Disabling Patents

Feature Request

from Stardock Forums

We need a way to disable patents, whether or not you currently have a patent lab.

I was just playing the scientific tutorial, had a very positive revenue stream, bought out the second to last company, and all of a sudden found myself in a massive water deficit, which, in time with a (random, as there were no hacker arrays out) water shortage led me to bleed $2000 per SECOND. I quickly stopped auto-supplying all of my farms, the primary water consumer up to that point, to no avail.

Turns out I'd just aquired the water-powered patent, and all of my blimps were now sucking down my economy's lifeblood for fuel (whereas I had a nice fuel surplus that they had been using just prior to the acquisition).

Anyhow, I couldn't find a way to disable the patent. Can't remember if this can even be done from within a patent lab - but regardless, I didn't have a lab to speak of: it seems like the AI I bought out had won that patent via an auction. So even if you COULD disable patents via the lab, I'd have had to build one first.

So again, I think it's necessary to be able to enable/disable patents you own without needing a patent lab to do so. Thoughts?

31,201 views 8 replies
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes, PLEASE :) 

(Shameless bump for the dev team :)  - you guys are awesome, thank you for your community involvement!)

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top



So again, I think it's necessary to be able to enable/disable patents you own without needing a patent lab to do so. Thoughts?

 

This 100%

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

I agree, but because of GDC, we will probably have to wait until the next patch (not the upcoming one).

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

What may I ask is GDC?

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Rather than disabling patents, it might be a better idea to implement a menu with a sliding bar to adjust the amount of water/fuel or water/power used.  Market prices for water going through the roof but power stuck at $1 per unit?  Drop the slider to 100% power, 0% water used.  Bit of an unexpected water shortage because you just bought out an opponent?  Adjust it to 75% water/25% fuel until you've got everything under control.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

This just occurred to me.  With patents being exclusive, it might be better to allow someone to put patents back on the market, instead of disabling them.