I am once again suggesting changes to change of plans....

[Oreades]

I don't think it is a surprise to say that I do not enjoy "change of plans", I have selected a mission type because I wanted to for whatever reason play that mission type, not get dunked on by the game deciding that what I actually meant when I selected that mission type was that I really secretly wanted to play extermination. I assure you I did not, or I would have selected extermination from the many extermination nodes that dot the starchart.

So here is my suggestion for "change of plans" that I feel would make it more dynamic and encourage players to want to engage with it. 

 

Step 1) Diversify Change of Plans by adding other sub objectives like spy or a defense wave etc

Step 2) Make the new sub objective completely optional EG the Grustrag 3, "aww gee tenno, y-y-you could extract or hear me out you could do t-t-this new bonus thing over here" 

Step 3) Bonus loot, did you want just the normal drops from capture or did you want that double bonus from doing that totally optional side objective that the interrogation revealed? 

 

It just strikes me as more inline with player choice wile encouraging them towards hitting the metric instead of forcing the metric onto them. 

While I can only speak for myself, I know I would be far more inclined to engage with a mechanic that presented me with a branching option instead of just exiting the mission under the current ridged mechanic. 

[DroopingPuppy]

I would be surprised if someone actually enjoys 'change of plans.'

The more problem is it occurs AFTER complete the objective. You have a capture target, and you did captured it, then the Lotus says, "Change of plans." Seriously?

[Tyreaus]

What bothers me is the RNG of it.

For Spy missions, if you botch all the Spy vaults (but hack them so you don't fail), it turns into an Exterminate. The "kill everything" is, explicitly, a punishment. Capture and Mobile Defense make it a simple coin flip.

So I'm all for the "change of plans" being a bonus objective, or even being a punishment (though for what, IDK). Anything that'll make it not random.

(I also think Spy vaults and Rescues as bonus objectives could fit in a lot of missions, not just Capture. They're the two kinds of missions you, almost explicitly, don't have to fire a single shot. It's different. They're also loose on tile requirements: both need only the one tile to function. As long as there's no clipping, it'll fit. And they feel like the sort of objective where, galivanting through a capital ship, you stop and double-take because "oooh shiny enemy intel." Something like a defense objective feels more like a need to do, rather than a bonus you yoink on your way to the Orbiter.)

[DroopingPuppy]

Yes, for Spy mission it makes sense - the Lotus also explains why you should(you set off too much alarm so you also need to silence the guards as well). But the change of plans in Capture is just pointless. It just happens all of sudden, without any reason, and no other rewards.