So I'm pretty sure this's been discussed a million and one times, and this post may be locked down in redundancy issues, but here goes. We've been given hints here and there what the Uber team is working on but I think a centralized post here in the backer's forum should help ease some doubts and anxieties of some of the backers themselves. So what I'm suggesting is maybe we should have a Community Managing Mod (Namely Garat I believe) tell us in brief what are the main focus's(plural) that are being worked on to put the game together. Kind of how the stretch goals were during the kickstart process, what is it we're aiming for during the development process? I believe some brief draft-ish outlining of these goals would help most of the active community be at ease.
Maybe this was a bad idea, defining what the base gameplay will be like will also place limitations on what and what-not will be part of the core gameplay mechanics of the game. Still I don't think keeping it ambigious all the time will result in anything much but unclear and undefined expectations and the possible downfall and dissapointment thereafter of some who may have been waiting for more than what was initially brought to the table, so maybe discussing these in a more consolidated, centralized way may help some to have a clear vision as to what to look forward to. Just another suggestion, take it as you will.
I don't think what you are asking for is necessary or even possible because the game just isn't that far along yet. The guys at Uber have a very clear vision of what they want PA to be and they have done a very good job of communicating that to us both during and after the Kickstarter campaign. We pledged our money to them because we had faith that they would make a great game worthy of the legacy of TA and SupCom/FA. If what they put forward during the Kickstarter campaign wasn't enough to communicate to you what type of game play they were going for or if you didn't like said vision then you really shouldn't have backed the project. Personally I have faith that the guys at Uber are in the process of making a true RTS legend who's praises will echo through the halls of dorms and gaming web sites for years to come regardless of the exact balance of game play mechanics they ultimately decide to go with.
It's Total Annihilation on a planetary scale with improved AI, interface and all functions. Play TA and send your mind to the future comparing it to the Kickstarter video, that's pretty much it! TA was given 50 awards in its time, one of which was "Best RTS of all time". PA will be the "Bestest RTS of all time" (rated by IGN without Uber bribing them, that means a lot)
I'm pretty sure "genre defining" will be more future proof, and also break less of the (already broken) English syntax and grammar If Uber can get multi-planet gameplay working right (along with spherical planets), it will fully and entirely deserve the appellation "genre defining". I can't see square maps retaining their appeal much once people experience a full planet surface to wage war on
square maps will always have their appeal because not everyone wants to deal with wrap around spaces and defined shapes. That goes with genre defining, while the game will definitely be the latest incarnation of the TA style sub genre of RTS, It will probably be creating the solar system scale sub genre. Then we will all get annoyed and throw the sub genre system out the window and just go back to calling them all RTS.
Haha xD, guess I can rest easy now, though I still have doubts about some elements of the gameplay, namely orbital, gas-giants, and launch trajectory physics (gravity and how it affects stuff like the unit cannon, space-transport and Asteroid in their travel), and a multiple-planet overview (mini-map?). Still like Antillies said I'll trust Uber with it, I'm sure they can nail it right.
