What would like to see in an expansion?

[wedge2211]

7. A slight re-design of the tactical cinema camera. Basically during combat (space more than anything), I'd like to be able to have an option to click a unit and follow that unit in ceinma mode. Much of the time the camera tracking action and changes to show nothing but empty space or empty ground.

You can select a unit and press [C] to get a camera view that's locked on to that unit. Move the mouse around to pan the camera around that unit.

 

You can also press SPACE to switch cinematic camera angles if it's picked up empty space or you just want a different view of the action. If the cinematic camera sets on a view you like, you can hold SPACE down to keep that camera locked into that view.

[jpinard]

You can select a unit and press [C] to get a camera view that's locked on to that unit. Move the mouse around to pan the camera around that unit.

 

You can also press SPACE to switch cinematic camera angles if it's picked up empty space or you just want a different view of the action. If the cinematic camera sets on a view you like, you can hold SPACE down to keep that camera locked into that view.

 

Thanks!

[wedge2211]

I was just thinking a bit more about what I'd like to see in a sequel/expansion, and here are some old ideas, some new ideas, and some consolidations of ideas:

 

Maps: A lot of people have mentioned bigger or more open maps in general--I think this is definitely a good idea for the space battles, so the ships can no longer fire across the whole map. On the ground, however, I think that the Rebel and Imperial bases should be on completely separate maps, fitting the factions' characters. The Imperial base should be centrally located in a big, open expanse; or perhaps on a hill; in a place where the overconfident Empire can project power and march out to meet their attacker in full force. The Rebels, on the other hand, should build their bases off to the side in twisting, narrow canyons or caves, or behind mountains or in forests, opportunistically taking advantage of natural barriers to hide away and mount a defense. Finally, I'd like to see partially-constructed buildings, space stations, and capital ships appear on tactical maps. It would make a Rebel hit-and-run attack with a few squads of Y-Wings and a few Corvettes much more viable if the bombers could target a half-complete Star Destroyer with no shields, partial health, and inactive weapons. Raid fleets could be that much more devastating if some Rebel Infiltrators can sneak into a base and blow up a skeletal advanced factory. But, to compensate, a raid on a planet should not be allowed if a raid on that planet already took place in the last galactic day (or half-day, or whatever).

 

Options for fleets in galactic play: The galactic map should have more options, reflecting the Empire's role as a tyrannical government and the Rebellion's role as an insurgency. Someone earlier mentioned the idea of an Imperial "trap" slot to offset the Rebels' "raid" slot--the Empire could move a fleet into their "trap" slot on a planet and that fleet would no longer be visible to the Rebels. If a Rebel fleet moves in-system, a tactical battle is initiated as usual--but the Rebels are caught by surprise! "It's a trap!" In addition, I think the Rebellion should have the option of moving ships into a "hide" slot on any friendly system, even if it's controlled by the Empire. The "hide" slot would hold a limited number of units, would not be revealed to the Imperial player unless a probe droid, TIE scout, or large number of other units are present, and would not initiate a tactical battle unless the ships were revealed by such a method.

 

Fleet commanders: I think that right now Fleet Commanders don't really do much for their cost. I'd like to have the ability to set fleet options via a fleet commander. In particular, I think a fleet commander should come with two options: Initial formation and initial range. Initial range sets the distance from an enemy space station the commander prefers to hyperspace in at, within simple variations (i.e., "long range," "close range," and "firing range"). Initial formation would allow a number of pre-set formations to be chosen at the beginning of the battle: for instance, a defensive ring, fighting wedge, line abreast, fighter screen, or pincer. The types of ships initially deployed might change accordingly; for example, a fighting wedge would have more heavy-hitting capital ships and a defensive ring would have more anti-fighter and anti-corvette ships. Then, when a fleet with a fleet commander starts a battle, the initial forces present would be deployed in the specified formation and at the specified range. This would be a good way to allow players to choose the initial disposition of their forces without micromanaging it in an "initial fleet selection" screen--and if players generally prefer one setup, they just have to assign appropriate options to their fleet commanders instead of having to manually pick roughly the same forces each time. Plus, imagine the combination of tactics: an Imperial fleet sets a trap, and their fleet commander is set to deploy forces initially in a pincer within firing range. The Rebels will be caught off guard and annihilated unless they think fast!

 

Planetary Bombardment: I think that this should be implemented for the Empire, but not in an overpowering way. Planetary bombardment should be a special ability of Imperial Star Destroyers within tactical battles, so the Rebels have a chance to fight back with ion cannons and whatever defensive fleet they have. This ability should freeze the Star Destroyer in place and focus all its weapons on the planet surface. The ability should not be possible if a shield is on the planet.

[adey12]

- a campaign and/or a galactic conquest where the player can play as the pirates.

 

- much more creatures and settlements on maps.

 

- some nice C&C type cutscenes would be nice for the main campaing of a Empire At War 2

[ScorLibran]

I actually like the space combat, although the nebulas do get to be annoying.

Yeah...And since when are there nebulas orbiting planets? Nebulas are huge "star factories". And masses of asteroids don't exist in planetary orbit either.

