Mine balance suggestion

[Ed Kolis]

Here's a simple idea that will help balance mines, and also alleviate a problem that can occur in multiplayer games (that of players forming treaties, going behind each other's lines, and laying mines throughout the "ally"'s territory, then breaking the treaty):

Make it so if you lay mines when another empire can see your minelayer, then the mines are visible to that empire.

I realize that this may cause problems if the first empire later lays more mines there when the second empire's not looking - the game would have to keep track of which mines are visible and which aren't. And when it comes time to sweep those mines, hoo boy!

But it's only a suggestion, and besides, it wouldn't be too unreasonable to say that later mines laid there by the same empire while the minefield exists became visible even if the viewing empire wasn't present anymore...

[Fyron]

That might be too much hard-code change to be workable for SE4. Maybe it could be done in SE5.

[DavidG]

Hmm how about simply a mine scaning component? Something that would show the existance on minefields in the system or possible within a certain range? Perhaps advanced levels could detect the which empire owns the mines and could determine the size of the field with increasing accuracy.

[Fyron]

Add a scanner that can detect level 5 cloaking, and you can see the mines in the default game.

[jimbob]

The level 5 (or 6) scanner would let you see any mines, including in systems that are not "yours"... now you would have an offensive component.

Instead, how about a facility that acts as a scanner (level 5 or 6)? Then you can detect any mines that are in your systems, but only in systems that you've colonized. This way you'll see the mines layed by your allies in your own systems without the ability to see mines in other systems...

[Fyron]

That could work too.