As stated in the title I love to play GC3 but I have no interest what so ever to actually win the game. I play to enjoy building a galactic civilization and to interact with the other large- and small civilizations. In order to achieve this I have foregone all standard civilizations and made my own where expansion and military power are their bottom priority. In order to enhance my kind of gaming these are my suggestions. I am totally aware of that many of the suggestions probably are very hard to implement in programming but I don´t care about that, since these are mere suggestions.
1: Civilization builder DLC. You gave us a shipbuilder DLC now give us one to build our own civilizations. It would include more pics to give us more choice and also the possibility to decide if it is a small- or large civilization or if it is randomized when you start a new game. It would also include the possibility to design the ships for the civilization. At the basic level just replace the standard designs in the list with your own, but at an advanced choice perhaps even building a full list for all technological breakthroughs.
2: More wars, but shorter and more specific wars. The wars as they are now are more or less ever going, especially between other civilizations. They only end when one is destroyed. This could be changed by having a different way to start war (casus belli). Perhaps you have set up a cultural starbase close to another civilization and they ask you to disband it, otherwise they will take actions. If you chose not to they declare war. When the cultural station is destroyed they will seek peace and any planets both of you have conquered during the war will be returned to the previous owner. Another possible reason for war could be that two civilisations have a planet in the same solarssystem. This would be a casus belli for conquest of that planet and when that goal is reached the winner will seek peace.
In order to "force" a warmongering civilization, a few rounds after the condition for war has been achieved the U.P. will convene and try to force peace. If the civilizations don´t agree to the peace, the more peaceful civilizations will withhold the earnings from trade while more warlike will donate warships to the civilization whom agreed to the peace.
I can think of other reasons of war like, decreasing the military power of the enemy with 25 %, Aiding another civilization in a war et cetera.
There could also be some kind of war weariness built into the system making the other civilizations more plausible to seek peace after a number of rounds. This should stop these stupid wars between civilizations with no possible means to even reach each other.
3: Enhance the diplomacy and U.P. Make it a possibility to put in suggestions for galactic agreements to be voted on. Some rounds before the next meeting an agenda is presented where all the suggestions that are coming up are presented including which civilizations are more likely to vote yes or no and who are uncertain. In the diplomacy section of the game you could try to influence the civilizations vote on the subject.
What kind of suggestions could come up in the U.P.? Well going back to the more wars. If a civilization have put up a cultural space station in proximity to a border, it could be suggested that it should be dismantled but on the other hand the one who want it removed will have to pay a price for it.
I would also like to have the possibility to try to negotiate or force peace between civilizations by being the third part. If this is tried having a large influence and or diplomatic power would enhance the possibility
4: Rework trade. I have a feeling that the reason you can´t have how many trade routes you want are that it would be easy to spam trade routes, generate money on a grand scale, build the largest fleet ever seen and conquer the universe with no problem aka win the game. Like I said I have no interest in winning the game and not having as many trade routes as I want is just silly to me. My solution would be that trade are handled by your merchants and government servants, not you. So trade are to be handled on strategic level = trade taxes and trade deals in the diplomatic section.
But instead the trade merchants you construct grants diplomatic power and influence in the U.P. It would be easier to force opponents to peace if you have trade routes with them et cetera.
Or there could be the possibility to transform the trade modules into supplies modules. With them it will be possible for a fleet to extend its range. This would meant that you don´t have to build star bases to reach far with a fleet, but on the other hand the fleets will be weaker because they include supply ships.
5: Intelligence. I liked the system that where in GC2 and would like to see it included in GC3. Also with the option of stealing blueprints on civilizations ships or a list of their ships in order to analyze them and rework your ships in order to meet them. This would include removing ships from the trade between civilizations section.
6: Raiding. Moving armed ships into other civilizations gives the other civilization a casus belli, But they might choose not to use it. On the other hand they might destroy the fleet without declaring war, it is their turf after all. This will give you a casus belli but it will not automatically cause a war.
If you move a fleet into the same hex as a starbase you will get the option to raid rather than attack. It will be a fight but the star base might give up and you get money instead. The owning civilization might condemn you in U.P. but it won´t automatically cause a war.
The same could be used on planets, if you move a fleet including transporters you could choose to raid it rather than attacking. If you win you get money (or if you are evil, people). This could mean that you are condemned by the civilization, but it would not automatically mean the civilization declares war. And of course civilizations could be doing this to each other and you.
Icing on the cake changes.
a: I want to design my own drones and fighters, thank you. Also I want them earlier.
b: Admiral ship. You get to have one ship from a hull-class larger than what you have researched, just one. When you reach the largest hull class you get the option to build one ship that is extrahumongus large, like a fleet on its own large. But still just one. Think Super star destroyer for you Star Wars fans out there. The fun part with this is of course that you know the other civilizations out there might also have one and it might be dead important to find it and destroy it. So in every war you get into there will be a "Find the Bismarck" to have in mind. Or conclude the war before it has time to get involved.
c: Eye candy for land battles. You gave it to us in space battle, now give it to us on land.
d: Larger and a little more "realistic" eye candy in space. I want my long range missile projectors to look like they stay away and fire missiles from range. Also the physics in the battles make it look a little stupid when the ships try to evade bumping into each other. Perhaps make it look smoother.
e: It would be nice if the pirates are reworked. In GC3 they are not pirates, They are murderous maniacs in space ships. They should be raiding (see above) for wealth not just destruction. Also, having a pirate fleet in close proximity to a planet will make you loose money since they are raiding civilians. To achieve this the design of their ships should be redone, giving them more engines and range but less weapons. And a gice them a primary drive to avoid stronger fleets, they are targeting civilians not warships. Also give them transport ships for planet (slave-) raiding.
f: Fleet-/ship morale. I would really like this because it will open up the strategical possibility of not having a fleet destroyed in a battle your loosing. Some times retreat is the best solution when the battle isn´t going your way.
