Forums » Suggestions
Capital Ship Ideas
I have always loved the idea of flying my own vessel with a crew to command, and since I started playing MMO's, that idea has almost grown into a need of sort. I had longed for a space based MMO since i started playing MMO's, and Starwars Galaxies almost filled that gap with the ability to craft your own ships and parts then fly them in combat, but the Capital ship element was still missing. Sony and/or Lucasarts ruined that with their crappy Combat upgrade, and so the world went without a decent space based MMO, or so I thought. I discovered VO only 2 weeks ago, but in the short time i played I found it addictive and inspiring. Here are some of the ideas and drawings I have had since I started playing. They mainly focus on Capital ships.
Ship Classes.
i) Dreadnought
ii) Frigate
iii) Cruiser
iv) Destroyer
v) Battleship
Dreadnought - The smallest of the capital class of vessels, requiring 1 - 3 crew members. The vessel doesnt have sufficient size to offer support as either a RnR or Interdiction vessel. However, with its 3 crew stations, it can accomodate a pilot and 2 gunnery positions. Also has room for 2 fighters to dock to allow crew members to board the Dreadnought while away from a spacestation. Approx length - 125m. Also capable of collecting cargo and loot debris.
Frigate - While only slightly larger than the Dreadnought, and requiring 2 - 4 crew members, these vessels are sufficient in size to offer either Interdiction or RnR support. They are unique in their class in that they are the only vessels that are unable to be equipped for an Assault configuration. However they are able to offer either Offensive capabilities in the form of LRF support or Defensive capabilites in the form of Fighter Defense. Aprox length - 160m. Also capable of collecting cargo and loot debris.
Cruiser - The Cruiser class of vessels takes a major leap in size and role. Requiring 3 - 10 crew members, and the only vessel capable of supporting dual role turrets, the Cruiser forms the backbone of most independant fleets. Unfortunately due to the versatility of this class, the Cruiser has also become most Pirates capital ship of choice. Although all cruisers compare relatively similar in armaments and shielding, sizes vary from 240m up to 320m. Large cargo capacity, but unable to collect, this vessel must rely on small fighters to collect and unload.
Destroyer - This class is the heavy hitter of capital ships, with the its main purpose to either support or destroy Battleship class vessels. Although it only supports single role turrets, it has sufficient ports to fill 2 of the 4 roles possible. Capable of supporting 4 - 12 crew members, Destroyers typically measure around the 450m mark.Large cargo capacity, but unable to collect, this vessel must rely on small fighters to collect and unload.
Battleship - The Battleship class vessels hold one purpose and thats to carry the ordenance capable of destroying a spacestation, to the unlucky target. The are slow and bulky, and while heavily armoured, can be destroyed themselves by several smaller vessels more efficiently. At the range where the Long Range Missile interlocks engage the Battleships huge array of assault cannons come into range. This class of vessel is simply "Do or Die". If it cant destroy its designated target, it will be destroyed itself. Contains an engineering station to allocate energy to systems where required. Approx length varies dependant on faction but all vessels are around 600m at their largest diameter. Requires a minimum of 6 crew members with the Pilot also runnng the engineering station.
Rather than just slugging it out, and the ship with the biggest best weapons winning, I thought it might be more interesting if ships could be fitted with different addons, to fill different roles.
Roles
a.) RnR Support
b.) Interdiction
c.) LRF Support
d.) Assault
e.) Fighter Defense
f.) SRF Defense
RnR Support - Repair and reload support is vital to any force with a large starfighter complement, or where an enemy has overwhelming ASF defences. Vessels equipped for RnR support are usually outfitted with stern docking hangar and bow launch hangar, to enable fighters to dock, reload, repair and laucn back into the frey as quickly as possible. Not available on Dreadnought class vessels.
Interdictor - Vessels fitted for Interdiction duty are fitted with large generators that create a large phantom gravity mass that extends to around 4000m. Any vessels wishing to leave the area must be 4000m from the Interdictor, or must remove the source of the gravity field. Due to the large drain on the ships power core, an Interdictors shields normally recharge at a slower rate until the Gravity Mass Generators are powered down. Although such vessels are fitted with several anti fighter turrets, these are purely for self defense and are insufficient to deter a larger fight group, especially those working in conjunction with a capital ship. Because of this, vessels fitted for Interdiction are usually found at the rear of the fleet protected from significant danger and making it possible for them to flee when threatened.
