I do agree that people would still need to be able to type out messages in game since not everyone has or wants to get a microphone.  (I really don't understand why some hardcore gamers don't want to chat in team games.  I know a couple guys who play first-person-shooter PUG matches where just about everyone else has microphones but they themselves refuse to purchase or use one.)

The chat commands could be part of the online multiplayer tutorial.  Maybe they could make people /w "Game Tutor" Hello in order to continue to the next step.  Just so you know, here are the commands:

/ignore "Name" -- ignore someone in chat.

/a -- ally chat

/w "Name" -- whisper to someone

/wf "Name" -- whisper to a friend and also to whisper when a game is lagging.

/r -- whisper back to the last person who whispered to you.

/f -- send a message to everyone on your friends list.

You do realize how much that would kill anyone who tried to micro right?  The game would only involve throwing money at things.  For this reason, I hate the concept of ground battles in Sins.

As far as espionage, There is this wonderful thing called scouts.  Or, if you are too lazy, use a diliverance engine or Clairivoyance.

Think about it though...  There is a limit to how complicated a game can get before it just gets annoying.  Gamers don't want to have to actually do everything in a government.  If you want everything, why not make it require everything you do to have a signed authorization.  Or let's throw in some beurocratic red tape!  Let's make Sins II overcomplicated Yay!

I agree with the more factions idea, there needs to be more than just three factions fighting against each other. It is kinda old when there are 5 Tec factions ducking it out on the same star. It makes it almost feel like a civil war game instead of fighting invading alien races.

I would also like to see physics of planets and their orbits around their stars., not just random planets hanging randomly in the middle of no ware. It would also be cool if planets had moons you would be able to colonize if you couldn’t colonize a large gaseous planet.

Uh...OK...if you say so C.I...whatever...

I ended up with the CenturionJixra name because early on I registered an account as Whippersnapper or some such and then forgot the password or something along those lines and couln't use it, so I went with an alternative.  Then I tried to change it to just plain DirtySanchez but that was taken and it wouldn't let me use Dirty Sanchez with a space.  So I decided to go with a hyphenated name.  It looks completely ghey, I know.

I thought that you were still Jixra!

sould711, from whatI have read in the threads the limit for maps appears to be 512 stars & 512 planets, I know these are the limits of NAMES for stars & planets, and in my opinion it would be confusing with two or more planets or stars with the same name(s)

harpo

Relic refugees?  As long as they stay true to the intended platform (that HW2 never realized becaused it was rushed into publication, along with the one and only subsequent patch), and don't pull a Fallout 3 number.  Matter of fact, I'd be happy just to see HW 2 completed.  HW2.5!

Frogboy, what is your next game after Demigod?

The only way for land battles to work is if there were more penalties for glassing every planet you come across. 

The obvious one being that you would have to rebuild the planet infrastructure from scratch, which should be massively expensive.

A secondary affect should be the local moral for your faction on all nearby planets will drop when you brutally murder millions civilians. And you lose diplomatic standing with your allies.  Low moral will cause revolts and planets declaring themselves neutral. What are you going to do, bombard every planet that dissents? You will cause a widespread rebellion.

I highly doubt that planetary bombardment kills everyone. Sure, the Novalith will cause enormous civilian damage, but just consider this; how would the planets be able to recover so fast? I've always thought that when bombing a planet, the attacking ships specifically designate governmental targets, in order to reduce casualties. The population dropping is a result of killed supporters and those abandonding support of the planetary government. And planet HP more represents resistance. So by the time it reaches 0 HP, the planet has effectively surrendered, instead of being completely wiped out.

I dont think Nuclear explosions big enough to see from orbit is very picky on who it kills and what it destroys........Killing everyone is an easier way to explain why the population bar hits zero and HP as well. Also the idea there are alot more inhabitants then what is counted means your not getting all of your creds from the taxes..........that would piss me off. As for colonizing a planet after its been nuked..........well its a game and to expediate the game so you can get your credits and continue your conquest the whole timeframe thing between bombardment and colonization is going to have to be thrown out the window for the sake of playing the game and not losing interest.

yeah i do the same, something about a planet with only 250 population just doesnt seem worth fighting over. Especially when your individual ships crew more then some planets.

exactly what i meant by it not being crowded. but NO planet could fit 204 billion people on it.