Complete Enemy Overhaul

[starlight]

Hi,

I just started playing a few days ago. Have played 2-3 colonies with just 1 raid happening.

But one thing discussed in the forums strikes very throughly. The in-game raiders have one very distinct objective - kill. The old tactical shooter comes back to life when this happens. And it creates huge amounts of cognitive dissonance.

I think that there needs to be an underlying economic / culture model to attacks, etc.
1. Wars and battles the world over are fought for access to resources like land (and the resources that it grants access to like crops and metal).
2. They are also fought on the basis of affiliation to groups like tribes, and nations. But the underlying objective is still point no.1

I suggest:
1. Introducing local people who will come and trade with you.
2. The option to settle in a non-populated  / moderate hostility / high hostility area.

In areas with moderate or high hostility, the local populace will ask for a levy which needs to be paid up daily / weekly / monthly etc in terms of resources.
In high hostility areas this could extend to turning over slaves.

Not meeting these criteria will lead to attacks.

Hence, I would like to divide attackers into:
1. Thieves: Will be invisible until 1 square away from a colonist. Will attempt to reach your stockpile and will then depart with y resources.
The game will inform you about the theft once the thief has completed the theft and left the screen.

2. Successful thefts will result in more thieves. This will culminate in a raid.
Meaning: Raids are the final stage, not the first.

3. There could be various groups on the planet.
Some will be focused on theft, some on levies.
A few could be focused on killing you. (Say: the cult of the spider goddess attacks you).



3.

[Workload]

Really liking the idea of thieves and raids, would be nice to have your cash/food/etc. stolen.

[Sacarathe]

And miners from off the map, mining and hauling off your resources.

[majesty]

i like the idea of being alone in this world to be honest. but if they can seamlessly add hostile tribes and whatnot i dont see the harm.

[todofwar]

I think a very straightforward option in terms of programming is to have raiders target your stockpile instead of buildings. Every hit drains resources. Currently the ai targets a building and tries to light it on fire, but this would make more sense. Also, if they deplete your resource by a certain amount they leave, which leaves more peaceful minded players the option of not engaging raiders at all.

[windruf]

about thieves  i think so:
1: they try to get stuff that is "lie bad" somewhere on the map far from your home. they grab as much as they can haul and run for it...
2: there is no more stuff on the ground outside your camp - thieves will try to get stuff that is in your camp, that is poor protected, and leave if it should be to dangerous.
3: when there are many thieves - they will form bands and try to take protected resources. they won't kill colonists, unless they will shoot at them. but if you don't shoot them - after a few successfull robberies they start to take your colonists into slavery.

to technical side: there is an array of thieves and everyone has a timer to next try. it starts with just one. and every time a thief comes back with resources there is a chance that a new one will be born(based on how much he is hauling).