AI opponents

[Wrymn]

I would like to know more about how will enemy factions work and behave.

So there are multiple faction in one game right?
- How aggressive they are?
- Area they able to retreat when they are loosing the battles?
- Is the enemy colonization implemented? I mean that enemy faction will go from system to system and colonize/conquer planets.
- How does economy works? Can AI build any amount of ships/facilities not depending how many resources it has (Its unrealistic but okay since this is how any other pc game works )
- Will AI factions also fight one another?

Thanks

[StuartMorgan]

Factions are still being worked on. Lots of things could still change.

So there are multiple faction in one game right?

Yes, you will be able to choose how many when starting a game. I don't know what the maximum limit will be yet.

How aggressive they are?

This will depend on their own goals and how threatening you are to them.

Area they able to retreat when they are loosing the battles?

Hopefully, yes.

Is the enemy colonization implemented? I mean that enemy faction will go from system to system and colonize/conquer planets.
How does economy works? Can AI build any amount of ships/facilities not depending how many resources it has (Its unrealistic but okay since this is how any other pc game works )

The computer factions can colonize planets and will build up their empire the same way as the player does. They will be efficient but not able to cheat.

Will AI factions also fight one another?

Yes.

[Prométheur]

And will be there an "alliance and war" system with other factions ?
So, some factions could start neutral, and become enemies or allies with some factors, for example if they want resources which are in our territory, or if we send us presents. Hm ?

[StuartMorgan]

And will be there an "alliance and war" system with other factions ?
So, some factions could start neutral, and become enemies or allies with some factors

Yes that is the plan.

Taking some inspiration from how the country relations system works in the Europa Universalis games, but it most likely wont be as complex.

Would like to add coalitions as well, to keep large aggressive factions from becoming too strong.

[Artyom15]

Taking some inspiration from how the country relations system works in the Europa Universalis games, but it most likely wont be as complex.

Would like to add coalitions as well, to keep large aggressive factions from becoming too strong.

Will there be revolts and secession if a planet is unhappy with your rule and you're overstretched to help prevent the player and AI from blobbing?

[StuartMorgan]

Will there be revolts and secession if a planet is unhappy with your rule and you're overstretched to help prevent the player and AI from blobbing?

We'll see.... not sure how complex revolts will be to begin with.

My ideas for this (not implemented yet) are:

• When a planet revolts the upkeep costs are increased and income/planet facilities get a large penalty.
• Planet happiness decreases the further away it is from the empire capital
• Newly conquered planets have decreased happiness for some time
• Hostile rebel ships spawn when planet revolts

Planets changing allegiance, I am not so sure about.

[Dan]

My ideas for this (not implemented yet) are:

• When a planet revolts the upkeep costs are increased and income/planet facilities get a large penalty.
• Planet happiness decreases the further away it is from the empire capital
• Newly conquered planets have decreased happiness for some time
• Hostile rebel ships spawn when planet revolts

Sounds a bit like civ, maybe we can go a different route for Galaxial? Is there any added value to the gameplay to have happiness as a factor in planet management? As a space game, the idea is to expand and conquer planets, I don't see why we need to limit expansion via happiness on planets. There have to be some bottlenecks, but just curious about the gameplay and if such ideas like from civ really add value to Galaxial?

Like in Total Annihilation, you don't have such limits and it's crazy fun. It's a question of focus / gameplay so I am curious?

[Artyom15]

I like the idea of secession for if a world becomes so unhappy that they feel the need to revolt against your rule. Such as in the vein of Total War, where secession happens if rebels manage to capture the region capital. It would be an obstacle against blobbing, so you'd have to dubdue the territory you conquer, and if either you or the AI are that overextended that secessionist rebels are able to gain a foothold it would allow for new factions to pop up assuming a coalition against one nation is toppled entirely. Though it could easily turn into an tedium where you gain a few planets and then have to repeat the process to subdue them every single time.

Edit - Right after posting an small idea came. With the focus on modability the game has, maybe it could be a pre-game options menu? To disable secession and rebel generation, disable secession but not rebels or to disable rebels, happiness and secession entirely. Then again, I don't know what it'd take to put that in so feel free to toss my ideas aside!

[StuartMorgan]

Is there any added value to the gameplay to have happiness as a factor in planet management?

Planet happiness changes based on food supply, tax levels, luxury trade goods and planet bonuses.
Low happiness means the planet population does not grow as fast and increases revolt risk.

With the focus on modability the game has, maybe it could be a pre-game options menu? To disable secession and rebel generation, disable secession but not rebels or to disable rebels, happiness and secession entirely.

Could maybe add an option to disable rebel ships spawning. Happiness is a key feature to how colonies operate, so wouldn't be able to disable that.

