What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

So what is it? Or if you'd prefer, what would you add to SE4 to make it your perfect game?

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

What would you add to SE4 to make it your perfect game?. Most likly #1 palace ability,#2 space monsters, & #3 retret ability, in this order of priorty. I bit my toung,My back iches,shiver my timbers, My toung is drooling. Looking forward to se4 gold.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Best feature: modding flexibility.
Best thing to add: more of it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif , in the form of an SEPL (Space Empires Programming Language)
plus some AI improvements.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

What do I like about it? All the knobs and twiddles from a player's perspective. It's quite reminiscent of Moo 2 in that way, but more so, and with fewer extremes (like Creative was in MOO2). One can create and role-play race to suit one's mood. Plus, it can all be edited as the player desires...

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Functional Displays that focus on the game and not on the eye candy. ( sorry quite vague I can expain if someone asks)
F5 screen (I believe it is the planet list screen)
All the different views of your planets are great. ( Just needs the ability to exclude and/ or do inclusive only searchs on planets)


Setup screen. Done very well.

And I am very happy with the modding.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

I think the best feature SE IV has going for it is the support it gets from the developers and the community http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

As for what I'd like to see, maybe a system generator in the map generator - something that will create a random system within specs set by you at a specific location within an existing map.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

ok tesco, i'll ask, explain more

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

What i think is the best is the human players and hte whole PBW infrastructure. Everything else plays into the plan perfectly. It is just flawless (almost).

What i would like to see is a scenario editor, or a 'cheat' menu a la civ 2 so people can make more interesting/faster created scenarios, the first one (to my knowledge) Homecoming by SJ was done by reverse engineering the tutuorial. I should think that with MM giving such a big commitment to moddign scenario editing would be the logical next step.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Homecoming by SJ was done by reverse engineering the tutuorial.<hr></blockquote>The only thing I really got from REing the tutorial was to make the scenario look more official. And its not exactly a secret, either, since the source is plaintext.

I made my scenario by playing a game under some wierd self-imposed rules, and went from
"Well, I'm nearly invincible now" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif
to
"Crikey!* I just lost my entire empire" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif
to
"Hey, this would be cool for a scenario!" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
/save /copy /rename /copy tutorial bits /paste /typetypetype /save /zip /post

* = Paraphrased

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Oh come on now, I know that there are plenty of you out there that have ideas on how to make this game better and there is lots of stuff you would add to it to make it your perfect game. So hurry up and post what that is http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

How about a random tech tree, so you do not always get the same one? even if you use a different race that way you will not know what tech gets you the strongest weapons!
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ 19 January 2002: Message edited by: mottlee ]</p>

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

What would you add to SE4 to make it your perfect game?, How about. #1 Derilict ship or fighter morroned in space or planet.#2 Ancient facility ruins.#3 300 solar sytems. My eyes are glitering,my toung turned purple?,shiver my timbers?, my knees are weak!.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

1st, I like SE4 because by getting the game I have met all you wonderful people out there, if it wasn't for the game, I never would have found this forum nor enjoyed myself as much as I have both in playing the game and in discussions on the forum.

What I like about the game, is the flexibility it has for both mod and non modders. The game has the capability of different challenges by what can be tweaked, added,and subtracted to the game. My opinion only, I feel that this is where the game shines and goes beyond the other games out there. I don't know of any other game that has the large modding capability as this one does and in addition lets us non modders tweak the races in the original game as well. In addition, The great support that Richard, Aaron, MM, and Sharpnel have given us. What other company would have given us the number of patches they have, let alone the gold issue with a lot of those ideas from the modders.

I'm starting to ramble on during these Posts, I gotta stop taking those meds because of my&^&$%$%^$#@%$ kitchen, I've never talked so much

What I would add is a fleet merge button or something similiar, add more diverse races and new additional tech trees and racial traits

PS, Hi Chewy, havn't seen you on the board much lately, glad to see ya back

just some ideas mac

[ 19 January 2002: Message edited by: mac5732 ]</p>

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

I like SE4 because of the ability to change the game and its a interesting strategy game against human opponents.

combat: Since the limitation of "only one ship can occupy a square in combat" was done by demand in the early development of the game- I would like to see an option added to the set up that allows multiple ships to stack in the same square in combat.

I would like to see a defense added for every type of weapon damage in the abilities file.

