Accessability suggestions form a new player

[Teiwaz (OP)]

I just started playing this weekend, and have found myself in over my head a few times.  (And I don't care what the Dwarf Fortress players say, your UI is much better. ) I just had some suggestions that should be easy, but make life easier for new players.

1.  Resource abundance multiplier.  In my first game, I spent a lot of time blocked waiting for various things (shipyard retooling, critical research, designing new components, etc. ) The result is that I was completely screwed when Earth started running out of key minerals and I didn't have the infrastructure in place to set up an alternative source.  A resource abundance multiplier (as in, a constant multiplier to minerals every time they're generated or discovered - not a multiplier to how fast you dig them, just how much is on a given body) in the game creation settings would let you play a slower-paced game without so much expansion pressure while you're trying to learn your way around, and gain enough experience to see problems before they land in your lap.  It would also be handier for multiplayer games if you have multiple players in the same system (like your NATO vs.  Soviet Union campaign) or if you just wanted to play a game with less difficult to manage inter-system sprawl.  (In general, I'd prefer it if the Sol system was emphasized more.  If I discover minerals on Titan, I know what that means, and it's cool.  If I find minerals on "Lalande 1842-A VII Moon 6," it's not nearly as interesting. )

2.  Component summaries in the research menu.  I don't know how many of the rest of you have done this, but when designing several mutually-interdependent systems (A weapons control / missile / missile launcher set for use on your first military vessel, for instance) I sure would have found it nice to be able to reference what the stats are in the first component while working on the second component without having to wait for the scientists to finish researching the first component first.  I now know to copy everything into notepad when doing this, but I don't imagine it would be that difficult to have the system's stat's available in the research project's description in the research window.

3.  Qualitative descriptors in component design.  When building a new system, I have no idea how its capabilities correspond to what might be considered "normal. " Is what *I* think is actually a long ranged, but weak missile really laughably short-ranged with a heck of a punch? I realize this could be tough to do given the steady increase of capabilities and the fact that your warhead research could far outstrip your engine tech.  Maybe it could be based on the relative size or cost devoted to each stat? (Like, if more than x% of a missile's MSP is devoted to engine power, note that it's fast, very fast, etc. ?)

4.  Distance measurements are sometimes confusing / ambiguous.  Almost everything is in thousands or millions of kilometers, which is okay, except sometimes I run into notes in the GUI telling me that a distance is (k) or "in k. " Is that in Kilometers? Or thousands of Kilometers? This could just use a bit of cleanup to make sure proper units are always given.  (I seem to remember running into this most often in the missile design window. ) Alternatively, consider using miles, or light-seconds, or something like that to reduce ambiguity between "km" and "k km. " (Personally, I like km for the more authentic feel. )

5.  Sanity checks in ship design.  It would be nice if there were warnings as well as errors when designing ships.  "Missiles have longer range than fire control!" "Beams have no fire control at all!" "Hey stupid, you forgot the engines!" That sort of thing.  You'd still be able to commit the design

6.  Locking a ship design should also lock the class name and type.  I can't tell you how many times I forgot to hit the "new" button, and accidentally renamed my "Sparrow class Light Personnel Transport" the "Juggernaught class Battlecruiser" or something similar.  (Also, the "unlock" button doesn't seem to work?)

[Shadow]

I just started playing this weekend, and have found myself in over my head a few times.  (And I don't care what the Dwarf Fortress players say, your UI is much better. ) I just had some suggestions that should be easy, but make life easier for new players.

1.  Resource abundance multiplier.  In my first game, I spent a lot of time blocked waiting for various things (shipyard retooling, critical research, designing new components, etc. ) The result is that I was completely screwed when Earth started running out of key minerals and I didn't have the infrastructure in place to set up an alternative source.  A resource abundance multiplier (as in, a constant multiplier to minerals every time they're generated or discovered - not a multiplier to how fast you dig them, just how much is on a given body) in the game creation settings would let you play a slower-paced game without so much expansion pressure while you're trying to learn your way around, and gain enough experience to see problems before they land in your lap.  It would also be handier for multiplayer games if you have multiple players in the same system (like your NATO vs.  Soviet Union campaign) or if you just wanted to play a game with less difficult to manage inter-system sprawl.  (In general, I'd prefer it if the Sol system was emphasized more.  If I discover minerals on Titan, I know what that means, and it's cool.  If I find minerals on "Lalande 1842-A VII Moon 6," it's not nearly as interesting. )

I suggested something like this a few days ago. It'd be good to be able to customize the general mineral richness of the galaxy.

