I'd like to have a separate shield port on ships to allow buying of shields. a shield would be an add-on which functions as the queens shield but with different parameters, for players it would start off with _extremely_ slow regeneration rate, and the faster regen, and the more shield, the more expensive.

The shields should regenerate by using the cells power, and to begin with, it could regen 5 shield/second at a cost of 1 cell power/1 shield. Later on there should be stronger versions which regenerates faster and some with regenerates at lower costs.

After reading the post I should've read before I realize this has been asked for quite a few times before. So lets put some things straight here:

Implement the gadget port, and for ships that has it, increase their weight. That way you balance up for the added fun stuff with a loss.

don't make shield to take cell bat when you get hurt, that would allow people to use your shield as a measure to drain your cell so you can't turbo.

give different shields different traits, make a generic one which is about as good in terms of amount of shield, regeneration speed and regeneration cost.

make a variation that regens faster, but at higher cost.
make a variation that regens slower, but with more shield.
make a variation that regens with really low cost, but with less max shield and less slower regen speed.

but I think the important part here would be to go through and implement the gadget port, it opens up for an exponential amount of variations. today people get the 'best' of a couple of stereotypical ships, and that's it. that's all they want, everyone want the same, because that same is the best.

I am against shields on single-seater craft, such as the ones available to us right now. In fact, I would even forbid it on gunboat-class craft, and only allow it on capital ships starting from the Trident.

Yes to the gadget port, but on every ship. Make the equipment mass correspond with its importance, and you get the added mass automatically. Yes, that means heavier ships profit from the small relative mass addition, which is fully intended.

Shields should also only be available to the Itani, while the UIT and Serco get their own respective super gadget.

"while the UIT and Serco get their own respective super gadget."

Cargo pods and Avalons?

More like tupperware container ships and new Flying Toaster screensavers...

(note: more a sarcastic jab at the oft-repeated thread topic, but who could resist jabbing at THAT suggestion, Cunjo? Remember who used the first nukes in the VO backstory? The Akanese. >_>)

That suggestion WAS a jab, Miharu.

I think shields for normal ships should become available. They would be far less powerful than the shields we see on cappies and would come at a large cost in terms of both power cell usage and money. I don't care if only the Itani get shield add-ons available or only Itani and UIT.

I also think we should get stealth and cloaking add-ons as well. Let's do it devs!

I think this kind of stuff is already on it's way, but we have to remember that the faction system must come first.
Right now, if something is "Itani only" it would have to be "Itani Admired only" as there are plenty of Itani that are hated by their nation.
That means I could get shields on my UIT characters. Not good.

So, first the faction fix, THEN let's talk about nation-specific goodies.

Some suggestions:
Itani - Shields
Serco - In-space self-repair
UIT - Cloaking devices ("Gravidar bender" sounds cool, dunnit?)

Hm, what Demonen said is right.

I'm still against shields on single-seat craft, just as I am against cloaking devices on single-seat craft (stealth is another thing entirely).

Some suggestions:
Itani - Shields
Serco - In-space self-repair
UIT - Cloaking devices ("Gravidar bender" sounds cool, dunnit?)

I would switch UIT and Serco. If I'm not mistaken, the Sercos had Cloaking somewhere in the end of the backstory, and the UIT, being the DIY space boys we are, know how to patch up holes in hulls, so in-space self-repair would be something typical UIT imo.

Good call, ArAsH

I agree with the no-signle-seater-shield-proliferation act.

I veto 1 seater shields!!!!

*realises he has no real say whatsoever*

The backstory specifically specifies that the Itani have to concentrate on the shield, so it makes sense for the "second guy" to be the shield guy.
In the same context, a stable gravidar hole/cloak might be hard to maintain, and take skill, so a second person would be needed for that, too.
As for repairs, I'm quite certain I would be unable to drive while changing panels on my car, so that certainly makes sense to require two people.

I suggest that a "mini-game" is made for each ability, where the "shield guy" has to keep a ball centered inside a transparent sphere. The strength of the shield is directly related to the distance from the center: too far off and you might as well have brought a tourist with a camera.

The cloak would function somewhat the same way, possibly by actively keeping a blue blob over a model/diagram of the ship, where it would change shape and move on its own and you'd have to rotate it and move it to stay hidden.

