A pre-warp setting would suit the Solar Drive and commerce concept from awhile back, though I would like to add another element. Unfortunately, it feels a tad iffy to me. I don't think that I have heard of any 4X to try it.
The basic idea is that in addition to not being able to directly manipulate the Private Sector, that sector is actually an Independent faction. Any worlds, mines, stations, and areas it claims is something that it owns. In fact, all of the Private Sectors for each empire owe the barest loyalty to their originating points (though the Loyalty attribute helps in reducing prices and preference), and will try to make as much money as it could and have the Empires buy things from them. The Private Sector easily expands to new solar systems and colonize worlds, and offers to sell them to the highest bidders at some point, or perhaps hiring out solar systems for limited times. To invade an Independent world, or Solar System, means that it is harder to buy things from the Private Sector, including worlds, ships, technology, or information.
The Private Sector has its own techtree, separate from that of the Empires and is generally supposed to be stronger in the early and midgame, only losing dominance as the empires come into their own. People generally colonize places in order to fulfill their desires, be it wealth, Independence, curiosity, or for a new life - Empires can't really supply this early on, because they are rigid and stratified structures, unable to make the dreams of people come true. The Empire has no place in the colony rush, and tries to instead to get what it wants by selectively purchasing certain properties and slowly expanding, not via pure military strength, but from good economic choices and exploration.
That isn't to say that Empires can't own worlds, but their efforts should be much more concentrated, while the Private Sector covers everything that the Empires are not focusing on.
I'm tired of 4x
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Gareth_Bryne
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 3:33 pm
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Okay guys, sorry to go against the flow here, but (IMHO):
Why NOT material upkeep (for planets)?
Any planet of the types used in DW has a sizable amount of resources, which it uses for it's own needs. Take a look at Earth, for example: our planet has huge (and badly wasted, yes) reserves of steel, carbon, the whole table of elements. BUT there are SOME resources lacking, because a) they are unstable, b) they are hard to get or produce, c) they are dangerous to work with and only then d) everyone wants so much of them. The principles of recyclability, reusability and economy should be counted in too. In short: the basic resource upkeep is the (hidden) parameter that defines maximum planet population and the planet's attractiveness (that's why continental is on top of the list[:)]). In my opinion, the DW existing planet-resource system is top-of-the-line and can mostly be polished around.
Where CAN material upkeep be exploited?
Planets can have a surplus of specific rare/basic resources, which are shown on the planet view and form the basis of DW private economy. In my opinion, they could also have a deficit of specific basic resources, shown in red, which will lead to higher prices for the resource on the planet and slower planetary development without it. The deficit can be hard-set or random-event defined.
Ships will need refitting in bases once every 5-10 years. That should mean not only a credit price, but also a resource price based on the ship's total resource price.
As for colony ships, yes, a colony ship carrying 10-15 mil.!!! citizens, even if in cryostasis, needs MUCH MORE resource and logistics support than a 10,000 crew dreadnought. A review of the existing system is basically that a colony ship built using a single planetary docking space requires a LOT of time (and resources) to build. Such ships should be foolproof due to the responsibility for lives. The sheer callousness of my throwing C-ship after C-ship into pirate infested, hostile native, VIP resource planets, well... at the very least should lead to a severe temporary happiness drop on the originating planet (PR, you know). It must be much easier to build multiple constant passenger ships ferrying up to a 100k potential new colonists from the main planets to colony worlds than even a single C-ship. Notwithstanding, for efficient colonization, if you implement the above, a planet would be a) capable of building a C-ship from about 0,5 billion people and b) building those C-ships one by one, around the clock, automatically of necessity, so as to not to fall behind.
Me likes space creatures. Me wants kaltor skin boots and gas giant monster jelly pudding).
P.S. Oh, and one more thing. When a game becomes Epic, the excessive amount of available options radically turn off new players. So, a very thorough, immersive tutorial and most of the options turned OFF by default (until said new player learns how to use them) is the way to go. That's the reason that Dominions 3 didn't become massively popular, but everyone that took a risk and dug into the options, usually stayed forever.
Why NOT material upkeep (for planets)?
