Random Heavenly bodies, and camera issues

I enjoy what has been accomplished thus far with the game, but there are a few issues I'd like to discuss;

Camera is ‘hinky’ sometimes

Once in awhile, when I go to zoom in on a unit or planet, it seems the camera freezes momentarily, and then suddenly I it zooms to an extreme closeup of where I am looking. Not sure what causes this strange stutter, but it happens regularly, and is a bit annoying. To be clear, it is not because my computer cannot handle the graphics, as I have 3GB of RAM, a Geforce 8600 256MB, and P4 3.6GH processor - more than enough for the game.

Pirates did my work for me?

For 3 games on the largest scenario map (I want my custom galaxy back, btw!  ), the pirates have killed 2 of 3 factions for me. The AI was on ‘medium’. While that is a little interesting, it doesn’t make for a very fun game. I was able to 'walk' through about 3/4 of the galaxy.

No discernable uses for heavenly bodies

While the inclusion of asteroid belts, gas giants, and other similar heavenly bodies is cool, the fact that they serve no purpose or use in the game makes me wonder why they were included. Don't get me wrong, I like them...but I would like to see these areas have some sort of affect.

Perhaps one of these affects is that the high gravity destroys small ships, causes them to slow down to a crawl, or prevents them from leaving. This can serve as strategic variables that will force users to work around, (I like it when you get a curve ball like that, anyhow) or work with. For example, in the aforementioned example, I would be forced to use only cap ships if I wanted to traverse through that particular system. If is the ONLY way to proceed, then I would then be forced to use a cap ship’s special ability to colonize, as a colonist frigate could not traverse the star system. Alternatively, I could surprise an opponent that may not be expecting me to use that system, but instead I jump in 3 or 4 cap ships.

Some other ideas I had:

* Damage over time - corrosive nebula

* No shields - heavenly body somehow disables shields of all units

* Shield regeneration - the heavenly body somehow aids in shield regeneration

* Increased Accelleration - units experience increased manueverability in this gravity well

* No [weapon type] discharge - while in this area, a certain weapon type (randomly generated?) is unable to discharge. This could cut both ways, depending on the faction you were a part of!

Well, I had a few other ideas where this was concerned, but there's a lot of fun stuff you could do with this! I hope this helps.

I guess the only other thing I would add to all this, is that I noticed that when ships (especially frigates) are burning, and you zoom up close to them, the flames are sometimes hanging out in the space next to the ship. Just a small graphical anomoly, but something I've noticed...
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Reply #1 Top
While the inclusion of asteroid belts, gas giants, and other similar heavenly bodies is cool, the fact that they serve no purpose or use in the game makes me wonder why they were included.


they have effects, you just have to look
Reply #2 Top
I second the camera problem. And, i'd like to add that the mouse wheel zoom also seems to not zoom into the centre area of my screen, as one would expect, but regularly pulls me to the side instead. This is only an annoyance, but it feels critical at times of stress.   
Reply #3 Top
I agree with most of your points. I also don't like what purpose the asteroid belts, nebulae, and gas giants serve. They only have negative impacts, no positive, and they would only be useful during battle. I would rather fight on my own ground where I have my defenses up than at a gas giant or an asteroid belt where there is nothing to fight over.

They should come up with some new ideas as to what purpose they should serve other than just free space. Although it's entertaining to think why someone would jump into a deadly field of flying asteroids, or into a disruptive nebulae cloud, I don't think it's right.

If they were links to special places then these are my ideas.
- Gas giants would link to every planet in the system, although being more deadly and damaging your fleet.
- Asteroid belts would link to a colonizable asteroid farm with bonuses.

Yeah, I don't like them being used as linkways. Everything else in the game is already linked with phase jumps. I would just like to see them having more purpose to give the game more depth than just linkways to popular places. I can see how coming up with ideas for them is hard because of the simple palette this game is on. I had some cool ideas for what they could be used for, but the current simplicity of the game makes them not work. You can always hope that an experianced modder will pick up the game.
Reply #4 Top
moloTov: turn off the Zoom To Cursor by pressing M or using the button on the top of the HUD. If Zoom To Cursor is on, it will zoom whereever your cursor is.

beemer: I haven't seen a stop/superzoom problem before do you have any idea how to make it happen?
Reply #5 Top

While the inclusion of asteroid belts, gas giants, and other similar heavenly bodies is cool, the fact that they serve no purpose or use in the game makes me wonder why they were included. Don't get me wrong, I like them...but I would like to see these areas have some sort of affect.


They are there to be neutral territory -- they can't be controlled by one player or the other, except via a fleet. In a sense, their "dead" zones, where people aren't going to hang around a hole lot. And, believe it or not, people wanted that -- usually fighting is either in your territory, or his, with the star a very rare thing. Now, we have neutral territory to clash in once in a while.
Reply #6 Top

moloTov: turn off the Zoom To Cursor by pressing M or using the button on the top of the HUD. If Zoom To Cursor is on, it will zoom whereever your cursor is.

beemer: I haven't seen a stop/superzoom problem before do you have any idea how to make it happen?


I also have to report a zoom stop error, it has happened on 3-4 occasions over the last 2 days, I will try and find a way of reproducing it... It seems very random, and can be correct my clicking on a planet or unit, and focusing on it.
Reply #7 Top

moloTov: turn off the Zoom To Cursor by pressing M or using the button on the top of the HUD. If Zoom To Cursor is on, it will zoom whereever your cursor is.

beemer: I haven't seen a stop/superzoom problem before do you have any idea how to make it happen?


I also have to report a zoom stop error, it has happened on 3-4 occasions over the last 2 days, I will try and find a way of reproducing it... It seems very random, and can be correct my clicking on a planet or unit, and focusing on it.


Yeah, I have had difficulty reproducing it...unfortunately I wont be able to work on it until this weekend as I will be playing Halo3   
Reply #8 Top
The neutral terrirory can be very important, and for exapmle, the one that inhibits fighters/bombers can be a good place to pull up a sova led fleet, where they lose most of their advantage. It provides an influence on fleet selection and strategy and I love that the game throws these different things at you. It can also provide a good position for a feint, where you pop 10 figates through and run back to a much larger force to lay a trap.

In short neutral territory is vital for players to give them the ability to influence a contect away from either's defences.

Reply #9 Top
Arrrghhhh, I thought this was going to be a thread with lots of pictures of random supermodels!!!!

Heavenly bodies is far too thought provoking for bored people at work!
Reply #11 Top
Your wish shall be fulfilled.


ZE GOGGLES ZEY DO NUTHZIN!!!

LOL   
Reply #12 Top
hes hawt
Reply #13 Top
Hotter then Yarlen eets?
Reply #14 Top
pfff, no such thing <3
Reply #15 Top
I thought so.

Though you gotta admit Yarlen now has some competition.
Reply #16 Top