New Species trait : Detection

For what's not in 'Top Priority Game Design'. Post your ideas, visions, suggestions for the game, rules, modifications, etc.

Moderator: Oberlus

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
LienRag
Cosmic Dragon
Posts: 2148
Joined: Fri May 17, 2019 5:03 pm

New Species trait : Detection

#1 Post by LienRag »

Since Detection is Empire-wide, it's a bit complicated to have Species bonus to the Detection power, but still a Detection trait could be interesting, making the Stealth strategies more varied since at game beginning (and up to Neutron Scanner probably) ships would be detectable or not depending on by whom.

Steps of 5 (very bad at -10, bad at -5, average at zero, good at +5, very good at +10 and ultimate at +15) are imho the most we could do without unbalancing the game, which obviously means that mostly the even values would have meaningful effects, not the odds ones.
Note though that values of Stealth and Detection do not go entirely by steps of 10 now (due to Continuous Scanning) and even less in future games (if my other proposals are accepted).

The question of course is what to do in multispecies Empires...

Maybe tie the bonus to the Capitol-occupying Species ?

The other choice would be to take the bonus of the most advanced Species.

Or maybe to take the bonus of the most advanced Species, but only counting the Species who have a Stability of 15 (or any level) on at least one of their planets ?
Obviously the Capitol Species should be exempted from this Stability condition (especially if the threshold is higher than 15).

Or a mean Stability of at least 10 (or whatever) ?
That would provide strategic opportunities for adversaries : disrupt the supply of Stability-bringing resources of the planets of the most advanced Species, and suddenly they refuse to act as scouts and the Empire Detection value takes a drop, making some fleets invisible...

User avatar
Oberlus
Cosmic Dragon
Posts: 5715
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:25 pm

Re: New Species trait : Detection

#2 Post by Oberlus »

The thing about empire detection is what makes me wary about this suggestion. Detection range is already a species trait.
I don't know I like any of the options to make it work for detection strenght. If you do an implementation that works, please share your findings.

Post Reply