Forums » Suggestions
It would be neat if you could buy a shield generator for your ship, or have some that come equipped with one. It could fit the large slot if you wanted to buy it. To make it more challenging, it could drain the battery power of the ship when the ship is hit, and when the battery is completely drained, the ship starts taking hull dmg. Just an idea, but there r endless possibilities
I like that idea. It would be good for traders who aren't heavily equipt with weapons and don't want to fight. Or even for a large powerful ship. And with bigger ships come more drainage.
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/7692
Aaand...
http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/storyline.html
In terms of gameplay, shields would be lots of fun, etc etc, but it's not going to happen in the forseeable future...
just like beam weapons? :P
Aaand...
http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/storyline.html
In terms of gameplay, shields would be lots of fun, etc etc, but it's not going to happen in the forseeable future...
just like beam weapons? :P
Well, I would say it is going to happen in the foreseeable future, as shields are described in the backstory. But I don't think it's going to be very soon (personally, I do want to see shields, but I want to see the Goliath Cannon first).
Yes, exactly. The point I was trying to make, was that shields didn't seem to be a top priority at all right now.
Why do people always ask for shields? It's an honest question. I'm really confused because it already takes many shots to destroy most ships. Is it that there really isn't enough armor? Or is that people want to see some beautiful eyecandy each time their ship gets struck by a projectile?
When I first played Vendetta I always thought of the current armor as being shields. Essentially it has the same effect, but without the pretty graphics of having that shiny semi-transparent coating of blue flash for a second or two.
I'd imagine that any single hit to a spaceship in a hostile and delicate environment like space would result in the death of the pilot. The only real explanation behind how the pilot survives many shots from any weapon or magically bounces off asteroids is that shields are already implemented. They just aren't visible.
When I first played Vendetta I always thought of the current armor as being shields. Essentially it has the same effect, but without the pretty graphics of having that shiny semi-transparent coating of blue flash for a second or two.
I'd imagine that any single hit to a spaceship in a hostile and delicate environment like space would result in the death of the pilot. The only real explanation behind how the pilot survives many shots from any weapon or magically bounces off asteroids is that shields are already implemented. They just aren't visible.
That would mean like hollywood lied to us and stuff cus every one knows shields are visible.
HOLLYWOOD NEVER LIES!!!
My life is turnd up side down now...
HOLLYWOOD NEVER LIES!!!
My life is turnd up side down now...
xithricite armor, man. :P
The main appeal to me of shields is that they recharge. It makes extended firefights possible.
And Arolte, I really don't care if there isn't a scientific explanation for shields, or visible ones. :P Yes, the eye-candy is nice. ;)
And Arolte, I really don't care if there isn't a scientific explanation for shields, or visible ones. :P Yes, the eye-candy is nice. ;)
Harry Seldon, now THAT sounds like a very interesting concept. See, now we're getting somewhere...
What if armor for all ships were removed, and instead shields that would recharge over time would be replaced instead. So the repair tab in stations will be removed. And the repair beam would be removed as well. That would mean that you'd need to strike fast and strike hard to kill your opponent.
Retreating wouldn't have to be about leaving the sector either. It would just mean having to find a safe place to hide and wait for your shields to recharge. Anyone play Halo 2? Kinda like that. Anyway, I actually think this might be fun.
Think of the variety this might add to the current line of ships too. The current "armored" class variants of ships would essentially mean they'd be able to take a lot of hits, but their recharge rate would be slow. Fighters and lighter ships would have then higher recharge rates, but lower health overall. BRILLIANT!!!
What if armor for all ships were removed, and instead shields that would recharge over time would be replaced instead. So the repair tab in stations will be removed. And the repair beam would be removed as well. That would mean that you'd need to strike fast and strike hard to kill your opponent.
Retreating wouldn't have to be about leaving the sector either. It would just mean having to find a safe place to hide and wait for your shields to recharge. Anyone play Halo 2? Kinda like that. Anyway, I actually think this might be fun.
