Space monsters
 

Is there any way to create space monsters in this game? Examples: giant space omeba, space dragon, Borg invasion, space hydra, ect. Like MOO2 and BOTF.

Re: Space monsters
 

lol. This is a good idea atomannj!

Two ways you could do it. One would be as an event. You won't actually see the space monster attack, but you will get a log message at the beginning of your next turn...

"A hideous space monster attacked Ghedron V! 4 million colonists were eaten. The creature disappeared back into space and we were unable to follow it." or something like that.

Another way would be to treat it like a storm. You could actually make a picture of it then that would show up on the system display. Any ship entering that sector would receive damage or be destroyed depending on how you had it set up in the .txt file.

Onfortunetly neither way is going to allow for a creature that can move around and attack different places. Also there won't be any way to try and kill it in tactical. Although you could design a component that would allow you to destroy one if you went with the monster as a storm idea.

Re: Space monsters
 

Check other older threads. It (space monsters) was supposed to be an included feature but was not implemented....

Re: Space monsters
 

Hey I jsut came up with an idea for a new component, maybe.

Its a storm generator, but it moves with the ship http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

The storm would have to be a sensor interfeering one, so unless you'd noticed the storm, you wouldn't notice it moving towards your homeworld. . .

Maybe you could have a 'monster' that was just a storm that moved from system to system.

Maybe you could have a 'monster' that made its own warp points, this would be great for earlier stages of the came with less tech, yuo could follow the monster around as it passed from system to system, (closing its path behind its self).


Which leads me to another idea.
Warp points which only stay open for 'x' number of turns when you open them. Ont he first turn its a strong WP, then it gets weaker, and weaker until it just disapears. . .

Re: Space monsters
 

A good idea. Perhaps this could be implemented by creating a 'Beast' race, with specific techs. and AI behavoirs, and only ships. (No planets or colonization tech.)
Advantages: You could include or not include that race depending on prefences, and it would closely coralate to the old space monsters from MOOII.
Disadvantage: I'm too new to even think about how this could really be done. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

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eSnaffu

Re: Space monsters
 

Hey I just heard back from Malfador. They told me that these features may be placed in a future patch. I heard back the same day. What a great company.

Re: Space monsters
 

Yes, space monsters were part of the original planned features for SE IV. It's just that the basic game has proven many times more difficult to program than expected. Those original plans were very ambitious! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif I hope they will implement space monsters at some time in the future.

It would be great to have a "ruins" world that is really a trap: You land and your colonists unleash a 'planet eater' like the Doomsday Machine in Star Trek! First thing is does is EAT the planet just colonized, of course. Then it goes around smashing planets into asteroids and digesting them. It should be baseship sized with unique techs that make it damn hard to destroy. 'Neutronium' armor should be immune to even shard cannons, for example.

There could also be a "guardian" type monster like the MOO Guardian of Orion to protect any 'artifact' ringworld or sphereworld so that whoever finds it can't colonize it immediately, for example. (Yeah, this needs the ability to have a ringworld or sphereworld as an 'artifact' in the game map... http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif )

Lots of other 'random event' monsters are possible. They could be helpful in the same way that these and the Antareans were in MOO II. Even if you were "safely isolated" from other players and happily building up your empire you had better have some armed ships to deal with the occasional random attack. This helps 'level the playing field' and reduce the advantage of someone accidently getting put in a nicely isolated position while everyone else has to fight for space early on.

Re: Space monsters
 

Heck; That way you could even add in space pirates.

Re: Space monsters
 

Then, you could have a 'robin hood' effect.

'Pirates have raided planet X, taking 10% of our mineral Stores!'

'One of our ships has apprehended some pirates with a surprising amound of minerals aboard. We have confiscated it for the empire'

The bigger empires lose more to pirates, which is then spread randomly to everybody.

Re: Space monsters
 

S_J, hey cool idea!

One idea that occurred to me in a whimsical (i.e. heavily sedated) moment would take no changes to the game, just a house rule.

"Helvetians In Space" - One player would play the Space Swiss. The Swiss player would suffer the same limits as a Neutral, in that he could never leave his home system(s). In exchange, ALL human players would agree never to attack the Swiss player. The AI players would be the Swiss' own problem. This would allow the Swiss player to act as a broker, buying, selling, and trading any imaginable assets from resources to ships and/or technology.

