[Poll] A more diverse, TA inspired Energy System (Wind-Tidal-Solar-Geothermal-Nuclear).

SupCom 2's economy isn't dumbed down, its just a C&C economy.

Thanks, this helps a lot!

In comparison to Total Annihilation.

Its a different economic model.

No need to get all streaming economy master race on us, different stroke for different folk's.

NEIN, STREAMING ECONOMY IS PUREST ECONOMY!
All other economies are inferior and must be exterrrrrrminated!

Can we just ask ourselves: "Would the game suffer without this?"

The answer is no. It doesn't need to be there. The way it is currently is very straightforward. I don't want to have to get a degree in civil engineering so I can figure out what type of generator to plop where. This type of system is far better suited to simcity or a colonizing sim where technological progression is a factor.

In this game, it isn't a factor. The technology is the best there is. And the best is fusion generators.

I'll admit that it's never stated the generator is actually fusion but it is a very reasonable assumption.

We simply don't need ten types of generators clogging up the build menu.

Yes it would. This sort of diverse system is more interesting, interacts with Planetary Annihilation's unique qualities (diverse environments in a single solar system/day-night cycles) and encourages combat through rewarding map control.

It also addresses certain problems in the current system where we have semi-redundant units such as of Gas-Giant Energy Generators and Orbital Solar Arrays. It does this by making Energy more difficult to obtain with a WYSIWYG mentality that is easy to grasp and understand. Sun=Solar, Wind=Wind, Moons=Tidal. You do not need to be a 'civil engineer' to figure this out.

If we just have endless energy on tap in the form of ubiquitous Fusion Energy Boxes then we have less things to fight over. The proposed system would react with and reward combat, as well as interacting with these awesome environments we're playing in. Two for one!

It is not a Sim-Cityesque setup any more than Total Annihilation was a Sim City.

If the technology is the best there is then why don't we just have one unit doing everything?
Diversity and filling niche roles is a good thing.

The UI responds to in-game elements, not the other way around.

Besides all of which, all this stuff - the Wind Turbines, the Bunkering Solar Arrays, the exploding Nuclear Generators - looks really bloody cool! They're so mechanical and robotic - they were part of what gave TA its charm and are certainly part of its spirit.

Because it's a game.

There's plenty of things that don't make sense, but super-AI building wind turbines makes too little sense.

And the fact that we have Aircraft on planets without atmosphere and no spaceships in this super-advanced future is just fine?
I do not think we're going to get far with this lore-driven line of thought.

Wings are hardpoints.

How does it make little sense? Since the game is based around super advanced AI wouldn't it make sense to go for a cheaper option which can be built in greater quantity than fusion reactors and the such? If anything it makes more sense since you have to ask yourself, if the AI can build cheap (super efficient/futuristic) Wind turbines then why would it go for a super expensive reactor if it has limited resources? Even though the AI is intelligent, that doesnt automatically mean that it has access to ludicrous amounts of resources all the time and even if it does it would stand to reason that it might want to spend those resources on some other areas as well. (Just because you don't hear about Wind turbines in many futuristic films and novels, doesn't mean that they make no sense to use in the future)

Because the fusion generators are already cheap and easy to make.

Honestly to me you and a few other people sound like this. (Why do we need more than one kind of tank since one tank is already capable of destroying other tanks. oh and since its the future one tanks should fit all roles). I will never understand why some people are against the idea of more diverse energy systems and such.

And to the people who say this makes the game too complicated I say this. Go back to playing angry birds or some other mobile game, I do not want to see this game become overly complex either but neither do I want it to be dumbed down to the point of some aspects becoming comparable to games for simpletons.

As I say usually, don't take this post too seriously, as I do not mean anything I say to come across as offensive. (I really should make this my forum signature)

Because it adds nothing of significant value. If you added this there'll be more stuff in the build menu. The UI becomes clogged. In return you get not that much which enhances the enjoyment of the game.

If that is the case then the UI is not up to scratch. UI is absolutely no excuse to not include certain features in the game. And in my case I can tell you that variety in my eyes adds life to a game. Back to my case about tanks (why do we need more than one) that is basically what i see of your arguments so far.

While variety may not be a pro in everyone's eyes, I can certainly tell you that I am one of those people who love choice and variety.

It makes energy scarcer, and harder to obtain in large quantities. This doesn't affect our early-game, but means that if we want late-game massive quantities of energy we are going to have to fight over Geothermal spots, Gas Giants and space for Nuclear Reactors (unless we want to risk explosions). It adds mechanics which interact with PA's environments, day-night cycles and combat.

Those are things of significant value in comparison to the relatively characterless clone we have of SupCom we have now.
It added something of significant value in Total Annihilation, and Planetary Annihilation could do it even better with its bigger scope and the benefit of learning from TA's and SupCom's mistakes.

just as example:
tank with cannon, tank with laser, tank with railgun ... were is the variety in that when all do have direct fireweapons?

we all want variety ... however that variety has to have a noticable feel to it ... if there is no noticable feel in gameplay to a unit or structure compared to others then it is nothing but a different skin to a already existing unit/unittype

never used wind generators in TA as they never felt worth it and windspeed on maps felt very arbitrary and nontransparent ... i build only tidalplants out for pure neccesity when landspace was scarce on waterheavy maps but there still was no real difference in feel to it whatsoever ...
i just build the plants i needed and left them do their work, that significance you speak of? i didn´t feel it ...

I agree - I ususally used Solar. But we're suggesting adapting certain things from TA into PA.
Tying these things to very clear WYSIWYG elements in game (such as how fast clouds are moving, how many moons a planet has and whether it is day or night) goes a long way to amending some of the issues that I agree Total Annihilation's system had (such as wind-speed being an arbitrary UI feature).

I'm not saying completely clone TA, but the variation and interaction between the environment, combat and the economy would be ideal for PA - more so that SupCom's bland generators (which at least had chain reactions and adjacency bonuses going for them).

i am not covinced it will add much ...
volatile plants with high energyoutput might be a possible thing ... but that´s actualy it
the only other economycontent i see adding to the game, and we had that before as well, would be geothermal plants on planets and that´s if geysirs may make a comeback but i see them being only significant either earlygame or generaly on single planets but not on large systems ... more likely to add to gameplay will be those orbital gasplants for gasgiants so in that case you will have economy and enviroment tied toghether but on the focus on orbital warfare which i think will be more intresting but that includes that orbital needs more optimisation ...
and actualy having those econonmyadditions as stated above is already a lot of content


i just don´t see solar,wind and tidal make it into the game, adding much to gameplay and not confusing new players