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DESCRIPTION
This Homeworld 2 mod adds a third race allows you to play as or against in multiplayer and skirmish games. Known simply as "the Pirates", their sleek strike craft and quick capital ships strike fear into any opponent. This mod also implements minor universal gameplay changes and adds additional ships to the existing hiigaran and vaygr navies.
THE PIRATES MOD TEAM
Homer Jr. – Ex Mod leader, Key Advisor
Thunderbolt – New Team Leader
Many others that will be added as the topic goes on
OTHER MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS
Fearing
Evillejedi
Bones v2.0
GoBears
DarthVaygr
Tefeari
Mikail
Cleron
THANK YOUS
Fearing, Greggy, EvilleJedi, and Typo91 for letting me use their ship models
Bones v2.0 for the initial concept and motivation
Thesamonthemoon for letting me include his Capture the Megalith gamemode
Everyone currently working on, thinking about, or just increasing the view count on the pirate mod (too many to list)
The entire HW2 modding community for all their help, energy, and dedication!
Anyone else I forgot
REVISION HISTORY
v0.3
- Fully functional Pirate AI (does not research armor/health upgrades or build weapon subsystems)
- Several new deathmatch maps
- Removed all fighter and corvette salvage (improve system performance)
- Changed Light Bomber weapon fx
- Fixed Light Bomber improved bombs research
- Incorporated Mikail's random backgrounds and random music to skirmish maps
- New attack styles for Interceptor, MCG, Strike Frigate, Artillery Frigate, Light Destroyer, Flak Frigate, Assault Frigate
- Reduced Pirate Interceptor squad size from 7 to 6
- Added Pirate Resource Controller (sorry, no new model here)
- Commandeer Corvettes, Attack Carriers, and Salvage Collectors have intrinsic cloaking ability
- Reduced number of hull defense guns on Barataria's Hammer
- Increased Strike Frigate armor
- Added Artillery Frigate unit cap (8)
- Battleships can build heavy flak turrets instead of ion cannon turrets
- Lots of tweaks and balancing
v0.2
- Partial Pirate voice set added
- Pirate Shipyard (name changed to pirate Battle Station) can now build production subsystems, weapon subsystems, and all ship classes
- Pirate Battleship firepower increased slightly
- Pirate Battle Carrier can now build fusion missile launchers
- Pirate Carriers and shipyards can now cloak for twice as long as normal
- Pirate Shipyard built with cloak module
- Pirate Light Carrier now has intrinsic cloaking ability
- Pirate Light Carriers can now build ships properly
- Pirate hull defense gun accuracy decreased
- Several other bug fixes
v0.1
- New pirate Battleship model
- Added Battleship Ion Cannon Turret Upgrades
- New pirate Light Destroyer model
- New pirate Raider Destroyer model
- New Strength of Libertatia (Battle Carrier) model
- Boarding Frigate and Comandeer Corvette cost significantly reduced
- Attack Carrier cost and build time reduced
- Attack Carriers no longer require attack carrier research
- Attack Carriers can no longer build frigates
- Tweaked Artillery Frigate missile behavior
- Artillery Frigate armor reduced
- Hiigaran Gunship accuracy increased
- New hyperspace sfx
- New main menu music
v0.0.9.2
- Fixed hyperspace buoys so that pirate Battleships can use them
- Increased pirate Battleship speed, weapon range
v0.0.9.1
- Fixed Artillery Frigate missile speed
- New Pirate Heavy Carrier ambient sfx
- Added/updated pirate ship descriptions
- Tweaked research tree yet again
v0.0.9
- Added Traders Hell gametype
- Added Pirate Mobilizer Corvette
- Added Pirate Hyperspace Buoy
- All pirate ships (except for heavy carriers and raider destroyers) can no longer hyperspace without hyper buoys
- Artillery Frigate missile speed increased, increased damage to heavy armor, decreased damage to medium armor
- Strike Fighter speed decreased
- Tweaked research tree
v0.0.8
- CPU can now play as the pirate race
- Added new weapon sfx for pirate fighters, light destroyer
- Added new music from HW1 (play CTM maps to hear it)
- New pirate comandeer corvette
- Pirate research tree reworked (ship upgrades no longer require prerequisite research)
- Pirate Heavy Carrier no longer an option to build
- Pirate Light Destroyer, Artillery Frigate weapons tweaked; Hull defense guns added to pirate Light Destroyer
- Vaygr Lance Frigate weapon range increased
v0.0.7
