Second expansion?
- Thread starter darko82
- Start date
DefiantMars
King
With the Hybrid affinities, I don't think we need a seventh affinity. I think they just need to make the existing 6 be meaningful and different. As in, actually make the Hybrids their own thing.
But I do agree with more Aerospace and more sponsors.
legalizefreedom
Inefficiency Expert
Mobile orbital nukes! 
SupremacyKing2
Deity
In the "ideas & Suggestions" subforum, there is a community suggestions thread for what people want in a 2nd expansion. You might want to check it out and add your ideas: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=561351
Ok, great thanks.
Skulbow
The Lonely Cyclist
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2014
- Messages
- 113
I would love them to work on the current game and revamp the affinities by taking them away from the tech tree somehow. Possibly build up points as you unlock the tech tree which gives a choice of affinities. I just find that to win is just a case of selectively picking your way through the tech tree to unlock affinities as fast as you can and get ahead of your opponents.
sugerdady87
Warlord
I must be the only one who thought hybrid affinities were a terrible idea. I no longer feel immerse with each one and only get points in them simply for the bonuses. Opposing ideologies leads to extremism, which leads to conflict and an enjoyable game play experience. Bridging the gap between each affinity takes away from that.
DefiantMars
King
I think its the way one achieves Hybrid affinities cheapens the Hybrids and Core affinities. They have 6 very distinct philosophies the 3 core were okay, but Hybrids offer more variety. Unfortunately this doesn't show up in gameplay save a few perks and unit options. I think if they made the Affinities exclusive and gave them all gameplay styles, you wouldn't feel that as strongly.
SupremacyKing2
Deity
You are not alone. I have similar feelings. I think it is the way hybrid affinities were implemented that is the problem. They sort of feel like new affinities but they are obtained simply by getting points in multiple core affinities. So they are in gameplay limbo, not quite their own affinities, but not quite just hybrids. And of course, some units are missing hybrids. I think if hybrids were made into new distinct affinities and if all the affinities were given more unique gameplay styles, that would really help solve this problem. In some ways, I almost wish affinities were something you picked at the beginning of the game (like picking your civ) and give affinities their own tech tree and perks tree, instead of the gradual progression of climbing levels.
SupremacyKing2
Deity
XCOM2 is a new release. Plus, it is the most played Firaxis title on Steam right now, doing better than Civ5. So, it makes sense that Firaxis would focus on it.
Perhaps when the release fever goes down, Firaxis will turn their attention back to BE. But at this point, I think it is more likely that Firaxis will push XCOM2 for the next couple months and then announce Civ6.
DefiantMars
King
That's certainly a different way of looking at things, but I don't know how to feel about it. I like the idea of committing to an Affinity and I definitely would like to see very distinct differences in gameplay between the affinities; however I have to question the feasibility of making it a part of the loadouts.
That would mean up you'd need to make up to 6 tech trees. It would also cause some issue with strategic resources so that would have to change. Plus, if you needed to shift gears based on your situation you would need some form out. You'd have to come up with some way of making each Affinity capable of doing everything, which gets into some sketchy territory. That said, I do think that the current system does not work.
However, I do think that a more in-depth perk tree is definitely feasible. This could offer customization options while still driving Affinity uniqueness. The question in my mind is, what do each of the Affinities specialize in?
SupremacyKing2
Deity
Actually, that is how Starships! does it. You pick a sponsor leader and an affinity in pre-game menu. it allows the player to mix and match the sponsor bonuses with the affinity bonuses to create more combos. Each sponsor essentially gets different variations based on the affinity you pick. This only works if the sponsors are truly unique in some ways and the affinities are truly unique in different ways. Then, the player is making interesting combos of different gameplay styles.
Instead of 6 separate tech trees, have 1 tech tree for everybody but with unique affinity techs as new leaf techs. So all players, regardless of affinity, could research all the stem techs and some leaf techs. But there would be additional leaf techs that only certain affinities could research. This would accomplish the same thing with only 1 tech tree instead of 6.
DefiantMars
King
I understand this, but that happens AFTER Beyond Earth, so it makes just a little bit more sense. You work towards the "end-state" of an affinity in Beyond Earth. I mean, it could work, but I have reservations.
I don't like what that does to the storytelling of Beyond Earth either. Its like you've already decided on how you're going to interact with the planet before you've even seen the planet. Which is weird. Also, currently that would result in 12 sponsors with 6 variations for a total of 72 sponsor abilities and if for more sponsors are added, that would only get more difficult to manage.
This makes a bit more sense. It kind of makes me think of the way that Endless Legend handles the tech trees for their factions.
I think that exploring the concept of perk trees for the affinities would be a pretty safe way of getting more customization and flavor out of the Affinities.
SupremacyKing2
Deity
Well, I did say "I almost wish..." implying that I am not completely sold on the idea of picking an affinity before landing. I agree that it would not really fit with the story of BE. But it seemed like an idea worth at least thinking about. The main advantage it would have is that it would make it clearer to the player which affinity they are. If you picked your affinity in the beginning, you would know "this is my affinity and these are the perks/units/buildings etc that I will get throughout the game". Right now, because of how players can get points gradually in any affinity, things are much more nebulous. The player is basically always a hybrid of different affinities to a degree. It takes away from the sense of identity with one particular affinity.
Yes, I definitely love the idea of a perk tree. There is something about having a "tree" that helps the player see their progress. Also, an affinity tree could combine everything about that affinity (perks, units, buildings etc) into one place, which would make it easier for the player to plan their affinity strategy. Lastly, an affinity tree would have branches so the player could have interesting choices within the same affinity.
DefiantMars
King
Ah, Semantics. I understand and I do think it is a worthy discussion topic. But am I don't see it working with the game's architecture and style.
I keep trying to come up with ideas for this concept, but I keep on hitting a creative wall. I think I'll open up a tread to (re-) discuss the idea.
SupremacyKing2
Deity
Just for fun, I think I am going to sit down one day and design an affinity tree for each core affinity (supremacy, purity, harmony). I am curious what it would look like.
When discussing BE's potential expansions i remember Will Miller saying, A civ game isn't usually finished until it gets 2 expansions, our community basically expects that.
Source? Check BE: Rising Tide on youtube, and after sifting through enough videos you will find him saying that in one of the interviews.
I am pretty confident a second one will come out, they can't leave the game like this. They want to build a franchise out of it, and at the moment, it isn't worthy of being the main game of a franchise.
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,535
Honestly it all depends on money, Since the base civ 5 outsold BE last year my suggestion would be that it won't probably get another expansion.
That being said, it is clear that they are not investing as much money that in other titles so the lower development cost could mean there is a lower threshold needed for profitability and thus an investment in another expansion is possible.
Also they are still space focused on all their social media, and given the content I don;t think that is just for the sake of Xcom, so who knows?
That being said, it is clear that they are not investing as much money that in other titles so the lower development cost could mean there is a lower threshold needed for profitability and thus an investment in another expansion is possible.
Also they are still space focused on all their social media, and given the content I don;t think that is just for the sake of Xcom, so who knows?
