More than suggestions, some 0ad ameliorations

[Tango_]

Hello guys!

I'm opening this topic to give a better vision of my suggestions, to the 0ad community, and to discuss them the most we can, if some of you'd like to.

To people who would redirect me in the suggestions thread, be aware that i've already posted some post there, but, considering the amount of suggestions i have, and the mass of suggestions arriving almost everyday on the official suggestion thread, creating a special one looked more interesting to me.

Some ameliorations to improve the game :

About settings and tools:

1) Creating a tool which point an area on the mini map

I heard that next alpha won't allow you to see your ally's view as long as you won't take an age 2 technology, also without a pointing tool, this feature looks weird to me.

It would be usefull to show where are the opponents, where opponents are building their Civic Center, etc...

2)Random teams : as a setting, to select before starting a match, as for pop cap or cheats.

This random team choice is implemented in Age Of Empire 3. It allows to have teams made randomly, whatever players' skill is. This stuff is usefull when you don't know the skill of the players in your room, or when you don't know how to make team at all, whatever the reason is.

I guess an interesting stuff to add to this setting, is selecting the number of team you want, and the number of players in each team. Also, you can have 2v2v2, or 3v1, or 2v2, or 2v4, made totally randomly.

Also, each player would choose his civilisation and his « colour » (by the place he has in the room), and the teams would only be clear (for the players) at the beginning of the game, or during the map is loading, by adding a kind of « these are the random teams guys ! Enjoy ! », to the loading map page.

3)Handicap : as a setting, to select before starting a match, as for pop cap or cheats.

This handicap setting would consist in increasing or decreasing different « gaming rates » of a player. These « gaming rate » might be all important rate, as unit production time, gathering rate, etc...

For example, A plays vs B. A has an handicap of -50%. B has 0% handicap.

Also, A will gather ressources 50% slower than B, etc etc...

This handicap setting would allow all players to play together, whatever their skill is. This handicap would also balance games.

After discussing this Handicap settings with some players, the remark that giving more starting ressources to a player could also be a way to balance the game. However, whatever these starting ressources are, a good player will be able to have a better eco, more army (or whatever you want) after some time, so it wouldn't necessarly be a good solution.

Also, handicap setting might be an interesting stuff.

4) Patrol button : a button placed near other functionnal buttons, as « delete » or « garisonning ».

This button would first be usefull to keep a territory under control, and also being usefull to keep units kinda protected. Indeed, instead of placing your army on a position, it is better to give it the order to patrol from a point A, really close to a point B. Thanks to this, units patrolling wont be attracted, or attack opponent unit they can see.

At the moment, by posting units on a position, they'll attack opponents they see, and because of this, you can loose some units for nothing.

This patrol button would be an interesting stuff, IMO.

About technologies:

5)Create a technology to be able to put your units in formation.

As many alpha 17 players regret the fact that formations are back, and dont use them, it might be interesting to have a technology that you can take at your barrack at the first phaze, to be able to put your units in formations. This technology would be accompanied with a formation bonus, to legitimate the resources investment in this technology.

This technology might be called « military discipline »

6)Create a first phaze technology for wooden towers, which increases their range (same technology as for 2n phaze defense tower).

This would reduce the overpowerness of archers who are almost unbeatable at the first phaze, considering they outrange every units/every buildings.

7) Create a technology for fortresses, which would increase their range.

IMO, fortresses should shoot further than towers, but for now, towers shoot further... Is this intended? If yes, why ?

About trade:

8) Trade efficiency

I heard from some 0ad players that at a certain point( trade lenght+tech), traders are more efficient than units directly gathering resources on the different spots, what i checked myself, and saw this is true.

Is this intended ? If yes, why ?

Also, my suggestion is reduce trade efficiency

9) Being able to create a trade road

In the rare games i use trading, i'd like to be able to create a road trade.

Also, IMO, being able to click some points of the /minimapmap that your traders will join , between the 2 markets/docks, might be interesting, more especially to avoid your traders to pass in an area where your opponent is.

