What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I know that many of us have already said that we would gladly pay for an expansion pack, and for the most part, I think that is still true. But what would be in this expansion pack that would make it a "must have" for everyone. Well, I know what I would like too see in it:

1. More Components for ships
2. More facilities
3. Map Editor modifications that allowed for Random creation of sectors, planets, other at a click.
4. Internet play

Now these are just a few of the things I would like to see. What are some that you would like to see? Please keep in mind that the idea of this thread is for the benefit of an expansion pack and not a debate over what works and does not work with the current game. Just post what you would pay to have.


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"We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats! They invade our space and we fall back -- they assimilate entire worlds and we fall back! Not again! The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!" -- Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard
UCP/TCO Ship Yards

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I would like to see better multiplay. Maybe some new treaties, like one that prevents blowing up stars and planets. Or one that allows two empires to join as one without surrendering. Like an alliance, both sides are friends.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

My list is:
1) Detailed tactical ground combat.
2) Possibility to implement mines warfare in tactical combat, may be allowing to deploy satellites and mines in tactical combat using a "formation and launch units" menu, like the options used for fleet formations and fighter's launch.
3) A pirate MOD.
The other points may fit better for a future patch:
4) Retreat option from combat.
5) Option to save starting games settings (add manually each customized race and set the preferences every time is a bit annoyng).
Thanks and best regards.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

My main wish, and it's a pretty simple one, is for drones to be added. I understand that the code is all basically in there, it just doesn't work right yet. I want my tectonic-bomb and plague bomb drones! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Also, I'd like to be able to do something more with asteroids. Stealth space stations, massively armored space stations (how many kt of damage would a kilometer of nickel-iron absorb? http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif, etc. would be good things to carve into asteroids.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I don't want them to spend time on anything that can already be modded... I want hardcode changes to allow new stuff/ideas.

I have lots of things I want, but here are my top 13:

1) GET CUSTOM GROUPS WORKING!!!!

2) Allow us to add new atmospheres/planet types in a .txt file.. Plus be able to determine how often they occur when generated randomly and to charge/give back starting points for certain selections. Additionally, allow toggles to make certain planet types only habitable by those who picked it... all others have to live in domes, regardless of atmosphere (this is race specific NOT empire specific). Also make atmosphere able to be put into families, (i.e., Thin Oxygen/Standard Oxygen/Dense Oxygen/etc.)... and atmosphere converion use both values, the first for any converion the second for "same family"... where 0 means not possible.

3) Allow us to set in sectortype.txt the resources of a planet (i.e., Organics: None, Radioactives: High, Minerals: Any) and the planetary conditions.

4) Allow RESTRICTIONS to restrict a componet from being placed unless the ship has/does not have a certain Ability (i.e., No cloaks if their are active sensors), also get the restrictions in racialabilites.txt and facility.txt working.

5) Allow facility abilities to stack (using the 1 per planet restriction) between diffrent facility families... make a planet Version for all system abilities (i.e., Happiness, plague prevention, growth)

6) More stellar constructions, using the "empty" 2nd value to determine if the construction has to be around a star, a planet, an asteroid field, a storm or empty space. A ability that can move planets would also be nice!

7) Allow componets that generate intell/research/ and can allow populations to grow while in cargo! Also, allow us to determine how much cargo space 1M population takes in systems.txt

8) Allow the AI to use "multi-"componets/facilities properly... if you make a componet that has 2 abilities, and the ai is told to build things with those abilities it will build 2 of those componets, not just one.

9) Give fields in the AI facility creation file for EXTRA FACILITIES, here you would list a number of extra facilities for the AI to build if there is still room and all primary facilities that CAN be built have been... now when one of the primary facilites become available, the AI will scrap one of the extra facilities to make room for it!