- New title/loading screen background (image by Rob C)
- Capture the Megalith (CTM) gamemode added, including new CTM maps
- New pirate strike fighter model
- New pirate neutralizer corvette model
- Salvage collectors faster and more effecient at collecting salvage
- Resourcer unit cap changed
- Strike fighter cost increased from 650 to 750, Artillery frigate cost increased from 800 to 900
- Strike fighter speed reduced
- Raider Destroyers built from carriers now are affected by the Hyperspace Upgrade
- Pirate Heavy Carrier hold size increased from 10 to 14
- Various other minor tweaks that I've forgotten to keep track of
v0.0.6
- Title screen modified
- New pirate interceptor model
- Pirate interceptor speed, accuracy, and damage reduced (waaaaay
overpowered before)
- Replaced Pirate EMP Bomber with Pirate Strike Fighter (anti-corvette
fighter which can be upgraded to fire more effective EMP bombs)
- Pirate Base added
- Pirate Mothership removed; Pirate starting fleet now consists of 2 unique
heavy carriers
- Advanced manufacturing research item added, which allows unique heavy
carriers to build destroyers
- Resource collector normal unit cap reduced from 20 to 15
- Pirate capital ships no longer require a capital ship facility to be
built, but must instead be built from a pirate base (destroyers can be built
from unique heavy carriers with advanced manufacturing research)
- Mine lifetimes universally increased by 200%
v0.0.5
- Fixed radiation shielding research item
- Light Destroyer and Raider Destroyer armor reduced by 5000
- Raider Destroyer now has a 3 second down time after a hyperspace jump
- Raider Destroyer and Heavy Carrier hyperspace jumps now cost 250 RUs after Hyperspace Upgrade is researched
- Battleship now has an 'arrow' icon surrounding it
- Battleships can now hyperspace
- Fighter max speed upgrades reduced from 1.45 to 1.4
- Strike Frigate, Attack Carrier, and Battleship fast-tracking turret fighter accuracies reduced from .06 to .0475
- Multi-gun corvette damage against armored targets reduced by 50%, accuracy against fighters reduced by 15%, rate of fire reduced by 10%, build time increased by 5 seconds
v0.0.4
- Vaygr Battlecruiser, Assault Frigate, Infiltrator Frigate modified to properly reflect v1.1 patch changes
- Hiigaran Ion Cannon Frigate, Flak Frigate, Marine Frigate modified to properly reflect v1.1 patch changes
- Resource Collector, Salvage Collector, Neutralizer Corvette, and Strike Carrier animations now work properly
- All pirate ships now have descriptions
- Added Pirate Battleship
- Added Improved Manufacturing research items
- Replaced light destroyer's fast-tracking turrets with flak turrets and added a dual torpedo launcher
- Reduced manuverability of artillery missiles, increased their damage against heavy armor
- Reduced the costs of most pirate research items
- Hyperspace costs adjusted
- 'Random' option removed from list of playable races (didn't work anyway)
- Stealth Upgrade research items removed (didn't work properly, will be reincorporated into later version)
- Capital ships now produce more salvage
- So many other tweaks that I've lost count
v0.0.3
- Radiation Shielding research no longer requires Capital Upgrades research
- Fighter Upgrades research cost reduced from 1000 to 800, time reduced from 60 to 45
- Figher-Class Stealth Ability cost reduced from 1200 to 1000
- Pirate Interceptor, Light Bomber, and EMP Bomber Engine Upgrade costs increased from 1000 to 1200
- Corvette Upgrades research cost reduced from 1200 to 1000, time reduced from 60 to 50
- Capture Upgrade research item now displays correct icon
- Hyperspace Upgrade research fixed
- Improved Bombs research fixed
- Raider Destroyer missile EMP damage reduced, missile rate of fire increased slightly
- Heavy Carrier Hyperspace Module no longer allows nearby ships to hyperspace
- Heavy Carrier production modules no longer cost more than MS and attack carrier modules
- Heavy Carrier hold capacity increased from 10 to 16, strike craft repair rates decreased by 50%
- Added new pirate badges
v0.0.2
- First Public Release
- Added EMP Bomber
- Added Minelayer Corvette
- Added Light Destroyer
- Added Raider Destroyer
- Multi-gun Corvette armor reduced
- Interceptor accuracy and damage reduced
- Fighter speeds tweaked
v0.0.1
- First release, private only
MOD INSTALLATION
1. Place 'piratemodv0.1.big' into your 'C:\...\Sierra\Homeworld2\Data"
folder.
