TLDR; I have only been playing about a week, off and on, trying to get the hang of the game. While there is much that makes sense, on the surface of things, I feel like I am not quite getting the full meaning. I think it will take a while with the game to get to feel that I understand what I am doing.
Firstly, combat... I am not a big fan of the 'bullet hell' types of games, however there are some platformers that feel similar to me that i have played and enjoyed - (blade kitten)
Though to be honest i would prefer if the loadout were different for different kinds of missions or for different kinds of approaches, but i'll get into that a little later on in a little more detail.
The solar map is interesting, and i have tried my hand at starting things off friendly and supportive (i chose the smaller less pronounced races first, the Peltians, and then the Andors) I know people are going for the Burlusts, or the Skylaxians or the Thoraxians, i am assuming because they are more powerful and easier to get momentum rolling rather quickly. My goal was to poke here and there and see if i could start to affect things, and how, rather than my trying to press any particular strategy to try and win asap. This may be because i am less a strategist than a newb and i like exploring. (Hey it worked in AVWW and Shattered Haven)
I have failed half a dozen number of games, even at the relatively easy setting, because i probably wasn't following directions and was trying different things which got me in over my understanding fairly quickly. I am still playing and trying to see if i can slowly get my head around things. It is very interesting and different than any of the other Arcen games i have played.
I have yet to sit down and do an 'Observer' game, which may be a good idea, but to be honest i was hoping to stay away from that for a bit, just to see things new on my own as i play through. It is slow going because i keep making 'wrong turns' as it were and get into areas where i can't figure out what to do next, or am sidelined while the races march quickly past doing their own thing.
That is an very interesting thing to see, from a observational point of view, though tough to get ahead of on a playing level. But i don't think that is the fault of the game. I think it is because i am going at this all rather unorthodoxically.
As i've played there have been a number of 4x-ish things that came to mind, and that of course have played out differently in TLF than they would in any other 4x title, for one reason, because the standard planet/resource/ship/research/battle format of a normal 4x game is not the same as what is being used here in TLF.
I'm just going to start listing some standard 4x premises and how i think TLF inmplements or changes them, and see if i can explain some suggestions that i felt might tweak the game, hopefully in a good way.
1. Building up planets by resource and/or type. Right now TLF is not exploiting the planet types beyond the compatibility level for the race that is currently living there. GalCiv and MOO and others in the past used planet types to handicap or bolster a races performance on a planet. Also including setting 'buildings' and research and techs down, to produce raw materials for ships and starbases, ... etc. TLF does as well, but not from a planet/resource basis and the resources in TLF seem infinite as well. Which makes things perhaps overly easy in one sense, and OP in another sense (the first instance making wars popping up quite often, and the second as an instance where wars seem to stretch beyond was seems reasonable. More on this later.
2. Ship construction noted in standard 4x games is not included in TLF at all, but rather is handled in a choice of options of ship type, then gun types and power/shield/gun options during battle, and in limitless and instant ship availability during the 'wars' on the solar map. I think the limitation of a single (depending on the race chosen) pre-defined ship is workable, though not as preferable as a completely customizable ship or class would be.
3. Researching Techs is handled in several ways unique to TLF of course, positively (assisting in research) or negatively (in stealing it). But what i miss the most from a standard 4x would be the option of a wide tree that has some categories that would allow me the player to concentrate on sections, instead of having to research a limited selection and upgrade their levels on a regular basis in order to maintain some even balance with the other races as we have here in TLF. A wider tech tree might allow concentrating on shielding as a branch would allow my ships to survive longer in combat, even with weaker guns. Or on engine tech which could mean that my ships could easily outrun the attacking ships. Or on weaponry, for the obvious reasons.
3. Colonizing worlds is not really used in TLF, unless a player considers war and the subsequent siezing of another races world for your own is seen as colonizing.