Any planet of the types used in DW has a sizable amount of resources, which it uses for it's own needs. Take a look at Earth, for example: our planet has huge (and badly wasted, yes) reserves of steel, carbon, the whole table of elements. BUT there are SOME resources lacking, because a) they are unstable, b) they are hard to get or produce, c) they are dangerous to work with and only then d) everyone wants so much of them. The principles of recyclability, reusability and economy should be counted in too. In short: the basic resource upkeep is the (hidden) parameter that defines maximum planet population and the planet's attractiveness (that's why continental is on top of the list[:)]). In my opinion, the DW existing planet-resource system is top-of-the-line and can mostly be polished around.
Where CAN material upkeep be exploited?
Planets can have a surplus of specific rare/basic resources, which are shown on the planet view and form the basis of DW private economy. In my opinion, they could also have a deficit of specific basic resources, shown in red, which will lead to higher prices for the resource on the planet and slower planetary development without it. The deficit can be hard-set or random-event defined.
Ships will need refitting in bases once every 5-10 years. That should mean not only a credit price, but also a resource price based on the ship's total resource price.
As for colony ships, yes, a colony ship carrying 10-15 mil.!!! citizens, even if in cryostasis, needs MUCH MORE resource and logistics support than a 10,000 crew dreadnought. A review of the existing system is basically that a colony ship built using a single planetary docking space requires a LOT of time (and resources) to build. Such ships should be foolproof due to the responsibility for lives. The sheer callousness of my throwing C-ship after C-ship into pirate infested, hostile native, VIP resource planets, well... at the very least should lead to a severe temporary happiness drop on the originating planet (PR, you know). It must be much easier to build multiple constant passenger ships ferrying up to a 100k potential new colonists from the main planets to colony worlds than even a single C-ship. Notwithstanding, for efficient colonization, if you implement the above, a planet would be a) capable of building a C-ship from about 0,5 billion people and b) building those C-ships one by one, around the clock, automatically of necessity, so as to not to fall behind.
Me likes space creatures. Me wants kaltor skin boots and gas giant monster jelly pudding).
P.S. Oh, and one more thing. When a game becomes Epic, the excessive amount of available options radically turn off new players. So, a very thorough, immersive tutorial and most of the options turned OFF by default (until said new player learns how to use them) is the way to go. That's the reason that Dominions 3 didn't become massively popular, but everyone that took a risk and dug into the options, usually stayed forever.
"Only an idiot fights a war on two fronts. Only the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Idiots would fight a war on twelve fronts," - Londo Mollari
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Way to go Gareth[:)],
you just spared me a post.
That, and I like the "deficit" idea you proposed. Very much so.
Now build in something like the potentially crippling terraform costs from SotS and your colony rush is delayed until you can afford it.
@Sabin Stargem - currently DW´s private sector works the other way round: It buys ships out of nationalized shipyards, instead of selling them, privately built, to the empire as our current earth economic model (and your idea) dictates.
Which leads me to the question: What is the underlying economic model of DW? To me it seems a mix of liberal and socialist elements (across the board - the economy works the same regardless of Government).
I would expect more state control over the "private" sector in dictatorships or monarchies (at a nominal cost in efficiency - the bigger the corporation, the more of the much maligned public service mentality creeps in), heck real earth feudal states don´t even acknowledge such a thing as "private property" - ultimately everything belongs to the king and is only borrowed out to others tier by tier. Sure, at the peasant level the king becomes very remote, but if he wanted to go to the trouble, he could direct every moisture farmer and womp-rat hunter in his demesne (and if real earth kings had had access to the almighty space bar of pausing they would have done so, trust me on that!).
I look forward to trying to get a terrifyingly efficient small business economy to support my imperial drive and giving up herding that bag of cats, nationalising them all, shooting the "bugs are people too" protesters before my palace and enjoying some hard earned emperor´s peace (bought with the corrupting influence of a thousand lickspittle goons (oops, ministers)).
Now go ahead and implement THAT Mr. Rutins - but to have a chance of finishing within our lifetimes clone yourself a few thousand-fold beforehand.
So actually yes, it will be a while before DW runs out of things to expand to.
Thanks for giving us a game that stirs these desires[&o][&o][&o]
you just spared me a post.
That, and I like the "deficit" idea you proposed. Very much so.
Now build in something like the potentially crippling terraform costs from SotS and your colony rush is delayed until you can afford it.