2. If you originally installed Homeworld2 into the default directory, then
simply use the provided shortcut to start the HW2 Pirate Race MiniMod!
OR
2. Create a new Homeworld 2 shortcut, and add the modifier '-mod
piratemodv0.1.big' to the target line of the new shortcut's properties.
It should look like this:
"C:\Program Files\Sierra\Homeworld2\Bin\Release\Homeworld2.exe " -mod
piratemodv0.1.big
3. Double-click on the shortcut and enjoy the mod!
UNINSTALLATION
1. Remove piratemodv0.1.big from your harddrive.
GAMEPLAY MODIFICATIONS
- All ships above corvettes produce salvage when destroyed (capital ships produce more salvage than before)
- Capital ships target priority changed so that they now target enemy ships which are of most immediate threat (BCs target enemy BCs before frigates, etc.)
- 'Normal' unit caps for fighters and corvettes increased slightly for all races (hiigaran from 14 to 16, vaygr from 18 to 20)
- Destroyer unit cap increased from 5 to 6, cost increased from 2000 to 2200
- Battlecruiser cost increased from 4000 to 5000
- Mines now last much longer before self-destructing
THE PIRATE RACE
THE PIRATE FLEET
The pirate fleet is faster and more heavily armored than comparable hiigaran and vaygr ships. This is balanced by an increase in cost and a decrease in raw firepower. The cost increase is to simulate the pirate "do more with less" philosophy. Most ships have a very specific role within the pirate fleet, and most are not powerful enough to stand toe-to-toe with enemy ships of the same class. The pirates rely more on stealth, hit-and-run strikes, comandeering enemy vessels, and sheer cunning to win their battles.
Frigates are the backbone of any pirate fleet, although fighters provide a quick and powerful punch to any hit-and-run attack. Pirate corvettes are used mainly as anti-strike craft support for the frigates. Although the pirate destroyers are smaller in size than the hiigaran and vaygr destroyers, the pirate battleship is the largest combat ship in any fleet (non-progeintor, that is). Without battleships, the artillery frigate is the best direct answer the pirates have against enemy capital ships, although a cunning player would be better of disabling, capturing, or avoiding engagements with enemy capital ships.
Fighter Class
- Interceptor (6 ships per squadron) - Basic fighter squadron. Very fast (especially when upgraded), although . Their paper-thin armor makes them flying caskets against corvettes and anti-fighter weaponry.
- Light Bomber (5 ships per squadron) - Fast, anti-subsystem fighter squadron. Can attack frigates and capital ships, but less effectively than hiigaran or vaygr bombers. Anti-capital effectiveness can be upgraded. (model by Greggy)
- Strike Fighter - (5 ships per squadron) - Heavy fighter squadron. Tougher
and slower than interceptors. Good against corvettes. Can be upgraded to
fire EMP bombs, which easily disable enemy frigates and destroyers.
Corvette Class
-Multi-Gun Corvette (3 ships per squadron) - Heavy anti-fighter corvette squadron. Very effective against enemy fighters, especially bombers. Moderately effective against enemy corvettes. (model by Greggy)
- Neutralizer Corvette - ECM corvette that reduces weapon accuracy and damage of nearby enemy ships (like an 'anti-command' corvette!)
- Minelayer Corvette - Corvette used to lay minefields. Identical to vaygr minelayer corvette.
- Mobilizer Corvette - Builds hyperspace buoys, which can form hyperspace gates for free.
Frigate Class
- Boarding Frigate - Basic capture frigate. More heavily armored than Hiigaran and Vaygr marine frigates.
- Strike Frigate - Standard, multi-role attack frigate. Good against corvettes and frigates. Deadly in numbers. (similar to assault frigate from HW1)
- Artillery Frigate - Anti-capital frigate armed with long-range artillery missiles. Very effective against groups of frigates. Enemy battlecruisers are easy targets for the artillery missiles, especially if their engines are disabled. (model by Greggy)
- Harpoon Frigate - Frigate armed with a long-range disabling tractor beam. Useful in conjunction with boarding frigates to commandeer enemy frigates and capital ships. An individual frigate can disable an enemy frigate, a group can overwhelm a destroyer.
