Jem Haddar.
Reply #305 from Sins Forums Top
that's what ive been sayin for a long time now.

u could also make the raid strength determine the type of borg ship.

as in a sphere in smaller and a cube in large raids.

however u need to be carefull how often they come so they dont mass up and destroy everything and everyone since they should be pretty strong.
Reply #306 from Sins Forums Top
u would have to take out the bounty system for realism with the borg though as with ferengi or something u dont.

i mean imagine payin the borg to attack ur neighbor :NOTSURE:
Reply #307 from Sins Forums Top
Is there any place I can download the current ships from? I see some nice looking models in game, but don't know where to download from or how to import.

Thanks
Reply #308 from Sins Forums Top
Is there any place I can download the current ships from? I see some nice looking models in game, but don't know where to download from or how to import. Thanks


No. As stated by Stress in the original post:

I will answer the inevitable question of "When will it be released?" now. "When it is finished". We are doing this on our own free time. We have no set schedule. No time limit. I want this to be good. So it wont go online until we feel it is ready.
Reply #309 from Sins Forums Top
...because Stargate didn't have as many cool and uniquely dinstinguishable ships as the epic Star Trek did.

(I'm also a big fan of Stargate as well)
Reply #310 from Sins Forums Top
Maybe u can make the borg like the Antarians (or something spelled like that) in MOO2?
Reply #311 from Sins Forums Top
All this debate about 'to Borg or not to Borg' is really nonsensical until something actually gets accomplished. All I see is crying about stuff that should be added into this mod, and NOTHING has been accomplished so far. So build your Borg and go play with yourslf. Maybe you guys could just get SOMETHING or ANYTHING done for this mod!

Talk is cheap. I've seen nothing so far and read a bunch of hubub.
Reply #312 from Sins Forums Top
All this debate about 'to Borg or not to Borg' is really nonsensical until something actually gets accomplished. All I see is crying about stuff that should be added into this mod, and NOTHING has been accomplished so far. So build your Borg and go play with yourslf. Maybe you guys could just get SOMETHING or ANYTHING done for this mod! Talk is cheap. I've seen nothing so far and read a bunch of hubub.


When we have something to show, trust me you'll get to see it.

As has been stated numerous times before, and i'll say it again:

NO BORG IN THIS MOD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

If you think you have something to offer in assistance to getting this mod done, please feel free to sign up at our site and express your interest.

digital-Underground
Reply #313 from Sins Forums Top
u would have to take out the bounty system for realism with the borg though as with ferengi or something u dont.i mean imagine payin the borg to attack ur neighbor


Maybe not pay them to attack your neighbor... but perhaps "pay" to modify a beacon to attract the attention of their sensors??? It IS Star Trek after all what would it be without modulating the sensor arrays... :-)

""
Reply #314 from Sins Forums Top
Meh, I'm a huge Star Trek fan... However I don't think we need a mod that just makes another game about Star Trek combat. Star Trek was NEVER about combat, it was about exploration and discovery. Star Trek crews openly try to avoid combat. Why is it that every game every to come out based on Star Trek is about combat when that goes against all that the Federation stood for? We really need a Trek mod for a 4x game like Space Empires.

OK, my rant is over. I'm sure some people will love this mod, best of luck to you.
Reply #315 from Sins Forums Top
Dunii - you're asking for an RPG/adventure game. This is an RTS. RTS games are, and always have been, about combat.
Reply #316 from Sins Forums Top
When we have something to show, trust me you'll get to see it.As has been stated numerous times before, and i'll say it again:NO BORG IN THIS MOD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.If you think you have something to offer in assistance to getting this mod done, please feel free to sign up at our site and express your interest.digital-Underground


I can't explain how happy that makes me. To be honest even the remote possibility of borg had me turned off of this mod completely. Take your time and do it right the first time.
Reply #317 from Sins Forums Top
Star Trek was NEVER about combat


Dunii if i remember correctly they said they were planning on focusing on time of the dominion war. So despite federation using combat as a last resort, they were in a war so wouldn't have much of an alternative.
Reply #318 from Sins Forums Top
Dunii, you are right, Star Trek was based on Exploration, Science, Diplomacy, and occasionally having to punch an alien in the face. I agree a game with those quailities would be awesome (which is why I'm ticked that Star Trek Online is gone), but there is no way to turn a 4x game into the kind of game you're talking about w/out making it (sorry to say) boring. The diplomacy options are extremely limited, and once you explored, what would you do then? You could create random events to keep you on your toes, but for an overall great replay value, it wouldn't fly. I'm not trying to bash you, I just wanted to tell you they were thinking when all these combat cames/mods came out about Trek.
Reply #319 from Sins Forums Top
I am unfamiliar with mods, but do they include Star Trek sounds/voices/fx noises?

I am excited about this mod. If it doesn't have Trek sounds, I would be more than happy to cannibalize my Armada I and II games for wav files to substitute (if that's possible).
Reply #320 from Sins Forums Top
any chance on a pic or update? not bugging you guys but i thought maybe a word or picture or two from the team once every couple weeks would be good to keep the thread alive, and keep us from debating the same points over and over again...
Reply #321 from Sins Forums Top
Have and of you guys played StarFleet Command I, II, or III?

There are literally about 1,000 already made ships with meshes and textures available online for SFC3, could you use those in a mod for Sins?
Reply #322 from Sins Forums Top
SOASETM - look at the models made for SFCIII, then look at the Sovereign Stress posted earlier in this thread. See the difference? Several thousand polygons and 2-4x the texture quality. The mod team appears to be shooting for a much higher standard of quality than SFCIII (which is now six years old). Besides, they've already got a ton of models they made for Bridge Commander that they're porting over, and are designing an entirely new fleet of Breen ships.
Reply #323 from Sins Forums Top
I just thought a few hundred or thousands actual finished meshes and texture maps of some of the more popular ships, would be of value. Even if they were low poly models. There are lots in the 3-9k poly range. I have no idea if that is good or not sufficient.

I just thought I'd add that they are easily obtainable and free and already done.

Suppose we get some general criteria from the mod team about what type of models they want to use quality-wise. Also who's in charge and where are we coordinating efforts?

Thanks

JBD
Reply #324 from Sins Forums Top
Hey, Just thought I'd throw out some pics of a model I've been working on. <