[v18.1 Geoscape] Liaison Offices Rebalance

[MrAlex]

I have an idea how to improve the office system to make it more convenient, flexible and interesting.
It often happens that a player, for example, needs 2 engineers, but there is no such office near his base, and he is forced to build it somewhere far away in a place where he does not need it.
I suggest instead of direct restrictions (Money, 2 scientists, 2 engineers, 1 scientist + 1 engineer, etc.) to add an opportunity for an upgrade.
The player will build an office 2 times cheaper and get half the current effect, but will be able to improve it once.
For example: Instead of building an office for 2 engineers for 250k money, the player will be able to build once for 125k for 1 engineer 2 times faster and then, if necessary, expand for 125k for another. In this case, the player will not be limited in choice, each office will be able to build and improve at the choice of the player (money, engineer, scientist). The player will be able to combine them as he wishes (getting one of the available combinations, but in the place where he needs).

Here is an example: When building an office, the player chooses its type (60k money, 25k money + scientist / engineer). Improving it, the player will be able to get one of the combinations (120k money, 50k money and 2 scientists, 50k money and 2 engineers, 50k money and 1 scientist + 1 engineer, 85k money and 1 scientist, 85k money and 1 engineer).
In this way, the player will be able to build an office where he wants, not where the game forces him to do so.
The level of panic will decrease both during construction and improvement. 

Edited March 19, 2021 by MrAlex

[Alienkiller]

Yeah MrAlex, such an Idea we brought already in some time before. Upgrades for the Office-System I agree fully for several Reasons.

The first one: An Office is to expensive for that (250.000 $ for only one Office without Upgrade-Possibilitys).

The second one: We can use the Agents for more then only reducing Panic. There are Counter-Intelligence against the Aliens and Human Traitors (like the Special Missions we could test with Soldiers before V.15 or so), Search Places for new Bases to Buildup (Secondary Base 1 to 5), the already implemented Panic Reducion and what else I have forgotten.

The third one: The active Agents which are not on a Mission help to make the Agent-Training faster. Therfore the Offices are a good Position. Maybe the Agents get an Bonus in Traing in Sowjetunion, Israel, GB and USA (there are the best trained Agents in the World). The Agents you have are limited [like in Hoi 4 or other Games] but will come back after the Done Mission.

The fourth one: Soldiers can get an lower Agent-Training too (if not enough Agents are there). That belongs on the Usage of the Solder. If a soldier is a Shotgunner, Riflemen, Infantry, Sniper or similar they are better. The Heavyer Variants (Grenadiers, Heavys, Breacher etc.) are worser. Or we have only Agents and Soldiers seperated and an Agent have to go with Soldiers in a Special Mission.

That were the 4 Reasons for what the Geoscape Bureaus are there with the other nice Bonuses they give. Therefore they are attackable from the Air and evtl. Ground again, because they don´t have defense (only the Minimum Guards which you get from the Founder Country = 3 Fighters against the Air-Attacks and 4 or 6 light to medium equiped Gurads against Ground attacks).

Edited March 19, 2021 by Alienkiller

[MrAlex]

I don't want to think about the balance of agents right now. Possible improvements for agents can be discussed in a separate topic. First I want to solve the problem with offices.

It often happens that I need engineers, and I have a high level of panic in a region where there is no office available for construction. So to solve the problem I have to build 2 offices instead of one. Often, the office has to be built in an area where there is no need to reduce panic.

In addition, the price and construction time is quite high. The player must first collect money for a long time and then wait a long time for the construction to be completed. With the proposed changes, the player will be able to build offices gradually, and in a place where they are really needed.

Here is an example:
1) Now.
The player has 1kk of money and he needs engineers. He can build 4 offices and get 8 engineers. The player will receive 8 engineers in 10 days.
At the same time, he is forced to build offices in five different regions, most of which he has no base for protection or no need to reduce panic. And when there is a need to reduce panic, the player will not be able to build an office for engineers and will be forced to build offices for scientists (which may not be needed at that time).
2) AFTER the proposed changes.
The player has 1kk of money and he needs engineers. The player builds 4 offices and gets 4 engineers in 5 days. Then he can improve them in 5 days. In this case, offices will be built exactly where the player needs. Moreover, the player will be able to use 4 engineers while the offices are improved for the next 4 engineers.
In this case, the player does not even need to have 1kk at once, he can spend from the current budget 500k and 500k from the next income.

The proposed changes will greatly facilitate the use of offices and remove unnecessary restrictions.

