Shadow Empire Suggestions and Feedback

[Daniele]

Did you know that Shadow Empire has a dedicated forum for your suggestions and thoughts?

Check it out here and leave your feedback. You can help the developer in discovering previously unnoticed things and explore ways and areas open to improvement.

[Maddoc06_slith]

I've been playing Shadow Empire pretty well every day since it came out a few weeks ago. I'm still on my first playthrough. I think it is an extraordinary game. It definitely has a steep learning curve and even after devoting so many hours (days and nights) to this amazing piece of work I keep discovering deeper elements and systems to the gameplay. None of these are just add-on complications to the game. As I discover them they just seem to be logically part of such a detailed simulator. And I didn't just dive into the game. I read the extensive manual first. And I own and have played other games by VR Designs so sort of familiar with some of the systems. And I'm a long time strategic wargamer. So, I think I know what I'm talking about. This is a great game and worthy of the wait and the hype around it. And it is a hard game, but very rewarding for strategy gamers more interested in gameplay than eye-candy.

My thoughts will develop but at this stage I'd suggest the following.
1. An overlay that allows one to see the Administrative burden of zones, perhaps with differing shades for different levels of burden.
2. Discrete bridges which can be destroyed. Perhaps in multiple levels like the transportation levels.
3. Sea transport + amphibious operation development (a little better thought out than Advanced Tactics - eg perhaps mor abstract?).
4. Introduction of air power. In particular, air reconnaissance and specific bombing of bridges and facilities. Also air supply.
5. Airfields, as discrete facilities built like other assets. Perhaps of various levels.
6. Paratoopers who follow the same logistical rules as other units.

I'm sure more thoughts will arise as I continue to play, but that's all for now.

[JamesHunt]

I already posted this somewhere else:

More in-depth modding options would amplify Shadow Empire´s popularity.

I believe that this is the reason that Decisive Campaigns Barbarossa somewhat got forgotten - despite being one of the best and most revolutional counter based wargames - was its complete lack of meaningful modding and customization. Yes there was the community project but lets face it, it never offered modders and scenario makers to employ the unique features like the event or relationship system, tying modder hands to only generate rather dull and generic scenarios.

I can imagine there might be this fear that mods might take away ideas from a dev or the novelity of new ideas when a mod already featured this but let´s stay real this is almost never the case but more the opposite. Also by taking a look at the market, it is evident that projects with in-depth modding options are more likely enjoying popularity and longetivity while those that oppose it are dead rather fast when the first excitement wave weared off. There are entire game series that became succesful and popular just because modding.

[Maddoc06_slith]

More in-depth modding options would amplify Shadow Empire´s popularity.

Yes, I think this is true. Advanced Tactics was good, and had a sort of editor too. But Shadow Empires is a much better game, and probably would benefit a great deal from an in-game editor too.

[olsta]

Just started playing, and I know I'm going to enjoy it based on all the Youtubers that have covered this.

Has anyone provided any feedback on the spelling and grammar mistakes in the game? There are many. For eg. to and too is a common one.

Also, the word "effiency" is used. I think it was supposed to be efficiency.

I know spelling and grammar are probably not high on the list of priorities, but still, people are fussy and I hope spelling / grammar doesn't hamper this games potential.

Cheers.

[springel]

There were many threads about it when the game was just out.

Then there was a dedicated thread in the tech support section "Typos, grammar and misc issues"
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4824235

Vic is in the process of correcting all of them, although I hope he keeps some of the funny Dutchisms around. I mean, a game 6000 years in the future far far away shouldn't necessarily use the Queen's English.

[StCrispin]

So far I’ve played two 20 turn games on V1.02 and then updated to V1.04 so far I’m 30 turns into a game on my desktop and 40 turns into another on my laptop and while I have a lot of (as yet) un-congealed thoughts there is one GLARING issue I would like to suggest a change to:

It would be nice if, when I clicked on a hex with assets in it, that a pop-up would appear showing the assets in that hex and what they need to build, or what they produce, etc... all the info for JUST THAT HEX’s assets. As it stands now I click a hex, get a blank UI, have to click the “assets” tab and then it is showing ALL my assets and I have to look at the name of the location and find which assets are labeled with that name. When you have numerous assets all in the same hex this can be hard to sort through. So a QOL update as mentioned above would be great for this.