- Interdictor Frigate – Non-combat frigate equipped with a grav well generator for ‘trapping’ enemy ships, or defending against enemy hyperspace jumps
Capital Class
- Heavy Carrier (Bataraia's Hammer) - Mobile production facility with 3 production slots,1 Accelerated Manufacturing Module slot, 2 module slots, and 1 sensor slot. One of only two ships in the pirate race than can hyperspace, and can do so for free with improved hyperspace research. Can build destroyers with advanced manufacturing research.
- Battle Carrier (Strength of Libertatia) - Similar to Heavy Carrier, but with additional speed and armor. Can build weapon subsytems to make it a formidable opponent.
- Light Carrier - Fast, well-armed carrier with 1 production facility and 1 sensor slot. Armed with two dual rapid-fire turrets and multiple missile launchers. Should be close to any battle, ready to provide support to nearby strikes.
- Light Destroyer - Basic capital ship. Jack-of-all-trades, but master of none. Faster, but less firepower than hiigaran or vaygr destroyers. Armed with four heavy fast-tracking turrets a quad torpedo launcher.
- Raider Destroyer - Smaller than light destroyer. Armed with EMP torpedos for disabling enemy frigates and resourcers. Has hyperspace ability, and can do so for free with improved hyperspace research. Good for quick and heavy hit-and-run raids.
- Battleship - The name speaks for itself. Largest non-Progenitor/Bentusi ship in any fleet. Its heavy weaponry more than make up for its lack of manuverability. High top speed for a ship of its size, but poor accelearation. Can be upgraded with heavy ion cannon turrets.
- Pirate Base - Large manufacturing base able to build capital and utility class ships.
Utility Class
- Resource Collector - Basic resourcer that harvests asteroids for conversion into RUs. Cannot collect salvage or repair.
- Salvage Collector - Harvests horribly, but is very fast and sneaky, making it great for collecting salvage, even in the middle of a battle. Has intrinsic repair ability.
- Hyperspace Buoy - Can link to form hyperspace networks at no cost. Has intrinsic sensor distortion ability, making it difficult for enemy patrols to detect.
Subsystems
- Reverse Engineering Module - Basic research module. Build this as soon as the game starts! (duh)
- Accelerated Manufacturing Module - Increases ship build speed by 30%.
- Hyperspace Module - Heavy Carrier and Battle Carriers only.
- Cloak Module - Allows the ship to disappear for a short length of time.
THE PIRATE TECH TREE
The pirate technology tree was designed to reflect the pirate's lack of technological ability. The chassis of every class must be researched, and every ship has an individual research item to unlock it (except boarding frigate). Overall, pirate research is more expensive than comparable hiigaran or vaygr research. Each ship has one armor and speed upgrade, which are as effective as the level 2 hiigaran and vaygr upgrades.
Salvage collectors have an intrinsic stealth ability that is twice as effective as the other classes.
Capture upgrade reduces the time required to capture enemy ships. Radiation shielding protects all pirate ships from being damaged within hazardous dust clouds. Hyperspace upgrades allows heavy carriers and raider destroyers to hyperspace for free. Advanced manufacturing allows the unique heavy carriers to build destroyers.
PIRATE UNIT CAPS
The pirate fleet should revolve around fighters and frigates, with carrier and corvette support. The pirate unit cap is meant to reflect this: Fighters, 18; Corvettes, 10; Frigates, 30 (capture frigate, 10; harpoon frigate 8); Capital, 12 (carriers, 8; Desroyers, 6); Resource Collectors, 12; Salvage Collectors, 12.
CHANGES TO EXISTING RACES
FLEET ADDITIONS
HIIGARAN
- Advanced Destroyer – Upgraded destroyer armed with two dual-ion turrets, two dual kinetic turrets, and a dual torpedo launcher. Can protect itself with a defense field for short lengths of time (unit cap = 2)
VAYGR
- Lance Frigate – Anti-corvette frigate armed with long-range lance turrets.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Hiigaran Gunship weapon accuracy increased slightly
- Hiigaran Pulsar Gunship weapon damage increased slightly
- Hiigaran Ion Cannon Frigate range increased slightly
- Vaygr heavy missile speed increased slightly
- Point-defense guns added to Hiigaran destroyer
"TO-DO" LIST
- New engine sfx
- Unique pirate voices
- New Pirate Base
- New maps
- New gametypes
This Homeworld 2 mod adds a third race allows you to play as or against in multiplayer and skirmish games. Known simply as "the Pirates", their sleek strike craft and quick capital ships strike fear into any opponent. This mod also implements minor universal gameplay changes and adds additional ships to the existing hiigaran and vaygr navies.
