Re: Galaxy: Yet another idea to change a perfectly good game

From: haines@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (Andrew Haines, Civil, 1/113)

Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1993 07:46:16 +0000

In article <1993Mar20.065005.7978@uvm.edu> bruneau@griffin.emba.uvm.edu (Mark L Bruneau) writes:
>        I've been thinking about the battle algorithm lately.  As of
>right now, a ship with a gun has an equal chance to hit any enemy ship
>when it fires.  Wouldn't it make more sense to go for your enemies
>capital ships, and ignore little popguns or drones?
>        I was thinking it would be a good idea to slightly weight the
>chances of hitting a bigger ship.  Nothing too dramatic, just a slight
>increase.
[Algorithm deleted]

In agreement with some other posters, I'm not sure that this isn't an answer
in search of a problem.  Nevertheless, should TPTB (the powers that be :)
decide a change is desired in this area, I would suggest a different
approach......

I would propose that in addition to their current parameters, each ship
would possess a RANK parameter.  This would be chosen like the other
parameters when you design the ship type, and be an integer selected from
amongst a specified range of values (eg 1, 2 or 3).  Then RANK 1 ships could
be considered to be ordered to engage the enemy first, and so be more more
likely to fire or be fired upon first than ships in ranks behind them (eg I
have 3 ships, 1 each of ranks 1, 2, and 3. Perhaps my ship of rank 1
is twice as likely to fire first or be fired upon first as my ship
of rank 2, which is again twice as likely to be chosen for action as
a rank 3 ship).  If you like you can split up the "selection to shoot"
and "selection to be shot at" aspects, by giving ships a preference to fire
at ships of their own rank.

>This would also have the effect of diminishing the importance
>of flak...  which may or may not be desirable.  Ship design would most
>likely become a lot more critical.

I thought it was already pretty critical, though luck CAN play a large part
at the moment (though not as much as poor planning/design).

>        I can't wait to see comments on this idea...
>
>Mark

Hope they were all worth waiting for :^)

Andrew Haines                       \ "You're all individuals!"
Computer Systems Officer              \ "WE'RE ALL INDIVIDUALS!"
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia \ "I'm not!" Monty Python:Life of Brian

References

Galaxy: Yet another idea to change a perfectly good game
bruneau@griffin.emba.uvm.edu (Mark L Bruneau)
Sat, 20 Mar 1993 06:50:05 +0000

Referenced By

Galaxy: Yet another idea to change a perfectly good game
bruneau@griffin.emba.uvm.edu (Mark L Bruneau)
Sat, 20 Mar 1993 06:50:05 +0000