Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif ??? Does it mean Devnull Monsters will not be able to build anything http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif
Please, DONT do it !!!

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif ??? Does it mean Devnull Monsters will not be able to build anything http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif
Please, DONT do it !!! </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">no, it doesn't mean that. The monster planets are not cloaked, there are hidden with sector sight obscuration.

Also note that this is not a change from previous Versions, just a designers note. Spaceyrads haven't been working on cloaked ships or planets before.

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

Actually, it did work for a while. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I would queue up units when the planet was uncloaked and let them finish building while the planet was cloaked. This 'note' is intended to let us know that won't work anymore.

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

Good to see it fixed - other work arounds will come up - perhaps the ability to cloak planets technology ?

Anyway any more comments - looks like a good upgrade in the mix when they finally get around to the actual realise - expect we will go 1.92 and 1.95 etc first though

Shall we guess a realise date for the next patch of around April 1 ?

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Why so passionate about this? Don't we already have engine targeting weapons? Having to design ships with a whole bunch of specific weapons sounds like micro management hell. What do you have in mind for this ability anyway?

Now if you want to add a specifc target ability to your strategies.. That would be a good idea!! (ie target engines, then when gone, retreat) </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The idea behind it is simple, with this ability we can make custom weapons that target other "specific" weapons.

Say one race is uses Presurized Paticle Cannons that cut right through your armor. You research a counter to that weapon called the Anti PPC's. Then when you go into battle, your ships fire and disable his weapons.

Or target specific components such as bridges, fighter bays, armor, or other custom components.

In Decent Freespace to take down a big ship you often would target vital systems first, take out the fighter bays with a few missiles then move onto the weapons then the big ships would come in and pound them into obilivion.

This is way this is so important.

It will improve the use of fighters, also special ship weapons, and even specialized satellite and WP weapons.

I hope this helps to explain it a bit.

The follow up ability to this would be the ability to set the DAMAGE LEVEL. Say from 100% to as low as 10%. This way you can have levels of counter weapons that can do damage. As the other players tech level increases, you will have to research more adavanced Versions to counter his weapons.

[ February 24, 2004, 00:26: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

Perhaps sub levels of armour or shielding or even ECM type defensive components to protect certain components - or sub shields to protect say weapons etc. Would add more complexity to the game plus a more diverse tech tree.

Planet defenses would become more specialised and perhaps sub mine types ie only damage engines or shields on such ships - perhaps destroying those components and forcing the player to repair etc.

Interesting ideas that would require quite substanital game changes - probably best as a modders dream.

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, that still works, since building units does not require a SY. While a planet is cloaked, you can still use the queue to build facilities and units with the innate planet build rate.
What you can't do is use the SY to build ships/bases, or issue retrofit/mothball/unmothball orders.

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

A way to save current Saved Games from being broken if a mod is updated without having to have multiple installs of a mod would be a nice feature to have as well.

Time after time I have updated the STM mod knowning that it will ruin everyones current save game. I hate that and would really like a way for people to keep playin those save games with the new data, but not be bothered by the adverse changes an update could cause.

I know, simple solution, have multiple installs or get it right the first time then there would be no need for revisions.

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

Many balance updates can be harmless, but when you starting adding/removing tech requirements, component and facility levels etc, it can cause all sorts of mischief with a saved game - especially when trying to keep the data files all neatly organized.

However, to implement what you suggested would be very difficult to say the least!

Re: Post 1.84 beta history
 

It's probably been asked/discussed on a thread in the past, but I'll go ahead and ask (plead? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif ) anyways.

Is there any possibility of a new/updated Version of the map editing utility being created to go along w/ the release of the final SE4 patch? If not, np.. but it would be a nice thing to see (I also understand that the patch comes first in the priority chain, and can wait for as long as it takes for it to be finished).

Just a question, and nothing more... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif