On the subject of more base buildings....

[Panthera Leo]

Why not create a multi-layered base? Put a building restriction on what levels a hanger can be on, but allow a commander to punch down another rock strata to build a "second" base below the first. Programming wise, a second base's class(s)? would be 90%? pointers to the first base's class(s)? The interface would not be any different, save for a sorting function. (PHALANX HQ - Floor 1, PHALANX HQ - Floor 2)

For the most part the game would "see" these same bases, one just being the pointer to another, as the same base. Require no extra mechanics, save maybe a extended entrance tile leading to the level below. Before you ask, no, I'd love to have the time learn the source and code that, but don't. Classes are only slightly less of a time suck then World of Warcraft. Just strikes me as a easy, if testing intensive, mod.

Maybe instead of each craft having it's own hanger, be able to (build/research) one that had the one large landing pad, but could be lowered to a lower level and be rotated out with other landed craft or empty pads. Something vaguely similar to a air craft carrier's lift. Saving a base where you wanted to field more then just the Firebird a large part of the floor plan.

[eleazar]

It will be more tedious to manage your bases if you have to scrub through various levels to see what you have.

I do think there is too much stuff competing for base space currently.  But there are other ways to deal with the issue.

[Kamuflaro]

Yeah you can have a base with 4-8 slot research labs then a base with UFO Hangars and so on... bases are cheap, just need to get soldiers to guard them.
Under normal 1 sold UFO scout finances 3/4th of a complete base, just need 100k extra for a fighter in 12 days when its built.

[Panthera Leo]

Put in another way, the only difference between what I do now, and what I propose? I'd still build to cover the gap in my craft's ranges.

However, instead of equipping and training yet another squad of cannon fodder to sit on their hands and turn lost kids away from the front gate. Making sacrifices to radar coverage(if that is 100% yet), or defense facilities. I can just tack on that extra set of missiles batteries on the surface, move the personal down to level two, and double up on my labs and workshop. More over instead of scrolling though three to four bases to assign each lab its tasks, they all share one unified center of operations.

I'm then free to make my new satellite bases just used as launching pads, dedicated to their task(s) instead of fully fledged and independent facilities that make the same comprises.

As a added side benefit, if I wanted a extra troop transport on patrol able to absorb the anti-matter or new aliens I recover the squad shares a base with needed facilities already existing.

(Btw, thanks for letting us send UFOs to any base we want, and not the base that launched the mission)

[Neko]

I like that base space is a resource that has to be managed. With the current economy, you can spam bases anyway, and once that's balanced, you will actually have to think about what to build and how many you need. If you could build all you want, where would be the challenge?

[Panthera Leo]

I like a challenge,  challenge is good. The balancing the first few bases is a challenge. It's a challenge to get the funds to build a second base on harder difficulties. It's a challenge to balance the first or two to have what you need to survive. It's a challenge to pick places to build bases to give you're self global range.

After that I'd change the description from challenge to tedium though. It's wearisome to build a third or forth base just to get another lab or two. It's irksome to have setup and defend another location just for that lab or two. It's tedious to have to shift though the 3rd, 4th, or 5th base to assign each base work.

[Neko]

I honestly think it's not that bad. You can easily build a defended base, even with a small hangar, and still have as many as 7 or 8 labs running if you specialize. There's not that much a base really needs.

[shevegen]

I think this is not bad, but I believe there are a few more urgent things. Personally I'd just love if its more focussed on the human vs. alien gameplay first, because I think missions are the most fun part of the game right now

[Guildenstern]

  Working the balance angle on this wouldn't be too hard, in exchange for the 1 base worth of space on the 2nd level the overhead is the same as 3 1-level bases.  It is more defensable, but you have to pay for it, and you lose the radar coverage of the three extra bases.  I like this idea in particular because the base defense maps now are only 3 levels tall and that doesn't feel too epic.  It would be possible to continue this system out to 3 levels under the current map system I think (not sure if you can tack tiles together top-bottom in the engine) level 1 is the surface and 2-7 would be the lower levels.  I think this would open up a fair amount of depth(pardon the pun) to base design as certain facilities would also lock out the space below them as well (antimatter, power plant)
  Just my take,
  Guildenstern

[shevegen]

I'd actually like this idea. We could even make this insanely expensive so it would be rarely used ... and
this way its a way to go away with excessive cash too hehe (at least in lower difficulties)

But I think people would love to extend on their main base. You could even dedicate huge sections of
research labs to it

Maybe the idea is too much for now, but I hope it can be kept or extended lateron in the future

[BTAxis]

(not sure if you can tack tiles together top-bottom in the engine)

Nope, that's not possible.

[Serrax]

@BTAxis:

Well, do you really intend to restrict the aircraft hangars to one single aircraft?

I believe in this case, the balance of intercepting UFOs is dramatically changed. And also the balancing of base development.

cu

[BTAxis]

Yes, I intend to do so. And yes, balance will change (if you are using 2.2 as a reference, remember that there are NO aircraft hitpoints yet - that has a major impact).

[Serrax]

@BTAxis:

May I ask for the reason(s)? In my mind, this will cause more disadvantages than advantages.

My central issue is ineffective tactic caused by the bisection of the fighter squadrons.

Maybe, there are better tactics than I use, but for effective intercepting an UFO I use this tactic:

I place one interceptor in the north and one in the south of each base. There they lure as long as they have fuel for an appearing UFO. If that happens, one interceptor is in a much better situation to intercept the UFO than any interceptors liftoff from my base. Of course, I must replace each 'patrolling' interceptor - and so I need a lot of them, 4-6 per base.
But otherwise I simply cannot intercept any UFOs, as the Stiletto and Saracen are much too slow. The situation improves slightly by the development of the stingray, but not much.

I assume you considered this, but sorry, I don't understand it. The solution might be much more bases - simply huge airfields more or less.

cu

[BTAxis]

The design was never to have multiple aircraft in any hangar. The fact that this is possible in 2.2 is quite simply a bug, same as the lack of craft HP. As for interceptors being unable to keep up with UFOs, well, you can consider that something to be balanced.