I will be making a list of small changes I think could improve the appearance of the game. This first post is just some of those changes, I will update with others later.

Yes, I know these things might not take priority, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be mentioned at all.

One thing I will mention before the list: Dan, it looks like you have to hand-type a whole lot more than you should need to, judging by all the inconsistencies with labeling. There are a staggering 17 different ways that the limit of certain structures on planets have been labelled. I think you should consider writing a tool to format all the text for structures for you, and limit your input to only what is necessary.

The tool could work as follows:

I believe you can use Visual Studio Express 2013 to make a Windows Forms project, which should make this relatively simple (though I don't know exactly how limited the Express version is). First, you would have an option for each type of bonus: Attack, Defense, Artifact, All Production, etc. You would simply input the numbers for the ones you want, and have the rest ignored. The program can format it to have the usual bonus list, "[Size:1, Attack:200]". This would save you the time of typing these in the correct format each time. It could include a box for "flavor text", which would automatically italicize what you input, and another box for "description". Then you would also have a box where you select the type of resource gained upon scraping, and a box each for the maximum and minimum. Finally, you could have a box for the limit, and that would be formatted and added to the description. As I mentioned, the "limit" is the greatest offender to consistency. A program like this shouldn't even take more than a few hours to write.

Anyway, some of the small fixes:

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Effect Labels

Some Effects are labeled in such a way that they look as though they were input by a programmer just trying to make them work, and never gone over again for quality inspection before being released. These are the examples I have on my ship right now:

Surge Plexus: Npcattack
BM50: Basedefense
Mega-Coil: Npcdefense
Tetra-Seek: Baseattack
Autonomous Process: Baseattack
Sirakar Plating: Npcdefense
Auto-Evasion Node: Defense_adaptation
Trinity-Core: Defense_adaptation

Traps and the T-Plasma Gemini Cannons all have 2 words, so I'm not sure why it's necessary that these all be made into one word. Of course, if it is completely necessary then I guess this is the way they will have to stay, but if not then I recommend changing these to look like English, rather than programming variables. "Npcattack" should be "NPC Attack", "Defense_adaption" should be "Defense Adaptation", just as examples.

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% Bonus Structure Labeling

All structures give bonuses, generally listed in brackets above the main description. Some of these bonuses give a percentage bonus, which is applied as an Effect. Some of these are labeled as "[Type] Bonus:" in the brackets, while others are simply labeled "[Type]". Here is the breakdown, just of structures in my cargo.

Labeled "[Type] Bonus"
Astrobiology Ward
Ergosphere Filter
Lazuli Darkmine Cluster
Barrier Nexus

Labeled "[Type]"
Alarri Compound Turret
Extracted Lithovoric Stem
Temple of Reflection
Cross-Signal Restrainer
Litheor Core-Tunnel
Rikthar's War Forge
Meta-Tuned Jammer
Hall of Extreme Torment
Lepus Hatchery
Polaron Emitter
Scruuge Hovertank
Orbital Stabilizer
T.O. Omnispanner
Sarkonis Headquarters
Intraphasic Hoveroid
Ventar Field Collapser
Xecti Signal Repeater


The "Bonus" in the label could be considered confusing, because everything in the brackets is considered a bonus. However, I do think it is useful to have a label that a bonus is applied as an Effect, and the idea that the stats given by structures are always considered a "bonus" seems a little weird; calling everything a bonus seems to defeat the idea of a bonus. Thus, I think everything in brackets should be referred to as "base stats", and only bonuses applied as Effects should be listed as "bonuses". Thus, for example, the Quantum Hydro-Meliorator wouldn't say "Population bonus doubles", it would say "Population base stat" doubles. This way, now that there might be more structures like the Bioship Landing Platform and Raix Bunker, structures could be labeled with "Cloak Bonus:" and people won't have to guess if the structure will work like other structures labeled similarly; there will be a consistency that makes it clear.

Either way, all of the % bonuses from these structures work the same way, but they are labeled differently for no apparent reason.

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Labels for the structure limits on planets.

Structures built from artifacts have limits on how many can be built on a planet, and most are labeled to say as much. However, there is a huge inconsistency in how they are labeled. I will list the different ways and the structures labeled in such a way. When they are labeled with "in the description", this means the label is not separated from the main description with a new line. Punctuation, capitalization, and spaces are taken into account for these different labels. "X" has been used in place of the actual numbers.


