Ablative Armor
 

I'm trying to add Ablative Armor as a component to the Mod I'm working on, but I'm not real sure where to go with it. below is what I have so far, and I'd welcome any ( constructive http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif ) thoughts or ideas...

Re: Ablative Armor
 

As mentioned on se.net, the emissive bit is very likely not to do what you want, and the HP is more than enough to make it Überarmor.

The next step after ablative armor is leaky armor; simply remove the armor ability, and you'll find that it is still better than standard armor... but it has more interesting combat effects http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Ablative Armor
 

Damn.

Not looking for "Überarmor" here. Just something better than Armored Hull Plating but less advance than Emissive or Stealth armors

Re: Ablative Armor
 

Consider the math:
Standard armor gives 3-4 hp/kt
Shields give up to 8 hp/kt
Your armor gives 15 hp/kt

Basically, shields start looking as useless by comparison as standard armor used to.

PS:
What makes you think stealth and scattering armor are better than standard armor? All you need is one component of them to get all the ability benefits, and the rest of your defenses can be the slightly better HP/kt standard armor, or the superhigh hp shields.

I reccommend that you either:
- reduce your new armor hp to max out at 11 or 12, and maybe add some intermediate armor which is size 3 and gives 6-8 hp/kt.
- remove the armor ability and make it leaky armor. As leaky armor, you'll have the option of increasing the hitpoints to 10-25 without making shields irrelevant.

Re: Ablative Armor
 

For further comparison:

Emissive Armor 1.5-2.5 hp/kt (plus damage reduction)
Scattering Armor 3 hp/kt (plus defense bonus)
Stealth Armor 3.33 hp/kt (plus defense bonus)
Organic Armor 3.33-5 hp/kt (plus armor regeneration)
Crystalline Armor 3.33-5 hp/kt (plus shield generation)

Re: Ablative Armor
 

Strictly speaking, the stock emissive armor is ablative armor.

Re: Ablative Armor
 

Emissive is the opposite of ablative.

Logically, ablative armor *ablates*. Which means part of it is permanently lost after each hit.

Emissive armor, on the other hand, does not take any damage from small hits, typically at the expense of having fewer hitpoints per kt.

Re: Ablative Armor
 

Okay - I get that THIS was a bad design, so to speak.

But, now I'm thoroughly lost. I don't even know HOW that armor is considered so tough?

I don't have a clue how to incorporate, or even WHAT, leaky armor is. I'm still new to the Modding aspect of SEIV, though some areas I get better than others.

Re: Ablative Armor
 

It is tough, because it has 15 hitpoints per kt!

You could spend 10kt of space on a standard armor, and get 40 hitpoints at max tech.
Or you could spend 10kt of space on your new armor, and get 150 hitpoints at max tech.

150 >> 40 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif


Leaky armor is simply inert components without the armor ability, and which have a high number of hitpoints per KT.
Damage to internals is applied via a "hitpoints lottery" type system:
If you have 950 hp worth of leaky armor, and 50 hp worth of other internals, then (950/1000) 95% of the time, weapon damage will randomly pick an armor component to damage.

You can see how this provides excellent protection while still leaving a chance of damage leaking through to internals http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

For further details on the damage mechanics, bordering on the nitty gritty see:
- DEF 200 : Damage Theory
- DEF 340 : Armor Mechanics

Re: Ablative Armor
 

You can get up to speed with mod concepts like Leaky Armor here:

http://home.spaceempires.net/modworks-concepts.html