Moved by Blair from wrong thread.

Ineptespy

July 21, 2007 17:32:48Reply #56
So far the massive scale of the game is impressive, but a giant pile of poo, is still a pile of poo, so more still needs be added.

The ships are fine, but lacking the epic, or mother ship that is very difficult to research, fund, and build. There should also be ways to customize the ships. Primary offensive or defensive ships so players have to actually plan battles instead of jumping into a system and letting their forces figure it out, or allowing the larger number to win. Each ship should have target areas too. Disable an enemy fleet and the enemy has to decide if they want to take the time to repair it, or scuttle it and start new, all key game elements.

Battle is balanced, but needs off-setting variables. Such as boarding ships, mines, disabling weapons, freak accidents like orbiting moons or asteroids, or meteor showers. Things that would happen in space, or to technology need to be included for a complete game. Also the larger ships would have key spots. Weapons, bridges, shield batteries, missle batteries, hangars, engines, power generators, you name it.

Research is predictable, get enough resources, get the next thing. A branch of options should be included. It's space, you should have options. Follow a variety of tech trees, beam weapons, missles, gravity weapons, explosives, smart weapons, biological, planet killers, asteroid atachments, black hole creators, suicide weapons/ships, droids, the sky is the limit...er. space...space is the limit.

With research should come planet development. Everything can't be space based. Planets aren't as big as space, but they're big, and already key to the game. Invasion and protection of the planets should also be managed. Ideally ground invasions should be RTS format, but it's not necessary. Ground forces should be implemented because planets need to be occupied. Should a planet have an impenatrable defense, then the age old addage of troops on the ground need be applied. Research and development of this aspect would improve the odds of either force.

Around the planets should be structures. There should be as much a variety here and on planet as there are ships to build. Defended space stations, big ones, with heavy weapons, troops, fighters, economies, and research facilities should be developable. Leave the options to have one or the other. But create these orbiting cities to allow for the mega structure. More defendable, more customizable, but more expensive. Something like this wouldn't be needed on a backwater asteroid. But for your front line planet you might want something epic that you have to maintain, and that you can customize to surprise your enemies.

There's more that could be added, but I think this is enough for now. It's off to a great start, it just needs to be fine tuned now.