I would definitely pay for any expansion pack, but it would have to contain changes that we could not otherwise mod. Some suggestions included the following (note some of you will recognize this from my usualy post - I typically send this list to MM about once a month as a reminder
(1) [Tactical] Upon launch of seeker, no corresponding sounds is playing (capital ship missile, seeking parasite, etc.), please add it back.
(2) [Combat Report] Report fighters/other units lost/destroyed.
(3) [AI Intel Projects] The AI is not optimizing its intel. While eventually a file similar to research file would nice to dictate what types of intel projects the race will conduct depending on AI state, for now here are two quick fixes: (A) limit the AI to 6 active projects. This should be enough to have some counter-intel, but also prevent the current problem of the AI having too many projects with 100+ years to complete; and (B) delete the following intel projects (for the AI) that it will never use even if successful (i.e. steal designs, pop. centers, ship construction and fleet location, etc.).
(4) [AI Game] The AI does not know to "uncloak" its ships with minesweeping ability and colonization (which both still do not work while cloaked in Version 1.35).
(5) [AI Game] Tech Lv 3 starts for all the AI pose the following problems: (i) there is no limit to the amount spent on upgrading facilities, thus most AI players spend their first 50 turns upgrading facilities and quickly run out of resources leaving them very vulnerable (suggest putting a cap on % resources spent per turn on facilities), (ii) regardless of what there individual research file says, this type of start gives them all techs even when there designs don't call for them - this throws off the design files b/c they don't think that race is going to get any weapons other than those they research (suggest letting tech 3 start all the way through a particular race's file to establish what techs they start with).
(6) [AI Planet Types] The current file appears to only allow resource values in excess of 101. Is it possible to allow values of less than 101 (say 75)?
(7) [AI Diplomacy] Add a short distinct .wav file that plays when the button is pressed on the log file for a message from a particular race. I think this would be fairly easy to implement, but will go a long way to developing distinct personalities among races. You can put a placebo empty .wav file there for now until you have time to expand the music (the modders will fill in the music in no time for you!).
(8) [AI Diplomacy] Should be a penalty for asking for a treaty every turn. I know the xenophobic races have this built in, but even the Eee should be pissed-off if you ask for a treaty every turn for 20 turns!
(9) [AI Diplomacy] Players should be penalized for ignoring any message (even if it is a general message, players should have to send a general message back). This would make diplomacy better.
(10) [AI Diplomacy] If I accept to break a treaty or declare war, have it automatically happen.
(11) [AI Diplomacy] If I promise to support in war, the AI should at least take a look and see if I have had a battle with the target race in xx # turns.
(12) [AI Fleets] Non-direct combatant mine-sweepers, transports, colonizers, boarding ships, troop transports, etc. do not appear to be joining fleets for protection. Could there be a toggle or flag field in the design file to indicate whether a design type should seek a fleet?
(13) [AI Fleets/Design] Since the design types for the AI are rather strict, we need one additional - call it "Support Ship" this class would always be assigned to a fleet (perhaps limit # in the fleet) and would contain supplies, solar collectors, repair facilities, quantum reactor, etc. - More in line with what human players do or even better - allow calls in the Construct_Vehicles file based on "Design Name" instead of "Design Type."
(14) [Game Setting] Ability to "purchase" via points certain techs for starting. This would simplify creating races with say Intel or Stealthiness to start (like the Darloks) instead of creating "modified components" around it.
(15) [Game Setting] In the "Settings.txt" file - add a line item for how many organics per population/per turn to deduct from storage or production. This would end a long debate and allow players to actually think about building organic extraction facilities again.
(16) [Game Setting] In the "Settings.txt" file - add a separate user-defined maintenance % for each of the following (similar to what we now have for ships): fighters, troops, sats, weapons and facilities. By letting everyone tweak their own maintenance % - it would end the long debate on this subject.
(17) [Game Setting] Option to limit effect of weapons fire to maximum of one weapon/one kill (i.e. to prevent entire fighter Groups from being wiped out by single shot).
(18) [Game Sounds] Separate volume controls for music and sounds (many players like their sounds high, but music low in background)
(19) [Abilities] Need abilities added similar to "Combat Modifier - System", but limited to Sector or Fleet (this would allow a lot more facilities/components variety - say command ships)
(20) [Abilities] Please let Weapon Platforms have the same range modifications as Bases (this will help the AI and negate some of the "missile dancing" by human players.
(21) [Abilities] Please put a subroutine in so components can use the point generation abilities (i.e. research and intelligence).
(22) [Abilities] Repulsor beams should react automatically similar to PD weapons (to push away boarding ships, fighters, seekers, etc.) this would make it a more viable weapon.
(23) [Game] Provide a way to toggle a planet so that it would not show-up in the "Planet" list of production queues (this would be helpful for small planets which get maxed-out early and really are not touched for the rest of the game except for auto-upgrades)
(24) [Tactical Combat] Add a .wav file for when (A) a shield takes a hit and (B) a ship moves in tactical combat. You can put placebo empty .wav files there for now until you have time to expand the sounds (the modders will fill in the sounds in no time for you!)
(25) [Tactical Combat] Chance to discover tech when taking a planet over by troops (or alternatively, by scrapping unknown facilities on such planet)
(26) [Tactical Combat] I have been working on a solution to what I think is a major hurdle for sats and WPs - their inability to fire first when ships come into weapons range. To solve this I added the "Point - Defense" ability to a DUC II while leaving the "Target Type" the same to expirement. Theoretically, the automatic response turrets (as I call them) should fire when ships move into weapons range. They do for fighters (as they are supposed to), they cannot fire at seekers (as they are supposed to) and if unfired in a turn, they can still be manually fired (as they are supposed to) but unfortunately they do not automatically fire at ships. My theory is that the ships movement subroutine does not have the same "check" for response fire that seeker and fighter movement has. Would it be possible to add a line of code to the ship movement subroutine similar to the one already there for seeker and fighter movement (if my theory is correct). This would then provide the capability of making sats/wps (or ships) that automatically fire when a ship or fighter moves into weapons range (similar to MOO2).
(27) [Intel Ops] Ability to target intel ops on specific Groups of facilities (already have Groups based on group names in facility.txt file)
(28) Add 3-5 additional pics for each hull size - similar to in MOO2 where you could go sideways for different graphics of same hull size and up/down for different hull size (you can put placebos in for now all based on same pic, but for those that want more variety can modify their own). This would allow for more variety between support/attack ships of the same size
(29) Expand ground combat so that it is similar to space (each unit would be a battalion/division) - I forwarded an extensive e-mail earlier and there are several other earlier Posts about this on the Shrapnel Board - I have also heard many beta testers discuss this)
(30) Allow different ship sizes (currently all are 1x1 square) similar to Armies of Armageddon where there could be 1x2, 2x2, 3x1 and 3x2 units (planets would still be larger than ships). This would allow the budding artists to take advantage of the larger canvas area and those if us with 19" monitors won't have to squint as much - and also provide some disparity between and escort and a baseship.
(31) Initiative-based dependent on hull size, engines and experience and possible special components (similar to MOO2).
Re: What would you like to see in an expansion pack
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