 

Space debris, sure. Especially in an age where many, many space craft dump their junk, and where they grow outdated and become space junk themselves. And ring particles are realistic, to some extent. But nebulas and asteroids orbiting planets? No...probably not even in another galaxy - even though Ep. 3 portrayed an asteroid field orbiting a planet. Then again, they also portrayed a galaxy in the middle of a starfield at the end of Ep. V, so some leeway for the fantasy aspects I suppose.

 

As for an expanstion pack...I'm torn between wanting to see aspects of Eps. V, IV and beyond, but also would be excited to see the story of Eps. I-III. I think the latter I'd like to see first. Needless to say, this game will probably have more than one expansion.

[Genral O]

More space and land units!

[jedi3112]

The random events, experience and possibly the naming of units (like in Force Commander, combined with experience). I like the missions you get, but a bit more variety would be nice. Another idea that I had in mind was to do something with the heroes and planets. Say you have missions that unlock heroes when you reach a certain tech level. I would like a more Warcraft/LOTR:BFME based hero system, where I would have to pay (a lot) for the resurrection of a given hero. Though that might give problems with the critical heros for the Rebels (R2 and Luke).

[ScorLibran]

A harder "hard" difficulty?

 

I've just finished another conquest game on hard, playing the Rebellion, and it was really too easy.

 

I'm not bragging or anything, but it just seems like the enemy AI doesn't try hard enough.

 

Mid-game things were pretty difficult, and very fun; the enemy AI was building nicely, and countering my strategies consistently. But in the last 1/3 of the game, the enemy AI wasn't building much of anything..it's like it gave up when it clearly could have beaten me, or at least given me a hard run for my money. I was facing lvl-2 space stations with only a couple of Acclamators present almost every time. And on the land there were no buildings present except one mine on the last 10 or so planets.

 

I'd run into the Emperor on almost every planet out of the last ten or so, and he'd force corrupt a few of my units, then run away not to be seen again. If it were me playing him, I'd force corrupt units, then force lightning a bunch of others, then use the light saber on the rest since he's pretty much immune to blaster fire. The AI just wasn't doing nearly enough with him.

 

Artillery is the hardest thing I run into on planets, and there didn't seem to be much of it present at all. On hard I'd expect masses of it.

 

So in an expasion I'd like to see more than three difficulty levels. Easy - Medium - Hard - Nightmare, maybe? Something that matches the Diety level in the Civilization series.

[wedge2211]

I hesitated to bring this thread up again, but I keep thinking of mechanics to add tot he gameplay...

 

I would like to see some of the planets on the galactic map replaced with uninhabited systems/asteroid fields/deep space locations. These would work as all planets and systems do as far as the galactic map and space battles go, but with the following modifications:

 

- No ground map

- No construction allowed in the system

- No 'owner' of the system

- Tactical battles would not be initiated unless the system is the final destination of the fleet moving through or the Empire has an Interdictor present

 

These systems would just serve as 'transit points.' They would make galactic play more interesting--especially if they were added at choke points (corollary: add more choke points!) or as part of heavily trafficked routes. Systems like that could, for instance, serve as out-of-the-way staging points for Rebel fleets, stepping-stones toward enemy territory, or (my personal favorite idea), systems where the Empire could place a fleet with an Interdictor and ambush some Rebel transports or catch an assualt fleet before it was ready.

 

In conjunction with that, I'd really like to see the travel times on the galactic map increased. Launching an attack should be a big deal, and forces should not be able to be shuffled around as effortlessly (almost instantly) as they are now. And if the 'transit systems' I described above are implemented, longer travel times would force players to make a stretegic decision: take a fleet through secure routes to its destination, but delay their arrival significantly; or travel through the transit system and risk encountering an Imperial ambush?

[jediturkey]

Expansion pack requests:

 

The ability to barricade units in buildings (for land maps).

 

The ability to put units in vehicles so they can shoot out of them.

 

The ability for units to jump on animals like tauntaun's and ride around on them for speed:

 

http://www.starwars.com/databank/creature/tauntaun

 

The ability to play as different species or factions -- i.e. play as pirates, etc.

 

Ranking for units -- i.e. like in Generals -- so you work on having the units survive because they will get better. I suggest having them gain a strip/rank if they survive an entire land or space battle, not during the battle itself. Then give them a little easy to see marker to show their stripes.

 

Dimplomacy -- trade with pirates or hire them as mercs, declare temporary truces, trade land for space and vice versa, etc.

 

Jedi and Sith classes, where you can actually create padawans (you can build an academy structures) and as they gain rank via combat they can build up more force powers and/or saber skills up to the level of Jedi or Sith. Imagine massive RTS saber/force battles with Jedis and Siths fighting it out.

 

Some kind of sea units with water and underwater abilities (stealth with other units having anti-stealth counters -- sort of Star Wars submarines) -- naval type battles are always fun.

 

[nas77]

I don't if it's been said before but we need YODA! If we can have one of the hidden Jedi, why not the other? Would be cool to see him duel with Palpy in a skirmish.

[Foshjedi2004]

Well here is what is in the EXPANSION!!

 

http://pff.swrebellion.com/index.php?topic=3627.msg50774#msg50774

[Destroyder121]

I want a expansion that puts more focus on infrantry combat in Tier 1 and 2..and/or Clone Wars.

And something remiscent of the "World Domination" feature from Tiberian Sun:Firestorm, instead its "Galaxy Domination", where you have to fight for planets instead of territories..that would be cool.