Space Opera

[Dertrend]

The game is on the cusp of being a good Space Opera however there are a few pieces missing that I would like to suggest.  I have been playing multiplayer for an extended period of time and currently the game plays as a PvE road-trip to the center of the galaxy which eventually comes to an end.   The alternative game style to this would be a galactic conquest format which would have to involve more elaborate conflict between the AI empires.  

 

Faction Alliance

It seems practical that a player or players could take the role of directly influencing an existing AI empire rather than building their own from scratch.  Currently the game limitations do not allow for a player to have enough active sectors to run a scratch built empire in a multiplayer environment.  In joining with an existing empire this would allow the player enough active sectors to have commercial ships and several fleets to engage other empires.  A system allowing players to suggest target sectors to the AI empire would help direct the conflict.  Players could perhaps donate cash to help influence the decisions and fund the war effort.  The players faction with the allied empires enemies should also suffer in the event of conflict.  The AI empire would manage the mundane aspects of the empire while the player could focus on building their own fleets to defend and attack.

 

Fleet Management & Combat Roles.

As several others have suggest a fleet management system is needed .  In addition to this I believe it should be possible to set behavior for ships.  As the player will likely be directly involved in the fighting this allows for some basic fleet strategy which would have practical combat implications.  Some examples might be:

Aggressive - Advances to close range and attacks directly.  Willing to take substantial damage.

Cautious - Ship tries to remain at maximum range and will attempt to flee if it takes substantial damage.

Run and Gun - Ship will attempt to remain mobile and make strafing attacks.

Standard Attack - Ship will attempt to remain close to allied ships and attack at medium range.

 

The end goal would be to create fleet actions which could have player direction on both sides.  Ideally the starting point for each player in this multiple scenario should be at different edges of the galaxy in order to facilitate contact with differing AI empires.

[Xaliber]

Nice suggestion!

I only want to add a little bit of  my suggestion: allow AI factions to declare war and conquer each other without our intervention. We could just do something else while watching control of certain sectors organically shift to other factions. It's like the game Mount & Blade.

The aim is similar: galactic conquest format which would have to involve more elaborate conflict between the AI empires.

 

On 5/5/2021 at 7:06 AM, Dertrend said:

In joining with an existing empire this would allow the player enough active sectors to have commercial ships and several fleets to engage other empires.  A system allowing players to suggest target sectors to the AI empire would help direct the conflict. 

This point would also fit nicely with other suggestions posted here: allow privateering/doing mercenary work for AI factions. So you don't have to put your loyalty to the faction.

 

[eode]

I really like the combination of these two ideas.  In fact, when I read the space opera one, my imagination took me to a place better described by the M&B post.

 

As to this idea, specifically:

I really like the idea of a player having his 'own' faction -- whether s/he *joins* one or *creates* one.  If created, maybe you'd need to found a capitol building.  In any case, 1it should act like all the other ones do (just, very small to start out).  That is, as your faction grows, if it hits a certain size (and you have a shipyard), you get your own defense ships comparable to your faction's financial strength, governed by the same rules as other factions, but linked to the player.

As to the combination of this idea with M&B-style factions:
This really sets my imagination going.  Having players be able to back a faction, then attempt to take over a neighboring-player's faction is good stuff.  And if the factions get an AI that *acts* like a player might -- inciting wars or building relationships with other factions -- then you might get missions to escort (or assassinate) one of those AI.  🙂