POLL unit cap.

To avoid this issue, you need a per player cap rather than a global one (which is how ta and spring handle it). So a cap of 1000 in a 4 player game would be a theoretical total of 4000, however all players are treated equally to avoid one player brute forcing a win by using everyone else unit cap as well.

Well, even though id theoretically vote for "yes" just because it wouldnt hurt anybody, im in the "fix the problems not the symptones" faction - id rather see the energy flow into making the game playable instead of adding extra buttons. I still cant play my 12 player game on 2 max sized planets. And every time i come back and check and somebody says "the game is much more optimized now!" and i try again its the same result. Im almost beyond hope, i check once every 2 months the forums to see if something major has happened, but not at all.

well you're just being selfish towards the people with flimsy computers who can't ride the storm out.

I know you may be on the side that HAS a flimsy computer but that's just the way it is if you're voting no. I don't get how ideals and righteousness has anything on options since you can keep your darn "fix the problems" by leaving the option off.

even if it does get better (and let's not take that for granted please) there'll necessarily still be computers that are above min specs that can't play the game decently because of how many units are on the field.

The Cult has been playing 15 player matches almost every day, pfff..

I think unit caps go against the spirit of the game: the infinite scalabilty. Learn to design systems that naturally "cap" the number of units in play.

what do you mean "goes against the spirit of the game" does leaving that option of also "go against the spirit of the game"?

By the time Uber is completed with the game, you'll have to scroll through a few thousand different options for each match.

Oh yeah baby! keep going! tell me how it'll be! tell me how it'll have global chat! support dual-screening, crossfire-X, SLI and bigger planets with more units without lag!!! yes I'm almost there!

I vote yes, as long as its optional, default off, cap per player, and there is a filter for games with/without unit cap in server browser.

EDIT: Also cap should be clearly visible in lobby and have a counter in-game.

yeah all of these things are exactly what the yes option is.

it's implicit from the debate thread that spawned the poll thread sorry i didn't take the time to explain it all again.
I'll just post this in the OP.

On my phone so i skimmed through the the thread.

Especially when it comes to mucking around against the AI in galactic war with limited options for attacking an AI world, as they tend to go ******* overboard when it comes to massing units.

I am pretty sure the game turning into a slide show because the AI produced to many units "goes aginist the spirit of the game".

Actually there are some improvements due for the AI that should help this- one of the biggest issues with the AI is it doesn't currently take into account if building certain units is helpful (so for example it will build vehicles on an island, or naval in a pond, creating lots of pointless units). There is a fix for this that should hopefully reduce the number of redundant units the AI makes (although it could still be an issue for multi planet matches if the AI can't get a foothold).

@squishypon3 the number of players isn't really the problem, but rather the '2 max sized planets'... as that requires serious horsepower to run. Those cult games were on their home system which is a single R1000 planet, and at that the game runs well enough with 15 players (I'd bet 20 is possible as an upper limit). What @ohhhshiny want's to do though is host a game on 2 x R1300 planets (the current max) however I'd bet you can't get that running smooth even on a GTX 980... Out of interest ohhhshiny, what is the limiting factor for you? Client side frame rate or server /' sim performance? I imagine trying the game on two R1000 planets might be more manageable, I know not quite what you want but maybe worth testing just to find where the real limit is? As for 12 player games, if you have PA Stats installed there are a few unlimited servers available that could host it.

While a toggle-able unit cap is a good idea, it doesn't really help galactic war. The biggest issue is the AI. It should have some limiting point where instead of massing units until it breaks the game it attacks. Honestly, I think that's just common sense.

I would never use it or play a game with it... but I can't really find a reason to deny people such a simple option if they want it.

well we're not saying no to a bit of both...

this.

Personally I'm on the fence, while a unit cap would throw PA into the SC or other well know "RTS" games some people don't have custom made computers or teck savvy enough to know how maximize their comp so for those with lesser comps they really should have the ability to set a unit cap just so they can play this great game and not get lagged to death.

ON THE OTHER SIDE a unit cap would make this just "another RTS" game to me. Yea it's fast paced but with this unlimited economy or full gas giant lvl eco your only allowed to have this many units on the system which defeats the who idea of PA which is when you have a 1.4 mil metal and 2/3 bill energy you can produce whatever you want.

No way it would go anywhere near to SC. You could have a very modest unit cap of 500-1000 units per player for example. I doubt many people would hit it, but it would sure prevent the AI from hitting it at times.

Sorry leme rephrase, it wouldn't become but it would be showing characteristics of other known RTS's