First off, I love this game. It's monstrously fun. While I understand the pressure put on game developers with the milestone system to produce, I'd still like to suggest a few post-release adjustments which I believe would be a nice way to shore up the little beastie:
Updated 3/1, 3/2, 3/3 (new in yellow)
Last addition: ETA on all paths (notably transport) and adjacency display.
===
- Hotkeys -
===
=Commands=
* Able to toggle fire/cease fire etc. with turrets while under construction.
Maneuver - Alt+Shift+Right (see 'movement templates')
Launch Nuke From Nearest Available Facility (to target) - Ctrl-N
Launch Scouts From Selected Carrier - Ctrl+L+S
Launch Fighters From Selected Carrier - Ctrl+L+F
Launch Gunships From Selected Carrier - Ctrl+L+G
Launch Torpedo Bombers From Selected Carrier - Ctrl+L+T
Return View to Default - Backspace
=Groups=
All Selected Units Defend Specified Group - Ctrl+I+(x) (where x = desired group)
All Selected Units Coordinate Attack with Specified Group - Ctrl+A+(x) (where x = desired group)
=Selection=
Select All Experimental Units - Ctrl-E
Select Multiple Groups - Shift+0-9 (while one group is selected)
Show Approximate Destination of All Selected Units - Alt-Shift (dot locations, so you can see what formation it's going to be, rather than just looking at a single directional line)
=UI=
Show Anti-air Coverage - Ctrl+Alt+A
Show Surface Coverage - Ctrl+Alt+S
Show Underwater Coverage - Ctrl+Alt+U
Show Artillery/Tactical Missile Coverage - Ctrl+Alt+R
Show Tactical/Strategic Missile Defense Coverage - Ctrl+Alt+D
Reset Military Overlay to Default and Turn Off - Ctrl+Alt+W (see Improvements/Range Overlay)
Hold to Display Military Radius of Selected Units - / (highlights them white if military overlay is on)
=Game=
Quick Save - F5
Quick Load - F7
=Construction Templates=
* Tier objects in templates too advanced for construction (or on incompatible terrain for buildings) will be skipped when used
To Recall Unit Template With Factory Selected (saves to profile):
Recall Unit Template 1 - Ctrl+Alt+1
Recall Unit Template 2 - Ctrl+Alt+2
Recall Unit Template 3 - Ctrl+Alt+3
Recall Unit Template 4 - Ctrl+Alt+4
Recall Unit Template 5 - Ctrl+Alt+5
Recall Unit Template 6 - Ctrl+Alt+6
Recall Unit Template 7 - Ctrl+Alt+7
Recall Unit Template 8 - Ctrl+Alt+8
Recall Unit Template 9 - Ctrl+Alt+9
Recall Unit Template 10 - Ctrl+Alt+0
To Create Unit Template With Factory Selected from Current Build Queue:
Set Unit Template 1 - Ctrl+Shift+1
Set Unit Template 2 - Ctrl+Shift+2
Set Unit Template 3 - Ctrl+Shift+3
Set Unit Template 4 - Ctrl+Shift+4
Set Unit Template 5 - Ctrl+Shift+5
Set Unit Template 6 - Ctrl+Shift+6
Set Unit Template 7 - Ctrl+Shift+7
Set Unit Template 8 - Ctrl+Shift+8
Set Unit Template 9 - Ctrl+Shift+9
Set Unit Template 10 - Ctrl+Shift+0
To Recall Building Template With Cdr/sCdr/Engineer Selected (saves to profile):
Recall Building Template 1 - Ctrl+Alt+1
Recall Building Template 2 - Ctrl+Alt+2
Recall Building Template 3 - Ctrl+Alt+3
Recall Building Template 4 - Ctrl+Alt+4
Recall Building Template 5 - Ctrl+Alt+5
Recall Building Template 6 - Ctrl+Alt+6
Recall Building Template 7 - Ctrl+Alt+7
Recall Building Template 8 - Ctrl+Alt+8
Recall Building Template 9 - Ctrl+Alt+9
Recall Building Template 10 - Ctrl+Alt+0
To Create Building Template With Selected Buildings:
Set Building Template 1 - Ctrl+Shift+1
Set Building Template 2 - Ctrl+Shift+2
Set Building Template 3 - Ctrl+Shift+3
Set Building Template 4 - Ctrl+Shift+4
Set Building Template 5 - Ctrl+Shift+5
Set Building Template 6 - Ctrl+Shift+6
Set Building Template 7 - Ctrl+Shift+7
Set Building Template 8 - Ctrl+Shift+8
Set Building Template 9 - Ctrl+Shift+9
Set Building Template 10 - Ctrl+Shift+0
=Movement Templates=
* Movement templates are a function that, when called into action, bring up previously recorded orders. Recall snaps the template to the cursor, click to place. Template is surrounded by an interactive box that allows you to stretch and skew the template as you would an image in Photoshop (well, more like Illustrator, considering the paths). Individual target nodes may still be manipulated. Templates are canceled like any other order.
