Armada 2526:updates,expansions,and sequels.Tell the company your wish list.

[Gertjan]

I like how Armada 2526 strives to reduce micro management

I would like to second this! Please don't add any complicated tactical combat or ship design. Keep the focus on grand strategy. Perhaps add some mega/random events to keep the game different each time (of course with the possiblity to disable them)

[Aurelian]

As much as I like designing my own ships, and it would be nice, it is not necessary. Nor is it fatal.

More ship types though would be welcome.

[ShotmanMaslo]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

I like how Armada 2526 strives to reduce micro management

I would like to second this! Please don't add any complicated tactical combat or ship design. Keep the focus on grand strategy. Perhaps add some mega/random events to keep the game different each time (of course with the possiblity to disable them)

I disagree. By "micromanagement", most people mean that boring kind of excelish internal empire MM. (economy, population...). More possibilities in tactical and strategic combat and ship design would be great IMO, thats the fun part. At last, this game is called "Armada", not another "Galactic Civilization".
And I second the events suggestion.

[Gertjan]

By "micromanagement", most people mean that boring kind of excelish internal empire MM. (economy, population...). More possibilities in tactical and strategic combat and ship design would be great IMO, thats the fun part.

I would respectfully disagree with you. I also don't like to change sliders every turn in the economy screen (like galciv2), but neither do I like to redesign ships every turn once I get an upgrade for weapons or whatever. Tactical ship combat should not be deciding factor in the game, I believe that where and when you send your ships and how you compose your fleets should make the difference, and not how you operate them during battles. I would leave that to the able captains/generals in the fleets .

I second the suggestion to have more pre-designed ship types.

[ShotmanMaslo]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

By "micromanagement", most people mean that boring kind of excelish internal empire MM. (economy, population...). More possibilities in tactical and strategic combat and ship design would be great IMO, thats the fun part.

I would respectfully disagree with you. I also don't like to change sliders every turn in the economy screen (like galciv2), but neither do I like to redesign ships every turn once I get an upgrade for weapons or whatever. Tactical ship combat should not be deciding factor in the game, I believe that where and when you send your ships and how you compose your fleets should make the difference, and not how you operate them during battles. I would leave that to the able captains/generals in the fleets .

I second the suggestion to have more pre-designed ship types.

I agree that deciding factor should definately be strategic (where and when you send your ships and how you compose your fleets), not tactical combat, thats why I suggested more features in strategic warfare too.
The ship design can be made a bit automatic (autoupgrade existing design button, if only module upgrades are needed), so only MM would be actually strategic designing of ship types advantageous against your opponent. But if that cant be done, I would be satisfied even with more predesigned ship types (and new special purpose ships, which will enhance the strategic aspect), so I third that suggestion.

I just think this game should be more warfare oriented, with deeper strategic (not only tactical combat) possibilities. And not babysitting civilians.

[Starfry]

I like to see planets that revolt have some moderate effect on your empire.  If a planet revolts, few of the empire ships are captured by the traitors and a low number of empire troops disappear as their equipment are smuggled away to enforce their planet.

Since we have some minor empires in-game, how about having some unique empires with different victory conditions for planets that broke away.  It will be interesting to see a rebel Teye planet take on a philosophy that everything not Teyes is is food.

[mullinFOAD]

tcp/ip support

[Grimwold]

After 10 or so games here are some thoughts:

1)  Population...only thing that bothers is me is you can make the planet a paradise and the people will revolt.  I find myself making "Hell Planets" to lower the population and weirdly increase revenue to resolve that problem.  Seems counter intuitive.

B)  Doesn't need custom designed ships because then the AI programing needs to be able to have custom designed ships by default and then the AI will have to know how to use them.  Sounds a bit much and if I want that I will load up SE4 Gold.  Instead......

3)  ...vastly increase the Tech Research Fields and options.  The tech should have fields that modify the base stats of the ship.  For example say in the Defense Field there is a category called, ohhh Shielding Improvements, with various levels of it.  Say each successful level researched in Shield Improvements gains ALL your ships +5%/+10%/whaterever% to their defense stat.  You can thus build more offensive or more defense ships depending on your style and situation in the game.  I am sure everyone can come up with ideas for this on each and every Tech Field.  If the programing is possible you could have two defense stats:  Missile Defense and Beam Defense, thus having more possible Techs in the game and could make beam weapons more on par with the missiles.

