Priorities for 7.0/Vengeance official release

[keith.lamothe]

Some way to make Hybrid Hive Spawners easier to find on the galaxy map
The linked Mantis report suggests giving them a different appearance to the other hybrid facilities, which would be helpful.  Alternatively or in addition, have them listed separately to other hybrid facilities on the planetary intel summaries, and/or (best option) create a new galaxy filter called "Detected Hybrid Spawners".

The custom-narrow search should let you look specifically for them; is that too cumbersome?

[Bognor]

Some way to make Hybrid Hive Spawners easier to find on the galaxy map
The linked Mantis report suggests giving them a different appearance to the other hybrid facilities, which would be helpful.  Alternatively or in addition, have them listed separately to other hybrid facilities on the planetary intel summaries, and/or (best option) create a new galaxy filter called "Detected Hybrid Spawners".

The custom-narrow search should let you look specifically for them; is that too cumbersome?

The custom searches don't detect units in planets you've scouted but don't currently have a scout on, even immobile units.  See 0010004: Permanent buildings doesn't show up on custom search if there's no visibility on system.  I guess fixing that underlying problem would be more generally useful than any of the suggestions quoted above, though a filter would be convenient.

[Tridus]

I guess the only thing I don't understand about this list is all the stuff in the "sometime later" pile. If you know more or less what you want to do for things like hacking, why not just release a bit later and do them?

I get that it's different for things like armor where you're not so sure (IMO it should be kept as-is and just used selectively on ships) or champions (relatively new thing that sprung up), but not in the hacking case. Is there a reason that the release date can't be shifted to accomodate that?

[keith.lamothe]

Is there a reason that the release date can't be shifted to accomodate that?

Yes, there's a huge area between about June 15th and July 15th where the steam summer sale might be.  We don't know where it will actually fall this year (it's even theoretically possible that they won't do one, though that seems very unlikely to me), but if it overlaps any part of the initial 7-day period after the release of the expansion, then that part of the expansion's initial promotional week is basically of no help to us because no one's paying attention to 10-to-20%-off discounts during that time.

So either we release in early-mid June, or in mid-late July.  The latter is a lot longer than we want to wait, just in general and because it would be good for AIW's summer-sale performance to have the additional expansion and recent official release.

If it looked to us like releasing in June would result in a poor product, and thus not be good customer service (and thus not be good for long-term revenue, honestl), then we'd just delay it until July or whatever.  But I don't think that's the situation

[Tridus]

If it looked to us like releasing in June would result in a poor product, and thus not be good customer service (and thus not be good for long-term revenue, honestl), then we'd just delay it until July or whatever.  But I don't think that's the situation

For the record, I don't think so either. The alpha is playing quite well. Thanks for the clarification on the release date, that's a good reason for sure.

[chemical_art]

The only thing that this expansion needs, which i always mention, is its hook. I know the goal is buffing the AI, but i.wonder where that one thing that causes someone to go "WOW!" and immediately buy. On the ootother hand it may not be needed.

[keith.lamothe]

The only thing that this expansion needs, which i always mention, is its hook. I know the goal is buffing the AI, but i.wonder where that one thing that causes someone to go "WOW!" and immediately buy. On the ootother hand it may not be needed.

The Showdown Devices are a pretty major thing.  I'd imagine someone like you would be very interested in a stalemate-buster, for one thing   But a lot of the info is currently under wraps.  That can't persist to release day, obviously.

Anyway, I don't think it needs something defining on the level of Champs or FS, as it has a ton of really cool (if less individually major) things.  Basically, if someone's in the market for AIW expansions at all, then this brings more than enough to the table for $5.

[chemical_art]

Ah yes stuff under wraps, with that in mind i look forward and think this will do well.

After the Zevastator gets its tweak (however it is done, the is it big flag I'm liking for its simplicity)  then afterward ill try the shadow drives.

[Wingflier]

The only thing that this expansion needs, which i always mention, is its hook. I know the goal is buffing the AI, but i.wonder where that one thing that causes someone to go "WOW!" and immediately buy. On the ootother hand it may not be needed.

The Showdown Devices are a pretty major thing.  I'd imagine someone like you would be very interested in a stalemate-buster, for one thing   But a lot of the info is currently under wraps.  That can't persist to release day, obviously.

Anyway, I don't think it needs something defining on the level of Champs or FS, as it has a ton of really cool (if less individually major) things.  Basically, if someone's in the market for AIW expansions at all, then this brings more than enough to the table for $5.

For the record, I think the features of this expansion are even more meaningful than AS or FS. Maybe they aren't as flashy, but purely from a gameplay perspective, they add a lot more to it for me.

Just in giving the AI 2 extra personalities alone, you've basically doubled the carnage. Let's not even talk about Shark or Hunter, I'm still struggling on difficulty 7 with that.

[LaughingThesaurus]

Yeah, I think the big appeal is to essentially double the variety the game already has, and to provide hardcore players with more ways to have Fun. Thing is, that only really is going to appeal to people who play the game a whole lot already... even if they aren't that good (like myself).
As far as priorities to focus on, I think the objectives screen does definitely need an update, but I don't really know what else. The expansion's content has felt really stable to me and it's all worked. It's been great. I'm working towards getting the showdown devices (very slowly) to see if that outright murders me or something.

Edit: Incidentally, I have encountered so many missile guard posts under force fields and that is seriously like the most powerful combo out of those very common things the AI could possibly have as defenses. Bombers can't get the force field else they instantly die to the guard post, and missile frigates and fighters don't really work all that well against the force field. Raid Starships will also die instantly pretty much as soon as they get into range. I've been defaulting to the slow approach, but lord help me if I encounter that combo also covered by a fortress that is in range of the missile guard post.

[Mick]

I second the objective screen getting an update.

The objectives screen is one of the features I find incredibly unique and cool about AI War, and I was a bit disappointed that a lot of the newer stuff doesn't seem to apply to it (not just this expansion too).

[TIE Viper]

Incidentally, I have encountered so many missile guard posts under force fields and that is seriously like the most powerful combo out of those very common things the AI could possibly have as defenses. Bombers can't get the force field else they instantly die to the guard post, and missile frigates and fighters don't really work all that well against the force field. Raid Starships will also die instantly pretty much as soon as they get into range. I've been defaulting to the slow approach, but lord help me if I encounter that combo also covered by a fortress that is in range of the missile guard post.

The solutions to that are Raid Starships Mk. II and Mk. III my friend.   

[LaughingThesaurus]

I do have mark IIs unlocked, but I haven't unlocked mark IIIs yet. I'll need to take one of the many helpless planets surrounding me for the knowledge to grab those. I actually instead went the direction of Missile Frigate IIIs because I HAVE had fortresses covering those nasty combos and I was thankfully able to outrange them with the frigates.

Edit: Kay, full caps of mark I and II raid starships fight a mark III guard post that gets no bonus against ultra-light and lose. I'm not about to waste knowledge on IIIs. They haven't done anything useful so far in this entire game.

[chemical_art]

Oh! I had forgotten the value of zevastators to snipe guardposts. awesone.

[TIE Viper]

I suggested the higher mark Raids because of their immunity to missile ammo and should help some against posts that shoot with missile ammo.