Author Topic: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?  (Read 1262 times)

Offline Professor Paul1290

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I figure there should be a specific discussion about this to see if any consensus emerges. (and it might make it easier to put on Mantis)

What abilities in strategic/solar-map play do you find rather unbalanced?

Be sure to speak up even if what you are mentioned has already been mentioned so it's easier to figure out which ones have more support.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2014, 07:18:53 pm by Professor Paul1290 »

Offline Histidine

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2014, 12:40:26 am »
My opinions:

Burlust gossip/hire spies is simply absurdly expensive, and the Peltian option for spying on them is even worse (costs twice as much). It's not like the Burlusts are good for anything anyway.

Ditto for Boarine "manipulate relationship" actions.

And probably the hostile actions (sabotage, etc.) as well.

On that note, Boarines, Thoraxians, Burlusts and to a lesser extent Andors all feel rather constrained in what you can actually do with them.

Scientists still cost way too much for researching all but the simplest techs to be viable.

Acutian planetcracker looks like a Mark III Nuke equivalent, although I suppose it'd be handy for removing that last recalcitrant holdout race.

How do the combat bonus techs stack? I suspect it's high enough that beelining for them is the best thing you can do.

Planet bombardments seem to require an absurdly large advantage to actually make any progress on depopulating the planet (or even to not get worn down to nothing by the defenders over time).

I see freighter resource loads got buffed recently. Mining for them by hand still seems too unprofitable, however, although the influence/credit gains are probably the main sell here.

Will post more if I think of any.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2014, 12:55:04 am by Histidine »

Offline Misery

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2014, 01:01:46 am »
One thing that kinda bugs me is that the different races seem to research techs way too easily.  There's not nearly enough impact from the player doing research dispatches for them, which makes that option sometimes seem pointless.

In addition, many techs themselves dont seem to have enough impact.  As in, the numbers in them often just seem too small to do all that much.

Offline malorn

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2014, 05:56:21 am »
I agree, research generally happens far too quickly for certain races, sometimes absurdly quickly.

Under-powered . . . wars?  I've never actually seen a race take a planet.  They siege, but bombs do very little as already mentioned, and wars last forever.  It makes it rather hard to actually win the game, since normally there is always that one last holdout race.

Offline topper

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2014, 09:35:49 am »
I do not know if these are "overpowered" or "underpowered", but there are a few things that the player is allowed to grind, which is not good, since the benefit can be huge, but the gameplay is boring.

The ones that come to mind are:
1. Burlust duels. You can do these over and over to gain influence and leverage.
2. Help attacking armadas attack planet. This gains influence and credits, and the defenders keep building new ships.

Offline nat_401

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2014, 12:02:10 pm »
Burlast dueling is rather overpowered, I never bother with the blackmailing options and such when I can kill the leaders for such a huge gain leadership over and over again, something like a pause whilst a new leader takes position would help stop grinding benefits.
Its a brick!

Offline Professor Paul1290

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2014, 07:17:13 pm »
I agree that it's rather too difficult for a race to get wiped out even when they are overwhelmed.
I also agree that a lot of techs don't seem to have enough impact.

So for a quick tally, the following have been mentioned more than once:
-Burlust duels are overpowered. (nat_401, topper) 2
-Races research techs too quickly. (malorn, Misery) 2
-Planets are too difficult for a race to take. (Professor Paul1290, malorn) 2
-A lot of techs don't have enough impact. (Professor Paul1290, Misery) 2

Mention it if I missed any.

If you agree with those or anything else, make sure to speak up even if it has already been mentioned so it's easier to figure out which ones have more support.

Offline topper

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2014, 09:48:52 pm »
I think players researching techs is underpowered (that is, compared to other ways of getting techs and how fast the races get them themselves)

The Burlust bribe options  and warlord deals are underpowered since there is nothing useful you can use leverage for with the secondary warlords other than transferring it to the primary.

Offline Chthon

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Re: Solar Map Balance: Anything "overpowered" or "under-powered"?
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2014, 12:00:44 am »
I think players researching techs is underpowered (that is, compared to other ways of getting techs and how fast the races get them themselves)

The Burlust bribe options  and warlord deals are underpowered since there is nothing useful you can use leverage for with the secondary warlords other than transferring it to the primary.
This was confirmed as a bug, with the research bonus working in reverse (actually slowing you down)