A few questions

[thehaney]

Heya Rob,

Loving the game so far, first-time player. I had a few questions:

- Is there any intent to give weapons variable ranges, or is everything equal to keep the AI working correctly?

- Is there any intent to give player corp ships limited AI, so they engage automatically when fired upon, or when in proximity to an enemy, etc?

- I'm noticing that even on Brutal difficulty the strategic AI seems to struggle with expansion, often focusing everything on an impossibly fortified mining system while ignoring the undefended miner derelict system equally distant. To the point that I've often had situations where certain systems are apparently "invisible" to the AI and are never probed or attacked despite being next door to their HQ. Is this a limitation of the AI or just undergoing development?

- Could we pretty please, when zooming in FPS mode, slow down mouse sensitivity to match? I'm sure this will get in at some point but I find it bizarre enough to whine about it now.

- Will the upcoming scenario editor allow me to create games where station components and research cost money/resources? Will I be able to adjust asteroid values? I'd love a game mode where research and modules are notably expensive but asteroids are much richer, which to me should result in a much longer, more brutal slugging match.

- Have you considered home systems spawning with a guaranteed "big" asteroid (and perhaps putting a cap on mining ships per station)? I'm consistently noticing the AI (and unskilled players) more or less grinding to a halt in mid-late game when their expansions (if any) are harried. A guaranteed slow drip of resources from one's home system could liven up the late-game without giving a defender too much advantage.

- The coolant feature in it's current state strikes me as extremely forgiving. I've been running max research/max factories essentially every match and coolant is a complete nonissue. Given there's an option to disable coolant entirely, have you considered making coolant (when it's on) a bit more intensive? Perhaps even adding an Executron coolant monitoring role/minigame of some sort?

- I know executron features are being expanded on, but I was curious: Is it possible to allow an executron to a) switch to system-view when in a ship and b) issue orders to *that specific ship* when in system view? I enjoy being an Executron but during early-game scouting I find staring at a slowly-approaching fracture point mind-numbing.

- Is there any intention of adding more altitude planes for ship types? I'm noticing a lot of clipping/friendly fire issues between lighter ships, would love corvettes and frigates to have separate altitudes like cruisers. Perhaps even as far as what Zero Sum Games (another 1-man space game fella) did in StarDrive 2, where ALL ships dynamically change altitude to avoid collision.

[Rob]

Glad to hear you are enjoying the game, I will try and answer as best as I can.

There will be a whole new load out system coming in the next patch which will allow for variable weapon ranges such as long range artillery ships.

When you are FPS controlling a starship I am going to make it so that the AI controls the light weapons and you get to fire the heavy ones.

The strategic AI always needs a bit of love and work so will which I generally get from feedback from people.

Will look at reducing the mouse sensitivity when zoomed.

I havent thought much about the editor yet but will add your suggetion to the list.

I have added a large asteroid in the galaxy somewhere but you think there should be something in the home base too?

The coolant/power feature was made forgiving on purpose as to give testers a bit of an idea that the feature is there and it will be expanded upon at somepoint to make it more of an important mechanic in the game. The idea eventually will be that if you leave it alone then you could quite happily play the game with no issues, however if you are more experienced and know what you are doing with power management then it will give you an upper hand.

I have tried to make each type of ship based on size their own planes, they did change altitudes at one point but then they collided with other ones above them and the whole lot went strange, will try and sure this up a bit more.