@Sabin Stargem - currently DW´s private sector works the other way round: It buys ships out of nationalized shipyards, instead of selling them, privately built, to the empire as our current earth economic model (and your idea) dictates.
Which leads me to the question: What is the underlying economic model of DW? To me it seems a mix of liberal and socialist elements (across the board - the economy works the same regardless of Government).
I would expect more state control over the "private" sector in dictatorships or monarchies (at a nominal cost in efficiency - the bigger the corporation, the more of the much maligned public service mentality creeps in), heck real earth feudal states don´t even acknowledge such a thing as "private property" - ultimately everything belongs to the king and is only borrowed out to others tier by tier. Sure, at the peasant level the king becomes very remote, but if he wanted to go to the trouble, he could direct every moisture farmer and womp-rat hunter in his demesne (and if real earth kings had had access to the almighty space bar of pausing they would have done so, trust me on that!).
I look forward to trying to get a terrifyingly efficient small business economy to support my imperial drive and giving up herding that bag of cats, nationalising them all, shooting the "bugs are people too" protesters before my palace and enjoying some hard earned emperor´s peace (bought with the corrupting influence of a thousand lickspittle goons (oops, ministers)).
Now go ahead and implement THAT Mr. Rutins - but to have a chance of finishing within our lifetimes clone yourself a few thousand-fold beforehand.
So actually yes, it will be a while before DW runs out of things to expand to.
Thanks for giving us a game that stirs these desires[&o][&o][&o]
WANT... MORE... MODDABILITY...
RE: I'm tired of 4x
just a minor correction, Erik is with Matrix...Elliot Gibs is the developer from CodeForce; aside from that, I agree that we should clone both these guys [:)]
...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....
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Sabin Stargem
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:05 am
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Yah, knew about the Empire selling ships to the Private Sector. It might actually be an interesting way to separate The Way of Light and Way of Darkness extremes, by having the more "Open" governments possess a stronger Private Sector, while "Closed" Governments have more control, but has an weaker economy for it, in terms of expansion and how income is gained.
Open Governments:
+Buys various goods from Independent sources for excellent prices.
+Has a better reputation with Free governments.
+Gains the most income through tourism and promoting trade.
+Private Sector expands quickly in regions surrounding Open Empires.
+Increases maximum amount of Free Trade percentage.
+Private Sector performs research at an accelerated rate.
+The collection and trade of Luxuries is emphasized.
+Obtaining a large amount of a race will significantly increase the volume and value of trade with Empires and Independent worlds that have that race. A multi-racial empire becomes stronger.
+May license technology developed by the Private Sector for use, but pays fees per licensed component. Developing the technology afterwards will remove the fee.
-Doesn't make many sales through constructing ships for the Private Sector
-Weak influence on Private Sector ship designs, which often goes for what is cheap or the highest quality vessels in the galaxy.
-Invading worlds will really damage this government's ability to deal with Independent sources.
-Private Sector can't readily enter Closed Empire regions, especially for colonization purposes - they are apt to be blown to smithereens.
-Negotiating with pirates would cost more and hiring them as privateers will incur a greater penalty.
-Pirates will manifest along trade routes.
Closed Empires
+Tightly controls the ship market, so there are increased sales of starships within their region, and the designs more closely match what is mandated by the Empire.
+Private Sector is very slow to expand, which gives more time for the Empire to colonize worlds and solar systems without having to deal with Private Sector.
+Obtains more taxes from colonies, and has a higher maximum cap for taxation. (100% for Way of Darkness?)
+Impressive migration rates, within the region.
+Ships are more durable and perform better than that of Open Empires, due to the best materials being reserved for Empire vessels.
+Invading worlds has little effect on interactions with Private Sector markets, due to pre-existing hostility.
+Purchasing black-market materials smuggled from other empires is possible, dependent on Pirates occupying such areas. This includes technology, rare resources, maps, and so on.
+Promoted Privateer activity doesn't particularly concern citizens, they already got other things on their plate, so they can't be concerned about what happens to other people.
+Armies on each world provides a morale bonus.
+Receives extra money from each convoy inspected within their territory - escorts and frigates will intercept convoys, board them, and retrieve what is deemed contraband.
+The fewer races integrated with your Empire, the happier and more productive your primary race would be. Worlds will start becoming segregated, with minorities being shunted to worlds your race doesn't like.
+Boosted research ability for Military Sector.
