I loved both games at their times... but I feel there are simply too many generic RTS games like Homeworld, that follow silly gameplay conventions that allow building a massive Shipyard or Battlecruiser within a few minutes, and in the middle of a tactical battle. Its unrealistic and stupid, and it takes the focus away from the tactical battles into routine stuff like resource collection and building. Also if units are so readily reproducible, they stop being valuable, and start being generic nameless 3d blocks one hurls en masse at the enemy, like the decade old gameplay of Age of Empires. It especially will not work well for a game like Ancient Space, where you are in control of a smaller fleet (15-20 ships, from what I read in another thread I think).
I really hope this game moves away from such silly conventions, and does something more evolved like Nexus : Jupiter Incident style gameplay. Tactical battles should only be about tactics, and not about how quickly more nameless fighters and frigates you churn out. You dont produce units in the middle of a battle.
Building, research, resources can still be there of course, but in a more realistic way. Resources can be mission/objective based. Eg - take over this tradepost to stockpile x amount of supplies and fuel etc, hold this mine till mission end to gain materials, or win this mission to gain x amount of resources. Research can be event based, ie you learn about a new technology when you encounter a new race, or you capture an alien spaceship to learn about new weapons and propulsion and such. And building should be focused towards upgrading and repairs. Players should be encouraged to maintain and preserve their fleets rather than constantly produce new units. Of course, small units like fighters etc should be replaceable to some extent, but it should be across multiple missions, or in between missions, to make it feel like a proper "manufacturing" process.
I know your game must be near completion, so my points here can not possibly influence any meaningful change in game design. I will definitely pre-order the game either way. I just wanted to let you guys know what I expect from a space strategy game by Paradox, the mighty makers of so many super-realistic and complex strategy games. Make it more of a tactical wargame than a generic RTS, please. Thank you.
I really hope this game moves away from such silly conventions, and does something more evolved like Nexus : Jupiter Incident style gameplay. Tactical battles should only be about tactics, and not about how quickly more nameless fighters and frigates you churn out. You dont produce units in the middle of a battle.
Building, research, resources can still be there of course, but in a more realistic way. Resources can be mission/objective based. Eg - take over this tradepost to stockpile x amount of supplies and fuel etc, hold this mine till mission end to gain materials, or win this mission to gain x amount of resources. Research can be event based, ie you learn about a new technology when you encounter a new race, or you capture an alien spaceship to learn about new weapons and propulsion and such. And building should be focused towards upgrading and repairs. Players should be encouraged to maintain and preserve their fleets rather than constantly produce new units. Of course, small units like fighters etc should be replaceable to some extent, but it should be across multiple missions, or in between missions, to make it feel like a proper "manufacturing" process.
I know your game must be near completion, so my points here can not possibly influence any meaningful change in game design. I will definitely pre-order the game either way. I just wanted to let you guys know what I expect from a space strategy game by Paradox, the mighty makers of so many super-realistic and complex strategy games. Make it more of a tactical wargame than a generic RTS, please. Thank you.
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