Arcen Games
General Category => AI War II => AI War II - Gameplay Ideas => Topic started by: PokerChen on September 01, 2016, 03:45:13 am
-
Along of theme of Chris soliciting opinions on the design doc,
How do you like the modular ships across all the expansions?
Which of the following do you lean towards on the aspect of ship design?
- I like tweaking, so almost all starships should be modular. Chris, please reserve time to work on and streamline the ship design aspect of the game.
- I don't like engaging with the modular features, and prefer knowing what my ships do at a glance. Chris, please reserve more time to iterate the design of roles, aarmor, etc.
- the current mix is okay
-
I think you can make a poll. ;)
-
I'm personally fairly ambivalent about modular ships as a concept. The one thing I do have a strong opinion about is the AI's use of them (if they stay in). The AI shouldn't just give all of it's modular ships basically the same generalised mish-mash of modules. Hybrids in particular may as well not be modular right now; when was the last time you looked at the modules on a standard hybrid and it affected your thought process at all? More distinction between different AI modular ships would add more interest/variety.
-
Pffft, on mobile phone right now. Interface too limited :p
-
I personally dislike modularity. I think it's rather disconnected from the rest of the game. Often, I see few differences.
The champion is okay because it's its point of being central, complex etc (because it's supposed to be the only thing a player control). But I dislike champions. (Personal taste; partially because of the modularity.)
The Fallen Spire modular ships provide no true choice by themselves, only the upgrade options do (unlocking high mark of sniper turrets or heavy beam cannons). But the thing is: it's against one of the core design philosophy of AI War: no small invisible upgrade (+X damage, +3% range, etc). I vastly prefer unlocking bigger and bigger Fallen Spire ships by building more shipyards and investing Knowledge in the galactic capitol.
The Riot Control Starship offer only one true choice, IMO: shield or tractor? And even the MkI can mount both. I would be happy with a non-modular shield+tractor+engine damage starship (or maybe just shield and engine damage).
Modular Fortresses? A joke. Make a shielded fortress if you really want to, but the modular weaponry is so bland.
TL;DR: I vote remove modularity.
-
Modularity with a better implementation could be good for the future, but much as I personally love my giant modular champions and spire ships, the current implementation is probably not worth being in the base game, due to the points already raised.
-
I don't think modularity has a place in the game either.
I'd rather have new ships / turrets / flagships / whatever.
Also the "tied to turret" thingy had me baffled.
-
Agreed. Modularity feels too fiddly at the moment.
-
I personally like the champions a lot, they're one of my favorite things in the game, and I'd love to see them in the base game if it's not too difficult to implement, but when it comes to OTHER modular things, they're... not bad, but I feel like they need some work. Like they need to be more interesting somehow.
I think this mechanic in a general sense could be pretty darn good, but it needs some changes. Give it more of a presence/use beyond just the champions.
-
I like the modular ships a lot, but they do add a fair bit of complexity when it comes to dealing with building them, and when you get down to it, for non-champion cases, there's really only a handful of ways you're going to tend to build them out anyway. If it's possible to simply have a couple of variant build options available within the same ship cap, you can achieve similar results without having to have people actually go in and customize the ships. That'd simplify the UI some.
If that's not possible without modules, then I'd want to keep the modules. Riot and Protector Starships both lose something if you can't customize them for what you intend to use them for. (I tend to build my Fallen Spire ships the same way every game, so it wouldn't bother me if those became non-modular, provided they do keep all the cool stuff they can do.)
-
Champions are especially fiddly and micro heavy. Also imo the fact that they respawn endlessly every time they have been destroyed seems kind of cheap to me.
-
variant build options available within the same ship cap
That's interesting. Different units counting in the same cap. If feasible, I'd love to see Riot Control Starships variants: one shielded, one tractor and one engine-damage. Players would then be allowed to build only one version or build a mixed team.
I love this idea.
-
I'm all for having modular things actually, as it generally matches better with vwhat actually happens in real life visits vis-a-vis spaceship and naval shop construction. This usually takes games closer to 4X and turn based standards, however.
