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brianeyci said:
* 3D engine. SE:V does not have to turn into a RTS, but you should see 3D models superimposed on a background when viewing a specific system... and be able to travel through the system and click on planets ala homeworld would be nice, but maybe going overboard... have a highlighting option so small planets are not hard to see (in the 3D mode) ... fleets could be represented by the actual static 3D models... It does not have to be cutting edge graphics, but at least get rid of static camera angles... perhaps the two-dimensional overlay could be maintained, or even superimposed on a 3D viewscreen... for example, when you click on a planet on the grid map, the main background of the screen changes to a 3D view of the planet. The customizability of this 3D image for mods, etc could be maintained through a scripting language...
* make races come more "alive"... sounds, graphics, images, 3D customizable races similar to the current MMORPG thing where you can customize your character... you can make races come more alive without sacrificing customizability... like, you could have a screen when a player chooses a new race, he could rotate a 3D model around and choose which features to add/subtract... similar in sports games where you can customize the look of your character. Also have something where you can choose the voice of your race, and perhaps have diplomatic interactions between "talking heads"... customizability could be also maintained through downloads of new race voices, new 3D models for races, etc... and of course if you do a good job in the first place, the number of permutations for the look of your race should be endless... 3 tentacles? 2 eyes? body armor? green skin? pink skin? patterened skin?
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IMO, you should throw out the 2D engine, and work with a 3D engine or get a license for one. (Wonder if Shrapnel Games could afford that lol) Just like Starcraft is the pinnacle of 2D Real-Time-Strategy gameplay and Fallout 2 the pinnacle of 2D isometric turn-based roleplaying, it looks like SE:IV is the pinnacle of 4x turn-based strategy. The only thing left to do is to do something truly innovative, like combine cutting edge graphics and customizability with the depth of SE:IV.
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I disagree. I see no need at all for 3D graphics. I'd rather have better AI, additional commodities, new features such as governors or viceroys who could be assigned to oversee a particular sector.
A simple way to implement governors would be to make them so they provide certain modifiers for certain things. Governor Little Green Man A would provide a production boost. B would improve research, etc. They would work in much the same way as facilities that are already in the game, but would cost less in terms of resources, would provide a smaller positive modifier, and would be produced on the homeworld and sent out to the provinces. The more systems a governor is given to oversee, the smaller his/her/its positive modifier.
I don't see why some modder can't implement this now.
I don't see how focusing any programming energy on 3D graphics will make a better game. With all due respect to this poster, to me it's just eye candy. The gameplay is the thing. At least for an older gamer like me.
Through the years I've seen so much ballyhoo about 3D graphcs, and I've bought a lot of games featuring same. They look nice, but it has always been apparent that other areas are thinner because the programmers concentrated too much on creating a pretty picture.
Of course, I doubt that my opinion will mean doodly on this issue, because I doubt that many people here feel the same way. Oh well. People get all dreamy when they hear the term "3D," and that's that. It's kind of strange that people would prefer 3D combat and 3D system views to governors, new commodities, better diplomacy, a deeper economic system, etc.
But so be it. SE4 has come closer to being perfect than any game I have ever bought, and I'll still play it.
If SE5 comes out with a lot of fanfare and hype about 3D this and 3D that, I will have to take a very careful look at a demo before buying it. If there is no demo, I won't even consider buying it.