+Collection and trade of Strategic Resources is focused upon.
-Increased corruption.
-Low tourism levels.
-Little incoming migration from regions outside of the Empire's. Most of the migration is outwards, most likely that of people who don't want to be in the Empire.
-Larger amount of pirates, especially around low-morale worlds.
-Worlds without armies have lower morale. Systems with little or no navies have lower morale.
Open Governments:
+Buys various goods from Independent sources for excellent prices.
+Has a better reputation with Free governments.
+Gains the most income through tourism and promoting trade.
+Private Sector expands quickly in regions surrounding Open Empires.
+Increases maximum amount of Free Trade percentage.
+Private Sector performs research at an accelerated rate.
+The collection and trade of Luxuries is emphasized.
+Obtaining a large amount of a race will significantly increase the volume and value of trade with Empires and Independent worlds that have that race. A multi-racial empire becomes stronger.
+May license technology developed by the Private Sector for use, but pays fees per licensed component. Developing the technology afterwards will remove the fee.
-Doesn't make many sales through constructing ships for the Private Sector
-Weak influence on Private Sector ship designs, which often goes for what is cheap or the highest quality vessels in the galaxy.
-Invading worlds will really damage this government's ability to deal with Independent sources.
-Private Sector can't readily enter Closed Empire regions, especially for colonization purposes - they are apt to be blown to smithereens.
-Negotiating with pirates would cost more and hiring them as privateers will incur a greater penalty.
-Pirates will manifest along trade routes.
Closed Empires
+Tightly controls the ship market, so there are increased sales of starships within their region, and the designs more closely match what is mandated by the Empire.
+Private Sector is very slow to expand, which gives more time for the Empire to colonize worlds and solar systems without having to deal with Private Sector.
+Obtains more taxes from colonies, and has a higher maximum cap for taxation. (100% for Way of Darkness?)
+Impressive migration rates, within the region.
+Ships are more durable and perform better than that of Open Empires, due to the best materials being reserved for Empire vessels.
+Invading worlds has little effect on interactions with Private Sector markets, due to pre-existing hostility.
+Purchasing black-market materials smuggled from other empires is possible, dependent on Pirates occupying such areas. This includes technology, rare resources, maps, and so on.
+Promoted Privateer activity doesn't particularly concern citizens, they already got other things on their plate, so they can't be concerned about what happens to other people.
+Armies on each world provides a morale bonus.
+Receives extra money from each convoy inspected within their territory - escorts and frigates will intercept convoys, board them, and retrieve what is deemed contraband.
+The fewer races integrated with your Empire, the happier and more productive your primary race would be. Worlds will start becoming segregated, with minorities being shunted to worlds your race doesn't like.
+Boosted research ability for Military Sector.
+Collection and trade of Strategic Resources is focused upon.
-Increased corruption.
-Low tourism levels.
-Little incoming migration from regions outside of the Empire's. Most of the migration is outwards, most likely that of people who don't want to be in the Empire.
-Larger amount of pirates, especially around low-morale worlds.
-Worlds without armies have lower morale. Systems with little or no navies have lower morale.
RE: I'm tired of 4x
ORIGINAL: thiosk
You know, igard, this whole time i thought you were actually employed by Matrix. I think it had to do with the way you did your "modding wishlist" thread
[:D] And my most imperious avatar probably helped with that assumption too. [:D]
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Another method for preventing colony spamming is to think of a way for small empires (just a few planets) to still develop, where large empires could not. The one thing I was initially impressed by in Civ5 was how the global happiness accomplished this. Ideally it should have meant that one could either expand out, having many cities, but low populations in each city. Or you could just have a few cities of very high population. Of course it ended up not quite working, and it was a pretty lame and too obviously contrived method for controlling the player.
Though I'm not sure of a good way to do it without imposing some kind of restrictions or rules who's sole purpose is to regulate this kind of thing, which could very easily end up just being an annoyance and make the game feel too controlled.
Your material upkeep idea would certainly be a step in the right direction (and would be easy to implement), but I do wish they would come up with positive motivation for an empire to be small (whether the empire wants to or the situation gives them no other choice). They need a way to continue to expand economically if they can no longer expand their territory, this method has to be at the expense of expanding territory otherwise all empires will do it simultaneously while expanding their territory and it will accomplish nothing.
