After speding a small time in game, getting used to how everything operates, I've compiled a list of suggestions that may or may not be viable (or potentially already discussed elsewhere) as I've found my way through the game to this point.
(Please be mindful - these are suggestions - and much of it may just be QOL improvements - if some of this already exists in the game, and I simply have overlooked the ability to do so (although doubtful) - ignore it).
Small list of things in the UI and elsewise I've found could make operating a galaxy dominating empire eaiser:
- Set "Property Owned" as first tab or default open tab when opening map-view, instead of "All Objects" - may alleviate some map-related lag (as this list is dynamically updated constantly while open and player is moving around map).
Filter UI
- Lighten the "filtered out" options in map overlay box so goods/numbers can still actually be legible when trying to determine what to filter by.
- Minimum price filter (added adjacent to "Maximum" price filter).
- Selection for price differential filter i.e. only showing goods where trade is XXX Cr margin between bought/sold. (either an actual number difference or percentage would suffice).
- Colour/Indicator overlay of overall goods production/demand (per sector) (low/medium/high). (ie. sector has high demand for imports vs sector has high exports).
- Trade goods tier filter (basic/intermediate/advanced).
- Main production classification overlay (per sector) (ie. agricultural/medical/military).
- Trade from: <Sector/Station> in AutoTrade option - could default to sector vessel is currently located in for ease of use.
- Selecting the sector for a "centre of operations" for trading vessel from which it always calculates its routes. Instead of automatically selecting the sector whenever "confirm" is clicked on AutoTrade and this being hidden from the player. - "Add All" to AutoTrade option (default behaviour section)
- "Add All" for Currently sold in volume X (low/medium/high)
- "Add All for Currently bought in volume X (low/medium/high) - "Remove All" to AutoTrade option (default behaviour section)
- "Sort by" for Wares:
- Crafting Tiers (basic/intermediate/advanced)
- View Availability (Sector/Station - same as map auto-filter when zooming in/out).
- By current volume traded / sold
- Illegal Indication combined with faction icon - or at least a tool-tip with applicable factions when mousing over "Illegal" icon. - "Minimum" / "Maximum" trade volumes for trading goods
i.e. Only trade for volumes of goods meeting or exceeding X volume (25%/50%/75% of cargo space). In order to curb freighters flying around with 10 units of goods. - Sector/Station/Faction white/black-lists - any of these would be nice to have.
- "Add All" to AutoMine option (default behaviour section)
- "Remove All" to AutoMine option (default behaviour section)
- "Sort By" for goods:
- Volume of known (explored/visible/satellite coverage) availability/demand (low/medium/high).
- Value (avg) in sector/sector reach (determined by mining gate distance slider). - Mine in: <Sector> in AutoMine option - could default to sector vessel is currently located in for ease of use.
- Selecting the sector for a "centre of operations" for mining vessel from which it always calculates its routes. - Auto-sell restriction to faction/sector black/white-lists.
- AutoMine sector/faction black/white-lists.
Full Audit trail for each vessel (esp. trading vessels):
- Where it bought (reserved goods) - how many units / for how much.
- Where it is heading (reserved goods) - how many units / for how much.
- An actual graph showing its traded goods over time (hour/day/week - just like station trades) to get an idea of demand/supply decline for trade routes. Same with regions - if satellites reporting information from regions, would like to get a broader idea of goods demand/supply of (visible) sector and how the volumes are changing.
- When ship is threatened (pirate/police activity)
- CLEAR separate log indication with vessel NAME / ID / Pilot - Sector location - and quick view button. - When ship is discovered (abandoned/neutral unmanned vessels)
- CLEAR separate log indication with vessel NAME / ID / Pilot - Sector location - and quick view button.
Log book
- Separate log for "Discoveries"
- Separate log for "Police/Pirate" threats.
- Separate log for "War" activities.
- Filters:
- Credit/Debit messages
- Faction change messages - Search box:
- For things like ship name/id
- Pilot name
- Faction name (and the related messages)
Empire Overview
Global Standing order:
- Default docking station when idle/no orders issued - Player Base or selected station.
