A few screenshots...

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi
PS. Bonus from race look like 'gotta catch them all game'. Dont like this. I dont know what I expect but not something like that. Troops maintace - I see that Empire can form units from varius races then upkeep should be scaled on units(example Human units 100%, units form from Naxxailian 60%).
On the other hand if ships and space station have crew then bonus from ship maintance should aply only for ships with crew from race with bonus. On the other hand this seem logical if your military or economy specialize.I mean miners are only Teekan and enginers on ships are only Taakonish but this discrimination less gifted races can be a problem in empire.
Lower war weariness becoze you have sulken in your empire... I think that bonus should be based on partially on population if tis bonus is global(example you have 50% humans and 50% sulken in your empire then only 50% from sulken bonus aply to your empire in this case -20% war weariness) or should be war weariness count for any planet indywidually. I mean humans colonies get normal WW sulken colonies get lower WW. This happines bonus too should working like that. I really dont see how one race can effect your all citizens(f tey are psionics then this is look difrently though).

The bonuses do scale - you don't get any bonus from a small amount of an alien race and you don't get the full bonus until you have a substantial number of them integrated into your empire. Regarding how this would work, it makes sense that they would tend to specialize towards their talents and thus free up races with less specialization in that are for other tasks. With that said, this is an area that could certainly be expanded upon or tweaked in the future, but IMHO it works pretty well right now and also meshes well with some of the back story.

[Okim]

Regarding how this would work, it makes sense that they would tend to specialize towards their talents and thus free up races with less specialization in that are for other tasks.

In fact this really makes sense and i like how it is done.

I had similar effect in MOO2 where i distributed conquered Klacklon and Meklar to farming and industrial jobs while assigning Psilons to research.

[Sarissofoi]

Yeah this make sense. I will see how this work in real then I propably throw some more rocks at you:).
Actually I have only some objection about Troops upkeep(should be based on units: Human unit(with 100% upkeep) cost 100% Sulken Auxyliary Corps(they have -40%bonus) should kost 60%). And about war weariness and hapinnes. Should be counted on single planet indywidually(based on population). I mean Sulken population can endure more longer war and still be ok when human population start opose you much faster(example USA and Vietnam war or war in Iraq. Some USA faction and civilian oposse some support tis but it is based indywiduallly). This same for happines.
Dont worry about that now:).

Anyway if these are possibility to realese some colonies as vassal state or autonomus domain?
This makes more sense if empire in question have Feudal or anrchy goverment but even democracy or republic should have possibility to realese "allied' state.
Something like happen after IIWW with Germany or Japan for example. And many times in history.

BTW If you planing add in future something like emperor(or other eqivalent) persona? Something similar to race(random) persanolity from MoO. You know race characteristic are one thing but many times people on top decide what going to happen. Especially when they have power to influence things.
For example race of Mighty Chickens(passive, cautions but loyal) is lead by Emperor Red Claw(who is agressive backstabing warlike bastard). Or race of Rabid Rabbits(agressive, expansionist and backstabing) are lead by honorable pacifist White Jumper. In feudal or other stable systems emperors can rule long(but they can be replaced if they are dislaked or losing by coup, assasination or succesion etc) but in democracy they are replaced(or not if they are popular enough) in regular time. This can bring some new quality to the game. Emperor presonas can give some little bonus but also add more personality(king Charle will remember that you help him in hour on need even if his empire has interest in kick your ass on the other hand democracy goverment will have sometimes erratic politic with often change of administration and have rather short memory).


Also I seconded on Galactic Senate option and diplomatic victory(like in MoO).

[Marshall Thomas]

are there political borders in DW? are there neutral zones? like the one seperating Federation space from The Romulan border in star trek? Thanks in advance

[EagleMountainDK]

Thanks for the pictures Eric, looking forward to the release [:)]

[Shark7]

I noticed mention of subjugated empires...let's say that I don't want to subjugate them, but rather exterminate them (for whatever reason...maybe I don't like bugs). I assume you can press your evil plans even if the empire you are at war with tries to surrender, or do you have to accept the surrender?

