I'm really surprised that more people haven't put in all sorts of ideas for this kind of thing yet, there's been a few posts about it but nobody really put it to the actual "suggestion" board.

VulpesWalker wrote:
Even so where's the challenge in always playing the same exact thing over and over? I like random events but I think there needs to be an optional remedy for some and actually make it a feature, not just a pop up annoyance.

The game has a random map generator already, which is plenty of random chance for me. Go ask everyone what conditions they'll restart a game under and you'll find that while everybody has a different threshold of how hard a time they'll accept, most people will restart if they get hosed by the galaxy generator.



The random events don't really change anything the map generator can't. How is the game massively different if early on my heroes get a couple easy levels? It's just me having an easier time doing what I always do. There's not much you can do to make the game play much differently, though randomizing the galaxy characteristics will do some of that.

GC13 wrote:
The game has a random map generator already, which is plenty of random chance for me. Go ask everyone what conditions they'll restart a game under and you'll find that while everybody has a different threshold of how hard a time they'll accept, most people will restart if they get hosed by the galaxy generator.



The random events don't really change anything the map generator can't. How is the game massively different if early on my heroes get a couple easy levels? It's just me having an easier time doing what I always do. There's not much you can do to make the game play much differently, though randomizing the galaxy characteristics will do some of that.

Really depends on the person, but even so if they follow through with the option for no random events then you should be set, but a better functionality for those of us that enjoy the extra challenge would appreciate a possible countermeasure.

Oh I would be very set if they added in the ability to turn off random events. For people like you though I'd still like to see the ability to do something to recover from the effects of catastrophic events like the one you mentioned in the top post.

GC13 wrote:
Oh I would be very set if they added in the ability to turn off random events. For people like you though I'd still like to see the ability to do something to recover from the effects of catastrophic events like the one you mentioned in the top post.

I could see that option becoming more available in beta on just simply putting a toggle switch on it, but in alpha I could probably only guess they'd work on the fundamentals of the process first.

I'm not sure. I think these random events are designed to add difficulty (duh), but especially later on in games. If you already have a grand empire, only a research of biblical proportions would pose a problem.



I would suggest to tailor the random envents more to a feeling of force majeur or to limit the effects to a certain amount of turns which would be stated in the random event itself.



As Vulpes already stated, a civilization would not sit on their hands when a star went supernova, it would take measures and within a certain time the problem would be solved. It would be more realistic when the random event damage (or benefits!) would limit itself to a (more) realistic timetable. But I wouldn't implement specific "event-research" to counter these events,

I would create specific research in advance to (partially) counter the effects of certain events. For example:



- better protection for ships to counter radiation (make this a ship module) (supernova events)

- better fleetdefense and systempolice (more like MP really) (against terrorism)

- better inner-system cyberwarfaresuites (make this planet/system module) (against system subterfuge)

- better medication/hospitals (make this a planet/system module) (against Rapt0r-virus)



To make these improvents truly useful, I would make the effects of the random events even more harsh.



In my opinion a global research that would clear away all the negative effects of a random event in a few (or even 1) turns sounds very, very unrealistic. Just as unrealistic as it is now: a civilization that does squat when something bad happens. I have the feeling that my suggestion

is a more realistic and more gameplay-friendly. It gives the player the option to prepare systems and ships specifically. It creates a more in depth relation to the random events and it makes ship and system/planet improvement more detailed.

Cadoras wrote:
But I wouldn't implement specific "event-research" to counter these events,

I would create specific research in advance to (partially) counter the effects of certain events.

Cadoras. Correct me if I am wrong, but your idea sounds more like a preemptive measure than a reactionary one. These would be "techs" you could research beforehand to minimize potential damage from upcoming events? Don't get me wrong, I like the idea. In fact, I was thinking you could go a step further and give certain races partial-counters against specific event types (examples: UE against terrorism, Sophon against supernova).



But I would also like some way to react. There has to be something I can do to respond to unforeseen events. That to me is more realistic. When tsunamis and exploding oil rigs cripple an area, we don't just shrug and move on. We try to minimize the damage and maybe learn something from it. It would be nice if my interstellar empire could do that too.

Prophet wrote:
Cadoras. Correct me if I am wrong, but your idea sounds more like a preemptive measure than a reactionary one. These would be "techs" you could research beforehand to minimize potential damage from upcoming events? Don't get me wrong, I like the idea. In fact, I was thinking you could go a step further and give certain races partial-counters against specific event types (examples: UE against terrorism, Sophon against supernova).



But I would also like some way to react. There has to be something I can do to respond to unforeseen events. That to me is more realistic. When tsunamis and exploding oil rigs cripple an area, we don't just shrug and move on. We try to minimize the damage and maybe learn something from it. It would be nice if my interstellar empire could do that too.

I like his idea as well... you can either build up in advance, or apply the fix after... which either or would only apply to the random event but regardless it would be a feature that would provide a certain insurance or even gamble on thinking maybe this/that or the other may happen, but no matter what either pre-emptive or reacting to the event both would be good.

Yes, apologies for the delayed reaction.



