Defensive Structures

[Hypolite]

Sandbags have a crossing penalty, so colonists tend to avoid them when moving around normally. However when drafting a colonist you can make him cross at low speed.

[Pheanox]

I wish I could be more so... but time feels very limited. Anyway I suspect you guys want me to actually make a game not hang out on the forums all the time

Honestly, I'm surprised you are able to keep on programming on the game.  From what I've seen of most kickstarter campaigns, the devs stop working on the game the full month of the kickstarter to dedicate themselves fully to marketing/pr.

[Spike]

Just had another thought for defensive structures, that are already in the game - Dumping Areas.  Forbid bodies, fill it with debris, and make a line of them.  Debris slows movement speed...

[Hypolite]

They also provide better cover than sandbags, which is a good things for potential attackers. Just sayin' 

[Zeiph]

This has already been evoked in http://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=155.0

[Adamemnon]

Watchtower - I'm probably not the first one with this idea, but I could not find any mention of it in this thread.
I believe that the fog of war will be implemented sooner or later. Obvious functions - improved line of sight, range of weapons maybe?

[AspenShadow]

Watchtower - I'm probably not the first one with this idea, but I could not find any mention of it in this thread.
I believe that the fog of war will be implemented sooner or later. Obvious functions - improved line of sight, range of weapons maybe?

Ahhh, well there's the root of it. We currently are divided on whether FoW or Uncertainty Veil (as it's coined for Rimworld) will be in the game; even as an optional toggle considering the difficulty getting it to work will have [verified by Tynan].

[Adamemnon]

Ahhh, well there's the root of it. We currently are divided on whether FoW or Uncertainty Veil (as it's coined for Rimworld) will be in the game; even as an optional toggle considering the difficulty getting it to work will have [verified by Tynan].

It's worth it. I can't seem to think of any disadvantage. It adds a lot of fun to the game. Searching for resources, patrolling so that pirates can't surprise you. You should not even know that they have landed unless you have a radar or something. It would be very disappointing if it's not at least an option.

[CommieKazie]

Ahhh, well there's the root of it. We currently are divided on whether FoW or Uncertainty Veil (as it's coined for Rimworld) will be in the game; even as an optional toggle considering the difficulty getting it to work will have [verified by Tynan].

It's worth it. I can't seem to think of any disadvantage. It adds a lot of fun to the game. Searching for resources, patrolling so that pirates can't surprise you. You should not even know that they have landed unless you have a radar or something. It would be very disappointing if it's not at least an option.

Read up on what's been said, and what Tynan has to say on the subject here:
http://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=146.0

[walti921]

Maybe some kind of radar/sensor system should be implemented... if indeed we do end up with fog of war. But even if we don't its still perfectly feasible perhaps if you have a sensor tower (or whatever) built you get early warning of certain events that you otherwise wouldn't..

this could include raids and weather and also adds some great opportunity for tech tree expansion i.e. if you have better sensor tech then you are more likely too or will get earlier warning of different events.

[Jakadasnake]

What's funny is that barbed wire and traps have been in the game for a long time (dating back to when it was a tactical squad game and before). I just need to "reactivate" them. Perhaps I'll do that tomorrow; they're relatively simple really. I really like simple ideas.

Absolutely. This is a golden rule when it comes to indie games. Especially given the sandbox nature. Give us plenty of simple  objects to work with and we will grant ourselves a complex narrative. Or a simple one.

[Adamemnon]

The colonists are dying too quickly. This makes it impossible to create a bond with them as it feels like they are just "consumables". The game definitely needs more ways to protect their lives, more defensive structures. Perhaps a bunker (3x3 building with machine gun in it) it should be difficult to destroy it (4-5 grenades or LAWs) and its weak spot would be that it can shoot only in one direction (+/-90 degrees), mines should be also included. It should be much more difficult to recruit imprisoned pirates. Why would they want to join you? Why would any colonist trust them? They tried to kill you remember? Maybe they even managed to kill some of your fellow colonists.

[AspenShadow]

It's starting to grate on my nerves a little that we're answering the same questions over and over. People are suggesting ideas that have already been not only suggested, but debated over for some time already on the appropriate thread or even just a few pages back on the thread they posted on.
Please try and read through as much of the forum as possible before posting.
I'll cry otherwise

PS. Landmines are pretty much in the game already with Blasting Charges, it's a very simple job to add them by cloning that and changing the explosion-trigger from player-activated to enemy-distance-from-mine.

[Semmy]

It's starting to grate on my nerves a little that we're answering the same questions over and over. People are suggesting ideas that have already been not only suggested, but debated over for some time already on the appropriate thread or even just a few pages back on the thread they posted on.
Please try and read through as much of the forum as possible before posting.
I'll cry otherwise

PS. Landmines are pretty much in the game already with Blasting Charges, it's a very simple job to add them by cloning that and changing the explosion-trigger from player-activated to enemy-distance-from-mine.

But the raiding parties should have some way of working through the mines.

For instance later in the game or when the storyteller notices it you got them the parties should be equipped with mine detectors or dogs or cannonfodder to get past it.

it would be a shame if we could make impenatrable defences like in dwarf fortress.

[AspenShadow]

But the raiding parties should have some way of working through the mines.

For instance later in the game or when the storyteller notices it you got them the parties should be equipped with mine detectors or dogs or cannonfodder to get past it.

it would be a shame if we could make impenatrable defences like in dwarf fortress.

Agreed, but surely even at the current theoretical stage of these land mines they wouldn't be impenetrable if you through enough cannon fodder at them or herd a bunch of muffalo ahead of you to set off traps (a very good Raider AI tactic I think would be nice).