* 'Maneuvers' are similar to 'patrols' in that units will move in a loop. However, they will not peel off to engage (thus flying in endless predictable patterns around a single target until it is destroyed), and will fire at a target only if their guns can point at it. Good for evasion, if the pattern is tight enough. Only compatible with Tier 1 units. Land and sea-bound units will path around obstacles if necessary.
* Though excessive, the ability to bring up a sub-menu to name these and subsequently select them by name would be cool as well.
To Recall Patrol Template
Recall Patrol Template 1 - Alt+P+1
Recall Patrol Template 2 - Alt+P+2
Recall Patrol Template 3 - Alt+P+3
Recall Patrol Template 4 - Alt+P+4
Recall Patrol Template 5 - Alt+P+5
Recall Patrol Template 6 - Alt+P+6
Recall Patrol Template 7 - Alt+P+7
Recall Patrol Template 8 - Alt+P+8
Recall Patrol Template 9 - Alt+P+9
Recall Patrol Template 10 - Alt+P+10
To Create Patrol Template
Set Patrol Template 1 - Ctrl+P+1
Set Patrol Template 2 - Ctrl+P+2
Set Patrol Template 3 - Ctrl+P+3
Set Patrol Template 4 - Ctrl+P+4
Set Patrol Template 5 - Ctrl+P+5
Set Patrol Template 6 - Ctrl+P+6
Set Patrol Template 7 - Ctrl+P+7
Set Patrol Template 8 - Ctrl+P+8
Set Patrol Template 9 - Ctrl+P+9
Set Patrol Template 10 - Ctrl+P+10
To Recall Maneuver Template
Recall Maneuver Template 1 - Alt+M+1
Recall Maneuver Template 2 - Alt+M+2
Recall Maneuver Template 3 - Alt+M+3
Recall Maneuver Template 4 - Alt+M+4
Recall Maneuver Template 5 - Alt+M+5
Recall Maneuver Template 6 - Alt+M+6
Recall Maneuver Template 7 - Alt+M+7
Recall Maneuver Template 8 - Alt+M+8
Recall Maneuver Template 9 - Alt+M+9
Recall Maneuver Template 10 - Alt+M+10
To Create Maneuver Template
Set Maneuver Template 1 - Ctrl+M+1
Set Maneuver Template 2 - Ctrl+M+2
Set Maneuver Template 3 - Ctrl+M+3
Set Maneuver Template 4 - Ctrl+M+4
Set Maneuver Template 5 - Ctrl+M+5
Set Maneuver Template 6 - Ctrl+M+6
Set Maneuver Template 7 - Ctrl+M+7
Set Maneuver Template 8 - Ctrl+M+8
Set Maneuver Template 9 - Ctrl+M+9
Set Maneuver Template 10 - Ctrl+M+10
===
- Improvements-
===
=Range Overlay=
* Right click military overlay to bring up a submenu with togglable options. Right click again to turn off submenu. Toggles displayed:
- Show Anti-air Coverage
- Show Surface Coverage
- Show Underwater Coverage
- Show Artillery/Tactical Missile Coverage
- Reset to Default and Close
*Fill/Outline Switch
- Fill: Uses translucent layer to indicate military coverage, rather than outline. Effective when there are many units.
=Combat=
* Toggle allows Tactical Missile Defense to fire at wreckage of small aircraft when missiles aren't incoming to reduce impact damage.
* Impact zones from large ordinance to provide effective cover for T1 units
* Formation Orientation Depth: with units selected, hold right and left mouse button and drag at a target location to specify formation face and (as with BFME) breadth.
* Smart Formations, possibly implemented as command rose; examples (vulnerable units automatically placed towards the center/rear as applicable):
- 'Cluster', formation that looks more like an unruly mob than a formation. Seems to be default for some units (like large ships).
