Sectors (illustated with jpg)

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

Moderator: Oberlus

Message
Author
Obiwan
Graphics Lead Emeritus
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:55 am
Location: Australia NSW

Sectors (illustated with jpg)

#1 Post by Obiwan »

GALACTIC SECTORS

This suggestion is aimed at making it easier to remember where your stars are in your empire.

I've made a jpg to illustrate the idea (67kb)

The ability to designate galactic sectors, of your own shape, name and size.
And have this info present in the different areas of the game would certianly help me with situational awareness.

Late game fatigue has always been a problem for me in space empire games, but not in Medieval Total War.I wanted to keep going to see if I could push the Moores off the Spanish peninsular, Conquoer the British Isles or take the Holy Land.

It was the visual existance of bounderies that motivated me and gave me a sense of acheivement.

With a game like FreeOrion there are so many more possiblities.

Maybe you could set yorself the goal off being the dominant trader within the (eg.) 'Crab Nebular' sector.

I have never played a game that gave the player the ability to shape, develop and name vast areas like this,---then have the spreadsheets divide the info up to represent this if so desired.

For me this would help the RPG element of the game.

Do you think this would be a worth while aspect.

Jono :)
Image

iamrobk
Space Dragon
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:27 pm

#2 Post by iamrobk »

Sweet idea! This could go with my Empire Border idea too.

User avatar
utilae
Cosmic Dragon
Posts: 2175
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2003 12:37 am
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

#3 Post by utilae »

Nice graphics. Normally you would think that it could be done automatically, eg all stars you own have a border drawn around them. But a player may want to seperate his empire into many sections, eg part A of my empire, part B of my empire.

Tyreth
FreeOrion Lead Emeritus
Posts: 885
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 6:23 am
Location: Australia

#4 Post by Tyreth »

This reminds me of something I can't quite put my finger on...perhaps it was a discussion on the old forums.

We are taking portions we like from various games (we being the official team members, with input from the community), and one of those was Europa Universalis (1+2). That included territories, with casus beli, etc. I vaguely remember talking with someone about segmenting portions of the galaxy with boundaries. Meaning that colonising within your own borders would be no trouble. Colonising inside an enemie's borders would give cause for war.

As I said, this is vague details, but I personally think the game could benefit greatly from sectors that form the equivalent of borders in other games. So yeah, good stuff :) I'm curious to know what Aquitaine thinks, or if he can remember details I've forgotten.

Ablaze
Creative Contributor
Posts: 314
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 6:10 pm
Location: Amidst the Inferno.

#5 Post by Ablaze »

This is a wonderful idea, and I think it could have broader applications then you give it credit for. I have a couple of questions:

1) Would these sectors be exclusively player defined, or would some basic sectors be generated at compile time?

2) Should sectors be allowed to overlap?

3) Will your sectors be visible to other players, or will each player have to define their own unique sector system?

4) Can sectors be used with military orders? i.e. “Wipe out all population in the ‘Stinky Frog-beast’ sector.” or “Patrol for enemies in the ‘Pirate-ridden marshland’ sector.”

My initial thoughts are of a loose tree system, with the entire galaxy being one (transparent) sector and all sub sectors are divisions of that. You could choose between different views, like the tactical view which shows your empire as one sector, empires you’re at peace with in another, at war in another, unexplored space, ect. General areas might be defined when the galaxy is generated, like ‘The Dedron Spiral Arm’ or ‘The Owasi Galactic Well.’
Time flies like the wind, fruit flies like bananas.

EntropyAvatar
Space Kraken
Posts: 147
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:28 pm

#6 Post by EntropyAvatar »

We might want to think about how sectors would fit with the local starlane topography. It would be nice if the 'game-defined' sectors were internally connected.

Also, I wouldn't want the player thinking mostly about sectors if star systems represent the basic token of territory. I'd see sectors having a flavour something like continents in Risk.

