Forums » Suggestions
One of the main elements currently missing from Vendetta® Online, in my opinion, is usage of the main cultural difference between the Itani and the Serco, according to the Backstory: the emphasis on spiritual development. I chose Itani at first because I was intrigued with this cultural aspect, but feel disappointed that it doesn't seem to be used at all.
For example, according to the Backstory, in 3827 A.D., in an encounter between the Itani Abbott of Eo, Eilon, and a Serco Nighthawk fleet (see http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/storyline_section9.html), Eilon used a "faint, translucent" "energy focus" as a shield to defend his transport ship. This spiritual shield proved temporarily effective against the conventional weaponry of the Serco. Further, according to the Backstory, "many academics" also possessed this power.
Along this line, why not add a dimension of Force Powers? There could be a Light, a Dark, and a Gold side to this Force--Light being peaceful, Dark being aggressive, and Gold being profit-focused. Itani, Serco, and UIT pilots would be free to choose a Force Power from one side at each level of advancement, but if they wished to choose a different Force Power later, they would need to regain the difference in Force Experience between the earlier Force Level and the target Force Level. Gifted pilots could apply their Force Powers whenever outside stations. Using Force Powers would give Force Experience, which would lead to more powerful/advanced Force Powers.
Some possible examples could be as follows:
LIGHT SIDE:
* Level 0: Heal Minor Damage (Heals 10% of full HP, freezes the caster's ship for 8 seconds, can only be used three times before redocking)
* Level 1: Immunity Against Level 0 Energy Weapons (Gives 10 seconds of immunity against energy weapons requiring Light or Heavy Weapons License Level 0)
* Level 2: Shield Against Dark Energies (Repels Dark Energies for 10 seconds)
* Level 3: Reflect Dark Energies (Reflects Dark Energies back at their casters for 10 seconds)
* Level 4: Speed (After a 5-second delay, gives a ten-second speed boost of twice the maximum turbo boost, using up the current entire battery power)
* Level 5: Heal Intermediate Damage (Heals 25% of full HP, freezes the caster's ship for 5 seconds, can only be used twice before redocking)
* Level 6: Immunity Against Level 1 Energy Weapons (Gives 10 seconds of immunity against energy weapons requiring Light or Heavy Weapons License Level 1)
* Level 7: Heal Major Damage (Heals 50% of full HP, freezes the caster's ship for 3 seconds, can only be used once before redocking)
* Level 8: Energy Focus Shield (Gives 10 seconds of immunity against energy weapons requiring Light or Heavy Weapons License Level 2)
DARK SIDE:
* Level 0: Energy Rage: After immobilizing the caster for 5 seconds, gives a 10-second 200% damage boost to all energy-based attacks
* Level 1: Enrage: Causes the target, which must be a robot within 300 m, to attack the nearest robot or ship
* Level 2: Fear: Causes the target, which must be a robot within 300 m, to flee (can only be used twice per hour)
* Level 3: Steal Energy: After a delay of 5 seconds, drains the HP of the hostile target, which must be within 300 m, and adds it to the caster's HP at a rate of 1% per total HP per second for each target
* Level 4: Mass Steal Energy: After a delay of 5 seconds, drains the HP of all hostile targets, which must be within 200 m, and adds the stolen HP to the caster's HP at a rate of 1% per total HP per second for each target, increasing the caster's HP by 1% of the caster's maximum HP per second, multiplied by the number of targets
* Level 5: Energy Grip: Immobilizes the target, which must be within 300 m, while causing damage for the duration of the spell, which must not be longer than 5 seconds (maximum damage = 10% of target's maximum HP) (useful in team-based combat)
