No, they'll whine about it being unrealistic and silly and not bother playing the game. Not to mention they'll be really ticked when they discover just how limiting "light speed" is for communications.

You way overestimate most people.



Just look at the sheer number of details Weber packed into those books, and yes they do need to have a basic understanding. Do I go straight down the direct course, or curl around and come in at an angle? Unless you understand how orbital / spacial mechanics works, you don't have a clue how to do such things.

Unless you mean to just strip out everything except the strategic level, and just let the AI handle the tactical -- AKA resolve it out of my control.

I definitely agree with Karma and Polluxo. But they are fighting a lost battle it seems.

I'd just like to repeat that if the AI is not 3D aware (able to use it effectively) and everything is reduced to a 2D plane than PLEASE limit the player to it as well. It's either all 3D or no 3D (I'm only speaking about movement).

Explain why they'll call it unrealistic? And I never proposed putting light speed barriers on communication.

They have FTL travel so they might as well have ansibles (instantaneous FTL communicators.).




Again, they don't need to understand how it works. Does a leaping cat understand physical force equations?

No... it knows how to jump in earth normal gravity... It learned through trial and error and experience.


Give the player a few campaign missions that force them to do that sort of thing... don't bother explaining it... just make them do it and they'll understand it intuitively.


I can't say this strongly enough... an RTS without tactics might as well be turn based.

Looks at Warcrafts numbers sold...13+ million to date. Yeah, I think I'm okay with that.   

While I can appreciate your need to make money of course, I think there are very good points even if 3D is out.

Optional use of Phase Lanes for example, as some of us may indeed enjoy whack the mole, even if the AI was woefully inept at it, it would be nice for MP.

Acceleration realism, even if it was only for in-system this would be very cool.

Orbits, even 2d orbits are cool. OH and more powerful gravity issues...

But personally this is all secondary to me compared with terrain... more types of planets, more varience on existing ones (not all desert planets need look alike) and a heavy incline/support of modding. Oh and map editor. These are more important to me persnonally.

The only problem is: WarCraft games are short (30 minutes is the norm), while Sins games are not (probably over 2 hours the norm). I doubt that you'll get substantial amounts of WarCraft gamers to play Sins (if they aren't already interested in space games, 4x games in general).



Then at least give us the ability to mod it back in.

Warcraft has a brand and thus they don't have to work as hard. The indy games succeed because they do something different.

Gravity wells as in the game area, they'd be plenty interested. Gravity wells as in things getting pulled towards the planet? Most player's probably won't care, alas.

maybe a auto random emergency evasive manuever?

Wow, just read the majority of the thread here.

Love the game. Playing the BETA4.....

At the moment I am a little dissappointed witht he 2D nature of tactical combat.

It would be good to be able to choose what point to jump in at and to slingshot. Perhaps this should be a realism option in the menu.
Enable complex gravity well :-
a) enables building structures anywhere on a sphere of the current build circles.
b) Enables ability to jump to a point of your choosing on the edge of the gravity well
c) Enables 3D formations to protect against attacks from any point of the sphere
d) Enables a more complex 3D movement system
e) Enables orbiting of objects around planet
f) Enables appropriate weapons unlimited range.
f) enables visability of upper and lower gravity well limits. Z axis limits
Enable Slingshot :-
a) Enables tactical slingshot and more apparent gravity effects on ships
MODS (things that are probably easily modded in):
a) Phase lanes to anywhere from anywhere

This would be awesome! It would allow many more tactics to be used, for instance if you have a large fleet, you split if before jumping to arrive at the north, south and middle poles, while a feint is carried out on left X axis.
The point of difference for space combat always needs to be gravity and 3D tactics.
Whatever game does grand strategy with 3D space gravity first....... well... instant classic just like homeworld. I think the gamers are being underestimated if this is not thought to be understood.

Due to the vastness of space it is understandable that the gravity wells are all that people want to fight in. And it is good that a few other different space-scapes have been provided in between.

One of the reasons I do not play Star Wars Empire at War is the dodgy space combat. It looked good but felt like I was playing command and conquer or supreme commander. Homeworld made me feel like I was in the vastness of 3D space.

How easy is it to include the modes suggested, even if you think it will be for a select few. I believe if modders can achieve the above, it will be the primary version of the game played multiplayer....
Oh and personally, in homeworld. Myself and friend use 3D a lot. Its a bit like having a submarine sim without being able to dive. And a lot of effort in portraying space combat for nought.

Not going to happen.

A) All these "make it an option" threads are impossible -- they have to balance all the options, instead of the "core" game, which increases the workload exponentially.

B) Its far, far to late to add new features -- with the time remaining, all they can do is finish ones "in the pipe" and polish up the released ones.

C) They had a lot of the things people are asking for -- orbital mechanics, for example -- in an earlier version. Problem was, it turned out to just not be fun.

They're there because the devs don't want to release "Wack'a'mole" in computer format -- without them, the game didn't turn out all that fun