too much micromanagement (resp. too much clicking)

First, I have to say that whoever got the idea with the little icons in the lower left of the build menus, which show what you're lacking, is a genius.

It's really a very nice addition.

Which gave me an idea:

Let's say, I want to build a new trade station. I have the resources, the research, just not the logistical points needed. But this is no problem since I can easily build the logistics upgrade on this planet and then start building of the station.

#of clicks
1. click on logistic structures
-. see that I need more logistic points
2. hit esc or click on return
3. click on develop planet
4. click on logistic upgrade
5. hit esc or click on return
6. click on logistic structures
7. click on trade station icon which gets it nicely auto-placed (yay for auto-place!)

Quite a lot of work to just build a structure.

What I would like to have is the ability to just click on the little green icon in the lower left of my building, which automatically starts building the necessary logistic upgrade on the planet (if I have enough resources of course).

It would then be more like this.

#of clicks
1. click on logistic structures
-. see that I need more logistic points
-. remember that I have enough resources
2. click on the little green icon in the lower left which starts logistic points upgrade
3. click on trade station icon which gets it nicely auto-placed (yay for auto-place!)

Tadaah! Finished much faster.

The same would also work for research. If I have enough resources, a click on the little blue research icon in the lower left would get the research started, if possible.

--------

To expand the system even further, if the maximum of logistic extensions is reached on a planet, the little green icon which shows the lack of logistics should be crossed out with a red /, so that I can see with one view, that I lack the necessary logistics points and at the same time that the planet is at maximum capacity.

Similar for when research is lacking, but not possible because of a lack of necessary research stations/prerequisites not fulfilled. The research icon would then also be crossed out red, so I know the situation at once.

This would minimize a quite a bit of clicking, imho, and speed up the menial tasks of organizing ones empire.


It could be further expanded, that when you lack a resource but have enough of another resource, a click on the little yellow credit icon would automatically sell some of the resource of which you haven enough and buy the resource of which you don't have enough from the black market. Making away with the necessity to always visit the black market if you just want to build one building and lack a bit of one resource.
3,791 views 5 replies
Reply #1 Top
I am just a grumpy old homeworld player (one word for you nublets)

so I wont say much, exept that in HW, anything less than 'round a hundred clicks (approxamation for you non-homeworlders) is good, so if I where you, I'd quit while I was ahead, then again, i am just a lowly hw player, that thinks seven year old games are fun.
Reply #2 Top
Clicking is a part of life... Heck I broke my mouse in Beta1...
Reply #3 Top
I don't think too much clicking is the issue... I think there has been too much micromanagement put into sins. Now we need two research labs (more if we want higher research) and we need to upgrade planets and Cap ships. I think that the game's downfall might eventually be too much micromanagement if the devs add anymore without taking some out.
Reply #4 Top
1. click on logistic structures
-. see that I need more logistic points
-. remember that I have enough resources
2. click on the little green icon in the lower left which starts logistic points upgrade
3. click on trade station icon which gets it nicely auto-placed (yay for auto-place!)


Why not just make mousing over the icons (which I hope you enlarge, if you try this...) show the tooltip for the appropriate logistics / tactics / research upgrade.

It could be further expanded, that when you lack a resource but have enough of another resource, a click on the little yellow credit icon would automatically sell some of the resource of which you haven enough and buy the resource of which you don't have enough from the black market. Making away with the necessity to always visit the black market if you just want to build one building and lack a bit of one resource.


Eh, this would be too likely to bite someone in the but, since you sell two resources and buy with the third (cash), so its entirely likely that if you're short cash it might grab the wrong resource -- the one you don't want sold -- and make you short later on down the line.

Why not just let someone click on the minerals / crystals display, left click to buy right click to sell (with the mouseover showing buy / sell prices)?
Reply #5 Top
All great idea IMHO, ANYTHING that reduces micro is good. I want strategy to win games, not fast fingers. Only thing I would wait on is the Black Market extention, as it's going to be changing soon I think. But the others, those are really good ideas. Especially as I think the game is going to need to be significantly speeded up to be a big multiplayer hit.