- Default Location to which to flee if threatened by pirate/police activity.
- Sectors to avoid / Factions to avoid.
- Selection indication for "Auto-drop" nav beacon for discovered ships, when "mark" is selected as behaviour. (obviously if ship has deployable available).
Ships:- Ability to interact with vessels in "Ships" listing - same as "Owned goods" listing. (comms/teleport to (when available))
Hired Personnel- Ability to interact with "Hired Personnel" in "Number of hired personnel" listing. (comms)
- Filter by:
- Skill (skill level)
- Assignment - Sort by:
- Skill (skill level)
- Assignment - Group by:
- Sector operation
- Assignment (captain/crew/marine/manager/etc).
Account Overview:- Full Auditing of costs per station. Import/Export goods, operation costs, auto-buys, etc.
- Ability to select "auto-credit" for station base operation costs.
- Ability to select "auto-buy" for required goods
- Ability to select "auto-buy" for drones.
- Stations View:
- Grouped by Sector location.
- Clear "no manager assigned" indication.
- Subordinate sub-classification (Miners/Freighters/Fighters). - Fleets
- Grouping of fleets and naming of these groups/fleets. - Unassigned Ships:
- Sort by:
- Vessel Type (fighter/miner/transport etc).
- Sector/Station/Faction assignment (currently using naming conventions can be used to manage this to some degree - this would correspond to the "assigned" sector for AutoTrade mentioned in Trading).
- Idle vessel selection/indication (any trading vessel idling for more than 5 minutes can have a clear indication in UI).
Player Inventory:
- A location on PHQ (or globally accessible on all owned stations) where player can "stash" goods that may be considered illegal.
- Search box.
- Listing of Illegal Goods for selected faction in FACTION information view.
- All sectors currently owned by selected Faction.
Logical station overview:
- Ability to "decouple" in-out (products) of modules and re-assign it to specific task: (currently indicated by yellow/red dot-lines)
for example: If a station has two water production plants one can be assigned to specifically provide water for wheat production whereas another can be set to general "water storage output." - In combination with above: "Reserved" storage for station use vs general trade use.
- Ability to "disable" production modules (this goes with above module focus suggestion more-so than current game-state).
- Station docks:
- Private/Subordinate/Public access for docks. The ability to reserve docks for mining/trading vessels belonging to station. - Auto-credit minimum running cost of station (check-box).
- DO-NOT-AUTO-BUY selection for required goods in station production queue.
- Change DRONE allotment to a % based system - ie. 20% cargo / 20% repair/ 60% defence (of max capacity) - this way manager can auto-regulate more effectively as station grows (if auto buy is enabled).
Station building layout view:
- Tool-tips on modules showing:
- Faction
- Required trade goods
- Building time
- Running costs (workers) / time.
- Hardpoints (turrets/shields)
- Storage volume / type. - Ability to sort modules by faction
- Ability to sort storage module by volume
- Ability to sort modules by hardpoint allocation (where applicable).
Ship loadout/builder view:
- Ability to "Remove-all" from hardpoint/weapon/shield loadout.
- Ability to "Remove-all" from deployable allocation.
- Ability to "Save" crew member allocation in loadout presets (this currently does not save when saving loadouts).
- Ability to "Copy" (or save) loadout from previously built ships or existing ships (of same model).
HotKeys:
- Ability to assign key:
- Deploy Mines/Satellite/Beacon/Resource Probes - Hotkey option for "drop-satellite at location" for selected vessel, in map view (along the lines of holding ctrl for quick issuing move orders for selected ship(s)).
- same would be nice for probes. - Option when "down-throlling" to auto-exit travel mode.
---
Some clarification of terms used:
*(low/medium/high) refers to HEX-indication methods utilised in goods filter system.
*(basic/intermediate/advanced) refers to trade goods crafting tier / complexity, i.e. ice/ore being basic, water/meat/wheat intermediate and so forth.
*(fighter/miner/transport) refers to broad vessel classification.
This list may or may not expand and update if I find some other bits.
Really thoroughly enjoying the game thusfar.
(This is my first X-series game).(Edited for formatting to make it easier to read)