But I like the Space Monsters idea better. Sigh, all those old Star Trek episodes, how would they translate to random events in SE4

"Your flagship has been given a new destination halfway across the flipping galaxy, because your first officer is in heat"

"Your flagship loses all movement for the turn and is detained in orbit around this planet, while the captain makes love to some sleazy green-skinned wench with pointy teeth"

And I cannot even *begin* to imagine how to translate "The Trouble with Tribbles"...

Re: Space monsters
 

A lot of neat ideas here, but please, PLEASE if any of this is implemented allow it to be turned off for competitive games. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Nothing ruins an all night hot seat game like someone's empire being crippled by some 'random' critter. I cant even count the number of times that happenend in MOO...game is going along great...all player competitive and having fun...and then...bam! INCOMING! And one player is forced to divert resources and ships to this random event, barely beats it, and is summarily scrubbed from the game. No thanks.

Just my $.02 on Random Screwings.. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Talenn

Re: Space monsters
 

I agree Talenn.

Re: Space monsters
 

The Pirates would help to keep the game balanced, as they are equally likely to take from large players as small players.

The first place player might lose 10% of his 100,000 minerals, while the Last place player loses 10% of his 10000 minerals.

Net effect: 1st place has 91K minerals, and Last place has 19K minerals.

The weaker players might even support the pirates somehow.

Re: Space monsters
 

For you information, you can now have giant squid in your games of SE4!

Think of the monsterous (haha, bad pun) possibilities of this fleet, and trashing enemy ships.

::brain wave::

Idea for new organic shipset component: Tentacles. . . rip the hull apart.

Anyway, the Cephalopeia Fleet is available for all to download off Universal Shipyards http://universalshipyards.tripod.com so you may as go and see, along with all the other shipsets there which have kindly been put Online for download

Re: Space monsters
 

I went to the shipyards and did not see the race you mention available for download?? Is it under the "completed" section? If not, where?

Thanx,

Jason2

Re: Space monsters
 

Bronze section of completed Jason.

Have fun.

Re: Space monsters
 

Yes, I'm sure, the Bronze section. Thank you pathfinder. . .

Re: Space monsters
 

Malfador, any status on Space Monsters?

Re: Space monsters
 

How about several type random monsters that only attack specific type planets or special tech races? each one programed for a specific type and this way you wouldn't know which one would show up. Examples. monster who only attacks say organic cultures, or only Oxygen type planets, or Methane Planets, or crystall cultures, etc. Could set up several which are picked at random for each game. This way when its in the game you wouldn't automaticaly know which type it was until it attacks. each monster/monster race would each have a different attack quality as to what it would attack.

just some ideas mac

Re: Space monsters
 

I like the idea of space monsters. But I think it would be unfair if they would attack only certain races. Make them move randomly from one warp point to the other and attack everything that lies in their path. And may be it should be a possibility to "tame/catch/board" them and then to use them yourself.

Re: Space monsters
 

If you're interested, check out this post:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/For...ML/002529.html

Some of us were discussing ways to do space monsters in an earlier thread.

And yes, I get really excited about space monsters. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif (Even if one DOES show up and eat most of my worlds sometimes)

--Chesh

Re: Space monsters
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Q:
I like the idea of space monsters. But I think it would be unfair if they would attack only certain races. Make them move randomly from one warp point to the other and attack everything that lies in their path. And may be it should be a possibility to "tame/catch/board" them and then to use them yourself.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

How about nice space monsters that come along and protect one empire or another against other empires/space monsters?

["GAMERA!!!"]




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--
"What do -you- want?" "I'd like to live -just- long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this..." *waggle* "...can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?"

Re: Space monsters
 

Sinapus this is a good idea IMO, if the space monster picks the weakest player to help.

Re: Space monsters
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Q:
Sinapus this is a good idea IMO, if the space monster picks the weakest player to help.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, but if the weakest player is a human player, they are required to sing the Gamera Song from Mystery Science Theater 3000.

[o/~Gamera is really neat/he is full of turtle meat!/ We all love you GA-ME-RA!!!!o/~]

Hm.. Maybe a Monster Planet, where all the various space monsters can call home? http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Re: Space monsters
 

People keep asking for 'backstory' to make the game more interesting. Personally, I'm against backstory because it makes the game LESS customizable and adaptable to any play style. BUT... we could possibly have little fragments of backstory rather than an 'over-all' theme that might restrict the game.

