A Variety of Suggestions

[Weemdog]

The following are all relatively simple suggestions (in the sense that they either use already existing game mechanics or only add menu or UI options) that I believe would greatly enhance the long-term viability of the game.


Planetary Supremacy:
-Incorporate Strategic Command game mode into PS. This is the most popular game mode in multi-player. Adding Seize and Control and Siege were great additions. It would be nice to have even more game modes available to break up the monotony of Exterminatus. Add Conquest, as well.

-Incorporate Skirmish Maps. I really enjoy most of the randomly generated maps, but the skirmish maps are much more tactical. This makes even more sense if you are going to add Strategic Command.

-Add an option in the setup screen to cap the number of Purity Seals (completed missions) that can be awarded. Select either 0, 5, 10, or unlimited. This will cap the amount of Crit and Accuracy bonus that can be applied. I’m on a Hard Difficulty run-through and it’s taking a while. But…I have some units that have 15+ missions completed, which gives them a crazy accuracy bonus. I don’t mind getting +5 accuracy. But I like keeping it as “normal” as possible (as close to MP), and the balance is totally skewed once you get crazy levels of accuracy buffs.

-The later in the game you go, you won't be able to use upgrade tokens (either you have all the upgrades, or you just don't want any more). Give the tokens a secondary purpose. For example: Trade in a certain number of tokens for an additional unit requisition (this can be important if you are playing at half requisition, and sometimes an additional unit is more important than an upgrade); or Trade in a token for a purity seal (and the associated +1% crit chance and +1% accuracy).

-Add an option when setting up your run where you can start with a certain number of upgrade points. Sometimes I want to start a run with some upgrades and not as a fresh start. Give the same option to the AI (so it’s not all or none).

-Incorporate the “loot boxes” from Demonic Incursion. In its simplest form, each mission could have a random drop somewhere on the map. Up to you if you want to go for it, and it works just like it does in DI (and maybe the enemy can benefit from the loot if they get it first). Could be more complex…you can assign that “loot” permanently to one of your units; you keep that “loot” until you decide to use it (can even be in a future battle); certain strategic map squares (maybe the ones without army points/resource nodes) have loot; etc.


Demonic Incursion:

-Reset the leaderboard. With the new limits/rules changed in the recent patch, I think it would encourage play if you had a leaderboard dedicated to people playing with the 8 wave limit. The current leaderboard has people who started with a 500 point army, and since you can’t do that anymore, it’s like comparing apples to oranges…and there’s no way anyone will top Imperatoris’ high score…they would have to play like 200 waves or more. Maybe move the current top 20 to a Hall Of Fame Tab.

-Have different filters in the leaderboard so I can compare my score against similar factions/players who didn’t use any reinforcements/players who started with a similar army size/players who didn’t use any loot/etc.


Skirmish:

-For Siege, change point value targets to increments of 25 (25, 50, 75, 100). Increments of 20 aren’t fair when the attacker can only score in increments of 25. Any of the current targets other than 100 isn’t fair to the attacker.

-Add an option for the player who creates the Skirmish to either be Player 1 or Player 2 (go first or second). It would be nice to not always have to go first when you create the battle.

-Add a “Random Army” option for the player like there is for the AI. Would be fun to have to try maximizing a random army occasionally.

-Add a new map that is very small that players can use in Hotseat to test units. It doesn’t even need to be pretty. Currently, to test units we have to use bigger maps (I use Bridges) and spend the first couple turns moving the units toward the middle. It would be nice if the units started ~8 tiles away to avoid the tedious moving. Ideally, you would have a short squatty but wide map so you could test multiple groupings at a time. Ideally, a dedicated testing mode would be best…but this seems more realistic.

-Give players the capability to host Tournaments similar to the Official Slitherine Tournaments.

-Add a new game mode that is a cross between Strategic Command and Conquer. Each of the 5 strategic points is surrounded by a 3x3 grid (with the flag in the middle). The faction that has the most units in the 3x3 grid owns the strategic point. You need at least 1 unit to maintain control of the strategic point.


Quality of Life:

-Add an indicator that shows what weapons count as pistols and/or what units will react if you charge. Some are obvious (“pistol” in the name of the weapon), but others are less so. This way I know if I will be charging into a pistol reaction attack.

-Add an indicator when you are moving that shows whether you can melee attack an adjacent square. Sometimes it isn't obvious if certain terrain types (squared vs rounded corners, piles of debris, stairs, etc.) impact melee attacks. It's a bummer to move to a square thinking you will be able to melee an adjacent square, only to find out you can't after you've already moved. Maybe an indicator that shows which squares you CANNOT melee would be less busy in the UI (ie highlight squares you can’t melee red).