THE PIRATES MOD TEAM
Homer Jr. – Ex Mod leader, Key Advisor
Thunderbolt – New Team Leader
Many others that will be added as the topic goes on
OTHER MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS
Fearing
Evillejedi
Bones v2.0
GoBears
DarthVaygr
Tefeari
Mikail
Cleron
THANK YOUS
Fearing, Greggy, EvilleJedi, and Typo91 for letting me use their ship models
Bones v2.0 for the initial concept and motivation
Thesamonthemoon for letting me include his Capture the Megalith gamemode
Everyone currently working on, thinking about, or just increasing the view count on the pirate mod (too many to list)
The entire HW2 modding community for all their help, energy, and dedication!
Anyone else I forgot
REVISION HISTORY
v0.3
- Fully functional Pirate AI (does not research armor/health upgrades or build weapon subsystems)
- Several new deathmatch maps
- Removed all fighter and corvette salvage (improve system performance)
- Changed Light Bomber weapon fx
- Fixed Light Bomber improved bombs research
- Incorporated Mikail's random backgrounds and random music to skirmish maps
- New attack styles for Interceptor, MCG, Strike Frigate, Artillery Frigate, Light Destroyer, Flak Frigate, Assault Frigate
- Reduced Pirate Interceptor squad size from 7 to 6
- Added Pirate Resource Controller (sorry, no new model here)
- Commandeer Corvettes, Attack Carriers, and Salvage Collectors have intrinsic cloaking ability
- Reduced number of hull defense guns on Barataria's Hammer
- Increased Strike Frigate armor
- Added Artillery Frigate unit cap (8)
- Battleships can build heavy flak turrets instead of ion cannon turrets
- Lots of tweaks and balancing
v0.2
- Partial Pirate voice set added
- Pirate Shipyard (name changed to pirate Battle Station) can now build production subsystems, weapon subsystems, and all ship classes
- Pirate Battleship firepower increased slightly
- Pirate Battle Carrier can now build fusion missile launchers
- Pirate Carriers and shipyards can now cloak for twice as long as normal
- Pirate Shipyard built with cloak module
- Pirate Light Carrier now has intrinsic cloaking ability
- Pirate Light Carriers can now build ships properly
- Pirate hull defense gun accuracy decreased
- Several other bug fixes
v0.1
- New pirate Battleship model
- Added Battleship Ion Cannon Turret Upgrades
- New pirate Light Destroyer model
- New pirate Raider Destroyer model
- New Strength of Libertatia (Battle Carrier) model
- Boarding Frigate and Comandeer Corvette cost significantly reduced
- Attack Carrier cost and build time reduced
- Attack Carriers no longer require attack carrier research
- Attack Carriers can no longer build frigates
- Tweaked Artillery Frigate missile behavior
- Artillery Frigate armor reduced
- Hiigaran Gunship accuracy increased
- New hyperspace sfx
- New main menu music
v0.0.9.2
- Fixed hyperspace buoys so that pirate Battleships can use them
- Increased pirate Battleship speed, weapon range
v0.0.9.1
- Fixed Artillery Frigate missile speed
- New Pirate Heavy Carrier ambient sfx
- Added/updated pirate ship descriptions
- Tweaked research tree yet again
v0.0.9
- Added Traders Hell gametype
- Added Pirate Mobilizer Corvette
- Added Pirate Hyperspace Buoy
- All pirate ships (except for heavy carriers and raider destroyers) can no longer hyperspace without hyper buoys
- Artillery Frigate missile speed increased, increased damage to heavy armor, decreased damage to medium armor
- Strike Fighter speed decreased
- Tweaked research tree
v0.0.8
- CPU can now play as the pirate race
- Added new weapon sfx for pirate fighters, light destroyer
- Added new music from HW1 (play CTM maps to hear it)
- New pirate comandeer corvette
- Pirate research tree reworked (ship upgrades no longer require prerequisite research)
- Pirate Heavy Carrier no longer an option to build
- Pirate Light Destroyer, Artillery Frigate weapons tweaked; Hull defense guns added to pirate Light Destroyer
- Vaygr Lance Frigate weapon range increased
v0.0.7
- New title/loading screen background (image by Rob C)
- Capture the Megalith (CTM) gamemode added, including new CTM maps
- New pirate strike fighter model
- New pirate neutralizer corvette model
