Forums » Suggestions
Upgradable sensor/radar, Missile launcher
Well, actually two suggestions. Those would possibly add
depth to combat and gameplay, by introducing more variety
with rockets/rocketing. It also gives further options for
ship fine-tuning ...
1. Make the sensor / radar device a part that can be upgraded
and replaced (Like adding a sensor / radar port).
Create multiple sensor arrays, with different licence levels
and capacities, and also integrate the mineral scanner
into them, and also try to balance them (by playing with
detecting range, friend/foe/neutral detection range,
cargo content detection, hull state detection,
asteroid content/temperature detection range)
Examples:
- Free Sensor: detect ships and objects below 2000 m
- Simple Combat Sensor: detect ships below 2000m and
does friend/foe/neutral recognition below 1000m
- Adv Combat Sensor: detect ships below 2500m and does
friend/foe at 2500m
- Recon Sensor: detect ships at 3000m, friend/foe at 500m
- Adv Recon Sensor: detect ships at 3000m, ship freight
at 1000m
- Ultimate Observer Sensor: detect ships at 6000m
- TPG Basic Sensor: detect all objects below 2000m,
friend/foe at 1000m and mineral detection at 500m
- TPG Adv Sensor: same as above, but minerals at 1000m
The idea is partly taken from the original privateer game,
where eg. the basic sensors could not distinguish between
friend/foe on the radar (so you had to cycle targets and
identify them manually).
2. Missile launcher
In its current state, you buy a missile launcher complete with
only one set of missiles. Considering that combat will
(hopefully) soon start to introduce cap ships and medium-sized
ships, it may be preferrable to have a wider variety of
rockets at hand. Therefore, I suggest...
Instead of selling a only-one-type-fits rocket launcher,
create different launchers for small and large slots,
differing in capacity and reload times. Expl:
- small basic: 6 rockets, 5sec recharge
- small advanced: 9 rockets, 5 sec recharge
- small fast: 6 rockets, 2 sec recharge
- large basic: 10 rockets, 5 sec recharge
- large advanced: 15 rockets, 5 sec recharge
- large fast: 10 rockets, 2 sec recharge
- large gigantic: 25 rockets, 10 sec recharge
- large revolving: 15 rockets, 12 sec recharge
This would add the requirement to implement different
rocket types. Again, they can be balanced by their
properties (contact/proximity, damage, manouverability),
as an additional addon, they might require a target-lock
which takes some time (ie. a cross-hair buzzing over
the HUD until it's fixed on the target, then a cheerful
beep and *whooosh*, off it goes...).
Note that this would require a "select rocket" key for
control; selecting to a different rocket time would take
<recharge time> until it is available for firing.
- Torpedo: Very low manouv, very high impact, long lock
- Fire/Forget: High Manouv, med impact very expensive, 1s lock
- Heatseek: High manouv, expensive, 3s lock
- Dumbfire: No manouv, big impact, cheap, no lock (just
fires straight on)
- Mine-pellet torpedo: Goes straight for some 500m or until
contact and spreads some tens of small proximity mines
over a 100 m^3 bubble or so :)
- Electro-flash rocket: Med manouv, electric impact: disables
ship components (see other thread discussing disabling
http://vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/8112#94628 )
and so on, including faction-specific rockets (quite possibly,
the serco will have large high-impact rockets that'll do well
with the prom, while the itani might have med-impact fast
and short-locktime rockets. The UIT again would possibly be
most fond of mine-pellets; pirates would suck a disabling
flash rocket. Whatever).
This idea is partially taken from the 1st "Schleichfahrt" game
(sold as "aquanox" in the US, IIRC), where you had different
launchers and rockets available.
just my 2p for spamming the devs suggestion box :)
bye
El Wiesel
depth to combat and gameplay, by introducing more variety
with rockets/rocketing. It also gives further options for
ship fine-tuning ...
1. Make the sensor / radar device a part that can be upgraded
and replaced (Like adding a sensor / radar port).
Create multiple sensor arrays, with different licence levels
and capacities, and also integrate the mineral scanner
into them, and also try to balance them (by playing with
detecting range, friend/foe/neutral detection range,
cargo content detection, hull state detection,
asteroid content/temperature detection range)
Examples:
- Free Sensor: detect ships and objects below 2000 m
- Simple Combat Sensor: detect ships below 2000m and
does friend/foe/neutral recognition below 1000m
- Adv Combat Sensor: detect ships below 2500m and does
friend/foe at 2500m
- Recon Sensor: detect ships at 3000m, friend/foe at 500m
- Adv Recon Sensor: detect ships at 3000m, ship freight
at 1000m
- Ultimate Observer Sensor: detect ships at 6000m
- TPG Basic Sensor: detect all objects below 2000m,
friend/foe at 1000m and mineral detection at 500m
- TPG Adv Sensor: same as above, but minerals at 1000m
The idea is partly taken from the original privateer game,
where eg. the basic sensors could not distinguish between
friend/foe on the radar (so you had to cycle targets and
identify them manually).
2. Missile launcher
In its current state, you buy a missile launcher complete with
only one set of missiles. Considering that combat will
(hopefully) soon start to introduce cap ships and medium-sized
ships, it may be preferrable to have a wider variety of
rockets at hand. Therefore, I suggest...
