Constructor suggestions

from GalCiv2 Forums
This is a great game, but there is one micromanagement aspect that annoys the heck out of me. Upgrading starbases with constructors is very time consuming. Every time I research a new tech that affects starbases, I have to assign constructors to each starbase. Using rally points only helps a little, as that just makes it so I manually assign rally points instead of individual constructor destinations.

My idea for fixing this has a couple different tiers, depending on how complicated SD is willing to make it. First, a "virtual rally point" that tells a constructor to move towards the nearest starbase that needs improvement would help immensely. A slightly more complicated version would include checkboxes on each starbase that say whether that starbase should have automatic combat or sensor upgrades. Also, different virtual rally points that allow constructors to seek out a subset of the starbase types would help those who only want to upgrade one of the four starbases at any given time.

Anything that makes it so I don't have to either move rally points or constantly adjust ships and planets to already existing rally points would save a ton of time. My non-combat turns would go from a couple minutes each to less than a minute.
ideas
8,713 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think this game has fairly little micromanagement, but the constructors are definetly the biggest micromanagement creators. Hopefully SD has some new tricks coming in 1.3.

I like your suggestions. Upgrade closest SB would be nice for planets and tick boxes for SB would be welcome too. Nice ideas in my mind. I think that because of constructor (how they are now) I only play middle sized games. I have no patience to guide my constructors in a bigger game.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Excellent idea! Besides the tedium of guiding the constructors, there is the problem of usually not knowing whether an upgrade you want is available for a star base until you send a constructor there and find out that it isn't! It is too much to go around clicking individual star bases to see what's on each one. Your suggestions would *greatly* clean up the game.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Indeed SD did add the number how many components there are and how many can be installed. Example 2/6 . While this was nice it practicly did nothing for me. I would like to know what components can be added without moving a constructor to the SB. Even this would be little futile, I think the best way would indeed be the tick boxes. What would be better would be a chance to move the tick boxes and change their order.

You would have example like this:

Assist X
Sensors -
Defense X

And would ofcourse mean that a constructor would upgrade first all weapon assistance components and after that all defense components in this order. Well atleast I think it would be logical Atleast there would be no harm from these automated tick boxes. SB upgrading would be doned like in recent versions if no tick boxes was selected.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please have a look at this thread about a starbase gouvernor: Link

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That seems like a nice idea too, but I kinda recent the governors. Don´t know why, but in this case I find OP suggestion better. Personal opinion only Anything that eases up the SB upgrading would be welcome.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I agree that some sort of system for upgrading starbases would be great. I would be happy to see either the OP idea or the idea linked to in #4 implemented.

In my opinion the check boxes would work the best, as the upgrade needs for individual starbases (even of the same type) can be very different, for example a mining starbase near a border might want weapons/defense and mining upgrades; one deep in your own territory would only need mining upgrades.

a bunch of check boxes for each starbase would allow this flexibility, i am not sure (from what i understood anyway) that the idea in #4 would allow this so easily, though it is still an excellently though out and presented idea.

I guess my ideal would be a screen such as that on right hand side in #4 for each starbase, then the option in the governor screen to either choose manual constuctor movement, or automatic movement to nearest starbase needing upgrade (maybe with a 'focus' button for each starbase incase you want to quickly upgrade on while neglecting others till its done) - kind of a merger of both ideas
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A bumpy for a good suggestion.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Regarding the starbase governor: If it were possible to customize, for each starbase, which upgrade tree(s) I wanted to follow, and I didn't have to change the governor each time a starbase finished, that would work well. It might even be better because there would be fewer dialogs to follow. All I really want is some way to avoid the tedium of updating rally points every time I make a new tech advance.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Something that could help is knowing at a glance what projects can be build on each starbase.

That way I wouldn't blindly send a constructor on several weeks mission only to see later that "oh, sorry, you don't have any more mining upgrades available--didn't you know? You'll have to settle for a sensor+1, go somewhere else, or start a poorly timed research effort."

Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'd be happy with one of two things:

1. A civilization style 'automate' command, where they pick a starbase (even using the current AI for starbase construction for all it matters) and just fly there.

2. Let me put like 10 modules on a ship (and of course cost 10 x as much). And then only consume the modules used rather than the whole ship. In this way I could cut down the amount of meddling I have to do by a factor of 10, or moreover, as you scale up in miniturization you cut down on the micromanagement you have to do (and maybe shrink construction modules as you go up the industry tree?).
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
AWESOME! very very good idea...

I am tired of breaking my wrist over this. I already disabled the "ask to upgrade starbase" option which helps immensly, but I still have to click on what I want to upgrade and where, and its WAYYY to much micro management. I often only use mining starbases and only on absolutely necessary items because I am so sick of having to click through it a million times (on larger maps)
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yea, upgrading starbases is a real drag. So, I quit doing it. The only ones I fully develop are the ones on galactic resources. Other than that, I don't build any starbases except for influence ones to flip planets. I only upgrade them as much as I need and once a planet flips, I delete them. Every now and than I might build an influence starbase to extend range, but then I don't do any upgrades on those.

It would be nice if building and upgrading starbases was not labor prohibitive.