I would like to see ground combat maybe similar in format to Star general.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

AJC - Why would you want to be able to overlap more? Explain more please.

Mac - What other tech areas would you add as well as racial traits? Oh and check your private message

everybody else - I know there is still more you would add. Be as specific as you would like.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by mottlee:
How about a random tech tree, so you do not always get the same one? even if you use a different race that way you will not know what tech gets you the strongest weapons!
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ 19 January 2002: Message edited by: mottlee ]<hr></blockquote>

Or just have each weapon have a random damage range per game. Ie, in one game APB V might be 40/30/30/20/10; but in the next game it would be 20/15/15/10/5. Other weapon attributes could be affected as well, such as reload rates, supplies used, size in KT, etc. Of coarse, this is pretty much a hard code change, unless someone feels like makeing about 100,000,000 copies of the components.txt file.....
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Of coarse, this is pretty much a hard code change, unless someone feels like makeing about 100,000,000 copies of the components.txt file.....<hr></blockquote>Or, get one of the board programmers to write a program to randomly generate weapons for the components.txt file.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Wanted (in no particular order):

0. MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE EVER EVER FOR THE REST OF THE ETERNITY: Support the mousewheel. Damn.

1. AI debugger. Breakpoints to show exactly what the AI is selecting from various text files.

2. Ability to manually change the AI mode by human players. Would be great when you use the ministers heavily.

3. Editable orders window. Perhaps allow manual text-entry in the orders window, or at the very least allow me to delete a single order from it without cleaning the complete list.

4. Open-ended tech tree. Describe weapons power/range/cost/etc. with a formula instead of numbers. Would allow for smoother and infinite developpement.

I'm sure I had other, but I can't think of anything else right now. Except perhaps a time-distortion device to allow me to player longer. :)

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

#4 must be optional, or have a settable endpoint.
Otherwise, the formulae will have to support arbitrary exponents (not just +ve integers), trigonometry, and if/then/else statements.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

I totally agree with the added Notes idea. I use that feature a lot. Especially in large games where I've got multiple plans going on. I'd like to see Notes options for more than just systems. Ships, Planets, other Races, etc. And the history window. If it covered more than just "Contact made", "War breaks out", "Contact Lost". Perhaps things like "First Frigate built". "Ringworld built", and "Empire surrenders to you". In the heavier RPG games, these sort of details really add to the flavor and history of the game.

Another thing would be a syncronized Version of SE for PDA's. I realalize this would be a massive undertaking, but to be able to play SE4 while on the move..... (the mind reels at the thought).

(while standing in line at the bank one day)
"Hey, you've got a Palm Pilot! Cool. What you got on there?"
"SE4."
"Yeah, what else?"
"Nothing. Just SE4. Now if you'll just leave me alone, I've got some Norak to destroy."

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Would like to see
1. Expanded notes. Ability to add notes to a system from main game window.
2. Click on another races ship would show what we know about it with a ship display and Comp tab.

Favorite Feature = ship construction.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by bearclaw:

Another thing would be a syncronized Version of SE for PDA's. I realalize this would be a massive undertaking, but to be able to play SE4 while on the move..... (the mind reels at the thought).
<hr></blockquote>

My god, man, do you want to COMPLETELY destroy my social life????? 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: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by chewy027:
AJC - Why would you want to be able to overlap more? Explain more please.<hr></blockquote>


I do not like the way a ship can be trapped in combat - boxed in , especially in the corners of the battle map or near a planet and its moon .

If you could stack ship - imagine being able to set up Groups of ships - like fighters in a group.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

ok I see your point http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

actually, i dont' know if this is a good thing (certainly keeps people fromrunning away), is the way the combat map ends, if it continued (ala Space Velocity or other such game into infinity) or wrapped around then people could easily run from fights they couldn't win wiht crappier engines. I guess this allows the 'im gonna get you with my battlemoon' thing to work but still it seems unfair that the map just stops and the colony ship is stuck there (due to bad AI mostly) and gets swallowed by ships it could have out run in real life. Ohwell.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Chewy, It would have to be a new race, new description, atmosphere, etc, then racial traits and advance traits, Then decide on the Tech tree you want to use, a current one or brand new, designing the race won't be easy as a lot of good ideas have already been incorporated by the modders.

tks for the msg, ck your pvt mail

just some ideas mac

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

"If you could stack ship - imagine being able to set up Groups of ships - like fighters in a group."

