Interest in SE5 Expansion?

[Captain Kwok]

Greetings.

I'm looking to gauge the interest in getting a modest expansion to SE5 as originally posted here (and quoted below):
http://www.spaceempires5.com/en-US/node/6674

There's been an ongoing effort to see if Malfador Machinations and Strategy First are willing to put together a modest "expansion" for SE5. The initial thought was such an expansion might contain a DirectX upgrade for Vista/Windows7 along with bug fixes, some UI work, and some minor feature implementation. It's been estimated that such a project can be done for less than $5,000.

There's basically two ways (with shades between) to go about funding it. Either the community can raise money to help cover the costs and the upgrade would be free, or if Strategy First antes up the money first and then a nominal fee (~$5-$10?) can be charged for the patch and a new edition could be marketed and sold to new users.

Either way, are you guys interested in seeing such a project? Some things to keep in mind are that SE6 is not close at all or even a definite future possibility and that this effort is being pushed from the bottom up - it's not a "cash grab" from MM/SFI. If there is enough interest, then plans can be made with MM/SFI to move forward.

You can also go here if you're a SE.net user:
http://home.spaceempires.net/ftopicp-49043.html#49043

[hEad]

I'd be up for an expansion! Lets have it.

[Kana]

Well if there are bug fixes, an slightly better basic AI, and UI improvements, with a Direct X/Vista/Win7 upgrade, I think you might even covert some SE4 players to play SE5.

Now of course if certain concepts from SE3 and SE4 were added, you couldn't even stop me from buying.

[PsychoTechFreak]

Any ideas about those minor feature implementations?

I'd order SE5 platinum edition if the expansion contains major AI improvements. Word!

[Arkcon]

I'd buy a SE5 expansion pack, and play it a few times. I'm getting heavier into Linux these days, and I'm more likely to get SE4 to work under Linux, but I'd still like to support MM and Strategy First, stay on their emailing list for the next version, or other games, etc.

[Makinus]

Only if there are significant UI improvements... as the UI is still my biggest gripe with SE5 and the reason i´m still playing SE4 mostly...

[Captain Kwok]

Here\'s some items that I would recommend be included in such a project:

UI
- Allow custom layouts to be saved
- Allow treaties to be saved
- Allow ship designs to be saved
- Allow for editing/deletion of queue lists
- Switch between decks with component selected
- Consolidated cargo lists
- Text box functionality
- Consistent window behaviour
- Allow group selection for combat simulator placement
- Make it easier to add multiple vehicles to combat simulator
- Auto-placement option for sector placement

Gameplay
- Implement some form of warp point sizes
- Implement warp point retreats
- Improvements to Alliance functionality
- Implement damage allocation as per ShieldAndArmorLevels.txt data file
- Implement rare hit types in Settings.txt
- Some new strategy settings (such as retreat setting - ram, etc)

In addition to some bug fixes, some AI improvements, and perhaps inclusion of some custom shipsets or other work etc.

[Suicide Junkie]

I'd add to that gameplay list:
- Damage pattern option in damagetypes.txt (directional vs radial vs slices vs hitpoint-lottery vs slot-lottery vs size-lottery)
- Formula to choose the ship experience type in vehiclesizes.txt (Normal vs berzerkers->all attack bonuses vs monster digestion->eating ships generates resources)
- Recalculate component/design abilities on game load option in settings.txt
- Number of decks option in settings.txt

The first one would allow me to work up an interesting combat system to rival SE4.

The second two would allow for awesome monsters that grow over time and need to eat enemy ships in order to spread. Larvae would be completely invisible without weapons, and creep around to infest player systems, then slowly lose their cloak over time as they grow weapon damage as adolescents 15 turns later. They would then attack ships to fill up their bellies and pay maintenance on the next generation of monsters.
Adult monsters at age 30 turns would have their weapons atrophy, but grow SY ability in order to spawn more larvae using the resources generated by their XP.

[Atrocities]

An expansion is always a good idea. I'd pay for one for SE V even if I don't play the awesome game any more.

Hell I'd even pay for an update for SE IV where we get bug fixes and new abilities options for modding.

Like the ability to add the ability to specify if a fighter can warp or not. The ability to add more than one weapons ability to a single component. The ability to have a per planet happiness ability. The ability to turn on and off the one per planet or system ability. The ability to add one per empire to comps, ships, planets, etc.

[mrscrogg]

sounds good to me !

[Roanon]

A better UI and I probably would give it a try again.

[MrToxin]

I'd pay for an expansion. I'd love to see UI improvements, as the shoddy UI kills this otherwise stellar game.

[GeorgiaBoy]

Any update on this?

Back after a long absence. Expansion? Yeah...I'd be interested in paying for one. Agree with AT's points regarding the 'one per empire' componant, facility, etc. I do not think SE V has this. Basically, I do not play SE V since it is soooooooooo slow on Vista SP1. Also, I was wondering if Aaron could expand SE V to contain more than 255 systems (maybe 500)...

GB

[Fyron]

SE5 supports maps with more than 255 systems. When you get to 300 or so, the game will stop rendering warp point lines on the quadrant map at some point, though. The warp points will be there on the system maps, and can be warped through just fine.

[GeorgiaBoy]

SE5 supports maps with more than 255 systems. When you get to 300 or so, the game will stop rendering warp point lines on the quadrant map at some point, though. The warp points will be there on the system maps, and can be warped through just fine.

Thank you, Fyron. Maybe 500 systems? Only if SE V would run reasonably on a Vista SP1 Dual Core 4GB laptop...

GB

[NTJedi]

Any monthly updates regarding this expansion would be nice. At this point nobody knows when or even if it's scheduled to be finished this year.

[fabio80mi]

Definetly interested here