Think of the variety this might add to the current line of ships too. The current "armored" class variants of ships would essentially mean they'd be able to take a lot of hits, but their recharge rate would be slow. Fighters and lighter ships would have then higher recharge rates, but lower health overall. BRILLIANT!!!
GREAT IDEA! Give the ships that barely get hit in the heat of the battle something to do during those dull moments of easy dodging! Replenish their health!
Why, this just might make any of the cents entirely impossible to kill!
What's more, I've seen this idea posted no less than two times before, and that's my lowest estimate, so as to avoid contraversy regarding just how many of them I've seen!
You guys are my heroes!
Why, this just might make any of the cents entirely impossible to kill!
What's more, I've seen this idea posted no less than two times before, and that's my lowest estimate, so as to avoid contraversy regarding just how many of them I've seen!
You guys are my heroes!
Consider this though, genka. Ships with high recharge rates will die nearly instantly with stronger weapons like grouped sunflares or gauss cannons. That's the point I was trying to get at. It won't be easy to balance, but I think once the system is in place it'll allow for a wider variety of ships to be in place.
yay, a Rev C duel would never end!
[edit]
Hmm, this turned into a much longer post than I thought it would be. Sorry.
[/edit]
There's more than one way shields can be implemented. Having them absorb damage, and recharge over time as they are not damaged, is one of the more common ways. But I don't think it's how shields in VO should be done - in part because that's the most common (and therefore cliché), and in part because I don't think it would work well with the gameplay the way it is now (see the problems terjekv & Genka describe), but mostly because I don't think that's how they are described in the backstory.
The first (and only detailed) description of the use of an energy focus to shield a ship is when the Abbot of Eo shields his transport.
The Abbot himself had not been idle. He, like many academics, possessed an energy focus, largely as a teaching aid for rendering geometric concepts. Now, however, he employed it as a shield for his transport. The Serco noticed this unusual field surrounding the ship when one of their fighters collided with it, destroying the Nighthawk and killing the pilot.
Note that the shield was not visible (at least, not easily) - the Serco did not see it.
The angry Serco leader then ordered his squadron to destroy the transport as an example to those who would attack the Serco nation. Concentrating all fire on the large ship, the Serco were baffled by their inability to injure the ship or penetrate its surrounding field. For several minutes this went on, the fighters bombarding the transport with the full extent of their arsenal, to no avail.
So, at first the shield was absorbing all damage done to it.
However, this defense did come at a cost. Very few Itani monks could have even formed a field large enough to encompass the entire transport ship, let alone hold it up under constant attack. The Abbot of Eo, first of his order, and still sprightly at age three hundred and eighty seven, was no mere monk. Even the Abbot of Itan might have been hard pressed to match Eilon's mastery of internal power. Despite his strength, maintaining the field was an incredible drain, and one that could last but a short time.
Here we have the first way that I think shields in VO should be different from the cliché absorb damage, recharge over time. Note that the backstory does not say that the amount of damage the shields absorb mattered at all; what the backstory says mattered, is the size of the field, and the time that it was maintained. I think shields should be able to absorb unlimited damage, but should only be able to be active for a very short period of time (significantly less time than Eilon was able to maintain it, as the backstory says, Eilon was no mere monk).
He himself maintained contact with the Focus on the bridge, straining under the load of the shield, now beginning to buckle, giving hope to the Serco that perhaps their quarry was not so indestructible.
So, as the period of time that the shield can be maintained draws to an end, the shield begins to "buckle". I think this would be a cool way that sectional damage could play a part, as the shield buckles, random sections of the ship become unshielded. Which is how it is described in this next section.