3.  Qualitative descriptors in component design.  When building a new system, I have no idea how its capabilities correspond to what might be considered "normal. " Is what *I* think is actually a long ranged, but weak missile really laughably short-ranged with a heck of a punch? I realize this could be tough to do given the steady increase of capabilities and the fact that your warhead research could far outstrip your engine tech.  Maybe it could be based on the relative size or cost devoted to each stat? (Like, if more than x% of a missile's MSP is devoted to engine power, note that it's fast, very fast, etc. ?)

I guess this is something you gain with experience. It's hard to objectively define quality when it's ultimately relative to your general tech level. A cutting-edge missile designed in 2030 might be thoroughly obsolete by 2050, and a long range missile in 2040 might be actually considered a short range one in 2090.

4.  Distance measurements are sometimes confusing / ambiguous.  Almost everything is in thousands or millions of kilometers, which is okay, except sometimes I run into notes in the GUI telling me that a distance is (k) or "in k. " Is that in Kilometers? Or thousands of Kilometers? This could just use a bit of cleanup to make sure proper units are always given.  (I seem to remember running into this most often in the missile design window. ) Alternatively, consider using miles, or light-seconds, or something like that to reduce ambiguity between "km" and "k km. " (Personally, I like km for the more authentic feel. )

I haven't come across with such ambiguity. The "k" is generally followed by something else. In the missile design window, the units are very clearly "km/s", "m km" and "k km/s", meaning kilometres per second, million kilometres and thousand kilometres per second. "K" is always a thousand (or 1000 kilometres in the space map), but if it turns out to be something else on a menu (like units of 10,000 km), the game tells you right next to the box (like in follow orders and point defense settings).

6.  Locking a ship design should also lock the class name and type.  I can't tell you how many times I forgot to hit the "new" button, and accidentally renamed my "Sparrow class Light Personnel Transport" the "Juggernaught class Battlecruiser" or something similar.  (Also, the "unlock" button doesn't seem to work?)

The Unlock button is only enabled if Spacemaster Mode is on. Designs are generally locked when you start retooling a shipyard for their construction, and the reason the Unlock button generally remains unavailable is that any modifications to the design are automatically applied to existing ships of the class. Even if they're already in service.

[Teiwaz (OP)]

I haven't come across with such ambiguity.  The "k" is generally followed by something else.  In the missile design window, the units are very clearly "km/s", "m km" and "k km/s", meaning kilometres per second, million kilometres and thousand kilometres per second.  "K" is always a thousand (or 1000 kilometres in the space map), but if it turns out to be something else on a menu (like units of 10,000 km), the game tells you right next to the box (like in follow orders and point defense settings).

Just went back into Aurora to find where I saw this.  The separation range for a second stage on the missile design window says "separation range (k). " I assume that this is in thousands of kilometers as the default range is 150 - but it doesn't seem to specify.  (Looking more carefully, it does specify on the missile summary once you fully set up the second stage, but it's not specified on the interface where you enter the value.  I'm not sure if there are other places where this happens, but I seem to recall running into it more than once and ending up with values 1000x more or less than I'd thought they'd be. )

Oh, and while I'm at it - MSP vs.  HS vs.  Tons.  Rather confusing as they're all just multiples of each other.  I always just check the "use tons" box, but it keeps turning itself off by default.  This would be a bigger change, but it seems it would make things easier if everything was just in tons.

[Shadow]

Just went back into Aurora to find where I saw this.  The separation range for a second stage on the missile design window says "separation range (k). " I assume that this is in thousands of kilometers as the default range is 150 - but it doesn't seem to specify.  (Looking more carefully, it does specify on the missile summary once you fully set up the second stage, but it's not specified on the interface where you enter the value.  I'm not sure if there are other places where this happens, but I seem to recall running into it more than once and ending up with values 1000x more or less than I'd thought they'd be. )

Oh, and while I'm at it - MSP vs.  HS vs.  Tons.  Rather confusing as they're all just multiples of each other.  I always just check the "use tons" box, but it keeps turning itself off by default.  This would be a bigger change, but it seems it would make things easier if everything was just in tons.

