Design Poll II

[Vultur]

Results of Design Poll I:
Reading the poll, I've seen a lot of interest in a multiworld game, based on the planets colonization, in many way similar to a normal Civ-game, with massive influences from SMAC/X.

Why a second Poll?
I've read in the comments the impatience to see the "first alpha", so I've thought to focus the attention of things we want to introduce in the first code.
Note: also if many things seem "field of story-writers", coders need this informations to have an idea of what features must be implemented.

[targon]

There are my votes, with explanations:
Dangerous planets. It's much more realistic and that "dangerous" plantes may hide some great values for later game.
Simple starting conditions. IMHO, game difficulty must steadily increase with time, so player will have enough time to learn tactics.
Limited flight: we can flight to nearby planets even now, so why not?
Communications: yes, to decrease game-unrelated traffic. BUT, add some limitations, like contacts, ambassadors, even language translation.
Unit workshop: It's fun! Much more replayability.
Economy: common+unique. Obvious, I think. Unique goods may be a valuable assets for starter colonies (luxury, furs, rare drugs etc.)
Limited by faction: More fun and replay value.
Research outpost: why not?

[Rasbelin]

Sorry for not having time reply to the PM. However I didn't have anything to add that wouldn't appear in this poll, so nothing was lost, I suppose.

So what did I vote for?

Also dangerous planets (ie:corrosive atmosphere); this is the most realistic option as such planets exist and we are trying to make the game quite realistic, so IMO it's a natural choice then. Also gives more depth to the game.

Average Starting Conditions; we already agreed that they would be quite modest with techs, so that already makes it abit harder to start, so in order not to make it too hard, we shouldn't make the starting conditions too hard.

Space Flight Not Allowed from the Start; I'm not quite sure either why I voted this, but I would say because it would make it more challenging, if the overall starting conditions wouldn't be too hard. This would also make the game longer as you wouldn't be able to start trekking straight away.

Communications Allowed from the Start; matches well with the rest, if the spacecraft is still intact and they already have technological knowledge.

Economy:all planets produces different Goods; more strategic depth and makes it more interesting IMO. Not too much micromanaging, if the resources aren't too varying.

Any Technology can be discovered; personal preference from Civ and Civ II.

Allow Research Outpost; sounds interesting and has a nice strategic value (both militaristic and general governance).

[Lemmy]

Few habitable planets, and dangerous ones.

Avg starting conditions

Space flight not allowed from the start, so the gameplay changes as you progress, keeps it interesting IMO.

Goods, common and unique, unique goods can add a strategic aspect.

Communications allowed.

Unit workshop,....duh

Technology limited by SE, or not limited at all.
I'd like to see that certain units and facilities can't be built under certain SE choice, and when you switch an SE choice, all the prohibited facilities/units are sold/destroyed.

Allow research outposts.


Btw, nice polls Vultur

[DeathByTheSword]

i voted for:

all kind of planets......i believe that the more options you get the more replayable the game is...

average starting conditions......but that actually depends on the gamer preference

about spaceflight it depends on the story but i have voted No to spaceflight in the beginning...

allow communitactions in the beginning (why not )

I am a fan of the unit workshop in SMAC i dont really like the idea for in StP i would like a design workshop for spacecraft but to make it simple i would agree on fixed planet units

each planet produces same goods with some a special good....so that fighting over some planets become more interesting then others

tech limited to SE i like the idea of that.....so the choices will become even more importent when it come to SE only prequite for this is a very good SE tabel

allow research thingy (why not )

[Jeremy Buloch]

These are what I picked and their short Reasons why...

1.) Also few habitables planets - I like Habitable planets...

2.) Also inhabitables planets (moon-like) - I also want Inhabitable planets...

3.) Also dangerous planets (ie:corrosive atmosphere) - And Dangerous planets...

To summarize... I want all of them because It is more realistic and is harder to choose which planet. Each planet could have weaknesses and strong points. EX: Moon has high mineral composites.

4.) Very Hard Starting Conditions (ie:spaceship crashed) - I like the game to be challenging. but I want there to be an option to have this difficulty level. So I pick all of the starting options.

5.) Space Flight Not Allowed from the Start - I dont agree with having the civilization going in space right at that moment. IMHO

6.) Communications - Yes but like Targon Said with Limitations and it should be only when the other faction is found.

7.) Unit workshop - is a Yes I like the smac one and this one will be cool too. We need to have pre-done units and custom ones.

8.) Economy:all planets produces the same Goods+some unique Goods - This gives it more realism, and is cool.

9.) Technology limitated by the current SE - I go with SE because it is better if we it is realistic and then you can change the SE to get the techs. So you are in turn getting techs.

10.) Allow Research Outpost - I agree whole heartedly to this. It would be a nice very nice addition.

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I send my compliments to you Vultur for doing this poll.

-J.B.-

[vovan]

Few habitables planets - Without habitable planets, we wouldn't have the game, right?
Dangerous planets (ie:corrosive atmosphere) - Extra challeneg is always good. Make the dangerous planets have some very useful bonus resources. Want them? Risk. Don't want to risk? Make do without them.

