Ok, I know this is a fairly expensive suggestion coding wise but with the great combat mechanics already in the game, I think it would go a long way to 'fleshing out' the combat system and streamlining defense.
It would allow the player to set up precise defense forces without the tedious manual sorting and setup each raid (snipers in the back, shotgunners in good ambush positions, etc.). It would also allow the player to let the skilled fighters handle the raiders while the Oafs can continue working in the fields and preparing meals, and to ensure "Jane the pacifist empath" doesn't wander through a combat zone and get slaughtered during a firefight. If the player didn't want to use the new system, the old grab'n'draft method would still work fine. It also stays mostly within the existing UI, only adding 3 new buttons to the main screen, a properties column to the Overview menu, and two (maybe just one) new zone types in the zone menu.
Here's my idea:
1. Two new zones:
- Safe Zone - Setting any Alarm Level will cause all colonists to return to and remain in the nearest "Safe Zoned" area. Any jobs inside this area can continue normally if a colonist is not drafted. Colonists will not venture out until alarm is lifted or a draftee is ordered to move there. Since the "Home" zone already does something kind of similar, maybe code could be re-purposed and applied here to save time?
- Squad Zone - Area for drafted colonists to report to when alarm level 2 or 3 is set. Zones can be set for Squads 1-4 or for "Muster" (to handle unassigned draftees/overflow from other squad zones(default setting for new zones?)).
Might could even combine the zones and have a "Safe Zone" property under a general "Combat Zone" for simplicity.
(http://i61.tinypic.com/2yx5012.jpg)
2. Three "Alarm level" buttons:
- Green - Orders all colonists to return to the nearest "Safe" zone and limits jobs/movement to within zoned area until Green alarm is lifted. Jobs inside "Safe" zoned areas can continue normally. Undrafts all drafted colonists if any are currently drafted.
- Yellow - Automatically drafts all colonists with a squad assigned and orders them to move to the nearest "Squad zone" assigned to them. Undrafts any colonists not assigned to a squad and limits all undrafted colonists to "Safe Zone".
- Red - Drafts ALL colonists (regardless of "Squad" assignment) and orders them to the nearest squad zone assigned to them. Any colonists not assigned to a squad will move to a "Muster" zone for further orders. If no Squad/Muster zone is set, drafts and selects all colonists.
Clicking the active alarm level cancels the alarm (maybe a simple "Click again to cancel" help dialogue when an alarm is pressed the first time?).
(http://i58.tinypic.com/iq8mms.png)
3. One new setting in "Overview menu":Soldier - Can be checked individually for each colonist to assign them to squad duty (while manual properties is unchecked). With "Manual Properties" checked, colonists can be assigned to squads 1-4 for more precise control.
Maybe the various alarm levels could have their own little tones; a "ding" for 1, soft klaxon for 2, and a louder repeating klaxon for 3 like from the trailer? I can go dig up some creative commons sounds if you're interested.
Great game by the way. I'm totally addicted. Keep up the kick-ass work man!
Quote from: a89a89 on March 06, 2014, 05:00:31 PM
How did you make the pics?
Probably Photoshop of the look of it, might be paint. :P
This do look intresting!
Like the idea :D
Hahaha, yeah it's a GNU (free) paint program called Gimp. Easier to use than photoshop and more powerful than paint. I wish I could code it, they're just mock-ups to show how the system might work though. :P
Check out the room-service meals in the 2nd picture. Zones are so awesome. :D
Yeh, a squad system would be really useful. Maybe you could assign certain colonists as soldiers who would always remain in squad zones or on patrol.
What would be REALLY nice is if you could filter by jobs on the overview.
Like if you click on Mining, it would show only your miners.
Or if you clicked on squad, it would show only your soldiers.
It would also be cool if when you clicked on a guy on overview it would actually select him/her (instead of just centering camera). Bonus points to allow filtering and then selecting all currently shown colonists on the overview.