- Salvage collectors faster and more effecient at collecting salvage
- Resourcer unit cap changed
- Strike fighter cost increased from 650 to 750, Artillery frigate cost increased from 800 to 900
- Strike fighter speed reduced
- Raider Destroyers built from carriers now are affected by the Hyperspace Upgrade
- Pirate Heavy Carrier hold size increased from 10 to 14
- Various other minor tweaks that I've forgotten to keep track of
v0.0.6
- Title screen modified
- New pirate interceptor model
- Pirate interceptor speed, accuracy, and damage reduced (waaaaay
overpowered before)
- Replaced Pirate EMP Bomber with Pirate Strike Fighter (anti-corvette
fighter which can be upgraded to fire more effective EMP bombs)
- Pirate Base added
- Pirate Mothership removed; Pirate starting fleet now consists of 2 unique
heavy carriers
- Advanced manufacturing research item added, which allows unique heavy
carriers to build destroyers
- Resource collector normal unit cap reduced from 20 to 15
- Pirate capital ships no longer require a capital ship facility to be
built, but must instead be built from a pirate base (destroyers can be built
from unique heavy carriers with advanced manufacturing research)
- Mine lifetimes universally increased by 200%
v0.0.5
- Fixed radiation shielding research item
- Light Destroyer and Raider Destroyer armor reduced by 5000
- Raider Destroyer now has a 3 second down time after a hyperspace jump
- Raider Destroyer and Heavy Carrier hyperspace jumps now cost 250 RUs after Hyperspace Upgrade is researched
- Battleship now has an 'arrow' icon surrounding it
- Battleships can now hyperspace
- Fighter max speed upgrades reduced from 1.45 to 1.4
- Strike Frigate, Attack Carrier, and Battleship fast-tracking turret fighter accuracies reduced from .06 to .0475
- Multi-gun corvette damage against armored targets reduced by 50%, accuracy against fighters reduced by 15%, rate of fire reduced by 10%, build time increased by 5 seconds
v0.0.4
- Vaygr Battlecruiser, Assault Frigate, Infiltrator Frigate modified to properly reflect v1.1 patch changes
- Hiigaran Ion Cannon Frigate, Flak Frigate, Marine Frigate modified to properly reflect v1.1 patch changes
- Resource Collector, Salvage Collector, Neutralizer Corvette, and Strike Carrier animations now work properly
- All pirate ships now have descriptions
- Added Pirate Battleship
- Added Improved Manufacturing research items
- Replaced light destroyer's fast-tracking turrets with flak turrets and added a dual torpedo launcher
- Reduced manuverability of artillery missiles, increased their damage against heavy armor
- Reduced the costs of most pirate research items
- Hyperspace costs adjusted
- 'Random' option removed from list of playable races (didn't work anyway)
- Stealth Upgrade research items removed (didn't work properly, will be reincorporated into later version)
- Capital ships now produce more salvage
- So many other tweaks that I've lost count
v0.0.3
- Radiation Shielding research no longer requires Capital Upgrades research
- Fighter Upgrades research cost reduced from 1000 to 800, time reduced from 60 to 45
- Figher-Class Stealth Ability cost reduced from 1200 to 1000
- Pirate Interceptor, Light Bomber, and EMP Bomber Engine Upgrade costs increased from 1000 to 1200
- Corvette Upgrades research cost reduced from 1200 to 1000, time reduced from 60 to 50
- Capture Upgrade research item now displays correct icon
- Hyperspace Upgrade research fixed
- Improved Bombs research fixed
- Raider Destroyer missile EMP damage reduced, missile rate of fire increased slightly
- Heavy Carrier Hyperspace Module no longer allows nearby ships to hyperspace
- Heavy Carrier production modules no longer cost more than MS and attack carrier modules
- Heavy Carrier hold capacity increased from 10 to 16, strike craft repair rates decreased by 50%
- Added new pirate badges
v0.0.2
- First Public Release
- Added EMP Bomber
- Added Minelayer Corvette
- Added Light Destroyer
- Added Raider Destroyer
- Multi-gun Corvette armor reduced
- Interceptor accuracy and damage reduced
- Fighter speeds tweaked
v0.0.1
- First release, private only
MOD INSTALLATION
1. Place 'piratemodv0.1.big' into your 'C:\...\Sierra\Homeworld2\Data"
folder.