* Level 6: Mass Energy Grip: Immobilizes all hostile targets within 200 m, while causing damage for the duration of the spell, which must not be longer than 5 seconds (maximum damage = 10% of each target's maximum HP) (useful in team-based combat)
* Level 7: Energy Lightning: Shoots a ball of energy lightning, traveling at 250 m/s, that simultaneously removes 10% of the target's maximum HP and immobilizes that target, which must be within 300 m, for 2 seconds
* Level 8: Energy Explosion: Causes an explosion of energy lightning, traveling at 100 m/s, engulfing all hostile targets within 200 m, simultaneously removing 10% of their maximum HP and immobilizing them for 2 seconds
GOLD SIDE:
* Level 0: Sense Goods: Senses whether the target (which must be a ship or robot within 500 m) is carrying any goods
* Level 1: Determine Goods: Lists all goods that the target (which must be a ship or robot within 500 m) is carrying
* Level 2: Harvest Floating Goods: Harvests all floating items within a distance of 100 m within 5 seconds, stopping when the cargo bay is full
* Level 3: Harvest Floating Goods Selectively: Lists the contents of all floating items within a distance of 100 m, and harvests only the selected items, stopping when the cargo bay is full
* Level 4: Disintegrate Floating Goods: Disintegrates all floating items within 100 m (very useful for strip mining without leaving traces of which asteroids have been mined)
* Level 5: Steal Goods: Steals goods from the target (which must be a robot or a ship) at a distance of 300 m without causing any damage (fails if there is not enough cargo space to carry all the goods)
* Level 6: Steal Goods Selectively: Lists the goods that the target (which must be a robot or a ship) is carrying at a distance of 300 m, and steals only the selected goods without causing any damage (fails if there is not enough cargo space to carry the selected goods)
* Level 7: Plot Safe Trajectory: Given a destination, automatically plots a route to it that avoids all ion storms
* Level 8: Cool Asteroid: Cools the target asteroid at a rate of 1 degree K per second (very useful for mining) (can only cool a total of 200 degrees K among all targeted asteroids per hour)
[edit]
It may be more interesting to make the Force Powers cumulative per level, so that it would be possible for a single pilot to learn the Force Powers of all three sides for each level separately.
For instance, the Light Side Level 4 Force Power "Speed" could prove very handy to UIT traders dodging pirates, and it would be inconvenient to force UIT pilots to choose between that power and the Gold Side Level 4 Force Power "Disintegrate Floating Goods."
[/edit]
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
For example, according to the Backstory, in 3827 A.D., in an encounter between the Itani Abbott of Eo, Eilon, and a Serco Nighthawk fleet (see http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/storyline_section9.html), Eilon used a "faint, translucent" "energy focus" as a shield to defend his transport ship. This spiritual shield proved temporarily effective against the conventional weaponry of the Serco. Further, according to the Backstory, "many academics" also possessed this power.
Along this line, why not add a dimension of Force Powers? There could be a Light, a Dark, and a Gold side to this Force--Light being peaceful, Dark being aggressive, and Gold being profit-focused. Itani, Serco, and UIT pilots would be free to choose a Force Power from one side at each level of advancement, but if they wished to choose a different Force Power later, they would need to regain the difference in Force Experience between the earlier Force Level and the target Force Level. Gifted pilots could apply their Force Powers whenever outside stations. Using Force Powers would give Force Experience, which would lead to more powerful/advanced Force Powers.
