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Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

'balance' is what happens when you point yourself straight up.

Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

Quote:

Originally posted by Taera:
i could tell you, but then i would have to kill you.... balancedly http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

special weapons ruin the purpose, i think

i'll build the chart tomorrow

He mainly spoke of special ships, rather than special weapons. After all, the weapons are likely to be different from one Empire to another, so they could be quite unique. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I would be interested, if I do find the time to play yet another PBW game that is.

Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

Maybe rather than point systems (which is no doubt better and allows more creativity), you could allow no more than one weapon that fires every turn per ship.

That might affect combat strategies and results somewhat, and would almost certainly increase the usefulness of shield regenerators. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

The viability of shield regenerators is directly dependent on the expected survival time of a ship that has been hit already.

Combat with small numbers of ships, and weapons with damage scaled way down.
SE3 made regenerators quite useful. Up to the point where there were over 5-10 ships on a side, at least.
After the fleets start getting huge, you just have to go for sheer hitpoints in order to block more fire for your teammates before you die in one round.

Adding bulk to ships, such as with the P&N BuckytubeGel components helps too.
Given the choice of damaging 3 ships or completely vaporizing one, the side who picks the former can overcome much greater odds.
When the enemy is spreading out their fire, and your ships don't get instantly destroyed, regenerators can have time to work.

[ November 14, 2003, 01:31: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

Okay, here is the list of weapons, divided into MAIN and SUPPORT Groups.
My first proposal is that players choose one of each.
However, weapons can be divided into MAIN, HEAVY and SUPPORT and players would have to choose one of each.
Alternatively i can rate them on a point-based system.

Should i translate the abbrevations?
MAIN
DUC
APB
MB
PPB
Torpedoes
NSP
GH
CSM/PM
High-Energy

Support
Tractor/Repulsor
SDepleter/SDistruptor
ID/Ionic Missile
Planetary Weapons (including plague)
Comp Combat+Warp Guns (i dont know, both are rather high-leveled weapons, but can be quite devastating en-masse i think)

Further thoughts:

Design a mod which would scale mounts down
Game should be played with MED tech start
In the same mod move weapons that are too high up the tech tree down
Increase base cost of PPB to 10k, or make it into 12 levels

[ November 14, 2003, 02:46: Message edited by: Taera ]

Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

Wouldn't making a mod defeat the original purpose of the game? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Idea for future PBW - Conceptual Empires

The Horde wanna play. Only need rusty (yet pointy) spear http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Seriously:
Shield depleters are the single most powerful offensive weapon in the game and definitely not in the same class as your other support weapons. It should either be Banned http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif or been given a lot of points.

Medium tech start:
I would suggest a low tech start with 5 or 10 planets instead. With that many starting planets the research is done in no time anyway, and the penalty for having a bad starting location will be less.