As for the mechanic, it can function like a puzzle. You get a "hole", and you need to patch it up using any of the four pieces available to you. Overlap too much and it'll fall apart again, but any holes you don't stuff can also crack open again, especially when being hit a second time.

This would keep it skill-based, and anyone with a good pilot/second combo would be a clear winner. It would also allow veterans to help newbies in completely new ways!

@ArAsH: if things are going to be consistent with the backstory:
Itani: shields
Serco: cloaking
UIT: improved armor plating

Edit:Itani shields are, according to the backstory, mind focus driven. No gadgets or shield generators.

Well, as for the Itani, I suppose you could always give Itani players a 'focus' counter that the energy focus (shield) is reliant on. The longer the shield is active, and the more damage it sustains, the greater the drain on the focus counter. When the counter reaches zero, the energy focus (shield) collapses. And, for the sake of balance, lets say that the focus counter doesn't reach full strength again for about fifteen minutes.

Also, bear in mind that even though the shield is mentally driven, the energy has to come from somewhere (hence energy focus). Naturally, such energy would come from the pilot's ship. If the energy of the pilot's ship reaches zero, the focus counter is automatically set to zero, and the energy focus collapses.

And finally, as recommended before, creating an Itani energy focus requires a copilot. Some craft should have a copilot seat, larger craft might even have more than one. Normal people could hire a combat pilot or a gunner to do the hard work for them (basically giving partial control of your ship to a bot--preferably a good one), whilst the Itani also hire monks to maintain the energy focus. More than one monk would equate to a greater focus counter, and thus a stronger shield.

Does that work for you?

I heard mention that devs would eventually bring in more options to modify your character, and training as a psychic Itani monk was one of them. Most players would choose something more practical, like using technology based shields maybe? Kinda' like the ones that Serco obviously use in Deneb? Monks are supposed to be rare, afterall.

Demonen, go play Puzzle Pirates.

Bojansplash, it won't say anywhere in the backstory that Itani shields are mind focus driven. The shields in the backstory were Itani and mind focus driven, but nowhere does it say that all shields coming from someone blue are 'cuz they're psychic. Apparently that's just one way out of many, unless you suppose the Order of Akan is working in tandem with the hive queens to bring chaos to grey space.

Interesting idea SMM :P

But no, you are not right about the backstory. Read it carefully.
There is no energy shield technology in VO universe. At least, it hasn't been invented yet. That is the reason why I listed energy shields on Queens and Serco caps as *things that do not make sense*.
I see no reason why energy shields would not be mind focus driven. As vIsitor said it could be solved by an *energy counter*.
Not all Itani are monks with *mind focus* capabilities so RP aspect of this is very interesting. Maybe in the future we could get a special set of missions to aquire *mind focus* skills and a rank of monk, who knows.

Itani shields on single seat craft might actually be reasonable if they had a very long recharge rate (on the order of like 5 minutes)

They might add protection for another 2 neutron blasts. Nothing all that special. Basically, the itani just get an extra couple hits before kerblooey.

2 hits is also reasonable since, even if you fight long enough for them to recharge. a small stream still kills them.

Serco could get a flat hull upgrade to whatever ship they buy.

No recharge, but it absorbs an extra 20% of damage. This would compel some serco players to use heavier ships, since the percent increase works best with ships that have a fair amount of hull to begin with.

Finally,

UIT get LOCATION SPECIFIC hull repair. They can't repair the whole ship. but certain locations, if damaged, can be fixed.

For example, before setting out, a trader decides to put his repair module in the back of his ship, to gradually (GRADUALLY, maybe 20 hull points per sec) repair any damage he takes from behind.

He can't move it in flight, so there's nothing to do if pirates sideswipe him. But it could give him the edge to scrape by if they're right on his back.

20% more armor on a Prom SkyCommand? Get outa here!

It's not that special if you look at the 2 extra hits available to Itani, or the location-specific repair module (we'd need location-specific damage before that, though...).

Think about it: stray hits would not do much damage, a rail slug would be soaked up to 50-80%.

Whereas for Serco, the armor is there, but once it's gone, it's gone. It's usually easy staying clear of enemy fire for 5 minutes, unless you suck (like I do) or you manage to find and engage the meanest, greenest fighting machine in all of VO.