[MrAlex]

 I also think we need to abandon the fixed locations for offices on the map. You just can add a separate button in the interface menu for building an office instead. The player will choose where to build it (as in the case of building a base)

It also seems to me that every office should have a small radar (something like fighter radar).
The idea is to allow the player to send fighters to where UFOs have been spotted and intercept them in places where there are no bases with large radars.
But to do this, the fighters need to increase the fuel supply (or create an additional module that can do it. For example, double the fuel supply, without the possibility of using evasion, if the fighter did not use additional fuel from the module).

Although the range of the office radar will be small and will not provide the player with sufficient visibility, but it will allow to understand in which direction the UFO is moving so that the player can try to guess the place where he can catch it with his fighter.
I think it will make the gameplay much more interesting, especially in the early stages of the game.

@Alienkiller@ChrisWhat do you think about this idea?

Edited March 23, 2021 by MrAlex

[Alienkiller]

The Locations are fully OK where they are. I and all ohters have no Problem with that.

The Upgrade-Idea sounds very good and I find it great. As well as more Modules for the Fighters. If I remember me correctly, we had such Modules in the first Tests (Beta 5, 6 or so).

If your announced Idea will be integrated in the Game then no other Bases can build up (the Exeption is an Emergancy-Secondary-Base if Main-Base is not holdable against an Invasion).

Short said: An Restriction you have to set there then.

 

Good to the Main- and Minor-Points why Outposts have their fix places in the Founding Countrys:

1. (Main-Point) You get from that Founding Country-Outpost continually monthly your 1 to 2 Scients and / or 1 to 2 Engeneers as well as the monthly money Bonus.

2. (Main-Point) You have 4 to 5 seperated Outposts averaged on the Founding Country, which are explicitly for that Founding Country (like Russia, Asia, Europe) which all give a Country-Bonus

3. (Minor-Point and an Major-Idea) With that the Outposts can be upgraded on the World Map without having the Panic to loose him. It´s saved from the Founding Country, give Bonuses and Personal as well as can used for special R & D-Projects which can´t be done in the Main-Base-Labs / Main-Base-Workshops.

Explenation: Means you can use them for R & D-Projects and as Storageroom for bigger Things (like UFOs) and whatever.

4. (Major Point) Outposts have a light Defense from the Founding Military (4 to 6 light / medium Equiped Soldiers as Main-Defense and 3 used Fighters from the Founder State [like in Russia the Foxtrott or in North America the Condor]

5. (Major Point and an Major-Idea) If Ouptosts can do a light Panic-Reduction per Month (4 to 5 Outposts for the Countrys you have normaly) for about 10 Panic total it would be great as a Counter Measure to the Alien-Offensives and whatever the Aliens are Doing. Not only the 1-Time Panic Reduction while Buildup.

6. (Minor Point and Major-Idea) The Outposts give you the Possibility to get an giftet small to medium Base from the Founding Country. That you get for Free with already 2 Hangars, 1 active Radar and an Access Lift. There the Buildup Point isn´t fixed and like the normal Base-Buildup.

 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Alienkiller

[MrAlex]

25 minutes ago, Alienkiller said:

If your announced Idea will be integrated in the Game then no other Bases can build up (the Exeption is an Emergancy-Secondary-Base if Main-Base is not holdable against an Invasion).

They will have too small a radius operating radar to replace a full base radar, but this will be a minor alternative at the start of the game as long as the player has little money.

In any case, the player will need at least on four bases. Basic(mixed), research, production, training (for soldiers who did not get to the main due to poor basic parameters). With two hangars and a radar on each.

[MrAlex]

34 minutes ago, Alienkiller said:

Short said: An Restriction you have to set there then.

This may be the same limitation. A certain number of offices for each region. As you said:

34 minutes ago, Alienkiller said:

2. You have 4 to 5 Outposts averaged on the Country, which are explicitly for that Founding state (like Russia, Asia, Europe)

There will simply be no restriction on where to build them within the region (the player will choose himself)

[Alienkiller]

Before we discuss us to the Death with that, let Chris bring in it´s Answer. He and his Team decides what is makeable about the Money-Limitations we have before the Game has to get in Early Access.

So I don´t wanna Change a very good running System which have it´s fix place on the Geoscape. Therefore it´s easyer to make it upgradeable and other important Things which are Missing or in WIP for the Early Access-Phase get in.

Edited March 23, 2021 by Alienkiller

[MrAlex]

18 hours ago, Alienkiller said:

Before we discuss us to the Death with that, let Chris bring in it´s Answer. He and his Team decides what is makeable

I agree with you. We can only offer an idea. The final decision is always up to the developers.