It would be cool too if the hex had a little sim-City type interface where you could place the assets and housing etc... but for now that first suggestion would be nice.

I’ve been with You (Vic) since People’s Tactics. I hope I can be helpful in suggesting things to make THIS game shine.

However, MY IMPRESSION SO FAR is about 65/35 on the disappointed side of the spectrum. I see a lot of potential here and I hope you plan to put more work into this to make it what it can be. So far I’m calling it “Vic Meyer’s Civilization Tactics Gold: Beyond Star Wars”. Why? Because it reminds me of Sid Meyers Civ; Beyond Earth, mixed with Advanced Tactics Gold, and the whole Galactic Empire falling during a war is very Star Wars-esque

An online MMORPG linked to this would be fun too...

[eddieballgame]

Per "It would be nice if, when I clicked on a hex with assets in it, that a pop-up would appear showing the assets in that hex " there is a 'tab' that does just that.
On the main screen, click on 'ASSETS'.
To the lower right you will notice a 'tab' that via tool tips that says "Only Assets in the selected Hex are shown if this button is tapped".
From there, every Hex you click on will show all the Assets in that particular Hex.

I know you want more, but hope this helps a little.

[omzh]

ORIGINAL: StCrispin
It would be nice if, when I clicked on a hex with assets in it, that a pop-up would appear showing the assets in that hex and what they need to build, or what they produce, etc... all the info for JUST THAT HEX’s assets. As it stands now I click a hex, get a blank UI, have to click the “assets” tab and then it is showing ALL my assets and I have to look at the name of the location and find which assets are labeled with that name. When you have numerous assets all in the same hex this can be hard to sort through. So a QOL update as mentioned above would be great for this.

You can do this, on the right hand side of the assets there is a button that looks like a single hex and it will only show the assets in a selected hex.

[MrMorose]

One of the things that I feel might need changing is the variance when starting a new campaign.

I feel that quite often I get overwhelmed within the first 10 turns (slavers, raiders, random huge stack within 5 tiles of the capital, etc). I don't find it enjoyable.

However, I feel that the game is meant to be played on a single city start without any armies.

Maybe force a minimum distance from the capital for any enemies spawned on turn 1, and reduce the chance of minors going on the offensive for the first few turns.

[omzh]

If you're getting overwhelmed easily, look at your planet gen and try to roll something with less aggressive fauna and more farmers who are easier to fight.

I don't think the game is "meant to be played" with a single city and no armies.. otherwise you wouldn't have the option to change it at the start. If you want a challenge, then by all means go for that start but accept that it won't be easy and you need more experience in the game to survive.

[MrMorose]

After a few games, I feel that less aggressive enemies makes the later game feel "less fun".

I feel that the game would be more fun if the first few turns were easier overall.
I also feel that having armies makes the whole Militia aspect much less interesting.

Just an opinion, Vic may, or may not agree.

[eddieballgame]

The only times I have encountered serious threats early (so far) is when playing on the Medusa Class planets & or if there are 'Hunters' near by.
For the most part, the challenge to stake out territory appears to be very manageable on most Classes.
That is the exciting part of an initial start...you never know for sure how safe it really is.
Of course, I am not playing on the harder settings. [:)]

[nedjh2]

This is relatively minor, but I’d suggest that the Eternity Movement cult be reworked. Their penalty is disproportionate, since a worker production malus of even 1% will invariably delay construction of an asset for an entire turn. They’re the only cult that I will ban outright, and having them as a starting cult is an instant scrap for that planet.

