Yes, ideally all ships would be cubes, spheres, teardrops or the like.

Also ideally, our models would have every minute technical details rendered.

But at the end of the day, that's a different style for a different game.(Attack Vector Online, anyone?)

Theres two types of styles that really fit in here. Pure opera sci-fi, your early Vipers, your X-Wings, your Y-wings, your Last Starfighters.

Then there's the fickle semi-hard sci-fi. This is where we try to take the eye-catching nature of space opera designs, and mate them with with the super hard sci-fi "nothing out of place" style. This class encompasses your reimagined Viper, your Thunderbolt and Starfury, your Hammerheads(space: above and beyond, anyone?), and the like. Thrusters apparent, Newton is in the house, and Max Immelmann is left scratching his head.

Which do YOU prefer?

I definitely fall into fickle semi-hard sci-fi. I totally would love a combo of the sleek style of pure opera sci-fi, with as much attention as possible to the hard sci-fi practicality of it without losing the style. It's those cool-looking ships that make me want to fly them, and that's what it's all about. That's why I made my suggestion about a new way to do turbo in this game (less likely to happen than one of your models being implemented, I know), so that we can keep the coolness with a semi-rational explanation why.

Sounds to me like you tread far closer to hard sci-fi, with nods towards style. No, they are not mutually exclusive, ignore what some H-SF pundits say.

Semi-hard sci-fi have some of the features of the craft I've already mentioned. For example, yeah, they have thrusters. Yeah, they have their systems mapped out enough so that volume makes sense. But maybe their thrust vectors don't exactly make sense(i.e. engaging the engines wouldn't result in zero-forward thrust), and maybe those systems have been handwaived to oblivion to be the size of a suitcase. But they're represented.

I tend to fall somewhere between hard sci-fi and semihard. I don't like to handwaive sizes down too much, but if thrusters look better in a way that'll throw off actual thrust balance, I'll do it without a second thought.(side note, the centurion remodel has pretty good thrust balancing)

I agree with you on the turbo. I'm thinking that's the iteration of the gravdrive. Since normal engines don't use power, and grav drives are likely some sort of electromagnetic stack design, it makes sense that way why "turbo" uses energy, then the effect goes away post-deactivation.

This is probably a topic for Suggestions, but screw it. I'd love it if delta-v was modeled here. Let's face it, I don't care how advanced the motor is, eventually you'll need to refuel it. It'd be especially cool if certain ships had separate delta-v tanks. Manuvering delta-v, primary delta-v, ect. Think about how much cooler combat would be if your opponent has been backrolling the whole damn time, and ends up running out of M_D-V.

Having to refuel (with some safety so you can't get completely stranded, that's no fun) would add so much to the strategy and tactics of this game, and might add real meaning to piracy.

I think there needs to be a special permanent thread in suggestions for these ship designs. Sure, they won't get as many hits, but they are suggestions.

You're right, that's right where I stand. I like your style; I should learn a 3D rendering program or something. As if I had time for that....

Fuel is off-topic, and has been suggested very often, PC. My stance is no to overall starship fuel (stranding), by the way. Yes to turbo fuel, though.

If I wouldn't get flamed for either starting a new discussion in suggestions, or reviving a old post, I might submit a new idea that may be workable.

Ship model threads were usually posted in general, so it's fine here... if only by tradition.

Hehe, yeah, I've participated in some of those old fuel debates, toshiro.

Fediroc, I wouldn't take you as someone afraid of being flamed for a suggestion. I know I wouldn't be, and have been before for such suggestions as fuel and multiple armor/damage types etc. I'd like to hear your idea, and would totally participate in a revived fuel discussion in suggestions.

Oh, no, I mean I had an idea about fuel.

Basically, you know how we're supposed to have grav drives, right? Okay. How about grav drives are only advanced enough to push you a certain amount, effectively for free, as well as provide inertia dampening for the pilot.

However, this is definitely the slow way of doing things. A push of a button activates "combat mode" or whatever, activating your tried-and-true reaction thrusters. Now, these thrusters can't fire forever, thanks to fuel supply. Ideally, I'd like two delta-v tanks, one for main drives(so we can still go in a straight line quickly), and one for maneuvering thrusters.

Want to backroll all day long, and extend combat(and make it not at all fun for the one getting backrolled)? Go for it. You'll be using your maneuvering fuel at a prodigious rate, and eventually the guy that was just doing basic but effective dodges will have M_D-V left, and you won't. Will you still be able to maneuver? Sure. As well as the other guy? Not nearly.

That'll make for a tactical fuel system that means you'll never get stranded, but adds a new dimension to combat.

As far as the Warthog goes, I've been somewhat distracted by visitors from Florida(I just moved to CA about two months ago, from FL), so that's been hampering my work. I've moved the wings to low-midships, and it looks quite a bit better without evoking images of a Viper.

Once it's cleaner, I'll post a screencap. If you guys don't like it still, I'll go ahead and create another one, but I may finish this one first. I really dig it, and would like to see what it looks like finished.

Yeah, I was talking fuel, too. That's a good suggestion, pretty similar to what I was thinking. If the gravity drive was very effective at short, very fast sprints, but very poor at ordinary movement, and completely dependent on battery. I like it.

Yeah, our concepts are pretty similar except with fuel, once you're out, you're out. No monty pythoning to regain energy to do more bouncing around like a madman.

It'd make combat very deliberate and cerebral.

I didn't know I'd suggested fuel that regenerates. Only battery, which really acts more as a capacitor than a power plant. Power plants should be upgradeable, too.

I'd rather combat weren't deliberate and cerebral at a basic level, but rather that this would add a new dimension to the combat where advanced players could be deliberate and cerebral about it. A new aspect of combat to be mastered. Two relatively new players who haven't mastered fuel yet would be a match, but against someone who has would be hopelessly outclassed until they master it, too.

Well, deliberate and cerebral compared to what we have now, which feels more like mashing buttons and leaning on the built-in aimbot.

Anyone here ever play Warbirds? Or Aces High? I think that pace of air combat is perfect.

Well, deliberate and cerebral compared to what we have now, which feels more like mashing buttons and leaning on the built-in aimbot.

Hahahaha... silly youngin' Turn off yer autoaim, and learn to move fast, smooth, and with a purpose. I personally suggest a tri-law neut valk, with chainfire... but the SVG is a good choice, too.

Blender is a nice, free 3D rendering app, in case the whole Bittorrent concept insults your moral code. If that's not the case, try out Maya or 3DS Max.

If you have time, of course...and a very fast processor...and a robust GPU...and lots of RAM...

MC1171611: Did you think Lecter's or another post was about what would be a good 3-D render program? If not your post is kind of random.

Make sure to move in diagonals. Rough tests indicate this accelerates you 1.8 times faster than moving strictly in one direction. (Up, down, left, right, forward, or backwards.)

Atmospheric re-entry is a bitch.

Actually, Fediroc, that's a screenshot of my Warthog when I'm angry. It's why I'm the most feared player in the game.