Micromanagement is supposed to be reduced by computers, not increased.
If you have micromanagment problems with a 4X game it's not designed properly, and I don't mean that the simulation elements are out of place. More detail is good. It makes the game fun. All we have to do it design the game properly to have the detail without forcing us to work on it constantly. We can have technologies to cope with planet gravity, temperature, radiation, and even atmosphere type, without micromanagement hell. There can be ONE facility type for each and even combined facilities at higher techs, that automatically adjust the planet towards the ideal conditions for the population. Issue the order for the building of the facility or facilities once. Authorize upgrades globally when a new level of technology is discovered. What's the big deal?
I think detailed planetary conditions are essential to a good 4X game and I hope even SE IV will add
something besides this moronic 'conditions' variable before it's done. We could have radiation levels, for example.
That and more detailed population abilities, with better retention of those abilities when captured/conquered, would make a huge difference in the fun level of the game. Also, more detail in mass population management. Populations ought to have persistent 'attitudes' towards each other, and your empire as a whole ought to have a defined 'central government' somewhere that can be destroyed or captured. A 'Seat of government' ought to be either a facility or a component so you can be paranoid like the Minbari and keep your government hidden in a ship somewhere.
More detail in other non-combat aspects of the game would be great, too. Stars ought to have internal dynamics and 'evolve' a little bit over the course of the game. Star conditions ought to affect both planets and stellar harnessing techs. Storms ought to appear and disappear, not just sit there like a type of planet. Comets ought to swing in and back out from their stars. When will comets be implemented, I wonder???
As far as ship features and combat features, yeah, we desperately need some 'randomness' to damage, and area effect weapons. At the very least we need the option to have collateral damage. It would not be that hard to have a check made on for adjacent ships when a ship blows up and allocation of a little damage. If there is a settable 'percent' for collateral damage in the config files, you can set it to zero if you don't want it.
I've been asking MM to implement different 'levels' of armor most recently. I think he could do it for SE IV if he wanted to. There would be levels of armor 'density' just like there are currently levels of cloaking, and then different levels of armor skipping just like there are levels of sensors. 'Skips Armor 1' would skip normal armor (the default 'titanium' stuff) but not 'Armor 2'. You could have an elaborate system of armor and armor-piercing technology then, with something like 'Neutronium' at the top being impenetrable. (level 9? something like that)
Of course, right now I'd be happy if Emissive Armor worked.
It still doesn't stop any damag at all if the damage total is over the emissive ating...
[ July 12, 2002, 17:10: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]