Character balance?

[JetJaguar2000]

I would like to know if it's even possible to build a Planet Killer without having traded a ton with Traders. In my personal experience, I don't see how you could. Even maxing out Advanced Mineral Collection, a non trader doesn't generate nearly enough RO from mining.

On the surface this seems like a major imbalance. The Trader achieves its win condition by doing what traders do, and ultimately can "force through" the win with skills like Blockade Running without having to rely on the kindness of others. The Warlord is oddly completely gimped with regard to its win condition without a LOT of help from traders. The Researcher isn't quite as bad off since its "win mobile" is much less expensive.

I agree with the suggestion above that Warlords need some other ability. I would propose that they can build all the way up to dreadnoughts with no RO cost. At least then they can build some scary fleets on their own and rough their way up to more resources under their own power.

[GeeWhiz]

I am currently researching Cap ships as a Warlord on a server where I am one of the top scorers. No way will I be able to build even one dreadnought. First I have very little rare ore. One problem I see to be effective as a warlord I should be upping my combats skills. But now I have to worry that my traders could be upping their trading skills which means I really have to counteract them with trading skills. I cannot concentrate on my own profession's skill set.

I do not like being so dependent on others to build my own speciality ships. No way am I ever going to be able to build a planet killer. Warlords need a boost. Maybe the ability to build a planet killer for no rare but need a certain level or research to balance it out. Or at least dreadnoughts. Or a better battlrship for no rare. Or the use of fighters on low level ships. something to keep it interesting. I am losing interest in a game where I am in top three but cannot do much to help myself.

[JetJaguar2000]

Heh, everyone who is enjoying this game is a Trader. I am in the same boat, both as Warlord and Researcher.

The fundamental and obvious problem, besides the Warlord's end game ships being ludicrously priced, is that the Warlord has to be a Trader in order to be a Warlord. It doesn't make any sense. As you point out, it detracts from what a Warlord should be doing, which is warring. To put it another way, does it make any sense at all that the ethos of a Warlord is to build a vast trade empire that allows them to afford a Planet Killer, and then quickly kill 15 planets to achieve galactic domination? Not to me.

If you ask me, each speciality should be able to make progress AT EVERY STAGE OF THE GAME towards its win conditions through the mechanisms of its specialization. Traders are already aligned this way. They win the game by trading, and make progress towards that victory by developing their trade skills. Warlords and Researchers gameplay should revolve around their specialities too. The Researcher's research bonus is nice, but not definitive enough. Terraforming is interesting, but so far I'm failing to see a significant value from it. The only thing that keeps their victory condition open is that the Solar Tap is not insanely expensive. I'm just repeating myself now, but Warlords get the double shaft: not only do they have to work "off-specialization" (ie. focus heavily on trading in anticipation of Planet Killer costs), but Traders (!!!) will beat them at their own game, being able to mass produce conventional warships, until they get those Planet Killers online.

Let me say, again, I really like the underlying concept of this game, but the more I play the more I feel like very little about the mechanics have been well thought out. It's disappointing. One would hope that in game that requires a 2 month investment of time, the mechanics would be balanced enough that players don't feel like they just wasted a lot of effort when things don't pan out in a sensical way. I guarantee Traders are going to win every game, unless they're really sleeping on the job. For sure, once Traders realize that they have trade AND military superiority, they will start playing more aggressive early games and easily win every game.