2019-06-25 XML Star Map Nerf, Transporter Crash

[Deantwo]

My main goal is to be declared the “winner” of this universe.

Funny, at one point I thought, "Maybe I just need a game mechanic for the active players to declare one of them to be the winner and trigger a reset."

Then it is a mechanism of the game, not something that has to be done arbitrarily. Perhaps it should be limited to no more than once per year.

Yeah, that would be cool for the thunderdome galaxy idea. Like we required a while back.
A tiny galaxy separated into its own discontinuity, so it is just a galaxy for warfare until there is a winner and then reset it.

I can't think of any exploit which would let you find people using the XML, which wouldn't also let you find them (slowly) using the Starmap itself.

The slowly part is key.

Right now, it takes hardly a glance.

Speed of searching the starmap isn't an issue. You can make it so slow we can only locate one empire per day, and it would still be possible. Resources and time are infinite, so there is no need to do it all faster or slower.

Like I said earlier, the issue is not the speed of locating. The issue is that detection is too easy and risk less. And if a system has been explored, it will stay "explored" on the starmap forever.

[Haxus]

A winner was declared at the reset of each prior universe in SoH. Every one of those resets was driven by some fundamental change to the game structure, where a reset was the most practical way to move forward.

We are not facing that situation now.

The game universe is intended to be persistent. Many aspects of the game depend heavily on its persistence. I don't really want a solution that involves a game reset.

[Haxus]

if a system has been explored, it will stay "explored" on the starmap forever

The data could include a time value, so a system that has not been visited by an empire in a long time ceases to be "explored" by that empire. I'll start with an opening bid of 130 days, because that is 10 years in game universe time. Any counter offers?

[Haxus]

The XML exporter is restored, minus the contacted systems info. I am going to move ahead with phasing out the need for the XML export file. I'll expand the star map search window to include more options.

Most obvious is a way to search for known resources with a minimum Q.

Any other query suggestions would be welcomed.

As soon as this search tool is finished, the XML exporter will be removed, likely in the next update.

[Deantwo]

if a system has been explored, it will stay "explored" on the starmap forever

The data could include a time value, so a system that has not been visited by an empire in a long time ceases to be "explored" by that empire. I'll start with an opening bid of 130 days, because that is 10 years in game universe time. Any counter offers?

Yes, that is exactly what I was talking about in the idea thread I linked. Plus a few other related ideas to make it not too plainful.
See: (Suggestion thread) Fog of War

[Vectorus]

I tend to search by combinations of:

-System containing all specified materials at specified minimum Q (e.g., all basic shipbuilding resources at Q180)
-Planet size
-Star/Planet type
-Number of moons for a planet, number of bodies for a system
-Ringworld presence

Will add more as I think of them.

[Oggal]

Perhaps July will be a month of UI. Lots of menus could use a bit of attention to make them a bit easier to understand. I know the designer could do with some attention on the UI side.

[Silence]

Could I propose a radical idea.

Declare Mortius the Great Galactic Emperor or whatever ( basically declaring him winner) of this portion of the server life, and then break up the Weltreich into constituent NPC empires (successor states). That way Mortius can get the reset he wants, and everybody can get some fresh PVE NPCs to pew pew over and squabble for more conquest.

[Deantwo]

If you are really worried about new players getting steamrolled by bigger empires. Maybe it would be a better idea to implemented a "formal war declaration" mechanic instead.

For example disallow empires from damaging military bases and claimed worlds without first declaring a formal war. The declaration could take 24 hours or more (could even scale time with the sizes of the attack/defender empire), before the attacking empire can do damage.

Made a thread for discussing it, since keeping any sort of on-topic discussion in this thread is impossible and makes it too hard to find later.
See: (Idea thread) Formal War Declaration

[expert700]

The XML exporter is restored, minus the contacted systems info. I am going to move ahead with phasing out the need for the XML export file. I'll expand the star map search window to include more options.

Most obvious is a way to search for known resources with a minimum Q.

Any other query suggestions would be welcomed.

As soon as this search tool is finished, the XML exporter will be removed, likely in the next update.

Being able to constrain the search results based on distance from a given system / sector would also be useful.