Getting rid of unwanted colonies

[bvanevery]

Hey I'm a modder, I don't accept this game as it is.  Redoing certain things is way past my point of diminishing returns though.

When I read a book or watch a TV show which does something that I think sucks, sometimes I undertake the exercise of rewriting part of it.  At least to the point of a conceptual synopsis.  Not usually the exact dialogue and so forth, because that's typically just a lot of polishing and won't ever make me a dime.  The real point is to answer the question, "If you think it's so bad, how would you do it better?"

I think it would be more interesting if Planet adapted to the use of chemical weapons.  Maybe at first it would respond violently, as an antibody would.  But maybe after enough usage, it would start using those very same chemicals itself in its attacks.  So you've got a sticky wicket.  Sure you're harming your enemies with the chemicals now, but your cities might all get depopulated later.

I think it would be more interesting if some chemicals were irritants to Planet, and other chemicals were enjoyable.  Like more mindworms show up because they like the stuff.

[Geo]

Its an endless discussion, isn't it?

[bvanevery]

When contemplating making a commercial title "like SMAC", I have trouble with some of the things in the game.  Some ideas, like mindworms or a sentient planet, I personally would never bother with.  They provide some good game mechanics though, so there's a partial struggle to think of something "somewhat like" that.  Yet, I can't get enthusiasm for just anything.

I think Miriam's character, at least as expressed through the Secret Project videos rather than her one dimensional "Church Chat Lady" dialogue, adds a fair amount to the game.  But I don't find myself particularly wanting to do much about religion in my own work.

I suppose what's good about mindworms and Planet, is that it makes the planet "different".  It's not just another rock in space.  It's a different reality for human beings to try to deal with and participate in.  But, it's also kinda over the top.  Various critiques made of the game over the years, have a noticeable number of people who are not exactly turned on by the mindworm and sentient planet stuff.  The game has a lot of hard science sensibility to it, except to the degree that it doesn't.

The "not caring about Planet" sentiment was expressed recently by this fellow who did a 1 hour Rumination Analysis on Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.  I did make it a point to listen to the whole thing, although he didn't get my undivided attention.  As I have "hardcore" knowledge of the game, I don't think I'm his target audience.  Maybe he's after people who are "passingly familiar" to "mildly interested" in the game?