Micro-management

[homunculus]

True.

One screen allowing management of multiple bases at the same time would be cool, for research, production etc.

i would like that, too : )

as far as my opinion about the micromanagement goes, it can greatly be alleviated by improving the gui.
idk about c, but if ufo:ai was object-oriented, i would suggest tree gui anytime.
so many complicated gui-s are done nicely with perfectly ordinary standard trees, and i think ufo:ai bases management would fit in a tree very nicely.

for example, if we were implementing a feature to assign aircraft to a fleet so that interceptors would protect the dropship.
1) we could design a special screen where we select the aircraft that would be in the fleet.
2) we could create a folder for the fleet and put the aircraft (shortcuts) into the folder.
now, there would be absolutely _no_ difference in micromanagement that i could think of, and it would be a matter of taste and neither would be unplayable, but nevertheless if someone asked my personal opinion, i would say the first option would be retarded.

where i think tree gui would really make a difference is when things get more complicated and there are multiple bases.
the new research management screen where all the research in all bases was put into one screen made things easier, right?

[Frungy]

FOR HOSPITAL:

- An "Auto-heal" function that, when enabled, allows for injured soldiers to automatically go to the hospital after each mission;

- Automatically removing soldiers from aircraft squad duty when they enter the hospital, and a notification of such when it happens;

Yes and no. I would like the autoheal, it seems a bit odd that my soldiers automatically show up in hospital but no-one is taking care of them unless I specifically tell them to do.

I don't like the idea of automatically removing soldiers from aircraft as that is something that previous X-com missions did and it drove me crazy. With soldiers like my snipers I have no problems sending them into missions, and every time they're removed from the aircraft I have to waste a couple of minutes re-equipping them.

[phiwum]

I think Bolter's list is a great suggestion. 

Evidently, though, such automation should be narrowly customizable.  I thought the auto-hospital feature was obviously good, but Frungy doesn't like it.  So, we would like to be able to turn on and off the various particular features of automanagement.

I imagine that the developers have rather a lot on their plate now, however, and this is a long-term wish.

[homunculus]

ahh, right, luckily i forgot to say my mouth about automating, and unfortunately now i am going to correct this little mistake.

if someone likes automations, i hope some practice playing x-com:apocalypse will make you hate it.

of course, the x-com:apoc ppl didn't seem to know anything about group movement algorithm which would have removed one of the annoying problems (in tactical map).
the x-com:apoc soldier is a smartass compared to ufo:ai soldier.

respect to devs who can do automations that don't drive some players nuts.
i guess it would demand very flexible thinking and a good understanding of where to stop.
because you don't play like i do, so your favourite automation might increase my microing rather than reduce it.

[geever]

Yes and no. I would like the autoheal, it seems a bit odd that my soldiers automatically show up in hospital but no-one is taking care of them unless I specifically tell them to do.

We have done this already. We don't even have medics as employee anymore (no need to hire or command them). microman--;

I don't like the idea of automatically removing soldiers from aircraft as that is something that previous X-com missions did and it drove me crazy. With soldiers like my snipers I have no problems sending them into missions, and every time they're removed from the aircraft I have to waste a couple of minutes re-equipping them.

They are not removed but I think they should be removed from the aircraft if badly damaged. There is no use to risk his/her life.

-geever

[homunculus]

[...]They are not removed but I think they should be removed from the aircraft if badly damaged. There is no use to risk his/her life.

-geever

if stats would depend on how healthy the sniper is, you mean?

[BTAxis]

I don't think that's what he meant, but soldiers do lose combat efficiency if wounded over 50%.

[geever]

if stats would depend on how healthy the sniper is, you mean?

I meant if they're under (let's say) 33% of health they shouldn't go to missions.

-geever

[BTAxis]

I think that's the player's responsibility. I see no reason to deny him a soldier just because that soldier is badly wounded. Streamlining things to reduce micro is okay, but this really affects gameplay, and that isn't good in my opinion.

[homunculus]

well, they could have a point in their contract about not having to go on missions if wounded more than some %.

otherwise, as i see it, the trigger finger of the sniper can go on a mission, if that's the only thing that's left of the sniper.

[BTAxis]

There's no need to go into it in so much detail. Just keep it simple.

[leeto]

I have been playing a few days now and first of all I would like to thank the developers for an interesting game. Great job!

As a beginner, I would greatly appreciate an auto-equip alternative, since my men die too often.

Also I would like to always have the option to auto-resolve tactical missions. And when it is resolved maybe another pop-up with detailed statistics?

All for now, and thanks again for a great game!

/Leeto

[Frungy]

well, they could have a point in their contract about not having to go on missions if wounded more than some %.

What I really like about UFO:AI is the not saving during missions, it has really challenged me. In previous versions of UFO I'd end up spending a lot of time plotting and scheming on how to take alien leaders prison... in UFO:AI I end up plotting and scheming on how to get at least some of my team through the mission alive!

As a result though, particularly in the first month or two, I've ended up sending partial squads out on missions, with only 6/8 slots full. If soldiers were removed from duty if they were badly injured then on some missions I would have been fielding 4/8 or less soldiers.

otherwise, as i see it, the trigger finger of the sniper can go on a mission, if that's the only thing that's left of the sniper.

Damn right! There is no union in Phalanx, you're humanity's last line of defense against alien invaders. If your commander walks into the hospital and orders you out of bed then you shoot up on some painkillers and haul your ass into that dropship! Even if you are spaced out on painkillers your cover fire could save someone else's life. Sheesh, this isn't the girl scouts, its serious!

... of course I'd imagine my commander isn't popular with his soldiers.

I just like to keep my options open. I don't want to micro-manage to the point where I'm colour-coordinating my troops' socks, but I would like the option to tell them where they do and what they do.

[homunculus]

Damn right! There is no union in Phalanx, you're humanity's last line of defense against alien invaders. If your commander walks into the hospital and orders you out of bed then you shoot up on some painkillers and haul your ass into that dropship! Even if you are spaced out on painkillers your cover fire could save someone else's life. Sheesh, this isn't the girl scouts, its serious!

... of course I'd imagine my commander isn't popular with his soldiers.

...and, trying to tune in with that rl attitude, you would probably get less recruits each month, i guess.

actually i didn't mean that there would need to be a real contract and all, it would rather be imaginary.
all there is to it, is a justification of why you can't take a soldier on a mission if he has less than some x health left (i am so virtuous that i am trying to see things from the auto-hospitalizer's point of view).
if there is no such contract and you are trying to say that i don't _want_ to take a soldier to the field if it has less than 33% health, then i say: "sorry, what if my preferred auto-hospitalization threshold is, 32%? now what? micro?"

I don't want to micro-manage to the point where I'm colour-coordinating my troops' socks, but I would like the option to tell them where they do and what they do.

strangely, that's exactly what i have been doing : )
soldier with speed under 23 gets arctic, then urban until 25, then jungle until 30, and desert for everything above that.
it was a pity the individual color didn't show in alternative hud portraits when i tried that hud.

[Canuck77]

A good point about the recruits - which is actually the case, in a roundabout way, isn't it?

Your squads gets their butts handed to them = unhappy countries = less available recruits