[Erik Rutins]

Oh, you can absolutely exterminate - but keep in mind that the rest of the galaxy is watching what you do as well.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Oh, you can absolutely exterminate - but keep in mind that the rest of the galaxy is watching what you do as well.

How does this "exterminate" work? Are you just refering to conquering and invading planets?

One of the game testers, Son_of_Montfort, seems to have stated that there is no in game genocide via planetary bombardment and post conquest options.
Have you since added or enabled planetary bombardment and post conquest genocide options?
That was in this thread:
tm.asp?m=2386321&mpage=3&key= (Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races)

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort
That's funny Ashberry, I actually see it the opposite way. In Armada, you can commit genocide against undesirable aliens as a matter of course, like in Rome: Total War. Whereas in DW, you have to deal with having these folks live on the planets you conquer - you can just "get rid of them quietly" with little or no penalty. So this makes you roleplay an emperor, rather than use "gamey" tactics of killing a population and leaving a nice pristine planet to colonize. I mean, think of how terrible genocide is - not put it on a galactic scale. Murdering millions of inhabitants of a planet - even nasty ones like the Sulken - would have massive diplomatic repercussions, IMHO.

Then again, I tend to play the peace-monger in games, so that might be my thing.

SoM

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort
I don't want to open up the "look at history" can of worms really - but I would say that genocide has generally become less and less used and more and more sanctioned as human history goes on. Back in Roman times it was more acceptable as a tactic than now. And you are talking millions and billions of inhabitants of a world. But, if you want realism, at least think about the argument that completely destroying a world's population without also making that world uninhabitable, would be nearly impossible - even if you used biological warfare (it would have to be REALLY tailored). I think SotS does a decent job of showing this, and I applaud Kerberos for that.

But, practically speaking, a game can't be everything to everyone - so put that on a suggestion list and maybe an update or expansion will add it!

tm.asp?m=2386321&mpage=3&key= (Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.)
tm.asp?m=2391696 (Distant Worlds:Updates,Expansions,and Sequels.Tell the company your wish list.)
I, and others, advocate in those threads for planetary bombardment and post conquest genocide options.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Wade1000
How does this "exterminate" work? Are you just refering to conquering and invading planets?

There are two routes:

1. Conquer them all, don't accept peace. They'll offer you various things to end the war, but you don't have to accept. This is the "easier" route in terms of repercussions. End result, you own all their worlds, they are no longer an independent faction. Keep in mind though that the longer the war, the greater the war weariness of your own people. Single wars are rarely decisive before peace (or a truce) starts looking like a good option, usually it takes several clashes to really cut an opponent down to size.

2. Bombard them back to the stone age - the more traditional "exterminate". If you choose this option, you had better be fighting against the most evil and urgent threat the galaxy has ever faced, or everyone else in the galaxy is likely to start viewing _you_ as the most evil and urgent threat the galaxy has ever faced. Typically, no other race in the galaxy likes to see planets being bombarded to rubble and will react accordingly lest the same fate befall their own worlds. Now if you really happen to be fighting an alien race that really has behaved in a way that makes everyone else in the galaxy hate them and consider them evil, you've got a much freer hand in how you deal with the problem.

Regards,

- Erik

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Oh, you can absolutely exterminate - but keep in mind that the rest of the galaxy is watching what you do as well.

Well, they either tremble in fear or work together against me...still nice to have the option.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Wade1000
How does this "exterminate" work? Are you just refering to conquering and invading planets?

There are two routes:

1. Conquer them all, don't accept peace. They'll offer you various things to end the war, but you don't have to accept. This is the "easier" route in terms of repercussions. End result, you own all their worlds, they are no longer an independent faction. Keep in mind though that the longer the war, the greater the war weariness of your own people. Single wars are rarely decisive before peace (or a truce) starts looking like a good option, usually it takes several clashes to really cut an opponent down to size.

