Semi-Official 6.x Suggestion Thread

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

Mining colonies:
You don´t want to buy the minerals _and_ you don´t want the civies to have the minerals?
Well, there realy is no third option - I don´t see your problem here, except, you want to mine yourself. 
If so, place a colony on the body after surveying it and the civies will not put a civilian mining colony there.

Shipping lines:
AFAIK, the type of ship created by the shipping line is random, so you just had a series of bad-luck rolls. 
While this is tough luck, it is nothing to get worked up about.  Perhaps the shipping line specialized in orbital sight-seening runs or somethig like it (yes, the passengers in a cryogenic transport won´t see a whole lot).

Having been in this situation:  He can't afford to buy the minerals (no money) and can't afford to let the civies have them (rare minerals).   With a completely hosed civ economy, he's toast.   The only way to avoid this is to colonize every body that has minerals as soon as it is discovered.
Ship creation is supposed to be random, but there is something wonky with it.   I was on my fifth game before I saw a single civ ship, and then only freighters.   I had 3 good planets with infrastructure waiting for four game years, but no civ colony ships.   Subsidizing only pops more freighters.

Count me in on 'fix hyper drive'.   I've had 2 games in a row with a nice colonizable planet with artifacts at Gliese 563. 2-B.   95000m km one way.

In the Task Groups screen, it would be helpful if a fleet in orbit around a body listed that as part of its location, not just the system.

On the F3 System Map screen it would be helpful to be able to highlight bodies who's planetary survey is done, but not the geological survey.   It would also be helpful to show geological survey data in the F9 System Information table, perhaps as 'G' instead of 'S' in the system body survey column.   At present, the only way to know if a body has had a ground survey is to have a colony on the body (cluttering colony lists with cruft) and then look in the Summary tab under F2.

Allow F2 to be sorted alphabetically.   Allow group by function within systems, not just systems within functions.

Save player notes in the database, attached to various objects.   Notes on a ship design, for example, could be appended to the class summary.   This would be particularly helpful in the Environment/GMC tab so a player can record terraforming targets for all gasses, not just the active one.

In Class Design screen, allow Hull Types to be deleted.   At present there are many listed that I will never use, and it makes finding the ones I want harder.   Allow sorting the Class list by Hull Type abbreviation (and show this in the Class name).  eg "TT Tanker 1" in the list instead of just "Tanker 1".

Allow non-SM player to apply starting RP.   If there is not enough RP left, apply remaining points as a partially researched project.   At present the remaining amount is not always visible everywhere the Instant tech button is available, and SM mode does not check.   There is also no way to apply partial research to use up any remaining points without going over.

SM able to give ships to civ lines.

Iron Man start - no techs, one factory, one lab.

Allow idle population to produce a small amount of production and research.

Robotic Factories - like Automines but for production.
Hydroponic Farms - reduces amount of population needed for farming.
Cloning Centers - increases population growth rate.

Scripting support would be really nice too.   And a pony. 

[Starfyre]

As for suggestions, is there any reason why we couldn't make laser minuaturization tech also apply to plasma carronades or particle beam weapons?  It sounds like it basically works by cheaping on the recharging hardware, which should apply equally to all beamy weapons.  Which I suppose means it would also apply to meson cannons and HPMs, but I'm a little leery about those from a balance perspective.   Properly handled meson FACs are brutal enough without the ability to pack another 2-3 cannons onto the same platform.

[Erik L (OP)]

Allow non-SM player to apply starting RP.   If there is not enough RP left, apply remaining points as a partially researched project.   At present the remaining amount is not always visible everywhere the Instant tech button is available, and SM mode does not check.   There is also no way to apply partial research to use up any remaining points without going over.

The RP is merely a guideline for start, not a hard and fast rule.

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

The RP is merely a guideline for start, not a hard and fast rule.

True, and it can also be set to an arbitrary value at game start.   That SM is free to ignore it if they want to isn't a problem either.   That there is no warning for those who do want to use it, is an annoyance.   It also seems to me to be an incomplete feature.   The suggestion that it be usable (and a hard limit) for non-SM is based on the assumption that SM mode exists so an SM can set up a game for a regular player, and lock it so that player can't see or modify SM-only data.   Allowing a regular player to spend SM allocated points allows the SM to set a limit, while still allowing the player room for choice in game setup, just like in a regular tabletop game.   With that in mind, a non-SM Fast OOB using the Ship and PDC points in the same manner would flush it out nicely.

In any case, I'm going to add to my wishlist:

Allow the System Locations Available list in Task Group Orders to be sorted by name.

Allow Order Delay to apply to any order,  (I'm not actually sure what orders it does apply to) or add a generic 'wait' command.   This could be used in supply line control.

Add a Refuel until Full command.   This would wait until there is enough fuel for a full tank before filling.

This would allow long haul units, like surveyors, to ensure they leave with a full tank, especially if the supply point isn't a reliable source.

This would also allow a tanker to be set in a loop hauling between a specific gas miner and a specific colony without wasting fuel.   Presently there are three choices:
1) Have the gas miner deliver fuel.   This is bad on several counts:
 a) The gas miner is not as fuel efficient as a dedicated tanker, so it wastes fuel.
 b) It takes the miner out of service during delivery, slowing production.
 c) Neither the source nor destination can be set.
   i) The nearest colony might be a mining colony, with no fuel needs, and possibly in the wrong direction.
   ii) The nearest gas giant to that colony may have poor accessibility, and again, be in the wrong direction.
2) Manage the tanker manually.   Very micro-managy.
3) Set the tanker in a loop between a gas miner and a colony.   This is bad because the tanker will usually leave the miner with a partial tank.   In extreme cases, it may not have enough fuel to reach the colony, and become stranded.