If this already exist, can somebody tell me how to use this feature?

10) Different map shapes

Considering that at the moment, trading is more efficient than direct ressources gathering, IMO it might be interesting to have different map shapes. I'm more especially thinking about square and rectangle shapes.

Indeed, with the circle current map shape, the longer trade you can have is a diameter, so it can be difficult to have the territory needed.

With square or rectangle map shapes, it would be easier to have a big trade road.

Also, destroying your opponent trade line would be more strategic, considering it could be hidden behind his base.

I already know there are some maps of that kind, but i would enjoy to see more

I won't adress here game balancing ideas, would be really too² long.

Thanks for reading

T_

Edited June 11, 2015 by Tango_

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

5)Create a technology to be able to put your units in formation.

As many alpha 17 players regret the fact that formations are back, and dont use them, it might be interesting to have a technology that you can take at your barrack at the first phaze, to be able to put your units in formations. This technology would be accompanied with a formation bonus, to legitimate the resources investment in this technology.

This technology might be called « military discipline »

Why regret they are back if you don't use them? lol. I regretted they were taken out to begin with. I think basic formations should be standatrd, but anything more important can be unlock with technology or phase. Formations can be streamline and reduced in number. Battle Line is standard for infantry and ranged units. Wedge is standard for melee cavalry. Column is automatic. Then use modifying buttons: Open Order, Close Order, Locked Shields (this is the phalanx).

6)Create a first phaze technology for wooden towers, which increases their range (same technology as for 2n phaze defense tower).

This would reduce the overpowerness of archers who are almost unbeatable at the first phaze, considering they outrange every units/every buildings.

To piggyback on this. There is no reason gameplay-wise to have 2 different sets of towers that do the exact same thing, just one weaker than the other. Make the stone tower in phase 2 an upgrade for the phase 1 wooden tower. Nerf archer range in phase 1. Archer shouldn't outrange any building in phase 1.

Edited June 11, 2015 by wowgetoffyourcellphone

[Tango_]

Why regret they are back if you don't use them? lol. I regretted they were taken out to begin with. I think basic formations should be standatrd, but anything more important can be unlock with technology or phase. Formations can be streamline and reduced in number. Battle Line is standard for infantry and ranged units. Wedge is standard for melee cavalry. Column is automatic. Then use modifying buttons: Open Order, Close Order, Locked Shields (this is the phalanx).

To piggyback on this. There is no reason gameplay-wise to have 2 different sets of towers that do the exact same thing, just one weaker than the other. Make the stone tower in phase 2 an upgrade for the phase 1 wooden tower. Nerf archer range in phase 1. Archer shouldn't outrange any building in phase 1.

I didnt told that i dont use formations, on the contrary, i use them everytime, switching from one to another, etc... I didnt played alpha 17 at all, and this formation lack is one of the reason. This proposition mainly birth in my head when i saw many people who regretted the a17 no formation. Also it might be a good compromise between "pro-formation", and "anti-formation", moreover

About wooden tower range technology, i understand your argument, but, after age 1, wooden towers arent used anymore because too weak and doesnt worth the investment, compare to stone towers.

Of course, nerfing archers might be the solution, but i guess that the balance totally change in alpha19, mainly because of capture and alpha 18 feedbacks. Instead of having an first phase overpowered unit in alpha 19, i would prefer a technology like this.

Or switching stone tower range technology from phase 2 to 1 might also be a deal IMO.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Tango_

[auron2401]

Oh yay, someone apart from me feels that formations shouldn't be so simple as they are.
But they should have a seperate discussion. I will however voice my opinion on them here.

Formations

EDIT:

I'll just cut this out before anyone can read it here.

Read it Here instead.

Trade

On trade efficiency, i think it's fine being better than Resource gathering, Considering traders are difficult to protect, where miners (do you trade anything else?) can be.

Maybe just have it so you get less and less the further away a caravan goes, and increase the moneys you get for short term trading? On small maps, trading is significantly nerfed.

...yeah, i don't have much opinions in this field.

Edited June 12, 2015 by auron2401