12 replies to this topic

[GrandMoffThoth]

Hey everyone,
From [a] to [g] What I'd like to see added to the game is;

-[a]- I would love to see Jabba the Hutt explored. Either as a race, or to interact with as an uncontrolable ai. As a kid, I thought his Gamorrean guards were the coolest with their huge axes, & hog snouts. Then came the Rancor pit, & Sarlaac pit. Which were each as awesome as the idea of capturing Han Solo, & freezing him in a carbonite slab to smuggle across the galaxy to hang on your wall due to unpaid debts! Why are these things not fixtures in our gameplay, did noone else fall in love with all that came with Jabba the Hutt? If that's what served as 'business as usual', I always imagined what gloriously insidious methods & fetishes, the infamous Hutt reserved for special circumstances!
I don't think he should amass a fleet of ships, you would know more than me how possible it is to code a Hutt to be a Hutt. It would really be awesome to interact with real spice runs & smuggling operations, that are successful but also frequently snagged by the Empire. Kessel's mines could be opened to massive upgrades for those with the $$. The ability to carbon freeze a bounty or stop at various crime worlds to check for bounty prices to make some quick cash. I dunno, this is a HUGE part of the Star Wars Universe that never seems to overlap right. Is it possible to make a Mod upgrade v3 or 5, which overlays the bountyhunters & their prey & our ability to get prices placed on our heads or killing specific people, or blowing up a specific world, or being too much of a butcher etc. If there ever is a multiplayer add-on, hunting down a fellow human player, & turning him in to a crime boss for a chunk of change for building a fleet or superweapon, then busting him out would be very neat. Remember Solo got a bounty placed on his head for dumping a shipment the Empire tried to bust him with for smuggling! He got away that day but got frozen later for that same decision. These events would add so much to the game. If not for a functioning sarlaac pit, Jabba probably wouldn't have let Boushh unfreeze him. Speaking of functioning sarlaac pits...
-[b]- Since the Hutts in general, much less Jabba, didn't reach out to rule every part of the galaxy, that creates a lot of space to fit in Tyber Zann's crew, competing crime lords, but especially Black Sun! Who cares about Zann if it means Xizor & Black Sun are ignored? There must be some way to add these crime lords to the gameplay, as they have had so much to do with the major galactic events, & backround schemes that led to the decay of galactic domination. This is like a prohibition movie with no mention of the mob. Black Sun should be woven into the fabric of the underworld, there is as much to say about Black Sun with its array of cartels, as there is to say about the various Hutts.
-[c]- Heros are ridiculously absent in this game, I haven't seen the thread where you mentioned your focus or disregard for adding heros. This to me is as important as new planets! The reality for all sides, is that important characters are placed in command of important vessels. Placing Han Solo in command of your fleet should make a bigger impact on the outcome than placing Abe Carlton in command! There really needs to be 20+ characters for each side, I want to defend this opinion more, but it seems all too obvious of a statement. Perhaps it would take a whole upgrade to do it right to deal with the icon clutter, & commander bonuses, but this is an absolute must.
If Tarkin loses 10 major battles/fleets in a row, costing you half the galaxy, & you're only alive due to Grand Admiral Thrawn; there should be a way to promote Thrawn to Moff, demote Tarkin to Grand Admiral, & probably even the ability to officially execute those responsible for continual failure! Vader went through Admirals like underwear, the Empire needs the realities of promotion/demotion. It might sound silly to some, but vying for positions of favor, knowing you die if you fail, & risking it all to garner the promotion to Admiral, Grand Admiral, Moff, or Grand Moff, is what made the Empire run! If Thrawn loses your Death Star, your research capital, & your largest fleet; you should be able to 'banish' him into the unexplored regions of the outer rim!
