Faction Grades!

[modman]

Ha!  I saved this post to a text document because it took such a long time to type!:

This forum's purpose is to rate the various factions I have downloaded (I think I downloaded them all).  Tell me if I miss one, though.

Grading Scale:

All factions start at an A, then we compute their grade by subtracting from it. (If you don't know, in the USA, we have in order from best to worst, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and F.

No sounds= -1 letter grade
Little or No new Sound: -1 letter grade
No Music= -.5 a letter grade
Bad or few new models= -.5 a letter grade
No new models= -1.5 letter grade
Unbalanced= -1.5 letter grade unless specifically stated "goes in a new tech tree"
CPU playability Bad= -1 letter grade
Few or no new Images= -1 letter grade
Image problems (you can't have this and the previous at the same time)= -.5 a letter grade
Added Features (positive abnormalities)= +.5 to 1 letter grade
Miscellaneous= -.5 a letter grade.

Tech: A good faction.  No obvious problems here.  Tech and magic are immune to grading on the unbalanced category, just that they have to be balanced with each other.  Grade: A.

Magic: I'm going to shut up about the Golem now.  Otherwise, it's perfect.  Grade: A.

Indian: Titi, just because you're a moderator doesn't mean you get to change your grade to an A (just throwing that out there).  Bad Models because of the animation, unbalanced (seriously, ever try playing against a CPU Indian as Tech or Magic?), image problems.  So in total, -2.5.  Grade: C-.

Norseman: Same thing goes for Norseman, Titi.  Little new sound, bad models because of the animations again, unbalanced as with indian, Image problems (this is because, as with Indian, you have to do a little more than take a screenshot).  So in total, -3.5.  Grade: D-.

Dark Magic v 2.1:  Hopefully by v 3.0 I can raise my grade to an A-, but here's a breakdown of Dark Magic's present grade.  Little new sound, no new models, added features or building energy (+.5), miscellaneous really bad match of a blacksmith model for the time orb.  So in total, -2.  Grade: C.

Military: Notice, Omega: I don't downgrade you on your models.  No sound, CPUs don't get past farms, image problems because the red images are really annoying and hard to see, miscellaneous no oil?!?  So in total, -3.  Grade: D (not bad for an Alpha).

[gameboy]

No sounds= -1 letter grade
Little or No new Sound: -1 letter grade
No Music= -.5 a letter grade
Bad or few new models= -.5 a letter grade
No new models= -1.5 letter grade
Unbalanced= -1.5 letter grade unless specifically stated "goes in a new tech tree"
CPU playability Bad= -1 letter grade
Few or no new Images= -1 letter grade
Image problems (you can't have this and the previous at the same time)= -.5 a letter grade
Added Features (positive abnormalities)= +.5 to 1 letter grade
Miscellaneous= -.5 a letter grade.

i think Models should be -1, and sound -.5

[Omega]

And can you regrade military? Puleeeze? There is new sounds, and good music, as well as I plan on fixing the icons soon. Also, you said that the AI is getting better... (Then again, it might even be better to wait until its fixed, but...)

[modman]

I will regrade it when it is fixed, but you can figure out what it would get now...use the grading scale.

[Omega]

Let's see,
There's sound, so that's good, there's music, that's good too. The models are mostly new (except the worker) however, they aren't perfect, so I'll take off half. It goes into a new tech tree, so its balanced. You said the CPU can play it now, so that's safe. The images are a bit hard to see (will fix) so that another half off. So all in all, it's somewhere among the A- to B+ range.
(I'm not good with letter grades. At my school, averages are given in number form. So I guess my 90.4 ave is probably A or A+...)

[modman]

No, B+ is from 87% to up to 90%.  A- is 90% to up to 93%.  An A is 93% to 100%.  Usually we don't have A+'s but that's anything over 100% (if there's extra credit).

But the AI is not fixed.  I only got the Worker to harvest Gold and promote and build only the Farm (which is wierd).

The reason I have a grading scale is so that people cannot get mad at me; they know and I know I cannot "fix" their grade because of the creator of the faction.

[Omega]

My bad. I've never really used letter grades. They don't seem to popular in Canada. Besides, number grades are more acurate (compare A- to 92.3 for example, wildly inaccurate!)

[modman]

Yes, but they help you to keep integrity a bit...say a low B+ sounds better than a high B because you would just say "B+".

Psycologists also say an 'A' is more pleasing to the brain than a 10 like in Japan or 100 like in Canada.

[Omega]

I don't think you have an A in English, since you misspelled psychologists.  

I wouldn't know, maybe.

[modman]

-----------------This is off topic.---------------------
You should not be talking, OMEGA!!  You are the one who spelled Rogue like Rouge!!!!!  What kind of fighting unit would skin pigments make?!?  How much HP would it have?!? :lol:   Just joking.  We all make mistakes.

Just so you know, this is what rouge is.

-----------------This is off topic.---------------------

[Omega]

-----------------This is off topic.---------------------
You should not be talking, OMEGA!!  You are the one who spelled Rogue like Rouge!!!!!  What kind of fighting unit would skin pigments make?!?  How much HP would it have?!? :lol:   Just joking.  We all make mistakes.