4. Battles with other races occurs in missions and on the solar map the same in TLF as in most 4X titles, though somewhat abstractly. Though, GalCiv and MOO and SotS all approach battles in rather abstract ways as well. Too few variables and too few results. Deepening the battles between opponents i think would make for a more satisfying game experience, but that is my opinion.
5. Diplomacy and Espionage, which is used through the hostile acts and hiring of goons and mercenaries. Though i would personally prefer to see this expanded and made as viable an alternative as war, or economics, or culture, etc...
(like they use in the GalCiv games)
6. Trade is used, but perhaps too narrowly, having only a single outcome of trade result in bringing two races closer, when trade could be used on multiple fronts to increase credits used to buy more ships, pay off loans to the Star Bank, etc... (not currently a part of the game, but might be interesting to consider)
7. Pirates and/or Raiders in game are underused (they were nerfed), and when used against the other races fail too frequently. It would be nice to see some ports on the homeworlds burn and have to be rebuilt before trade or manufacturing could resume.
8. Planet/System events are in place, though they strike me as mostly 'flavor'. Though having medical fall through the floor and not be able to counter it is frustrating, and certainly is more than just 'flavor'. Though that may be changed in the new version.
9. Blockades? I haven't seen this yet, don't know if i am imagining that it is in the game, or if it is just wishful thinking.
10. Cultural Exchange... used in GalCiv quite effectively took the galaxy and won the game handily without firing a shot. TLF is of course concerned with raising a Federation. But it would be interesting if worlds could be capitulated without a war.
11. Factions? - What would happen if rebellious Peltians, worked in the manufacturing factories for too many hours at very low pay and lived in soot stained tin roofed hovels rebelled against the government and broke away? Now do we have Peltian on Peltian warfare?
Or the Hydral making deals with the rebels to force the hand of the 'Official' Peltian government? Or what if the rebel Peltians and the rebel Burlusts who were Peace brokers that were thrown off their homeworld joined forces and sabotaged factories and buildings on both worlds? Lowering the production rates and the population levels for x while they continue their protests?
12. Ship Sections destroyed in combat? These could be added 'textually' as a number, or a percentage chance that could stop the weapons of the other ship from firing, or disabling the engines or the shields of the other craft. Sections could include -
- command
- engines
- armory (weapons)
- life support
- (slow death or instant for the ship?)
13. Political impeachment of Government officers? I haven't seen impeachment, though i have seen duels and/or changes in the government, or the officers in the government (different factions). Does TLF have Coups yet in place? Like assassinating the leader of the X party in power? Hiring assassins from the Black market with X chance of success would be interesting.
14. Terrorist groups, (such as anti-fed, or anti-race name here) and how the Hydral funds them? Or fights them?
15. Percentage chance of the 'Gas Giant' ignition taking out the sun as well... resulting in a rare, but certainly possible immediate 'game over'.
16. Radiation from bombing a planet resulting in the bombed world being un-inhabitable for X years?
17. Recruit ships for missions rather than have the Hydral ship participate? This could lead to specific types of ships being used that have minuses that the Hydral ship would not have. Pluses too, though. Ship types could include -
- ECM
- Stealth
- Gunship (Heavy Battleship)
- Missile Launcher
- Troop ship used for planet invasions
- Supply ships used for planet assault where supply ships would provide x ammo, fuel, energy (for shielding) for x time. Which could mean that in a planet bombardment that ships would have to be sent back to the home worlds, or the supply worlds in order to continue the fighting, otherwise the ammo would run out, the fuel would run out and the energy would run out. Causing ships to fall from orbit and burn up in the atmosphere. It would also mean wars could only continue for x long. Meaning no more decades long wars with infinite ammunition and fuel. Also, population could be added and depleted in the same way, both on the homeworlds affecting production and manufacturing, and research, etc... and on the war front, where ships that are taken out lose their crew numbers. It would also mean that the home worlds would have to provide x population for the fleets and those numbers would be subtracted from that available from the planet. Meaning of course fleet size would be constrained and would no longer number in the hundreds of thousands.