-[d]- From what I've seen, your new planets are S P E C T A C U L A R ! Exactly the kind of love & attention to detail that anyone could hope for. Of course this is based on screenshots only, but it stands to reason that they play the way they look. I missed where you mentioned (if you did or not) whether all the new planets are extra, or if some replace others. Is the only planet limit, the creative juices limit, or is there an actual code cap etc? I understand a lot comes with making a new world, but exploring your own niche in unknown space when most of the galaxy is gunning for you is an aspect that would greatly deepen the gameplay. These maps are unbelieveably too small! It's a Galaxy not a county!! 100+ worlds seems a wee tiny for a galaxy, & we're not even at 100 yet. Why not just narrow the war into a 10x10 room & have at it for "Galactic Domination!"
-[e]- The Ssi-Ruuk are one of the most inventive additions, which have been blatanly ignored over & over again! I realize they spanned a single novel, but anyone who read that novel, knows what I am saying. Plus, now that it's all battledroid this & clonetrooper that, the Ssi-Ruuk deserve their chair at the table. They could even be placed well off the main map, so they don't come into play until deep outer rim exploration occurs. To both stop initial map clutter, & subsequent voids of interest once large areas are opened up in the outer rims & unknown territories. They would also present one of the most unique ai experiences around. Same question about the races, is there a coding cap (new race replaces old race), or is the cap work/effort/time based?
-[f]- This space station obsession has got to stop already! Every damn space battle doesn't need to involve destroying a space station!! It's just dumb. Now & again, ok, but how many space stations were in anything Star Wars? Not on every planet! Something needs to either drastically alter this aspect of our battles, or do away with it as a military unit. Enterprises switch hands far more often than get blown up & rebuilt 7 times a week. I'd rather have better reinforcement options. I know this has nothing to do with PR, but doesn't anyone else feel the same? There must be another way, especially if you are able to modify so much.
-[g]- I attacked a planet once with what I thought would be 25 star destroyers etc, only to discover I had 4-5 vs their 12. Their reinforcements wiped out mine until I lost 5 ships at a time to the demise of a fleet that should have walloped the opposition! This is maybe the worst part of the game. I had not known every ship they had was there, but with my full force as it was composed entering the system, I could have taken them. This battlefield unit capacity cap is obscene. Lose the detail in the tree leaves I say, give me Star Wars back! I did catch you mentioning the attempt to greatly raise all caps in your mods, & I look forward to this aspect of your mod as much as any other.
I realize the whole machine lag prob with huge units, but isn't there a way to create a series of micro managers which dissipate the clutter of that info? Could you make the ability to chose an attack formation & target, so the machine doesn't have to deal with every single unit? Much like playing an NFL game, where your off/def line doesn't stop moving b/c you're presently manuevering the QB or WR. Everyone knows what to do, even the guy you just clicked away from & confused by ruining his route, resumes his route on his own. I've so often had a platoon get shelled while a tank I clicked off of is staring out into space not 3 ft away! Then the tank is shelled next. I'd rather have internal ai managers which make my units act right when I'm looking elsewhere in the battle. Is this at all possible conceptually, I dunno the softcode/hardcode limitations. I also don't know if this is as simple as it seems, quite difficult, or impossible without hardcode access.

