[Suggestion] Propaganda / Uprising tools?

Insani

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 2, 2012, 10:26:54 AM

I just had an idea - How about propaganda related tools? A ship equipped with these could dock at a system, deploy a 'propaganda team' (let's say, it has one use per ship, or more if you upgrade), then flies away. There will be a research / improvement to root out this propaganda team, although higher levels of it could counter this improvement or make it cause negative effects (by them planting say, evidence on normal citizens, causing false charges that lower happiness anyway). Basically, they will slowly lower the happiness. Once they're gone, the system will slowly get rid of their influence. Once a system reaches 0% happiness, a propaganda team will automatically convert it at higher levels, or turn it into a pirate system at lower levels, over the course of a few turns.

Basically, this could be used for 'hit and run', with small propaganda ships flying into systems, dropping their teams, and running out. Although easily counterable, it adds another downside to low happiness.

TheManInRoomFive

Newcomer

TheManInRoomFive

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 2, 2012, 10:30:06 AM

I like the idea

Dr_Mox

Old Timer

Dr_Mox

Old Timer

29 800g2g pts

12 years ago

Jun 2, 2012, 11:40:39 AM

This kind of idea would be interesting for a Espionage feature to the game where other types of Spec Ops mission modules/shipping/event opportunities are involved.

Having espionage strategic and tactical features is a definite plus in the right direction, something missing in ES to quite a degree, maybe something to look into for the future?

TheManInRoomFive

Newcomer

TheManInRoomFive

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 2, 2012, 11:45:22 AM

Possiblity of covert action and false flag operations. Always increase to the excitement of the game, especially in multiplayer

Leviro2005

Newcomer

Leviro2005

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 2, 2012, 12:08:53 PM

I think this would tie in very well with an advanced espionage system. You could send spies to find the systems with lower happiness, and send the "propaganders" there because they would be more effective. Nice Idea.

Insani

Newcomer

Insani

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 2, 2012, 12:16:57 PM

Yeah, that's a great idea. With a stealth ship able to hide off of the galaxy map you could go undetected, manipulating the populations from the shadows.

Insani

Newcomer

Insani

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 6, 2012, 1:53:50 AM

Anybody still got any ideas / comments on this suggestion? :/

Insani

Newcomer

Insani

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 7, 2012, 5:52:30 AM

Anyone? This could work nicely - you can use diplomacy to creep into someone's borders, then plant a thousand propaganda tools - fly out, all the while the enemy empire won't even know thanks to your cloaking devices! Put all the propaganda at the side opposite to your side to implicate your Hissho neighbors, and watch the Sophons charge into intergalactic war, all the while you're putting in more propaganda teams further and further into their territory. And then, you wait. After that, you send in your fleets and take over the happy systems, while one by one the unhappy Sophon civilians declare themselves citizens of the United Empire.

Dr_Mox

Old Timer

Dr_Mox

Old Timer

29 800g2g pts

12 years ago

Jun 7, 2012, 10:38:03 AM

Well off the top of my head this is where Stealth Tech could be implemented possibly somewhere into the Tech trees or part of a new Tech tree entirely.

The whole Espionage system could well form the beginnings of a secretive industrialist/expansionist/insidious faction or secret science/expansionist or diplomatic/tech thief or espionage/military faction, the choices and possiblities are quite alot. More depth, more options, yes there is a definite possiblity with looking into Espionage/Spying features to ES.

Putting the X-Files into 4X or making a 5X game, Xpionage.

Insani

Newcomer

Insani

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 7, 2012, 1:12:50 PM

I lol'd at Xpionage. Nice pun :P

Anyway, yeah. I think that Espionage should be a factor in this game. War should not be openly declared at all times- You should be able to win a war before the enemy is even aware that it's fighting with you.

DEVSteph'nie

in Disguise

Blah blah blah.

DEVSteph'nie

in Disguise

43 600g2g pts

12 years ago

Jun 7, 2012, 3:39:17 PM

Insani wrote:
Anybody still got any ideas / comments on this suggestion? :/

Insani wrote:
Anyone? This could work nicely

No bumping, please.

We did mention a bit of espionage possibilities for the after release (an expansion, or something), but we're not there yet!

Goontrooper

Newcomer

Goontrooper

Newcomer

4 000g2g pts

12 years ago

Jun 7, 2012, 4:05:04 PM

Good ideas. I would love to see non-kinetic options expanded. There is a great deal of room for espionage, cultural warfare, propoganda, special operations, etc. All of these things could add a great deal of depth and help expand the player's options. This sort of thing would be especially useful for factions like the Pilgrims, Amoeba, and Sophons since they aren't focused on direct combat.

Insani

Newcomer

Insani

Newcomer

12 years ago

Jun 7, 2012, 4:34:50 PM

Yeah. I imagine this to be the main type of warfare for the Pilgrims / Sophons / Horatio... whereas I imagine the Sowers / United Empire / Cravers as 'pure brutes' (and the other two as in betweens), but that's just my view on things. I definitely think that if espionage (or Xpionage) is added, Sophons, Pilgrims and Amoeba should get faction traits to boost their stealth abilities, whereas other species (cravers, maybe?) should get traits to take away from their stealth abilities.

And one of the X's is Xploit, right? So that blends in nicely with this. This'll add more room for manipulating opponents by tricking them into thinking they've been attacked by someone else. Of course, after the initial week or so after it's been added, the playerbase would evolve, and I believe that ultimately it would turn MP into more of a game of cunning, with more room for betrayal and paranoia.