[WIP] Hardcore Mod

[beancounter]

TSL Hardcore

 

One thing is sure about TSL, the game is VERY easy. The vast majority of your opponenets are low level and do not provide much of a challenge to the average player. Even the supposed Sith Lords are only level 20. Since your PC could technically be at level 50 this does not provide much of a challenge. This mod will make the game more challenging by increasing the level of your opponents. The amount of the level increase will be based on your level times a muliplier - the stock setting will be 0.5. So when your character is level 20, it will add 10 levels to your opponents. When your character is level 10, it will only add 5 levels to your opponents. This should give a very steady increase in the difficulty of your opponents.

 

If you are worried that this change is too much or you want a really tough game I am setting the mod up so you can easily change the multiplier, thus adjusting the difficulty to what ever level you want! I am even giving the Boss characters their own multiplier so you can boost up the Bosses by one amount and all the other NPC's by another.

 

I am also planning to eventually adjust the NPC's feats, force powers and possibly equipment to make the game more interesting. For instance high level fighters should be able to use master power attack and flurry against your character. As for the equipment, I am thinking of adding a couple of medpacks, grenades and shots. I am not completely sure.

 

On the technical side, all of these adjustments will be done via scripting. This should insure that it is compatable with other mods. Also note that you can not directly increase the level of an NPC via scripting. So this mod calculates the adjustments to THAC0, saving throws, hitpoints, force points and abilities to mimic a level increase.

 

I am open to suggestions in how to improve this mod so any feedback would be appreciated. I should have the program ready for release on this Monday. (I am off work and the wife is not )

[Darth333]

Looks good! Glad you are taking this in hands: we will surely get a top quality hardcore mod!

 

...and don't hesitate to add a few grenades

[Keiko]

Oh, yeah, you should play my save game, I do 200 damage to a peragus mining droid, it only cuts it HP to 1/4, and im lvl 50! But work on it man!

[T7nowhere]

I was thinking about how it would be great to give the npc's better equipment, after all if they have med packs they do use them. But I didn't think it could be done on a global scale

 

If you can do then thats awesome. One thing that is for certain MY Consolars should not be able to plow through Dark jedi with a saber.

[Mav]

I like the whole "giving them items to use" idea, I for one would love to fight a bounty hunter who had Mira's Rocket launcher, that would be sweet.

[RedHawke]

This Hardcore Mod sounds sweet beancounter!

 

Plus being able to set the difficulty ourselves is just... is just... so freakin' cool! *Wipes tear from eye*

[Obex]

This sounds great. Ive been waiting paciently for this ever since you threatened to make it. And a customizable multiplier... almost too good to be true. If you manage to get this out by monday, i will name my first child beancounter in your honor.

 

stupid question: did you remember to cap the level gain to prevent the game from trying to generate npcs beyond level 50?

[beancounter]

Thanks for the comments guys. As for adding equipment I was really only planning to add simple items like Medpacks or Grenades. Even though adding rocket launchers would be cool, I am not sure I could figure it all out. But I can try.

 

The level cap is not really a big deal, all of the adjustments are based of calculations, since you can not change a level through scripting.

 

I was thinking of setting the difficulty modifier as a global variable that the program would check. Then create a armband that could change the variable using dialog. This way you woould not have to recompile the scripts to change the level of difficulty. But, I do not know if this is possible or a good idea. I have never worked with a global variable before and I did not see anything in the stickies. Please let me know if this is possible.

[Enak Xam]

Sounds good to me! just how much harder are you going to make it though?

[Darkkender]

I can't wait beancounter as I'm bored with slicing through high level opponents like a hot knife through butter.

[Grifman]

I want to thank you for your efforts. I just got finished with running through a large group of thugs and it was like a hot butter through a knife. No challenge, I didn't need my NPCs, I didn't need to use any force powers, and I didn't even have my best equipment equipped, just my loaded lightsaber. The game is far too easy, even on difficult. In fact, I'm stopping play until a HC mod comes out - it's just no challenge. Again, thanks.

[beancounter]

Thanks again for the comments. The mod is all done and I will be uploading it up to PCGAMEMODS soon. I have killed the idea of using an armband to change the mod - I could not figure out how to make it work. So you will have to recompile the scripts to make any changes. I know some of you *HATE* anything with scripting, so I have tried my best to make it as simple and clear as possible.

 

Also, I am not adding additional equipment through this mod - it causes certain NPC's to act buggy. And I figure their is enough bugs in this game without me adding more! I could probably resolve them, but it would take a couple of weeks. And I do not want to keep everyone waiting!

[Grifman]

Beancounter, thanks, you've saved my game - it was just getting too easy. I don't know how much you've playtested it, but I will definitely use it and give you my feedback ASAP. I just got into an area with a ton of bad guys so I'll be able to easily compare before and after since I had already done a run through pre-mod. I'll be looking for your mod. Again, thanks.