10) Allow techs to be chosen in packages to be bought under advanced racial traits (i.e., Energy Branch= Physics 1, Shields 1, energy Stream and Energy pulse at 1 / Terran Branch = Chemistry 1, Armor 1, Projectile weapons 1, Missile Weapons 1 / etc.), thus allowing for races to have unique "tech-personalities" from game start... the first selection would be free, each extra selection would cost points

11) Get emmisive armor (the ability) working... make the emmissive "check" before damage is multiplied for the number of fighters/sats and before "carry-over" damage is added. Also add a second type of armor ability... "Hardened Armor", and a new damage type "Skips Normal Armor". OR better yet, add a Damage.txt file... it would list every armor type and shield type (you would add the type to each armor/shield/weapon/componet... it would be a number or name like "Projectile", "Explosive", "Phased")... and how weapons affect them... (i.e. 100% (normal damage), 50% (damage cut in half), 200% (double damage), Ignore (Is not affected by/does not harm), 0% (does no damge), -10% (is healed with 10% of the damage)... thus a shield depleter would have 100% to shields and 0% to all else, Engine Destroying weapons do 100% to ENGINES, Ignores armor and shields (or maybe just armor!)... the possibilities would be great, each weapon could be very unique)

12) New types of SUPPLIES, there would be Supplies (use by crew quarters, etc.)... they are either drained at the beginning of every turn for "always-on" componets (if no supplies, the componet is destroyed) or is used when-ever the componet is activated (i.e., for stellar manipluation or space yards)... then there is FUEL, used during movement just like now (allow min. speed when out of fuel to be set in settings.txt), also there would be ENERGY used at turn start or for each time a weapon fired, and finally AMMO, used each time a weapon fires. There must also be abilities to STORE and to GENERATE each type... solar generation/quantum reactor abilities would apply to ENERGY. All types of supplies should be able to be moved between ships just like cargo... and bases should not have ENDLESS, neither should fighters/Sats.

13) A simple one: allow Ships\FTR\SATS to be a legal target type

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

In no particular order...

1> I would like to see the best of the player mods / races "oficialised" into a mod pack or patch. (including new racial techs, crossover techs, more PDC options, pirates & nomads, improved AI files for default races...)

2> Asteroids: the ability to build space station-like structures on them would be nice.

3> I'd really like it if other species kept their racial abilities when they join your empire. The you'd have reasons to acquire alien populations other than what atmosphere they breathe.

4> The ability to decide how restricted or free your citizens are to move around within your empire. This would affect happiness, plagues (free movement= plagues spread more quickly) research (free movement= better sharing of ideas, better research), intel (free movement= harder to catch spies) and also numbers 5 & 9 on this list.

5> I really hope that automatic migration of species from planet to planet will be implemented. Non-domed planets should be able to hold a small domed population (maybe just 5 or 10 million for huge worlds, 1 or 2 million for tiny) without any of the current space penalties.

6> sort out damage for different armour types / shield types / skipping weapons etc. It's a real mess.

7> Tactical combat: "resolve combat peacefully" button.
Strategic combat: Better handling of ramming / boarding strategies.

8> "Wait" command for ships, where you can specify exactly how many turns you want it to wait.

9> Changing planet descriptions according to game events: for example I could colonise a planet that says "A huge gas planet known for it's swirling colours." After several years of mineral mining and weapons platform production it might change to "A well defended mining colony" or even just "A colonised world with some great restaurants." After taking damage in a battle it might change again to "A war-torn planet with ruined cities"



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"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
"Uh, I think so Brain, but how are we gonna teach a goat to dance with flippers on? "

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

You guys just about covered 'em all. My main requests would be...

1) Adjust starting techs like SE3. Specifically being able to assign more than 1 level of any given tech. Has been explained many times....

2) Want my asteroids back! I like using 'em as military SY's.

3) Better multi-player support. I have not yet played a multi-player game 'cause I'm not really interested in playing for 3 months at 1-2 turns per day.

4) A 'Mod Manager'. I envision an interface similar to Win9x/NT's Add/Remove Programs control panel. Since the mods are text-based, I suspect an app could be made to track dates / additions / deletions to the text files and remove / restore / recreate those changes as needed. Same concept with ship sets, etc. I have wanted to attempt such a project (as well as do some modding myself), but my programming time lately has been dedicated to SQL web databases. (I think this was discussed in previous threads).

