So, I don't really see a suggestion section, so I hope this works...
I don't know if this is something that can be implemented in Rebellion (or any of the other versions for that matter), and as such if not, then this is a suggestion for SoaSE 2, if one ever gets made.
Fleet Management Window
Similar in concept to the Research or Diplomacy windows, only for management of your fleets.
Note: By "fleet", I don't mean just formed fleets, but even independent ships grouped by gravity well.
Purpose?
- Reduce micromanagement of general fleet maintenance through seeing general fleet stats quickly and easily, and auto-queuing/building/dispatching of ships.
What would it do?
- Would allow quick view of fleet ship composition and Hull/Shield HP %ages similar to mousing over the fleet strength indicator bar next to a world when you're zoomed out, only for all your fleets simultaneously.
- Would allow for virtual fleet building similar in concept to a fleet calculator. Would also allow for saving/naming of these virtually built fleets (and current).
- Would allow for (toggleable on/off) auto-queuing/building/dispatching of ships based on current or saved virtual fleets. When a ship is lost in a fleet, it will automatically select the "closest" appropriate factory based on build/queue/travel time (basically whatever results in the ship getting to its destination the fastest, even if it is being queued on a factory that already has several other ships in line) to rebuild the lost ship and automatically have the ship plot a course for the fleet it belongs to, or a set rally point.
Note: When I'm referring to the ships being queued up for being built, this should be some sort of internal queue to the Fleet Manager itself, not the actual factory in case new factories are built or the auto-queue of some fleets are toggled on/off.
It would also be possible, through alternate windows/views in this one (similar to the different research techs (offensive/defensive/civilian/etc) or diplomacy window showing the different players) for it to become a viable replacement to the Empire Tree, allowing the Empire Tree to then serve the purpose of "critical monitoring" and the functionalities of the Fleet Management window could be extended to incorporate the structures around the various planets.
Any thoughts/comments? Additional ideas? Critiques/refinements on what I have above?
Please don't say "Stupid" or "Dumb" etc. If you don't like it, then you don't like it, but please don't insult me. 