Definitely not an easy system to implement, or even conceive, but if a 4X came around that nailed this somehow I would be a happy man.
P.S. If I'm incomprehensible I apologize, I just woke up
Though I'm not sure of a good way to do it without imposing some kind of restrictions or rules who's sole purpose is to regulate this kind of thing, which could very easily end up just being an annoyance and make the game feel too controlled.
Your material upkeep idea would certainly be a step in the right direction (and would be easy to implement), but I do wish they would come up with positive motivation for an empire to be small (whether the empire wants to or the situation gives them no other choice). They need a way to continue to expand economically if they can no longer expand their territory, this method has to be at the expense of expanding territory otherwise all empires will do it simultaneously while expanding their territory and it will accomplish nothing.
Definitely not an easy system to implement, or even conceive, but if a 4X came around that nailed this somehow I would be a happy man.
P.S. If I'm incomprehensible I apologize, I just woke up
RE: I'm tired of 4x
ORIGINAL: thiosk
Distant Worlds is a great game, as I've posted before, and the designers are to be commended.
However, theres something I really want; a niche that has never, to my knowledge, been filled. (note: i havn't had time to play through the expansion yet, waiting for some time then i'm buying it)
Distant worlds falls into one trap that every space-epic game falls into: the colony rush. Honestly, I hate the colony rush. We have discovered FTL travel! OH, um, so have 10 other bloodsucking alien races which happen to live here too. QUICK TAKE ALL THE PLANETS YOU CAN! FASTER! FAAAAASTER!!! DECLARE WAR ON ANYONE WHO GETS TOO CLOSE!!!!! This breeds conflict, and makes for a nice 4x game. But, its not really the space-epic game I want to play.
What I want is more of a management game; a building game. A true Simcity->simSpace. The galactic game we were promised when Spore was announced back in 2006. At its heart, this is what I think DW is; an outer-space economic simulation, that happens to have space battles and a colony rush.
My favorite thing to do in DW? Economic expansion. I love to see the private fleets buzzing around, sucking ore off various planets and transporting it elsewhere. I love to seek out the mineral-rich worlds and plant factories on them, slurping metal and shipping it back to the homeworld for exploitation; drawing gas from the hot cores of gas giants. My problem is, what do you do with all this glorious material? Planets take care of themselves; theres no demand for anything other than luxuries. So you take those materials, stockpile them massively, and you build more ships. And then you take those ships to enemy planets, and you pew pew.
There are so many things to do with material. Dyson spheres. How about artifical planets? ringworlds? Neutron star mining? Towing stars? An empire that spans the cosmos should be able to attain godlike power, and it should require a lot of special projects to get all the way there. OH, none of this fits with a 4x game, you say! You don't need all that when the goal is focused on the 4x's! Well, I say, I'm tired of 4x! I've been 4xing it since I was 7!
So what do I really want? I want the best of Spore merged with the best of DW. How would I envision this happening?
Spore allowed a free-wheeling empire building. Functionally limitless space; there were so many stars and planets that even in a fairly crowded area it felt like enough "space." Second, there was no real "time" axis; you had to go in and fiddle with things to get stuff to happen-- plopping down cities and terraforming and what not. If you wanted to really work on one planet for hours and get it just the way you wanted, great! More or less, mostly everything else will take care of itself, except spore had the terrible "oh help us in 2 minutes or less!" warnings every five seconds that got realllly annoying. But the rest of it, nonlinear time axis, procedural simulation, the way planets appear as you find them rather than uncover preexisting ones-- there is so much potential power for a 4x sim that is squandered for cuteness.
Heres another way to think about what I want: a sort of Dungeon Keeper meets Dwarven Fortress in Spaaaaace.
SO, matrix and codeforce, ball is in your court. You can keep the same game, same races, same system, just retool the idea, focus, and economy of the game, wrap it up, and sell it as a standalone game. Hell, what I want is basically a glorified mod. Look what Stardock is doing with Elemental War of Magic-- they are continuing with expansions for war of magic, but are taking the engine and concept in a totally different direction with Fallen Enchantress-- the expansion pack that isn't.
I'm bored of 4x, i'm ready for SimX.