2. Bombard them back to the stone age - the more traditional "exterminate". If you choose this option, you had better be fighting against the most evil and urgent threat the galaxy has ever faced, or everyone else in the galaxy is likely to start viewing _you_ as the most evil and urgent threat the galaxy has ever faced. Typically, no other race in the galaxy likes to see planets being bombarded to rubble and will react accordingly lest the same fate befall their own worlds. Now if you really happen to be fighting an alien race that really has behaved in a way that makes everyone else in the galaxy hate them and consider them evil, you've got a much freer hand in how you deal with the problem.

Regards,

- Erik

I usually am the most evil and urgent threat in a 4X game. [:D]

I'm probably even worse, cause in game like MOO, I will sit and pretend to be friendly until I have a huge fleet, then unleash it on the galaxy. I actually hople that the AI is DW is good enough to keep me from doing that easily, or at all. I like a challenge.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins
2. Bombard them back to the stone age - the more traditional "exterminate". If you choose this option, you had better be fighting against the most evil and urgent threat the galaxy has ever faced, or everyone else in the galaxy is likely to start viewing _you_ as the most evil and urgent threat the galaxy has ever faced. Typically, no other race in the galaxy likes to see planets being bombarded to rubble and will react accordingly lest the same fate befall their own worlds. Now if you really happen to be fighting an alien race that really has behaved in a way that makes everyone else in the galaxy hate them and consider them evil, you've got a much freer hand in how you deal with the problem.

Regards,

- Erik

Excellent! I don't think this feature in the game was mentioned before as being available. That's odd.
-Now I wish for some post conquest genocide options too.

tm.asp?m=2391696

ORIGINAL: Wade1000
Planetary bombardment and post conquest genocide options; let's do it.

In game genocide, via planetary bombardment and post conquest options, is not so negative when applied to space alien races of very extreme differences.

I agree that planetary bombardment of structures and population AND post-conquest genocide options, with the result of lowering diplomatic reputation and lowering one's own race population happiness, should be a feature.
The more similiar the target race is to one's own race, and if one's own race is not extremely aggresive, then there should be degrees of unhappiness penalties applied to one's own population; as well as diplomatic reputation penalties from foreign civilization races similiar to one's own.
Extremely aggresive races should be immune to their own population becoming unhappy due to planetary bombardment and genocide; but still affected by diplomatic reputation penalties from foreign civilization races different than them.

A high reputation or mildly aggressive race might do it sometimes. A low reputation or extremely aggresive race might do it often. I would expect an extremely aggressive race to do it often. If I want to play as an extremely aggressive race I would want to do it.

Again, in game genocide is not so negative when applied to space alien races of very extreme differences.
If a race is at war with scary, extremely aggressive race that never surrenders, has no emotions we think as positive, and eats and/or assimilates/absorbs people then it might be beneficial to bombard and do post-conquest genocide. In reverse, an extremely aggressive race would most likely bombard and do post-conquest genocide whenever they can. If the extremely aggressive race eats people then that would be slow genocide. There are many examples of those scenarios in science-fiction stories.
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I totaly believe that present or future Humans and similiar races would be willing to often do genocide via planetary bombardment and post conquest options. Especially if the target enemy races are Borg-like, Zerg-like(Starcraft), Flood-like(Halo), Tyranid-like(Warhammer 40,000), any various races like spiders,insects, or others similiar that are extremly different and hostile to us(like they eat us or do genocide against us), maybe like the Wraith of Stargate Atlantis, any robotic race that are extremly different and hostile to us(like they do genocide gainst us): maybe like Terminators and their Skynet AI leader, like Replicators of Stargate-SG1 TV series, and like Necrons of Warhammer 40,000.

There are many more alien races in science-fiction stories that I believe that Humans and similiar races would be willing to often do genocide against via planetary bombardment and post conquest options.
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I, and others, have been opposed to how some game developers sometimes exclude, in new games, popular features from previous successful games. I suppose that it could be for game balance of power, budget constraints, time constraints, or to be unique.