The Serco were intent on their perceived enemy. Volley after volley of pulse weaponry slammed into the faint, translucent field. After five minutes the shield had begun to oscillate and distort, sometimes uncovering areas of the transport. Within ten minutes of the initial attack, it was evident that the field would not last much longer. At eleven minutes, thirty-seven seconds, the Abbot of Eo expired, his last effort an explosion of energy that briefly expanded the shield to twice its size, damaging and destroying several of the harrying Nighthawks. With the final defense now fallen, the Serco wasted little time in eviscerating the remains of the noble vessel, leaving a cloud of burning debris expanding from the few intact sections of the ship.
Here the field is described as "faint, translucent", so maybe it is visible. But more importantly, here we have how long Eilon maintained the shield over his transport. Again, I think any shields that players generate should last a much shorter period of time. And, like Eilon's is described, the last half of the time the player is shielding his ship, the shield should be buckling, exposing random sections of the ship.
I would suggest Itani players begin with the ability to generate a small (10m diameter, enough to shield a Centurion, but not many other ships) impenetrable shield for one second. As the Itani player gains more experience, either by combat licenses, or total licenses, or a specific "shield" license, the shield the Itani player can generate should be larger (and thus capable of shielding larger ships), and can be maintained longer, up to a maximum of 30 seconds for a 10m diameter shield (and it should only be very high level characters that can maintain a shield for 30 seconds). Also, the smaller the shield, the longer the player should be able to maintain it. So if a player is capable of generating a 20m diameter shield for 2 seconds, then if the player is in a Centurion (10m length), the player should be able to maintain the shield for twice as long, 4 seconds. Likewise, if the player is in a larger ship than he can normally shield, he should be able to extend his shield around the ship, but for a shorter period of time.
Note that I have been saying players should only be able to maintain shields for a matter of seconds, while Eilon maintained his for eleven minutes, thirty-seven seconds. I have two reasons for this, first Eilon was much more powerful, and much more focused than I think any player character should be. Also, Eilon expended his entire life-force in that shield - he died from maintaining it for that long. I do not think player characters would be expending their entire life-force, they would drop the shield before they died, and before they were too exhausted to pilot their ship. So I think 30 seconds for a 10m diameter shield is a reasonable maximum for player generated shields.
Once an Itani player has expended his spiritual energy to shield his ship, it should require a period of time before he can generate a shield again. The backstory doesn't give any clues on this, and I'm of two minds on this. Part of me wants to say it should be a matter of hours, say 8 hours (a good night's sleep), but that would mean players could only generate a shield once in a single game-play session (unless the player is lucky enough to get to play for more than 8 hours straight). So the other part of me wants to say a player should be able to use his shields several times in a single game-play session, which means the length of time a player cannot generate a shield should be a matter of minutes, say 10 to 30 minutes. But if the player can generate his shield that frequently, I think it might be too powerful.
Hmm, this turned into a much longer post than I thought it would be. Sorry.
[/edit]
There's more than one way shields can be implemented. Having them absorb damage, and recharge over time as they are not damaged, is one of the more common ways. But I don't think it's how shields in VO should be done - in part because that's the most common (and therefore cliché), and in part because I don't think it would work well with the gameplay the way it is now (see the problems terjekv & Genka describe), but mostly because I don't think that's how they are described in the backstory.
The first (and only detailed) description of the use of an energy focus to shield a ship is when the Abbot of Eo shields his transport.
The Abbot himself had not been idle. He, like many academics, possessed an energy focus, largely as a teaching aid for rendering geometric concepts. Now, however, he employed it as a shield for his transport. The Serco noticed this unusual field surrounding the ship when one of their fighters collided with it, destroying the Nighthawk and killing the pilot.
Note that the shield was not visible (at least, not easily) - the Serco did not see it.
The angry Serco leader then ordered his squadron to destroy the transport as an example to those who would attack the Serco nation. Concentrating all fire on the large ship, the Serco were baffled by their inability to injure the ship or penetrate its surrounding field. For several minutes this went on, the fighters bombarding the transport with the full extent of their arsenal, to no avail.
So, at first the shield was absorbing all damage done to it.