For modules to sell well, the whole process has to be quick and smooth. Ideally, I would like to be able to specify high-level design decisions (Haskell-like), from which the ship design engine automatically spits out finished blueprints for player to take/leave/tweak. Having this allows the game to auto generate shop variants and update them as players unlocks things. One of the thing I don't like in oldest Classic is how non-transferable knowledge unlocks are: you figure out how to make starship X tougher, why can't this be applied to another ship? Why can't I put riot shotguns on anything other than riot control starships?
Having this modular setup in the background gives a centralised way to organise the ad-hoc research bonuses like how unlocking better laser turrets also gave you better laser modules. By researching better turrets you were actually just researching the underlying technology and auto-applying it across different designs.
Whether to actually expose it to players and modders is the worthy question. I can imagine any ship design algorithm not being mod-friendly, as it depends on the actual game mechanics. On the other hand, I can imagine a number of steamlined interfaces that would make ship design a lot more appealing (to me) than most games have made them.
Side note: Coding wise, it generally makes sense to make everything modular, which also makes modding easier - it's about how much to expose to the player and modders, and how much we can do once the game is written.
-
The Riot Control Starship offer only one true choice
Now that this is put in front of me this starkly:
I build my riot control starships in exactly one configuration. I don't use tractors myself (I do two force fields, then mount all lasers) and never switch it up.
I think its the fact that I like the idea but don't see any hard choices where all the options are equally valid.
-
Wow, this is overwhelmingly matching my own opinion (no modular ships). That's awesome. Keith brought up that a lot of stuff uses these and therefore that we'd be stripping out a lot to remove these. But honestly I feel like there are so many better things we could spend our time on. Designing ships is something that I as a player just never feel inclined to do, anyway.
-
Wow, this is overwhelmingly matching my own opinion (no modular ships). That's awesome. Keith brought up that a lot of stuff uses these and therefore that we'd be stripping out a lot to remove these. But honestly I feel like there are so many better things we could spend our time on. Designing ships is something that I as a player just never feel inclined to do, anyway.
That's not that awesome. That pretty much kills most of my favorite ships. :'(
-
Wow, this is overwhelmingly matching my own opinion (no modular ships). That's awesome. Keith brought up that a lot of stuff uses these and therefore that we'd be stripping out a lot to remove these. But honestly I feel like there are so many better things we could spend our time on. Designing ships is something that I as a player just never feel inclined to do, anyway.
That's not that awesome. That pretty much kills most of my favorite ships. :'(
Oh. :-\
Well, one thing is that this could potentially be a stretch goal. I don't want to do a lot of those, but this seems like one of those things where it needs to be "we put in a lot of effort and do it RIGHT" if people are interested, or we don't let it clutter the main scope.
I have some things that will be explained probably tomorrow that might supplant some of the desire for this anyhow, we shall see.
-
Riot Starships are definitely my favorite starship. But if they were replaced with a non-modular version I'd probably be happy.
-
Riot Starships are definitely my favorite starship. But if they were replaced with a non-modular version I'd probably be happy.
Right, that's what I mean as well. A lot of the things that are presently modular could have just some pre-baked alternatives that are set up that are not modular but work in a cool way. Nothing would be stopping that.
-
The Riot Control Starship offer only one true choice
Now that this is put in front of me this starkly:
I build my riot control starships in exactly one configuration. I don't use tractors myself (I do two force fields, then mount all lasers) and never switch it up.
I think its the fact that I like the idea but don't see any hard choices where all the options are equally valid.
You don't use the shotguns? I love those things! The tazer is good too. Riot I doesn't offer a lot of choies, but you can wreak havok with II and III.
-
<Strip modular ships from player control>
A fair call, one that I don't like either, but fair call. :) Although from the modding perspective, I would like to maintain the feasibility of overhauling combat into on based around Fallen Spire or Battlestar Galactica-type gameplay, from the AI-War focus on single-weapon craft.
