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This is actually what is supposed to happen, although I'm open to changing it if we need to. There are actually three events in the timeline of a wave, and what was changed is something that I think was easy to misinterpret. Here is an example timeline with fake (but realistic) time numbers: Time A (22 minutes into game): Wave is created -- The wave is invisible at this point, almost certainly. -- The AI used to taunt you here, which I fixed recently. Time B (28 minutes into the game): Wave is announced to player -- This is when the "length of warning for waves" setting, interacting with the wave timer, decide that it's time to tell you about the wave. -- This is when the wave warning appears in your HUD. -- This is where I moved the AI taunt and notification to, and I think that makes sense. -- The watch commander might also be saying something here, I'm not sure, but I'm not sure if she should. Time C (30 minutes into the game): Wave turns into actual ships at a player world. -- I think the watch commander says something here, too. -- The wave warning goes away. -- The AI taunting you here doesn't feel right to me, but the watch commander makes more sense to if she's not. Anyhow, I think a lot of people were not aware that Time A even existed. I thought it was just Time B and Time C when I went into the code, but then I discovered that Time A existed. I was super confused for like an hour on what was happening there. I think that the rationale for having Time A is that it makes the game work consistently regardless of how much warning you get about each wave. And the default warning for waves is something like medium. There's a "very long" warning option, and so A represents that one, I guess. One downside is that the time difference between A and B can be HUGE, to the point where attacking the target in question no longer even makes much sense. It may not even belong to the player anymore, and the player may be wondering "why did the AI declare a wave there?" I suspect that this is happening with some reports people give, but it's hard to be sure. |
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I guess my biggest confusion was the watch commander warning at Time B kept making me think that ships were actually on my planets. |
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The chat notification that comes at Time B with the AI taunt also words it as "Spawning a wave" rather than something like "Preparing a wave" or something similar. Since the wave is considered "spawning in" at the actual launch time (C), perhaps just a simple rephrasing of the notification at Time B to move away from "AI spawning a wave against {Planet Name}" would be the best way to avoid confusion? |
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IMO, some of the taunts sound like something you would say when you actually put the attack on the doorstep, instead of merely when the human can "see it coming". |
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Personally I think it would make more sense if the watch commander spoke at time B, and the AI spoke at time C. Presumably the notification appearing is when you get intel on an incoming wave, but an AI that is in any way tactically competent wouldn't taunt you (and thus risk giving the wave's presence away) before it was actually time to attack for real. At least this is what makes sense to me lore-wise, and it does feel like it may alleviate some of the confusion under the assumption that the watch commander's words are done well. |
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I agree with the above users that the Watch Commander and AI lines should be switched. As of right now it is: Time B. AI "'Deal with these'. The AI is spawning a wave against Murdoch." Okay, where are the ships that I have to supposedly deal with? Oh, it's 3 minutes away. Saying the wave is spawning at this time really do anything because the notification is there. Time C: Nothing, just generic "Ai units are on x planets". Because, as it turns out, The Watch Commander line for "The Ai is targeting our Home planet" *plays at the same time the AI taunts*. So the Watch commander and AI both talk over each other at Time B, while nothing related to waves is said at Time C. (She says the usual AI on home planet lines when the AI starts shooting stuff.) I think it should be: Time B: Watch Commander "AI is launching a wave on a border world/home planet/ etc." I have info where the wave is heading. I can look at the tooltip for more info. Time C: "AI taunt. The AI has spawned a wave against Murdoch". And then the Watch commander can says her generic lines about the Ai being on x planet. I have 2 screenshots and a save. For the save, just wait a minute and a wave will be sent against my home planet. 20200918232446_1.jpg (160,270 bytes) 20200918232709_1.jpg (129,700 bytes) |
- Anonymous
