Question / Suggestion (Run History display during AI turn)

[Percopius]

Hi,

Victor, really like the game. Question; Can you run the History display while the AI is doing it's turn? It would make longer AI turns more intresting. Also, could turn confirmation be optional?

Thanks,
P.

[TheHellPatrol]

Awesome idea, it's hard to keep tabs on larger maps. A "cycle units" key would be a huge help as well[&o].

[Percopius]

I agree Hell. Cycle Units would be cool, maybe even Cycle Units That Have Not Attacked and Cycle units That Have Not Moved (or some system like that, to quickly hit all your guys). Also, I posted a suggestion that the keyboard keys be toggles (Hit the key a second time, and you exit that mode).

P.S. I am a Lead Designer for a game company. I LOVE this game. Wish I had the freedom to make something like this (I do a lot of console games and such).

[Banquet]

Good idea's here

Cycle units would help me not to forget units. There was one backwater HQ I forgot to move for 7 turns (That must qualify me for the most stupid person on earth award!) So for stupid people like me that would be great.

I always get nervous when I hit the 'turn' key and then hear fighting but can't see what's going on.. so an updating history display would be good to relieve the stress here! For multiple AI's the turns can take a while too.. so it would be something to do instead of my imagining someone just para dropped into my capital!

A couple of other suggestions too;

When I do a recon with air units (on a shrouded map) it only seems to expose the hexes around the target area. Surely the aircraft would be flying there and the route should be exposed as well?

When selecting an HQ for a unit, could only HQ's be shown, instead of all units?

[Awac835]

A history of previos turns while the computer is loading could indeed be awesome.

[Banquet]

ORIGINAL: Percopius

P.S. I am a Lead Designer for a game company. I LOVE this game. Wish I had the freedom to make something like this (I do a lot of console games and such).

It's rather good, init! [:D]

[Percopius]

Victor; I am really curious if this idea is possible or practical. In any case, I am having a great time playing your game. Reminds of when I first bought Empire (Was it Interstel who published it?). That was a period of pure gaming pleasure in my life. Thanks for sparking those same feelings again! [:)]

P.

[Vic]

actually it is not that practical to implement showing the history display at this moment. i did not code the game in a way that makes it easy to make such a change. also it would make the AI move take more time.

[seille]

Yes, that´s easy to follow since the CPU is probably very busy while computing the AI turn
especially on older machines.
 
What i would like to see in the history is a other display like the actual.
I think it would be great to see the original battlescreen showing also readiness loss, panicked units etc.
It would provide more informations.
But like most of my wishes it´s probably too hard to implement. But it would be great.

[Awac835]

More statistics is always fun to see. But right now i think the most urgent fixes besides the real bugs like CTD's and what not is hotkeys for the different screens.

You can hit ESC to leave the Strategic map. But you cant press ESC to leave the Decision Room, The History, The Statistics screens.

Also i would like being able to simply press SPACE instead of having to click "start turn" buttons when you have the option to start the turn or save and quit, or on the turn summary screen where you only have the "start turn"
Also a Commit hotkey for attacks of different kind. Right now i have to press with the mouse after ive selected the units i want to use. It would be nice if i could just press C or some other button to attack or launch missions etc.

[Percopius]

Thanks for the response Victor.

I understand from a programing standpoint it may not be practical, but if it were optional, I would choose to watch it. Reason? I will watch the replay anyway, so I am not saving any time there, and even if it wastes time by giving the AI less cycles, I would prefer that than to have no access to the program or see any action besides the AI step screen. Perhaps if there were appropriate and easily accessed text data you could throw it the AI step screen to make it more interesting. I am willing to bet that people will make and play big complex 200 by 200 maps (it's a construction set after all, we are going to try crazy stuff), and the length of AI turns will become an issue (Why, I even bet some here would like a higher map size limit). So, I feel at some point the AI step screen, and the style of not doing a graphical presentation of the AI turn, will be perceived to be a flaw, as people could possibly be spending more time at the AI step screen than playing the turn at some point.

Anyway, this is my biggest criticism, I felt I had to say something. I wouldn't even bother if I didn't really like the game.

P.