If there is one thing that slows down the game play, it's definitely micro-managing. Your version of handling the "age" factor for maintenance is a good simple way of covering that; definitely no micro-managing to worry about And having maintenance costs "creep up" as time goes by for the same items makes things abit more realistic. Although I worry that such a system might be a limitation on game play. If maintenance creeps up over time it could get to the point of controlling 66% of the galaxy could max out your control. That next 1% control (for a total of 67%) might cost you more maintenance then you would get from the 1% just controlled. Basically, at some point you might have to give up the idea of controlling the galaxy . I'm sure with just 50% control of the galaxy I could beat the AI, then why would I go and conquer more territory?

The micro-managing does solve some of these problems, by allowing "older" facilities to be replaced with "newer" facilities, thus reducing the maintenance "creep" for controlling so much. Maybe that could be an option for the Droids (if you still plan on using them)? Like the option to "Manage Production", there could be an option to "Manage Efficiency"; such that things would be replaced once their maintenance reaches some set threshold? If you don't want something replaced/updated, you can add the "Reserved" tag like that on facilities when using the Droids.

Just my two bits worth

I am glad i stumbled onto this web site i have personally been working on my own version of star wars rebellion and as i read though this thread i saw allot of the same ideas i had since you all are much much farther along in the creation process and i have absolutely no programing skills what so ever i thought i would throw out some of my ideas that might help make the game more realistic

ok to start off i wanted to add elements from a few of my favorite games all into one the overview would look allot more like rome total war instead of cities its systems and you appoint a planetary governor same as total war which effects different aspects of that planet like corruption, spys, and tax revenue and instead of the planets being based on a set number of "power" slots the buildings are upgradable like any real life facility you don't build 2 airports right next to each other you expand them and each expansion takes longer and costs more resources and in the new facility Spaceport which will be the trade and commece hub of each planet and another new facility is industrial facility which is where the civilian population works creating trade goods which are then tradable creating more taxable trade goods
another change i wanted to add was golan space defense platforms the upsides are they are a static space defense allowing your fleets to go elsewhere and requiring a larger fleet to take take out the defense platforms prior to allowing a planetary bombardment the down side there very expensive to make and cannot move

one of the major changes i wanted to add was the ability for the rebellion to capture imperial craft for re-use later in just about every book there is a ship that is imperial in nature but was captured and in use for rebels (as for why the empire doesn't also have this ability i wrote it up as they believe everything imperial is superior and have no use for rebel scum and there castoff ships)

the other major change i wanted to implement was a technology specific tree if you have ever played hearts of iron 3 you'll see what i mean the ability to choose to research a specific piece of a capital ship ex. shield projectors or armor plating which of course increase maintenance cost as each new upgrade goes out till the new parts are installed if you want to go that way or the have to be next to a shipyard to update also big upgrade will require a ship being taken out of service and sent to a shipyard so they can be upgraded ex. increased size of hanger thicker armor plates installation of gravity well generator

another major change i was going to add was that the player was only able to upgrade there shipyards up to lv 5 after that the time and cost would be unrealistic so there for un-able to build at lv 5 they are able to build everything up to a super class star destroyer but not super weapons there are in the galaxy the major shipyards the famous ones from the books corrilia, bilbringi, kuat, sullust and fonder these shipyards are massive having taken many generations building up they start at lv 20 and cannot be upsized the reason is that at lv 20 they can produce super weapons and can build multiple ships at the same time these as in you can queue to build 3 imperial class star destroyers and choose to either build all three at the same time or to wait for an available slot and build something else and it starts right then not waiting in queue i set it up as empire starts with bilbringi at start and rebels have sullust but the other 3 are neutral and must be converted

i saw you had freighters added these i had the idea of being what is used to transfer trade goods and supplies to troops (and attackable ) along trade routes which is allot like the choke points you were talking about as your space port is increased in size the amount of trade routes it uses increases well along certain routes might be a good place for an interdictor cruiser to set up shop to hurt the opposition

i also wanted to include other factions but i had them set as neutral factions if attacked they will then go to war with your faction or can be converted to your faction through diplomacy (leia going to the Hapes cluster) i had a few already fleshed out but i don't have my notes with me right now so ill just throw em out to you
Hapes cluster if conquered minor economy boost but a high chance of rebellion if brought over with diplomacy as soon as they join you receive 9 imperial class star destroyers a major credit bonus and the ability to now build hapen battle dragons
this would help force people to try diplomacy rather then build a huge fleet and roflstomp the galaxy
Duskin league if brought over with diplomacy receive the black fleet and the ability to do a yevathian ship redesign changing the ships to Y class ex. Y class super star destroyer which in game numbers doubles the stats of offense defense and cuts drawback in half only problem is the bigger the ship the longer it takes to learn the redesign

one other thing i wanted to add was the speed up construction option by choosing this option you can spend credits to half the construction time left (empire also gets the ability that darth vader and emperor speeds all construction in there system just by there presence(the whole we shall double our efforts effect)

well these are just a few of my ideas if you like them please use them ill try to remember the rest as my notes are in mexico right now

Sorry for the delay response, hands full cleaning up after the flood in Midwest, Missouri River. Plus got sick for a time - nasty mold spores I think. Any way..

