|
OzoneGrif_slith -> Fix/Suggestions: Empire summary, Auto-retrofit, Resorts, Happiness (5/28/2014 9:13:43 AM)
|
Hello Matrix, Code Force, Slitherine and players,
I did many tests in the last few days, and noticed a few problems which I would love to see checked and eventually improved.
1- Empire summary
Easy improvement:
Some numbers are instant (income, expenses), some are cumulative through current's year (bonuses). This is confusing.
To fix this, I suggest to have a fixed record of N-1 when the cumulative bonuses are reset (Jan.01)
This N-1 display should be visible on the top-right monetary display, below current's value (Last year Cashflow, Last year Bonuses)
Last year's bonuses just have to be copied before being reset.
Last year's cashflow is the difference between N-1.Jan.01 and N.Jan.01
Commerce Bonus / Shipyard Bonus
These are merged in the "Spaceport Income Bonus".
I think it's important to separate them in two lines so the player knows exactly what's going on.
More difficult improvement :
Statistics and graphs. 'Nuf said... being able to display the evolution through time from the beginning of the game is just pure pleasure and love.
2- Auto-retrofit
It doesn't seem to work the way I expect. It basically only works when you unlock a new research and design is automated.
A bug I found:
With fully-automated ship design on, if the design of a specific type of ship is manual, clicking the "upgrade design automatically" button (on the design screen list) will trigger the automation warning. It shouldn't since this design is manual. The other upgrade buttons won't display this warning.
The Empire policies screen:
Research and Design are grouped together. This is confusing since they have (should have) nothing in common. I would suggest to separate them in their own groups.
Auto-retrofit:
My beliefs...
Everytime a research is unlocked *and* if ship design is automated, you may get an auto-retrofit advisor question.
If ship building is automated, this question seems to be bypassed as this advisor will decide to retrofit or not.
I'm not really sure of all this and it's awfully confusing.
What I would expect...
Research's automation is autonomous. It doesn't trigger auto-retrofitting itself. This automation just decides the research path.
Ship design automation has three modes : Off, auto-retrofit only (new), full ship design.
Policies screen has two columns for ship tips: Auto-design (already exists), and auto-retrofit (exists only on the design screen)
Everytime a new design is created, either manually by the player, either by the ship design automation, if the auto-retrofit is activated for this ship type : an advisor request to retrofit these ships from design X to design X+1 popups. Eventually stating the differences (new shield, more energy collectors, etc).
If ship building is automated, then this popup might be managed automatically by this advisor. Add a checkbox on the Policies screen : "Manage auto-retrofits" (and remove it from Research's policy)
3- Resort bases
After many tests and years, nobody understands how they work. They will take population from various civilizations, but the "tourists" (passengers) never return home and never dies. The cash you get from Resort is heavily random and I've seen a Resort with 6,000,000 people on board with a zero revenue!
Many players, from the comments I get around me, just don't use Resorts because they are confusing and a source of stress.
Please review and/or explain how Resort works...
4- Happiness
Keeping your population Happy is easy... very easy... too easy...
A simple fix would be to generate stress from events:
- Pirate facilities? -> unhappyness modifier
- The planet is attacked and the spatioport is taking damage? -> Temporary unhappiness modifier
- The spacioport is destroyed? -> Heavy unhappiness modifier
- Enemy troops managed to reach the planet? -> Heavier unhappiness modifier
- Diplomatically breaking a treaty with a friend and/or a big trade partner? -> Your citizens disagree
- A Resort base has been destroyed with many tourists death onboard? -> Unhappyness for all your colonies, and Diplomatic hit for all civilizations which had their people on your Resort base.
Just these little things would make happiness more thrilling and important to manage correctly.
Thank you for this great game!
PS: When zoomed out at galaxy level, it's very difficult to select a system because the game wants to select bases and ships... even if they are deactivated in the options.
|
|
|
|