Many others mentioned in this thread, but the above are my main 3 wishes.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I would like to see

1. Ground Combat, maybe similiar to what the old star general game had but one that actually works.

2. Planet Wp's to have greater range with the different size mounts, this keeps players from standing off and glazing it with missles. These extra ranges would only be for planet bound WP's. It makes sense that a planet would have larger mounts then those on ships and capable to firing farther with both seekers & gun types

3. Workable Drones that can go through worm holes and target planets/ships in other systems

4. more ship designs to pick from

5. more races to be randomly/preselected from for a game

6. incorportate some of the best mods such as the pirate/civil war/ 1.71 mods

7. Last inprove AI smarts

just some ideas mac

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

Mac,
There is a small mod available that gives the extra range to the WP, I think it is called Compenhancement. I agree that they should have longer range. Check out the mod I think you would like it, it makes approaching a planet VERY dangerous!

[This message has been edited by Nitram Draw (edited 03 May 2001).]

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

N.D. Thanks, I'll take a look when I get a break from work. probably this weekend.

tks again

just some ideas Mac

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

Lets not forget about the Civil War http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

And being able to play with more than 20 races at a time would be nice

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Now these are just a few of the things I would like to see. What are some that you would like to see? Please keep in mind that the idea of this thread is for the benefit of an expansion pack and not a debate over what works and does not work with the current game. Just post what you would pay to have.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Most of these suggestions are good, but there's a couple that I don't think could work. Should I start another thread to discuss the problems I see with them?

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Cap'n Q

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

Tampa, I too would like to see a line where you can have population use organics... but why not let the race "pick" which material it "eats" in the race-setup screen...

Also in addition to the maintenance lines for ships/fighters/troops/etc. that you suggested, I would also like one for FACILITIES!

A few more things:

I want lines in settings.txt to determine what efect upon happiness/growth/production/construction Planet Conditions cause... just as their are lines for happiness and population.

Also I want an Area-Effect damage line... it would hit all vessels within X amount of sectors (setting it to 1 would override the "one shoot/one kill" if implemented)
Maybe 2 area-efects... one that hits everything, another that only hits enemies.

Oh, and not only point generation (intel/research) and growth for population in cargo... but also resouce storage ability for componets.

Two types of repair ability, the "normal" one, and a "Rebuild" ability. Now, any componet which is "destroyed after use", must be rebuilt... not repaired. Also add a line in setting.txt to allow repairing to cost a % of the materials normally required for the componet(s) (Set it to 0 if you don't want to pay). Finally, any weapon which has the "destroyed after use" tag, should be destroyed after the first firing.

P.S. I really like the idea of "Resolve Combat Peacefully"... it could do a quick check of anger and force strength to decide... if not, pick again... OR go straight to strategic (as kinda like a penalty for picking "peaceful")


Addendum: A new type of cloak ability called "STEALTH", that only has it's full rating when X amount of sectors away from the sensor (Where X can be set in settings.txt), closer than that, the stealth level drops by 1 per sector. Also the ability "Combat Cloak", this cloak works in combat... when you enter a sector with enemy ships it asks if you want to attack or avoid. In combat, your ship(s) stays cloaked until it fires for the first time, this would give a great tactical advantage and would give more reasons to mount sensors.


Also two new AI Ship Designs... Scout (which is used for exploration only) and Command Ship (which the AI always tries to have at least 1 Command Ship as fleet leader in each fleet... it could mount sensors, quantum reactors, etc... so that it need not waste that space on every ship, it could also be used to mount "special weapons" like shield depleters, engine deystroyers, tractor-beams, heavy PD, etc.)


And Finally, let the "Requires movement remaining" be a tag that can be added to componets not that they automatically come with certain componets OR at least remove that requirement for bases (I want to be able to create Warp Point Gates out of spacestations!)




[This message has been edited by Trachmyr (edited 04 May 2001).]

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

You can mod the number of population required to operate a facility in the settings.txt, not sure if it actually does anything though.

Making Stellar manipulation ships disappear after using the component would reduce the repair + redo exploit (although the maintainance on a stellar manip component seems like payment enough). This would only really require that the component required itself to be present in the same way a ringworld placer requires plates + cables and the ship just got 'eaten' in the change.


What I would like is the ability to mod things more profoundly.... but that requires lots of new code, so I can do without.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

One Last thing... (I think)

New Planet Tags and Racial Habitabilty traits that affect Planet Conditions on a per race (not per empire) level.

