Next Patch wishes....

[Q]

Drones are very high on my wish list too.
Any news when the next patch will come??

[PsychoTechFreak]

... nature shrines should get back their system wide abilities, pleeeaaase.

[Atraikius]

#1. A text file with settings to allow customizing of what conditions are required for the AI to go into the various states, and a short synopsis of how the states effect the ministers.

#2. Option of calling out either the Design Name or Design type in the ConstructVehicle file.

#3. Boolian fields for including a design in attack fleets and defense fleets in the DesignCreation file, so that the AI knows wether it should include each design in attack fleets, defense fleets, both or none.

#4. Ability to declare new Design Types, and designate which minister they are to be used by.

#5. Drones - I'd be happy with them being a missile that allowed you to design them like a fighter, and haveing thier own bays like sts, mines, and fighters.

[Atraikius]

#6. A data file allowing us to define the functions of the ministers for each AI and indicate which minister has senority. Also, the ability to define new ministers to be used by the specific AI. (tie in with my #1 below)

[This message has been edited by Atraikius (edited 14 August 2001).]

#7. AI lauch/use mines and satellites in combat. (or True/False option to designate wether they do or not).

[This message has been edited by Atraikius (edited 14 August 2001).]

#8. Ability to create layered strategies using if-then statements for the presence of different hostile design types, planets, enemies weapon type, etc...

[This message has been edited by Atraikius (edited 14 August 2001).]

[Atraikius]

#8a. Ability to associate formations with stratagies to provide the AI with a better ability to adapt to its enemy.

#9. Ability to declare wether formations are to be maintained in repect to: The Fleet Leader position and orientation, The Fleet Leader position and orientation ignorine facing changed of X degrees or less, The Fleet Leader position only, Enemy ships, or map edge. This could help the AI by reducing the formations vulnerability when the fleet leader changes its orientation.

#10. Ability to declare if a fleet should use a tight formation, in which all ships attempt to maintain thier exact position within the fleet, or a loose formation in which all ships use thier ship default strategy, but attempt to maintain thier fleet position within X squares. And also, the ability to indicate wether the ships in a fleet should maintain thier at start postion, or if they should close formation on losses (i.e. - position number shifts when lower position ship is destroyed).

[CW]

Atraikius beated me to it. I also want to see a much improved combat and ship building AI. The current one is so stupid that it would charge head first into a cloud of murdering hot plasma thrown up by the enemy. I would like to see my AI admiral knowning things like:

If the defense on a planet is too tough, then stay out of range, move in - shoot - move out.

If there is a self-destruct device on an enemy ship then don't try to board it until it is destroyed unless ordered otherwise.

Other things that I would like to see is a ship building minister that is responsive to enemy designs; AI that doesn't keep sending single ships through known defended chock points; and most of all, if possible, a script language for AI modders.

One more thing, interface improvement. All of my friends who tried their hands on this game think the game interface needs extra work. The first thing that comes to mind is setting colony type. I can never figure out why this function can't be directly accessed on the star map, instead we have to click "colony" -> find the planet -> click "set colony type" -> find the planet AGAIN -> choose one from the list. Why not just make the "Colony Type" entry on the main screen (in the planet info that appears when you click on a planet) a choose box?

The other thing is to make the Esc key on the keyboard do what is expected. Let's say you clicked on the "move" button, but then you decide against it. Currently to cancel the select destination prompt you have to either click on the originating planet or click on a button that opens a window. Most people would expect that a simple push on the Esc key should do it.


[This message has been edited by CW (edited 14 August 2001).]

[Atraikius]

Thought of another one - inclusion of formations in the xxx_AI_files, with making the position type work in restricting that formation position to certian types.

And, making the AI demand surrender/subjugation/etc... work, and enableing the pop. required for operating facilities.