Stellar Manipulation Suggestion for 1.42

[rdouglass]

The 'simple' answer IMHO is to use the game setup "All Warp Points Connected" (I think that's what its called) and disallow WP Manipulation in the Tech Setup section. Now you don't have to worry 'bout that problem.

The problem (or feature depending on your perspective) with this is you now have basically conventional-type warfare with different weapons. However, I do agree that the WP 'Rush' tactic is something to be concerned about.....

[geoschmo]

quote:

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From current beta patch history.txt
5. Added - The System Gravitational Shield now prevents warp point opening within the system. This prevents warp point opening into or out of the system by all players (including you!).

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Looks like someone sent this suggestion to Aaron, or he thought of it himself, cause it will be in the next patch.

Geoschmo

[BeeDee10]

Hooray! Finally, a defence is possible!

I suppose this does mean that it's possible for a player to seal himself off from the rest of the quadrant impregnably, by closing all warp points out of his grav-shielded systems and abandoning any colonies outside of that group to remove the possibility of intel. But since grav shield facilities cost a fortune and take forever to build, it's likely that this will only account for a small number of systems. If he ever decides to reopen the gates to the outside world again, he's likely to find that he's been left behind by the massive non-isolationist empires out there.

[geoschmo]

Yep. I have to play around with it some. If the ability is usable by non-facilities, it offers some intriguing mod possibilities too.

Geoschmo

[BeeDee10]

The possibility that leapt immediately to mind was giving a planet the system-grav-shield function, sealing the system until whoever's trapped inside develops tectonic disruption weapons powerful enough to destroy it. A pity the AI isn't very clever, one could set up a cute "ancient evil sealed away by ancient foes" scenario with the ancient evil breaking out of their ancient prison to menace the younger races. A human could play that role in PBW, though.

I suppose you could give it to a sun as well in that case, so that anyone trapped inside has to commit suicide in order to free themselves. But that's kind of pointlessly mean.

Oh, on the other hand, one could use the map editor to make one-way warp points leading into such a "sealed" system. Kind of an interesting situation for the crews; they'd better hope there's a colonizable planet in there.

[Magus38]

This is fantastic news. I have to admit that I had been giving the game a rest for awhile; until the patch came out (I got back into Age of Wonders - another fabulous turn-based strat game - 'plug'). With the news of this fix, alongside Intel being fixed, I cannot wait to play again.

[Baron Munchausen]

Now if only there could be 'levels' of effectiveness for stellar manipulation and the defenses against it so the game wasn't so simple. As it is now, you build a defense and that's it, you're safe. Hardly realistic.