I've already suggested allowing you to choose planet conditions (or their allowable range) in sectortype.txt. I've also suggested that you can determine the Planet Condition's effect upon happiness, production/construction and growth. And I've suggested the ability to add new planet types and atmospheres (Making Asteroids one of these new types, so they finally can be colonized).

What I would like to see added also, are tags that make a Planet's Condition go up or down depending on the race. The tags would be "Gravity", "Radiation", "Tempature" and perhaps "Terrain" and "Pollution".

Each of these tags can be selected from a pull down menu in the race setup screnn (where you choose planet type/atmosphere), it would then list all the choices (For instance you set it too "Gravity", your choices would be "Low", "Medium", "High" or "Crushing"... for each of these selections you can choose your races' prefrence: "Optimal", "Tolerable", "Hazardous" or "Lethal"... optimal would give a bounus to planetary conditions where that type of gravity exsits, tolerable would leave it unaffected, Hazardous would give a penalty and Lethal would not only give a penalty, but make it so that only domed colonies are possible. Each choice would cost/give back starting points... hopefully the tags and their costs would be in a moddable .txt file. As a final note, if the Planet's Conditions ever get altered to "Deadly", only domed colonies are possible.

This can also be applied to planet types, but the levels would be: Optimal (no effect on conditions), Tolerable (penalty to conditions), Hazardous (Penalty to conditions and only domed colonies), Uninhabitable (NO colonies allowed at all). You can make a rock planet dweller find rock planets "Optimal", Ice Planets "Hazardous" and gas giants "Uninhabitable".

This ability can also be extended to atmospheres (levels like for planet types)... So that you can have a race that "optimaly" breathes hydrogen but can "tolerably" breathe "methane" and all others would be "Hazardous"...

It would make habitable planets rarer and more valuable... plus add more identity to planets and races.

Additionally, I also would want these "tags" selectble in sectortype.txt... you could choose the exact level or set it to "Any".
It would also be nice if you can link one tag to planetsize.txt, making certain types more/less likely (i.e., Huge Worlds can't have low gravity, and are more likely to have high gravity).

New facilities to improve these new planet conditions can be modded (just the current ability, but add an identifer to determine which new tag is affected... or 0 to affect base "planet conditions").

And since the tags are generic, new ones could be modded!




[This message has been edited by Trachmyr (edited 04 May 2001).]

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I would definitely pay for any expansion pack, but it would have to contain changes that we could not otherwise mod. Some suggestions included the following (note some of you will recognize this from my usualy post - I typically send this list to MM about once a month as a reminder http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

(1) [Tactical] Upon launch of seeker, no corresponding sounds is playing (capital ship missile, seeking parasite, etc.), please add it back.

(2) [Combat Report] Report fighters/other units lost/destroyed.

(3) [AI Intel Projects] The AI is not optimizing its intel. While eventually a file similar to research file would nice to dictate what types of intel projects the race will conduct depending on AI state, for now here are two quick fixes: (A) limit the AI to 6 active projects. This should be enough to have some counter-intel, but also prevent the current problem of the AI having too many projects with 100+ years to complete; and (B) delete the following intel projects (for the AI) that it will never use even if successful (i.e. steal designs, pop. centers, ship construction and fleet location, etc.).

(4) [AI Game] The AI does not know to "uncloak" its ships with minesweeping ability and colonization (which both still do not work while cloaked in Version 1.35).

(5) [AI Game] Tech Lv 3 starts for all the AI pose the following problems: (i) there is no limit to the amount spent on upgrading facilities, thus most AI players spend their first 50 turns upgrading facilities and quickly run out of resources leaving them very vulnerable (suggest putting a cap on % resources spent per turn on facilities), (ii) regardless of what there individual research file says, this type of start gives them all techs even when there designs don't call for them - this throws off the design files b/c they don't think that race is going to get any weapons other than those they research (suggest letting tech 3 start all the way through a particular race's file to establish what techs they start with).

(6) [AI Planet Types] The current file appears to only allow resource values in excess of 101. Is it possible to allow values of less than 101 (say 75)?