2. If you originally installed Homeworld2 into the default directory, then
simply use the provided shortcut to start the HW2 Pirate Race MiniMod!
OR
2. Create a new Homeworld 2 shortcut, and add the modifier '-mod
piratemodv0.1.big' to the target line of the new shortcut's properties.
It should look like this:
"C:\Program Files\Sierra\Homeworld2\Bin\Release\Homeworld2.exe " -mod
piratemodv0.1.big
3. Double-click on the shortcut and enjoy the mod!
UNINSTALLATION
1. Remove piratemodv0.1.big from your harddrive.
GAMEPLAY MODIFICATIONS
- All ships above corvettes produce salvage when destroyed (capital ships produce more salvage than before)
- Capital ships target priority changed so that they now target enemy ships which are of most immediate threat (BCs target enemy BCs before frigates, etc.)
- 'Normal' unit caps for fighters and corvettes increased slightly for all races (hiigaran from 14 to 16, vaygr from 18 to 20)
- Destroyer unit cap increased from 5 to 6, cost increased from 2000 to 2200
- Battlecruiser cost increased from 4000 to 5000
- Mines now last much longer before self-destructing
THE PIRATE RACE
THE PIRATE FLEET
The pirate fleet is faster and more heavily armored than comparable hiigaran and vaygr ships. This is balanced by an increase in cost and a decrease in raw firepower. The cost increase is to simulate the pirate "do more with less" philosophy. Most ships have a very specific role within the pirate fleet, and most are not powerful enough to stand toe-to-toe with enemy ships of the same class. The pirates rely more on stealth, hit-and-run strikes, comandeering enemy vessels, and sheer cunning to win their battles.
Frigates are the backbone of any pirate fleet, although fighters provide a quick and powerful punch to any hit-and-run attack. Pirate corvettes are used mainly as anti-strike craft support for the frigates. Although the pirate destroyers are smaller in size than the hiigaran and vaygr destroyers, the pirate battleship is the largest combat ship in any fleet (non-progeintor, that is). Without battleships, the artillery frigate is the best direct answer the pirates have against enemy capital ships, although a cunning player would be better of disabling, capturing, or avoiding engagements with enemy capital ships.
Fighter Class
- Interceptor (6 ships per squadron) - Basic fighter squadron. Very fast (especially when upgraded), although . Their paper-thin armor makes them flying caskets against corvettes and anti-fighter weaponry.
- Light Bomber (5 ships per squadron) - Fast, anti-subsystem fighter squadron. Can attack frigates and capital ships, but less effectively than hiigaran or vaygr bombers. Anti-capital effectiveness can be upgraded. (model by Greggy)
- Strike Fighter - (5 ships per squadron) - Heavy fighter squadron. Tougher
and slower than interceptors. Good against corvettes. Can be upgraded to
fire EMP bombs, which easily disable enemy frigates and destroyers.
Corvette Class
-Multi-Gun Corvette (3 ships per squadron) - Heavy anti-fighter corvette squadron. Very effective against enemy fighters, especially bombers. Moderately effective against enemy corvettes. (model by Greggy)
- Neutralizer Corvette - ECM corvette that reduces weapon accuracy and damage of nearby enemy ships (like an 'anti-command' corvette!)
- Minelayer Corvette - Corvette used to lay minefields. Identical to vaygr minelayer corvette.
- Mobilizer Corvette - Builds hyperspace buoys, which can form hyperspace gates for free.
Frigate Class
- Boarding Frigate - Basic capture frigate. More heavily armored than Hiigaran and Vaygr marine frigates.
- Strike Frigate - Standard, multi-role attack frigate. Good against corvettes and frigates. Deadly in numbers. (similar to assault frigate from HW1)
- Artillery Frigate - Anti-capital frigate armed with long-range artillery missiles. Very effective against groups of frigates. Enemy battlecruisers are easy targets for the artillery missiles, especially if their engines are disabled. (model by Greggy)
- Harpoon Frigate - Frigate armed with a long-range disabling tractor beam. Useful in conjunction with boarding frigates to commandeer enemy frigates and capital ships. An individual frigate can disable an enemy frigate, a group can overwhelm a destroyer.
