Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

More importantly- what advantages would XML give? I can think of a couple disadvantages right off the top of my head.

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

There are already existing programs which will, given an XML schema, which could be supplied with the game, let you edit XML data and automatically validate it as you edit, so you don't have to rely on the game's cryptic error Messages and search for errors in a half-meg text file. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Also, there are existing class libraries which can handle XML data in an object-oriented fashion, making it easier for Aaron to write the game and easier for people like Suicide Junkie, DavidG, and myself to create modding utilities.

What disadvantages did you have in mind? (I can think of the huge file size with all those opening and closing tags, but it couldn't be much worse than the current data files with their repeated field names... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif )

Another idea I just had is the ability to export (and possibly even import) any sort of data from the game as a text, XML, CSV, Excel, or whatever type of file the game uses to store its data - not just the tech tree, but ship designs, system maps, colony lists, you name it. This might seem like I'm going a bit far for just a game, but bear in mind it's been done for Stars! - you could run programs on the data and calculate, say, the refueling range of all your ships in one fell swoop! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif And what would be even cooler is if there were some way to call those custom programs from some menu or something within the game interface... whoa! talk about moddability! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

Additional area's of gameplay that let you play an interesting strategic game, without resorting to violence, and still win.

I'm thinking here of interesting cultural, technological, scientific, diplomatic, exploration etc type ways to play and win the game. I have some ideas about this might be implemented, actually. So I might send them to MM if they are interested.

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

I read a thread about a week ago by Renegade that had a lot of great ideas in it. Perhaps he should post them here as well.

Here is one more of my many ideas. (I think I have suggested something on the order of 200 now over the span of 20 or so threads such as this.)

You know what would be a great addition to Options for SE V? The option to select the starting planet name and or system for each player. This way if you are playing the Federation you can set the starting name of your planet to Earth and the system name to Sol.

To go one step above this, have the ability to design "pre-established" systems and be able to set these systems as your players starting system wether the map is custom or randomly created.

[ October 15, 2003, 03:21: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

it's alive!

*cue thunder, lightning, spooky music*

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Dude you truly scare me.

Are you paid to be weird, or do you just do it for free?
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

it's funny. most people don't have enough funny. you want to know what's scary? people who seem to think humor can only involve other peoples pain, when the best kind of humor releaves pain.

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Very true. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

I would still like to see more keyboard functionality.

Hotkeys, Hotkeys, Hotkeys!

Re: SE5, Tell Aaron what\'s on your Wish List
 

but ai humor is the one that truly bites.

*whaps himself with a hammer*

*whaps david with a hammer*