General Ideas Thread

[Boris]

I intend this thread to be used as a place to discuss what you would like to see in MI. Any ideas, any ideas at all.

[Boris]

What I would like to see, myself, is a little customization. The ability to name your race or home planet would be cool, or the ability to choose your color while in the multiplayer lobby. I'd kinda like to have a little longer name while in-game, I always run out of room when choosing a name + title (Emperor Boris XXI; God-King of Boreesia).

[Jp]

I'd like to see the ability to record matches into a replay file, and the re-run them later. We just had an awesome match where there was only one planet per player (And obviously we all started on it) and we were all one turn away from each other - it became surprisingly tactical, and it's a pity we can't show other people how simple mechanics and a simple map can lead to so much tactical depth.

(Also, I won it and want to brag. <_< >_>)

[Chris]

I love setting up games like that, Jp. Even in singleplayer against the AI it's fun.

All good ideas, thanks. Keep 'em coming!

[udm]

Me, I'd like to see more moddability in the game. I liken this game a lot to Galcon, but the two things that this game has over me compared to Galcon is the friendly community (and developer), and that the game can be played at a more leisurely pace, yet maintaining the complexity

But, like Galcon, I'd hope to see users being able to create their own mods too - maybe develop their own upgrades aside from the default production upgrade, or being able to mod diplomacy options with the computer

I mean sure, these are feasible ideas that can be implemented into the game, but I think that the game's delicately balanced enough right now, so it's probably more suitable to classify it under user preferences

[Prez]

Variable turn time limits? We play a 30 min game, with a large map, 50 sec for a turn, so at  the start I need only few seconds, but in the middle of the game this time is a little short, in the last minutes it is not enough to move all the ships. Is it easy make a little change to put a variable turn time?
Fabio

[Chris]

More moddability would certainly be nice. Some of the things you mention would require heavy amounts of scripting support, though, which is a bit of a problem. Galcon has the advantage here because it's written in Python...

Variable turn time limits is a good idea. Added to the list.

[Vang]

How about some sort of defensive facilities for planets?  Something that you can upgrade like a factory, but instead it boosts the power of ships in orbit.  Maybe even prevent small fleets from taking planets (I would have a pretty high defense facility level to enemy ship ratio for this though, perhaps 2-3 levels to defeat 1 ship).

Fog (Nebula?) of War would be nice.  Make it a little bit more of a surprise when you come across an enemy player's planets.

There really should be some more achievements that can only be acquired in Multiplayer.  I got all but the "Perfect!" achievement in the first few hours of play.  Perhaps something based on the number of human or AI players in the game?  I remember an old computer game ad that showed a picture of a computer chip with the caption that said "This opponent is programed to be challenging".  Then it showed a picture of a crazed looking man with the caption of "This opponent wants to rip your lungs out".  That would be a good basis for a pair of achievements, IMO.   

I haven't played too much with customization yet, so this might already be possible.  How about an option to start each faction with multiple planets in clusters?

This idea is probably just the MoO2/GalCiv2 player in me talking, but what about random events that affect the entire map or maybe just one faction?  Nothing game breaking, just minor things like a small bonus or penalty.

Thats all I can really think of in one sitting.   

[Minus]

I really like Vang's Fog of War suggestion. It would go nicely with my idea - a radar system that would be used in gameplay like Starcraft's Terran Comsat Station.
   If the player elects to not build a factory on a planet (as it stands, those small planets sometimes aren't worth upgrading or fighting for control of), they can instead build a scanner. During their turn they can use the scanner on a patch of sky, which would temporarily reveal enemy ships in a small radius that are either orbiting planets or en route to a destination. With fog of war, it would also reveal the locations of planets in fog, but when the scan is no longer active in the area, those planets would appear neutral, meaning occupation is uncertain. How often a scanner can be used (or even available at all) could be set in the lobby options.
   Flavor-wise, think of it like SETI's network of radio telescopes.

[DangerosoDavo]

okay i have a idea well its not my idea.. nor origional.. think the game risk and you ahev win

continents (or int his case planets groups for bonus to production )

cards.. like in risk

just an idea.. whatcha thinkin?

[Chris]

How would fog of war work if you can only send ships to planets?   It would have to be carefully designed, or you'd run the risk of sometimes splitting the map into clusters of planets from which no other planets were visible (and therefore reachable).

[Vang]

How would fog of war work if you can only send ships to planets?   It would have to be carefully designed, or you'd run the risk of sometimes splitting the map into clusters of planets from which no other planets were visible (and therefore reachable).

I think that the best way for it to work is if you could see dim outlines of planets (This is why I would call it 'Nebula of War') but you could not see who owned them or moves made around them.  You wouldn't know the names of the planets until after you've sent a fleet there.

Hmm, one could make it a benefit of taking another empire's homewold that you would lift the Nebula of War from all that Empire's planets. 

[Chris]

Makes sense. I'll think about it.

[Minus]

Idea: "Save map" function. Sometimes the randomly generated maps are really good, and I think would be really interesting to save, play again, and modify. Could add an interesting spin to map development.

[Kumlekar]

Heh, minus, I got on the forums just now to suggest that.  I guess you beat me to it. 

Chris how exactly does the map generation work for random maps?  Does it make a ini file for the map that is delete after the game? Or is it some other system?