[swarm_sadist]

Bulkheads: Adds mass and cost, but improves the HTK of the ship.
Maintenance Corridors: Improves the repair ability slightly and gives the ship some HTK.
External Weapon Loader: Helps a ship rearm another ship's external tubes, and faster than a maintenance module.
Deck Loader: Loads a fighter's missiles (including externals) at an increased rate.
Mimic Device: Makes the ship look like another (larger) ship, at the cost of fuel. Being hit by the 'proper' resolution will reveal the ruse.
Pheonix Device: Creates a population of a certain type of species on a planet using stored embryos and dedicated teaching robots, without requiring an actual population.

Make it so that electronic hardening will protect completely against smaller emitters, or make it so the protection provided is dependent upon the size of the HPM being used.

EMP warheads for missiles to hit shields, destroy unprotected sensors and disable manufacturing.

Give smaller HPM the ability to hit entire stacks of missiles, destroying their internal sensors.

Give missile the option to greatly increased their sensor range, but limit them to detecting and targeting one ship. (Staring sensors as opposed to scan sensors).

[sonofliberty]

Since shore leave is now basically a requirement, why not add an order for it? That way you can just schedule it in like other orders.

[Bgreman]

Save player notes in the database, attached to various objects.   Notes on a ship design, for example, could be appended to the class summary.   This would be particularly helpful in the Environment/GMC tab so a player can record terraforming targets for all gasses, not just the active one.

Several places in the game already allow notes, including class designs, individual ships, and officers.

[waresky]

Actually, 4-Jump step,for strategical Maintenance and refuel are TOO FEW ( on "list of command" )

Raise to 8-Jump asap.

Another : Too many planets with tora-tons good minerals..BUT too, not realistic, hard to expansion, low level ACCESSIBILITY.

Steve : remember more easy and PLAYABILITY feeling on "TRAVELLER" Universe..in any System, can put an Outpost.

Please : re-thinking Expansion possibility, SOl System are a "normal" situation everywhere into space, for G Star..or K (V main sequence).

Megatraveller or Traveller example pls, are better for "feeling" and "role playing atmosphere", tons of Systems connected..

(hope r understandable....)

[Starfyre]

Save player notes in the database, attached to various objects.    Notes on a ship design, for example, could be appended to the class summary.    This would be particularly helpful in the Environment/GMC tab so a player can record terraforming targets for all gasses, not just the active one. 

I *would* like the box for player notes in the enemy ships tab to be bigger.   I tend to jot some pretty extensive supposition and speculation there once I start managing to salvage/shoot at differing enemy classes, and the given space is really small before you need to start scrolling.

[Shipright]

Artificial Gravity on ships.

I know this is sort of abstracted in the "crew quarters" components, but I don't think they should be.  If you think about it it's a major technological breakthrough (and probably not possible in real life).  Early tech ships should not have it or have to use a lot of space/resources to get it.

I envision two tech lines.  Large physical rotating components that can provide a certain level of gravity for a certain number of crew.  The percentage of gravity provided of your racial norm along with the percentage of crew provided with gravity should affect moral, deployment length costs, and combat readiness.

Eventually have a higher level technology layer for a more "magic" technobabble device that produces artificial gravity via fiat without the large rotating sections.  The trade would be while much small they use power from generators to provide the various levels of gravity.

You could add several modifier techs to improve the capabilities of this components like power required to gravity produced modifiers and so on.

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

Several places in the game already allow notes, including class designs, individual ships, and officers.

Thanks for pointing that out, I'm still still learning my way around.

Still, it could be expanded in a few useful ways.   Having the design notes show in the class summary would make them visible in the individual ship screen for easy reference.   Being able to record terraforming goals for a colony beyond the current gas would save some hassle too.

[Charlie Beeler]

Artificial Gravity on ships.

I know this is sort of abstracted in the "crew quarters" components, but I don't think they should be.  If you think about it it's a major technological breakthrough (and probably not possible in real life).  Early tech ships should not have it or have to use a lot of space/resources to get it.

I envision two tech lines.  Large physical rotating components that can provide a certain level of gravity for a certain number of crew.  The percentage of gravity provided of your racial norm along with the percentage of crew provided with gravity should affect moral, deployment length costs, and combat readiness.

Eventually have a higher level technology layer for a more "magic" technobabble device that produces artificial gravity via fiat without the large rotating sections.  The trade would be while much small they use power from generators to provide the various levels of gravity.

You could add several modifier techs to improve the capabilities of this components like power required to gravity produced modifiers and so on.

If I recall correctly, this was discussed back during original game development.  Basically the gravity effect for the crew is a side function of the inertialess drives.  For Standard Aurora I don't see Steve changing this and I think it has been discussed in Newtonian Aurora, but have no reference to what may have been decided.

[Shipright]

Not taking into account inertia just means we are pretending our crews are not splattered against the aft bulkhead when accelerating to the speeds we use.  That is indeed hand waving a real force of physics.

What I am talkin about is gravity that keeps your feet on the floor, which ouside of rotating sections is just scifi magic.

[Charlie Beeler]

Not taking into account inertia just means we are pretending our crews are not splattered against the aft bulkhead when accelerating to the speeds we use.  That is indeed hand waving a real force of physics.

What I am talkin about is gravity that keeps your feet on the floor, which ouside of rotating sections is just scifi magic.

Absolutely.  It's a fundimental handwave for Standard Aurora.

[Shipright]

Well it (artificial gravity) shouldn't be! In my humble opinion

Think about it, large Babylon five type stations, Venture Star rotating sections.  Or a lucky shot that takes out the gravity generator instantly reducing the combat effectiveness of a ship while you imagine all the bridge crew suddenly clinging to their controls.  I think its pretty cool and I like anything that makes ship design more unique.