Suggestions for CCGM (please post them here)

[pippin 10]

Yes I think the enemy carrier strategy still needs to be looked at even when it comes to island type he chooses when defending a group of his islands seperated from the rest, anybody else would of changed the island types from factory all to defence immediately making the hole group deadly thus buying him time to counter and attack some of your islands somewhere else.

[Dajunka 10]

Here a suggestion for BI.

Get rid of the remaining bugs.

Remove the fps parts of the game completely, and replace with narration and maybe pictures.

Add a few more customization options to the strategy side of the game including a re-spawn-able enemy carrier.

De bug it.

Rename to 'Carrier Command GM, Enhanced'

Resell it.

Prosper. :D

[pippin 10]

Why not have options for the amount of islands there are in the game say 36 to 100 and have more than one enemy carrier why not up to three at a time.

I am thing of games like home world where you have plenty of options like this.

[RichardCranium 1]

I don't know how this suggestion could be incorporated but here goes....

To me, the original game put the player's attention on two key elements. The overall strategy of the entire island chain (the map) and the tactical strategy of the islands controlled by the player that made up the "front line" so to speak. Since the islands distribution and makeup was randomized at the beginning of each new campaign, the game never played the same way twice in regard to these two elements.

I believe that your memory is incorrect about the original game. The same islands were connected together the same way for every game in the original. There was no variance, other than what you chose to build on your islands. Now, it may have been the case that the structures on each island were randomly distributed on them; since they were pretty much table tops, that wouldn't have been that difficult to code back in the day.

At least the map and inter-island connections are random with each strategic game in the current version.

Now, the new game's attention to detail at the island level has introduced a third strategy...namely, taking the individual islands. But the islands are not randomized so if you play enough times you become quite familiar with what is needed to take a particular island you encounter and over time it becomes routine. It would be wonderful if the islands could also be randomized in type, terrain and placement of facilities and defenses.

I would also like that, but I can see how that would be very difficult to pull off when you are dealing with real terrain.

Another aspect that I think would great improve the overall playability is to develop the AI to intelligently go after islands (neutral or controlled by the player). The location of islands and what type they are best developed into dictates to some extent what each side's strategy should be and how the ensuing battles will shape the game as you go along. There should be instances where a particular island plays a key role in the overall strength of the islands in the immediate area under control by one side or the other (I'm not necessarily talking about the "strength" multiplier in the existing game). The AI should be able to identify these strengths/weaknesses and exploit them. This is what the human player naturally does.

How difficult it is to capture an island in terms of time taken and expenditure of resources is what the game is all about. After all, this is a game where your aim is to become more efficient than the enemy. It's the core challenge of playing the campaign (or should be). So while the player is busy trying to undermine the enemies island support network, the AI would be doing the same thing in return. Currently there doesn't seem to be any "method" to how the AI prosecutes its attack. This is what I miss in the current game. I think there is room for improvement. I love the game...just wish this were possible as I think it would truly raise the bar on what is possible to experience.

From what I've seen, the enemy carrier has two strategies (this is pre-patch 1.5):

1. Make a bee-line for your stockpile island. Take any islands that you pass on the way, but you don't need a connection to its network to attack an island.
   
2. Conquer as many islands as possible that can be connected to its network, and *then* go attack your stockpile island.
   
3. 
   

In the original game, the enemy carrier (IIRC) would not attack any island that wasn't connected to its network. My memory could be false on that one, but one trick was to draw it into the 7 central islands and then cut off its supply lines. If you were careful, you could leave it out of fuel in the middle of nowhere.

[Bansheedragon 1]

One thing I would like to see is a quick save/ quick load function.

Most games I have played has this, and I find it very useful.

Saves me having to open the menu and manually save every time I need/want to do a save.

I would also like to see and option to turn off the Alt Tab Pause.

Sometimes when I'm waiting for my units to return to the ships after capturing an Island or while traveling between islands its a very log wait.

I find in insanely boring to sit around and wait for it all to finish, so I would like to be able to Alt Tab and do something else while waiting, instead of being forced to sit and gawk at my screen while waiting

Edited June 18, 2013 by Bansheedragon

[scrapser 11]

I believe that your memory is incorrect about the original game. The same islands were connected together the same way for every game in the original. There was no variance, other than what you chose to build on your islands. Now, it may have been the case that the structures on each island were randomly distributed on them; since they were pretty much table tops, that wouldn't have been that difficult to code back in the day.

At least the map and inter-island connections are random with each strategic game in the current version.

I would also like that, but I can see how that would be very difficult to pull off when you are dealing with real terrain.