(7) [AI Diplomacy] Add a short distinct .wav file that plays when the button is pressed on the log file for a message from a particular race. I think this would be fairly easy to implement, but will go a long way to developing distinct personalities among races. You can put a placebo empty .wav file there for now until you have time to expand the music (the modders will fill in the music in no time for you!).

(8) [AI Diplomacy] Should be a penalty for asking for a treaty every turn. I know the xenophobic races have this built in, but even the Eee should be pissed-off if you ask for a treaty every turn for 20 turns!

(9) [AI Diplomacy] Players should be penalized for ignoring any message (even if it is a general message, players should have to send a general message back). This would make diplomacy better.

(10) [AI Diplomacy] If I accept to break a treaty or declare war, have it automatically happen.

(11) [AI Diplomacy] If I promise to support in war, the AI should at least take a look and see if I have had a battle with the target race in xx # turns.

(12) [AI Fleets] Non-direct combatant mine-sweepers, transports, colonizers, boarding ships, troop transports, etc. do not appear to be joining fleets for protection. Could there be a toggle or flag field in the design file to indicate whether a design type should seek a fleet?

(13) [AI Fleets/Design] Since the design types for the AI are rather strict, we need one additional - call it "Support Ship" this class would always be assigned to a fleet (perhaps limit # in the fleet) and would contain supplies, solar collectors, repair facilities, quantum reactor, etc. - More in line with what human players do or even better - allow calls in the Construct_Vehicles file based on "Design Name" instead of "Design Type."

(14) [Game Setting] Ability to "purchase" via points certain techs for starting. This would simplify creating races with say Intel or Stealthiness to start (like the Darloks) instead of creating "modified components" around it.

(15) [Game Setting] In the "Settings.txt" file - add a line item for how many organics per population/per turn to deduct from storage or production. This would end a long debate and allow players to actually think about building organic extraction facilities again.

(16) [Game Setting] In the "Settings.txt" file - add a separate user-defined maintenance % for each of the following (similar to what we now have for ships): fighters, troops, sats, weapons and facilities. By letting everyone tweak their own maintenance % - it would end the long debate on this subject.

(17) [Game Setting] Option to limit effect of weapons fire to maximum of one weapon/one kill (i.e. to prevent entire fighter Groups from being wiped out by single shot).

(18) [Game Sounds] Separate volume controls for music and sounds (many players like their sounds high, but music low in background)

(19) [Abilities] Need abilities added similar to "Combat Modifier - System", but limited to Sector or Fleet (this would allow a lot more facilities/components variety - say command ships)

(20) [Abilities] Please let Weapon Platforms have the same range modifications as Bases (this will help the AI and negate some of the "missile dancing" by human players.

(21) [Abilities] Please put a subroutine in so components can use the point generation abilities (i.e. research and intelligence).

(22) [Abilities] Repulsor beams should react automatically similar to PD weapons (to push away boarding ships, fighters, seekers, etc.) this would make it a more viable weapon.

(23) [Game] Provide a way to toggle a planet so that it would not show-up in the "Planet" list of production queues (this would be helpful for small planets which get maxed-out early and really are not touched for the rest of the game except for auto-upgrades)

(24) [Tactical Combat] Add a .wav file for when (A) a shield takes a hit and (B) a ship moves in tactical combat. You can put placebo empty .wav files there for now until you have time to expand the sounds (the modders will fill in the sounds in no time for you!)

(25) [Tactical Combat] Chance to discover tech when taking a planet over by troops (or alternatively, by scrapping unknown facilities on such planet)

(26) [Tactical Combat] I have been working on a solution to what I think is a major hurdle for sats and WPs - their inability to fire first when ships come into weapons range. To solve this I added the "Point - Defense" ability to a DUC II while leaving the "Target Type" the same to expirement. Theoretically, the automatic response turrets (as I call them) should fire when ships move into weapons range. They do for fighters (as they are supposed to), they cannot fire at seekers (as they are supposed to) and if unfired in a turn, they can still be manually fired (as they are supposed to) but unfortunately they do not automatically fire at ships. My theory is that the ships movement subroutine does not have the same "check" for response fire that seeker and fighter movement has. Would it be possible to add a line of code to the ship movement subroutine similar to the one already there for seeker and fighter movement (if my theory is correct). This would then provide the capability of making sats/wps (or ships) that automatically fire when a ship or fighter moves into weapons range (similar to MOO2).