You will want to conquer the galaxy as one strategy to stop the rebels. The Rebels rely on superior technology that they will have and 'the' best fighters due to their open free philosophy. The Rebels will out research the Empire and win the game, or devote all their energy into their super weapon. So three ways to win (beyond of course capturing the goals), and each side has their advantages. Rebels good at research and sabotage, both sides have their super weapon, or take control of the entire galaxy. The Empire does not really win through technology so much per sey, but by their philosphy of complete control. Palpatine and Vader are obsessed with control, like in the whole galaxy.

Your agents come into play much more to get very good results. Empire uses it agents to capture Rebel researchers for example....Rebels do a sabotage mission on your special Death Star (AI/human player will do this for real now).

Indeed as said, auto-upgrade options for factories, etc through research to make more efficient....economic win condition helps to control galaxy..but all that spending may have your research suffer into making you super weapon say the SSD Eclipse, Death Star II, etc.

Lots of good points as these are important in making a decent game peeps will want to play (and attract more talented programmers and artist than me (I am an ammeter). I just need a few more years...

---------------------------------------------------------------
obgyn

" tax revenue and instead of the planets being based on a set number of "power" slots the buildings are upgradable like any real life facility " YES

"choke points " YES and NO, plain old hyper space between all planets is possible, just slower than main trade routes. Take your chances at getting caught if no spying or just 'Blockade Running' through.

"saw you had freighters added these i had the idea of being what is used to transfer trade goods and supplies to troops (and attackable ) along trade routes" YES

"i also wanted to include other factions but i had them" NOT yet maybe later in expansion

"one of the major changes i wanted to add was the ability for the rebellion to capture imperial craft for re-use later " MAYBE

"Hapes cluster " special bonus for control is a real possibility I would like to include. Veteran crew also.

"Special planets from lore." Good Idea Fondor and others ship yards. Plus other idea of Kessel prison planet with its *intelligence bonus* to agents so to speak. Think Gintmo Bay..

"one other thing i wanted to add was the speed up construction option by choosing this option you can spend credits to half the construction time left +++

(empire also gets the ability that darth vader and emperor speeds all construction in there system just by there presence(the whole we shall double our efforts effect) "

Well, NO; not by default because of game balance. good idea but for now it would not be realistic. But to change that in Optional game menu before start game. Plus Decaying Universe /New Resource random events can be toggled on/off. +++

If Vader/Palpatine are they physically present, maybe you get a speed up time. I will think about it. The negative result is they will not be able to recruit and must stay there until completed. Rebels may like that for an attack to capture them.
--------------------------------------
Other functions..send agent to Auto-mission of you choices so not have to baby sit them all the time. Spec Ops can be auto target systems of your choice. They do think for themselves to a point if you let them.

Are you planning on have "multiple" levels of facility/defense upgrades (i.e. GenCore III? Advanced Construction Yard Mark II? etc)?
Are there incentives/limitations on advanced facilities? (i.e. you can only construct advanced ships, ISD III or Eclipse, from Advanced Shipyards - NOT the original shipyard facility)?

Just asking

Hi,

just a small idea.

Give neutral planets with a training center milita regiments as defence (similar to the imperial/alliance fleet regiments). Once the planet has been "diplomated" to join one side, the milita regiments will be transformed into fleet regiments.

Maybe it is possible to do something similar with starfighters and shipyards?

Multi-level is easier to do. Yes.

Restrictions? I have not thought that out for game play. So far, only a bonus to have multi-level facility in time construction reduction 10% per level to level 5. One level 5 Ship yard can crank out a ship 0+10+20+30+40= 100% faster compared to five separate level 1 shipyards. Speed. Higher levels must be researched. Then you can upgrade your existing shipyard via a construction module.

I want to keep micro management down by not having hundreds of little one shot facilities all over the galaxy to keep track of.

A want an incentive to build fewer higher level facilities. Maybe to the point of having exclusive facility planets due to power restrictions. Planet only does one of Ship, Troop, or Construction. Not all.

You could also put specialised planets that are the sole producer or produce the ships faster. For example, Koensayr would be specialist of Y-Wings and K-Wings, Fresia would be specialist of X-Wings, Loronar Strike Cruiser, Bothawui for Bothan Cruiser, if available...

It would add flavor to the game by having specialist planets for speed of production bonus. It would give variety so each planet would not be the same boring thing. Of course any planet could still make any ship to keep things balanced game wise.