I'm jumping in here without reading the entire thread (just the Last page) but here's my 0.02...
The strategic elements of se5 (ie all the action on the galaxy map) MUST stay in turn-based, or simultaneous, or basically whatever system we have now.
For combat, a real-time system might be made to work, but I'd prefer to see this done entirely by the AI with indirect human guidance, ie like strategic combat from se4 (although the strategic combat Ai=I would have to be improved considerably). Even with a "pause" mode in realtime tactical combat, you'd still miss opportunities if you weren't quick enough on the pause button, and the whole thing would be a horrifically slow mess with multiple humans anyway.
What I'd absolutely *love* to see- and this would be so cool with Starfury's classy new 3D graphics- would be an option to save a combat replay to a file which can then be emailed to and played back by anyone else who owns the game.
A number of cool features could be added to this including:
- option to define and change camera angles throughout the combat
- option to popup ship & fleet information windows during the replay, to show damage etc.
- option to add musical score, voice commentary and/or text/ graphical captions.
- option to save to mpeg or some other common format (perhaps with a "made in se5" logo ever-present in one corner.)
Now just consider the possibilities for a minute, and think how cool it could be. There would be SE5-built mpegs all over web in no time, and people would want to buy the game just to make their own space battle scenes. I mean you could practically make your own episode of Bab5.
Also, imagine that you've just pounded your human opponent's fleet in an epic battle. Two hours later he gets a combat replay file by email, replaying every Last hit in slow-motion, all backtracked by some suitably triumphant piece of music... it's the ultimate gloat.
[ March 25, 2003, 11:12: Message edited by: dogscoff ]