How do people sit on the concept of open/closed borders in this game? I am curios because I find myself disliking the system and would see it removed. But of cousem let me argue why and clarify some things.

First things first: I fully support the ideea that you can't outpost in the influence are of the enemy. It makes sense from a political and economic perspective. This can stay in just fine.

But ... exactly why can't my ships move through open, unocupied space because the enemy has influence there? What exactly is preventing them, the magic colour of the galactic map? This borders system makes no sense in a space game because there are no borders in space. There is only space. The entire open/closed borders system in illogical and can lead to some preety stupid scenarios of ships beeing trapped in empty uninhabited sectors because ... idk, the flying spagheti monster keeps them there.

Of course, if this system is to be removed (as in disapear in it's curent form) I do think some form of teritory control should remain in the game. Fleets are an obvious first thing to point out and their blockade option, but I would also propose another elegant solution to keep certain systems protected and curb the enemy running around your space. What about a gravity well type of system improvement that essentialy places a permanent blockade on the system? But simply declaring "these are closed borders now" and having your entire influence circle, inhabited or no, become a no fly area makes no sense because logicaly speaking you can't enforce those borders. Best case scenario you could enforce it for planets you directly inhabit and control.

Thats like, how its in every 4x game though? If you move to occupied space and get detected you cause a war basically?. 

Like you cant just drive tanks through another countrys streets, that would cause political mishap?

Except you are not driving a tank over a line in the sand, you are piloting spaceships in the middle of space over teritory that curently has no ocupation (uncolonized systems/asteroid belts). What is there to stop you? Ok sure they could detect you ... but what are they going to do to prevent you from moving magicaly without sending another fleet to stop you.

Also, even in other 4X games, closed borders is never an adamant restriction. You can violate the pact with the obvious consequences if you so choose. The entire point of my proposition here was to make the system more intuitive and to punish players less for when the AI inevitably slaps them across the face with a forced truce.

For me the concept of open-closed borders in a 4X game is exactly the same as the Neutral Zone between the Federation and the Romulans in Star Trek.

So I can accept that just fine.

vahouth wrote:

For me the concept of open-closed borders in a 4X game is exactly the same as the Neutral Zone between the Federation and the Romulans in Star Trek.

So I can accept that just fine.

Yes, it basialy works on the honor system and routinely gets violated. Except here, in order to enforce the force truce mechanic (which is a can of worms more in depth discussed somewhere else on the forums) they force you to abide by the closed borders, to the point your ships get isolated in enemy space. Which is hilarious because the exact oposite of a truce results: those ships will stay locked in enemy space and you will be able to use them to blockade and destroy enemy fleets, thus negating the entire point of a truce (letting both sides rebuild).

ultimatly it's not about removing it, it's about making it obvious/logical what enforces it and what are the limits of that power. Because just like the force truce mechanic, the closed border is yet another case of the flying spagheti monster magicaly enforcing restrictions.

The concept of borders in strategy games have always been about preventing one player from just mobilizing troops in all the optimal close locations without penalty. I do remember some of the early strategy games... like civilization where you could just place your troops very liberally... and you would before you declared war, because then you could first strike most of the enemy down really fast. 

Also closed borders prevent exploration ships from passing through... this will ultimately mean that you can close off parts of the map that you want to explore an exploit. 

Anomalies and curiosities are a limited ressource after all, and if you can you want to limit others players getting there. 

So all in all borders might seem non sensical, but they do add a strategic element to the game. I just wish you had more control over it... ie you would be able to build border extension outposts that could prevent enemy movement in the early game. 

XDAvenger93 wrote:

Also, even in other 4X games, closed borders is never an adamant restriction. You can violate the pact with the obvious consequences if you so choose. 

You can do this here as well: declare war and move through other borders as you wish.

Borders are just that: spheres of influence that you "claim" to own around your colonized systems. If the enemy military moves to close to your worlds its an act of aggression just like crossing borders on earth. It doesn't matter if uncolonized planets or asteroids are within the borders ... only the distance to your colonized system matters.

Calavera wrote:

XDAvenger93 wrote:

Also, even in other 4X games, closed borders is never an adamant restriction. You can violate the pact with the obvious consequences if you so choose. 

You can do this here as well: declare war and move through other borders as you wish.

Borders are just that: spheres of influence that you "claim" to own around your colonized systems. If the enemy military moves to close to your worlds its an act of aggression just like crossing borders on earth. It doesn't matter if uncolonized planets or asteroids are within the borders ... only the distance to your colonized system matters.

No, you can't. Because the flying spagheti monster said force truce is in effect and your fleets caught in enemy space can go file their complaints to the cold void of space. And that is where the entire problem emerges from.

the problem here is the forced truce - not the borders. Though i agree you should always be able to move through while at peace or "forced peace". At least you should be able to leave.

Not all of Canada is populated, we have areas of no populations. However, they do fall within our borders. Do you really think no one would cock an eyebrow if Russia suddenly started stockpiling jets there without permission?