Having trouble with the Balance Mod? Check below to see if you're issue is covered.

Balance Mod Help - Using the Mod

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Q: How do I install the mod?

Once you've downloaded the .zip/.rar file from the Balance Mod website, you want to extract the file to your Space Empires GameTypes folder. All mods for SE:V are placed here:

    ..Space Empires V\GameTypes\

If you extracted the mod correctly, the Balance Mod will have its own folder in the GameTypes folder. Inside the Balance Mod folder, you'll have a few files plus some subfolders such as Data, Empires, and Pictures.

    ..Space Empires V\GameTypes\Balance Mod v1.XX

The Balance Mod folder name usually includes a version number. All savegame/PBW compatible versions are extracted to the same folder.

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Q: How do I play SE:V using the mod?

After loading Space Empires V, when you select to start a New Game or use Quick Start you'll be presented a list of Game Types to choose from. To use the Balance Mod, select "Balance Mod v1.XX" to load the mod's data files. That's it. The game will now use the mod's data files. When you go to load a Balance Mod saved game, the mod's data files will automatically be loaded with the saved game.

If when you selected New Game or Quick Start, you received a message that the game couldn't find "Mod_Info.txt" with a file path, then you have not installed the mod correctly. Check to see if your Balance Mod folder is in the proper place as shown in the image above.

Please note that saved empire files, game setups, and maps, created in the standard or another mod are not valid for the Balance Mod and will give you an error if you try to use them! It's a good idea to prefix your specific Balance Mod saved empire/setup/map files with "BM" or some other indicator.

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Balance Mod Help - Add Ons

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Q: How do I add a custom race to the Balance Mod?

There are two ways to go about adding a custom race to the Balance Mod:

1. If you have already installed the custom race to your default Empires folder then create a new folder in the Balance Mod Empires folder with the exact same name and copy the file [Race Name]_AI_Main.txt to that folder. Edit the following set of lines in [Race Name]_AI_main.txt to one of the 3 choices below:

    AI Script File                                := Default\Default_Main_Script.csf
    AI Script Empire Setup File                   := Default\Default_Setup_Script.csf

    AI Script File                                := Default\Default_Aggressive_Main_Script.csf
    AI Script Empire Setup File                   := Default\Default_Aggressive_Setup_Script.csf

    AI Script File                                := Default\Default_Defensive_Main_Script.csf
    AI Script Empire Setup File                   := Default\Default_Defensive_Setup_Script.csf

This will tell the AI to use one of the Balance Mod's default AI files with the ship set, making sure it works properly with the mod when the race is randomly selected as an AI opponent.

2. If you haven't installed the custom race to your default Empires folder, you can install it directly to your Balance Mod's Empires folder and then make the change to the [Race Name]_AI_Main.txt file as described in option 1. Note that the custom race will not be available for selection in the standard game if you choose this method.

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Q: How do I use the Balance Mod and FQM?

The Balance Mod does incorporate most of additions added by Fryon's Quadrant Mod. However, if you want to install the full FQM that includes the additional planet textures and animations, you can find detailed instructions here:
Fyron's Quadrant Mod Help Page

Please note that savegames and maps (or game setups with maps) created with the Balance Mod cannot be used with a hybrid Balance Mod + FQM setup and vice versa.