Have you tried X3:series (Terran Conflict is the best)? It doesn't have colony rush as most everything is already there when you start. It's your strategic mission (and tactical later on) to FIT IN to the pre-existing world and build your own empire. The economic game is really great and fun to play. You can sit in your own little facility and command your fleet(s) around the galaxies and takeover just about anything and everything if that is your wish. You can join in wars of other races or join in the war against the Xenon and Klaak and Pirates. It's one of the best 4x's ever made imho. Though it moves from what some would call the "traditional" 4x game it still feels like a 4x game to me. Explore, Expand, Exploit and Exterminate although it doesn't have to be on a you must do this to WIN the game. You don't have to WIN to enjoy the X3:series.
X3:Universe of games rules them all!! Xtra coming soon X3:REBIRTH 4th qtr 2011 YAY!
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cmdrnarrain
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:41 pm
RE: I'm tired of 4x
You make me sick. If you want SIMS in space talk to the SIMS people. Matrix's produces war games.
"Good, evil... I'm the guy with the World Destroyer"
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Sabin Stargem
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:05 am
RE: I'm tired of 4x
As much as I like hearing about all kinds of games, the way you...preach about only a single game really makes me feel turned off. Funny thing is that I have a copy of X3: Terran Conflict on my desk, which has been waiting for me to clear some space to install it. Diablo1, you are not helping my enthusiasm, nor that of others I feel.
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Sabin, couldn't agree with you more. It's so obvious that I wonder if diablo really wants this effect. Anyway, he seems more like a bot than a person.
...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Actually I found the X series pretty boring.
And Gareth, reading your post, I'm having a hard time seeing where we're really in disagreement. From the looks of things, we disagree slightly on feel, perhaps a little on scope and implementation, but we both seem to agree that colonies are way to cheap and that strategic resources are under utilized.
And Gareth, reading your post, I'm having a hard time seeing where we're really in disagreement. From the looks of things, we disagree slightly on feel, perhaps a little on scope and implementation, but we both seem to agree that colonies are way to cheap and that strategic resources are under utilized.
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Oooops...
but as it is mostly Mr. Rutins who answers in these forums my error is (maybe) forgivable.
That aside, you nailed the spot completely, my dear Data:
Clone them all, let god sort it out![:D]
as for that diablo guy:
is there a flag to disable viewing posts by certain people, much like an ignore list in chats?
@Stargem - just saw your new thread on that topic, will move there. I very much like the way you are churning out useful thoughts.
but as it is mostly Mr. Rutins who answers in these forums my error is (maybe) forgivable.
That aside, you nailed the spot completely, my dear Data:
Clone them all, let god sort it out![:D]
as for that diablo guy:
is there a flag to disable viewing posts by certain people, much like an ignore list in chats?
@Stargem - just saw your new thread on that topic, will move there. I very much like the way you are churning out useful thoughts.
WANT... MORE... MODDABILITY...
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Kudos to you, Mr LoBaron!
Yay! I will ignore him at once and henceforth I shall be puzzled what people´s problem is, when they answer to him.
And tell me when he stopped trolling[;)].
Yay! I will ignore him at once and henceforth I shall be puzzled what people´s problem is, when they answer to him.
And tell me when he stopped trolling[;)].
WANT... MORE... MODDABILITY...
RE: I'm tired of 4x
ya, the one near buddy [:)]
...Igniting stellar cores....Recharging reactors...Recalibrating hyperdrives....
RE: I'm tired of 4x
No, that is a spreadsheet.
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Sabin Stargem
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:05 am
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Tried it, but it doesn't play nice with my computer. Will try again with Aurora 2, after I build my next gaming rig in November or so.
RE: I'm tired of 4x
Thank you for your thoughtful post, thiosk. Many of us want similar things which you posted here. Counting on the current way Erik and Elliot operating, they might turn the game into the direction that most buyers wish. Of course, that is if the game is selling well enough to make a profit. Erik already mentioned that he does not know what the future holds beyond patches, another expansion and a special thing. I'm playing this game all the time and I hope it will continue to be supported. Maybe they can turn the game into fully mod-able that the user community will expand on the game.
Side topic: have EA removed the Securom DRM from Spore yet? I'd like to try but not with the DRM. Evolving from the low to space travel is interesting to me.
Side topic: have EA removed the Securom DRM from Spore yet? I'd like to try but not with the DRM. Evolving from the low to space travel is interesting to me.
nammafia