Some possible examples could be as follows:
LIGHT SIDE:
* Level 0: Heal Minor Damage (Heals 10% of full HP, freezes the caster's ship for 8 seconds, can only be used three times before redocking)
* Level 1: Immunity Against Level 0 Energy Weapons (Gives 10 seconds of immunity against energy weapons requiring Light or Heavy Weapons License Level 0)
* Level 2: Shield Against Dark Energies (Repels Dark Energies for 10 seconds)
* Level 3: Reflect Dark Energies (Reflects Dark Energies back at their casters for 10 seconds)
* Level 4: Speed (After a 5-second delay, gives a ten-second speed boost of twice the maximum turbo boost, using up the current entire battery power)
* Level 5: Heal Intermediate Damage (Heals 25% of full HP, freezes the caster's ship for 5 seconds, can only be used twice before redocking)
* Level 6: Immunity Against Level 1 Energy Weapons (Gives 10 seconds of immunity against energy weapons requiring Light or Heavy Weapons License Level 1)
* Level 7: Heal Major Damage (Heals 50% of full HP, freezes the caster's ship for 3 seconds, can only be used once before redocking)
* Level 8: Energy Focus Shield (Gives 10 seconds of immunity against energy weapons requiring Light or Heavy Weapons License Level 2)
DARK SIDE:
* Level 0: Energy Rage: After immobilizing the caster for 5 seconds, gives a 10-second 200% damage boost to all energy-based attacks
* Level 1: Enrage: Causes the target, which must be a robot within 300 m, to attack the nearest robot or ship
* Level 2: Fear: Causes the target, which must be a robot within 300 m, to flee (can only be used twice per hour)
* Level 3: Steal Energy: After a delay of 5 seconds, drains the HP of the hostile target, which must be within 300 m, and adds it to the caster's HP at a rate of 1% per total HP per second for each target
* Level 4: Mass Steal Energy: After a delay of 5 seconds, drains the HP of all hostile targets, which must be within 200 m, and adds the stolen HP to the caster's HP at a rate of 1% per total HP per second for each target, increasing the caster's HP by 1% of the caster's maximum HP per second, multiplied by the number of targets
* Level 5: Energy Grip: Immobilizes the target, which must be within 300 m, while causing damage for the duration of the spell, which must not be longer than 5 seconds (maximum damage = 10% of target's maximum HP) (useful in team-based combat)
* Level 6: Mass Energy Grip: Immobilizes all hostile targets within 200 m, while causing damage for the duration of the spell, which must not be longer than 5 seconds (maximum damage = 10% of each target's maximum HP) (useful in team-based combat)
* Level 7: Energy Lightning: Shoots a ball of energy lightning, traveling at 250 m/s, that simultaneously removes 10% of the target's maximum HP and immobilizes that target, which must be within 300 m, for 2 seconds
* Level 8: Energy Explosion: Causes an explosion of energy lightning, traveling at 100 m/s, engulfing all hostile targets within 200 m, simultaneously removing 10% of their maximum HP and immobilizing them for 2 seconds
GOLD SIDE:
* Level 0: Sense Goods: Senses whether the target (which must be a ship or robot within 500 m) is carrying any goods
* Level 1: Determine Goods: Lists all goods that the target (which must be a ship or robot within 500 m) is carrying
* Level 2: Harvest Floating Goods: Harvests all floating items within a distance of 100 m within 5 seconds, stopping when the cargo bay is full
* Level 3: Harvest Floating Goods Selectively: Lists the contents of all floating items within a distance of 100 m, and harvests only the selected items, stopping when the cargo bay is full
* Level 4: Disintegrate Floating Goods: Disintegrates all floating items within 100 m (very useful for strip mining without leaving traces of which asteroids have been mined)
* Level 5: Steal Goods: Steals goods from the target (which must be a robot or a ship) at a distance of 300 m without causing any damage (fails if there is not enough cargo space to carry all the goods)
* Level 6: Steal Goods Selectively: Lists the goods that the target (which must be a robot or a ship) is carrying at a distance of 300 m, and steals only the selected goods without causing any damage (fails if there is not enough cargo space to carry the selected goods)
* Level 7: Plot Safe Trajectory: Given a destination, automatically plots a route to it that avoids all ion storms
* Level 8: Cool Asteroid: Cools the target asteroid at a rate of 1 degree K per second (very useful for mining) (can only cool a total of 200 degrees K among all targeted asteroids per hour)
[edit]
It may be more interesting to make the Force Powers cumulative per level, so that it would be possible for a single pilot to learn the Force Powers of all three sides for each level separately.
For instance, the Light Side Level 4 Force Power "Speed" could prove very handy to UIT traders dodging pirates, and it would be inconvenient to force UIT pilots to choose between that power and the Gold Side Level 4 Force Power "Disintegrate Floating Goods."
[/edit]
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
"Along this line, why not add a dimension of Force Powers? There could be a Light, a Dark, and a Gold side to this Force"
I smell a lawsuit.