LRF Support - Long Range Fire Support vessels are essentially missile gunboats. Capable of launching large salvos of Anti Capital ship ordanance, these types of vessel suffer at shrt range as all LRF turrets have a minimum range interlock preventing them firing if targets are too close. Vessels in the LRF role must be fitted for dual purpose or have adequate support to protect them.
Assault - Essentially the primary role of a capital ship, vessels configured for the Assault role are fitted with large slow moving energy turrets capable of pounding Spacestations and other slow moving vessels.
Fighter Defense - While small and fragile, large numbers of heavily armed fighters present a significant risk to slower moving capital ships with "Hit and Fade" tactics. Although all capital class vessels are fitted with a small number of anti fighter turrets, a vessel equipped for the Anti-Fighter role has special multivector turrets enabling a gunner to track a single target with several sets of rapid fire cannons.
SRF Defense - The threat of ordenance projectiles (missiles, torpedoes, bombs, rockets, etc) is one that weighs heavily on slow moving captial vessels. To combat this several class of vessels can be configured for the Short Range Fire Defense role. Using state of the art tracking technology, all enemy projectiles in the visual arc of the Gunnery station hud are highlighted. The gunnery station weapons fire a low damage barrage, incapable of damaging a fighter, the large coverage of a barrage blast ensures hitting slender narrow fast moving but fragile explosive projectiles.
Would be nice to see more components to select, engines, shield generators, etc. Also turbos would probably be inappropriate for capital ships, so how about the ability to jump across a sector. This is essentially a turbo that pushes velocity to around 3000m/s, but only for a maximum of 1 second. The amount of power used would be determined before the jump and would determine how far the ship jumped ,and the ship would jump in a straight line on its starter heading? Just an idea...?
Sorry if theres any repeats in this thread, still working my way through these forums. Pictures to follow soon, they take a lot of time to get right and I keep getting new ideas... :(
Ship Classes.
i) Dreadnought
ii) Frigate
iii) Cruiser
iv) Destroyer
v) Battleship
Dreadnought - The smallest of the capital class of vessels, requiring 1 - 3 crew members. The vessel doesnt have sufficient size to offer support as either a RnR or Interdiction vessel. However, with its 3 crew stations, it can accomodate a pilot and 2 gunnery positions. Also has room for 2 fighters to dock to allow crew members to board the Dreadnought while away from a spacestation. Approx length - 125m. Also capable of collecting cargo and loot debris.
Frigate - While only slightly larger than the Dreadnought, and requiring 2 - 4 crew members, these vessels are sufficient in size to offer either Interdiction or RnR support. They are unique in their class in that they are the only vessels that are unable to be equipped for an Assault configuration. However they are able to offer either Offensive capabilities in the form of LRF support or Defensive capabilites in the form of Fighter Defense. Aprox length - 160m. Also capable of collecting cargo and loot debris.
Cruiser - The Cruiser class of vessels takes a major leap in size and role. Requiring 3 - 10 crew members, and the only vessel capable of supporting dual role turrets, the Cruiser forms the backbone of most independant fleets. Unfortunately due to the versatility of this class, the Cruiser has also become most Pirates capital ship of choice. Although all cruisers compare relatively similar in armaments and shielding, sizes vary from 240m up to 320m. Large cargo capacity, but unable to collect, this vessel must rely on small fighters to collect and unload.
Destroyer - This class is the heavy hitter of capital ships, with the its main purpose to either support or destroy Battleship class vessels. Although it only supports single role turrets, it has sufficient ports to fill 2 of the 4 roles possible. Capable of supporting 4 - 12 crew members, Destroyers typically measure around the 450m mark.Large cargo capacity, but unable to collect, this vessel must rely on small fighters to collect and unload.
Battleship - The Battleship class vessels hold one purpose and thats to carry the ordenance capable of destroying a spacestation, to the unlucky target. The are slow and bulky, and while heavily armoured, can be destroyed themselves by several smaller vessels more efficiently. At the range where the Long Range Missile interlocks engage the Battleships huge array of assault cannons come into range. This class of vessel is simply "Do or Die". If it cant destroy its designated target, it will be destroyed itself. Contains an engineering station to allocate energy to systems where required. Approx length varies dependant on faction but all vessels are around 600m at their largest diameter. Requires a minimum of 6 crew members with the Pilot also runnng the engineering station.
Rather than just slugging it out, and the ship with the biggest best weapons winning, I thought it might be more interesting if ships could be fitted with different addons, to fill different roles.
