Nominations for buff/nerf polls for Bonus Ship Types

[keith.lamothe]

Could you post the thread where the idea originated? That would help resolve the contradicting ideas.

Wasn't so much a thread as an idea mentioned during a few AAR threads and elsewhere.  Here's one example: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12915.msg144342.html#msg144342

[chemical_art]

I've read that, but don't see the contradiction between "only H/K's" and "H/Ks and other things as well"

[keith.lamothe]

I've read that, but don't see the contradiction between "only H/K's" and "H/Ks and other things as well"

A few other posts I managed to extract from this forum's search engine:

http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12465.msg139278.html#msg139278
http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12465.msg139283.html#msg139283

Anyway, Hunter is already not just HKs, it's HKs, artillery guardians, and starship disassembler guardians   Adding more to that would be quite in keeping with the existing idea. 

Where I think your desires run counter to that is wanting the HK to not show up until much later in the game (though actually now that I look at it Faulty asked for it to show up after 4 hours, not 1.  Oops, I wonder how that happened ), or not show up before a certain AIP or whatever.

[chemical_art]

Having a timer of four hours, instead of 1, would go a long way 

Having the time in between filled with uncommonly seen units would be great as well

[KDR_11k]

Does the Hunter plot release the HK? If not it just reinforces the message "SF = time ran out, run like hell".

[keith.lamothe]

Does the Hunter plot release the HK? If not it just reinforces the message "SF = time ran out, run like hell".

By "release" do you mean "free into threat"?  Then no, it won't do that.

It will free along with the entire rest of the SF if an SF alarm post is triggered, though, which is probably GG in a lot of cases.  Which is why killing an SF Alarm now never triggers it (though killing its planet or an adjacent planet will).

[chemical_art]

Does the Hunter plot release the HK? If not it just reinforces the message "SF = time ran out, run like hell".

The hunter releases the HK, with no warning or hint. I have said that before, but I don't like that.

During mid 6.X era keith was asking for trying to win a 7.6 game with i think all the minor factions on with no superweapons, or something like that.

what I did was terribly misunderstand the idea and played a vanilla game with no minor factions on at all at 7 / 7.

It was an iron man, but it was fun because i wasn't trying to keep track of dozens of variables that have no GUI indicators aside from SF. I had to keep track of AIP, and that was it.

While various expansions have gone light on the GUI indicators (exo-wave incoming, hacking and its effects, etc) I'm really not liking the direction this expansion has gone with plots not having any indication at all. No "H/K released in 30:00" or "AI has detected oppertunity, acting in a frenzy". This really is making the process opaque, and is just making it _hard_ to understand what is going on. this is _not_ a good thing. 

[keith.lamothe]

During mid 6.X era keith was asking for trying to win a 7.6 game with i think all the minor factions on with no superweapons, or something like that.

It wasn't for all-minor-factions, I think that was basically up to each individual, but no superweapons.  The point was to intentionally play as if you didn't care how high AIP got, and to take as many planets as possible.  Just to see what would happen.

I'm really not liking the direction this expansion has gone with plots not having any indication at all.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but "at all" really doesn't apply here.  Shark posts a message in the message log every single time it adds to AIP or contributes to a CPA.  If you like it can also announce every mini-exo it launches; in the past that wasn't necessary because it did that every time it increased AIP, but since those two were split from each other the mini-exos are now silent.

The hunter plot doesn't say anything, but neither do normal SF spawns.  Do you want it to announce every time it adds an Artillery Guardian or whatever to the SF?  That could get a bit spammy.  Or do you only want it to announce the H/K spawns?  Pre-announce with countdown?

I don't mind doing these things, but generally speaking the game doesn't give you a countdown or even an announcement on stuff the AI does defensively (reinforcements, strategic reserve buildup, special forces spawns), and the SF is a defensive measure.

[chemical_art]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but "at all" really doesn't apply here.  Shark posts a message in the message log every single time it adds to AIP or contributes to a CPA.  If you like it can also announce every mini-exo it launches; in the past that wasn't necessary because it did that every time it increased AIP, but since those two were split from each other the mini-exos are now silent.

Now that I squint through the logs, I find them. But they are hard to see.

An idea dawned on me today though. Remember when hybrids were in a frenzy and were active, and the message "Defensive hybrids are mobilizing." occurred. What if something like that happened to the shark plot? "AI Sharks are in a frenzy."  It would make it a lot easier to follow. Give them a hard cool down of 5 minutes if for some reason they still hide to prevent perpetual spamming, but I think it would convey the message better.

The hunter plot doesn't say anything, but neither do normal SF spawns.  Do you want it to announce every time it adds an Artillery Guardian or whatever to the SF?  That could get a bit spammy.  Or do you only want it to announce the H/K spawns?  Pre-announce with countdown?

Going to hatch this out in my new thread about the hunter, but I think at a minimal the H/K's should give a warning. Sort of like how hybrids warn of the super hybrid being nefarious.

I don't mind doing these things, but generally speaking the game doesn't give you a countdown or even an announcement on stuff the AI does defensively (reinforcements, strategic reserve buildup, special forces spawns), and the SF is a defensive measure.

True.
Reinforcements are not announced, but they are gradually and limited mostly to per planet until human meddling. But strategic reserves alert you when they are active. And given how *little* documentation special forces give, it can be very, very confusing to new players why suddenly tons more ships appear.

[keith.lamothe]

And given how *little* documentation special forces give, it can be very, very confusing to new players why suddenly tons more ships appear.

I'd like it to play the A-Team theme when the SF shows up, personally.

[Toranth]

I'd like it to play the A-Team theme when the SF shows up, personally.

Considering my typical reaction, perhaps the Benny Hill theme might be a more accurate depiction.

[keith.lamothe]

I'd like it to play the A-Team theme when the SF shows up, personally.

Considering my typical reaction, perhaps the Benny Hill theme might be a more accurate depiction.

That's certainly a possibility!