My ideal mod: Slow start/expansion

[The Rusty Gamer]

I don't know how to mod but this is basically the mod I would like to see -a slow start & expansion mod.

- No starting ships
- No starting technology (which can already be done with custom race but make it default)
- No starport on first planet
- No abiltiy to build starport until a certain technology requirement
- Starport build cost 4x or 5x than it currently is (it's too easy/quick to build them right now IMO)
- Logistics begin at 0 (must research to get some)
- Perhaps each type of ship (colony, scout, constructor) has separate research requirement - the first one scout.
- Stellar Cartography (ability to see all planets on mini-map) moved to waaay down the tech tree (towards the end of the game). This forces you to have to explore the stars for planets.
- No intital ability to see all the stars either - this ability would also require some research maybe even half-way down the tree. This absolutely would force you to explore every sector to see what's there.

In addtion, although this couldn't be done in a mod but would require an option/change to the game code, I would like to the the mini-map limited only to your range. That is, beyond the range of your ships/sensors, you can see absolutely nothing. Therefore the mini-map size (100%) would only expand to the edge of your range. Only as your range increases would your min-map expand to accomodate. This would be fantastic for random maps for you really wouldn't know how big the universe is for some time, or where abouts you were in it.

I believe the above mod ideas coupled with the "limit mini-map to ship/sensor range" option would completey give the feeling of being in any unknown universe.

Imagine...right at the beginning, all you have is one planet, all the mini-map shows is one sector, most of it in fog. You have to research some logistics, starport (which will then take some investment to build - better build some factories in the meantime) and scout ship building before you can even begin to see what's out there. As for colonising and constructors, that's further down the track again. Researching range/sensors will become much more important in this setup too. Where are you? At the edge of the universe? In the middle? Who's out there? How many? Are they hostile or friendly? Will you go to them or will they come to you?

Hopefully you get the picture of what I want to see. What you you think?

[Peets]

Looks very interesting.

[JJMax7]

I don't think the game has enough on planet things to make that fun. It would just be clicking the end turn button over and over.

I like the stars, and planets thing though.

I really want the ability to trade maps. Its very annoying KNOWING an ally has a planet somewhere and you can't trade maps.

[AoA]

Interesting thoughts especially regarding having a much stronger fog of war. Knowing where all the planets are does make it feel like cheating somehow, especially as I beeline colony ships right past empty stars.

[The Rusty Gamer]

I've partly been able to acheive the affect I wanted by modifying some files. Perhaps I should upload them.

[Hansolo88]

I'd love to hear what you did, perhaps you could summarize what you modified to achieve your goal? Did you accomplish all the bullets in your first post?