UFO:Alien Invasion

Technical support => Feature Requests => Topic started by: sink on September 29, 2008, 11:34:54 am

Title: No more space for Research?
Post by: sink on September 29, 2008, 11:34:54 am
Hi there.

I created second base in asia and build up labs.
then I tried to research some stuff like plasma guns, it told "No enuf space for research"
Why it happened? I mean I didn't do any research in this base yet and there's only 1 scientist
(just hired, not working on anything yet).
So I checked my lab space, it said I'm using this lab's all space.
(No scientists working, no Researching right there. but it keep says I used all)
Even I destory and rebuild it, that keep happens. :(
If this is not a bug, please tell me what's goin on?

My UFO:AI's version is 2.2.1.

Btw, why it always have a blockage when I created another base?
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: BTAxis on September 29, 2008, 12:04:41 pm
Only the first base has a fully available grid. All new bases have between 1 and 4 blocked squares. The aim is to make the first base slightly more important than subsequent bases.
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: ghosta on September 29, 2008, 12:53:17 pm
Some kind of bug like this appeared too when I played 2.2.1. I couldn't hire more soldiers/scientists/... after removing some of my soldiers.

But I didn't notice a behavior like that on the dev build.
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: geever on September 29, 2008, 10:13:42 pm
Also in 2.2.1 you'll have 2 blocked spaces on every new base. This behavior was changed in the current dev version where number of blocked tiles is random. So you have a chance to have a fully open base.

That other seems to be a bug but unreproducible in dev version as ghosta said so it must be fixed already.

-geever
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: BTAxis on September 30, 2008, 10:45:45 am
Actually I just changed it so you always have at least 1 blocked space in a new base (and a maximum of 4). As I explained in another post, the only base to ever have a clean grid should be HQ.
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: geever on September 30, 2008, 02:58:54 pm
Why?

-geever
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: BTAxis on September 30, 2008, 03:16:58 pm
Because that's the intended behaviour.
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: geever on September 30, 2008, 03:51:26 pm
You should know that isn't an answer to me. :)

I think the first base will be important anyway because that's the first base. There are prebuilt buildings and the player will collect artifacts and experience there in the beginning. I think there is no need to force it by hand (but could be annoying if done). And as the algorithm was random there would be only 1/5 chance to have a fully opened second base (with 0/4 min/max values) which isn't too much in this case, IMO.

-geever
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: Another Guy on September 30, 2008, 07:24:49 pm
I also see no point in forcing a useless spot in every new base, but putting aside the merit of if it is a good thing or not, I think bases are already too small anyway. They should be 6x6.
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: ghosta on September 30, 2008, 07:41:11 pm
Same opinion. Especially with the buildings that might be implemented after research.
Think about a improved radar, maybe a psi-power training center, more defensive systems, wormhole device...
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: geever on September 30, 2008, 08:15:59 pm
Well, there are plans to enlarge the base: http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Proposals/Larger_Bases (http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Proposals/Larger_Bases)

However I still not agree with an always blocked tile.

-geever
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: Surrealistik on October 13, 2008, 01:16:00 am
Yes, with all due respect, the blocked tiles really serve no point, contribute nothing to gameplay, and are more annoying than anything else (especially when you find yourself constantly reloading so you don't get screwed by a plot with 3-4 of them). Why would PHALANX build somewhere with evidently indestructible terrain anyways?
Title: Re: No more space for Research?
Post by: shevegen on October 14, 2008, 04:55:53 pm
Personally I do not agree with such a hardcoded restriction.

In reallife money could be used to dig down, or enlarge a base easily provided you have the cash.
I do not believe in artificial restrictions for such minor issues imposed by developers - note for
example, I agree with the inability to save during combat in contrast.

If the only goal is to make the main base more important, then there are other ways to achieve this.
The easiest one to come to my mind is to focus on money.

I.e. if you want the base to be bigger, you have to invest more and more money, to the point where there is
no real benefit anymore to waste a LOT of money just to gain a little more extra. (The main base gets
"free" space paid by the countries already, thus not stressing your budget, but for extra bases
you have to pay more and more instead. This would achieve a very similar result and has the added
advantage that people in late game with a lot of extra cash can burn through the cash and extend
their bases.)

Additionally, I do not understand why it is random. It seems rather arbitrary and pure luck to get a more
useful (1 square) and less useful (4 square) base. I mean does anyone buy something in advance and
accept a crap result? At the very least the prices would have to be adapted to reflect that a base with 1 square
unusuable is worth more than one with 3 or 4 squares unusuable. If i were to buy a house, I would inspect
it before buying it.