Master Wishlist Thread

[HsojVvad]

I just realized, I don't know when my tech should be expected to be completed. I guess I am use to other games, where they give an estimate time of completion. All I figured out was how much money it costs for the tech to be completed, but why some techs get more money even though they are all say industry, I have no idea. Maybe we can have an indicator of the date, give or take a few months of when the tech is suppose to be completed. I like the progress bar, but since it can't say how many turns remaining at present rate of research, we can have a date to see when actually we expect it to be done.

[TheSAguy]

I'd like to request the ability to further select what the AI will automatically build:
 
Like not allowing him to build/or Allowing to build:
Resort Bases
Research Stations
Monitoring Stations
Gas Mining/Mining Stations

Thanks.

[HsojVvad]

Another thing I would ad to what TheSAguy said, is have some bases on manual and other bases or planets automated. Right now it's either all or non of them automated. Something like in Civ or Call 2 Power, where you can have some cities automated and others not.

[taltamir]

retrofit design A to design B. from within the design menu. Thus, I would be able to select to retrofit MSP-07 through MSP-11 to MSP-40, while leaving MSP-12 through MSP-39 unupgraded. Yet at the same time be able to mass upgrade ships.

[Bartje]

Distant Worlds Story

Reference Topic: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2453777



Imagine if you will:


A galaxy far, far away consumed by teeming insectoid life. Resources are scarce, life is tough and survival only a small probability.

This setting breeds strong survivors, one of these survivors are the Shaktur axis, a sub-group of insectoid hives that have allied and pooled resources for their common survival.


Initially, the Shaktur axis was a great galactic succes, like all succesfull ideas however it was quickly copied by the rivalling empires native to their galaxy.


This left the Axis with only one recourse for survival, a racial migration to the nearest galaxy.


This migrational policy quickly became instituted throughout the empire, ferrying millions away to a better fate while leaving a weakened Axis to hold the line for as long as possible.

For a great many years the Shaktur were able to ferry away their population into the empty, cold depths of deep space. Their native empire was eventually conquered and exterminated however, ending the steadily shrinking stream of refugees towards our Galaxy.


Having arrived in our galaxy after untold years the Axis found themselves in a place teeming with native life, though resources were far more abundant.



The Axis Hives immediately set about ensuring their collective survival; Natives were tolerated and occasionally there was even trade. Whenever they became a threat to the Hive's survival however, they were swiftly exterminated.



Like in their own galaxy, It was not long before the natives became wary of the Axis and united in an interstellar coalition dedicated to bringing about the end of Shaktur brutallity and the restoration of Peace as well as individual worth.

The ensuing war was brutal, even by Axis standards, consuming entire worlds and bringing destruction to every isolated corner of the galaxy.


No one knows how it ended, it just did.



The once great empires that dominated the Galaxy were nothing more than rubble.

Isolated colonies still survived, but cut off from their native empire's many struggled to survive.

Advanced Technology was lost, computers and infrastructure fell into disrepair as people came to value food and water over power and flight.



It was not long until the galaxy had all but forgotten...



Some things are not ment to be forgotten however,

These isolated pockets of civilization gradually grew and developed, leading to a new era of space-travel and exploration.

Each race had many questions about the past, yet they all shared common legends and memories.


Former allies became enemies, former enemies sometimes became friends, until a world shattering discovery was made.



Galactic history was recovered, mistrust between all the races of the galaxy grew and the peacefull era of expansion and exploration made way for an era of war.



What the Empires did not know however, something indeed the Shaktur themselves had forgotten:

They were no longer alone....


A massive armada of extra-galactic species was bearing down into the galaxy looking for a place to claim.


The Shaktur had been followed...



Only the few last ships of the Shaktur migration Fleet had possessed any knowledge of this event but were by this time too far behind the rest of the Hive's ships to give warning.

These Axis stragglers arrived in our galaxy at a time of Total war, what exactly transpired is unknown but the wreckages containing this omnious warning were later recovered.



A Dynamic Galaxy:


Will the races of the galaxy unite against this extra-galactic threat?

Will the Shaktur prevail and exterminate all native Empires to increase the odds of their survival?

Will the Native Empires be able to resist the looming threats?