Indeed, it must be preemptive. We are dealing here with highly advanced spacefaring races! Do we really believe these races are not aware that certain events can take place? Of course they can act preemptively. As Vulpes beautifuly clarifies: the player must make a choice:



- save money and tonnage and risk possible high damage later on

- spend more money and create weaker ships, but make them more resistant to random events



But this will only make it worthwile if the random events have more dire effects. I.m.o. it adds extra flavour.

Cadoras wrote:
Yes, apologies for the delayed reaction.



Indeed, it must be preemptive. We are dealing here with highly advanced spacefaring races! Do we really believe these races are not aware that certain events can take place? Of course they can act preemptively. As Vulpes beautifuly clarifies: the player must make a choice:



- save money and tonnage and risk possible high damage later on

- spend more money and create weaker ships, but make them more resistant to random events



But this will only make it worthwile if the random events have more dire effects. I.m.o. it adds extra flavour.

Flavor... like cheese... Good like cheddar or sour like blue cheese on a summer day

Like Godlike-flavor, as in dripping Mozzarella on a meaty pizza.

I liked the random event system of civ 4, negative events would be little things like lose all the food stored in your capital or random quests that you could do. Just little things, not things that would randomly destroy your civilization.

I'm always for more options, so, yes.



I didn't realize random events were permanent, though? I did find it odd that they didn't tell me for how long...



I've been confused by them, actually. For a long time, I kept wishing they'd tell me which system was being affected (when I'd see something like "+/- % in system"). It took me a while (sadly too long) to realize that maybe it's because they affect every system... silly me.



If random events are global and permanent, though, beyond my general approach of "Options are good!", I definitely think it would be nice to do something about the negative ones. And I like the idea of trying to use positive events to learn more about whatever it was and "boost it", as it were.



I enjoy random events in games, as a general rule (keeps us on our toes), but even better if they offer interactivity and choices.

Cadoras wrote:
We are dealing here with highly advanced spacefaring races! Do we really believe these races are not aware that certain events can take place? Of course they can act preemptively.

I disagree, a little. Yes, many of the events could be foreseeable. But not all of them. Even an advanced race cannot prepare for everything.

I mean, the whole points of events is that they are unforeseeable. It is a wrench in your machine. A curveball. It is how you handle them that makes events interesting.



So while I agree with the idea of preemptive measures, I do not think it should be the only thing you can do to mitigate event effects.

VulpesWalker wrote:
I'm really surprised that more people haven't put in all sorts of ideas for this kind of thing yet, there's been a few posts about it but nobody really put it to the actual "suggestion" board.

Yeah.. I would think such an idea would get more traffic too. Maybe other players are not running into events as much?

I am really hoping something like this is in the upcoming beta. Because put simply, some of these negative events make me immediately want to quit and start again.



50% speed so early in the game for instance is a huge annoyance. Negative events should not be so bad as to persuade you to quit a game.

If the 50% speed thing effected everyone then it would be ok, because then it just changes the dynamic of the game.

Oh wow. I just got hit with the 50% speed event in my current game. That is so not cool.



Based on the text of the event (at least the one I got), it is a perfect example for this thread. The company contracted to build my engines cut some corners they shouldn't have. As a result, the engines cannot be used at full power or they will blow up. -50% ship speed.



The event is believable. I have several family members that work in jet engine manufacturing. Cutting corners does happen. And sometimes they find a flaw in the product after it is deployed. But the government doesn't sit on its hands and accept new limitations on our fighters. Not something that strong. It will push the company for a fix or a workaround. If they don't, then chances are the contract will not be renewed. Government will get its engines from a different company.



So this is an event where you could have all three measures added. Preventative (greater oversight of production), Limited Time (turn over production to someone else), and Reactive (get a fix/workaround to problem).

I like the idea of random events being somehow interactive and requiring the player to actually make a decision of some kind, otherwise they just remain something you might as well not take any notice of....

Prophet wrote:
Oh wow. I just got hit with the 50% speed event in my current game. That is so not cool.

Yeah i had that one in one of my first games. Annoyed the hell out of me and prompted me to post about it in a different thread. There should most certainly be a fix for this sort of event - refit ships, research new engines, anything really!!



More annoyingly in the same game i also got the speed boost event which speeds up ALL factions so here's me pootling along at slow speeds whilst the rest of the factions were zipping around like crazy!

n18991c wrote:
I like the idea of random events being somehow interactive and requiring the player to actually make a decision of some kind, otherwise they just remain something you might as well not take any notice of....

Yeah in GalCiv2 you had random planetary events where you had to choose a good, neutral or evil option of how to deal with them. The different choices provided different planetary bonuses and also affected your races alignment, which tied into diplomacy with other races.



I still prefer the idea of a special research options to handle events though

AtoningUnifex wrote:
Yeah in GalCiv2 you had random planetary events where you had to choose a good, neutral or evil option of how to deal with them. The different choices provided different planetary bonuses and also affected your races alignment, which tied into diplomacy with other races.



I still prefer the idea of a special research options to handle events though

Also not a bad idea, it gives different stat boosts depending on the course of action taken but may also affect a morality bar.