This is really just a re-hashing of an idea I sort of threw out there when talk was given to a "return of the endless" scenario. The concept for the scenario was cool and all, but the major problem with it is, once everyone knows that this event is coming, players will alter their play style and so prepare for what was supposed to be completely unexpected.



In response to this problem, I suggested that one way to have "the return of the endless" still be in the game, while at the same time ensuring players have no idea if its going to happen or not, would be to have some probability mechanics inserted into the game that ensure that an event could possibly never happen.



-At the start of a new game, the galaxy is given a 50/50 chance for ________ event to even be POSSIBLE.

-If possible, the event has a 1 in 1,000,000 chance of triggering at the end of the first turn, 1 in 999,999 at the end of the second and so forth. Assuming there are no other prerequisites.

-^ numbers adjusted in such a manner so that, even if possible, it may still never happen in a standard speed game.



Basically, I made this suggestion as a means to include major game changing events to ES2 while also making it so that players can't really plan ahead at all. (especially if planning ahead requires something that is somewhat detrimental to normal gameplay)



With a system like this in place, players will have very little capacity to prepare for the unexpected. This, I think, furthers the purpose of global events. Its no longer a question of WHEN an event will happen, but also IF it will ever happen at all.

It also has the benefit of mechanically encouraging both paranoia and disregard.



What do you guys think? Ignoring "the return of the endless" specifically, do you think having global events trigger in this manner would be a good thing?

My thought is, if there are events that truly may or may not happen, then each playthrough would be genuinely unique as each playthrough would have a unique set of obstacles to overcome.

Also, assuming this is a good idea, can you guys think of other global events that would benefit from being unforeseeable? Would having big game changing events on the same scale as a "return of the endless" event even be a good thing?

Events like the galactic plague are already havign enough of an impact IMO. And you triggering mechanics are always going to be the same effectively, with the average game taking under 200 turns, there's not gonna be any siginficant chance to get anything anyway; there's gonna be a roughly 1/10000 chance of anything happening in any given game. If you did have triggers like that, they should maybe provide unique boni(Something like a nice hero or an extra luxury that isn't properly gamechanging), but having really rare events wouldn't really improve the game; and, again, the Galactic Plague is already bad enough.

Those are fun unless they ruin your empire... so there is that.

Sinnaj63 wrote:
Events like the galactic plague are already havign enough of an impact IMO. And you triggering mechanics are always going to be the same effectively, with the average game taking under 200 turns, there's not gonna be any siginficant chance to get anything anyway; there's gonna be a roughly 1/10000 chance of anything happening in any given game. If you did have triggers like that, they should maybe provide unique boni(Something like a nice hero or an extra luxury that isn't properly gamechanging), but having really rare events wouldn't really improve the game; and, again, the Galactic Plague is already bad enough.

That's a good point. Very rare events aren't that good of a thing. but suppose the variables were simply lowered to 1 in 400 or somthing like that....

But, you do mention that the galactic plague is bad enough, what if, instead of a convoluted system like I suggested, random events were categorized? Like, say Galactic plague and "return on the endless" are both classified as "Big and Bad".

Then, simply add some code that says "only one Big, Bad event may occur within the course of a standard game (and maybe 2 on longer game speeds)"



That would solve the problem of players being overwhelmed by too many bad things while also adding a certain level of unpredictability...

Nasarog wrote:
Those are fun unless they ruin your empire... so there is that.

Eh, that's fair... but the rush of overcoming obstacles is nice too.

I definitely see your point though... it sucks being close to winning and being swatted down by something beyond your control. Still, adjusting the variables