[Discussion] Early Game Pressure

[ptarth]

The early game lacks focus and immediacy. Chris has stated that the planet rage was supposed to be the force to drive this, but it wasn't working out. I present the following possibility.

• Add the ability for the player to set a Passive/Neutral/Aggressive setting against each AI Race. The Player sets them however they want. Possibly in a separate diplomacy screen.
• Add auto-attacking at the end of turn similar to auto-scouting. Prioritize military buildings as targets.
• If in range, and aggressive towards an AI, automatically shoot their closest or military building within range, as energy allows. Repeat until out of energy.
• If you want to pick the targets, then do it yourself.
• Add wandering monsters (aka Barbarians to the world). They either spawn within X of cities after Y units of time. Or can move themselves.
• Spawn rate is proportional to planetary rage, if 0, no spawn, if > 0 spawn. And make it much, much more frequent than the current spawn.
• Give military actions to lander (can't remember if they are there already.
• Allow interceptions to occurs for every type of building on every type of attack, but with modified efficiency. Guardposts can defend against helicopters (i.e., stinger shoulder missiles), but not as well as a fixed SAM position.

[Mick]

I like the idea of some sort of "barbarian" mechanic. It would provide something to react to in the early game (instead of just following some cookie cutter opening build) and make the world seem more alive.

[nas1m]

The early game lacks focus and immediacy. Chris has stated that the planet rage was supposed to be the force to drive this, but it wasn't working out. I present the following possibility.

I agree with this assessment.
Not sure what to think with regard to auto-attacking, but I am definitely pro to wandering barbarians early game.

[tadrinth]

Totally agree with wandering barbarians early.   Gotta have something to do with those guard posts you unlock in the first rung of the tech tree.

[crazyroosterman]

auto targeting sounds like a good idea as long as the player has the option to turn it on and off I quite like the ais aggression setting idea although shouldn't it be centralised to each race? the ais meant to be individualistic isn't it?(unless you mean having a setting for your stance towards the race) correct me if I'm wrong but aren't monsters pretty much the same thing as barbarians?(mechanically wise) aren't there already early game monsters? in regards to monster spawn rate being linked to plantery rage I disagree they should still spawn but they should be neutral to you(never try to attack you while you have no rage maybe even go as far as make them allied to you) the lander already has interception power.

[Vacuity]

I've not had a lot of time to play, sadly (I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have signed up, but with any luck I'll find some real playtime before the beta's over), but it took me quite a while before I found another city, and it was only then that I built any military buildings.  Indeed, simply discovering the other city gave me some degree of focus as it had military structures.  The time it took before I found that city was the most unstructured and lacking in immediacy.

I'd say that as soon as a player sees a rival city with military structures, pretty much anyone's immediate response is to build something of their own; arms races are a very standard human behavioural response for better or worse.  Finding that city in your very first game is a different story.

[Shrugging Khan]

Earlygame feels pretty aimless to me; there isn't much of frame of reference or an indication of urgency on anything.