Instead of selling a only-one-type-fits rocket launcher,
create different launchers for small and large slots,
differing in capacity and reload times. Expl:
- small basic: 6 rockets, 5sec recharge
- small advanced: 9 rockets, 5 sec recharge
- small fast: 6 rockets, 2 sec recharge
- large basic: 10 rockets, 5 sec recharge
- large advanced: 15 rockets, 5 sec recharge
- large fast: 10 rockets, 2 sec recharge
- large gigantic: 25 rockets, 10 sec recharge
- large revolving: 15 rockets, 12 sec recharge
This would add the requirement to implement different
rocket types. Again, they can be balanced by their
properties (contact/proximity, damage, manouverability),
as an additional addon, they might require a target-lock
which takes some time (ie. a cross-hair buzzing over
the HUD until it's fixed on the target, then a cheerful
beep and *whooosh*, off it goes...).
Note that this would require a "select rocket" key for
control; selecting to a different rocket time would take
<recharge time> until it is available for firing.
- Torpedo: Very low manouv, very high impact, long lock
- Fire/Forget: High Manouv, med impact very expensive, 1s lock
- Heatseek: High manouv, expensive, 3s lock
- Dumbfire: No manouv, big impact, cheap, no lock (just
fires straight on)
- Mine-pellet torpedo: Goes straight for some 500m or until
contact and spreads some tens of small proximity mines
over a 100 m^3 bubble or so :)
- Electro-flash rocket: Med manouv, electric impact: disables
ship components (see other thread discussing disabling
http://vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/8112#94628 )
and so on, including faction-specific rockets (quite possibly,
the serco will have large high-impact rockets that'll do well
with the prom, while the itani might have med-impact fast
and short-locktime rockets. The UIT again would possibly be
most fond of mine-pellets; pirates would suck a disabling
flash rocket. Whatever).
This idea is partially taken from the 1st "Schleichfahrt" game
(sold as "aquanox" in the US, IIRC), where you had different
launchers and rockets available.
just my 2p for spamming the devs suggestion box :)
bye
El Wiesel
Nice suggestions.
Syberfly out: I live for the One, I die for the One.
Syberfly out: I live for the One, I die for the One.
Nice suggestions.
I'd eventually like something broader than merely a 'sensor slot', but since a broad device slot is pointless until you have dozens of devices (many of which will require new behaviors and hense new code) a 'sensor slot' is a good transitional idea toward that goal.
As far as multiple types of launchers goes, have you been reading my email? ;)
I've long thought it cool to be able to load different types of ammo into your ammo racks, but I'm worried about the controls getting too complicated.
I'd eventually like something broader than merely a 'sensor slot', but since a broad device slot is pointless until you have dozens of devices (many of which will require new behaviors and hense new code) a 'sensor slot' is a good transitional idea toward that goal.
As far as multiple types of launchers goes, have you been reading my email? ;)
I've long thought it cool to be able to load different types of ammo into your ammo racks, but I'm worried about the controls getting too complicated.
I like the idea, but just regarding your examples... I don't think taking away the friend/foe system on some sensors would work out too well.
I have a hard enough time selecting any target that isn't directly in front of me, without the "next nearest enemy" selector things would really suck.
I have a hard enough time selecting any target that isn't directly in front of me, without the "next nearest enemy" selector things would really suck.
With regard to complexity.
Complexity is good, it keeps the endless tweakers (hmm that came out wrong) call them fiddlers, or equipment whores, interested in the game. The broader a range of options the more fun you can have with different options.
Complexity is bad, if a new or newer player cannot hope to navigate the options necessary to equip a ship without reading the 100page textbook on the matter, well it is just bad and counterproductive.
Lets add the complexity in layers, for instance keep something along the lines of the current launchers with ready made loadouts, but add a custom entry in the buy menu, choosing that entry brings up a window where you can tweak to your hearts content (heh, add a NRE (Non Recurring Expense) for each new design you buy) the final cost being determined by the components used. Again initially the customization options could be pretty limited such as weasels list of 8 combos and expanded through patches.
Good ideas weasel.
[edit] random thoughts:
Custom configurations could be "saved" by providing a hash of the configuration options. That way configurations could be shared between players, without the devs having to add a configuration storage mechanism for each player and related code to send configurations between players.
Complexity is good, it keeps the endless tweakers (hmm that came out wrong) call them fiddlers, or equipment whores, interested in the game. The broader a range of options the more fun you can have with different options.
Complexity is bad, if a new or newer player cannot hope to navigate the options necessary to equip a ship without reading the 100page textbook on the matter, well it is just bad and counterproductive.
Lets add the complexity in layers, for instance keep something along the lines of the current launchers with ready made loadouts, but add a custom entry in the buy menu, choosing that entry brings up a window where you can tweak to your hearts content (heh, add a NRE (Non Recurring Expense) for each new design you buy) the final cost being determined by the components used. Again initially the customization options could be pretty limited such as weasels list of 8 combos and expanded through patches.
Good ideas weasel.
[edit] random thoughts:
Custom configurations could be "saved" by providing a hash of the configuration options. That way configurations could be shared between players, without the devs having to add a configuration storage mechanism for each player and related code to send configurations between players.