-
Riot Starships are definitely my favorite starship. But if they were replaced with a non-modular version I'd probably be happy.
Right, that's what I mean as well. A lot of the things that are presently modular could have just some pre-baked alternatives that are set up that are not modular but work in a cool way. Nothing would be stopping that.
Yeah, I think that "replace modular ships with ship types where you pick from a handful of designs" is a pretty reasonable direction to go. That still gets you the variety in what the ship can do, without the complexity that manual module editing brings. The UI actually offered that already for Riot ships IIRC, there were options to build an empty one, and then a couple of template ones that were already set up. It's a pretty simple UI to pick from the preset templates. (You could also make your own version and then pick that one, which is how I built all my Spire ships.)
Presumably modders could add new templates to the ones that are available, which can really open some neat things that people can do.
-
You don't use the shotguns? I love those things! The tazer is good too. Riot I doesn't offer a lot of choies, but you can wreak havok with II and III.
Oh I used the Tazer. No fear there. I, uh, may be inadvertantly responsible for certain changes made to riots and the tazers after perma-stunning whole waves of ships with a full cap of Mk2s and 3s outfitted with tazer modules.
But no, I went lasers over shotguns, preferring long range to better engine damage.
-
I have some things that will be explained probably tomorrow that might supplant some of the desire for this anyhow, we shall see.
*.*
Can't wait.
I must admit, I miss your interventions. I totally understand you can't be everywhere, but I'd like to see you more often cut the debate after several pages. For instance, will we keep the armor mechanism? Will we keep the Hull Bonuses? But maybe you're not decided yet.
About the modularity, I'm pleased with that decision. I would be okay to keep it as a champion-only thing (while I'm not forced to play with them), but I feel outside of that (riot, fortress and Fallen Spire) they are more distraction than tool.
-
On the point of only ever building 1~3 templates for a ship type, I feel that lack of usefulness of modularity, in AI War Classic, is partly a product of overall game variety.
- There's two optimums in conventional weapons: either combined arms, or max one tech, even if the AI sends only one type of ship at a time.
- Players can never have enough infinite-range weapons and plasma sieges, so that's how your Spire Fleet generally turns out.
- Shields are the only defensive options for Spire Fleets, Champions and Modular Forts. They don't have access to other mechanics like health regen, armor, phasing, teleport, etc.
If that's how the combat philosophy is maintained, then yeah modular isn't useful. You'd want the viable paths offered in Gratuitous Space Battles to justify asking players to kit out their own ships. (Multiple viable options in all categories: defense, offense, mobility, utility).
-
I think the only modular ship I've used where it's actually a choice what I built was the protector starship. But those are fairly easy to switch to a non-modular multiple variant system. And overpowered.
-
- There's two optimums in conventional weapons: either combined arms, or max one tech, even if the AI sends only one type of ship at a time.
How about maxing ALL the tech.
- Players can never have enough infinite-range weapons and plasma sieges, so that's how your Spire Fleet generally turns out.
Hey! I put lasers on my Spire!
- Shields are the only defensive options for Spire Fleets, Champions and Modular Forts. They don't have access to other mechanics like health regen, armor, phasing, teleport, etc.
Champions have access to a heal. A pretty damn good one at that. Modular Forts have the same regen mechanic that regular fortress have.
If that's how the combat philosophy is maintained, then yeah modular isn't useful. You'd want the viable paths offered in Gratuitous Space Battles to justify asking players to kit out their own ships. (Multiple viable options in all categories: defense, offense, mobility, utility).
Just because you don't find it useful doesn't mean someone else hasn't.
-
Multi-weapon != modular, to me. Modular means the ability for you to put on and off modules on the ships at your discretion during gameplay. Multi-weapon are something designed in the data (by design or otherwise).
-
Yeah, I can agree that while I like ships that happen to be modular, I usually have whatever I think the min-maxed config is and stick with it.
Hey! I put lasers on my Spire!