[edit]
Ok, I just read the rest of the suggestion, and I must say I really like all of the so-called Gold Side Powers.
But I don't know that they'd be best implemented as "force powers". As you mentioned at the beginning, the energy focus was an Itani development, and IMO it wouldn't make sense for UIT or Serco to be able to use it. But while I like all of these abilities you suggest, I think most of them should be available to all nations, not just Itani. And guessing from the "Gold Side", you think so to. So IMO they'd be best explained as something other than spiritual powers.
[/edit]
I smell a lawsuit.
[edit]
Ok, I just read the rest of the suggestion, and I must say I really like all of the so-called Gold Side Powers.
But I don't know that they'd be best implemented as "force powers". As you mentioned at the beginning, the energy focus was an Itani development, and IMO it wouldn't make sense for UIT or Serco to be able to use it. But while I like all of these abilities you suggest, I think most of them should be available to all nations, not just Itani. And guessing from the "Gold Side", you think so to. So IMO they'd be best explained as something other than spiritual powers.
[/edit]
> "Along this line, why not add a dimension of Force Powers? There could be a
> Light, a Dark, and a Gold side to this Force"
>
> I smell a lawsuit.
All right, then name them "Energy Focus Powers," instead, and change some of the Light and Dark Side ones so that they are distinctively different from those on another well-known saga ;-).
The point is that currently Vendetta® Online lacks an entire dimension focused on within the Backstory that functions as a key difference between Itani, Serco, and UIT cultures. The specific details of the Light, Dark, and Gold Energy Focus Powers are not that important; what's important is that the each side's Powers have a distinct cultural basis.
There is so much hidden potential here. Why focus on cultural differences in the Backstory if these are ignored in the actual online experience?
Let me think about a more distinctive set of Energy Focus Powers and post another suggestion within a few days about this (I'm writing my lesson plan for my class right now).
[edit]
> [edit]
> Ok, I just read the rest of the suggestion, and I must say I really like all of the
> so-called Gold Side Powers.
Thank you. I have tried to come up with a set of powers that would have evolved from UIT culture.
> But I don't know that they'd be best implemented as "force powers". As you
> mentioned at the beginning, the energy focus was an Itani development, and
> IMO it wouldn't make sense for UIT or Serco to be able to use it. But while I like
> all of these abilities you suggest, I think most of them should be available to all > nations, not just Itani. And guessing from the "Gold Side", you think so to. So
> IMO they'd be best explained as something other than spiritual powers.
> [/edit]
I agree that each power should ultimately be available to pilots of all nations/factions (see my edited portion in the original post).
However, I still think that at least the Itani Energy Focus Powers should be explained in terms of spiritual powers. The Serco ones could be explained in terms of cybernetic implants (see the Backstory), and the UIT ones could be explained in terms of accessories.
[/edit]
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
> Light, a Dark, and a Gold side to this Force"
>
> I smell a lawsuit.
All right, then name them "Energy Focus Powers," instead, and change some of the Light and Dark Side ones so that they are distinctively different from those on another well-known saga ;-).
The point is that currently Vendetta® Online lacks an entire dimension focused on within the Backstory that functions as a key difference between Itani, Serco, and UIT cultures. The specific details of the Light, Dark, and Gold Energy Focus Powers are not that important; what's important is that the each side's Powers have a distinct cultural basis.
There is so much hidden potential here. Why focus on cultural differences in the Backstory if these are ignored in the actual online experience?
Let me think about a more distinctive set of Energy Focus Powers and post another suggestion within a few days about this (I'm writing my lesson plan for my class right now).
[edit]
> [edit]
> Ok, I just read the rest of the suggestion, and I must say I really like all of the
> so-called Gold Side Powers.
Thank you. I have tried to come up with a set of powers that would have evolved from UIT culture.
> But I don't know that they'd be best implemented as "force powers". As you
> mentioned at the beginning, the energy focus was an Itani development, and
> IMO it wouldn't make sense for UIT or Serco to be able to use it. But while I like
> all of these abilities you suggest, I think most of them should be available to all > nations, not just Itani. And guessing from the "Gold Side", you think so to. So
> IMO they'd be best explained as something other than spiritual powers.