[Catamus]

I think perhaps having planets near other planets with large populations or some sort of attraction value to them (like plenty of surplus food and housing or research stations or something of the sort) being happier than others would be nice. Kinda think of it like rural people wanting to move toward a city. Cities may not be for everyone but the ability to sustain a large population shows some level of stability and most people are attracted to that. [Just thinkin' sociologically here.]

[Catamus]

Think of it this way, you have planets next to beside each other, A-B-C-D-E-F-G are all planets A is the capital and planet F is a high population planet. Planets B, E, and G are happy since B is nearest to the capital and E and G are nearest to the planet with a higher population (planet F). This would help to create a more complex method of growth. Say you're just starting out and get into trouble. You need a planet sorta far out to act as a fortress or forward operating base. Imagine that planet is planet F in the example above, it has a higher population than the others because, it has been around longer and is more developed. Now you start to bridge the gap between A and F by colonizing systems in between the two planets, the planets don't feel as much strain due to them being farther away from the center of your empire because you colonized them when you already had two large centers of population.

[Catamus]

Also I think planets changing allegiance would be good too, using my um formula above. Kinda like how Texas broke off from Mexico when they realized they had really bad living conditions. I'll give another example to try to clarify. There are 4 planets, L-M-N-O. Planets L,M, and N are owned by Player 1 and O is the capital of Player 2. Planet M is happy being near the capital but the capital is having a hard time getting resources to the not-yet self-sufficient planet N. The citizens of planet N realize that planet O (which is owned by the other player -Player 2) would be able to better supply and sustain them. Planet N undergoes a revolution and now is owned by Player 2.

[StuartMorgan]

All good ideas, Catamus.

Think of it this way, you have planets next to beside each other, A-B-C-D-E-F-G are all planets A is the capital and planet F is a high population planet. Planets B, E, and G are happy since B is nearest to the capital and E and G are nearest to the planet with a higher population (planet F). This would help to create a more complex method of growth.

This I particularly like, think I will use this instead of using distance to the capital. It will be an extra incentive to plan ahead and expand steadily.

Not sure what will qualify as a high population planet yet... all planet types have a different maximum population limit so that complicates things.

[Modest]

Not sure what will qualify as a high population planet yet... all planet types have a different maximum population limit so that complicates things.

May I suggest something?
Make "hard" line betwen High and Not High Population Planet. Don't play with "Desert planets have to have 100 Milion Population while Earth-like needs 1 Bilion Population to be considered High Population Planet because Desert Planets are generally not able to reach as much population as Earth-like so it needs to be balanced..." Simply DON'T! Insted write 500 Milion Population is needed for planet to be considered High Population Planet." It is SO natural that some planets will be simply unable to reach that status. It will feel all right that Frozen Arctic Desert will never be able to fufill role of Warm Terran Garden. It is natural for some planets to become Administartion Centers, and for others to become dependant on those centers when it comes to Administration.

Of course, the closer planet gets toward High Population Planet, the more and more positive effect it can give on it's neighboors.

Or maybe don't go into population - go insted into development level? But than what? Sooner or later EVERY planet will reach high development status. Will it be ok if that will negate totally problem of spreading Your colonies? Or will it NOT be ok? That is general question that should be asked. Maybe make "Administration Center" building that will raise MAX planet development lvl by 20% so it can reach 120% development and make it so only planets that have development above 100% can take role of "Regional Capitals"? But will it be all right to give such control to player? What about AI using it? WIll it be able to compete with player? And how to limit usage of this kind of structure? Make it giving NOTHING apart of said effect? Than it is just wasted building slot if build on every planet that You have... Or maybe You want it limit via numbers? Like every player can have 5 of those! Than it would drastically limit players and AIs. Personally I would hate that. Or maybe give possibility to raise that number via research that is looped and cost more and more each time that is completed? Bitt better now? I think so - but what about AI?

Anyway - I think it will be best to go for population amount (and maybe demand certian level of development - like above 50%) and let some planets be able to fill that role, and some not. Add some random elements that can influence planet max population so that certian types of planets might be generally able to support "High Population" but on some occasions they will not - while some others will generally be unable to pull it off, but on some occasions they will manage that...

[StuartMorgan]

Insted write 500 Milion Population is needed for planet to be considered High Population Planet."

Yes, this is what I had in mind. It should make planet types that can support high populations more valuable.

What about if a planet has multiple neighboring planets. Not sure if only the one with the highest population should affect it, or add the populations of them all together and use that combined value...

Sooner or later EVERY planet will reach high development status. Will it be ok if that will negate totally problem of spreading Your colonies? Or will it NOT be ok?

I think this will be ok, as it's realistic and encourages gradually expanding.

Add some random elements that can influence planet max population so that certian types of planets might be generally able to support "High Population" but on some occasions they will not - while some others will generally be unable to pull it off, but on some occasions they will manage that...

I have already added a few planetary bonuses like "Natural Caverns" and "Mountainous" which can alter the maximum population of planets. Looking to add some more, so any suggestions let me know.