I do not know if some of these have already been discussed, I literally have over 100 ideas and now some need to come out. So these are my favourite or ones I think I believe will really benefit the game.
1. In 64 player games, corner empires are sometimes cut off. (map generation)
I have noticed that in these massive games, sometimes a player who starts in the corner of the map will be cut of from everybody else.
This is most likely because the map generates stars for corner empire towards the centre where there is already lots of players spawned?
Maybe a fix for this would be to have less stars per play when they spawn close, or just spawn further away. Obviously, its always better to improve the code and maybe force stars to spawn within 4ly so you can always expand somewhere.
2. Controlling choke points. (map generation)
In my experience for making well designed and fun strategy maps to play, a rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of 3 choke points per player. During this game I have spawned right on the edge of the map and there is only one choke point, meaning there is only one direction you can go… Until you research hyperspace, sometimes you need way to much hyperspace.
I would like to suggest spawning stars closer together for players on the edge so they have at least 3 choke points at the start of the game or are wide open. This could also work with number 1.
However, for players who start right in the centre a recommended amount of 3 I believe would be best.
3. Be able to make more precise custom maps. (expansion on custom co-ordinates for empires)
Obviously when making a custom game with the idea of setting your own map, it is more desirable to be able to choose the exact position of every star.
4. AI behaves a little…strangely. (AI development)
In many strategy games it is always fun to have really complex AI which at least seem to try to make decisions for themselves, Someday maybe we will see different AI personalities?
5. Make circular games standard? (fair should be standard)
In my opinion this is an important one, and probably also for those who are just trying the game for the first time.
This could attract more players to stay and play the game through when they first start. This is because new players just want to try the game, if they are thrown into the centre of everybody and realize its all about diplomacy, they will forget about actually playing the game and instead just talking to everybody in order to try to just enjoy the game…because they know they cant win if they do not.
The idea of luck doesn’t make for a fun game in general if that is all its about. Its not what people want to experience when they first start a strategy game. (most likely)
6. Warp gates should not use hyperspace range? (some realism)
It is well known that warp gates or black holes increase travel speed to the destination by folding the space in between the two points and so shortening the jump. So how come if I have 2 warp gates and I can not jump to the one far away just because of my hyperspace range?
7. Make carriers independent from ships? (some realism)
So every time you build a carrier one of your ships is immediately destroyed, I cant understand why this would be necessary… unless you are building a trojan horse like in the film “troy” in which case all my carriers will now be named trojan horse, and my star name will be beach of troy. I dont think I will get much trust from my neighbours if they have watched the film.
8. Unit veterancy (experience based reward)
This is not new to strategy games, so every time a carrier survives combat it will gain experience and rank up. As it ranks up it will gain additional benefits of which I have not decided as it requires balancing.
Maybe the ability to bring home credits even when it captures a star with no economy? or the ability to rebuilt lost ships straight after a battle but not constantly.
9. Multiple ship types (more depth)
Would love to see more options, like being able to build certain types of ships, these may include scout ships which you would start with. Scout ships maybe a little faster than the rest of your ships but lack the ability to participate in combat. (They have no weapons or very weak weapons, they can be destroyed easy)
Industry would have to be set which types of ships to build, but you could cue up different ship types much like you cue up your research. (if you cue up research I prefer to be online ready to change)
If it is to be implemented there its best to have ships which combat other types of ships. Maybe having at least 3 ships types. (carrier, scout, your normal ship)
10. Custom built technology during the game (depth, interesting diplomacy)
This one is a little crazy, Though its a fun conception I believe. So the idea is that each game you may pick one out of few technologies which are not already available on the game, and these can be researched also, but you can only research one.
So I will throw a few examples… Lets say there are only two of these custom techs (for simplicity atm) one might give you increased speed and one might allow you to choose a star to “black out” for a set amount of hours.
“black out” would work like this, you choose a star which is in range of your opponents scanning to black out, this gives the star the effect that it is out of scanning range. So basically if it is scanned you can reduce the opponents visibility to this star for a few hours.
There could be many different types of these special technologies but players may only research one of them during the game as well as all there other basic research.
This would mean each empire would be made more to your style of play or a character you are role playing. This will greatly add depth as you must use make full use of the tech you decide to research (there is no going back), and could make diplomacy a little more interesting due to having a different empire completely.
11. A new way of storing galactic credits (depth, could make more features from this)
So I also came up with an idea to make this a little more complex and may also make for some fun diplomacy.
Currently all you galactic credits get transferred to one place immediately they are generated allowing for quick and easy upgrading of any star you may have plans to upgrade.
What if, the credits you generate do not go to one place, say like if you have 10000 economy (kidding) more like 10 economy on a star, all the credits that this star generates will be stored on the star. This means, carriers will be able to pick up credits and store them in cargo, they will have to be transported to stars that you want to upgrade.(if its not making credits)
This could make diplomacy extremely fun as you wouldn’t just click the button to send your team some credits or a technology. You would have to put credits or a technology onto a carrier, the carrier can be put into a “peace mode” setting which would also be a new feature its fairly obvious what that would do.
The carrier carrying whatever it is carrying in its cargo will travel to the friendly empire and when it reaches a star of the empire it can drop of the goodies and then return home.
The peace mode function or possibly “do not engage function” will stop the carrier from attacking any players HOWEVER, this is were it gets interesting.
Players far away would have to wait for this carrier to arrive and it may have to travel through enemies territory, but enemies dont have to just let this carrier through… They could decide to attack the carrier on its trade mission and steal the credits or tech for themselves.
If scout ships are implemented they would be however pretty fast and maybe difficult to intercept or catch if not noticed early.
I believe its a fun idea but it would also mean trading far away could be difficult. This could be good or bad, close relations with nearby players would be more important making you choose enemies wisely, possibly making the centre a more valuable trade partner.