Hmm. Personally I'd be against this idea. I like the limitations not being able to stack ships imposed on manuvering. (I played SE3 as well, so I do know how it works otherwise).

Phoenix-D

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Stacking in combat.
What if it was an option in the setup of the game...?

To avoid the SE3 movement woes - allow the ships to be grouped in combat - like a fighter group.
that would be great
- A battleship could have support ships that stuck around and actually supported it! Not run off during the battle like they do today..

Create a fleet - with Groups of ships instead of individual ships. This would solve the task forces within a fleet concept that people have been asking for.

[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: AJC ]</p>

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

"A battleship could have support ships that stuck around and actually supported it! Not run off during the battle like they do today.."

Not sure why you'd want that except maybe for point-defense ships (which can be made to stay with the other ships). All my other support ships- cargo ships, tankers, repair ships, construction yards, etc- would probably be better off staying away from combat.

Phoenix-D

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

cargo ships , tankers and colony ships should ram baby ram. Their only gonna die anyway.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Hmm. I sometimes include those ships in my fleets, so for me they need to go hide in the corner while the REAL fighters do the dirty work http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Phoenix-D

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

I think he meant "support" as in escorts that would actually escort a Dreadnaught (or troop carrier) during combat, though you'd probably use light cruisers instead of escorts http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ 22 January 2002: Message edited by: suicide_junkie ]</p>

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

If you could create Groups of ships so certain ships stay together in combat. Then just like you can with fighter Groups in the game now; place those ship Groups into fleets and assign a formation and strategy.

By support I meant - Groups of ships specifically designed to compliment each others abilities in combat and are more effective as a team if they stay in close proximity to each other.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Well what if you could manually place ships in a formation instead of assigning a specific formation that has limitations. What I mean is as you add more ships to a fleet you can manually configure your own formation with no limit on the number of ships. Then you could still group support ships together without the confusion of overlap.

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

If you break it down into 2 sections of formations, such as, and this is only an example,
Groups & Fleets,

1. 1st be able to assign a group together, such as
a CV with 2 escorting LC's, where ever the CV
goes the escorts move with-it automatically
as long as that formation is in effect.
Therefore, if it heads for the cornor, the
escorts go with it. This would be true for
both human and AI players

2. Ability to assign Groups within a fleet. You
would then have to assign each group within the
fleet a number. #1 would move 1st, then #2, etc
This way your Groups would move as a fleet and
comply with fleet formations unless changed,
but the Groups remain the same and perform
supporting fire etc for its group as well as
for the fleet overall.

A problem with not having pre-designed formations would be that the AI would not be able to adjust.
What I would suggest, is that you use the current formations/Strategies, add a few more, then for the AI player, assign counter formations/strategies, if this could be done.

Even in multi player games, the AI must be able to adjust. This is especially true in Strategic Combat. In Tactical, we can already use our own formations/stragies if we wish, which creates problems with the AI. The AI needs up-grades in its formations/stragies in both, especially in tactical.

These are my opinions only,

just some ideas mac

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Ok just a friendly bump to get this back on topic and in view of new would be posters. Come on I know there is lots of stuff you would love to see added to make it you perfect game. Lets have it !!

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

Its been said before in other threads, but a "join fleet/group" button, Planet cloaking option (only 1 per system or with a set limit as to how many each player may build), AI counter formations, increase the number of AI players in the game for the computer/human player to pick from, example; current SE4 has limit of 20 at one time, therefore if you had say 50 to pick from, you would have a greater randomness as to which ones you would get up to the limit of 20, therefore you wouldn't always get the same ones the majority of the time unless you picked them.

ps. Chewy ck your pvt mail

just some ideas mac

Re: What is your favorite SE4 feature?
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by mac5732:
increase the number of AI players in the game for the computer/human player to pick from, example; current SE4 has limit of 20 at one time, therefore if you had say 50 to pick from, you would have a greater randomness as to which ones you would get up to the limit of 20, therefore you wouldn't always get the same ones the majority of the time unless you picked them.
<hr></blockquote>
This should just be a matter of putting more races in your pictures/races directory. I have extras in their and they get picked for random games from time to time. There is no limit that I know of.

Geoschmo