Then you can have some technologies only open up if you built the Nexus research building....or the one you can only have one of in your empire that has the enhanced research in the one field.  Have techs in each field you can only get to if you have it's Nexus. 

4) More planetary system differences.  In line with the Asteroid Fields and Oort Clouds.  How about "Rare Gas" or "Super Proteins" or the like?  Each can have their own structures and maybe upgrades and somehow act like the resources in Civ4 by giving an empire wide enhancement.

5)  Planetary buildings.....I think some of structures can be added or modified for more interesting play.  The colonist workshop that evolves into Tech Center is an example of a mod:  I think each increase in the size of the industrial structure should require population.  You need more workers in the bigger industries for example.  Silly having those Tech Centers on 1 population planets.  The same can be said for the Shipyards/Mining Complexes also. 

You can have addon building to each structure once it reaches it max level, each that also requires population.  Say once you get an Orbital Shipyard you can build the "Space Elevator" that reduces the cost of ships by 10% or speeds up production a turn or whatever.  This in combination with Grandpoobah's most excellent ship/troop manning mod would make population something you actually might want to grow a bit faster.

Thanks for your time! 

[shinobu]

I would definitely like some sort of custom race editor, in order to customized not only my own race, but my opponents.

[hightimes]

Figure I'll throw in my feedback while I wait for someone to answer my noobish starting position question (in scenario design and modding section).

Here are my suggestions (keeping my mind I have only played long enough to experience the interesting effects of bureaucracy on a large empire).
those with a * are more fanciful ideas, may not be possible to implement I'm not sure.

-Trading: Would require the techs and spacecraft to be built, could have interesting effects (such as bringing a "poor" class but well located system up to a normal or rich through trading) or simply monetary gains. Also to trade with other races with limited trade routes, ala GC3. this could include specific new buildings

-Razing/looting a conquered planet: this goes towards the bureaucracy issue. what if we just want to capture, trash, and move on? this may already be an option (with plagues, nanobots) I'm not sure, I haven't invaded a planet yet- however I see no way to destroy any of my current owned systems/stations (and I have definitely tried, would also be great for creating a "moat" of emptiness around owned systems and dealing with over-expansion).

*Capital class starships- each planet can only construct one (fully upgraded shipyard needed) with huge costs and maintenance- could be upgraded to add RPG qualities, increase stats of nearby ships, etc. etc.

*Space Marines- marines you build and load onto specially made transports, used to attack and (possibly) takeover larger ships -and- stations. also upgradeable inner ship security to deal with Marines. Could also quell unrest in space stations.

*better space stations: possible to upgrade space stations to have a specific function (re supply with increased range, trade stations, mining stations, shipyard stations, tactical warfare stations, outposts etc etc. and more slots to build after specializing.

*ethics/reputation: not sure how this is implemented now, but a well thought out ethics system could do wonders. (imagine having choices such as: do I raze and loot the newly conquered planet, try to assimilate them, or allow them all to leave peacefully, leaving me to start from scratch (this affecting reputation for all or just the race concerned)

I also second the great Idea of Naval yards, and a high maintenance cost for ships out of dock.

[ShotmanMaslo]

ORIGINAL: hightimes

Figure I'll throw in my feedback while I wait for someone to answer my noobish starting position question (in scenario design and modding section).

Here are my suggestions (keeping my mind I have only played long enough to experience the interesting effects of bureaucracy on a large empire).
those with a * are more fanciful ideas, may not be possible to implement I'm not sure.

-Trading: Would require the techs and spacecraft to be built, could have interesting effects (such as bringing a "poor" class but well located system up to a normal or rich through trading) or simply monetary gains. Also to trade with other races with limited trade routes, ala GC3. this could include specific new buildings

-Razing/looting a conquered planet: this goes towards the bureaucracy issue. what if we just want to capture, trash, and move on? this may already be an option (with plagues, nanobots) I'm not sure, I haven't invaded a planet yet- however I see no way to destroy any of my current owned systems/stations (and I have definitely tried, would also be great for creating a "moat" of emptiness around owned systems and dealing with over-expansion).