- Anyhow, these are my thoughts, & wishes for 'what I'd like to see in the game.'
I don't know how many others echo these ideas, or how many are included in today's release of PR. I would like to say that I am excited & willing to contribute torwards the creation of any of these ideas, though I am a novice at modding. Everytime I learn so much, they switch engines. I was so excited about Empire at War, until I played it and realized it was 1997 Rebellion all over again, with a few bells & whistles. If not for Phoenix Rising, I would've chucked the game at the wall, but as I knew from Rebellion & RebEd, the Mod community might have the answers Petroglyph lacks. They sold this game to me as Supreme Commander in macro-scope, & Gears of War in micro-scope. It falls short from every direction other than being Star Wars, which often is enough. As a Star Wars Risk game, it's way better, but as a Galactic Conquest game, I am broken hearted.
I eagerly await today's release of PR & hope it's everything it seems to be. I have lost all faith in Lucas Arts ability to ever create the galactic conquest game I yearn for. It seems I'd have better luck looking for Call of Duty Star Wars Mods & Galactic Civilizations II Star Wars Mods, than to buy another Star Wars game from Lucas. Hopefully I needn't do anything more than download the latest Phoenix Rising Mod to sooth my broken heart!


( are we there yet? are we there yet? are we ther yet?) ... (6 hrs left)

[Dane Kiet]

When do you want him to finish, in the next 5 years? You are talking about MONTHS of programing!!! First, "pirate fleets" are being used and modified already based on how advanced the planets defense force is or what pirates are in the area (look under news titled something like "new fighters", i don't remember the name). Second, the hreoes ARE being added, a lot of them ,though i don't think all of the one's you are thinking of. Also, look under News, Buildable Heroes to see what is up with their abilities in battle. Third, PR is adding Golans are being added to the build que for space, so defenses will be harder to crack. Fourth, PR would basicly have to make another team for the Sii-Ruuk And that would take hours, if not days or weeks (or months) of programing. And finally, if you want to see all of this, MAKE YOUR OWN MOD!!!

[Dane Kiet]

wow, my post seems nice

[Dane Kiet]

comparing

Edited by Dane Kiet, 31 December 2007 - 01:24 AM.

[clone1051]

"ability to chose an attack formation & target"

You want this? Get Homeworld.

Quit bashing PR and Petroglyph; some of the stuff you are suggesting CANNOT be done without major modifications to the game that nobody but the PG staff who developed EaW would be able to do. not to mention the huge amount of time it would take to do it all.

[Dane Kiet]

*Chuck Norris apears in front of Thoth* You have been owned

[GrandMoffThoth]

WOW
- That's shockingly hilarious actually. Can't complain about actual feedback, but intelligent rebuttals would be nice. There were some loose ends in there, but I convinced myself it was too long, & too wordy already, & that if anyone cared so much I'd mention it later. Though most of everything negative said so far is due to abject disregard to words I typed, so I don't see how that's my fault that you made up your own rendition of what I said.
I attempted to clarify in the description field & several times in the text that I meant as an additional upgraded version for later, as was mentioned will be the case for land battles. If the PR mod can handle large chunks being stacked, then later additions would not be killer if done one at a time. As is being done with v.1 Space, & v.2 Land; hence the v.3+ part that was meant to infer later incarnations of the PR upgrades. That I put as the topic description.
Also I broke the ideas into letters just to make it simpler to refer to. I thought they read in sequence somewhat. It all seems way too long without the ABCs or 123s.

To Guest_SW_*: As far as insulting Phoenix and jdk002, you are completely butchering the context of what I said. My 'purposeful mean remarks' were directed at George Lucas & Lucas Arts, NOT Phoenix and jdk002, or anyone in the Mod Community. I left out a lot of clarification there due to other presumptions I took, that you even elluded to by declaring I read the forums. The forums aren't exactly a gift card, they are quite extensive. Phoenix Rising has been rising for a long time, b/c quality takes time, something Petroglyph could aspire to. Which is who else I was scathing. Not Phoenix or jdk002.
However, I read what I could, & am still reading over info 1yr old. I said that I saw the pop cap expansion thread & that I commend it. I also said I missed anything regarding heroes, not that there was nothing said, but that I missed it so far.
I did read enough of the forums to be able to say that you, Guest_StarWars_*, are a clown, because I purposefully placed this topic as a separate opinion in the PROPER place. Not as some rant in response to some other topic, or one that's been dead for 6 months! This is where to state "What would you like to see in Phoenix Rising?", so I stated such. I suppose it stands to reason you ignored that, since you ignored most of what I wrote. Also, unlike you, I specifically joined as a member to post my opinion, & enjoy this mod. You certainly have a lot to say for someone who can't be bothered to join or sign in. I stand by what I typed, as well as how absurd your rendition of it is.

