Hey Arcen, first off let me give some background. I am not an alpha tester, nor did this game even cross my radar until I saw the RPS article linked while I was looking at AI War updates. I've also played quite a bit of both Valley Without Wind Games, and I very much tried to love Skyward Collapse when I bought it, but sadly failed to do so.
Obviously not being an alpha player, I haven't played either combat mode. I have watched every video I can, but still this feedback is not entirely well informed as a result. As a surface impression, I was 10 minutes into the first video I saw (RPS) when I decided I was buying this game the minute I could. It fit exactly what I enjoy in games and had a very creative approach, an approach which Arcen is known for. I know that any change in game development is bound to have people who don't like it. Most of those people are probably just enjoying complaining about something. As this is literally my first post, I understand that any feedback I have will be taken with quite a grain of salt.
I am very concerned that the new combat system is going to slow down the gameplay. Judging by the videos I've seen, it's basically a path designator with some targeting options and an automatic pause system. I'm basically going to be making all the same decisions I would have been in the 'twitch' style of gameplay. But instead having direct control, I can't readjust my targeting position, nor adapt to changing conditions after I order a movement. Overall from what I've seen, we now have less control over the game than we used to.
In other words, in what way does WeGo increase the options I have available to me in combat? How does it make me more able to use those options?
Controlling one ship is not a stressful strategic task that overwhelms the player. Turn-based systems are traditionally very helpful when you need to control large numbers of units and process large amounts of incoming data. The news that you plan to make an entirely different game based on the prior combat is not much better. I would have no interest in such a game lacking the overall context for my actions.
I know that this late in the development process, there is almost no chance of a change. Certainly one post by a new forum-member is not going to change that. I will probably still buy the game because I really want to love it, a lot like Skyward Collapse. I'm not making an dramatic predictions, nor any of the other rot idiots in forums often do. I do feel that there will be something lost from the game based on this change. I think I'm going to be spending a lot of time in combat railing at the control limitations and wishing I could just control it. I will probably also spend a lot of time in combat bored as it pauses once again. I think everything this system offers was already there with an at-will pause system.
I hope I'm wrong, and it's very possible I'm in the minority that enjoys deep strategy with fast reflexes. But it's sad to hear people say that 'strategy gamers don't know how to think quickly.' That should not be true, and it shouldn't be said. Please consider adding the other system back in as an option, perhaps much later in development, perhaps as part of an expansion. I would literally pay an extra $10 for this feature. Yes, I'm actually asking for something to be paid DLC, that's how much I care about this feature.
Thank you for your time, I wish I had noticed this game much earlier and was able to be part of the alpha process.