Suggestions Thread for v2.4.0

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Suggestion:
Release 2.5.0 before Christmas, so we have the most stable version to play with for the rest of the year. 

Unironically this because it's a crying shame that ATG on missiles is bugged and I want to play with the new toys.

I will release v2.5.0 before Christmas. As this is a DB release, I am just giving it a couple more days to see if anything else turns up.

This actually works for me.  I set up a new campaign, but have been struggling to get it off the ground.  It took me longer than it should have to realize that this was because I wasn't really interested in the setup, and couldn't get into it.  I had already decided to start over, and the new update works for me. 

Thanks Steve!

On those lines, it can be useful to complete setup and then save a copy of the database before incrementing time. If the campaign doesn't get off to a good start, you can go back to that database at any time, open up the System View and use Regen Min and Regen JP to effectively create a new Sol system, giving you a new start. The NPRs will be the same though.

[Droll]

Suggestion:
Release 2.5.0 before Christmas, so we have the most stable version to play with for the rest of the year. 

Unironically this because it's a crying shame that ATG on missiles is bugged and I want to play with the new toys.

I will release v2.5.0 before Christmas. As this is a DB release, I am just giving it a couple more days to see if anything else turns up.

This actually works for me.  I set up a new campaign, but have been struggling to get it off the ground.  It took me longer than it should have to realize that this was because I wasn't really interested in the setup, and couldn't get into it.  I had already decided to start over, and the new update works for me. 

Thanks Steve!

On those lines, it can be useful to complete setup and then save a copy of the database before incrementing time. If the campaign doesn't get off to a good start, you can go back to that database at any time, open up the System View and use Regen Min and Regen JP to effectively create a new Sol system, giving you a new start. The NPRs will be the same though.

To add to this if you aren't afraid of messing with the DB you can also translate save breaking updates to new versions if you haven't really started the campaign - especially if you aren't starting with NPRs. My current save was started in 2.3.1 but I was able to manually translate the DB to 2.4.0 without errors (I had to update some spoiler Jump Engines which I think may have left some of their designs a bit sub-optimal, side-effects will always result from such a translation). Needless to say this also depends a lot on the scope of changes, I wouldn't attempt to translate a 2.1 game to 2.2 but 2.3.1 to 2.4 wasn't a massive leap when there we no NPRs and only a couple of spotted spoiler ships.

Edit: Goes without saying that if you are going to attempt this consider your DB modded for the purposes of bug reporting and also back up everything in case you brick your save.

[buczbucz]

Would it be possible to add a checkbox to assign class/system/ships names from a list completely at random? Right now it feels that it follows some specific order (which isn't alphabetic, but is always the same).  So for example first ship class created using Class Theme - Terran Federation is always Discovery, then Napoleon, then Outreach.  I would like to make it fully random from a given list or lists.

[Azarea]

Back in vb6 aurora, there was an option to hide the text of civilian fleets, but still show the ships on the map.  It was quite nice to see the traffic of a busy system, without the clutter of irrelevant text.  Could we perhaps have this checkbox back?

[KriegsMeister]

Suggestion for a fighter-sized cargo hold, either 100-ton or 250-tons would be great. Now that fighters can land on all bodies again, they can perform all missions that actual ships can except for transporting facilities and minerals, meaning that it is impossible to run a fighter-only game. Having a fighter-sized cargo hold would rectify that.

I'd also like to bring up an old suggestion to remove the size requirement for commercial engines. As it stand now with the new 50t cargo shuttle, the smallest commercial transport you can make is over 2000t; 500t cargo hold, 50t shuttle, 50t bridge, 50t engineering space, 1250t engine, and fuel/armor/sensors to flavor and tech limitations. You can make it smaller but it will require maintenance which would be pretty annoying for something that's meant to transport small amounts of minerals or infrastructure within a system.

Also merry Christmas everyone!

[nakorkren]

Would it be possible to add a check-box similar to to "Sync Fleet" called "Sync Salvo Speed" that when checked forces all missiles fired from the same ship and/or fleet to fly at the speed of the slowest missile?

For example, you may wish to launch a mix of normal and laser-warhead missiles that are otherwise identical, but they're going to fly at different speeds unless you add fuel to the normal-warhead one to make up the difference, which is a waste of fuel.

Alternately, could we have a design feature in the missile design section called "ballast" that does nothing but add mass/size, and costs nothing, to make matching missile speeds easier?

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Alternately, could we have a design feature in the missile design section called "ballast" that does nothing but add mass/size, and costs nothing, to make matching missile speeds easier?

If you need 'ballast', just add more fuel.

[Elminster]

It would be nice to have a simple "Yes/No" Information in the environmental overview of a system body, indicating if this body is terraformable at all for the current race.
Not the specific modifications needed, only "Yes/No".
Would greatly help to decide if the effort is worth it, especially with eccentric orbits enabled.

[Hari]

Would it be possible to import/export admin command setup?
Would it be possible to copy/paste auto assignment settings between different admin commands?

Right now it takes a lot of time to set it up every time you start a new campaign or create new admin structures/fleets.
Creating 20+ different admin commands and then setting their automatic assignment preferences and priorities is a lot of clicking.
Would be great qol change to make it easier to set up.

+1, as I can't "say thanks" to this post !

[Elminster]

I'm pretty sure I made this suggestion quite some time ago, and probably someone else, too. So this is more like a "bump" suggestion. 

Regarding the Research Tab, can we get the "Matching Scientists Only" checkbox be checked by default?
It doesn't matter how often I go to the Research Tab, I literally always check the box manually, and every time I return to the tab I also always have to check it again.
Only if there isn't any matching Scientist I uncheck the box again.

Or at least make it remember the state when closing the tab/window.

SJW: Added for v2.5.1

[captainwolfer]

Add an "auto-organize" button to the galactic map screen, which automatically sorts systems so we don't have to manually re-arrange the galactic map once it starts getting large

[tastythighs]

When making use of the new copy + upgrade system for ground formations, ground forces construction counts it as a new formation for numbering purposes, resetting the count.
I'd like to suggest for the number to either carry over when upgrading, or to add the ability to manually set where the automatic numbering system counts from, i. e.  being able to set the count to "46th mechanised infantry - 2078" and subsequent "mechanised infantry - 2078" formations would count on from 47th instead of from the 1st.

[smoelf]

A column in the empire mining view to indidate which system a colony is located in. This would make it much easier to quickly estimate if a system has the necessary mining incomes.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Add an "auto-organize" button to the galactic map screen, which automatically sorts systems so we don't have to manually re-arrange the galactic map once it starts getting large

Happy to implement if you can supply the logic

[kilo]

Add an "auto-organize" button to the galactic map screen, which automatically sorts systems so we don't have to manually re-arrange the galactic map once it starts getting large

Happy to implement if you can supply the logic

Maybe it can be done semi-automated. I was thinking of the TikZ module in LaTeX to create mind maps. Start with a starting system like Sol in the center and create each system around it with the first directly north and every following one 360/x degrees further clockwise with x being the number of explored JPs. You do the same for the next set of JPs that originate from the daughter systems with the single difference that the parent system is the new starting point from which systems get placed.
The connections between later generations of stars have to be significantly shorter than those for earlier generations, but they have to be long compared to the star system symbols. This way you can ensure that there will never be an overlap between systems.
You can use zoom on the star map after all and you have no size limitations like you have on paper.