Roles
a.) RnR Support
b.) Interdiction
c.) LRF Support
d.) Assault
e.) Fighter Defense
f.) SRF Defense
RnR Support - Repair and reload support is vital to any force with a large starfighter complement, or where an enemy has overwhelming ASF defences. Vessels equipped for RnR support are usually outfitted with stern docking hangar and bow launch hangar, to enable fighters to dock, reload, repair and laucn back into the frey as quickly as possible. Not available on Dreadnought class vessels.
Interdictor - Vessels fitted for Interdiction duty are fitted with large generators that create a large phantom gravity mass that extends to around 4000m. Any vessels wishing to leave the area must be 4000m from the Interdictor, or must remove the source of the gravity field. Due to the large drain on the ships power core, an Interdictors shields normally recharge at a slower rate until the Gravity Mass Generators are powered down. Although such vessels are fitted with several anti fighter turrets, these are purely for self defense and are insufficient to deter a larger fight group, especially those working in conjunction with a capital ship. Because of this, vessels fitted for Interdiction are usually found at the rear of the fleet protected from significant danger and making it possible for them to flee when threatened.
LRF Support - Long Range Fire Support vessels are essentially missile gunboats. Capable of launching large salvos of Anti Capital ship ordanance, these types of vessel suffer at shrt range as all LRF turrets have a minimum range interlock preventing them firing if targets are too close. Vessels in the LRF role must be fitted for dual purpose or have adequate support to protect them.
Assault - Essentially the primary role of a capital ship, vessels configured for the Assault role are fitted with large slow moving energy turrets capable of pounding Spacestations and other slow moving vessels.
Fighter Defense - While small and fragile, large numbers of heavily armed fighters present a significant risk to slower moving capital ships with "Hit and Fade" tactics. Although all capital class vessels are fitted with a small number of anti fighter turrets, a vessel equipped for the Anti-Fighter role has special multivector turrets enabling a gunner to track a single target with several sets of rapid fire cannons.
SRF Defense - The threat of ordenance projectiles (missiles, torpedoes, bombs, rockets, etc) is one that weighs heavily on slow moving captial vessels. To combat this several class of vessels can be configured for the Short Range Fire Defense role. Using state of the art tracking technology, all enemy projectiles in the visual arc of the Gunnery station hud are highlighted. The gunnery station weapons fire a low damage barrage, incapable of damaging a fighter, the large coverage of a barrage blast ensures hitting slender narrow fast moving but fragile explosive projectiles.
Would be nice to see more components to select, engines, shield generators, etc. Also turbos would probably be inappropriate for capital ships, so how about the ability to jump across a sector. This is essentially a turbo that pushes velocity to around 3000m/s, but only for a maximum of 1 second. The amount of power used would be determined before the jump and would determine how far the ship jumped ,and the ship would jump in a straight line on its starter heading? Just an idea...?
Sorry if theres any repeats in this thread, still working my way through these forums. Pictures to follow soon, they take a lot of time to get right and I keep getting new ideas... :(
this is going to take a long time before anything that even looks remotely like it.
But ideas are free.
At least, use the same sizes as everyone else, that is in order of size and hitting power (as seen from the time of WWI and to today)
Gunboat
Corvette
Frigate
Destroyer
Cruiser
Heavy Cruiser
Battleship
Dreadnought
You can have variants, but generally it gets a whole lot tougher the higher the tonnage goes maybe with the exception of missile ships.
Now that is said, we will sit and wait for Capitol ships to arrive Soon(TM)
And devs, I want a mining Battleship!
But ideas are free.
At least, use the same sizes as everyone else, that is in order of size and hitting power (as seen from the time of WWI and to today)
Gunboat
Corvette
Frigate
Destroyer
Cruiser
Heavy Cruiser
Battleship
Dreadnought
You can have variants, but generally it gets a whole lot tougher the higher the tonnage goes maybe with the exception of missile ships.
Now that is said, we will sit and wait for Capitol ships to arrive Soon(TM)
And devs, I want a mining Battleship!
Ahh thanks Whytee, originally had the corvette in there, but wasnt sure about it. Like i said, just some ideas essentially. Currently throwing a few designs for a cruiser and a frigate together, but thanks for the input.
Capital, capital... these ideas are.
From what I heard, though, the devs are still working on the capital ship control scheme, so don£t hold your breath for great diversity yet (besides, the current types of ships are already a nice spread).
From what I heard, though, the devs are still working on the capital ship control scheme, so don£t hold your breath for great diversity yet (besides, the current types of ships are already a nice spread).