Creeper World 3 Suggestions Initiative

[Shrike30]

regarding two seperate suggestions...
We already have the ability to "pick up" a terrain height. ... Once the map editor goes into beta, I'm sure this request (for straight line terraforming) will come up again. I have already seen at least one request for it.

Sounds good, thanks :)

I had another idea, regarding interacting with guppies.  At the moment, guppies seem to only lift off from their pads with full loads, and to return from their destination for a refill when completely empty.  It'd be nice to be able to click on a pad and say "go now," or click on a landed guppy and say "return now" in anticipation of a dynamic situation or an immediate need.

[Grauniad]

I had another idea, regarding interacting with guppies.  At the moment, guppies seem to only lift off from their pads with full loads, and to return from their destination for a refill when completely empty.  It'd be nice to be able to click on a pad and say "go now," or click on a landed guppy and say "return now" in anticipation of a dynamic situation or an immediate need.

This you can do. The rest is IMHO a game limitation.  Some things the game just don't allow - for any player. So we're all playing with the same capabilities and limitations.

Like in chess, maybe someone says they'd like to see the ability for a pawn to move backwards. Yes, it might be interesting, but the game just don't allow for that.

[4xC]

Say, I presume this problem I have in mind is already solved courtesy of the new zoom feature, but I must say that one of the biggest pains of CW2 that I thought had a possibility of persisting in 3 is this:

If you move a large number of units to a far location and want to place them in specific spots that are not automatically determined by the settings of auto-group movement, you would have to scroll up and down constantly to place each individual in a specific spot.

I would propose that there be an ability to click multiple units and place them in specific spots in the order of which they were selected, but I can guess the zoom feature already compensates for this problem.

Also, will we be able to put groups of units and Command Nodes in numbered groups like in CW2 in which you select multiple units by just pressing the corresponding number?

[Mr.H]

1. As stated before being able to modify bomber firing modes would be great. This could be expanded on by having a choice of firing modes for more weapons, i.e. you can set the blaster on sustained, burst, normal, or sporadic.
2. The faction movement feature of CW2 in CW3 would be handy.
3. Global unit command, or within a click-drag box, that tell your units to 'retreat, charge, land, formation' etc. This allows for quick easy unit management.
4. Unit number/color code. Each unit is given it's very own unique combination of color coding on it's plating, or a small number above it to allow you to discern between weapons. Custom names for map makers would be great too.
5. Formations- Line, Arrow(triangular, strongest unit at front), reverse Arrow, Arc, Squadrons (units spread out in groups), Protection(vunerable units in centre, strongest units exposed), diagonal(left,right,etc). Custom user-defined formations?
6. Hot-keys: Self-explanatory
7. Unit overwatch: General health meter(e.g. 70% average health), Unit count, Near-Destruction-Units(NDU's)

I addressed 1 earlier.  With 2, I think you mean formation movement.  As shown explicitly in early alpha videos, this is already implemented. 

3: I think this is a little complex for the game.  Pre-set formations for units will never be suitable to the particular terrain involved, and our units neither charge nor retreat.  Our units need behaviors to set before gamewide unit behaviors can be as useful as they are in some other games, like Epic War.

4: I am worried that this would make it difficult to immediately locate every unit of a specific type.

5: I can't think of a single situation - except for a 100% flat map - in which a one-size-fits-all formation will be useful within the constraints of irregular terrain.  This sounds like something that would be highly awesome in something like a 4x game with real-time combat elements, though.

6: Yes.

7: Not sure what you mean by an overwatch.  Are you talking about a generic alert when a unit is under particular threat?

5. The formation would adapt to terrain height and such, but it is a good point. Perhaps adapting the formations to the terrain would be a solution(i.e. longest range units on highest point, defense units at front(blasters) and shield to hold it up in the middle.
7. Something like that but light-weight and not a pop-up that goes 'WARNING UNIT IN DANGER' everytime a single unit is in danger. What I mean is similar to production and such you could have a 'unit watch' where you see data related to your units, including average health

[Nemoricus]

This you can do. The rest is IMHO a game limitation.  Some things the game just don't allow - for any player. So we're all playing with the same capabilities and limitations.

Like in chess, maybe someone says they'd like to see the ability for a pawn to move backwards. Yes, it might be interesting, but the game just don't allow for that.

The test that should be applied here is not whether a limitation affects everyone equally, but rather does having the limitation make the game more interesting? Pawns being unable to move backwards makes chess more interesting, just like blasters being unable to fire at terrain higher than themselves makes CW more interesting.