How about a space monster that protects a NEUTRAL race? It could be something that lives in the system sun, or in a storm in the system. It attacks any ship that doesn't have a special device on it, and the device is a racial tech restricted to the neutrals. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif The neutrals could have a 'religious' awe of the beast and turn out to support it when it goes into combat against your ships. It's their "god" after all. If you are fighting with it, they are darn well gonna help it out. This would help solve the problem of neutrals being too wimpy, also.

That and a classic "Master of Orion" type guardian standing over an empty ring/sphere world are the two best ways to add non-random space monsters to the game.

RANDOM space monsters are easy. Create some graphics of monsters and treat them as ships. Have a folder called "monsters" with the graphics and a full set of AI files just like a race. The game would then use those files to design a monster when a random monster event was called for. Only a few 'special' settings would be needed for the monsters.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 20 May 2001).]

Re: Space monsters
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
RANDOM space monsters are easy. Create some graphics of monsters and treat them as ships. Have a folder called "monsters" with the graphics and a full set of AI files just like a race. The game would then use those files to design a monster when a random monster event was called for. Only a few 'special' settings would be needed for the monsters.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Would you create one and post it in the mod section? That would be great.

Re: Space monsters
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Q:
Would you create one and post it in the mod section? That would be great.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oops! I didn't mean to give the impression that it's doable in the current Version of the game. I meant that it would be easy to code because most of the existing AI and ship code can be re-used. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif He can just treat a space monster as a ship and let you create a design file for them. I don't think it could be done in 1.35 as it is, but someone might prove me wrong.

Re: Space monsters
 

I think the easiest way to have space monsters in the game is to create some really good graphics of space monsters and send them to MM. IMO this will inspire Aaron to add them. (it shows him the dedication of SE4 fans for his game)

bye
Klaus

Re: Space monsters
 

QUOTE:
The neutrals could have a 'religious' awe of the beast and turn out to support it when it goes into combat against your ships. It's their "god" after all. If you are fighting with it, they are darn well gonna help it out.
/QUOTE

Woah, major Space Empires / Black & White crossover happening here...

Now *that* would be addictive...

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"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
"Uh, I think so, Brain, but balancing a family and a career ... oooh, it's all too much for me. "

Re: Space monsters
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dogscoff:
QUOTE:
The neutrals could have a 'religious' awe of the beast and turn out to support it when it goes into combat against your ships. It's their "god" after all. If you are fighting with it, they are darn well gonna help it out.
/QUOTE

Woah, major Space Empires / Black & White crossover happening here...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Damn, I'm still feeling silly. I just thought of those natives that worshipped Mothra on some old kaiju film. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Space monsters
 

The more these 'space monsters' become unlike ships, though, the more difficult it is to deal with them in the way you'd expect to deal with them. How do you go into combat against an "energy cloud"? What will represent it on the combat grid? The fighters as a swarm of smaller creatures is doable, I guess. But beyond that you're really talking about a different type of random event than a space monster. Not that these wouldn't be useful or interesting to add to the game. Something like the "Black Cloud" that settles into your system and changes the climate/value of various planets for example. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Space monsters
 

Was thinking of fighters or a baseship using energy tech as in zippy's(?) mod.

The "trillions" could again be fighters using crystal tech.

An alternative for the energy monster would be a randomly moving storm cloud. Can a planet occupy the same location as a storm?


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Resistence is futile.

Re: Space monsters
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz:
... Can a planet occupy the same location as a storm?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes. You can actually have multiple storms and planets all in the same sector (square).

There is a limit to the total number of stellar objects in a grid location, but I do not know what that is for sure. I seem to remember 10 having been mentioned once before...

Re: Space monsters
 

Baron, a suggestion would be swarms of "space locusts" implimented as Groups of organic tech fighters.

Could have them drain organic value from any planet that they successfully blockaded.

That would require a new component which acted like an organic miner + solar converter to convert organics to supplies.

Similarly, "sentient energy fields" would drain radioactives and "trillions" (from an old children's SF story) would drain minerals.

Suicide_Junkie could no doubt create a nomadic race/species around the tech.

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Resistence is futile.

Re: Space monsters
 

That would be a cool tech, draining resources when you blockade. It would make lifting a blockade fast a necessity.