** If we tie planet resources, like say food production and livable arable land, that planets would have pop caps, and be even less on less than perfect planet types, and minimal on hostile planet types. Meaning bad a$$ed races on pukey planets might not be able to fight their way out of a paper bag in some games.
- Planetary guns to be used by the defenders, also costing resources and the shells costing x as well would mean that bombs (also costing x) are limited and attacking races can't just sit in orbit and bomb forever. Nor can the ground guns sit and fire back indefinitely. This would mean wars last x long and the results go to attacker or defender after the period dictated by the resources and their on going costs to maintain.
- Planetary bombing might be even more interesting if there was a breakout of possible targets, all textual of course, no art asset needed, representing, food belt of the planet, or the manufacturing centers, or the population or government centers. With each area bombed producing a different effect, like having the population starve due to losing half their food capability, meaning they can only sustain a war for x fewer months than they could before. Or if the manufacturing centers were taken out, it would reduce the ability of the planet to continue its defense. Taking out population centers would mean critical surrender if population falls below a certain level. Or that invading troopships would find fewer and untrained resistance when landing. Taking out the government center would result in an immediate loss of ability to wage war, due to lack of decision makers, resulting in an immediate capitulation.
18. Casualties lost in war, both on the planetary side and on the invading fleet side would mean both pools of ships and crews and defensive positions on the planet all have fixed numbers that don't go on forever. All these limits posed on the participants makes for limited wars and for the necessity of 'building' fleets based on available resources that can be counted and measured and are not limitless as they now are. With the assumption of raw materials that never run out that continue to build ships, and guns and ammo and crews for the ships and fuel to run the ships x distance, etc... With limits in place it really helps get a handle on what happens and what the races are capable of and what the Hydral as a wheeler-dealer is capable of. Does he/she rent a mercenary armada fleet and send them in to fight, or hire two saboteurs to take out the oil refineries on the defending world? Or maybe the fleet in orbit runs out of fuel and ammo and simply dies in orbit after they run out of the capability to continue the attack?
19. Each planet type/size should have a pop cap of some reasonable number and all ships and buildings and mining facilities... etc should have to draw from that number to provide personnel for those structures and ships.
20. Exceeding pop cap limits on a planet should be punishable by reducing the available raw ore resources used in the metals and electronics of the ships that are built. Meaning less ships available.
21. Fuel used for ships means that ships cannot simply continue to run about the system without regard that it costs something to do so. This is more realistic and also serves to keep ships and their numbers and how many can be delivered to any particular place in check as well.
22. Economic embargos on planets should produce an economic decay on the planet until collapse and take over by the embargoing parties. Population then enslaved or used as conscripted workers?
23. Planets taken over, in what ever fashion should have a limited 'invading' population number, not suddenly max numbers as seem to be the case now.
24. Fleet/ Armada's in battle should have a percentage chance of failure due to equipment malfunction, misfire, meteor showers and monsters?
25. Aid groups (of races) should be smaller versions of the Federation that the player should be able to effectively assemble to accumulate resources for specific situations, such as fighting diseases or mining raw ore, or rebuilding destroyed buildings, or replanting destroyed crops and land (except if radiated of course, then you have to wait... x years for the radiation to disapate.)
26. Assassinations and sabotage? Hired with x chance of success and a quick way to end a war, or take over an area. Or convince the other races that it is a good idea to support x cause? (did i already mention this?)
27. Political Forum, sort of like a MOO forum of races where the races have not yet formed a Federation, but interact in public forum and present arguments to each other.
28. Maintenance costs for ships and buildings and crew that are drawn from planet or race pop numbers and have to be paid every x period. Used as a check on ships and building and Tech and Pop numbers. That seem to get out of hand at the moment because they aren't limited.
