Aplha Centauri 2 Wishlist

[Xian]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


Sounds like "custom race" in Master of Orion 2.

Very hard to balance, esp. when you also want to expand the SE table - by adding more attributes I presume. This is not a problem with single player games, but for multi-player games it can become a nightmare.

not quite, what i was thinking of would be more like a cheaper workaround than that. Keep all the ideoligies, but instead of making them appear through "choose your faction" make them part of the SE table

So in other words the designers could still balance it all they want (in fact they coudl leave all the stats excactly the same and just take away the names "gians" Hive" etc.) but the player would be making the choice more dynamically.

Perhaps the designers might make it even more like factions and make them unchangable (ie a new SE choice in addiction to Values Economics and Furture society - idelogy where ideology is the only one you cant change and you have to stick with) or make the cost to much for anybody to bare (ie Specialist: "we can change from a Nihihlistic Communal society to a fundamentalist taliban but that will cost x credits).

It woudlnt actually be that big of a change I just dont like the idea of having X many personality driven ideologies that stay excactly the same every game, more power to the players to make each game uniquely "theirs" and not becoming a predefined character

[Kataphraktoi]

i want xenobanana commandoes they have black suits and spy gadjets but unlike probe teams fight with PSI,using the xenobananas like the PSI weapon you get with centauri psi

your wish is my command bintravkin

[binTravkin]

[GeoModder]

Spammers!

[binTravkin]

Who says that!

[GeoModder]

I spam on-topic!

[binTravkin]

Whatever..

[Kataphraktoi]

whose spamming? i posted a completly legit unit request

[GeoModder]

Cataphract, I suggest posting your 500th post in the ACDG cafe... or else I will feel insulted.

[Commy]

500 Posts!!!

[Provost Dazzle]

Hey guys, I recently installed SMACx on every machine in my apartment, I've been playing this game since 99' when it was loaned to me, since then, i've re-bought it thrice.

The reason I registered today is because I was looking for an active SMAC forum as i have an awesome idea for a sequel as far as ... platform isnt the right word... genre maybe... you'll see.

But before I begin, I just wanted to say how much I believe I will enjoy participating here, I've been playing for over a decade and am only JUST getting to transcend (and not dying in 10 turns.)

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My Idea centers around what I feel playing AC is actually all about. I dont mean the micromanagement. An augmentation of the gameplay is warranted but i love the system and dont think it needs much change. Maybe more long term playability (coming from someone whose spent weeks on a single play) and not in spacing, but the expansive, but i feel still limited tech tree. Again, i dont feel it needs much change, more varied micro usage of the techs would be cool, and a general cleaning up of the code (the CP scrap bug). Granted there will always be diehards like us to break the game every 5 minutes, but hey thats the fun, but I digress.

The story MAKES this game, the history, the progression, the unknown of planet. The mystery of unexplained story elements (wth is the betrayer btw?). Thats one. The second is the interpersonal struggle between leaders, again, this could use some more implementation, hell, even in the new civs, it needs a lot of work, a regression to AC type communication would be an improvement from Civ4 (and warlords, the last 2 i played). 3rd, a unique POV specific look at life from the leader. The interludes is what I mean. From here, I'll delve more deeply into the singular radical change I suggest (with references to civ4 as I believe it bears looking at the current work.):

The game, with graphic upgrades would not look much different than Civ, only I wouldn't mess so much with making the world look AS DETAILED from orbit (a reason, i believe is, why the FOW and spaces just look... unreal.) Apply a similar scheme to AC and I think the poor effect would be similar. Naturally, one would need an orbital view for some mechanics, but I think that could be worked on a bit more, even make it so you have to load it manually to muck with, not just zoom out. The color scheme would I think need to stay consistent with the location. However a planet would look at a distance from AC A and B, a heavier nitrogen atmosphere. The interplay of light beating off the oceans, the fungus, and the fungus onto a city.

I propose a engine such that, you actually take on the role of, say, Zakharov, and for the most part, that gameplay would be mostly cinematic. But some scenes being 1st or 3rd person (I know i'll take heat on that, but hear me out). In that, yes you can simply play from your desk (the normal view, the empire micromanage, in which time will move on an annual scale. With the option of getting up from your desk and seeking the counsel of vice provost Petrov, or your protege, or your lead researcher, or a few other worthwhile positions that may affect gameplay. This leads into other graphical aspects of gameplay I think would be neat. At first after planetfall. Your city is basic, a pod shell and various leantos and made to order shelters, an OEM factory. Your office might initially take some architectural nuances of the leader. As the decades trickle by, your residence raises into a tower, your city grows, you see the result of progress.
Imagine, a green and pink paradise of Deirdres base, The tall gleaming towers of the morgans, the spartan ranks filing up the street next to an extensive barracks, their armor gleaming. Picture the buddhist monastery-esque spires of cha dawns capital, the glowing loud pulsing of energy through the cyborg base.
You may even see it in the faces of your populace going from wind stained and oxygen deprived to made up and dapper. (again, I dont think that would be too much use, but maybe in your advisers?) Non empire play would I think, not be time specific (maybe a random time of day?) as minutes in an alpha centauri year would be moot.