User avatar
utilae
Cosmic Dragon
Posts: 2175
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2003 12:37 am
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

#7 Post by utilae »

Yeah, that would be cool.

iamrobk
Space Dragon
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:27 pm

#8 Post by iamrobk »

Yeah. Maybe (in general) all planets within a sector would be connected by starlanes, but starlane connections from sector to sector would be a bit rarer.

Obiwan
Graphics Lead Emeritus
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:55 am
Location: Australia NSW

#9 Post by Obiwan »

I think there is a lot of possibilities to enhance features we already expect in a completed , fully fledged empire game. But at the moment simplicity for dev's sake is my key aim.

If the dev's decide to actually run with this idea, well i'd be happy if the AI simply acknowladged when some thing happened within a sectors borders and let me know about it. I'd be a happy chappy

Once that capability is within the code, yes there are so many things that could be added. things that add more detail, interest and yet greater simplicity in dealing with a large empire.

I have some further ideas on the subject that i want to make another little jpg about. (pictures are easier for me than words)

Heres my point of view on your questions Ablaze

1) Would these sectors be exclusively player defined, or would some basic sectors be generated at compile time?

'with the entire galaxy being one (transparent) sector and all sub sectors are divisions of that'..........that would be perfect

2) Should sectors be allowed to overlap?

If your going to promote planetery Regents up to Sector governers it might make a problem.

3) Will your sectors be visible to other players, or will each player have to define their own unique sector system?

Id like to define my own sector system. Spies could be used to find out how the enemy views the galaxy.

4) Can sectors be used with military orders? i.e. “Wipe out all population in the ‘Stinky Frog-beast’ sector.” or “Patrol for enemies in the ‘Pirate-ridden marshland’ sector.”

Sounds good, Its my thought that this should depend on what sort of governmental system youve set up in the sector.

If all youve done is named an area of space (eg early explorers naming the continant of Africa). well those sort of comands would be limited or curtailed in some way.

If youve set up a bureaucracy (very expensive, lots of gold letterheaded stationary to print up) then those sort of broad sector bases commands could become available

It could all be tied in with social research,constructed facilities, type of empire wide government etc.

Basicly a Sector government would cost you. It would be up to the player/Emperor to decide if the cost/benifit was appealing to him personally. Each player could role play his empire the way he liked, a way that suites him/her personally

Jono

Colonel E
Space Krill
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2003 3:33 pm
Location: Sol III

#10 Post by Colonel E »

I was just about to post the same thing....

I certainly hope this is in the final FreeOrion thingy.

Obiwan
Graphics Lead Emeritus
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:55 am
Location: Australia NSW

#11 Post by Obiwan »

iamrobk - I just read your post on Empire Border View. your right these ideas are complimentry. Your point about a sector boundries being a helpful tool for the AI to make decisons by is good.

The cogs in my brain are starting to mesh nicely

Jono

iamrobk
Space Dragon
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:27 pm

#12 Post by iamrobk »

Thanks. Now code coders code! :P

Ablaze
Creative Contributor
Posts: 314
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 6:10 pm
Location: Amidst the Inferno.

#13 Post by Ablaze »

Just one quick question.. What if the map ends up being rendered in 3D. What simple method could be used to select a 3D area?

I heard a couple of people say in the MOO3 forum that spinning the (3D) galaxy around and around was the most entraining part of the game.
Time flies like the wind, fruit flies like bananas.

iamrobk
Space Dragon
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:27 pm

#14 Post by iamrobk »

Seriously, I have no clue as to exactly how capable our coders are of coding. I mean, a 3D selection box would be probably be possible, but it seems like it would be very hard to code in.

Obiwan
Graphics Lead Emeritus
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:55 am
Location: Australia NSW

#15 Post by Obiwan »

If theres a 3D map then, I think this as a feature would be in serious jeopardy.
From the look of that incredible green star map I'm thinking/hoping its 2D.
Not that Im deadset againsts 3D. Its just that 2D makes it way easier on the coders to add cool features.

The enemy ai could use sectors to define its military tactics when invading your space. But I need to unmuddle my thourghts on this by making a few sketches.

Jono

Post Reply