*Capital class starships- each planet can only construct one (fully upgraded shipyard needed) with huge costs and maintenance- could be upgraded to add RPG qualities, increase stats of nearby ships, etc. etc.

*Space Marines- marines you build and load onto specially made transports, used to attack and (possibly) takeover larger ships -and- stations. also upgradeable inner ship security to deal with Marines. Could also quell unrest in space stations.

*better space stations: possible to upgrade space stations to have a specific function (re supply with increased range, trade stations, mining stations, shipyard stations, tactical warfare stations, outposts etc etc. and more slots to build after specializing.

*ethics/reputation: not sure how this is implemented now, but a well thought out ethics system could do wonders. (imagine having choices such as: do I raze and loot the newly conquered planet, try to assimilate them, or allow them all to leave peacefully, leaving me to start from scratch (this affecting reputation for all or just the race concerned)

I also second the great Idea of Naval yards, and a high maintenance cost for ships out of dock.

Good ideas! Seconded. [:)]

[hightimes]

I forgot to mention (and this has likely been said before) my biggest problem with Armada 2526 so far has been the custom map options.

I'd like to see an option to have a clustered galaxy, to be able to increase or decrease chances of extreme/poor/etc. planets and anomalies, more than 1 map, wormhole options, and starting position options would also be great. Personally I most enjoy huge maps with -very- sparse resources and planets with huge divides between empires (makes it feel more like space for me), and would love to be able to see this in Armada (or maybe someone can answer my first question and I can just make my own map! )

[Tom_Holsinger]

A simple way to achieve your underlined outcome would to simply mod, in the *.xml files, the values and screen display labels, assigned to the various types of planets. Poor worlds could be made very poor in effect, or average. Barren worlds could be made into asteroid fields, and asteroids into neutron stars, etc.

I don't know if the spreadsheets presently allow such mods. It's worth a look to see if they do.

ORIGINAL: hightimes

I'd like to see an option to have a clustered galaxy, to be able to increase or decrease chances of extreme/poor/etc. planets and anomalies, more than 1 map, wormhole options, and starting position options would also be great. Personally I most enjoy huge maps with -very- sparse resources and planets with huge divides between empires (makes it feel more like space for me), and would love to be able to see this in Armada (or maybe someone can answer my first question and I can just make my own map! )

[Wade1000]

I disagree with implementing racial attitudes like in MOO3, if it is being considered. I think the Civilization 4 model of attitudes is better. They all start out neutral and over time varoius hatreds and friendships develop depending on deals, actions, alliances, trades, etc. No attitudes are pre-set. Either do it like that or leave it as is is my opinion. Otherwise, you're going to get essentially the same allies and enemies everytime.

I greatly dislike pre-set partial stories/histories and artificial limits in 4Ex strategy games.

[Wade1000]

(from list of upcoming update)

Improved Bureaucracy. Effect reduced and capped. Scales with size of map. Additional settings to reduce or disable.
Hopefully, some improvement in problems saving large games.

I plan to play the largest map sizes in Armada 2526. Can we have included in an update the feature of unlimited research? Maybe a "Future Advancement 1,...2,3, etcetera" idea. Each "Future Advancement" increases the power of structures and ships by 1%. Maybe have the research cost of each "Future Advancement" increase by 50% or 100%.

This being included in the upcoming patch would be excellent because it relates to the large map/game size updates included already. If not in this update then in another soon one would be greatly appreciated too.

I'm close to telling the praises of Armada 2526 to people around me.

[Aurelian]

ORIGINAL: Wade1000

I disagree with implementing racial attitudes like in MOO3, if it is being considered. I think the Civilization 4 model of attitudes is better. They all start out neutral and over time varoius hatreds and friendships develop depending on deals, actions, alliances, trades, etc. No attitudes are pre-set. Either do it like that or leave it as is is my opinion. Otherwise, you're going to get essentially the same allies and enemies everytime.

I greatly dislike pre-set partial stories/histories and artifial limits in 4Ex strategy games.

The only thing that Moo3 should be used for is an example of how NOT to do a 4x game. The Civ 4 model is better. (IIRC, SoTS is the same way.)

