Barathor
Emperor
- Joined
- May 7, 2011
- Messages
- 1,202
What is everybody's thoughts on the expedition sites?
For Review:
We receive a lot of bonus expedition builds for our explorers, but do you believe there are enough expeditions sites on maps to make the bonus worthwhile? How many explorers do you usually build at the beginning of the game?
What do you think of the rewards? Any that are too strong or too weak?
- - - - - - - -
In the planet script I'm working on, I'll be adding an advanced option to set the amount of expedition sites (Artifacts) placed on maps (Sparse, Standard, Abundant, Random). Looking at maps, I'm thinking the current amount I would regard as Sparse -- or, do you believe it should be Standard?
Also, artifacts are placed randomly, but I'm thinking of making the placements a bit more sophisticated and then tweaking any rewards to better suit their new placement style.
Crashed Satellites: still fairly random, but slightly more weight on placements around and near starting areas.
Derelict Settlements: These will be placed around and near starting areas, you won't find these as you venture further into the wilds. These give good early bonuses to get your empire up and going. (These past colonists probably wouldn't settle in an alien infested wild area.)
Alien Skeletons: These will be mostly found out in the wilds, though they also slightly bleed a little outside of the wild areas into "civilized" zones.
Progenitor Ruins: These will only be found in the deepest wild areas, where a strong, native alien presence will deter early expeditions to these powerful sites. (Even the Civilopedia says these are found deep in the wilds.)
- - - - - - - -
I think it would create a mini expedition game within the main game, where you explore the planet and hack your way towards more powerful rewards. I'm influenced by other 4X games where there are different threat levels present on maps that you can work towards and reap greater rewards (like in Age of Wonders 3 or in the Heroes of Might and Magic series with higher level monster guards). I think it would make the map a lot more interesting and the map is everything -- a poor map creates poor gameplay (in my opinion).
Another additional mod I was thinking of was a second set of more powerful, always aggressive aliens (purple ones) that only spawn in the deep wild areas (I suppose on large xenomass sites) and "guard" the high quantity strategic resources and valuable artifacts.
- - - - - - - -
Anyway, again, what do you think of these things currently in the game? For me, one example is that I think the alien reward from the alien skeleton is a tad weak (especially when I mod its placement). Perhaps it should reward 2 of them instead? Or, perhaps it grants a totally different bonus (When I'm Purity, for example, I don't want filthy aliens fighting alongside me, haha).
For Review:
Crashed Satellite:
67% = +80 production in the capital
33% = complete 25% the cost of a random tech (max cost: 1500; must be branch tech; must no be able to research it at that time; must not have any research progress)
Derelict Settlement:
50% = +"culture per turn" x 4 (min: 30; max: 500)
50% = +1 population in capital city
Alien Skeleton:
67% = alien unit spawns under your control (30% Drone; 30% Manticore; 40% Raptor)
33% = +14 to 20 points in a random affinity
Progenitor Ruin:
50% = +1 level in an affinity of your choice
50% = complete 20% the cost of a random tech (min cost: 2000; max cost: 7000; must be branch tech; must no be able to research it at that time; must not have any research progress)
We receive a lot of bonus expedition builds for our explorers, but do you believe there are enough expeditions sites on maps to make the bonus worthwhile? How many explorers do you usually build at the beginning of the game?
What do you think of the rewards? Any that are too strong or too weak?
- - - - - - - -
In the planet script I'm working on, I'll be adding an advanced option to set the amount of expedition sites (Artifacts) placed on maps (Sparse, Standard, Abundant, Random). Looking at maps, I'm thinking the current amount I would regard as Sparse -- or, do you believe it should be Standard?
Also, artifacts are placed randomly, but I'm thinking of making the placements a bit more sophisticated and then tweaking any rewards to better suit their new placement style.
Crashed Satellites: still fairly random, but slightly more weight on placements around and near starting areas.
Derelict Settlements: These will be placed around and near starting areas, you won't find these as you venture further into the wilds. These give good early bonuses to get your empire up and going. (These past colonists probably wouldn't settle in an alien infested wild area.)
Alien Skeletons: These will be mostly found out in the wilds, though they also slightly bleed a little outside of the wild areas into "civilized" zones.
Progenitor Ruins: These will only be found in the deepest wild areas, where a strong, native alien presence will deter early expeditions to these powerful sites. (Even the Civilopedia says these are found deep in the wilds.)
- - - - - - - -
I think it would create a mini expedition game within the main game, where you explore the planet and hack your way towards more powerful rewards. I'm influenced by other 4X games where there are different threat levels present on maps that you can work towards and reap greater rewards (like in Age of Wonders 3 or in the Heroes of Might and Magic series with higher level monster guards). I think it would make the map a lot more interesting and the map is everything -- a poor map creates poor gameplay (in my opinion).
Another additional mod I was thinking of was a second set of more powerful, always aggressive aliens (purple ones) that only spawn in the deep wild areas (I suppose on large xenomass sites) and "guard" the high quantity strategic resources and valuable artifacts.
- - - - - - - -
Anyway, again, what do you think of these things currently in the game? For me, one example is that I think the alien reward from the alien skeleton is a tad weak (especially when I mod its placement). Perhaps it should reward 2 of them instead? Or, perhaps it grants a totally different bonus (When I'm Purity, for example, I don't want filthy aliens fighting alongside me, haha).