(27) [Intel Ops] Ability to target intel ops on specific Groups of facilities (already have Groups based on group names in facility.txt file)

(28) Add 3-5 additional pics for each hull size - similar to in MOO2 where you could go sideways for different graphics of same hull size and up/down for different hull size (you can put placebos in for now all based on same pic, but for those that want more variety can modify their own). This would allow for more variety between support/attack ships of the same size

(29) Expand ground combat so that it is similar to space (each unit would be a battalion/division) - I forwarded an extensive e-mail earlier and there are several other earlier Posts about this on the Shrapnel Board - I have also heard many beta testers discuss this)

(30) Allow different ship sizes (currently all are 1x1 square) similar to Armies of Armageddon where there could be 1x2, 2x2, 3x1 and 3x2 units (planets would still be larger than ships). This would allow the budding artists to take advantage of the larger canvas area and those if us with 19" monitors won't have to squint as much - and also provide some disparity between and escort and a baseship.

(31) Initiative-based dependent on hull size, engines and experience and possible special components (similar to MOO2).

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I would like to see:
The ability to adjust starting techs.
A wider variety of components that do specific things, as in Trachmyr's #13, so that you must adjust throughout the game to different strategies. Not just have bigger Versions of the original items.
An AI that is a little more on the ball, one that analyized the overall game situation better.
Improved AI diplomacy.
Something to make specific systems/planets more valuable than others. A center of your culture if you like whos loss would be devastating to your empire.
Facilities that had an empire wide effect.
A population requirement for each facility to operate at full value and the ability to rank facilities on each planet in order of importance.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

1. Tactical ground combat
2. More levels to cloaking and senors.
3. Inclusion of planet size effect against population.
4. Missiles can be turned off 100% accuracy and act like direct fire with no distance neagative to hit and are harder to hit than fighters.
5. More racial techs.
6. Better manual!
7. Better e-mail capability.

Just my thoughts!

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Making Stellar manipulation ships disappear after using the component would reduce the repair + redo exploit (although the maintainance on a stellar manip component seems like payment enough).
B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Err..what exploit are you refering to? If I'm thinking of the one you are, it won't make a difference if the ship gets 'eaten' because the cheater is *reloading* his turn each time, hence the ship isn't "eaten" anymore.

If you are refering to having a stellar manip component and a repair on the same ship/fleet.. how is that an exploit?

Phoenix-D

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I don't think it's possible to reload a turn if you're playing multiplayer, so that isn't a problem.

I've seen lots of people discussing the Warp closer / repair bay ship as being unfair. It makes no real difference to me and with the maintainance payments required it isn't really an exploit.

I would like to be able to build asteroid outPosts (very small domed colonies?).

1. Tactical ground combat? An interface like tactical space combat? With 200 or so troops on each side? That could slow things down a bit.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I would like to see the AI randomly set racial traits for AI players, possibly as an option. Or at least some aspects of random changes. This way when the computer picks your AI opponets you won't know if they would be oxygen, hydrogen, breathers etc or if they are warriors, bloodthirsty, etc. or what their usual traits are. Therefore even if you, say you get the Krill or whomever, you could not count on what they normally are every game. I know that some of this is Modable but I just thought if the AI randomly picks at beginning it might make the game a little more interesting to play. That's why I would make it an option.

And do something with neutrals so they expand and become war like once attacked or at war. Now they are sort of dull that's why I don't use neutrals when I play

just some ideas Mac

[This message has been edited by mac5732 (edited 04 May 2001).]

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I would like to see a better Techtree at all - more like the interlinked Tech system from games like Civilization or Alpha Centaury, maybe Techs with prerequisites like needs to have four of this six technologies to be researched.

More random events, unique events and facilities - a bit like in Birth of the Federation.

murx

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I had thought of a variation of this, that would take some significant commitment on some ones part.

It is to create multiple tech trees and then host a game with one of those tech trees with the technology being unkown to the players. As it stands now most of us know what it takes to get to that tech we want. If this was in the unknown and behind several tech levels, even perhaps behind 'empty' tech levels.