- The ending is my voiced disappointment in Empire at War, & Lucas Arts, & every damn Star Wars game I've bought so far! NOT at Phoenix or jdk002. I thought that was clear, but if not, it should be now. I say again I'd of smashed this game if not for my experiences with RebEd for Rebellion back in 97-98, or had Phoenix Rising not existed. This is not what I see as the next step after Galactic Battlegrounds. I thought I had made clear that my opinion is that Phoenix & jdk002 are about to make this game, dare I say it... fun? I really don't know what you were reading into there with my 'meaniness', but any wrath is directed at those who made the hardcode & sold EaW/FoC for $25 a piece! As far as I've seen so far, Phoenix & jdk002 have danced circles around Petroglyph's team & neither got a cent of what I spent on this junk game! I dunno how good either is at hardcoding, but I'd be more interested in sending $30-40 for a new hardcode to the Phoenix Rising team than to Lucas Arts. That's what I meant to imply with my anger at SW games & Lucas Arts. I hope this clarifies that 'loose end.'

To Guest_SW_*:
- [a] mods = code, you're missing the point brutally. Are you awake?
- [b] I read enough of the forums to know I am not the one who stated he hasn't, I also mentioned those pics.
- [c] I caught some glimpses but basically missed most of what Phoenix said about adding heroes. The mini mod would not run past the loading screen, most likely due to other mods I had downloaded mucking up my files. Some put stuff in the wrong spots so I had to move stuff, & then the whole can of worms is let out. I have not had the pleasure of playing the mini mod. I am gonna clean reinstall when PR is released. Again directed more at the hardcode though, wtf!? After a major mod we reach 10 heroes? This is Star Wars! They're ALL heroes-c'mon! What was Petroglyph doing code for, river rocks?! I commend Phoenix & jdk002 for enabling us to use as many as 10 per side if this is the case. I am stating that I need a face on each SD as an admiral etc, not that Phoenix & jdk002 need to rush right out & do it at once, or at all!
- [d] Again, the term 'these maps' is meant to refer to the EaW/FoC maps, both galactic & world. NOT to the PR maps. A lot of the PR worlds are gems that Lucas Arts should be smacked for ignoring just to squeeze in their clones crap. The 100+ worlds is a question being posed about the possiblity of adding & adding & adding later on to things like, just Outer Rim planets, to allow the PR map to stretch out like a real galaxy. This would allow for the Ssi-Ruuk to be run into, & also to play out Thrawn's campaigns. Petro & LA gave us a dumb map, that's what I am saying. Making a mod add-on of just 100+ maps for the Outer Rim would be worth the trouble. Your own melodrama isn't at play here, what I said is not rude, & I didn't make any mention of anyone's priorities or real lives. Duck duck goose.
- [e] Sorry, you've already proven your praise to be inept, & utterly worthless, so keep it. While this is in fact a wonderful addition, it's not "the only one in here."
- [f] I have read more of the expanded universe than anyone I know, but that pesky "real life" has gotten in the way of me being up to speed with every novel released up to the last one, thus I can't say I've read them all. "So get over it." Then there are all the pretty graphic 'novels' with their own archs, which is the primary source of Black Sun stuff, & the young jedi series,& the game storylines & the...Gosh you're just so silly with how you said all this! And NO you have no feasible choice about building a space station. Especially if you want to build certain ships. No lots of space stations are not in Star Wars, & again I didn't declare that PR fixes this. In fact -yikes- I even said (& I quote),"I know this has nothing to do with PR, but doesn't anyone else feel the same? There must be another way...," scary stuff.
- [g] I agree with him too, as that's one of the threads I caught. However, that doesn't mean it can't be solved at a later date. The pop cap stretch will temporarily solve many of these woes, in ways Petro & LA will never provide! I feel that this is worth postulating though, & your receptiveness to it before your 'too bad' means maybe enough others agree, to where we can do something about it.
"Let me say something before I start, you are a VERY disrespectful person, how you were saying your suggestions was in a very put-down matter to Phoenix and jdk002. Now, maybe you should read the fourms BEFORE you say Phoenix doesn't do things that he HAS done!"
- - Uh are you sure you weren't watching American Idol or maybe Survivor? I think you've got me mixed up with someone else, or maybe something else you've been reading/watching. Nothing I said was directed at Phoenix or jdk002 outside of them being the most capable of creating anything I was mentioning. I haven't stated anything either of them has, or has not done. I did state a lot of what Lucas Arts & other game makers have failed to do, including the most recent culprit, Petroglyph. Which I suppose does ellude to what the PR team has been doing for the past year!
"Just to tell you, I wouldn't of been mean, except for your attitude of how you made Phoenix and jdk002 look like a slacker, your post has a lot of mean comments in it, and I'm pretty sure they were on purpose, everyone makes mistakes, but just don't do this again to Phoenix and jdk002 please"
- - Uh I took you for silly, perhaps a bit ridiculous, but not mean. Other than you making stuff up about what I said & distorting what I meant that is. I didn't make either Phoenix or jdk002 look like a slacker, much less sound like one. No my post has actually zero 'mean' comments in it, UNLESS you are primarily responsible for ripping us Star Wars gaming fans off stretching back to Super Nintendo!!! (which noone here is) Yes they were on purpose, with cherries on top. Yes everyone makes mistakes, as I anticipated earnest feedback from fellow members, not ridiculous poo slinging from shadow seekers. I was mistaken for expecting that, but I am all better now. Apparently I've got a mulligen or 'get outta jail free' card stashed away then? Cuz I didn't do it this time. Nice of you to use 'please' though.