Will they war amongst each other, oblivious to all else that moves? (hint: In the dark...)



What about the other relics from the past?


(Hint: This is a story loophole which can be used to introduce MAAAANY other things)

- An ancient Galactic News Network left by an ancient species that long ago migrated to another galaxy because our galaxy was not developed enough at that time. (they were early born)

This would entail Diplomatic News as well as reports on potential random events etc.. It provides a certain amount of Immersion and is an excelent story telling technique!



Stage 1: The initial arrival

This would most likely take place some time after intial development and exploration.

The Aim of the enemy is to get an idea of our galaxy, potential resources, resistance etc..



Stage 2: The Beachhead

Having completed initial recconaisance preperations begin for the full scale invasion.

Military bases are founded, populations settled and preperations made for galactic war.

The main aim of this phase is to secretly / covertly build up towards the main invasion.



-Potential ploys to distract from their extra-galactic origin could be manipulating the native races to wage war against one another.

A nice way of doing this is presented in the Shaktur VS Native Life conflict that devasted the galaxy in the past.




Stage 3: The Invasion

The bulk of the extra-galactic invaders has now arrived and a war of Conquest / Survival is begun against all native life.

Perhaps there are some misguided species that hope to survive this war and thus cooperate / ally with the enemy?

The main goal is complete and total galactic conquest, potentially the extermination of any native life that threatens their own survival.




Blatant Advertising:

- This story opens the door to occasional raids from an alien / extra-galactic race, which slowly develops from nuissance into a real antagonist.

- It allows for dynamic play, you create you own fate but must deal with the circumstances.

- The circumstances in the DW universe make total sense!

- It ties in with the name "Distant Worlds" completely! The Migration theme from one galaxy to another is veeeeeeeery distant. "Its waaaay out there, dude!"\

- It provides another theme than the ancient and Good VS Evil, in the way of Perspectives on life. Life = Survival or Life = Love, Nature, Growth, Survival etc..

-The name Distant worlds can also apply to the metaphor Distant Perspectives on Existence, as explained in the life above. Individual Existence VS Collective Survalist perspective

- The Shaktur are not Evil

- The Galactic Invaders are not Evil

- Natives are not Evil



[:D]

[taltamir]

Separate "construction" filter into Construction bases(space ports), construction ships, and planets.
Not only is it a jumbled mess, it takes forever to open that window in the later game due to the sheer amount of planets, bases, and constructor ships which are present.

[HsojVvad]

I would like in the spy game to be able to destroy mines, buildings or even ships. I would love the option to be able to bribe ships as well, either they just leave the empire, or join ours for more money. Then a new stat can be made for races, loyalty. This way a hive mind can't be bribed. Democracy have the least chance of bribing while despotism or what ever it's called, is the most high probability of being bribed.

[taltamir]

I wish there was some sort of special notification when an empire has been totally annihilated. Especially if I did it. If I conquer the last planet of an empire it just gives me the same generic "we have invaded and taken over planet name" with no mention that it has won the war and permanently ended my enemy.

[taltamir]

I wish there was a toggle to force the inclusion of at least one planet of every unique species (independent). As well as a greater toggle to upgrade that to forcing at least one empire of every species.
I often end up in galaxies completely devoid of certain species.

For example, I just played a game where there was not a single ice colonizing race in existence. (made things quite interesting, but I would rather control it)

[HsojVvad]

I can't remeber if I said this or not. I can't find it, so here it is (again) [:'(]. I want races to be planet specific. By that, I like humans are continents only, but everyone is continets at the begining of the game, with options for another type. I would like to see for some races, Oceans be 100% for their race while for others it would be 80% or what ever it is now. I would like to see volcanice planets or moons be 100% for races that use it, but 20% for others or as it is now.

I don't like how all races start out with continental. Just have one type of planet to start at in the begining of the game, and then research through nomral. So if an ocean faring race is 100% on oceans, it is say 50% or what ever on continental.

