Endgame, or the Never Ending Game

I think an AI that surrenders when it is totally overmatched could work as well

That doesn't affect MP games though.
I really agree there seems to be a lack of end-game abilities that really speed up the annihilation process. While I love a long-lasting game with a good amount of back and forth fighting, I really don't like having to continue playing a game I've already won against a stubborn opponent. This only drags out the game for several more hours where as in other games it would've been "GG" a long time ago.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying people who've already lost should just be forced to surrender, it's great when they still try to put up a fight and fiercely defend their remaining planets. I am saying however that perhaps there should be a slightly larger slippery slope effect to speed up the process of a player who's already lost to get killed.


I don't find the superweapons particularly that powerful and game turning either.
The vasari superweapon only really affects defensive platforms and does no significant damage. The TEC superweapon is slightly more impressive as it decolonises a planet but this can be quickly recolonised and rebuilt, making the effects minimal. The Advent culture cannon is interesting as well but really does very little to speed up the annihilation process imho.

I got this game so that it would take a very long time to win . This game is just what I want, an epic game that can take however long to win as they players want. If you want a shorter game, play on a smaller map with fewer players. Or if you get tired of playing the game for more than a couple hours at a time, just save the game and continue it later.

Saving the game and continueing later is hardly an option for multiplayer games.
In addition, I'm sure myself and others really prefer finishing a game they've started rather than saving it and continueing it another day.

Also keep in mind this post is not directed at the game taking too long itself or asking for a faster game speed. This post is however more aimed at achieving a faster way of winning a game you've already won anyway.

No!

We need SupCom style superweapons, not the stupid stinking overpowered C&C style superweapons!

It also disables all orbital structures in the system for a time. That can be... pretty potent when backed up with an assault force.

I've played two 4 hour multiplayer games and finished one. Totally awesome when you have the time to do it.

About super weapons - I think that they need to be viewed as a complement to fleets, not as a force that can by itself decimate the enemy. The enemy recolonising a planet hit by the Novalith cannon shouldn't be a problem, becuase you ought to have a fleet ready to colonize the planet as soon as the cannon has fired. The same thing goes for the Vasari and Advent super weapons.

I don't think that they (superweapons) should be absolute game winners, but I do wish they forced the opponent's hand a bit more. Right now the TEC one is pretty good, doing nothing pretty much guarantees the enemy an easy planet kill, but the Vasari one seems underpowered (30 secs or whatever of no base defenses is nothing, takes so long to kill things for Vasari). Haven't managed to get an Advent game to superweapon levels yet so dunno there.

I think the superweapons are there just to soften up the enemy. Even though the AI recolonizes the planet, it will take a long time to rebuild it to its former glory. This hurts the enemy's economy, giving you an advantage when invading him.

btw, this is my first post, though I've been around since beta 4. So hi everybody!

I think the Advent superweapon is the worst out of the three...not saying it utterly sucks...it's just the worst..

Another option is to lower fleet upkeep. Especially in late game it can severly hinder your progrees. In one game I had almost double the planets my opponent had, but he still managed to beat me back a long time because he solely uses orbital defenses. He had like 0 fleet upkeep, I had a huge fleet, which about equaled our resource incomes although he had almost have the amount of plaents i had.

All together terrible suggestions.
The last thing Sins needs is all destroying super weapons. Other RTS games have that those in the past, and they were game breaking indeed.
It shouldn't be about rushing to some tech for domination. It should instead be about playing smart, and making the right choices as well as being a good planner.

Add a domination victory condition. If you and your allies control more than say 70% of the planets then a countdown is initiated. If the opponents fail to reduce you below 70% control before that countdown reaches 0 then it's game over.

Loved this in RoN.

"Add a domination victory condition. If you and your allies control more than say 70% of the planets then a countdown is initiated. If the opponents fail to reduce you below 70% control before that countdown reaches 0 then it's game over."