Beam Cannons? I can agree with that(I do prefer Plasma on Spire Corvettes, over the Human-tech beam modules), but the Imperial Spire-tech Railguns have Radar Dampening Immunity on top of the infinite range, so that's a huge bonus over any of the other 'small' turret options in my book.
-
Yeah, I can agree that while I like ships that happen to be modular, I usually have whatever I think the min-maxed config is and stick with it.
Hey! I put lasers on my Spire!
Beam Cannons? I can agree with that(I do prefer Plasma on Spire Corvettes, over the Human-tech beam modules), but the Imperial Spire-tech Railguns have Radar Dampening Immunity on top of the infinite range, so that's a huge bonus over any of the other 'small' turret options in my book.
All kinds of lasers. I usually have a mix of weaponry spread about the different hulls.
-
Honestly, I rarely have more than 1 or 2 designs for any modular ship type, even Champions. But the ability to customize is always nice.
But there is something modular I've wanted for a long time... To say the dirty words: Modular Command Stations!
This is one where I've always wanted a little more mix/match and flexibility. If you wanted a Mk III Economic station, fill three module of your Modular Station with Economic Modules. Later on, when you have better income, you can replace those with three Military Modules to have a Mk III military station. Or mix and match, for combinations of abilities.
-
Honestly, I rarely have more than 1 or 2 designs for any modular ship type, even Champions. But the ability to customize is always nice.
I have about 20 unique setups just for the largest one :)
-
I think the only modular ship I've used where it's actually a choice what I built was the protector starship. But those are fairly easy to switch to a non-modular multiple variant system. And overpowered.
Yeah, the modular variety of those is useful depending on what you want to counter. That could probably be done with some template varieties, though, at least to be somewhat reasonable.
I did once take out a mk III AI Fortress using only mk I Fighters and some Protector Starships, just because I could. It was totally hilarious. Took forever, but totally hilarious. :D
Protectors are my favorite ship. I hope they make it in.
-
How about maxing ALL the tech.
ALL tech == Combined arms. Whether you put your lasers on your champion or on another accompanying ship, doesn't matter, does it?
Hey! I put lasers on my Spire!
...and the back two slots can only have lasers, right? So I already have enough with the minimal necessary to lay down the bonus 5x and 10x multipliers against whatever survives the beams. Very few of the Lights, ultra-lights, and Close-combat hulls justifies additional slots, IMO.
Champions have access to a heal. A pretty damn good one at that. Modular Forts have the same regen mechanic that regular fortress have.
I stand corrected - is the Fort only built-in or is there an option to double down through modules? This is the point: can you fit something else defensive in that slot, or is it all a package deal so there's no choice?
Just because you don't find it useful doesn't mean someone else hasn't.
*chuckles* of course. I'd like to retain the modular aspects, but classic's current affair doesn't sell itself well. To me, it's sitting in the category "useful, but in a shop-window dressing kind of way".
The Champion's access to a large swath of added abilities is the exception to the norm, so I'd agree with the 20+ saved designs. ...but AI War 2 probably won't have champions everywhere, unless we made all flagships into proper FLAGSHIPS OF THE HUMAN RESISTANCE.
-
I'm not going to chop up that any more so I'm going to reply in parts.
I don't min-max my Spire ships. I pick roles for them and outfit them that way.
Mod Forts - The regen is built in. The only defensive option for those 4 slots are the shields. Plenty of offensive weapons to slot there.
Those Champ modules carry over to the mod forts too. I have several different designs of those saved. I especially like my Bot Net Neinzul Modular Fortress and my Parasite Mod Forts ^.^ Please, send that CPA. I could use a few new ships. Having the Spire ones set up to handle the big stuff in Exos is especially nice.
I fell in love with the Imperial Spire. They just enable the way I want to play and had pretty cool options to look through. Champs just piled on to all that. I usually have plenty of time to just waltz through the interface to set stuff up the way I want it. I also end up unlocking tons of defensive assets so I have those options on the mod forts and what not.