This would affect other aspects of gameplay. Perhaps this could be implemented only when necessary, during random events like a drone riot, near transcendence, a chance to outrun an invasion in a colony pod, a mind worm attack, a planetbuster attack, a wild new secret project implemented, and MOST DEFINITELY planetary counsel sessions. Imagine getting up from your desk, walking with your vice provost while he briefs you on the action items towards a waiting copter, needlejet, or rover, depending on your tech progress and flying towards base of the current planetary governor. You have a chance to bribe minds in a cocktail hour before the session and get to see the political elite mingle. Seeing Miriam and Yang laugh it up over how similar they are. Seeing Zakharov and Aki Zeta-5 hacking poetic over a tech diagram, seeing Santiago sitting alone in a corner looking out of her element. Then comes the session. Picture it, because the completeness of the idea moves me. A round glossy black table, a room in the style of the governor, cameras flitting about, the light of the setting Alpha Centauri alpha marking the back of the room with the outline of the window.
A call to order, an item presented, each faction leader stating simply how they feel about it. We vote. The item carries, Santiago spits on the name of Deirdre, when this session is over, there will be war. Zakharov cares little, him and morgan are going to build a dam which will power their empires.

I would DIE. lol. moving on.

Okay, so there is that. These interludes would also focus on conversations with planet, maybe cut it in while ordering a new pressure dome. A flicker in your vision, then black. Then a distant voice, low, but deep. Then a word.. Then back, the player not knowing what the hell just happened. Much like the leader would feel. The word still lingering on the edge of perception. "worms..." suddenly, a distress call from your pioneer bases.

It progresses and soon you have the planet intercom on your desk.
(Other things with added desk functionality: secret projects, the big red PB button, comms, social engineering.)

More on game play: way more factions, more at once, bigger planets, maybe even drone riots turning into new minor factions, vassals of larger rivals who want to stir up trouble. Much like the current civ warlords model.

Make the game a comprehensive balanced mix of politics, war, research, and empire building.

Realism: this would take little effort, I'm serious. The hardest part is the engine, which would basically only have 2 components, when you are micromanaging at your desk, and when you are up and about talking to people. The sessions could all take place in scripted scenes with probable outcomes. Random events (like when the UN inspectors want to invade zakharovs office to search for retroviral engineering tech, you could just make the desicion to hand it over, hide it, or deny them, each with ever expansive effects, but a single FMV showing the event, much like the secret project vids now. At most, after design, models, and engine building, not long, a well funded animation team: a couple weeks maybe and thats if its as comprehensive as I'd want to see it.

Honestly, i want opinions, because sometimes my head is in the stars (pun intended). But honestly, if firaxis wants to just remake it with a pretty graphics upgrade, I'll play. But it wont draw in a bigger customer base, just fans of empire builders, they need to WOW the demographic with something new, and draw in with fans of politics and curious onlookers who'll be future fans. This could even be ported over to another civ game, It would FLOOR fans in that way. Just imagine it, Lincoln and Cathrine the great yelling at eachother over a UN session.

One thing... I dont know how to envision the Alien bases. ideas?

[CEO Aaron]

Wow. Detached Necromantic Geas.

[bdanv]

welcome to Apolyton, Provost Dazzle! i would buy your SMAC2.

[Provost Dazzle]

its totes not dead thread ressing if you add something worthwhile. only if you do it for the hell of it

[Marchantbard]

I don't know if these have been suggested, but here's a couple thoughts:

1. an expanded time-frame, with the game still starting on MY 2100 and a mandatory retirement point of MY 2500, but with each turn being a four-month period (say the traditional seasons). Hence rather than having only 400 turns, you have 1600. This allows a tad more realism in terms of terraforming, as well as advances and reversals of fortune.

2. A mechanism built into the game where the original seven SMAC factions might 'split' into one or more of the five SMAX factions. This could happen as a random event, or when the factions HQ is either conquered or destroyed. This way you have to constantly gauge your strategy and moves against the danger of some new group showing up.

3. Some way to measure "eco-damage" planetwide, with a tripping point at which time Planet itself strikes back HARD. The "eco-damage" is then recalculated (after humanity has been culled a bit) and the process starts over again. If nothing else, it gives everyone an incentive to go conquering, if only to get the eco-damage under control.

4. An alternate ending to the game where ecological damage (either due to terraforming or Planet Buster use) becomes so profound, humanity is essentially wiped out by a global super-storm or mass Mind Worm attack or Prometheus pandemic or whatever.

5. A mechanism in the Workshop to allow the creation of customized Base Facilities. Not sure how this would work, but its a thought.

6. Allow more than one of each Secret Project to be built; the version built *after* the first however costs 10x the original cost, the next 20x, and so on.

7. Alternately, when a faction 'looses' the base where a Secret Project was located: 20% chance the conqueror gets the Project entirely intact
20% chance the conqueror gets the Project, but has to 'rebuild' it at 2/3 the original cost
20% chance the original builder salvages it at another base
30% chance the Project is lost forever
10% chance the Project becomes available to everyone to rebuild it from scratch

8. Whenever a faction's HQ is conquered, there is an XX% chance they also get the faction's original leader. If they do, the conqueror gets a automatic +1 Morale bonus against that faction; the latter faction's new units all suffer a -1 Morale penalty when built.(note: I've no idea how good or bad the chance in question should be)