Space is boring - you need to add something to it: Gravity

from Sins Forums

I've been thrilled by the idea of space based strategy games since playing Star Control 2. However any RTS combat is pretty lame. Home World seemed cool but quickly became another tank rush affair with a 3rd dimension of movement. I lost interest in this game too. Where as the RTS combat in something like the Total War series is excellent. The main difference is terrain.  I think "terrain" matters in Space too but you need to model it.  I want to see ships in orbit around a planet where different types of ships are faster at changing orbit than other, where key high ground places are Lagrange points. Other advantages or disadvantages depending on where in orbit you are. Perhaps pressing a button will show an overlay of the gravitational contour lines (see wiki link below). Movement is a dynamic process, where all bodies have a trajectory and you need to plot rendezvous points with the aid of an intuitive UI. Real space combat would be very complex so there is plenty of richness there to bring into a game. Not these bad space invader affairs that haven't really evolved from star control 2 at all. Hell at least Asteroids modelled momentum pretty well.  It just surprises me the lack of imagination in what's on offer currently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point

 

modding
1,857 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Sounds interesting, but a key thing for the developers would be making sure they got the balance right. A game could be immensely intuitive, but if it's a chore to get any results, then it won't be too popular. I'm sure it's possible... Let's hope this gets put in the SOASE sequel!

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Let's not. This is too complex to model correctly. The processor can't handle all that you're asking of it. Since EVERYTHING would be moving. The game would have to plot the movement of everything and keep track of trajectories. And people's computers slow down with only a few 1000 ships. You're asking for at least 10000 objects to keep track of, even on the smallest maps. Every roid, planet, ship, structure, and even the dang dust clouds must be tracked and updated in real-time. Just no. It's pointless and people will lose fleets on the ever changing map. It would just piss people off. plus the cost to make it would be extremely high and not a lot of people would buy it.

Maybe when we have quantum processors we MAY be able to make such a game but right now, no.

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Oh it's possible just not with the game engine Sins uses. You need a more powerful game engine

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting NovaCameron, reply 2
Let's not. This is too complex to model correctly. The processor can't handle all that you're asking of it. Since EVERYTHING would be moving. The game would have to plot the movement of everything and keep track of trajectories. And people's computers slow down with only a few 1000 ships. You're asking for at least 10000 objects to keep track of, even on the smallest maps. Every roid, planet, ship, structure, and even the dang dust clouds must be tracked and updated in real-time. Just no. It's pointless and people will lose fleets on the ever changing map. It would just piss people off. plus the cost to make it would be extremely high and not a lot of people would buy it.

Maybe when we have quantum processors we MAY be able to make such a game but right now, no.
End of NovaCameron's quote

Hate to say, it, but you're right. As cool as the game sounds, it would be tough to make and would appeal to even fewer people than play Sins at the moment.

Quoting EternalRequiem, reply 3
Oh it's possible just not with the game engine Sins uses. You need a more powerful game engine
End of EternalRequiem's quote

Which is why they could never put it on the console, which may allow the company to profit. (shame that the console crowd aren't enlightened PC gamers like us ;P )