However, this defense did come at a cost. Very few Itani monks could have even formed a field large enough to encompass the entire transport ship, let alone hold it up under constant attack. The Abbot of Eo, first of his order, and still sprightly at age three hundred and eighty seven, was no mere monk. Even the Abbot of Itan might have been hard pressed to match Eilon's mastery of internal power. Despite his strength, maintaining the field was an incredible drain, and one that could last but a short time.
Here we have the first way that I think shields in VO should be different from the cliché absorb damage, recharge over time. Note that the backstory does not say that the amount of damage the shields absorb mattered at all; what the backstory says mattered, is the size of the field, and the time that it was maintained. I think shields should be able to absorb unlimited damage, but should only be able to be active for a very short period of time (significantly less time than Eilon was able to maintain it, as the backstory says, Eilon was no mere monk).
He himself maintained contact with the Focus on the bridge, straining under the load of the shield, now beginning to buckle, giving hope to the Serco that perhaps their quarry was not so indestructible.
So, as the period of time that the shield can be maintained draws to an end, the shield begins to "buckle". I think this would be a cool way that sectional damage could play a part, as the shield buckles, random sections of the ship become unshielded. Which is how it is described in this next section.
The Serco were intent on their perceived enemy. Volley after volley of pulse weaponry slammed into the faint, translucent field. After five minutes the shield had begun to oscillate and distort, sometimes uncovering areas of the transport. Within ten minutes of the initial attack, it was evident that the field would not last much longer. At eleven minutes, thirty-seven seconds, the Abbot of Eo expired, his last effort an explosion of energy that briefly expanded the shield to twice its size, damaging and destroying several of the harrying Nighthawks. With the final defense now fallen, the Serco wasted little time in eviscerating the remains of the noble vessel, leaving a cloud of burning debris expanding from the few intact sections of the ship.
Here the field is described as "faint, translucent", so maybe it is visible. But more importantly, here we have how long Eilon maintained the shield over his transport. Again, I think any shields that players generate should last a much shorter period of time. And, like Eilon's is described, the last half of the time the player is shielding his ship, the shield should be buckling, exposing random sections of the ship.
I would suggest Itani players begin with the ability to generate a small (10m diameter, enough to shield a Centurion, but not many other ships) impenetrable shield for one second. As the Itani player gains more experience, either by combat licenses, or total licenses, or a specific "shield" license, the shield the Itani player can generate should be larger (and thus capable of shielding larger ships), and can be maintained longer, up to a maximum of 30 seconds for a 10m diameter shield (and it should only be very high level characters that can maintain a shield for 30 seconds). Also, the smaller the shield, the longer the player should be able to maintain it. So if a player is capable of generating a 20m diameter shield for 2 seconds, then if the player is in a Centurion (10m length), the player should be able to maintain the shield for twice as long, 4 seconds. Likewise, if the player is in a larger ship than he can normally shield, he should be able to extend his shield around the ship, but for a shorter period of time.
Note that I have been saying players should only be able to maintain shields for a matter of seconds, while Eilon maintained his for eleven minutes, thirty-seven seconds. I have two reasons for this, first Eilon was much more powerful, and much more focused than I think any player character should be. Also, Eilon expended his entire life-force in that shield - he died from maintaining it for that long. I do not think player characters would be expending their entire life-force, they would drop the shield before they died, and before they were too exhausted to pilot their ship. So I think 30 seconds for a 10m diameter shield is a reasonable maximum for player generated shields.
Once an Itani player has expended his spiritual energy to shield his ship, it should require a period of time before he can generate a shield again. The backstory doesn't give any clues on this, and I'm of two minds on this. Part of me wants to say it should be a matter of hours, say 8 hours (a good night's sleep), but that would mean players could only generate a shield once in a single game-play session (unless the player is lucky enough to get to play for more than 8 hours straight). So the other part of me wants to say a player should be able to use his shields several times in a single game-play session, which means the length of time a player cannot generate a shield should be a matter of minutes, say 10 to 30 minutes. But if the player can generate his shield that frequently, I think it might be too powerful.
