Hey guys. Absolutely love the game, but I have a proposal for a mod some people might be interested in.
It seems to me a lot of peoples complaints stem from phase lanes. The AI plays 'hop scotch' as one person called it, Siege fleets and pirates can crop up in a matter of seconds, and the only real action happens in a planets gravity well.
My proposal is for modders to remove phase lanes all together, replacing them with real space. Sacrilege you say? Listen for a moment, theres a method to my madness. The proposal is to replace phase lanes with 'space lanes', wide tunnels of real time game space possibly the thickness of a planets gravity well or thicker. This would solve numerous peoples complaints, balance issues, and make the game more realistic. Maybe phase lanes are better suited for late game tech advances like the phase tunnels.
Pro's
#1: Allows for blockades and deep space outpost building
If you had an empire in space, would you leave this big undefended corridor from planet to planet, or would you leave a few capital ships in play, maybe a space station (Deep Space 9, anyone?) It would add a new layer of strategy to the game. Suddenly your forced to consider defense on the 'roadways' to your planet, not just the world itself. To prevent abuse, building range could be limited to your culture influence, which would make culture more important.
#2: Deals with hop skotch tactic
If the AI can't retreat instantly at the drop of a hat, this issue is mute. You can chase their fleet right down the tunnel, blasting back and forth. They might even have a blockade to retreat behind. People can still run, but it eliminates this idea of these massive fleets of ships passing each other by without so much as a shot fired.
#3: Lengthens/Deepens Game
If you have to blast your way through layers of defenses to reach a planet, suddenly diplomacy becomes more important. It also adds a new layer of tactics to the game in the question of 'do you send your fleet in to annihilate everything, or do I use blockade runner ships to speed in and hit them at their core'.
Cons:
#1: Longer game
Ships having to move from planet to planet will take a fair bit of time. It won't be instant gratification by any means. Maybe ships could have the option to phase jump around in friendly territory and only have to use normal engines in disputed space.
#2: Strengthens Defensive Players
This really isn't a con. Turtling is a legitimate strategy, but some players will see people being too defensive as a negative.
We know the game engine can support this level of activity, and we know its not out of the realm of possibility. Ships can move freely outside a gravity well in pursuit of a target, so obviously game space exists there, its just a matter of allowing the player to issue orders there and colonize it. The only thing that really would have to change is the cap for ship building would need to be greatly heightened.. which it should anyway. If your playing a custom game with 16 players (and I have), 2000 ships is NOT enough to 'win' in any sense of the word.
This concludes my modest proposal, I look forward to any comments, but flames will be used to heat my house.
