posted 04-07-99 05:55 PM ET        

Here's a list of the Propositions so you can cut n' paste real easy (and decide whether to read further 8-):

Proposition 1: New Patch Method
Proposition 2: Index in future Manuals
Proposition 3: Make Faction Profile Accessible
Proposition 4: Shut those dang AIs up!
Proposition 5: Former Threat Awareness
Proposition 6: Damaged SAMs Stop Suiciding
Proposition 7: Make Air Superiority Do What it Says
Proposition 8: Explain Away why Remote Units aren't Everywhere
Proposition 9: Show Clean Units
Proposition 10: Free Perimeter Logic Error, Please Fix
Proposition 11: Empty Queue Indicator on Base Ops Screen
Proposition 12: Remove Grav Struts, or Use Them
Proposition 13: Give some Sense to the Time Warp
Proposition 14: Planet Rating in Psi-defense
Proposition 15: Keep Name of Unit Type When Upgrade the Entire Class
Proposition 16: MAKE AI use Clean Units
Proposition 17: More Versatile Hurry Options
Proposition 18: Interlude Text Resizing
Proposition 19: Spies Should be Legit Target at any time
Proposition 20: Locusts Suck, Please Fix Them
Proposition 21: Give the Reds a Brain
Proposition 22: Opposite of Slavage Unity Core should be put in
Proposition 23: Time Controls Button in the way
Proposition 24: Something needs to be done t air units
Proposition 25: Let's go see if Call to Power really does suck or what
Proposition 26: TheRob is
a) an idiot;
b) anal retentive, but still has legit points;
c) reasonably coherant; or
d) absolutely brilliant, you should use him as an assistant game designer until he learns the ropes ;-)

Proposition 1: New Patch Method
First of all, the patcher program does not work well. Two files upset it and made it barf. I had to copy them from the CD b4 it got past each. Very annoying, tell those guys whose software you're renting that you want a refund (imho)

Proposition 2: Index in future Manuals
The next version of the manual (you know, that paper thing, made from trees? Don't tell Dierdre) should include an index. I recall how I praised both Civ's manuals for having an index, something I have often ranted about other complex games not having. A big shock not to see one here.

Proposition 3: Make Faction Profile Accessible
I still can't see the faction profile except when I talk to them (and at Transcend Ironman, you have to pay them to talk to them, sniff). You know, the one that actually tells you about the faction in _this_ game, not the generalized junk in the Datalinks. This "Embassy Info" was commonly available in Civ2, why not anymore?

Proposition 4: Shut those dang AIs up!
AIs still like to jabber at me at dumb times. I conquer another city this turn, "ooh, I hate you, you wascly Rob" then another, repeat, sigh, and roll eyes. Also, the AIs seem to have a desire to talk to me at regular intervals, which are not reset by my talking to them. E.g., I talk to Lal, get real chummy to him. Spend a couple turns _not_ taking over stuff, just peaceful like, and Lal comes back angry, wanting more bribes. Sigh, roll eyes, and then I end up having to take his cities, which is annoying because at the time he was nicely ahead of everyone else a perfect figurehead.

Proposition 5: Former Threat Awareness
Formers got no brains. An enemy (as in Vendetta, I wanna kill all yor babies!) shows up, and they just keep on forming. Yup, apparently they don't listen to the Emergency Broadcast System.

Proposition 6: Damaged SAMs Stop Suiciding
Proposition 7: Make Air Superiority Do What it Says
Highly damaged SAM air units will still try to defend ahead of undamged ground units in a city. Especially silly when the Air command center makes those ground units Death to air units. Also, supposed "air superiority" doesn't kick in on defense. Hence, the ground strafers still have true air superiority. Fixing this would help give planes life, and lower the awesome might of copters.

Proposition 8: Explain Away why Remote Units aren't Everywhere
Conventional missiles are apparently able to blow away psi-units with ease. Hmm. So, robots or remote controlled unites have no trouble blowing away psi units. Hmmmmm. Plot hole plot hole! Or rule hole, depending on how you want to deal with it, but a story patch is easier than a massive rules patch this would require.

Proposition 9: Show Clean Units
Clean Units in "Forces Supported" for a city aren't marked. Is somehat important when you're trying to figure out what to do with those "4 units free per city" and you need some non-clean double ability units.

Proposition 10: Free Perimeter Logic Error, Please Fix (pick one you like if you want)
If I conquer a hive city and get a perimeter defense, then it follows they shouldn't get a perimeter defense when they conquer my cities. Pick one, and fix it.

Proposition 11: Empty Queue Indicator on Base Ops Screen
I'd like some sort of indicator on the Base Ops screen telling how full the queue is. More precisely, something to tell me when the queue is empty.

Proposition 12: Remove Grav Struts, or Use Them
Grav struts: what's the point? I recommend removing them, or giving them the combined functionality of amphib and drop pods.

Proposition 13: Give some Sense to the Time Warp
The Time Warp should have some sense afflicted to it. Starting with a Project done you don't have the tech for? Units you can't support? And half your cities rioting? Ooops! Also, units should start with the "L" sentry command, not "H" hold position, as that way they wake up and tell you when someone is coming. Anyways, Hold position just means stop bugging me that a lot of baddies are walking around you. I still haven't got shift-l to do anything meaningful (like "kill that freakin; mind worm that just walked up to you!") Also, Morgan starts with sizes over 4, and no habs. These rule/plot holes kind of dissipate the immersion. Incidentally, Time Warp is very usefull for getting Multiplay working, so I think this really is a serious set of problems.