I actually expected the Valkyrie to have shields, since it's the Itani specialty ship. Specially when you brought to mind the Prometheus, which I always tought was too maneuverable due to the fact that it uses that Serco technology where the pilot drives with his mind instead of his hands.
That would be something I'd like to see, within limits: anyone can buy a Prometheus, but in the hands of a Serco (who's supposed to have the right implants) the ship performs better; likewise, anyone can get a Valkyrie, but when an Itani gets into one the Valkyrie has shields (since the Itani are the ones with the proper training to use the things). The Prometheus' performance would be there "forever" (as long as you're piloting it), but the Itani shielding would eventually fade, like Beolach suggets in the post above this one.
Of course, that would leave the UIT's Marauder without any kind of special ability whatsoever. Or, since we're very good at running (something the Serco seem to point out a lot), maybe a Marauder in the hands of an UIT pilot can jump ignoring the 3000m barrier?
Anyway, that's my take on shields.
That would be something I'd like to see, within limits: anyone can buy a Prometheus, but in the hands of a Serco (who's supposed to have the right implants) the ship performs better; likewise, anyone can get a Valkyrie, but when an Itani gets into one the Valkyrie has shields (since the Itani are the ones with the proper training to use the things). The Prometheus' performance would be there "forever" (as long as you're piloting it), but the Itani shielding would eventually fade, like Beolach suggets in the post above this one.
Of course, that would leave the UIT's Marauder without any kind of special ability whatsoever. Or, since we're very good at running (something the Serco seem to point out a lot), maybe a Marauder in the hands of an UIT pilot can jump ignoring the 3000m barrier?
Anyway, that's my take on shields.
I think it should be the Itani characters, not the Itani ships, that can generate shields. That's the way it's described in the backstory. But I think the size of shield a single Itani character can should have a maximum diameter of 20m - large enough to shield a Valk easily, but falling short of the Prom (21m lengh), and any ship larger than that.
But maybe we could say only the Itani special ships (Valks, IBG) have an energy focus installed, so only they can be shielded.
For the UIT Marauder having a special attribute, see this suggestion: http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/10737
But maybe we could say only the Itani special ships (Valks, IBG) have an energy focus installed, so only they can be shielded.
For the UIT Marauder having a special attribute, see this suggestion: http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/10737
If the Itani get "Force powers" the Serco should get implant upgrades.
The UIT could have both to a lesser extent.
The UIT could have both to a lesser extent.
When I first read the backstory, I thought Itani get shields, Serco get cloaking, and UIT get... uh... something... not shot at as much? (Cargo mass reduction for the Marauders is my suggestion, not from the backstory).
That works out nice for giving each nation a unique advantage, but after rereading the backstory, it seems possible the Serco may have reverse-engineered cloaking from Order of Akan ships. If that's the case, then the backstory doesn't justify making cloaking unique to Serco. But this is just speculation on my part, the Serco may have developed cloaking themselves, so it could be unique to them, unless we gain more information contrary to it being Serco-only.
That works out nice for giving each nation a unique advantage, but after rereading the backstory, it seems possible the Serco may have reverse-engineered cloaking from Order of Akan ships. If that's the case, then the backstory doesn't justify making cloaking unique to Serco. But this is just speculation on my part, the Serco may have developed cloaking themselves, so it could be unique to them, unless we gain more information contrary to it being Serco-only.
maybe im being stupid but serco should get anti sheild draining beams L port only which takes battery as you drain and itani get radar that senses cloaked sercos and it will fit in L port to but thats my opinion
Equipment upgrades for characters would be quite an interesting thing. EVE-like, actually.
I don't know how feasible this is though ("anything's feasible, dangit! It just takes lots of time to do").
I don't know how feasible this is though ("anything's feasible, dangit! It just takes lots of time to do").