Looking for a Little Feedback
I posted this on the EVN forum as well, as it's half development and half storyline.
As the Director of the Bureau, at one point, you get to decide where to allocate excess funding. Every decision will have some sort of result, all of which are positive. There are four major allocations and four minor allocations and a player may choose two from each category. As it stands, they are:
Minor-
Increased Border Security:
This would obviously increase the amount of Federation ships in border systems. Also, later in the campaign, when the Federation makes incursions into Auroran space, having selected this option will increase the odds of taking over Auroran territory and decrease the odds of losing territory to the Aurorans.
Miniaturization:
This would in time replace several existing wëaps with newer, smaller versions available for purchace. (I believe that I would need to leave the original versions active however, as otherwise the player could not sell them to purchace the miniaturized versions.)
Hypergate Revitalization:
Restores several defunct hypergates, making them accessable. Would also add several new hypergates. May also add a hypergate link between Sol Kel'ar Iy or some such.
Colonization:
Would subsidize colonization of new worlds, as well as providing economic incentives to immigrate to less-developed worlds. The results would be Federation colonies reaching further into space, and several smaller worlds may become more developed, such as sporting a new shipyard.
Major-
Military Research:
Increases the rate at which technologies are developed, making some of the new ships and weapons available more quickly. Also may allow or may give a chance to develop a new piece of weaponry.
Espianoge:
Allocates funding to the Federation spy corps., allowing them to better keep tabs on the subjugated worlds as well as pilfering some technologies not immediatley granted by the Polaris (probably the Polaron Torpedo or perhaps Polaris armor). The increased potency of Federation Spies may also give you that extra edge in outmanuvering your enemies from within (hint hint).
Electronics:
Grants subsidies to electronics research, allowing for more potent scanners, jammers, shield generators, reactors etc. to be developed.
Polaris Integration:
This is the only allocation that may not yield any benefit, but there is a 50% chance that, in time, Capacitor Pulse Lasers will be integrated into standard mechanical ships, and a separate 50% chance that Multi-Torps would be integrated. Would most likely have to be lesser versions of these weapons as it would make the campaign too easy if a player could use even one at full strength.
I've scrapped a few ideas, such as establishment of additional military outposts or a funneling extra money into the player's account, the reason being that with the programming I used to ensure that only two of each category could be used, more than 4 would be very, very difficult. Here's a sample string:
b2033 & !b2034 & ((!b2037 & !b2038) | (!b2038 & !b2040) | (!b2037 & !b2040))
b2033 is the bit that opens up this string. b2034 is the bit set by this mission on acceptance. b2037, 2038, and 2040 are the conflicting missions.
So, if you think there are any I should get rid of or anything I should put in, let me know. The only way I would make a total of more than 4 major and 4 minor would be if somebody comes up with an easier method of programming them in.
Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read all of that. I may be posting a teaser of this plug sometime soon, with maybe the first third of the plotline implimented.