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I'm actually quite surprised to not see UI mods in the master wishlist at the top of this thread. There is currently no ability to mod the UI layout or functionality. While I really like this game, to me the first thing that needs to be modded before even considering any internal data changes like races etc is to be able to address some of the limitations of the UI itself. Consider ship management for instance. It is extremely tedious to manage ships from the current ship page. I'd love to be able to add filters to each field to further narrow down the view and even additional columns for information not currently displayed. It would also be nice to be able to make certain pages/windows larger or resizable/re-positionable. For me, this is necessary before even considering other types of changes.

So my request is to be able to mod the UI properly and not just theme and skin it.

- More dynamic Luxury goods and resources -

1. Increased range Resource1Amount in /race/.txt allowing a negative modifier and increasing the max cap by x10 or more
so that PopulationGrowthRate has a possible range of (-100) to (1000)

why?
-I want to crate a race that is dependent on a specific resource to procreate
example: a Mecca race that has natural growth of 1.01, but with access to necros stone that increases to 1.10 (or more)


2. ResourceEffects in resource.txt

how?

depending on how it is coded you could
define a ResourceEffect as you define DISTRIBUTION AND PREVALENCE INFORMATION on planets
so in LocationType where it asks for planet(0)/asteroid(1)/gascloud(2) you define ResourceEffect instead with (-1 or 3)
so the line would be - DefineResourceEffect, ResourceEffect, ResourceAmount, ResourceAppliesToRace, ResourceAppliesOnlyToSource

where:
DefineResourceEffect = flag to define that it is a ResourceEffect and not a Location Type
ResourceEffect = The effect of the resource on this race at colonies. (see p. 36 in mod guide)
ResourceAmount = Amount of resource effect, may be a percentage value. (see p. 36 in mod guide) With extended range to allow negative values.
ResourceAppliesToRace = Which race the bonus is provided to. Race Index Number or (-1) for all.
ResourceAppliesOnlyToSource = Specifies whether the resource effect only applies when the resource is naturally occurring at a colony (i.e. mined at the colony) (Y(1)/N(0))


why?

-Adds more diversity to Resources and races
-Adds possibility to create a luxury good that increases one stat but decreases another, so more happiness but decreased productivity/research/growth (narcotics)


3. Contraband checkbox in-game (if possible)

what?
A checkbox in resources view in expansion window that flags if the resource is a contraband in the empire.

effect?
-stops mining of the resource within the empire
-stops private ships in the empire from carrying the resource
-doubles the price of the resource within the empire
-ships found with the resource is flagged as an enemy
-if there are contraband resources on a planet corruption increases (+5/contraband type)


why?
-If nr1 on my list is included, some races might not want to consume resources with negative bonuses.
-gives more possibilities for pirates to create revenue.
-This can also be expanded further for pirates. Adding border control functions to space stations and planets and “safeport” facility to pirates to circumvent those.


4. Population as a resource (moral gray area)

what?
-another population policy "Harvest", essentially between enslave and exterminate.
-Harvest produces a resource from the population on the planet. The amount is based on population times growth (essentially the population growth is transformed into the resource).
-Exterminate also produces the resource (why waste?).
-witch resource is produced by a specific race population is defined in /race/.txt as RaceRecource followed by the resource number, while the resource itself in defined in resource as normal.
(-possibly happiness drop if a /races/ RaceRecource is consumed where the /race/ is located, but this can be added in resources.txt if nr2 is included)


why?
-soylent Green recource
-sometimes you want to be scum of the galaxy
-moral choice, do you want to be a good guy or get access to a special resource you otherwise don't get access to but everyone hates you for it.
-adds possibility to create parasitic races that needs to use other races to grow.

Greetings

I would like to make request, if possible (which I believe is), an option that defines wether a race/(faction) can start/spawn as independent alien life.

Like the options that defines wether a race can be/is pirate, empire, colonize, playable. Because if you want to add a "race" that's not really a race but more a faction/alliance/coalition of several races. It doesn't feel right that those "races"/factions spawn/start as independent alien life. To counter, that there is no alien life of their "race"/faction I would then "simply"(at least in theory?) ex. increase pop growth and migration rate. This option should be easy to implant.

Another request i would like to make but have no clue if possible.

Since you can set policy on colonies, to, assimilate, exterminate, resettle, enslave.
Is there a way to add an option policy that "converted"/"forced to convert", "join"/"enlist", "convert or die" kind of thing, so that a faction that could not spawn as independent life could make other races, join/convert to their faction/"race", meaning that a pop of 1000m human would slowly (depending on some rate factor in race/policy) convert/join to a faction's "race".
ex: in a star wars mod, to make The galactic republic (which i made a new species for, multi-species since is not a single race but several races working together) able to convert/enlist humans and other races into their "race"/faction so that the 1000m humans would over time turn into 1000m galactic republic "race".
And also so that you can define which "races"/factions that could have these policies so races that are races, cant make other races into their race, since they are a race and not a faction.

I hope you understand what i am writing and what i am trying to say. .

regards

Chaplin

Please add the ability/button to reload a currently selected mod without having to load to a different mod then back again! Please? [8|]

Is there a mod that removes galactic storms?