[AMF]

First and foremost, keep everything that is currently in SEIVGold - it is the best game I have ever seen.

But, adding the following would make it even better (if such a thing were possible):

* Special characters. This has been mentioned before, but adds a lot to the game and, ideally, would be optional in the game start up screen. Each special character could have a design file with their attributes, and settings that dictate how they behave in game (are they greedy? Honorable? Chaotic? wander around, perfer a certain race to work for, help in quests, Etc?)

* Graphics: MOOII did only one thing better than SEIV - graphics, especially during combat. Having a tactical combat system that *looked* good is a nice to have, but a *very* nice to have...

* A setting forcing players to ?explore the galaxy? rather than allowing them to know the limits and location of systems from the get-go?and if your ships die or are killed quickly after going through a WP, that system would still be unknown?(perhaps a subroutine that determines if your ships had enough time to get off an "SOS" message pod before dying might give the player an idea of what killed them...)

* Planets that orbit and spin

* Mercenaries (when one side loses, the merc pools get those ships added to it, and can be hired with the use of resources, etc?) and privateers (to allow players to fund pirates with letters of marque against their enemies, as well as a random event that does the same?)

* A Combat model that has terrain and allows retreats - each tactical battle should have at least a chance for some random terrain (asteroids to hide behind, space wrecks, etc...) and a much greater chance if the combat takes place in a strategic hex with terrain...

* The ability to set the ?break formation? setting for individual ships in a given fleet. Plenty of times I've wished I could have only that single kamikaze Battleship break out of formation?

* The ability to make all of the above and most of the options in the current game optional or dialable from the game set up ? so we can do more in-game customization.

I've babbled enough.

Thanks,
Alarik

[ November 20, 2003, 13:10: Message edited by: alarikf ]