For the Record for those that read: Phoenix & jdk002, & anyone else involved with Phoenix Rising, or creating QUALITY virus-free mods for FREE are a w e s o m e.


To Dane Kiet:
"When do you want him to finish, in the next 5 years? You are talking about MONTHS of programing!!!"
- - Hahahaha, I know, I meant slowly but eventually in later upgraded versions/patches etc, not by 12 midnight.)~
"First, "pirate fleets" are being used and modified already based on how advanced the planets defense force is or what pirates are in the area (look under news titled something like "new fighters", i don't remember the name)."
- - yes I think I did see that mentioned, it will be a nice approach. I am excited.
"Second, the hreoes ARE being added, a lot of them ,though i don't think all of the one's you are thinking of."
- - Hoping for, not thinking of, I was refering to them all. Thrawn was ignored for YEARS game after game, so since he's here for once, I can't complain too much. But I've got some more to harp about that. I meant stuff like we need Admirals & Grand Admirals & Moffs & Grand Moffs, not like one strawberry & one blueberry & one plum. Even if just a promotion system is made & random nonames are created somehow for us to add substance to, through our own battles. Vader is missing something if he's not choking at least an Admiral a week! Besides, who's the Emperor to blame for that fleet being destroyed...again? I need names people, icons to snuff!
"PR is adding Golans are being added to the build que for space, so defenses will be harder to crack."
- - Absolutely awesome idea & addition. I can't wait!
"PR would basicly have to make another team for the Sii-Ruuk And that would take hours, if not days or weeks (or months) of programing."
- - If that's all the time it took, then it will be worth doing. As I said, I'm more than willing to do whatever I can be directed to do, as I'm sure a lot of members around here are. I know squat about coding, but I'm not dishing out orders here, which brings us last but certainly not least...
"And finally, if you want to see all of this, MAKE YOUR OWN MOD!!!"
- - I hope to, & maybe I'll even finish before some brash strapping company usurps all my work with their latest release! All of the mods I've made are for the Age of Empires series, Galactic Battlegrounds, & SW Rebellion. Most of those had too many triggers to work fluently since I didn't know how to code then, & the triggers weren't meant to do all that stuff in one map. I did everything that should be code, as a trigger. I still don't know how to code, but I've done more with those triggers than I've seen in 80% of the mods for those games. There was a lot within that remaining 20% that was over my head, since I couldn't code/model. (I haven't made much sense of the EaW Map editor, I really don't like it at all, though I may be too fond of the one I am good at using from AoE/GB.)
So as I said, I am willing to help wherever, or whenever, to do any of what I've mentioned or any other good ideas anyone has. Everytime I learn a bunch, the engine is switched, it seems the only escape from sticking with one title is to learn different coding languages etc. So I'm stuck with helping out, getting the coffee, & voicing neat ideas as topics under the appropriate forum threads until I become...a coder, or is it coda? codii? Oh yeah, & fielding the unwarranted scrutiny of silly gooses in painted face.
"wow, my post seems nice"
- - Surprising what can happen huh? Though the looney bin shouldn't be our standard!
"*Chuck Norris apears in front of Thoth* You have been owned"
- - Unlike most pacifier suckers, I grew up when Chuck was a real movie star. Not some commercial pushing products, or a pop culture gimmick. I enjoyed every minute of Chuck Norris' movies, which dwarf crap like High School, American Pie, & the next brainless movie of the year. I officially state for the record that being owned by Chuck Norris is not the silly little trendy haha y'all wish it would be. Norris rocks the socks off of your pansy ass Keanu, as well as Jet, & I'd rather see a Norris film tomorrow than another hunk of the month crapper with guns! So sure, I'll even buy em a drink. As long as it's not sold in a sporty little can.
Thanks for all the references as to where to find those topics in the library of forum conversations.

