Combat

from Stardock Forums
#120 by Avatar Frogboy - 5/29/2003 10:01:31 PM


BTW, "mas$e", if you find the combat system "no fun in any way" I suggest playing a different game.
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Whereas complaints about things like the combat system are kind of...well pointless. The combat system works as designed.
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Discuss.

To me, the combat system is the least developed aspect of this game. It seems to be the least thought out when compared to the economic system, tech tree, micromanagement of production, etc. It's just bland and boring.

I would start fixing it by doing something with the Hero. It's power needs to be increased, and it should provide some benefit to your fleet other than another attack number.
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
To me, the combat system is the least developed aspect of this game. It seems to be the least thought out when compared to the economic system, tech tree, micromanagement of production, etc. It's just bland and boring.
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Of course it's least developed. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Besies, it is no different from other CIV-style games, where units are given an Attack value, a Defence value, a Movement value, a Firepower value, and a Hitpoint value. There are Three games that follow this pattern - Civ II, Civ III, and SMAC.

In one way or another, it can be argued that the combat system for these games are underdeveloped due to their simplicity.

I would start fixing it by doing something with the Hero. It's power needs to be increased, and it should provide some benefit to your fleet other than another attack number.
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The Hero already has a benefit other than the attack number. It involves travelling around the galaxy, collecting anomalies and space jumk to improve your empire. It will become a powerful vessel when it collects enough junk to greatly improve hitpoints, atttack and defence, and can take on ships up to Battle Cruisers.

Besides, making it more powerful than it already is would require giving each race a defence fleet. That, as you know, is changing the gameplay, and should be saved for a major iteration of GalCiv.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
To me, the combat system is the least developed aspect of this game.
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Then play StarCraft:BroodWar.;)

IMHO it's good enough for a TBS. Overwise, battles took too much time.

~SDC~
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
IMHO it's good enough for a TBS. Overwise, battles took too much time.
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Agreed.

And it's still elaborate enough to apply principles of naval warfare:
1) scouting matters - find the enemy before he finds you
2) strike first with sufficient power at the point of decision
3) remember that naval action is never an end in itself, but is always in service of something on-shore (in the case of GC, systems and starbases).

BTW, principles 1 and 2 make speed golden in warfare. The attacker has a big advantage, making it possible for a lower quality navy to defeat a higher quality one with numbers *if* it is faster. Speed makes it possible to scout, staying away from heavy ships. Speed makes it possible to concentrate on a victim and avoid counter-attacks.

People that say that speed is only important in the expansion phase aren't fighting wars.


~SDC~
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I actually find combat to be well developed, because alot of it has to do with placement of ships, your mix of ships (dreadnaughts, with support AMM and starfighters). By positioning your ships and planning ahead, you can use your offense specialist ships to great advantage. For example, you can place your corvettes outside the range of a cluster of starfighters, and then strike at your leisure. You can supplement starbases with battlehammers. You can use Starbases as a booster for your ships when protecting your home sector (these can come in HUGE). So in my eyes, theres really quite a bit to think about in regards to combat.


EDIT:And yes, speed can very much be your salvation, especially if the enemy is lacking in defensive ships or you're lacking in defensive ships. It means you can get out of danger if necessary, or play for the advantage when you're taking a hi-att lo-def against another hi-att lo-def ship.
SeanB
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