YES! that would be outstanding, kinda like COH VP, it gives the computer an objective too, i still cant get past normal AI with a large map because the AI eventually gangs up on me and i'm fighting a defensive war the entire time. Maybe i just suck, but if i could rely on one of my planets abilities to hold up against at least a mini attack force, it would be "easier" to make objective based movements and attacks.

I think this is a great idea to have as an option, particularly as a way to shorten multiplayer games somewhat if desired.

how about a option when u make the game to set if when people leave their empire disappears or you can set a AI to take over. people leaving and not surrendering is one of the most annoying thins in game cause then you have to go kill the colony's of people that are not even their total waste of time.

Novaburst, your post sounds like everything is good. That 7 hour games or extremely dragging enggames to finish out opponents is perfectly fine. A comment like 'This game should be about playing smart' is as nonsaying as it displaced.

- Late game mopping up (destroying buildings, orbital bombardment) takes too much time. It has to be speed up.
- Super weapons are too weak.
You guys act like I want them to be the super uber weapons of total doom. Who on earth talked about making them destroying whole solar systems?
I want a cooldown that is not so high that the effect of the first hit is already gone by the time I can fire the second shot.
TEC has a too long cooldown, Advent takes way too long to show affect vasari effect is just crap.
- Late game resources tend to be low because of fleet upkeep, further draggin on.

If you have other suggestions how to tackle this problem, and it is a problem, show me.

In multi-player there needs to be an unrecoverable point assessed so the loser cant just take 3 ships and hop around the galaxy forever.

It a very anti-climactic ending that never ends.

There should be a 5-6 military lab upgrade that doubles the effectiveness of siege frigates. That way planets would go down faster and the game would end more quickly.

The sad thing is, I can usually tell who has won by 30-40 minutes. The next THREE HOURS are just slippery slope.

That is one big problem with this game- if you fall a tiny bit behind in shipcount, you are going to be behind the rest of the game (unless they make a mistake). The slippery slope factor is huge.

Thats what the vasari have been doing for millenia .

On subject, yes, some of the superweapons are anti-climactic, but it does stop people turtling up and killing you without ever building a fleet.

Agreed. I encountered this "strategy" too and it was quite boring.

I'd also like a solution for the sometimes unnecessary endgame dragging.
Concerning this I am in for the option of a domination victory condition, maybe with an adjustable amount of percentage.

The domination idea is good. Make it an adjustable game option, so you can host a game called "2v2 DOM 80%!!!"

You don't lose any of Sins normal gameplay but you do encourage expansion and combat to nab as much land, or take away your opponents, as possible. Also making it an adjustable value lets people change the % depending on the map size. 70% is too much if your dealing with some 5-star super small map where 80% might be better.

Wouldn't require any major balancing issues AFAIK because I don't think any of the races get any special tech that the others don't letting them expand faster.

The Good/Bad about Sins is that the developers have tried to create an incredibly balanced game that requires deep strategy and planning. But in multiplayer this can make games drag out to incredible lengths.

I'd like a mode where destroying their capital ends the game. End of story.

Yes, an alternative to annihilation gamemode would definately be a welcome addition.
What about a gamemode in which teams fight for certain critical planets? Control of those planets would tick down the opposing team's "tickets" or something simular and eventually cause you to win the game when holding it long enough.

Obviously these planets would be frontline planets with multiple phase lanes leading to them, making them a tough nut to defend. It'd certainly add another strategical element to the game. Should you go for the key-planets or use a different strategy and try to cripple their homeworlds, etc etc.

A RON domination gamemode would definately work too.
Basically a struggle for the majority of the system, whoever can hold onto the most planets wins. This gamemode could only come into play after a certain point in the game and would definately prevent the losing team to drag out games much longer than needed.
(AND pressure them to play offensive if they want to stay in the game)

One could also gain victory points ala CoH. If you control over 50% of the planets you get a certain number of points per minute based on how many over 50% you control. As always, make it an option to play either way!