[HawkishStance]

I am really enjoying this game; awesome how it combines modelling of grand strategy, economics, logistics, citybuilding, detailed war game mechanics and more. These are some ideas and suggestions I have thought about so far:

Main Ideas
- Waterworlds + some islands (like the Kosner movie), seasteading cities, ruins would be old oil tankers/rigs etc, naval units for both normal maps with water and Waterworlds. Amphibious operations.
- Air units. Early tech: Hot-air balloons/airships primarily for recon. Highest tech: jets, helicopters, air transports etc.
- More fortifications; walls, barbed wire fences, tank traps, trenches, minefields (that can be built like roads), artillery strongpoints, turret forts (AA, machine gun, canon etc).
- Custom planets where you can select every characteristic: for example, so you can easily choose to have a desert planet with life. Or to select exactly what creatures will be on the planet.
- Sniper unit with large caliber anti-material rifle which can do ranged attacks on infantry or vehicles.
- Spec Ops units that do not capture territory but can plant mines on roads to limit supply points and sabotage or plant explosives in assets. Perhaps they have a percentage chance of being detected depending on the kind of units that are around them. They could also have a tracking ability to know what direction a unit went in the last turn or two.
- Biological, radiological and chemical warfare agents
- Not sure if there are giant Sandworms as a non-alighned creature but we need them to play a more Dune like game. [&o]

Other Ideas
- Hovercraft
- Subterranean warfare would also be interesting to consider (tunneling APC transports and tanks that can travel underground undetected and pop up for surprise attacks).
- Hunting/foraging stations on planets with life would be a good way to get food early on if the planet is suitable

Look forward to discussing these suggestions and others. Will be great to see new content for this game!

[Rednettle]

I think a good tutorial for the game would start a player out as a city-state. Just the city and militias. Level 3 tech. Then as the tutorial goes along you can explain what each thing does as you build it, councils gained, etc. Instead of plopping a player with an army, level 4 tech, and various things already built. I think doing it this way will help a player more easily understand logistics, building requirements, raising a formation, etc. etc. It's a bit overwhelming to start with a bunch of things already placed and having to understand it all.

[mkai]

Congrats on a great game. I would suggest the following changes/additions:

1. The option to give OHQ orders or assign them a "front" (similar to dynamics in Hearts of Iron iv). At least to have them "hold" their position versus "free folk marauders", so that you dont have to micromanage when you are focusing on an offensive somewhere else.
2. A mechanism to speed up the game when it is dragging (as an option the player can turn on). For instance, beyond 100 or 200 turns, there is a nuclear storm or a virus outbreak that reduces the size of the map a little bit every turn. Forcing players affected to go on the offensive or die.
3. More strategic AI (at least for majors). For instance if one player is far ahead or very close to the a score of 50, the others should gang up on her. It seems now the AI is not programmed to win the game, but rather just for narrow maximization of its score.
4. More developed peace negotiations. Say you take the capital of a major, but then for some reason you would like to make peace because you are attacked elsewhere. They should welcome paying you off in exchange for returning their capital for instance. Right now this is not the case.
5. A tab under "Reports" which allows you to view holistically your resource flows vs needs.
6. This has been said before, but worth stressing again: please fix the AI logistics system. With the unlimited road building, it does not leave a lot of scope for military strategy.

[Chris0War]

With a few weeks of probing and discovery, really the game scared away every other game installed, behind the belt i can only say that this is been a really enjoyable ride so far.
The explanation in the manual did not hit home in the first days but after some discussion with fellow players and more hours under the belt the basics are now pretty much becoming clear.
The only point that came up during play was the realization that how city building becomes one of the more boring acts ,a numbers game by matter of speech ,of the game. It would be nice to see maybe a bit more detail on citizens needs and wants and maybe more uhm sense in the civilization points and your city level of education. Just adding better or more hospital points or universities that immediately increase points ( well not the society level ) does feel a bit redundant after a while, furthermore an external city view such as granted in games such as deadlock or interstellar space: genesis would be very much appreciated, maybe even with a hint of simcity going on too with trafic jams and road placements.... crimefighters etc
Just touching normal difficulty so maybe my opinion will change during the course of the next months

[GazBot]

Mainly aimed at Multiplayer - I could see would be hard coding in for the AI but;

More Diplomatic Options for Majors - perhaps even for just Human controlled players;

- Land Swaps
- Ability to traverse each others territory if you have the appropriate relationship in place

[mroyer]

ORIGINAL: GazBot

Mainly aimed at Multiplayer - I could see would be hard coding in for the AI but;

More Diplomatic Options for Majors - perhaps even for just Human controlled players;

- Land Swaps
- Ability to traverse each others territory if you have the appropriate relationship in place

I agree - I suggested some of that here:
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4894735