Now folks here laud the Riot and Protector SS. I can't ever seem to find a use for either of those ships. They don't fit my style of play.
-
To Cinth: Okay. So it sounds like you will have just as much fun in AI War 2, if say, Chris places modular hero units/fleets/structures as a stretch goal and we hit it? This seems to be the direction things are heading at the moment. To clarify on this aspect, I'm not particularly fond of hero units. I'm more inclined towards making modular units the norm, particularly from starship level upwards.
Sure, most people will end up using a small number of templates for each ship, but the design space will be open to more combinatoric customisation. This will then lead to expansions where new modules and new ship-hulls can be introduced, rather than mostly adding more ship types as in Classic.
-
I could do without the hero aspect the champs had. I just like the amount of utility they brought in.
-
Riot Starships are definitely my favorite starship. But if they were replaced with a non-modular version I'd probably be happy.
I'm kind of forgetting the other half of the discussion, but basically that seems like the only relevant point to be "solved" were the modular ships to be remove (yay for that, again). One, or a few versions to replace the ones we "lost".
Again, Yay !
-
Modular ships are one of my favorite features of the game; I really enjoy being able to specialize my build for different needs; it helps to soothe the 'ship design' itch that I get from otherwise not being able to do it. So you can count me in the "Make everything modular" camp. I'd just like a more unified module system; right now some modules come from ship/turret research, but others come from completing Nebulae. Being able to mix&match more modules across different ships would be good too.
-
Wow, this is overwhelmingly matching my own opinion (no modular ships). That's awesome. Keith brought up that a lot of stuff uses these and therefore that we'd be stripping out a lot to remove these. But honestly I feel like there are so many better things we could spend our time on. Designing ships is something that I as a player just never feel inclined to do, anyway.
That's not that awesome. That pretty much kills most of my favorite ships. :'(
Agh, yes, this is exactly the response I had as well.
It's not just that killing of favorites, but a lot of my own playstyle is enabled by the existence of these things. Obviously it's not that I couldn't change my playstyle, but... I really hate having to do that in any game. I'd have to change it up pretty heavily in this particular game.
Also I'll just say I also do the thing where I have like, this huge pile of builds for the things. It really depends on what's going on at the time. With my playstyle though the different builds do have a very noticeable impact, which just makes them that much more interesting.
I have to wonder, is there any way that these could be made more interesting for more players? The two things that occur to me as being a problem with these things (from a fun/interesting point of view) are: 1, you start with hardly any different types of modules that you can attach. It takes awhile to start getting interesting builds going, because you must level-up enough to do this. Your initial build will always be rather uninteresting and involve no meaningful choices (not that the Champion isn't still useful early on, because it is). And 2, while I like Nebulae well enough, they can sometimes take WAY too long. Targets in there tend to have monstrous amounts of HP (and early on, I cant make specialized builds to use to deal with those targets at all), and the NPC allies that you fight alongside are often dumber than a sack of hammers. Particularly early in the game, both of these problems can hit hard. Things get a lot more interesting with these ships once the game has gotten going (to me anyway), but it does take a little while to hit that point.
-
I rather like the modular ships a lot, mostly for the same reasons as Cinth and Misery. You can do so many things with them.
-
I'd be fine with some ship types having variants instead of modules.
-
1, you start with hardly any different types of modules that you can attach. It takes awhile to start getting interesting builds going, because you must level-up enough to do this. Your initial build will always be rather uninteresting and involve no meaningful choices (not that the Champion isn't still useful early on, because it is).
This doesn't bother me that much, because the initial limitations just makes me enjoy it more when they start to fall away.
2, while I like Nebulae well enough, they can sometimes take WAY too long. Targets in there tend to have monstrous amounts of HP (and early on, I cant make specialized builds to use to deal with those targets at all), and the NPC allies that you fight alongside are often dumber than a sack of hammers.
