C# Aurora Changes Discussion

[chrislocke2000]

I like the idea of assigning commanders to academies, gives the challenge of do you put your brightest and best to train the future or send them out to the front where they will have more immediate impact.

[Alucard]

I like the addition of commandants, but I am a bit concerned about the minimal requirements.  I like to have all my academies on my capital planet (give it a reason to be capital).  The requirements could get very high

Though I guess I will see how it pans out when the game is out.

[Bremen]

I like the change. I might not ever use it, but it's a nice option. And it's kinda nice to have a reason to spread your training facilities around.

[ChildServices]

Will my scientists still be usable for science at a planet that they're selected to be a commandant? Maybe if the planet also has labs?

[Zincat]

I like the change to academies. Looks like I can no longer build 50 academies on the same planet XD

Besides, there would be no reason to do so. I can see wanting at least 3-4 worlds with academies, so you can try to generate multiple, different types of personnel.

A question, Steve. You wrote:
"If the Commandant has at least 20% in any percentage-based bonus or 150 for crew training / ground unit training, all commanders graduating from the academy at that population will take two rolls for each qualifying bonus, and use the higher of the two results"

So, if I have for example a Civilian administrator with multiple skills at 20% or more (not that uncommon), do new civilian administrators roll to get each of those bonus every time? I'm asking because if so, it seems REALLY good to assign extremely skilled commanders or administrators to the Academy.

[Kelewan]

I like that academy commander influence the type of personnel. 

But at the beginning of the game there are some fields of research where i have no scientist with specialization and
I was a bit concerned that, with commanders influence on the specialization, i would have problems to get
scientists with specializations i don't have. 

So I did checked the chance for getting an Scientist with a specialization X

In VB6 Aurora and in Aurora C# with no academy commander chances to get a Scientist with a specialization X are 7% * 1/8  = 0. 88 %

In Aurora C# with a scientist as  academy commander chances to get any scientist are 93%*14% + 7% = 20. 02%
To get a scientist with the same specialization as the commander    20. 02% * ( 25% + 75% * 1/8) = 6. 88%
and to get a scientist with a specialization x which is not the same as the commander 20. 02 % * (75% *1/8) = 1. 88 %

If the specialization of the commander had no influence on the specialization the chances to get a scientist with specialization x would be 20. 02% * 1/8 = 2. 5%

So a scientist commander will more than double the chance to get a scientist with a specialization you don't have but you will most likely end up getting more scientists with the same specialization

[Alucard]

I like the change to academies.    Looks like I can no longer build 50 academies on the same planet XD

Besides, there would be no reason to do so.    I can see wanting at least 3-4 worlds with accaddemies, so you can try to generate multiple, different types of personnel.   

Well, I do have some roleplaying reasons I like having a wealthy capital, where all the important people are from and the rest being this poor, opressed, uneducated worlds.    Something like core and outer planets in Firefly or Caprica vs Gemenon in BSG.   

That being saied, from a sortof gameplay point of view, it is a good addition, having to think about where you put your academies.   I just don't see how Aurora would ever be a game, where this sort of competitive stuff mattered as the AI is not really such an oponent and playing multiplayer is a bit of a pain. 

[Steve Walmsley]

I like the addition of commandants, but I am a bit concerned about the minimal requirements.  I like to have all my academies on my capital planet (give it a reason to be capital).  The requirements could get very high

Though I guess I will see how it pans out when the game is out.

You don't have to assign a commandant. You have the option of continuing as you do now, with no downside compared to VB6, or you can spread out your academies and gain some additional benefit.

[Steve Walmsley]

Will my scientists still be usable for science at a planet that they're selected to be a commandant? Maybe if the planet also has labs?

No, they can either manage a research project or an academy.

[Steve Walmsley]

I like the change to academies. Looks like I can no longer build 50 academies on the same planet XD

Besides, there would be no reason to do so. I can see wanting at least 3-4 worlds with academies, so you can try to generate multiple, different types of personnel.

A question, Steve. You wrote:
"If the Commandant has at least 20% in any percentage-based bonus or 150 for crew training / ground unit training, all commanders graduating from the academy at that population will take two rolls for each qualifying bonus, and use the higher of the two results"

So, if I have for example a Civilian administrator with multiple skills at 20% or more (not that uncommon), do new civilian administrators roll to get each of those bonus every time? I'm asking because if so, it seems REALLY good to assign extremely skilled commanders or administrators to the Academy.

Yes, you get the two rolls for each qualifying skill. For many skills, it moves the chance of the new commander getting that skill at a reasonable level (say 20%) from 2% to 4%, or 3% to 6%, so while very useful it shouldn't be game-breaking.  If it proves too powerful in play-testing, I could adjust to something else, like the second roll being capped at less than 100 for example.

[Steve Walmsley]

I like that academy commander influence the type of personnel. 

But at the beginning of the game there are some fields of research where i have no scientist with specialization and
I was a bit concerned that, with commanders influence on the specialization, i would have problems to get
scientists with specializations i don't have. 

So I did checked the chance for getting an Scientist with a specialization X

In VB6 Aurora and in Aurora C# with no academy commander chances to get a Scientist with a specialization X are 7% * 1/8  = 0. 88 %

In Aurora C# with a scientist as  academy commander chances to get any scientist are 93%*14% + 7% = 20. 02%
To get a scientist with the same specialization as the commander    20. 02% * ( 25% + 75% * 1/8) = 6. 88%
and to get a scientist with a specialization x which is not the same as the commander 20. 02 % * (75% *1/8) = 1. 88 %

If the specialization of the commander had no influence on the specialization the chances to get a scientist with specialization x would be 20. 02% * 1/8 = 2. 5%

So a scientist commander will more than double the chance to get a scientist with a specialization you don't have but you will most likely end up getting more scientists with the same specialization

You have two routes with scientists. You can use someone with high research skill to gain more high skill scientists (75% of which will be a different specialisation), or you could take a low skill scientist in an area for which you need more scientists of the same type..

[Garfunkel]

Very interesting change with academies. I'll definitely start building them elsewhere with that change and not just at Earth.

As for lifesupport, I hope that TG's will now be smart about picking up lifepods. As it is, the first ship in the TG will pickup all survivors, regardless of it's crew quarters situation. Meaning that unless you carefully manage the pickup, you'll end up with 1 ship terribly overcrowded and the other ships with their emergency cryopods empty.

[Hazard]

An easy solution would a 'redistribute personnel' order that takes all the possible berths on a fleet (discounting parasite craft) and then spreads all crewmen in the fleet across the ships in accordance to the varying ships' proportional contribution to the total berth value.

[Zincat]

Yes, you get the two rolls for each qualifying skill. For many skills, it moves the chance of the new commander getting that skill at a reasonable level (say 20%) from 2% to 4%, or 3% to 6%, so while very useful it shouldn't be game-breaking.  If it proves too powerful in play-testing, I could adjust to something else, like the second roll being capped at less than 100 for example.

I don't think it will prove too powerful. Quite honestly, it's a much needed change. Sometimes the game just won't give you anything you need as you suffer a horrible streak of luck and can't get any decent scientists or governors. With this, you have more tools to combat that and I feel its a really great improvement.

[Detros]

I don't think it will prove too powerful. Quite honestly, it's a much needed change. Sometimes the game just won't give you anything you need as you suffer a horrible streak of luck and can't get any decent scientists or governors. With this, you have more tools to combat that and I feel its a really great improvement.

Yes, it makes you feel you are can do something about your lack of given type of personnel at least.