FreeOrion

While it's been said that this is galaxy-spanning, it's quite obvious we do want to zoom in and see ships doing combat. Which in my mind, is far narrower than a planet or system.

So there's this brainstorm I've had: Make systems appear as interlocking orbits. Each orbit would be considered a 'space' for a planet, building, or asteroid belt. It's an idea for a game representation I've had ever since watching an OMSI display of how spacecraft would enter and exist orbits. Nowadays it's possible to have the graphics cards just 'do' alot of this stuff once it's represented by a 3d model.

There's combat in the game now; unfinished, yes. And an engine. The next step is to have some sort of record of combat in the UI; and I would suggest the step after that would be just to use the engine to make a cut-scene of sorts to represent that combat. Show ships arriving in the system, trading shots, blowing up, and that's it. Once you can generate graphical results automatically, then add any tactical component. Representing the results the strategic engine gives should be a step toward making an AI, as it's easier to have an AI fight an AI than vs a human - they don't do unpredicted things.

My idea, though, is to have the system represented by concentric rings - some irregular - to represent a system map to display development upon. Planets orbit suns, moons orbit planets, and orbital shipyards and ships orbit planets, and little ships zip between planets to represent the trade lines and activity shown on the galaxy map... To get away from the default (though very much needed) list oriented view of each system.

Perhaps even that would allow some tactical choice of ships in a system - are they blockading the system, being repaired at the spacedock, or defending a particular planet? I dunno. But building in an image based view of the world could be very immersive.

-Crissa

(I know there's a million reasons why not to do anything, so don't need to be told them.)

Could you perhaps elaborate using mockups? I have a hard time imagining what you are describing.

are you saying this would be 3d or 2d?
i can imagine what your saying if you mean in 3d, but not really 2d...

I'll mock something up in Maya and post it. I don't have a working copy on my lappy.

-Crissa

You know, I'm still waiting for spouse to help me set up my desk so I can run Maya. Been busy working on stone steps for the house instead. There's like a big hole where there should be a shelf for the desk so I can use a real mouse (well, trackball) and run Maya.

Bah.

-Crissa

Couldn't you use a chair with a box on it? Or a stool?