So what's going on with the alpha right now? (Combat info!)

[chemical_art]

I was cool to. the.old.combat model because the "player high quality vs hordes of computers" as a game concept feels worn out.  However, the model of a mobile mercanary swoopimg in often against two larger factions is a lot mpre unique and exciting.

[keith.lamothe]

often against two larger factions is a lot mpre unique and exciting.

FYI there's support for basically any number of sides, though the interface would only show friend/foe buttons for 5 (not counting the player) so that's the effective limit.

In tests it can get pretty intense

[Cyborg]

often against two larger factions is a lot mpre unique and exciting.

FYI there's support for basically any number of sides, though the interface would only show friend/foe buttons for 5 (not counting the player) so that's the effective limit.

In tests it can get pretty intense

How procedural is it? Are all of these types of things very template in the sense of, we are all going to fight the same exact match, or do these kinds of battle situations evolve from what's going on the solar map?

[keith.lamothe]

How procedural is it? Are all of these types of things very template in the sense of, we are all going to fight the same exact match, or do these kinds of battle situations evolve from what's going on the solar map?

I don't know exactly what Chris has in mind for the metamap/combat connection for some of these scenarios, but for ones that arise from "right click a fleet to intercept it" or "take attack-planet-defenders contract" or stuff like that the game just pulls in the other sides from whatever fleets are literally there on the metamap and scheduled for autocombat (and you can see when something is scheduled for autocombat, either because two different fleets are sitting on top of each other or because a planet/outpost has fleets of a different color mixed in with its orbital fleets).

Some of the others will probably be more purpose-built, but we'll see.

[x4000]

Yes, in general it's a combination of both decisions you make in terms of going in to a specific scenario, and then what scenarios are available and how severe they are based on what is going on in the solar map.  And then the effects of whatever happens in the scenario reverberates back out into the solar map.  There are also procedural randomized elements within the scenarios, independent of anything other than just an RNG.

These scenarios aren't large, or long, in the main.  They're interesting, to-the-point microcosms of the main larger game.  There might be hundreds of ships flying around and the tactical situation is complex in the sense of you deciding what to do, but you won't spend more than 5 minutes executing your decisions in most cases.  Too long in particular tactical instances makes it hard to keep in mind all that is going on on the solar scale.