Slick's list of UI SE:5 Improvements

[Slick]

Kana: that's my point, you don't need any facilities to do this, the empire already has the technology as proven by the ability to build satellites with the tech.

SJ: Why? I can see no logical reason a planet wouldn't use a technology from the surface. We know that the sensors penetrate atmospheres due to seeing other empires' colonies from space. We certainly wouldn't want to give this ability to only atmosphere=none.

To me, this is just an example of a cumbersome aspect of the game. It takes almost no construction time to build a satellite with the latest tech plus another turn to launch it so these are not issues. In SE:V, with the ability to reorganize construction queues, you won't lose construction if you immediately build one of these and put it at the top of the queue, so that's not the problem either. What it does cost the player is having to do this on each planet that he desires this capability. At least his front line planets, more likely more than that. Think of all those mouse clicks - not very fun.

[Suicide Junkie]

Why do you want exactly the ship tech sensors?
This really isn't a UI issue, but a game physics/mod thing.

In GGmod, I give homeworlds a 20-range Legacy Sensor Network facility.
Ships get range 2, colonies get range 3. Sensor components are 50kt for ships, and sensor facilities are a decent size. They are all expensive enough to not use everywhere and are worth defending.

I for one do not want them *Hardcoded* to be max tech for free.
An option, yes. Hardcode, hell no.

[Slick]

Why do you want exactly the ship tech sensors?

I've said it already, but I can see no reason a planet wouldn't use the technology it already has. I never said anything about being hard coded. There must be a way to give the ability to the planets in one of the data files, or there should be.

I agree that this is not really a UI issue, but it is cumbersome to do. I'm also not talking about your GGmod; mod rules are governed by the author. It is just that in a real game, people are going to do this at the cost of many mouseclicks each time sensor tech increases, and that just isn't fun. I think it should be an option at game startup.

Now if your reason for disagreeing is that you think it should cost more, then that's not a UI issue either and I would have no problem with this if Aaron decided to make sensors big and expensive so as to take multiple turns to construct, and costly to maintain. But as it stands, a sensor sat can be built in 1 turn on a small satellite with the latest range (basic) and level (tachyon), so it appears his intent was not to make them big or expensive. Again, balancing the cost of components is a separate issue, but with current costs, this is just cumbersome, so I lumped it in with other cumbersome UI issues.

I hope everyone feels free to express their own opinions to MM directly.

[President_Elect_Shang]

If I have you right you want a planet to have the same tech site level as the corresponding component? Assuming the abilities work in the Facilities.txt file it can be done. Not to the planet which wouldn't make sense but to the facilities on the planet. Give the facilities; all of them because the ability won't stack, the Sight Level and Sight Range ability. Isn't that what you want? Use the GETL to adjust the ability level up.

[se5a]

yup ok Slick, just be damned carefull when requesting stuff like this from aaron, he tends to do stuff just like that *snaps fingers* without thinking it all the way through on how it could affect mods.

like SJ said, a ColonyAbilities.txt would be the coolest way to do it.

as a gameplay thing, you shouldn't need to have sensor range from every planet, I prefer it the way it is, blockade a warp point, if something gets through then sweep the system till you find it.
and I mean seriosly, hubble was put in space for a reason, but I degress, this topic was about UI improvements.

[President_Elect_Shang]

I disagree; I don't think this should be in a ColoniesAbility.txt file. Although I like the idea of such a file. I would want to keep something like this limited to facilities. Just because you put a few colonists on a planet doesn't mean you should have the ability to "see" out around the planet. Facilities; regardless of which one, represent the colonists putting down roots. Only then should you be allowed to have any kind of sight range. I think you were a little heavy on the sarcasm.

[se5a]

what sarcasim?

[se5a]

add to the list

when renaming a ship the current name should be highlighted so any input will replace that name, OR if the user so chooses, he can just modify it. Windows standard!!!

ditto on changing the name during design.

[President_Elect_Shang]

se5a said:
yup ok Slick, just be damned carefull...

Sounded like sarcasm. Take it for what it's worth, I'm just saying it did to me; nothing else.

[se5a]

I was being serious. deadly serious.
I was saying "I don't care about stock as long as it doesn't get hardcoded"