[Aub]

Ok, my concrete proposal is:

1. Remove all upgrade options for cities and complexes. That is, the only option is to scrap and replace. Tough? Yes, but at least you won't feel that you're lagging behind because someone's juggling the twisted upgrade mechanics better than you do.

2. Make upgrades on Research Centers II / Mineral Miners II etc. very cheap - so that one could upgrade a whole bunch in reasonable time. The cost here is research; and if the research costs need to be increased even more, so be it.

I'd like to see more facility slots, but I buy the arguments that it will make non-breathable worlds too similar to the breathable ones, and that it's a lot of re-balancing work.

How's that? I'm simply trying to work around the upgrade mechanics, that's all. For me, the definition of micromanagement is "there is a tedious task, and doing it manually and doing it well brings significant gameplay benefits"... So if managing city upgrades is tedious and feels unnatural, I'd rather not see this option at all. Does it take anything from the game? I don't think so.

(An example of an unnatural limitation: you have two domed colonies, one has 5 Cities. You'd like to upgrade them to Major Cities, and to start building a Megalopolis on the other... and you cannot! Why? How are the two related!? The only reason is the game mechanics... so now you have to make a choice. It is so, SO IRRITATING - I'd rather NOT have the choice to upgrade, and not think about this kind of unnatural interdependencies!)

Aub

[ October 08, 2002, 19:23: Message edited by: Aub ]