Strategic vs. Tactical

[plourde603]

Will se4 allow tactical combat mode when more than 1 human player is playing?

In se3, you are only allowed strategic combat if there is more than 1 human player in the game.

For important battles, I would prefer to control the outcome a bit better.

Just wondering if anyone knew...


Matt P.

[General Hawkwing]

I really don't see how it would be feasible. It would hang turns in the middle while combat was resolved. One combat could take a month if player were in different time zones.

[plourde603]

Actually - what I meant was this:

In se3, the mere presence of another human player in the game disabled the Tactical Combat option (even if the fight was with a computer opponent).

I have no problem with the idea of only the attacker being able to take part in the tactical combat (otherwise, a game would take years)... I'd just like to see it enabled in a multi-human game, so the attacker can at least have more control over the important fights.


Matt P.

[jowe01]

In multiplayer games, it would also be interesting just to see what happened in combat, using the tactical mode. I am thinking about something like the Stars! battleviewer. Basically, in this case the combat would exactly look as if both sides had selected "resolve combat" in tactical mode.

[Seawolf]

There is no tactical combat options in multiplayer games. Best bet is do design ships and their stratigies well and hope for the best. Remember the type of game this is an overall conquest not simulator type

------------------
Seawolf on the prowl

[jowe01]

True, but nevertheless, seeing how the combat actually evolved would tremendously increase the interest in multi-player games. A major element in SE is the development of components with one or the other particular strength. Afterwards, you spend some thoughts on the question how to design your ships. Finally, your fleets are composed in a way which optimises the performance of the whole battlegroup.
And all this just to see a couple of moving red points afterwards ? Very unsatisfactory.
I guess, or at least I hope, that the strategic battleengine functions exactly like the tactical engine on "Resolve combat" (otherwise the whole design process would be more or less futile. If this is the case, why not show the human players in a multiple player game how the combat actually evolved ? This would be so much more fun (or so much more teeth-grinding...)

[General Hawkwing]

I agree, a post battle viewer (like Stars!) would really increase the game experience when in multiplayer mode.

[Jubala]

I agree about the post battle viewer. I have been told that we'll be able to see if any surviving enemy ships where damaged so I won't wish for that again.

As for fighting tactical combats in MP, it could be done if a LAN play option was added. You actually connect to other games running on other computers in a LAN and play. Sim turns would probably work best but I know some people would want turnbased as well. As soon as combat occurs the players involved are taken to tactical mode an dukes it out. During game setup there could be options like, nonfighting players watch, only allow tactic combat between humans, always allow tactic combat or never allow tactic combat.

This would of course mean massive coding of network code so I really don't think it will happen. I don't really know if I want it to happen either. I'm just saying it could be done.

[Rambie]

The battle report lists each ship that was in the battle and what % damage was taken or if it was destroyed.

There isn't a post-battle replay. I wish there was myself. I did like that about Stars!

Rambie

[Possum]

Actually, it *is* possible to use Tactical combat in MP, at least in the v0.56 demo. But only if you set the game up as "Hot-Seat" rather than email. Hence, the comment below about LAN games makes very good sense...