Suggestions for v5.1

[sloanjh]

So yes, this is the spirit of what I was thinking.  The only other thing that concerns me is how close 5.0 is to going out the door - you probably don't want to do a lot of big changes here just before shipping.  OTOH, if this works out, I see a lot of potential for simplifying the management of sub-formations on the orders screen (and in the code), so there's the risk of generating a lot of DB changes fairly quickly after 5.0 goes out.  My inclination is for 5.0 to include the TheoFleets, with maybe only one or two extra orders on the F12 screen like "Join as TheoFleet" or "Split out TheoFleet x".  If you think this is too complicated, then I'd be happy just to get the real fleet TreeView for F12 into 5.0 and leave the TheoFleets for 5.1.

I'll wait until you read my follow up post before replying properly to this post, as I think it addresses what you are looking for. I think I will try and get something into v5.0 as if I do it right it shouldn't really interfere with anything else.

Steve

I just read your follow-up, and I think we've managed to swap positions :-)

John

PS - Last iteration for me tonight - gotta get to sleep.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

I understand where you are coming from about the more flexible TheoTG vs a more rigid TOE. I think the best option is for me to build the TOE structure and get that working with hierarchial TheoTGs and then build an overlay for more flexible non-hierachial TheoTGs. The TOE is easier to understand, especially for new players, and will get people used to the idea of creating TheoTG, with the restriction of TOE that you can't build a TheoTG using elements from different parts of the hierarchy. Once that is up and running, I will add a mix and match TheoTG overlay that allows you to select several different branches within the heirarchy and combine them into separate TheoTGs that sit outside the TOE (do we call this a CombinedTheoTG?

Steve

[sloanjh]

In the TOE model a ship can be in a TheoTG comprising its branch of the TOE, or a TheoTG based on any superior branch. In the more advanced CombinedTheoTG model, a ship can be part of an unlimited number of TheoTGs as defined by the player, who specifies which independent TOE branches belong to each CombinedTheoTG. Does that summarise where we have got to?

I think so - it sounds like we're 100% on the same page.   I agree with the overall strategy you've described of implementing TOE on TheoTG first (with better names) - as long as you've got it in the back of your mind that the CombinedTheoTG :-)  I had also thought a bit about the difficulty of explaining this to new players - I fear it's going to be almost as hard as tracking speed
[/quote]
LOL.  And to think that all this came from a simple request for a tree view in TG selection

John

[Commodore_Areyar]

It would be nice if, in systemview, the view focussed on X would follow a moving X when time increments.

-Areyar

[backstab]

More ground units .....


Low Tech

Mechanized Division  Attack Str: 2   Defence Str: 2.5

High Tech

Super Heavy Assault Battalions Attack Str: 15  Defence Str:  15      (Extreamly costly to make .... extreamly difficult to transport .... think Mechs/OGRE/Shiva)

Light Infantry Battalions Attack Str: 3  Defence Str:  7      (easy to transport)

[Journier]

More ground units .....


Low Tech

Mechanized Division  Attack Str: 2   Defence Str: 2.5

High Tech

Super Heavy Assault Battalions Attack Str: 15  Defence Str:  15      (Extreamly costly to make .... extreamly difficult to transport .... think Mechs/OGRE/Shiva)

Light Infantry Battalions Attack Str: 3  Defence Str:  7      (easy to transport)

Bolo....

[Laurence]

Bolo....

The later Bolo's could shoot at ships... Give'em a large bore plasma carronade.  

[ShadoCat]

Bolo....

The later Bolo's could shoot at ships... Give'em a large bore plasma carronade.  

That's no PDF...  ...it's moving!

[Journier]

Bolo....

The later Bolo's could shoot at ships... Give'em a large bore plasma carronade.  

That's no PDF...  ...it's moving!

for ship bombardment of planets you could have wasnt it pretty much giant iron or steel spikes dropped en masse from a ship at a target?

I remember one of the books had the Bolo like firing at the spikes/ avoiding them as best as possible i think.

John ringo came back with this idea in his book about later on after Humanity has pretty much defeated the posleen and a new race shows up with much more advanced tech and tactics...

Our first move in that book was to take a bunch of ships that were mothballed orbital bombardment ships we made which were pretty much giant freighters full of spikes, and they just opened cargo holds and let loose over the planet.

[JimiD]

I am enjoying watching the civilian economy expand, and would encourage you to take this further.

Hotel / resorts.  Colonies with small populations that luxury cruisers can use as destinations.  Perhaps they have a low infrastructure demand to represent expansion.

Civilian colonies.  Not related to mineral wealth, but perhaps there is someother, non gameplay related, reason for being there.  This might be as simple as setting up a new community (perhaps similar to the founding of the US), to jails, a non TN resource etc.  These could expand to become quite large, and include large civilian economic supplies and demands.

Perhaps the civilian colonies should be able to produce civilian terraformers?  I dont suppose they will produce them in numbers, or locations, to unbalance the game.  But I dont know what balance would be in this game.  I suppose I mean to replace the work the player would do anyway.

I am not familiar with the Starstorm background, but there are plenty of other modern references in which 'The Company' has outposts or facilities in which the storey is set.

I like the civilian economy as it represents the rest of my civilisation getting on with dealing with becoming star based, while I deal with the military side.  Expanding it would add to this immersion, and add additional colonies that would need protection and policing.

Perhaps this is not for v5.0, but this seems the best thread.

[Journier]

I am enjoying watching the civilian economy expand, and would encourage you to take this further.

Hotel / resorts.  Colonies with small populations that luxury cruisers can use as destinations.  Perhaps they have a low infrastructure demand to represent expansion.

Civilian colonies.  Not related to mineral wealth, but perhaps there is someother, non gameplay related, reason for being there.  This might be as simple as setting up a new community (perhaps similar to the founding of the US), to jails, a non TN resource etc.  These could expand to become quite large, and include large civilian economic supplies and demands.

Perhaps the civilian colonies should be able to produce civilian terraformers?  I dont suppose they will produce them in numbers, or locations, to unbalance the game.  But I dont know what balance would be in this game.  I suppose I mean to replace the work the player would do anyway.

I am not familiar with the Starstorm background, but there are plenty of other modern references in which 'The Company' has outposts or facilities in which the storey is set.

I like the civilian economy as it represents the rest of my civilisation getting on with dealing with becoming star based, while I deal with the military side.  Expanding it would add to this immersion, and add additional colonies that would need protection and policing.

Perhaps this is not for v5.0, but this seems the best thread.

I also enjoy watching the civilian side of things grow and sorta take care of itself, throw in a little extra cost for having civilian shipping companies transport your stuff from planet to planet and youd have a pretty simple and self sustaining industry in space without the extra hassle of manual transfer of most of the goods.

[Tnx]

So when can we expect version 5.0 to come out?

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

I hope either today or tomorrow, although I keep getting distracted by adding just one more thing

Steve

[waresky]

5.0 Incooooomiiiiiing:)

Am hope much in this upgrade.

ur work has resolve the "NPR's" troubles in time advance? (argh..am nevermind the right words..)

[Tnx]

That's great to hear, I've been doing work in advance in anticipation so I have time to play this.. heh