Total Convertion Mod: Fragmented Sectors

[Okim]

Hey all!

 

It was a long while since i posted smth here, so i have no idea if the forums are still alive and community is still interested in modder`s works around here.

 

Anyway, i would like to share a bit of info on my current (and probably the last) grand project - TCM: FC mod for Sword of The Stars.

 

 

What is TCM: FC?

 

It is a story of humanty`s reincarnation after a devastating interstellar war with... humanity itself. The thing is - in Fragmented Sectors universe humanity never really united under one banner and ended up colonising space not as some SolForce or Terran Hegemony or whatever else single human species, but as multiple independent rivaling factions.

 

The initial colonisation was peaceful and factions managed to grow wide and large, but in the end it all went wrong and a full scale war burned all these factions into pre-warp isolated and abandoned worlds scattered all over the once 'civilized' space. Without connection to their empires, without the supplies so badly needed for growing, without any military forces except for local militia - these worlds barely could survive the hardships of their worlds. Many such worlds never managed to recover, some were raided by marauders, but a few managed to preserve the technologies and traditions of their founding empires.

 

One such lost world which managed to secure what little technology and resources were left after the war comes under player`s control. Eager to crawl out of the ruins back into space your people are ready to follow you under your banner and under whatever fancy name you come up with for your newly reborn empire!

 

In TCM:FC there are no living alien species in proximity to old Earth. The entire sector the game takes place was once the center of humanity civil war. Whatever artifacts and derelicts you find, whatever ancient menaces are lurking the void - they are all products of human empires of old.

 

 

 

Factions

 

The mod is centered around old Earth unions that were established when the FTL travel became available. These factions are Russian Stellar Federation, Independent Stars of Americas, United Interstellar Nations, Xin Lao Empire. These four were responsible for the war and are considered to be 'major' factions of old.

 

The other two factions are relatively young and should be seen as children of that apocalypse. They are the Federation of Free Stars and Marauder Clans.

 

RSF.

 

Formed from old Russia and its allies including some of the Soviet Union former states. Isolationists, preffering to be kept alone.

 

RSF are to replace vanilla SOTS Hivers meaning that they will do whatever they want often ignoring others. They do expand agressively, but do that slowly.

 

RSF ships are sturdy, but slow. Very well armed, but focused on frontal assaults and thus can easily be outmaneuvered.

 

ISA.

 

Former USA in its entiriety with Japan and South America nations being either absorbed or allied. Interventive idealists willing to expand their influence.

 

ISA replaces vanilla Humans in the mod, which makes them the fastest to expand and make contact with. They strike fast if they are up to that, but also are adequate in terms of diplomacy.

 

ISA ships are fast, balanced and always carry missiles. Always!

 

UIN.

 

European Union with Australia, African states and Canada merged into. Ruthless traditionalists that judge by strength first and culture next.

 

UIN replaces tarkas with all the inherited diplomacy and strategies. They are hard to make peace if you are weak, but are respective if you can stand for yourself.

 

UIN ships focus on broadside warfare with most of their weapons capable of focus fire at each of the sides.

 

XLE.

 

Chineese and India alliance with many other near by nations absorbed into a vast Empire. XLE are the most peaceful faction of all available often preffering to make peace as soon as possible.

 

XLE replaces vanilla Liir species. This means that they are eager to cooperate more than anyone else.

 

Ships of this faction are swift and deadly. They are bird-like in looks and are being designed to use vertical axis more than traditional horisontal as other factions have.

 

FFS.

 

Federation of Free Stars are a young alliance of several surviving worlds that was formed as a desperate measure to withstand arising Marauders threat in their sector. Being formed from worlds of various factions they decided to leave away all the hostilities of the past and form a new nation rather then preserve traditions of those who have failed before them.

 

FFS are vanilla Morrigi with emphasize on trade over war. They can trade with anyone else they have contact with.

 

FFS ships are very fast and always carry drones. However, they are not very well armed.

 

MAR (Marauders).

 

This 'faction' is more a group of bands and clans rather than anything centralised that can be called a 'faction'. Marauders raid, enslave, kill, raze, steal and defile everything in their way. Peace is rarely an option for them.

 

Marauders are Zuul. It is believed that they were formed from remnants of the border worlds that suffered the worst of the war. Their unique immunity to bioweapons make a good support for this probably being the result of the constant exposure to such hazards during the war.

 

Marauders fly on abominations of whatever salvaged ships and parts they were able to come by. These scrap build vessels are fragile, but fast and deadly.

 

 

Info sources.

 

The mod has its own page on the official SOTS forums here:

https://www.kerberos-...hp?f=16&t=57976

 

And a gallery of images on my personal Behance account here:

https://www.behance....548965/SOTS-TCM

 

I keep slowly progressing with this mod and try to release some updates on the progress in the official thread above. So, be in touch

 

Some screenshots of in-game RSF ships:

 

[Space Voyager]

Wow, great to see you again, Okim!

 

Your dedication is unbelievable. Modding a game this old... I'm not too surprised though, to me SOTS Prime is still the best space strategy I played. What I played is a big factor now, there are A LOT of games I missed. Last I tried was Endless Space 2 and it was ok. It has a lot of good moments - especially battles - but the overall picture was "nothing really breathtaking".

 

You mod sounds very interesting! Kinda like "The Mandate" promised to be as far as factions go. When do you think you'll have something playable?

[Okim]

Yeah, i`m glad to be back into modding SOTS once again. In those many years since i started and finished the first mod of mine for SOTS - i graduated, married, got two kids one of which is now at school!

And still as you said - there is nothing out there that is equal or even close to SOTS. Even Stellaris with its overdosed variety of choices and stuff is not that inspiring as SOTS.

 

As for the mod`s playable version - it will take a while. I`m progressing way too slowly. The pace is around 3 models + textures for them in 2 weeks. And to cover at least DEs for a single faction i need 45 such models (each one is a section).

 

Rough estimates are summer. Around this time i might have 2-3 factions ready.

 

-- == --

 

I would like to ask for some assistance since there is smth i can`t do myself for this mod. I need voice actors!

Since all the factions in the mod are humans and vanilla`s are aliens with unique accents and traditions inspired phrases - i need people to record all of the phrases for each faction. Probably also a person to write these down in a proper way.

 

So, if there are volunteers - please let me know!

[Okim]

New models (renders for now):

[Okim]

Screenshots from the testing of new models:

 

[Space Voyager]

I was wondering - how much can you do about the AI? Especially battle AI which wasn't SotS' strong side?

 

Beautiful models. I hope your inspiration stays, this is a huge undertaking.

[Okim]

Not much. Especially in regards to combat AI.

There are some values to adjust how fast AI makes checks on various things and how it reacts, but it all includes mainly collision, general movement and weapon choices.

 

As for the strategic - there are ways to influence some choices by costs and tech requirements. This is not much though and is not really directly linked to AI.

[Okim]

 

And the first custom avatar for Russians: