Suggestions for v5.1

[Nabobalis]

Instead of all jump points having a jump-gate maybe a probability that they do, also a way to disable jump gate construction (does the A.I build them?).

Fighters/bombers, with only one crew member.

[Father Tim]

Instead of all jump points having a jump-gate maybe a probability that they do, also a way to disable jump gate construction (does the A.I build them?).

Fighters/bombers, with only one crew member.

It sounds like you have the 'Jump Gates on all Jump Points' option ticked on the main Game Info screen.

[Nabobalis]

Instead of all jump points having a jump-gate maybe a probability that they do, also a way to disable jump gate construction (does the A.I build them?).

Fighters/bombers, with only one crew member.

It sounds like you have the 'Jump Gates on all Jump Points' option ticked on the main Game Info screen.

Well I want to play in a universe where the knowledge to construct JG is never known but that there is around say maybe 40% of JPs have them.

[Father Tim]

The only way to do that is a lot of work in SM Mode, and running every race yourself:

1.  Never research 'Jump Gate Construction Module 180' and no race will be able to build them.  
2.  Roll a d10 for every warp point discovered and on a 1-4 use SM Mode to add a jump gate to it.


EDIT:
Actually, that will throw your percentages off, as in a standard game some (no idea how many) warp points will have ancient Jump Gates on them.

[jocan2003]

would it be possible that the repair section in the dropdown list dont show the class of ship but all ship in the planet orbit who need repair instead armor repair included?

[jocan2003]

Me again how about adding the date at when you finished researcing a racial tech ( weapon engine etc etc ) would be easier to manage the 13 Active sensor and missil fire control when you get a new technology one weapon etc too. ( i know it would require a database change but its for the next big version isnt it?

[symon]

I've been thinking of the Biology/Genetics line of tech and terraforming lately. A few suggested new technologies:

Bio terraforming
A useful addition to the Biology/Genetics line of tech would be genetically engineered microbes and similar life forms to aid existing terraforming efforts. These would be tailored to the target world and Examples might include bacteria that combine nitrogen and water to release ammonia or water and carbon dioxide to release methane. A black lichen could reduce planetary albedo. One mechanism might be that they add or remove (or both) gases or alter albedo for a limited period, perhaps 10 years and then 'self destruct'. Could be manufactured elsewhere, take up little space and then shipped to where needed.

Comet terraforming
At present there seems no way to alter hydrographic percentage. Moving comets or the right type of asteroids would allow for this, although shifting them might take a while. Still, a little nudge a long way out.... also, think about this as a weapon of war as you wouldn't want to be on the planet at the time of impact. The resultant atmospheric dust might help or hinder for sometime as well. In theory, you'd also be able to enrich the planets supply of minerals. A way of making serious alterations to a planet perhaps?

Anagathics
Another piece of tech for the Biology/Genetics line. I can foresee at least three game effects. Firstly, it could well be a trade item of value. Secondly, it ought to lead to happier citizens. Finally, the life expectancy of your officers would increase, which would be a blessing. Might want to allow multiple levels of this.

Life expectancy
Yet more tech for Biology/Genetics, with similar happy citizens/longer lived officers and cumulative with anagathics. Might want to allow multiple levels of this.

Medical advances
Another one for Biology/Genetics. Reduce the chances of those serious illnesses officers get and happier citizens. Might want to allow multiple levels of this.

Genetic warriors
More Biology/Genetics tech. This would increase the combat capability of ground force units by 1. A minor effect, but useful in simulating certain non-humanoid species. My Organism or a certain group of Xenomorphs for example. Might want to allow multiple levels of this.

[Charlie Beeler]

Change to how shields are displayed for contacts.  Currently they appear to always display full strength if you have EM sensors in range.  Instead display current detected strength and the Intelligence displays show max for class and current for individual ships.  

Tactical intelligence should be able to make some class assumptions without for detailed scans.  Such as 3 ships of same class on the back asmith of 3 salvos of 16 plasma torps strength 64.  That class could have a tentative updated of 16 stength 64 plasma torp launchers aboard.  

For Events if a ship takes damage it should at least know what direction the damage came from.

[nichaey]

Sorry if this is a repost, but I want to out it down before I forget.

Unless I'm mistaken, I do believe that maintenance supplies are transferable from one ship to another. I would suggest the addition of a task group order that would allow you to transfer supplies. This is to make handling station bases easier.

[Hawkeye]

Sorry if this is a repost, but I want to out it down before I forget.

Unless I'm mistaken, I do believe that maintenance supplies are transferable from one ship to another. I would suggest the addition of a task group order that would allow you to transfer supplies. This is to make handling station bases easier.

Designate a ship-class as a supply ship (F5 ship design --> checkbox supply ship ON).
Select a TG you want to resupply (F12 window) and choose a TG with one or more of those supply ships as target.
Select the order "supply at".
Your TG will resupply, using the supplies on those ship(s)

Note: the "supply at" order is only available, if the target TG contains at least one supply ship!

[Sotak246]

I don't know how hard it would be to do, but would like to have a way to limit the number of jump points in each system.  Say a box in the create new game panel that lets you put either a maximum on the number of jump points each system will have, or allow you to keep it random like it is now.  It would just make things easier then having to delete the extra jump points when I play a game where I want lots of chains and fewer chokepoints.

[symon]

A grab bag of ideas

Force Beams
I miss these and as we have tractors, they ought to be plausible. I’ve been trying to think of ways that would make them different to lasers. A menu of ideas that can be taken as desired perhaps:-
More range than lasers. Perhaps make them the longest range beam weapons.
Make the more damaging than lasers by say 25%, but make shields more effective against them, (By 50-100%)
Give them a linear penetration profile, but damage that penetrates armour is doubled.
Needs to be considered in the context of current weapon damage profiles to make them unique I suppose.

More Warheads
I’ve always liked the idea of kinetic kill warheads. I’ve assumed nukes in Aurora are detonating at range and/or suffer ‘drive field’ interdiction. Nukes aren’t nearly as destructive in a vacuum as they are in an atmosphere. Nothing to transmit a blast component, but they are still a bit gross. Kinetic kill warheads might be cheaper if nothing else and as the Railgun and Gauss cannon show us, having dense metal impact with your ship at high velocity is not good.

Additional Ground Units
Aurora does a lot better than many similar scale offerings, but I’d still like to see more ground assets. Maybe dedicated artillery and air defence, rather than assuming they are part of the HQ units.

Death from above
Fighters should be able to take part in ground combat. Assuming they had the right weapons, or in the case of box launchers were fitted with the right munitions, they could be very useful. I’d also like to see the concept of ortillery. There is a difference between bombarding population and industrial centres, and having forward observers call down non-nuclear weapons as fire support. Could give rise to a range of ground support munitions for missiles.

Navies and Airforces
In particular I’d like to aircraft and ocean going vessels when appropriate (homeworlds mostly). To be honest, submarine mounted, dedicated meson defences could be a very effective alternative to PDC.

Automation
I’d really like to see the option to develop automation so that we can reduce overall crew requirements (if that’s the direction the player wants to go in). It shouldn’t be a free lunch though by any means. I would like to see the ability to automate fighters and their ilk down to zero crew, so we can develop the autonomous kill vehicle concept.

Ramming
The Organism and AKV demand the right to ram. It shouldn't just be a precursor maneuver.

[Soralin]

Some UI suggestions:

On the galactic map, an option to update the system map to the currently selected system.  It would certainly be easier to navigate around with, rather than only a drop-down list of systems in alphabetical order.  There is the system map button on the galactic map, but that only moves the system map to the selected system if it's closed, if it's already open, it doesn't seem to do anything(perhaps a bug).  And in any case, it would still be easier to navigate around with a single click for something like this.  Also, for the OOB tab, options to exclude shipping line/commercial/etc.  ships from the list.

On the system map, some way to transition to the system on the other side of a selected jump point would be nice.  So, say for example you have a ship that you just watched go through a jump point, and want to change the system map to that system to continue watching it, you could control-click the jump point, or something like that, and the system map would change to the system on the other side of the jump point.

On the Ships screen, individual unit details, to be able to transition to the fleet screen for the fleet that the selected ship is in.  It would also be nice if there were an indication of where the selected ship's fleet is located, and what it's currently doing.  The ability to organize the list of ships by fleet or location would also then be useful.

On the Fleet orders / Task Groups screen, to have something similar to the naval organization screen, that would automatically list task groups, ordered and arranged by what system they're in.  Although the order of battle button on the galactic map is already nice for this.

On the Task Force Organization screen, simply the ability to sort the list of task groups by their headers.  So that they could be sorted by their location, or simply a list of them by name, or so on.  Also, a transition from the list here to the fleet orders screen by clicking, or right-clicking, or something.

[Erik L]

When a hostile transit is detected, it tells you which JP.

[Erik L]

For terraforming, add an option to level a gas to a percentage of atm.