Resource division

posted on May 26th, 2011, 5:21 pm

I just had this idea. You know like in the shows they say "we need to divert all our resources to build ***" I had a couple of ideas for this.

• First, you can get the other constructor to help build a station at double the speed. but you'll need extra resources to do it. The two constructors could make a station but after there is a big cool-down time for you to do it again.
• Second, on each constructor there can be a special called "advanced build teams", what it does is that for a large amount of Di/Tri/Sup it can increase the build efficiency for that station. All the stations cost the same so people will only use this for important stations in the late-game
  eg. Tal-Shiar academy or Star-Fleet command

It could be helpful to speed games up a bit or to add another variable. I was also thinking that shipyards could also have something like this, It would allow more late-games ships.

All these Ideas need balancing but I think they're quite good. I would also like to see what you guys think of this.

Edit: Later on maybe there can be a slider somewhere to divert most resources between:
1)Ship building
2)Station building
3)Research
4)Resource collection
Just an Idea 

posted on May 26th, 2011, 6:38 pm

I like the idea of being able to use more construction ships to speed up production, but I'm not sure how the priority slider would work since resources are used the instant you click the button like Warcraft or Starcraft and not over time like Command & Conquer.

posted on May 26th, 2011, 6:45 pm

I like the idea of being able to use more construction ships to speed up production, but I'm not sure how the priority slider would work since resources are used the instant you click the button like Warcraft or Starcraft and not over time like Command & Conquer.

Yes but they can take less time to do it

posted on May 26th, 2011, 9:04 pm

I'd prefer to see the resource usage graduated like Total Annihilation (or C&C as mentioned).  Then, adding constructors to existing processes would simply increase the resource cost per second.  It would also open up the possibility to upgrade stations to increase their build rates too.

The other benefit would be that in progress constructions wouldn't explode because the construction unit is destroyed (which doesn't make a lot of sense).  They'd have to be targeted and destroyed, or other constructors could take over and finish the job.

It might even be cool if you could complete an enemy's construction project and take it over - probably only if it's past a certain percentage of completion.  That would provide a way to capture non-crewed stations like turrets.  It would also put a lot more emphasis on protecting construction projects.

posted on May 26th, 2011, 9:49 pm

I like the following ideas in this thread:

Having multiple constructors working on the same project, the in progress station not being destroyed with the constructor, being able to complete and "capture" unfinished enemy stations, construction takes resources over time instead of instantly, and being able to increase constructor efficiency.

I don't like needing to have more overall resources to build the stations though.

posted on May 26th, 2011, 9:54 pm

I think a C&C-style of resource spending was suggested before, don't think it caught on. The current style is both more believable and easier on gamers.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 3:17 am

I think a C&C-style of resource spending was suggested before, don't think it caught on. The current style is both more believable and easier on gamers.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

well too bad

posted on May 27th, 2011, 6:19 pm

I think a C&C-style of resource spending was suggested before, don't think it caught on. The current style is both more believable and easier on gamers.

actually i think the Total annihilation style dynamic resource system is more believable. starting before u have all the resources happens in real life too, you expect to get the rest of the money later. i also find stations exploding when the constructor is destroyed is weird too.

actually switching the resource system over would be reallly really hard i imagine, as its a massive change.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 6:26 pm

I'd expect a person to seperate the needed resources so they don't get used by something else by accident, rather than leave it together so multiple projects would start from the same resources when they haven't enough for them all.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 6:29 pm

I'd expect a person to seperate the needed resources so they don't get used by something else by accident, rather than leave it together so multiple projects would start from the same resources when they haven't enough for them all.

thats the sort of thing your mum would tell you "make sure you have money saved up for a rainy day".

the fact is there are plenty of real life precedents where things have started, knowing full well they expect to get some resource to complete it later. this is quite literally life and death, building a turret to defend your miners etc, it makes sense they would get what they could done now.

[Tyler]

posted on May 27th, 2011, 6:36 pm

Last edited by Tyler on May 27th, 2011, 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I never said anything about starting early, I said multiple things sharing a single resource pool. Resources drop by 1000 and ship builds, rather than resources drop by 1000 and 2 ship freeze half-way is not the same as keeping a seperate amount for a future construction.

'Start now, finish later' is already in the game in a way, with the Fed Platform and Borg ships working that way.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 6:57 pm

I never said anything about starting early, I said multiple things sharing a single resource pool. Resources drop by 1000 and ship builds, rather than resources drop by 1000 and 2 ship freeze half-way is not the same as keeping a seperate amount for a future construction.

'Start now, finish later' is already in the game in a way, with the Fed Platform and Borg ships working that way.

ships would only freeze half way if you were building too many ships and your resource income per second was not enough. there's definitely more skill and macro management involved with dynamic resource systems to avoid build freezes.

and multiple things sharing 1 resource pool happens in real life too.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 7:06 pm

There's a lot more luck involved, as you'll never know if you have enough until it finishes or freezes unless both things are started at the exact same second and nothing else is built until they finish. Makes mining station losses even more cruel to the person who builds 1 scout too many; no money and warships frozen at 90%.

Happening in real life doesn't always make it smart, not when Humans are the ones do it... risky system for a warzone.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 7:11 pm

not luck, skill. you have to think ahead of what resources you will have in the future. if the enemy attacks your mining you should produce less.

posted on May 27th, 2011, 7:22 pm

It's not skill to leave only 2 things building and wait before building something else. There's more luck than skill, unless you count exactly how much you had when starting, how much was mined since then and exactly how much has been used so far.

'Produce less' doesn't say much, the current method forces that anyway by not allowing construction. Current doesn't mean you'll have to cancel ships and lose a few secondas when ambushed, though.

Some people get through it with math skill, but it's luck for most.