An HS is 50 tons. The HS value is frequently used since many components are rated in whole HS numbers, or multiples of 50 tons. Some, like sensors, allow for more fractional HS. Missiles, being much smaller, are represented differently. An MSP (Missile Size Point) is 1/20th of an HS (Hull Size point), or 2.5 tons. HS and MSPs are general simplifications, since working with precision down to the ton could potentially make things quite more cumbersome.

And as for the seemingly lone "k" in Separation Range, if you actually hold the cursor over the box, it'll tell you that it represents thousands of kilometres.

[Narmio]

Re: units, the game really should be uniform in its interface when talking about things, so there's no *need* to read tool tips. I can't really think of many places where units/displayed units behave strangely, just the Second Stage Separation distance on the missile design window and the PD engagement range on the ship window. Interface consistency is always good!

[ShadoCat]

1.  Resource abundance multiplier.  In my first game, I spent a lot of time blocked waiting for various things (shipyard retooling, critical research, designing new components, etc. ) The result is that I was completely screwed when Earth started running out of key minerals and I didn't have the infrastructure in place to set up an alternative source.  A resource abundance multiplier (as in, a constant multiplier to minerals every time they're generated or discovered - not a multiplier to how fast you dig them, just how much is on a given body) in the game creation settings would let you play a slower-paced game without so much expansion pressure while you're trying to learn your way around, and gain enough experience to see problems before they land in your lap.  It would also be handier for multiplayer games if you have multiple players in the same system (like your NATO vs.  Soviet Union campaign) or if you just wanted to play a game with less difficult to manage inter-system sprawl.  (In general, I'd prefer it if the Sol system was emphasized more.  If I discover minerals on Titan, I know what that means, and it's cool.  If I find minerals on "Lalande 1842-A VII Moon 6," it's not nearly as interesting. )

If you go into SM Mode then on the F2 screen, look for SM Mods.  That allows you to alter the minerals (and a lot of other things) for the current colony.  Thus, you can add Duranium to Earth, etc.

I wouldn't make a habit out of that but it can get you over the hump when learning the game.

[Ziusudra]

That will give mineral stockpiles to the population. To add minerals to a system body use Specify Minerals on the F9 System window in SM mode.

[EarthquakeDamage]

If you go into SM Mode then on the F2 screen, look for SM Mods.  That allows you to alter the minerals (and a lot of other things) for the current colony.  Thus, you can add Duranium to Earth, etc.

A manual workaround is no substitute for an automatic game-wide setting.

[voknaar]

Changing the generation routines used to determin the minerals, their amounts and which orbital bodies get them would drasticly change the way the game is supposed to be played. Remember that AI's will have access to these requested ballance changes which could lead to some major NPR growth.

[Thiosk]

Learning early game management skills should enable anyone to get a reasonable system established in a reasonable time, so while a "richness" slider would be nice, a richer start wouldn't necessarily be easier, as mentioned above.

Many folks have mentioned that they SM-modify the starting duranium to avoid the early-game crash that occurs inevitably every time. If thats the goal, i think thats fine. 

[Shadow]

Changing the generation routines used to determin the minerals, their amounts and which orbital bodies get them would drasticly change the way the game is supposed to be played. Remember that AI's will have access to these requested ballance changes which could lead to some major NPR growth.

Hence why it would be an optional difficulty-related setting. The game has some of those, which can already "change the way the game is supposed to be played".

Learning early game management skills should enable anyone to get a reasonable system established in a reasonable time, so while a "richness" slider would be nice, a richer start wouldn't necessarily be easier, as mentioned above.

Many folks have mentioned that they SM-modify the starting duranium to avoid the early-game crash that occurs inevitably every time. If thats the goal, i think thats fine.  

It would be easier in the long run, once big ol' Terra develops a mighty apetite.