29. 'Natural Events' like avalanches that take out half a worlds population. Or partial bombing that reduces the planetary surface of livable area, and therefor the population size to a much smaller number. Or crop diseases that drive up food costs that take from the monies originally allocated to war ships or influence buildings. Or events where a government is forced by circumstances to sell off and dismantle their buildings and ships to provide housing and food for their populations. But the idea here is that 'parts' of a planet can be effected, not just the planet as a whole, and each section that is effected can produce a different problem that the race and or the player has to deal with.
30. Groups of Richer worlds forming loose coalitions that subsidize the poorer worlds, perhaps for a price, or for humane reasons, or for trade purposes. But trade in this sense is used not just as an influence mechanism, but as a named resource that can be exchanged for x fuel, or x food, or x housing, or x immigrant workers to run my factories... in this way the system of mechanisms are tied to each other and are limited by hard and reasonable numbers that can be added to, or taken from and cause a ebb and flow in the system that is natural and is based on the number of elements in the system and not an arbitrary or limitless number or resource that has no limit on it at all. Like limitless ammo in the guns of the attacking ships in orbit, or the limitless oxygen, or other atmosphere that is in the ships in space that bombard the planet for decades? You've got to be kidding me, right? Anyway, tying all these things together is a means of providing hard and verifiable numbers, quantities and exchanges that have measureable effects.
31. Local planetary temporary events, like worker walkouts, or manufacturing equipment failure or replacement that effects the amount of manufacturing that is available for x time. Or terrorist attacks that kill x amount of population and keep them off the job for x time.
32. There should be a percentage of failure chance for almost everything in the game, not just, auto win. Some of the missions are very easy to win, and almost all of the auto-resolve instances seem auto win. It would be nice to have those fail sometimes, due to x factors involved. I think that is the problem at present, there are no calculations of what is going on in a combat. It has been abstracted to the point where it is almost whatever arbitrary value one wants to set. Which is a shame really, because it could be more interesting if it reflected the actual ship values involved.
33. Racial Alignment varialbe? Is there a racial alignment variable that could depend on circumstances to make races different things at different times?, like in D & D? where some races are good, neutral, evil, neutral good and neutral evil ? As an example perhaps the Burlusts are a warrior caste bent on war and conquest, until half their world is reduced to radioactive ash and the remaining population has to live in radiation suits and shelters and breathers for the rest of their lives on that planet, in effect making them docile and hesitant and deferrential. Quite the opposite of what they would normally be.
34. Upgradability. It would be nice to see not just ships, but maybe buildings, and or Techs and planets themselves be upgradable. With not just higher numbers from level to level, but perhaps trade offs, and shifts so that one level produces high ammo for ships, but the second level has a higher ammo count. (after which ships run out and can no longer fire) wouldn't that make it interesting in combat instead of just firing forever without any limit?
35. How about a system bank, that makes loans to needy planets and races, run perhaps by one of the other races (randomly chosen each game) or by a banking consortium, which could conceivably lead to an economic alliance or federation down the line.
So that planets and races could get more resources, well, some if you can pay your workers, (at an interest rate of course) but if you run out of metal? Well, then that should mean you have to start scraping other things made of metal, such as buildings? So its a trade off when you run out of a resource and have to scavenge for it. More ships equals less buildings, or the other way around if you like, or Commerce centers instead, so that the player has a chance at an Economic win, or a Diplomacy win. Or a Cultural Exchange win, like in GalCiv2.
Anyway, that is all that i can think of at the moment. I know its TLDR, but wanted to put down some things I thought of while playing. I'm going to go back to seeing if I can get the hang of what the game wants me to do, but i keep thinking too, that it would be really wonderful to have more options as a player, and to have definite limits on things and costs and maintenance fees and ties from one resource to another, so that things don't get so out of control and things happen forever when really they shouldn't.
Anyway, thats my thoughts, no hard criticism or meaness intended, just thinking and trying not just what i think would be cool, but what might make things better for every one playing.
Thanks for listening,
-Teal