A word about the whole planet business - IMO, there should be several civs starting on one planet. Also, I don't see the point of having unhabitable (uninhabitable? bleh, I've no idea. ) planets. I mean, if they are in the game, you cannot use them. Why out them there then? And if you would be able to extract some resources from them, then you would need some people there. They then become habitable planets. Only very dangerous. Thus, to uninhabitable planets.

Average Starting Conditions - Well, I actually think that tha should depend on the difficulty level. I know many people like to start in harsh conditions. Then again, that would be bad for newbies and casual players.
Space Flight Not Allowed from the Start - Since there are several civs on one planet, the player should a handful of competition from the start. By the time he is ready for space (given he won the space race ), he should pretty much be done with the "problems" at home.
Communications Not Allowed from the Start - Absolutely and categorically not, IMO. To me, the process of discovery, and the moment of encounter is so very exciting that omitting it would cripple the game greatly, I think.
No Units' Workshop - Well, to me, it is an unnecessary icing on the cake (and I know I am not the only one in that opinion ). But hey, I also know how much other people like it. So why not, I'm not going to use it, but if it makes other people's games more fun, I'd go with it. No biggie.
Economy: all planets produces the same Goods+some unique Goods - Well, if all planets produced absolutely different goods, then it would be extremely hard to balance the resources, and allow the civilizations on different planets to evolve at a similar rate. That would essentially require us to have separate technology trees / buildings / etc. for every type of planet. Impossible, and not very useful, IMO. On the other hand, if all the resources are always the same, it will get boring. So, the golden middle road gets my vote. Make it like civ3 luxuries, sort of.
Technology limitated by the current SE - hmmm, sure, why not.
Allow Research Outpost -

[LDiCesare]

Hi all.
I think planets like moon, comets, asteroids, are great mining centers and should be used. Each of them could have some unique minerals/gases, so having outposts to work the planets/asteroids to extract metals etc. should be important in a SciFi game.
You probably should allow starting conditions to be based on the difficulty level. Maybe make it different (as barbarian activity is different from difficulty in civ)?

[Gateway103]

Here are my votes, note that I am voting on the premises that there are multiple star systems.

Also few habitable plants
Also inhabitables planets (moon-like)
Also dangerous planets (ie:corrosive atmosphere)
Having a variety of planetary bodies is not only realistic, but adds another layer of strategy.

Average Starting Conditions
I am not completely sure what this may entail, so I choose the average setting.

Space Flight Not Allowed from the Start
Space Flight Allowed from the Start, but with limitations
Depends on the starting scenario, it is either the first or the second.

If the starting scenario is that player faction must gain dominant control over the planet on which they reside prior to space colonization, then option 1 is the natural choice. Such a starting scenario would suit the starting tech level suggested in the previous Design Poll (i.e. few futuristic tech at start)

However, if the starting scenario is when the faction has already gain dominant control over the planet on which they reside, either by our design or by opting for some sort of "Accelerated Start," then option 2 became more appealing.

Communications Not Allowed from the Start
Communication should be allowed only with factions/empires that you have made contact already. Exploration is an appealing element in games like this, and thus should only be enhanced.

Units' Workshop
I opt for this option because I would prefer to have customizable units. Having said that, however, the designing workshop need not be in the style of SMAC/X's Unit Workshop, i.e. it need not have actual 3D image of units changing appearance as you modify its equipment. But more on this later.

Economy:all planets produces the same Goods+some unique Goods
First glance, the wording is somewhat restrictive. I would prefer "Planetary bodies, habitable or not, may produces some or all the common Goods, as well as the possibility of rarer/unique Goods." But I am just being picky ^_^

Any Technology can be discovered
Based on my proposed Research Model, all technology in principal is available to everyone. However, you may recall that there are "Special Restrictions" for each Application technology, a feature that can be used to limit the researchability of certain technology under certain circumstances (e.g. limitation by faction and SE can be ahieved this way). Therefore, I choose the first option, since the latter two are incorporated in it.

Allow Research Outpost
In general, Outposts may be established on habitable and inhabitable planets, and possibly in space (guess that'll be Research Station, but let's not quibble over words at the moment). There can be several varieties for Outposts. One is of course Research Outpost. Other choices may be:

Military Outposts
- In general, this involves refueling facilities, detection networks (e.g. sensors), stationary defense, and possibily limited "storage" space for stationing units. These can serve as early warning system as well as border defense to wear down strong enemy forces or routing weaker ones.

Resource Outposts
- In general, this type of outposts entail specialized extraction of some particular resources (e.g. unique/rare commodities), most likely placed either in space or in inhabitable regions (e.g. on a moon), and possibly semi-automatic. Limited intrinsic defense may be possbile, but will more likely be captured, raided, or destroyed in combat.

etc.

-Gateway103

[Mark123jansen]

well about the planets, its just way more cool if you can settle a moon or marslike planet, and not jus earthlike ones.

Space flight only later on, a starting colony first of all has more to worry about than interplanetary colonization, nor is it supposed to have the means to do that.

UNIT WORKSHOP RULES!!!
Desiging your own units is SOOOOO cool, it kinda makes your army much more personal and effective.

[Jeremy Buloch]

Vultur,

Why dont you make another Design poll in SPF so that it can be in the "Game Design part.
-J.B.-