[JohnMcD]

I have a couple of thoughts on what should be potentially included in future patches:

1. Planet sizes. They should NOT all be the same, some should be smaller or larger than others. 100 max size for every system?
2. # of planets. What happened to the concept of multiple planets per system?
3. Maximum population size should vary by race. Races with a natural higher birth rate should be "Granted" the ability to have a maximum population greater than those with lower birth rates. Make it +10% for each change in birth rate to each planet max size.
4. Population should never grow over the maximum of a planet causing more unrest. They just don't grow which is a negative as you "waste" growth.
5. Tech trees need to be much larger. Long games run out of techs in a couple of hundred turns. Some of the players like long, huge games with lots to research. Even if it is
better shields and or offensive weapons.
6. A simple listing of fleets stating X combat ships + Y non-combat ships. Makes it easier to sort inactive fleets to determine which you have unused transports and/or ark ships.
7. Random events. Even if they can be turned off, it would be nice to "find" money, techs, or have your homeworlds get damaged by earthquakes, plagues, etc...
8. Spys. The ability to actually know what your enemy's have in terms of # of planets, production, fleets and tech would be nice. If you can steal or damage some of it, so much the better.

[JohnMcD]

Oh I forgot one that can be fixed earlier (and should be).

When you set your music/volume preferences they only kick in when the game has actually been started once.

It is annoying to have game volume on your computer when you don't want it that only shuts off after you have actually started a game.

[adamsolo]

I did a thread in Ntronium forums with my first suggestions, here it goes: http://ntronium.com/simplemachinesforum ... opic=409.0

In summary (sorry, long post):

- Toggling planets in the planets list should keep the last tab active
- The fleets list should be enhanced to be able to sort by class. And by the way we should be able to merge ships by class.
- The planets list should be enhanced to include the non-colonized planets
- The game must have an intro
- You should consider changing the colony glowing thing to something more functional, maybe static and with a stronger color.
- The ship routes need to provide the option to switch them off. Maybe an option to show them when we click the planet where the ships are headed to or where they come from.
- Right clicking in a tech while in the diplomatic screen should present the technology information
- Mine Complexes should present the amount of base production they add when constructed
- Diplomacy deals are sometimes very odd like some race offering $1 or $1 for 3 turns, these are very odd deals, you should consider removing that.
- Many times a 100% deal is rejected by a race with a counter offer that does not include the initial offer. If this is a feature at least we should be informed why they didn't accepted the first deal in the first place (maybe something like: "we have our reasons"). 
- Races reject gifts (tried with techs), and keep constantly rejecting all gifts. Tried with 2 races. And in the end they get offended ... bug or feature?
- I have no idea of why a race is hostile towards me (there are no modifiers or historical records). I really miss something like Civ4 positive and negative modifiers. If I recall correctly GalCiv2 also provides this.

Other topics addressed here:
- Auto-transport Pop thing: No, shuttles are elegant. Keep it as is.
- More options to custom maps: Yes, definitely.
- More techs: Yes, important.
- Ship costumization: No. Or else is SE4 or GalCiv2, has some have mentioned (let's try something different for a change).
- Different planet sizes: Agree.
- More ships: Yes, make them more different for each race
- Bureaucracy: I like it, similar to Civ4 expansion costs (makes sense). Must provide structures and/or techs to counter that effect (like courts, special police or new forms of government)
- Fleet lists and Colony lists needs upgrading to sort all non-colonized planets and show ships in a more structured way

That's it for now, more to come...

I'm still in the middle of my first serious game ... maybe my auto-transport opinion will change anyway remember that if we need to come up with fantastic turnarounds to something is because that something is flawed in the first place.

[Wade1000]

Here's my preference on how further race customization could be done.

I'm of the game philosophy that any race/empire should be able to research any advance/technology that any other can. I'm against too much uniqueness in the technological area. Bonuses and penalties are interesting but if it's to the point of denying a civilization an advance that another can get then I don't like it.

Just my opinion.

If one civilization can build something like slave camp, uber laser, mega bomb, organic or crystal structures/ships, hyper shields, etcetera then another civilization should be able to also.
Now... certain bonuses and penalties to these are interesting. A slave minded civilization could build 'better' or 'cheaper' slave camps. A war minded one could build 'better' or 'cheaper' uber laser, mega bomb, (or just all weapons in general)...etcetera.