This would invlove modification of several of the data files to make it truly unkown but we have several out there now.

This wouild not be for all players but for people who like a challenge it could make for some interesting times, paticularly if the host is not playing in the game.

The only thing about this is that I don't know if the .gam file houses all the data files or if the data files need to be the same on all machines for the game to work properly.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by murx:
I would like to see a better Techtree at all - more like the interlinked Tech system from games like Civilization or Alpha Centaury, maybe Techs with prerequisites like needs to have four of this six technologies to be researched.
&lt;snip&gt;
murx<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was thinking about this Last night, and realized that one (minor) problem with this idea is that Civilization doesn't really allow for multiple levels of each tech area. IOW, you'd get a generic "Anti-Proton Beam" for researching Energy Stream Weapons. It still might be interesting to have multiple prerequisites for certain tech areas, just as there are multiple prerequisites for certain components.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

Got another one...

I just started using protectorate/subjugation, and I'm a bit dissapointed how they work... my suggestions:

1) They should be treated as Allies NOT neutrals! Otherwise you can't win with the "Peace" victory condition.

2) You should be able to see what they see (but not vice versa) and use their resupply depots.

3) You should also get a portion of their research and intel!

4) While the race's anger with you should count under protectorate (whether they accept the treaty or not), it should not count under subjugation! Subjugation is similar to surrender, but less severe... it's a do this or else treaty! However, "offering" subjugation should increase the AI's Anger, and Protectorates should not require such a huge score over the race to be accepted (Maybe 200%-300%)

5) Finally, I do not know if a race can break a subjugation treaty, but if they can they shouldn't (unless they rebell or riot), and Protectorates shouldn't break the treaty as long as your score remains 2x theirs and they have not lost any planets to hostile (but they should break the treaty real quick if they lose a few worlds and you didn't/couldn't do anything to stop it (say deystroy at least 1/2 of the attacking fleets/ships)

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

I'd like to see new types of treaties. Like one that works like surrender but is an alliance instead. The other race becomes part of your empire and is happy about it.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

How about randomly named tech areas?
Or useless tech areas?

Ie. You reasearch "obscure idea #1"
once you're done, your scientists cry out "wow, this could be turned into an anti-proton beam!!!",
or maybe "Oops. now that we've thought about it for a month, this is a stupid idea."

You'd never really know what you're going to get, but once you find something good, you have to decide whether to keep researching the good tech, or do more basic research to try and find something even better.


This would require a MM expansion pack to get the AIs to work within the system.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

The "more branching/like Civ" tech tree idea we could do NOW.

If the restrictions for techs worked, it would be even easier. As it is now, giving a tech area multiple requirements causes a crash.

Hrm. I just checked that, and it works so far. Maybe it got fixed in a patch since I tested it Last.

Anyway, even if that doesn't work, you CAN give a component more than one requirement. It just won't be immediatly obvious to the player what is going on.

EDIT: OK, giving a tech more than one other tech as a requirement seems to work now.

Phoenix-D



[This message has been edited by Phoenix-D (edited 05 May 2001).]

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

For those of you, who requested more random events. My random events file is posted in the mod section and I will be posting my newest Version by sunday.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

*Mostly I would like more technologies. Trees that feel like they just go off into infinity. A tree that takes more than 1000 turns to complete, so that you have to choose aresearch path and stick with it.

*Scenerios. (I don't think this needs explaining)

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

For me everything that can't be modified by ourselves like:
- exclusion technology for ship designs (design will not be used anymore if specified tech is available)
- possibility to instruct use of specific facility (e.g. monolith) or component for construction instead of ability as alternative
- AI intelligence projects file
- AI fleets composition file
- new abilities (e.g. specific counter intelligence)
- cross-use of abilities for facilities/components
- drones!!
- possibility to modify stackabilty of different facilities or components

If most of them could be realized I would be prepared to pay once more the full price of SE IV!

[This message has been edited by Q (edited 05 May 2001).]

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

BUMP

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

tcpip tcpip tcpip and tatical combat in tcpip games. Everyone else can twittle with their empire while the battles go on.

Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
 

tcpip tcpip tcpip and tatical combat in tcpip games. Everyone else can twittle with their empire while the battles go on.