Proposition 14: Planet Rating in Psi-defense
The "planet rating" isn't used in Psi-defense. I think it should, as the PR is a sort of psi-rating as well. As it is, Deirdre (and the Reds, altho they don't have morale probs) get easily whupped on the defensive vs. psi, when they should be the preeminent psi-sters.

Proposition 15: Keep Name of Unit Type When Upgrade the Entire Class
The automatic upgrade tends to not keep the unit type's original name. I want my upgraded Speed Bears to stay Speed Bears (rover police, great in peacetime and offensive defensives 8-).

Proposition 16: MAKE AI use Clean Units
The AI doesn't Clean Up, that is, switch to clean units. If you don't have "support up to base size" (Support rating 3 or more) then the AI should limit itself to clean units. A simple sounding AI tweak.

Proposition 17: More Versatile Hurry Options (so I don't bloody well gotta count it out please!!!)
Trying to hurry from Base Ops (F4) doesn't give any idea of base mineral prod. In fact, I've found 2 important hurry modes I like to use a lot, and hence should darn well be automated! 8-):
a) pay enough that the unit will just barely be finished in 1 turn given the bases mineral production. I use this one exclusively until the money starts flowing in the thousands later on.
b) pay enough that 10 minerals will be left over next turn. This is the max spill over, and it's also the point at which buying buildings go from 4 per mineral to 2 per mineral. Darn tootin' usefull in the late game.

Proposition 18: Interlude Text Resizing
If you set the text size to big, you can't read the interlude. It doesn't scroll. Oops! (Just proving I'm "thourough" yeah that's it 8-)

Proposition 19: Spies Should be Legit Target at any time (as per manual)
You can't abuse Truced spies w/o the "are you sure you want to do this?" message popping up. Oh, and it told me _who_ the spy belonged to, as well, oops!

Proposition 20: Locusts Suck, Please Fix Them
Psi units are still affected by having the SAM ability: this turns the dreaded "locusts" into mere gnats. Locusts, as per earthly anaolgy, should be, well, deadly. At present, their only real use for me has been as an early fast moving flying city grabber. In combat, they just suck (compared to a cheaper self designed unit). I don't use them (they die quick and easy) and when the AI does, well, they die quick and easy, even w/o Neural Amplifier or planet ratings.

Proposition 21: Give the Reds a Brain
Proposition 22: Opposite of Slavage Unity Core should be put in (assuming Reds can scare humans off, that is)
In a similar vein, the Red Faction should get special powers for its psi units. It should have a decent chance of throwing out the humans, so to speak. Otherwise, what's the point of not salvaging the Unity Core? There really should be a chance that the humans feel they have to rebuild Unity and leave (hey, another victory condition! 8-). Also, I think it would be darn neat to have an "opponent" which didn't fit the conventional rules. Incidentally, if you want suggestions for Red psi-unit special powers such that might give 'em a chance to win, I've got loads.

Proposition 23: Time Controls Button in the way
In multiplayer, on a LAN at least, that time control thing gets in the way. Fortunately, my brilliant mind (cough cough cough ;-) is usually able to deduce what that message or button is that's hiding behind it, but still!

Proposition 24: Something needs to be done t air units (below just an example idea)
Radical restructuring of flying units (i.e., probably impossible to code at this time):
a) Planes should default to SAM ability (more accurately, air to air), and bombing should be implemented by adding the "artillery" ability. The artillery range would be quite representative of the kinds of long range gliding bombs we have today.
Why?: Well, it actually makes more sense, reality wise. This would give planes some sort of life after anything else that flies comes into production. Which tends to happen so fast, the only planes I ever end up using are supply planes, for building Projects.
b) Copters are fine, sort of. Just too many moves.
Why?: Copters really are good against ground units. Do they take fast unit penalties and bonuses? If not, I'd suggest adding that, since they apply just as well to low flying copters. As for moves, well, a nerve gas chopper can attack increadibly often and rarely take damage, and that's just one way to make a hyper destructive Cuisinart.
c) Locusts suck real bad, especially compared to both the story associated with them, and the various Locusts swarms of Earth. They need radical surgery, I think, but I've already gone over that above.
d) Gravships keep stopping when they run into a friendly city on a goto. Not sure why, since they can easily hit sub-orbital, or further out. Come to think of it, planes have the same goto-related problem. And that's just about the only nit I can find with gravships 8-)

Proposition 25: Let's go see if Call to Power really does suck or what
Well, I'm going to go try out Call to Power now. Exploring an unfamiliar civ-style strat game can be just as fun as, well, playing Civ for the first time. I don't expect it to me that good, but SMAC didn't have enough new stuff to really be an exploratory type of experience.

posted 04-07-99 06:31 PM ET            

I love locusts!

posted 04-07-99 06:47 PM ET            

Proposition 27: Land/Sea Borders
Proposition 28: Hard Borders
Proposition 29: AI Knows When to Fold

Proposition 27: Land/Sea Borders
Athens didn't control the seas? So much for western civilization, and hence, the existence of this very program is called into question!!!

Proposition 28: Hard Borders
Having a Treaty friend suddenly take well developed land is not an act of War? It is to me, and when they do it, they tend to die! The 21 squares that a city uses should be unmovable, as far as borders are concerned, at least w/o military intervention (or a land buy).