(Limit x per planet)
Alarri Comm Tower
Alarri Signaling Drone
Extracted Lithovoric Stem
Bioship Gene Lab
Litheor Core-Tunnel
Rikthar's War Forge
Meta-Tuned Jammer
Intraphasic Hoveroid
Ventar Field Collapser
Xecti Signal Repeater

(limit x per planet)
Adumbrate Station
DM79 Datacenter
Domain Walker
Klorvis Shroud Generator
Ergosphere Filter
Barrier Nexus
Klorvis Troop Gateway

(Limit x per planet) in description
Adaptive Spire
Xectiphage Tower

(limit x per planet) in the description
Artifact Warehouse
Assimilation Locus
Temple of Reflection
Cross-Signal Restrainer
Processing Core Chassis
Chron Shifter
Relay Tower Chassis
Captured Crimson Base
Zolazin Analyzer
Dark Anti-Beacon
Drannik Databank
Polychoron Vault
Space Elevator Chassis
Akulan Gas Ingestor
Convoy Heat Seeker
Lazuli Darkmine Cluster
Guarded Memorial
Refining Lab Chassis
Mineral Storage Tower
Mylarai Stripcore Mine
Sha'din Hyperport Network
Phase Cutter Chassis
Research Data Archive
Silthion Gas Vesicle
Antimatter Drill
Spy Uplink Chassis
Warp Gate Chassis
X-Pulse Tower
XTS-10 Injector Chassis
Zolazin Void Tower

Limit x /planet
Uldri Anomaly Crystal
Tejiar Ally HQ

Limit x / planet
Scruuge Hovertank

Limit x/planet
Uldri Recovery Capsule
Uldri Spacial Marker

Limit x.
Galakis Transport
Polaron Emitter

Limit x per planet.
Human Training Barracks
Orbital Stabilizer
T.O. Omnispanner
Vaash Holomatrix
Crimson Rift Aperture

Limit x per planet
Lepus Hatchery

(limit x)
Hall of Extreme Torment
Sarkonis Headquarters

(limit x) in description
Permafrost Sub-Network
Affection Disseminator 4.0
A.I. Emotion Core

Limit X in description
Scruuge Calibration Chamber

None
M.O.T.H.E.R.
(Note: It is possible that there isn't a limit for the structure; I only have 1, so I can't test it)

Limit x '[structure name]' structures per planet
Sha'jha Uplink

Limit x [Structure Type] structure per planet.
Silthion T-Plasma Vesicle

(limit x/planet) in description
Captured T.O. Harvester IV

Limit x/planet in description
Voliir Transgenic Lock


Personally, I think "Limit x per planet" (not in the description) is the best one. The new line makes it easier to see, parentheses are unnecessary because it is offset on a new line, the capital "L" looks a lot better since it's on a new line, and I think the "/" just looks messy.

There is the issue of the Silthion T-Plasma Vesicle, where it does need to include the fact that it limits construction of the Silthion Gas Vesicle as well. One issue is that the Gas Vesicle wasn't changed to mention the same limit as the T-Plasma Vesicle, which it should be. Otherwise, I think it might be best to go ahead and use the T-Plasma Vesicle's format where appropriate, and another format when there are not structures of multiple types. Including that format on all structures could cause confusion among players, who might be worried about checking the type of every structure to make sure they have the best planet build they can.

Also, the Xectiphage Tower and Voliir Transgenic Lock could use the same format as the T-Plasma Vesicle, because they block each other.


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Generally, modules are installed and structures are constructed. There are, however, some structures that mention being installed.

Dark Anti-Beacon
Ergosphere Filter
Hall of Extreme Torment
Lazuli Darkmine Cluster
Scruuge Hovertank
Sha'jha Uplink
Sarkonis Headquarters
Crimson Rift Aperture ("installed" rather than "built")
Voliir Transgenic Lock
Xecti Signal Repeater
Xectiphage Tower

All of these structures mention being installed, which is inconsistent with all other structures. This can easily be changed to say they are constructed, like most other structures.

It is possible there are modules that say they are constructed, rather than installed, but I do not have any modules left in my cargo to check.

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Miscellaneous

These are all just random other things I've noticed.

Rikthar's War Forge: The bonuses listed in the options do not follow the "Artifact:2" format, but instead leave out the colon. Personally, I never even liked that format--I think it should either be "Artifact: 2" or "Artifact 2" (preferably the former). Regardless, it is inconsistent with the formatting standard.

Meta-Tuned Jammer: The same problem as the War Forge.

Hall of Extreme Torment: Same problem, but only for the population bonus.

Scruuge Hovertank: Same problem, but only for the attack and defense bonuses.

Dark Anti-Beacon: The first letter of the first word ("i" in "installs") is not capitalized. Of course, I think this should be changed to "Constructs" anyway.



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A lot of these inconsistencies wouldn't happen if a tool was used for writing the descriptions, which would also make the process a bit quicker. Any task that is done a lot should be done with the aid of a tool, if at all possible, to help with both consistency and iteration speed.

I will try to add more at a later date, in response to this post.

For the planet structures that say "Installs" as opposed to "Constructs" ... how about making it so that things which can't be extracted have "Installs" and things that can be have "Constructs."

Adds a bit of nuance to it.