To clone1051:
"You want this? Get Homeworld."
- - I hear homeworld is junk. Are you officially recomending a SW mod for homeworld over an EAW/FOC mod like PR, or just being a wise ass?
" Quit bashing PR and Petroglyph; some of the stuff you are suggesting CANNOT be done without major modifications to the game that nobody but the PG staff who developed EaW would be able to do. not to mention the huge amount of time it would take to do it all."
- - Never did actually bash PR. Your mistake. Petroglyph I'll bash all day long, all week long, all year long- they deserve it! Don't harp on code limitations handcuffing PR in one breath, then pat ye olde petro team on the back with the next breath! They should of given us most of what Phoenix, jdk002, & team have been doing for the past year. I'll bash them for that forever, & rightfully so. If they sold decent games, people like the PR team could make stuff we're not even thinking about yet!
Also, speak for yourself about what can, & cannot be done. the PR team has already knocked your socks off over & over again from what you expected! So don't belittle them with what leaps & bounds the future holds. Oh yeah, & goofball, it's a "what would you like to see in Phoenix Rising" topic thread! I'm not bashing PR!
WAKE UP CLOWNS!!! THIS IS WHERE SUCH A POST GOES!! Just cuz you're starved for a new post & run right to the latest one, doesn't mean it's front & center! Or in everyone's face, in the wrong place & obnoxious to boot!! The PR team specifically created this specific spot to throw ideas up at, if I were complaining or bashing them, they created a specific spot (which is not right here), to do so!!
ENOUGH ALREADY ! ! !
Respond to what I wrote, not this band wagon misconception of intent. It's not THAT unclarified, nothing ill was spoken of or inferred at any point, about the PR team/mod, Phoenix or jdk002.
GET OFF IT ALREADY!


p.s.- This is tooooooooooooooooo long, but there are nuts on the loose. Sorry to anyone who read it all, & feels robbed of non-refundable life. Suppose we should rely on ol' Guest_SW_* and, "get over it."

Edited by GrandMoffThoth, 02 January 2008 - 10:37 PM.

[Dane Kiet]

*cracks knuckles* Where to begin.
StarWars, you were being a little too harsh to Thoth
Thoth, you were asking for what was basicly a new mod..... on openning night!!!! Even if you didn't mean "do it now", it still came off as a little..... demanding.
Don't bash PG because they didn't put EVERYTHING in the game and the battle isn't true to the universe, it is targeted to more than just us nerds who practically worship canon
the topics we refered to are fairly recent, since they are on the front page of the boards!!!
and finally, Chuck Norris is a JOKE now, besides, they had to SLOW DOWN Bruce Lee's footage, so he isn't the most BA martial artist in history.And most movies today DO suck, but i know A LOT of movies better than anything Norris has made (LOTR, Sweeney Todd, Hot Fuzz, ect.)
And you insulted Wars first, not the other way around.

Edited by Dane Kiet, 31 December 2007 - 05:34 AM.

[Phoenix Rising]

Wow, I drop off the face of the forums for a couple weeks to finish the release and this place turns into Chalmun's Cantina. Everyone just sheath your blasters for a second while I remind you where we are. This is the Community Suggestions forum. It's here so that we can get feedback from the fans, no matter how outlandish or practical it may be. Given enough new ideas, something cool is bound to come up - and already has (interdictor abilities, Royal Guard TIE/ins, Razor's Kiss... which I didn't get to this time).