Forbidding a 'go now' button for Guppies does not make them more interesting, I think, especially since all other aircraft in CW3 can be launched with partial loads. Having it would bring Guppies on par with the other aircraft, and make using them less frustrating in some circumstances.

[lurkily]

5. The formation would adapt to terrain height and such, but it is a good point. Perhaps adapting the formations to the terrain would be a solution(i.e. longest range units on highest point, defense units at front(blasters) and shield to hold it up in the middle.
7. Something like that but light-weight and not a pop-up that goes 'WARNING UNIT IN DANGER' everytime a single unit is in danger. What I mean is similar to production and such you could have a 'unit watch' where you see data related to your units, including average health

5: I still can't see this being useful.  With a clean edge on terrain levels, and open space, maybe the game would be able to estimate a useful position for some of your units some of the time.  But I can't think of any situation except for (unusually perfect and open terrain formations) in which I would not tweak an AI placed formation, assuming practical limitations on the intelligence of the AI.

That being said, if I have to tweak the formation almost every time, I would rather place every unit to my specifications from the start.

7: Well, I didn't say a popup or a full-screen warning.  A little alarm siren when a unit drops past 50% would be nice.

I don't think an average of all units' health would be useful.  You could lose many units on a large map, and the average still may not even drop below 90%.

Forbidding a 'go now' button for Guppies does not make them more interesting, I think, especially since all other aircraft in CW3 can be launched with partial loads. Having it would bring Guppies on par with the other aircraft, and make using them less frustrating in some circumstances.

I agree.  Though personally, I'm more interested in a slider for guppies, from 1% to 100%, indicating at what percentage they lift off.  I like both ideas, but the second holds more interest for me, since it provides an automated control, rather than manual.

EDIT:Misconstructed quote.

[4xC]

Instead of a slider, I was thinking you could type in the energy value in which the guppies lift off with since it is easier to control than putting a sliding bar in the exact position you may want it. Precision slide scrolling versus typing in the value; which sounds more worthy?

[Chawe800]

Instead of a slider, I was thinking you could type in the energy value in which the guppies lift off with since it is easier to control than putting a sliding bar in the exact position you may want it. Precision slide scrolling versus typing in the value; which sounds more worthy?

Why not both? A small typable text box and a slider for fast estimations.

[4xC]

Instead of a slider, I was thinking you could type in the energy value in which the guppies lift off with since it is easier to control than putting a sliding bar in the exact position you may want it. Precision slide scrolling versus typing in the value; which sounds more worthy?

Why not both? A small typable text box and a slider for fast estimations.

Even better.

[lurkily]

Instead of a slider, I was thinking you could type in the energy value in which the guppies lift off with since it is easier to control than putting a sliding bar in the exact position you may want it. Precision slide scrolling versus typing in the value; which sounds more worthy?

Why not both? A small typable text box and a slider for fast estimations.

Even better.

I would never use a text box . . . having to move from hotkeys to cross the numpad?  I already have to move my mouse to the panel and click to activate a text box - instead of typing for a precise number, I'd rather just drag with a little more precision.

[Nemoricus]

I'll second no text box, please. In fact, I don't think even a sliding bar is necessary. Just have a 'Take off with partial load' toggle.

The reasons for this are simple: The only time it's desirable for a Guppy to take off with a partial load repeatedly is when the supply network cannot fully supply the Guppy due to a deficit situation. In this case, shorter interruptions in supply are better than one longer interruption less often, since even a short period of no supply leaves your forces vulnerable. Having a simple toggle will ensure that the guppy will always pick up the maximum load the network can supply in a given time frame while still minimizing the length of time the destination network has no supply.

I really can't think of another situation where you'd want to regularly take with a partial load. If a destination network drains a guppy faster than its pad can be filled, then the solution is to build more guppies, not have the guppy take off with a partial load....

Any counterarguments?

[lurkily]

Well, I don't want to have a guppy sit on an empty pad, then take off when the first packet hits it, when supply is re-established.  In most cases . . . yeah, I'd leave a slider at either 1% or 100%.

[lurkily]

You know what?  I truly, honestly think CW3 would be improved if the background music were replaced by . . . oh, I don't know . . . the theme song from Shaft, maybe?

Spoiler

Yyyyyyeah, if you're taking this seriously, you're doing it wrong.

[close]

[Chawe800]

Yea probably keep it as one of those things you can't change as a player maybe? I don't know really.

What I want is the option to delay my guppies from taking off (basically deavtivating them so they get supplied but don't automatically. I already am very confident deactivation will be in CW3 that that makes me happy.   :D

[Shrike30]

I'd think just saying Stop (remove their destination waypoint) or Disarm (fill with cargo but do not send out) should cover that, so it could be built into existing functionality.