[larrybush]

I emailed parts of this to Aaron already, but here it goes again with some other ideas thrown in for good measure! I'll probably be repeating ideas in other Posts, so I'll apoligize up front for that.

If it would be possible when staring a new game to check box one of several Faster-than-light drive playing styles. This would really capture the majority of Sci-Fi universes for modders like me, and it might be do-able in your existing executable files.

1)The standard warp point movement system.

2)The outside edge boxes of each system linked to the corresponding outside edge boxes of the neighboring systems to simulate Star Trek style of movement. All warp points and warp lines are invisible, but all movement to the edge of a system will move you to the edge boxes of the next system in the map. Engine mod inter face to determine how far and how fast engines can travel per turn so you can simulate the differing capabilities of the various warp engines. The no warp points in this movement style or the warp points are invisible to the player would simulating the feel of Star Trek movement style.

3)A check box to only allow a warp engine/generator component to open warp points to various other systems based on a distance setting in the component text file. Warp points are not used in map construction; they exist only when generated by a warp capable ship. They would also close and disappear when the ship move is complete. This almost exists in the game now but implementation is slightly different. This could simulate Babylon 5 or Star Wars movement styles.

An ability to play in much larger maps > than 255 systems. And the ability to specifiy the scale of maps. I.E., this one is one light year per square, this one is one parsec per square, etc. This would be for the campaign creation aspect. 3D maps would be nice too. Like the freeware program CHview if anyone is familiar with it.

An ability to setup scenarios, i.e. the ability to setup multiple starting points, home worlds, fleets and research already progressed to a point specified by the scenario designer. The ability to specify reinforcements. Basically to step into a SCI-FI game/world that already under way instead of starting games from the "beginning? as it were.

And no offense to anyone, but cleaning up the TCP-IP implementation to let the computer handle all the proccessing would be a real help. Just push the next turn button and sequence any combats and have it all simultaineous and invisible to the players.

The ability to link mutiple maps for immense campaigns. And the ability to transfer units and such between maps for campaign continuity.

An AI that would be able to kick butt while playing the proportions mod (which is my favorite although I've modded Star Trek and other SCI-FI universes into it)

And to really step off the edge, it would probably be way too much work to make a separate ground combat module to better simulate that aspect of Sci-Fi. Possibly similar to a typical board style hex map wargame. Remember Fifth Frontier War for Traveler by Game Designers Workshop.

Hex or Square map for garden worlds, cratered vacuum worlds. Unit counters that are produced just like components for Vacuum troops, Mechanized forces, militias etc.
A separate time-scale maybe to blend into the main game. Logistic considerations to show the real complexity of future interstellar ground combat. These thoughts would allow players and modders to simulate game universes like Starship Troopers or whatever they’re into at the time.

Any one remember their first Space exploitation/exploration game? Mine was this little ASCII Star Trek game on a PDP 1170 home made "Home" computer, forget the name of it though! I think it was about 1977/78. Just after that it was a cheap little board game called Warp War, then Starfire whish SE4 reminds me allot of.

Oh well, I better shut up now!
Larry the wishful thinker, and the dismal programmer!