Look, I can see how his post might come across as ungrateful because of the timing, but it didn't. The posts I'm more concerned about are the ones that are just plain rude and unjustified. I've had to do almost no amount of serious moderation since starting these forums almost a year ago and the reason is that we have a good community. If anyone takes the time to write such a lengthy post, it isn't because they want to bash us - and if it were, quite frankly, we could defend ourselves.

With the release of our first full version now, we will inevitably see many new faces around here, but I expect the same attitude from everyone. This is NOT FileFront. If I see it turning into FileFront, I will take aggressive steps to prevent that from happening. Leave your droids and attitude at the door, clear? As added incentive, consider that every time you force me to moderate, it's that much less time that I'm working on the mod. If you can't be civil, you're slowing down the mod. Seriously.

With that said, I'm willing to chalk all this up to anxiety concerning the release and excessive amounts of time waiting - provided I don't see it again. Now to the real responses...

I would love to see Jabba the Hutt explored.

I think that's what FoC tried to do, at least to some extent, and you can judge for yourself how that turned out. There is a huge void in the Outer Rim where Hutt Space should be, but I think many of your ideas are too detailed or specific for an RTS and would probably be more suited to an RPG or some kind of action/FPS title. Individual bounties and crimes seem to get lost in a galaxy of untold trillions for which you are fighting. I think the criminal side of the galaxy is worth exploring, but we would have to do it in terms of sectors opposed to individuals.

Heros are ridiculously absent in this game

I'm pleased with how the new hero system turned out (with the exception of that one bug with respawn) and I hope you guys are too. It allows for virtually unlimited amounts of heroes to be added to the game without the interface clutter or balance issues that it would traditionally cause. The only reason I haven't added tons of them is time.

Again, though, I think you're getting a bit too detailed for an RTS. Even if I were to implement something like ranks, there would be nothing to prevent you from "promoting" all your characters to Grand Admiral and watching the ridiculous ownage that would ensue upon the AI.

I missed where you mentioned (if you did or not) whether all the new planets are extra, or if some replace others.

All vanilla planets return, save for the two that were made up by PG, if that's what you mean.

Is the only planet limit, the creative juices limit, or is there an actual code cap etc? I understand a lot comes with making a new world, but exploring your own niche in unknown space when most of the galaxy is gunning for you is an aspect that would greatly deepen the gameplay. These maps are unbelieveably too small! It's a Galaxy not a county!! 100+ worlds seems a wee tiny for a galaxy, & we're not even at 100 yet. Why not just narrow the war into a 10x10 room & have at it for "Galactic Domination!"

As far as I know, there is no data limit. Our main limit would obviously be coming up with new (and meaningful) maps for all of them. That's going to be a challenge as it is.

Unfortunately, implementing the Unknown Regions in a game like this leaves little with respect to them being unknown, so things wouldn't play out exactly as they would in a book. From what I know about EaW, there's no system that would allow you to map hyperroutes or explore planets beyond what it does automatically when you capture a new world. In short, it would be disappointing.

The same goes for huge campaigns, as you've probably already seen with the GFFA one. Because of how EaW's AI was done (I believe it is the AI), it tends to break down almost exponentially as you add planets. I don't know if there's a way to change this through modding, at least without breaking the AI, but I'm highly doubtful. It appears to be a consequence of poor design (although adequate enough for their purposes I guess).

This space station obsession has got to stop already! Every damn space battle doesn't need to involve destroying a space station!!

I agree, but I wasn't able to fit a comprehensive station revamp into my schedule for the release. As it also affects the more pressing concern of interface real estate, expect that yet to come.

This battlefield unit capacity cap is obscene.

Perhaps, but those are the realities of hardware. I agree with what the others said; 48 makes sense for most systems. If you want to change it on your copy, it's not that difficult. Personally, I think of it like 300, where you have to fight at a chokepoint so that only the best individuals (ships, in this case) may survive. If there is no limit, it turns into a Rebellion-style biggest-fleet-takes-all match, and that would definitely have implications on the value of tech.