To not include these, and certain other features, is artificial limitations. For example, in the game, I am a galactic civilization leader and I order my fleet to bombard an enemy planet. Yet, for some reason, my ship weapons can not fire.

These are some of my personal requests. I understand that maybe some others will disagree.
Code Force and Matrix Games, please delay the release of Distant Worlds to implement the feature of planetary bombardment and genocide choices after conquest. I know that it may be too late. If so, then please implement them in an update as soon as possible.
Maybe the companies can take a poll to see what others think about planetary bombardment, post-conquest genocide choices, and other features.

Again, in game genocide, via planetary bombardment and post conquest options, is not so negative when applied to space alien races of very extreme differences.

Does anyone else agree?
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Armada 2526 has 6 options for post conquest of systems/planets. The words chosen are all gramatically similiar and sound like a nice poem...heh. I like them.
The options are: (In quotes is what the mouse-over tooltip shows.)

-Subjugate ("Take control of the colony")
-Exterminate ("Eleminate all life at this colony (#) casualties")
-Devastate (This will detroy structures.)
-Contaminate (This requires infection technology and the ships to deliver it as a weapon.)
-Obliterate ( This asteroid ship technology and the ships built to deliver them as weapons.)
-Take No Action ("Do nothing")

These options might be someting to consider for Distant Worlds. Don't worry about an issue of copying. It's good to emulate good ideas.
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Any game of this genre without planetary bombardment and post conquest genocide options seems like an unfinished product. Games that I can think of in this genre all had it and those games that did not have it upon release later added it. Thus, it seems, that any game of this genre should be released with it.

[Erik Rutins]

Wade,

Elliot used some of the extra time while waiting for art to add in bombardment. [8D]

Regards,

- Erik

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Wade,

Elliot used some of the extra time while waiting for art to add in bombardment. [8D]

Regards,

- Erik

OH...MY...GOD! I love you guys. I thank you all.
-Now I wish for some post conquest genocide options too.

I think Distant Worlds will be fun and a big success.

[ASHBERY76]

Bombardment being added is fantastic news.I just love the epic scale of the game with the massive galaxy with loads of races.EU in space.

I also do not like the fact that the game design pushes a multi alien empire as being the strongest system with no negative points.With extermination added to the design I would like to see buffs for purer Alien empires stats to compete.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

Bombardment being added is fantastic news.I just love the epic scale of the game with the massive galaxy with loads of races.EU in space.

I also do not like the fact that the game design pushes a multi alien empire as being the strongest system with no negative points.With extermination added to the design I would like to see buffs for purer Alien empires stats to compete.

-Maybe like a lowering maintenance cost for the less diverse your empires race population is. This would be due to government and corporate expenses being lower related to not needing biological and habitational accomodation of other races. If you begin adding other races to your population then your maintenace would increase.
This lower or higher maintenance bonus or penalty due to how diverse your race population is should be minimal.

[Gargantou]

Shouldn't more races also lead to more internal problems? Perhaps ethnic/race-riots etc, after all, this is something that has happened a lot throughout human history, imagine how much it'd start happening if we added in completely alien cultures and ethnicities into the mix.

So basically, a multi-race empire should suffer decreased stability and run a higher rist of splitting up etc, just look at stuff like the break-up of the Yugoslav Republic!

I hope that this is implemented in the game to make sure that a multi-race empire also has its negative perks, not just positive.

[Wade1000]

Except that SOME alien races might be happy or neutral to having alien race diversity in the population.
-Yet, there would probably still be the need for accomodation of other races, thus a higher maintenace the more diverse the population.

[Gargantou]

Yes, but if only Race 1 is open to living with other aliens, but Race 2 and 3 are both quite xenophobic, it will mean that there will still be conflicts, especially between race 2 and 3.

I still think it's a sensible form of negating all the pros you get from a diverse population and quite realistic, let's face it even in highly democratic and civilized nations ethnic tensions are still high between some groups.

The best thing would be both your proposal and mine in my opinion.

[Wade1000]

Good points. Agreed. I added them to the wish list thread.
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