From what I've seen, the enemy carrier has two strategies (this is pre-patch 1.5):

1. Make a bee-line for your stockpile island. Take any islands that you pass on the way, but you don't need a connection to its network to attack an island.
   
2. Conquer as many islands as possible that can be connected to its network, and *then* go attack your stockpile island.
   
3. 
   

In the original game, the enemy carrier (IIRC) would not attack any island that wasn't connected to its network. My memory could be false on that one, but one trick was to draw it into the 7 central islands and then cut off its supply lines. If you were careful, you could leave it out of fuel in the middle of nowhere.

I'll have to play it again to check. I could have sworn the islands had a different network of connection paths (at least) for each new campaign. For the record, I had the original Amiga version of the game which I picked up in 1987. I know there were some changes/fixes to the game for other platforms but I never experienced them. I clearly do not remember reaching a point where I knew from playing multiple times what I would have to do in terms of strategy. It was always different.

As to the islands in the new game...I think some of the islands (i.e., Thermopylae) are locked as to shape and defenses due to the campaign story but the rest of them could be "spawned" differently at the outset. All they would need is a database of "features" that could be randomly queried to build an endless variety.

As it was, the original game was tough to beat off the shelf which is what gave it longevity and made it a joy to play over and over.

[marc0523 0]

My two cents.

Stop the "Cheating" - You take an island and instantly there are a load of weapon hard points, how were these magically built? When the enemy carrier turns up at your island he doesn't need to take the island like you do but just takes it after a while as long as you don't turn up.

Build up defence on the islands over time - When you first take an island it should have no defences, it should then start building defences just as slowly as you could for your carrier, if you have owned an island for ages it would have all the defences and a full compliment of vehicles to defend against attacks. Defence island could have a second AI (for storyline purposes) which would double the number of vehicles the island can control.

Marine droids - Have your carrier build droids and store up to, say, 100 droids on board, they are pretty easy to kill so I don't think this number is too high, though it could be changed, you can then use them to attack the enemy island (using a similar method to sending the Spy UAV) or have them defend your carrier by deploying on the deck and shooting the enemy. When a droid is destroyed your carrier would build another one every 30 seconds or so (time can be changed, just as the amount of droifs) until you are back at your full compliment. Direct control would be nice but I don't think it is necessary.

Ammunition - The carrier should make ammunition for all your weapons with a max amount for each type, a long battle to take an island could mean you run out of some types of ammunition and have to revert to older weapons, for example running out of missiles for your aircraft you would have to use rockets instead. this is more about making the game feel real.

Smaller ships - Some small boats which would guard your carrier, maybe with just 1 gun on the front, they would keep a formation around your carrier to better protect it, they would not need to be directly controllable but maybe the gun could be selectable in the same manner as the guns on the carrier are (with the mouse scroll wheel). These could be made only on the island with a ship yard (Vulcan I think and 1 other).

Change production method to min/max instead - Change the production so that you only produce equipment until there is a certain amount in the store, if you use it (for example refuel your carrier) your island will start building more until you are back at your chosen level. For example you have a min/max of 100 for carrier fuel, you island are not producing anything because you have 100 fuel in your store, you then refuel your carrier (using say 18 fuel) and your islands will start to produce fuel until your stores are back at 100 fuel.

Faster helicopter barque - Have a helicopter which flies to your carrier and back but only holds a smaller amount of cargo, it can land on the helipad at the back of the carrier, this would compliment rather replace the sub barque. This could be an upgrade, maybe through the upgrade method other people have mentioned?

More upgrades to the carrier - How about adding shields to your carrier's weapons, giving the carrier more weapon choices, missiles instead of flak guns?

Allow Target spotting if FPS Mode - Allow you to control a droid and target enemy vehicles for your Walrus and carrier indirect fire weapons (Grenade Howitzer etc). You could change to laser point then "fire", at this point your vehicles and carrier would all shoot 1 shot, you could then "fire" again at the next spot to blow up enemy defences or large groups of vehicles. If the droid dies you will need to use another one from your carrier (as mentioned above)

Bad Weather - Have the weather in the game become so bad that you cannot undock your vehicles and your carrier is reeling about in big waves, this could be a random event to add some colour to the game which would need to be waited out before you could attack the island.

Quieter "Predator" noise - when you fly across some trees you hear the clicking of Predator (or maybe a wood pecker), this seems way to loud for you to be able to hear from an aircraft flying over.

For me the most important thing though it to stop the cheating in the game, I hate it how the AI doesn't need to work through the same issues as me to take an island.

I would love some of these ideas (and other peoples) to be added to the game, I really hope you make some addons for this game in the future. :D

Edited August 18, 2013 by marc0523
Grammer