- 'Assault Wall' (aircraft), a wall of aircraft, one over the other, providing a front of fire
- 'Box' (aircraft), a box of aircraft (ex., 16 units length, 16 width, 16 depth)
- 'Sphere' (aircraft), selected aircraft attempt to surround large air units from all angles
- 'Sheet', standard boxy formation (ex., 16 units length, 16 units width)
- 'Line', default formation; self-explanatory
- 'Column', self-explanatory
- 'Diamond', forms units into a diamond shape
- 'Circular' forms units into a circle
- 'Echelon Left', forms units into a line that faces the enemy at an angle, front facing left
- 'Echelon Right', forms units into a line that faces the enemy at an angle, front facing right
- 'V', form units into an angle, lines facing the enemy
- 'Wedge', form units into an angle, point facing towards the enemy
* Attack patterns for aircraft and small naval units, possibly implemented as command rose; examples:
- 'Clover Leaf', pattern around target
- 'Circle', around target
- 'Strafe', by target (over, back and forth for air, alongside, port and starboard for naval)
- 'Swarm', all T1 units, attempts to close proximity as much as possible with enemy units to distract them
* Enhanced 'Guard' System; example:
- when I assign a bunch of mech marines to assist a half-dozen tanks and two artillery pieces, they should do so in a more organized fashion then just milling about in random clusters
=UI=
* Option to reduce selection group button size in menu (I know it can be turned off, but I'd like it if they weren't so large)
* Option to make camera tilt sticky, so space doesn't have to be constantly held down for a good view
* Toggle to turn off wall display icons, or to solidify them into unified shapes. As they are, when zoomed out, they turn into black blotches that slow the game down (for me) and block out sight of more important objects.
* ETA's on all paths (transport ones currently don't have it)
* Adjacency bonus information displayed upon hovering mouse over object.
=AI=
* Combat Behaviors:
- 'Hold Fire', unit will not fire, even if fired upon
- 'Return Fire', unit will fire if fired upon
- 'Controlled Fire,' unit will fire at a target within range if friendlies will not be affected by blast radius
- 'Free Fire', unit will fire at any target within range
* Navigation Behaviors:
- 'Scout', "look but don't touch;" sends selected units on a mission of visual confirmation of enemy whereabouts
- 'Search & Destroy', allows unit to move around of its own volition searching for targets
- 'Return & Repair', returns to the nearest compatible factory with the shortest queue to repair (can set
- 'Decommission', returns to nearest compatible factory with the shortest queue to reclaim resources
automatic return behavior level at 75% health, 50% health and 25% health)
* Stances:
- 'Hold Ground/Defensive', will NOT budge (that means you, destroyers)
- 'Balanced', units behave normally
- 'Skirmish', units keep as much distance between themselves and the target while still being within range.
- 'Pursue/Aggressive', units will bitterly chase down any enemy spotted
* Type-Targeting:
- 'Raze', toggle on/off; unit prefers to destroy buildings
- 'Target Air-to-Air' AA unit prefers attacking air-to-air units
- 'Target Air-to-Ground', AA unit prefers attacking air-to-ground units
- 'Target Naval', unit prefers attacking naval units
- 'Target Land', unit prefers attacking any land unit
- 'Target Ordnance', unit prefers attacking artillery
- 'Target Low Tier' sets target priorities to low-tier units
- 'Target High Tier' sets target priorities to high-tier units
=Save Games=
* Allow the creation of subfolders for campaign savegames.
=Pathing Optimization=
* Optimize ship pathing to avoid unnecessary bottlenecks and excessive babysitting.
* Optimize aircraft landing pathing when aiming for air staging platforms (they often miss and land on the ground).
* 'Tailgate' command to force mobile shield generators to stay almost on top of a target while in motion.
* Optimize transport pathing to pick up targets at the same elevation they're at. Too often I get a commander or sCDR stuck on a cliff because the transport doesn't want to hover there. Instead, it lands at the base of a hill cliff, leaving whoever wants a ride pondering the futility of sliding down a cliffside.
* Optimize 'match speed' AI. No more stop-and-go traffic.
=Multiplayer=
* Modes:
- 'Coop Wave' starts all players in the same location of the map and throws gradually increasing numbers of units at them. Players share resources and attempt to build up as quickly as possible to survive as long as possible. Win criteria can be kills (akin to slaughter mode; Starcraft), or merely being alive after a certain number of waves or at the end of the time buzzer.
- 'Teamwork' (exactly like Starcraft 'Team' mode) example: Player1 & 2 are on team 1. Both get an ACU, both start in the same location, and both share the same economy.
Audio
* Jukebox that will allow you to select in-game music when things are slow or you're not satisfied with 10 seconds of battle music (and then back to idle).
* See 'content expansion.'
=Content Expansion=
* Expansion pack as a persistant campaign, sort of blending the concepts of Dark Crusade, Empire at War and Ascendancy. Space combat present ala (heavily-modified) Homeworld.
* More unit special abilities with adjustable usage autonomy.
* Hire composer Jeremy Soule to write another couple pieces of music, but for each faction; intermix with default for greater variety during gameplay. Games can last over an hour, so variety would help.
If any of this is already possible, that means I haven't seen it in the documentation. I know a lot of this is excessive, but it'd give players a ton of different ways to employ strategy. Might add more later, but I'd probably be told to go make my own game.
Comments?
Note 1: Random clicking got me to figure that there were already some formations, but they're pretty cookie-cutter. You can cycle through them by taking a group, holding right on the destination, clicking left to scroll through formations, drag to face, release. Would've helped if I was told.
Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2007-03-03 19:09:51)