- Interdictor Frigate – Non-combat frigate equipped with a grav well generator for ‘trapping’ enemy ships, or defending against enemy hyperspace jumps
Capital Class
- Heavy Carrier (Bataraia's Hammer) - Mobile production facility with 3 production slots,1 Accelerated Manufacturing Module slot, 2 module slots, and 1 sensor slot. One of only two ships in the pirate race than can hyperspace, and can do so for free with improved hyperspace research. Can build destroyers with advanced manufacturing research.
- Battle Carrier (Strength of Libertatia) - Similar to Heavy Carrier, but with additional speed and armor. Can build weapon subsytems to make it a formidable opponent.
- Light Carrier - Fast, well-armed carrier with 1 production facility and 1 sensor slot. Armed with two dual rapid-fire turrets and multiple missile launchers. Should be close to any battle, ready to provide support to nearby strikes.
- Light Destroyer - Basic capital ship. Jack-of-all-trades, but master of none. Faster, but less firepower than hiigaran or vaygr destroyers. Armed with four heavy fast-tracking turrets a quad torpedo launcher.
- Raider Destroyer - Smaller than light destroyer. Armed with EMP torpedos for disabling enemy frigates and resourcers. Has hyperspace ability, and can do so for free with improved hyperspace research. Good for quick and heavy hit-and-run raids.
- Battleship - The name speaks for itself. Largest non-Progenitor/Bentusi ship in any fleet. Its heavy weaponry more than make up for its lack of manuverability. High top speed for a ship of its size, but poor accelearation. Can be upgraded with heavy ion cannon turrets.
- Pirate Base - Large manufacturing base able to build capital and utility class ships.
Utility Class
- Resource Collector - Basic resourcer that harvests asteroids for conversion into RUs. Cannot collect salvage or repair.
- Salvage Collector - Harvests horribly, but is very fast and sneaky, making it great for collecting salvage, even in the middle of a battle. Has intrinsic repair ability.
- Hyperspace Buoy - Can link to form hyperspace networks at no cost. Has intrinsic sensor distortion ability, making it difficult for enemy patrols to detect.
Subsystems
- Reverse Engineering Module - Basic research module. Build this as soon as the game starts! (duh)
- Accelerated Manufacturing Module - Increases ship build speed by 30%.
- Hyperspace Module - Heavy Carrier and Battle Carriers only.
- Cloak Module - Allows the ship to disappear for a short length of time.
THE PIRATE TECH TREE
The pirate technology tree was designed to reflect the pirate's lack of technological ability. The chassis of every class must be researched, and every ship has an individual research item to unlock it (except boarding frigate). Overall, pirate research is more expensive than comparable hiigaran or vaygr research. Each ship has one armor and speed upgrade, which are as effective as the level 2 hiigaran and vaygr upgrades.
Salvage collectors have an intrinsic stealth ability that is twice as effective as the other classes.
Capture upgrade reduces the time required to capture enemy ships. Radiation shielding protects all pirate ships from being damaged within hazardous dust clouds. Hyperspace upgrades allows heavy carriers and raider destroyers to hyperspace for free. Advanced manufacturing allows the unique heavy carriers to build destroyers.
PIRATE UNIT CAPS
The pirate fleet should revolve around fighters and frigates, with carrier and corvette support. The pirate unit cap is meant to reflect this: Fighters, 18; Corvettes, 10; Frigates, 30 (capture frigate, 10; harpoon frigate 8); Capital, 12 (carriers, 8; Desroyers, 6); Resource Collectors, 12; Salvage Collectors, 12.
CHANGES TO EXISTING RACES
FLEET ADDITIONS
HIIGARAN
- Advanced Destroyer – Upgraded destroyer armed with two dual-ion turrets, two dual kinetic turrets, and a dual torpedo launcher. Can protect itself with a defense field for short lengths of time (unit cap = 2)
VAYGR
- Lance Frigate – Anti-corvette frigate armed with long-range lance turrets.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Hiigaran Gunship weapon accuracy increased slightly
- Hiigaran Pulsar Gunship weapon damage increased slightly
- Hiigaran Ion Cannon Frigate range increased slightly
- Vaygr heavy missile speed increased slightly
- Point-defense guns added to Hiigaran destroyer
"TO-DO" LIST
- New engine sfx
- Unique pirate voices
- New Pirate Base
- New maps
- New gametypes
