I really like the idea of being able to jump to an outpost if its name comes up in the chat, that would be super helpful. Something I would like to see is a way to use multiple screens. It would be nice to see all of my info panels on my iPad while I make commands on my phone, or have the entire map visible on my TV using appleTV or some other similar device. It's probably more work than it's worth, but it would be super cool!

ron wrote:

1. Add the time of day the events will happen when looking forward into the future (both in the Time Machine and when dragging from a base) in addition to how far out in time the even happens.

why do you want this? i'm asking because we've yet to come up with a solid reason to add something like this. one of the big challenges in subterfuge is information density. there is SO much information on the screen at any given time, that it's crucial to not display anything that isn't absolutely necessary, otherwise things get really cluttered really fast.

Are we talking about 1 unified standard time, or this is something customizable to be your local time zone? My vote is for 1 unified standard time. Time of day down to the minute would be very helpful for both making plans clear for noobs, and precise for pros. If I say "My attack hits Hagai at 12:04am tomorrow," this is clear and precise, where if I say "My attack hits Hagai in 6 hours (sent 4 hours ago)", a noob might not properly calculate the time, and a pro would want a more precise number so his timings can be exact.

ron wrote:one of the most important lessons i've learned as a game designer is that designing by adding cool things does not lead to good games. as a designer you have to think about what kind of experience you want the player to have, and when you add something, it has to be because it supports that kind of feeling. everything that doesn't support the kind of feeling / experience you want to create should be removed. something is perfect not when nothing else can be added, but when nothing else can be removed.

I am with you 100% on this- especially in a game with limited player base like this. In fact, I had some concerns that just the customization you put in ALREADY might be too much. But certainly even more will lead to a watering down effect. What a defines a "standard" game if custom options and modes become more common than standard? While it is common for people to request customization, it seems like customization primarily serves to entertain the host of the game, while the others join reluctantly, not quite sure what they just got themselves into.

Any new mode should be fully conceptualized, distinct from the other modes, fair, and probably either not rated or have its own category of rating.

carter j burke wrote:...Optional Godzilla / moby-dick / giant octopus / 3-headed shark running around trashing random outposts...

...with my above comment said, I like this idea. If 1 game mode had some sort of randomly spawning NPCs or hazards, I would totally play that. Has sort of a zombie apoloclypse feel, where players might need to work together to defeat the danger, then go back to killing each other for limited resources.

carter j burke wrote:* LIMITATIONS TO REDUCE RAGE-QUITTING AND GIFTING:
- Only 50% of your drills can be gifted at any one time
- Only 50% of your outposts can be gifted at one time
- Maximum of 3 specialists can be gifted at any time

While maybe not these exact numbers or mechanics, I agree with these sentiments. Not only do these "screw you, I'm gifting my friend," dynamics create a bit of an imbalance against aggressive players. A limit on gifting might also help limit the power of multiboxing and multi-game dealers.

topkilla wrote:Improvement on sub control in busy areas

Look up the game Endless Space for a great solution to this problem. Basically in that game, if lots of units are stacked up on each other in the same line, if you hold mouse over them (or hold touch for us) the units expand outward horizontally for display purposes.