The thing that bothers me most is that your ship is usually the slowest ship present, so you're constantly getting outmaneuvered. If this Shadow ship is supposed to be so great, why is it slower than a bunch of pirates and mining frigates? Combine that with the fact that all movement rates are halved, so every time you try to change fronts it costs you a lot of time. I'd like to go into these scenarios and jump around to engage where the battle is thickest, but I'm just too slow to do it.
Another point of frustration is that all of the Starbases have bonuses against Structural. Why are their weapons tuned to take down shields, when nothing else in the nebula has them? Tactical shield use is a main way the player can make a difference in these scenarios, but giving the bases Structural multipliers neuters that capability.
And I'll agree on the allied dumbness. Allies should be smart enough to try to stay under shields when possible, and especially when they're on the defensive (which is most of the time), their ships with multipliers against small and medium need to engage the ships making attack runs on their starbases. Also, when they charge victoriously out the nebula, they need to be able to better gauge their objectives. The last group I freed immediately charged the AI core worlds and got pointlessly slaughtered.
-
Modular ships are one of my favorite features of the game; I really enjoy being able to specialize my build for different needs; it helps to soothe the 'ship design' itch that I get from otherwise not being able to do it. So you can count me in the "Make everything modular" camp. I'd just like a more unified module system; right now some modules come from ship/turret research, but others come from completing Nebulae. Being able to mix&match more modules across different ships would be good too.
Honestly, I rarely have more than 1 or 2 designs for any modular ship type, even Champions. But the ability to customize is always nice.
Never have more than one or two either, but I disagree with the second part. Ability to customize meaningfully is nice. Customization via modules in AI war always felt cranky, and most of the time useless too. The link to turrets / champion scenarios was especially annoying too IMO.
But there is something modular I've wanted for a long time... To say the dirty words: Modular Command Stations!
This is one where I've always wanted a little more mix/match and flexibility. If you wanted a Mk III Economic station, fill three module of your Modular Station with Economic Modules. Later on, when you have better income, you can replace those with three Military Modules to have a Mk III military station. Or mix and match, for combinations of abilities.
Against it, because apart from the "coolness factor", everything that you could wish from that idea can be done via regular buildings. Want defenses ? Build them. Turrets are there for that. Want more money & less defense ? Destroy the turrets. Anything that would require customization of abilities on home stations can be done with buildings next to them. And, even more so in AI war 2, because the building will be modded in.
That said, probably deserves a thread elsewhere.
-
Customization via modules in AI war always felt cranky, and most of the time useless too.
Hmm...I've had a lot of customizations that I felt were meaningful. When my Champion is alone, I want a balance of shields & weapons. When I've got some high-firepower escorts (ahem, Spire Frigates) I go max shields and let them handle offense. If I'm clearing a fleetship threatball of something tasty, maybe I turn to nanosubverters and steal them, or switch weapons to something with the best multiplier. When neutering a system with no ion cannon, I bring an engineer along and reconfigure in the field to take down each guard post.
But there is something modular I've wanted for a long time... To say the dirty words: Modular Command Stations!
Against it, because apart from the "coolness factor", everything that you could wish from that idea can be done via regular buildings. Want defenses ? Build them. Turrets are there for that. Want more money & less defense ? Destroy the turrets. Anything that would require customization of abilities on home stations can be done with buildings next to them. And, even more so in AI war 2, because the building will be modded in.
The thing you can't do with side-buildings like that is a forced choice. If I can just build extra buildings, I'll probably build all of everything in a lot of places. But a command station with only, say, three slots, makes me choose between the various starbase capabilities: Storage, Production, Speed Adjustment, Combat, etc., and that's an interesting choice.
-
The thing you can't do with side-buildings like that is a forced choice. If I can just build extra buildings, I'll probably build all of everything in a lot of places. But a command station with only, say, three slots, makes me choose between the various starbase capabilities: Storage, Production, Speed Adjustment, Combat, etc., and that's an interesting choice.
3 ways to solve this:
Energy limitation to planets.
Planet caps.
Ressource caps (metal spots).