> [/edit]
I agree that each power should ultimately be available to pilots of all nations/factions (see my edited portion in the original post).
However, I still think that at least the Itani Energy Focus Powers should be explained in terms of spiritual powers. The Serco ones could be explained in terms of cybernetic implants (see the Backstory), and the UIT ones could be explained in terms of accessories.
[/edit]
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
Itani could aquire such powers through XP or "purchasing" training, while Serco would need to purchase technological enhancements to achieve the equivalent abilities, or be rewarded for XP by Sky Command. There needs to be balance in the game, but the nations should have dramatically different feels. Serco add-ons would be more militaristic (convert bots to your side) while Itani force skills would be more defensive (shields, cloaks, scanner jamming). I suppose an Itani could get Serco enhancements by increasing Serco standing, but perhaps at a cost in Itani standing. But there should be numerous abilities that are only available to certain nations to keep it interesting.
These abilities would stay with your character no matter what ship or weapons you were using at the time. So conceivably an uber character could be quite formidable in a bus, beyond just piloting skills.
Rather than be aspects of ships or equipment, these abilities would only work for a limited time since they draw on the person's own energy reserves, not the ship's battery, and would require recharging in a way similar to the battery levels.
--Oort Cloudburst
These abilities would stay with your character no matter what ship or weapons you were using at the time. So conceivably an uber character could be quite formidable in a bus, beyond just piloting skills.
Rather than be aspects of ships or equipment, these abilities would only work for a limited time since they draw on the person's own energy reserves, not the ship's battery, and would require recharging in a way similar to the battery levels.
--Oort Cloudburst
Aight, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but something of the sort is already implemented. You gain access to these sorts of abilities through a secret mission. Thing is, no-one has done the secret mission yet, and once they do, it'd take months of other secret missions to get to a level where the secret powers become useful.
Genka has been hanging around herds of bulls.
faction only items.... very interesting...
they already have faction only weapons.... maybe it will happen in the future
they already have faction only weapons.... maybe it will happen in the future
The cultural elements have not been ignored, it's just that basic gameplay issues are the priority. Never fear. The devs wrote the backstory years ago and have always intended that the 3 cultures would have a different look and feel. The game isn't finished.
Anything special you can tell us?
Ok, I thought about this for a little while.
Yes, "Force" = lawsuit.
BUT.
Each nation could have 2 schools of psychic ability with which to pursue.
Something like:
SERCO
Pyrokinesis (the ability to create and manipulate fire, and combust stuff, enhance explosive power, create concussive waves- stuff like that)
Mechakinesis (the ability to meld mind with machine- and tune your ship with the finest details of your will, enhancing just about everything weapon/ship-based)
UIT
Auropathy (gold sensors tingling... enhanced asteroid scan range, cargo detection, um... stuff to do with making/saving money)
Electrokinesis (the ability to induce current, can be used offensively to attack with lightning or to supercharge your ship's speed/weapons)
ITANI
Telekinesis (the ability to move matter with the power of your mind- repel shots from you, repair your ship, mess around with local physics)
Telepathy (the ability to mess with minds. bugger up enemy autoaim, enhance your own accuracy, counter other psychic attacks)
Yes, "Force" = lawsuit.
BUT.
Each nation could have 2 schools of psychic ability with which to pursue.
