Wish List

[Barinthus]

This is more for Firaxis folks and it's probably a wrong place to post this ha.

I was playing SMAX today and there's some features that I wish the game had. So thought I'd post so perhaps in future civ-type games, Firaxis could consider putting those in.

Unit Names: It'd be so cool if I could name my units. Right now I only can think of is having two lines - one for unit type and unit name. But I'm aware that this could clog up the screen with clutter. Perhaps an option to toggle between type and name? Fist of Death is cooler than just Fusion Clean Rover or whatever.

Unit Markers: Something to keep track of what I plan to do with my units and so on. Sometimes there're so many units to manage my devious plans just get lost in the detials. Being able to 'tag' a unit would help me knowing what I orginially planned to do with that unit. Those would be only seeable by the faction owner since it's more of notes to remind the player.

Icon Toggle: Currently on the city window, in the box that shows the units that the base is supporting, it's all icons. Sometimes there are more and you have to scroll down. It can be pain to do that so if I was able to toggle between graphical display of units and text display, perhaps that'd help me to be able to list more instead of having to resort to scrolling? After all I know what a Super Fungicial Former is and I don't need to see its pixie.

[The Mad Monk]

You can rename units in the workshop -- I do it all the time.

[The Mad Monk]

I'd like to see a J move (stack move) that wasn't tied to city locations, and would accomplish the move with a single animation (instead of walking each unit over individually).

CivIII actually got this one right, so copy that.

[Barinthus]

MadMonk, I was talking about being able to name individual units. Unless I'm mistaken, you only can change unit type labels via workshop as oppose to being able to name individual units that's under one same unit type?

[The Mad Monk]

Oh, okay, I didn't realize that's what you meant.

...another thing CivIII did right.

[Barinthus]

Yeah? That's great! Will be looking forward to playing Civ III then.

P.S. Yay to me, I got promoted to Chieftain

[Mr. Harley]

DataAeolus, it depends on if you want to have cool names, or uncool military nomenclature style names. For example, I use a two letters resembling standard military nomenclature, so I use AC (armored car) for a wheeled chassis, and M (tanks) for the hover chasis, as in M1 Abrams. I then put the cost, a space, and then the attack-armor factor.

For example, an AC20 4-1 is an impact rover. I leave some of the early ID's alone, but later on I find the descriptive ID really handy. Thus an AP20 1-2t is an Armored Car/Police one attack 2 defence with trance. It really works quite well, even if it's deadly dull. You can edit these somewhere is the SMAC txt files, I just cannot remember which one so I've never bothered, I really should.

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Oh, okay, I didn't realize that's what you meant.

...another thing CivIII did right.

Ah but you can only rename elite units which have generated a leader.

shawnmmcc:

I like your naming convention. I'll have to give this a try in my current game.

[The Mad Monk]

Not as of PTW, CM.

I spent part of one game naming each and every one of my workers.

[Barinthus]

Shawnmerc, I'm interested in both. You know how in history sometimes a unit accomplished something extraordinary and earned a special nickname in the process? That's what I want to do in SMAC/X. However your naming system to help identify unit types is excellent, I'll give it a shot. It should help me identifying units without having to look at their information box.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by shawnmmcc
For example, an AC20 4-1 is an impact rover. I leave some of the early ID's alone, but later on I find the descriptive ID really handy. Thus an AP20 1-2t is an Armored Car/Police one attack 2 defence with trance. It really works quite well, even if it's deadly dull. You can edit these somewhere is the SMAC txt files, I just cannot remember which one so I've never bothered, I really should.

I am less regimented but I do rename units with functional names-- In particular when I get a new armour I will make units like a "Homeguard 4AA" or a " Dropper 4AA". I find the different nmames prevents me from upgrading to the wrong unit.

Also a question-- your name gives the cost in minerals I assume . .. ie AP20 for an impact rover. Do you assume a ZERO industry rating when you name the units, or would that unit be an AP16 if you were the drones??

I have done similar stuff when I name a decked out crawler something like supply 144-- THats was my original method but lately I have been experimenting with naming according to the number of mineral rows it costs -- it gives a more accurate number with no confusion when changing industry settings

[Illuminatus]

Great suggestion Dataaolus!
I would like to name units "this one to capture base"
or "this one to smash ecm garrisonS"
"this one to hunt in fungus"

[Barinthus]

Thanks, Obstructor. Yes something like that. Like for instance, I wanted to fill up a fusion cruiser transport with an invasion force to seize this small landmass where Caretakers are before Usurpers could come in. However I have so many units I'm not sure which ones are heading for the port where the transport is. Some kind of marking system would help me to keep tab on those units.

[Illuminatus]

new thought - name Planet Busters after its targets -"this one for Blast Rifle Crag", "this one for Sparta Command", etc.
This way you will always have a prepared plan to annihilate opponent.

[The Mad Monk]

Maybe in SMAX2.

[Barinthus]

Just thought of a new item for the wish list.

Special Characters: It'd be neat if the game had special characters to add greater role-playing flavor. Take Star Wars: Rebellion game for instance, while you can build infrastructure and military units, you also have characters which you could use to conduct missions or lead armies into battle, increasing their combat readiness and efficiency and so on. Those characters could attempt to assassinate each other. Even faction leaders. If a faction leader was to fall in battle or whatever, you could select a character to take over like in Romance of the Three Kingdoms games. Those characters could defect or be recruited into other factions. It'd add a depth to the game that wasn't there before. One downside to this, it'd make a complicated game even more complex but I wouldn't mind. I really enjoyed the Rebellion even although it took me forever to finish a game heh.

[Illuminatus]

Roleplay? Althrough I LOVE RPG games I think this is something that is definetely not neccesary in SMAX2.

[Barinthus]

Neccessary? Not really. It'd make the game more exciting by adding a new depth IMHO.

I doubt this kind of thing will happen with Firaxis games. It'd be interesting although. LucasArts did an excellent job with Star Wars: Rebellion (UK version was Star Wars: Supremacy) and I would love to see a new game similiar.

[Hercules]

Neccessary? Not really. It'd make the game more exciting by adding a new depth IMHO

Have a look at the Diplogame thread in the Apolyton Community Thread.
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105859