Just so you know, this is what rouge is.

-----------------This is off topic.---------------------

Well said.

But if rouge was a fighting unit, it would have 99999 hp, 99999 ep, it could deal 9999 damage and kick @$$!
Now before you go picking on rouge, be carfeul, for its stronger than it looks! (Although 95 in english transilates to A, am I right?)

[Idanwin]

(Although 95 in english transilates to A, am I right?)

it's translates, not transilates...
I only had 74 in english.

[1., this was a stupid post, 2., A=65 - @kukac@]

Srry @kukac@

[modman]

That was a typo.  Sorry.

[gameboy]

Elves: No new sounds -1(B), Unbalanced -1.5(C+), Bad AI -1(D+), Added Features (Plant, Instant Kill, etc.)  +1, = C+

[titi]

So you really think elves are currently better then indian and norsemen?
And Dark magic is the same lvele like my mods?
You are joking right? In my opinion thats complete nonsens!
Which version did you test here? Those from the megapack v3 or any alpha or beta version of the factions?
I hope you didn't use the single download of the indians? This one is crap!!

And for the sounds: Norsemen and indian have complete new sounds and new background music and they are balanced!
Try to play as tech. Tech is currently the strongest faction!

And what do you mean with "image problems" ?
Do you mean the icons? Icons are some eyecandy but not more!

And whats that?
CPU playability Bad= -1 letter grade
I think this should be -3.0 or -4.0 or something like that! A faction that can't be played by the CPU is not really playable or ready, this is a real no go.

And for the new models:
Why must all models be new? Look at my indians, I think most people will not really see that I reused some models!

In my opinion my factions(norsemen and indian) are Grade B+! And they are really fun to play!

Up to now only nihirlian and SSTLD are in this quality class, but they have their own techtree with only 2 factions and get more and more boring after a while.

[wciow]

Bad AI -1

I agree with Titi the AI is not bad it is completely broken! I like everything else about your faction but if you cannot play a game against it then it is not ready.

Anyway...
Imo this whole topic should be scrapped. Everyone should just play each others mods and have fun.
Having this kind of ranking system just creates tension over who's mod is better than who's.
Everyone here is making mods because they enjoy it not because there are any prizes on offer. 

[titi]

You are completly right, but I was simply angry about this rating sorry for this.

[-Archmage-]

well some people like me don't even know how to model although i am learning

and i think titi's mods are great and a b+ sounds fair

[John.d.h]

I think it's good to have a thread where we can put together ideas about what it lacking in each mod so that we know what to improve, and then set specific obtainable goals for how to do it.  For example, "balance Nihilirian" could be a goal, or even better "get Elves to utilize resources properly".  The more specific, the better, because then everyone can know exactly what needs to be fixed.  This way, it's focused on improving what everyone has made instead of debating which mods are better or worse than others.

[Omega]

I'd personally give Titi a A- for his modpack. I don't play it much, but when I do, there's no denying that it is fantastic!

I'd give Magitech an A+ after I modded it to have magic harvest at the same rate as tech and let the energy source produce more energy. Balanced enough for me. I can't lose no matter which faction I play as (though magics my favorite).

[Fluffy203]

I think you should use college standard 10 point letter grades 100-90 = A and 90-80 = B and such that is what i would like to see

[gameboy]

I'm sorry I created such an argument, I just wanted to see how much was lacking in my mod. And Titi, I didn't think the elves were better than your factions, I didn't even grade them, in my opinion your mods are the best there are.

I think it's good to have a thread where we can put together ideas about what it lacking in each mod so that we know what to improve, and then set specific obtainable goals for how to do it.  For example, "balance Nihilirian" could be a goal, or even better "get Elves to utilize resources properly".  The more specific, the better, because then everyone can know exactly what needs to be fixed.  This way, it's focused on improving what everyone has made instead of debating which mods are better or worse than others.

I agree, in fact that is just what GLADE is about to improve glest and the exisisting factions including mods and tilesets.
Also I ask titi to step up as our leader for GlADE if he is willing to, you are good at everything and have alot of experience.

[Ishmaru]

Personally, I consider Titi's megapack one mod as a whole since Norsemen and Indians could be played together in the same game, made by the same person. I would give it an A due to the sheer quantity of stuff he brings to Glest.  Not to mention the tilesets. Evergreen is awesome. The grading system doesn't take quantity of units,factions, or tilesets so its unfair.

[modman]

 :-[OK, I'll regrade some of the factions when I get the chance.  All of the grades are for old factions (ie old versions of Indian/Norseman), so please stop worrying, because they will be updated.

Also I will try to include newer factions too.

I am moving the grades to the Factions Download Center, because that's a lot easier.  The grades will be on the first post.  Then this discussion will also be moved.  Thus I will lock the topic.  And @Kukac@, your assistance is not needed because this is my topic.

[@kukac@]

And @Kukac@, your assistance is not needed because this is my topic. Wink

If you didn't say it, I would die being stupid