It's the same as having the possibility to mod building to have a "point" limitation system by planet, whatever the point is.
-
But there is something modular I've wanted for a long time... To say the dirty words: Modular Command Stations!
Against it, because apart from the "coolness factor", everything that you could wish from that idea can be done via regular buildings. Want defenses ? Build them. Turrets are there for that. Want more money & less defense ? Destroy the turrets. Anything that would require customization of abilities on home stations can be done with buildings next to them. And, even more so in AI war 2, because the building will be modded in.
The thing you can't do with side-buildings like that is a forced choice. If I can just build extra buildings, I'll probably build all of everything in a lot of places. But a command station with only, say, three slots, makes me choose between the various starbase capabilities: Storage, Production, Speed Adjustment, Combat, etc., and that's an interesting choice.
That's what I was aiming for: Limited slots, but flexibility in choice. You can have anything you want! In batches of 1, 2, or 3 modules at a time.
Remember, by the way, that right now, you can still swap between Command Station types quickly and easily by using the CMD menu. I do this frequently as upgraded stations get unlocked, or the front line moves. Especially in Fallen Spire games, where there's a lot more territory involved.
-
Remember, by the way, that right now, you can still swap between Command Station types quickly and easily by using the CMD menu.
Yes, although it's mildly annoying that it won't let you rebuild at the current location. Reconfiguring the modules wouldn't have that problem. :-) Although that would have to be expensive, or at least time-consuming, to keep the module choice meaningful.
-
Nebula issues are a separate thing from modules themselves, really.
Champions are the strongest case for modules, because they use so many of them, but champions themselves aren't of a ton of interest to me because I don't think having this single, very oddly behaving ship fits the overall theme of AI War that well. Personally, I'd cut it entirely for AIW2, and at that point the module discussion is limited to the other ships that can probably be handled more easily.
-
Remember, by the way, that right now, you can still swap between Command Station types quickly and easily by using the CMD menu.
Yes, although it's mildly annoying that it won't let you rebuild at the current location.
Click the command station. Locate the CMD tab. Click new choice. ;)
It swaps to the new specialization without rebuilding (well, I think it goes to 0 hp and gets built, but the structure itself doesn't move).
You're using a colony ship to place a new one.
-
Click the command station. Locate the CMD tab. Click new choice. ;)
It swaps to the new specialization without rebuilding (well, I think it goes to 0 hp and gets built, but the structure itself doesn't move).
You're using a colony ship to place a new one.
It gives you the new station build, just as if it were a Colony Ship.
I just build a random Mark I Command station next to it, then move it back. Only about 20 extra seconds if you have a pair of Mark II Engineers at the planet.
-
Forgive me, its been a while. I was pretty sure that the tab method didn't make you place it again.
-
Forgive me, its been a while. I was pretty sure that the tab method didn't make you place it again.
It bypasses the "Command Station destroyed" building delay, and bypasses an Shark plot event that otherwise fire. It is also limited in how far from the original Command Station you can put the replacement.
But personally, avoiding the delay and the Shark penalties is more than worth it.
-
I don't really like the idea of modular ships. It's extremely time consuming in my opinion to create ships suited towards certain situations, and in cases where there is a good 'generalist' ship, it becomes too much of a hassle to deal with. It's part of the reason I never really liked star ruler or endless legend - having to equip your troops is a huge pain in the ass. I really prefer to just create some troops and know exactly what they do.
-
I don't really like the idea of modular ships. It's extremely time consuming in my opinion to create ships suited towards certain situations, and in cases where there is a good 'generalist' ship, it becomes too much of a hassle to deal with. It's part of the reason I never really liked star ruler or endless legend - having to equip your troops is a huge pain in the ass. I really prefer to just create some troops and know exactly what they do.
Agreed here. At the very least have pre-designed ships that you can win the game with on normal difficulty - otherwise you're adding an extra layer of complexity to put off new players. As a basic mechanic it only really works well in games like Gratuitous Space Battles, where it's half of the game.