Something like:
SERCO
Pyrokinesis (the ability to create and manipulate fire, and combust stuff, enhance explosive power, create concussive waves- stuff like that)
Mechakinesis (the ability to meld mind with machine- and tune your ship with the finest details of your will, enhancing just about everything weapon/ship-based)
UIT
Auropathy (gold sensors tingling... enhanced asteroid scan range, cargo detection, um... stuff to do with making/saving money)
Electrokinesis (the ability to induce current, can be used offensively to attack with lightning or to supercharge your ship's speed/weapons)
ITANI
Telekinesis (the ability to move matter with the power of your mind- repel shots from you, repair your ship, mess around with local physics)
Telepathy (the ability to mess with minds. bugger up enemy autoaim, enhance your own accuracy, counter other psychic attacks)
Those forms of psi powers have nothing to do with the backstory, Serco were not fireeaters, they were humans that found that using tech to enhance there bodies gave them strenght and power and ultimately warped there minds into thinking they were better then everyone. While the Itani practice a style of inner peace and focus that allows them to generate a powerful energy from within. These are not your classic telekenesis, telepathy, pyrokenesis, esp, clarvoence, etc. I'm sure the devs have what they want to do in mind already but that they are waiting for other things to implement them.
Actually, I had that in mind.
Serco are a very angry, proud race that used technology to improve on their physical forms. If they have robotics, cybernetics etc inside them, why shouldn't that be able to interface with other machines? They're supposed to control their ships cybernetically, right? So surely they'd have the ability to tune and perfect their ships with the powers of their mind and body. And what with all the rage, its only natural that some would wind up projecting huge explosions due to, um, brain implants allowing them to access a part of their mind as yet untapped.
UIT are outcasts, right? So over the years they've been nomads, mainly, and one might suppose given all that 'splorin that some might have developed a sort of "sixth sense" for danger. As the territories became prominent this new resource might have turned itself to less honorable means, ie making money. Being able to sense where, when, and how to get rich, and in some extreme cases being able to adapt the environment to facilitate profits. Ok, so the electric thingy was a bit contrived >.>
Itani are supposed to have this huge inner peace thing going on, the monks having a sort of Ki power emanating from their minds. So if they had developed to control their own minds, perhaps they are beginning to understand how to control others (telepathy) and eventually begin to extend their control to the inanimate (telekinesis).
John, don't automatically assume you have a monopoly on what is and isn't inferred in the backstory, please.
Serco are a very angry, proud race that used technology to improve on their physical forms. If they have robotics, cybernetics etc inside them, why shouldn't that be able to interface with other machines? They're supposed to control their ships cybernetically, right? So surely they'd have the ability to tune and perfect their ships with the powers of their mind and body. And what with all the rage, its only natural that some would wind up projecting huge explosions due to, um, brain implants allowing them to access a part of their mind as yet untapped.
UIT are outcasts, right? So over the years they've been nomads, mainly, and one might suppose given all that 'splorin that some might have developed a sort of "sixth sense" for danger. As the territories became prominent this new resource might have turned itself to less honorable means, ie making money. Being able to sense where, when, and how to get rich, and in some extreme cases being able to adapt the environment to facilitate profits. Ok, so the electric thingy was a bit contrived >.>
Itani are supposed to have this huge inner peace thing going on, the monks having a sort of Ki power emanating from their minds. So if they had developed to control their own minds, perhaps they are beginning to understand how to control others (telepathy) and eventually begin to extend their control to the inanimate (telekinesis).
John, don't automatically assume you have a monopoly on what is and isn't inferred in the backstory, please.
neat idea
UIT have lived in space for many, many generations. Could be they've been bombarded by all sorts of energies and rays and shit, that they mutated, and mutated in a way which enhances their ability to do stuff, like was mentioned above.
UIT have lived in space for many, many generations. Could be they've been bombarded by all sorts of energies and rays and shit, that they mutated, and mutated in a way which enhances their ability to do stuff, like was mentioned above.
Uncle Dave, is that because you already have it yourself. Please.
Suggestion forums, no?
So don't shoot down suggestions because "oh the devs might have something different planned."
So don't shoot down suggestions because "oh the devs might have something different planned."
they've said that they have an idea of what they want to do and have yet had a chance to get to it. Let's just wait and see what they implement then critique it.
Either that, or we could leave suggestions, because that's what the suggestions forum is for.
but that's too easy…
"You have done well. We have decided to bestow upon you: Force Powers!"
/me gives Fernus force powers.
/me gives Fernus force powers.
I took the quick and easy path. It is too late for me, my son.