I've posted in many threads about my frustrations with the Fleet bar (the area of the screen in Strategic view that shows all the captains). Quick summary of the basic complaint: Once the game is rolling and you have 6+ fleets, with retiring generals and new fleets being created and old fleets sinking or being split up, it becomes incredibly frustrating trying to remember Who is doing What. Checking the Trade prices for Items, I see that Porcellan is no longer profitable. Which fleets are doing porcelein? Oh yeah, I have to click through every single one of them and follow the dotted line to the main port. That's not good design.
So, to my idea. Along the left screen border, from top to bottom would be an icon for each MTI I am importing (determined by the trade route the fleet is coming from or going to). Arrayed next to each MTI icon is an icon for the Fleet assigned to that MTI. The border of the Fleet Icon would be Red for Going To the MTI Port, and Green for Coming Home. This way I can quickly see: A) What I am importing, B) Where my ships are, and C) What coverage of all MTI's I currently have. Changing the MTI for a Fleet would be as simple as dragging the fleet icon from one MTI and dropping it on another. A nice addition would be to "delay" that order for ships bound for the Home Port until they unload, re-load, and set sail for India.
Thoughts?
So, to my idea. Along the left screen border, from top to bottom would be an icon for each MTI I am importing (determined by the trade route the fleet is coming from or going to). Arrayed next to each MTI icon is an icon for the Fleet assigned to that MTI. The border of the Fleet Icon would be Red for Going To the MTI Port, and Green for Coming Home. This way I can quickly see: A) What I am importing, B) Where my ships are, and C) What coverage of all MTI's I currently have. Changing the MTI for a Fleet would be as simple as dragging the fleet icon from one MTI and dropping it on another. A nice addition would be to "delay" that order for ships bound for the Home Port until they unload, re-load, and set sail for India.
Thoughts?