I would also love to have different size planets hold different populations. Mind you I havn't bothered to check if this is the case right now. My games keeps crashing so I don't have 2 planets that are at max populationg to compare. So if a planet is continental, and it's a moon, it would hold population, less than a continental planet. I would also like for the races to be able to terraform the planets to their liking. I would also like to have buildings be built on planets that can increase the population, AND have buildings be built on space stations too as well, to increase population as well. This way we can have space cities in space as well.

Like I said from the begining, I still feel after all this time playing, that when colonizing a planet, it dosn't feel like I am improving the planet, just the space stations. I want buildings to be able to increas culture, happiness, and income.

[Rustyallan]

Crosspost from the b4 thread just to keep things together. [;)]

Implement minimum troop levels per planet as a militia and garrison force.  This minimum level will be raised, if needed, regardless of AI troop recruitment settings.

This will help keep some troops on hand for more peaceful players to defend with and also act as expansion overhead for larger empires.

[taltamir]

ORIGINAL: Rustyallan

Crosspost from the b4 thread just to keep things together. [;)]

Implement minimum troop levels per planet as a militia and garrison force.  This minimum level will be raised, if needed, regardless of AI troop recruitment settings.

This will help keep some troops on hand for more peaceful players to defend with and also act as expansion overhead for larger empires.

troop targets per planet should be set based on a percentage of their taxes... you could manually adjust the global percentage of the tax of each planet, and maybe provide a boost to certain planets.

[Rustyallan]

It would be nice to have some buttons within the design window.
A button that auto-populates the design based on what the AI class template thinks it should be.
A button that populates with only the required components for the class. 
An upgrade design button that replaces all outdated components with new ones and highlights/stars them in the list for review.

Some sort filters for the components window would be useful.  Computers/sensors, reactors/collectors/fuel cells, habitation, construction, docking/cargo/troop, engines, extractors, weapons, shields/armor/repair.

The current long and short range beam weapons should each be shown, not just whichever is newest.

[taltamir]

An upgrade design button that replaces all outdated components with new ones and highlights/stars them in the list for review.

There IS an upgrade button that replaces all outdated components with latest ones.

[Rustyallan]

There IS an upgrade button that replaces all outdated components with latest ones.

I was referring to within the design screen itself, not the one on the list of designs. Also, that button does not *just* replace outdated components, it rebuilds the ship from scratch. I just tested that a little bit ago before I made the post.

[taltamir]

ORIGINAL: Rustyallan

There IS an upgrade button that replaces all outdated components with latest ones.

I was referring to within the design screen itself, not the one on the list of designs. Also, that button does not *just* replace outdated components, it rebuilds the ship from scratch. I just tested that a little bit ago before I made the post.

interesting, I thought it just replaces components, I had no idea it actually rebuilds.

[Rustyallan]

interesting, I thought it just replaces components, I had no idea it actually rebuilds.

Well, I just had it do exactly that 5 minutes ago. It replaced existing components only this time. The difference is that it had not already auto-generated a new build for that class (Small Spaceport) so it only upgraded the new component. Normally, it creates a new SSP and when I upgrade my custom PSS (1/3 the cost, Planetary Services Station, no defenses or labs, minimal everything else.), it goes and just duplicates the auto-design SSP. I then go in, strip the extras out and rename it to PSS-xxx.

Edit: or maybe not... now it seems to be behaving and upgrading only those components, but that's not what it was doing before.

My current gripe is that it will use other racial tech if I buy it, but that seems to be because it completes the research tree. auto-design still won't use my NX-700 reactors unless I use Upgrade Selected.

[Rustyallan]

For the modding community, it would be nice to have access to the ship auto-design templates and formulas.
It would also be nice to be able to assign templates/formulas to different species.  Some would lean more on torpedoes, some on beam weapons, and some prefer more shields over weapons. 

[Rustyallan]

When tech levels increase due to espionage [Edit: and when retiring advanced ships] and you gain new components, there should be a notification and message in the log indicating new tech just as if your scientists had researched it.

Ships window should default to "none" when opened, or remember what was opened last.  Large, long-running games can mean a coffee break when you open the window.

[taltamir]

a fleet "load troops" command, I need to do so individually by ship.

Also, when I have a fleet comprised of 3 loaded troopships, I cannot order it to attack a planet, I have to order each one to attack a planet by itself. (hence, I don't keep troopships in a fleets)