Swarm Race Idea
 

I had a thought about making a new racial type and modding it into the game. The swarm idea is basically a colony or hive concept.

The race will have only a few ships, these ships would serve as hive ships for lack of a better term. These hive ships would be big carriers for the other primary ship of the race, those being 200kt fighters.

The idea here is that the race does not need a large diversity of ships. They have these swarm ships, lots of them, that are packed around the galaxy by a hive ship.

The other ships would be a colony ship, transport, and various sizes of the hive ship.

The hive ships would be larger than standard carriers and the fighter bays would have to be modded to have a lot more cargo room for the larger fighters/attack ships.

Now I haven't worked out all the details, but I think this is a great idea for a new racial trait. Instead of building hundres of differant sized ships, the player would build thousands of 200 kt fighters, a few huge hive ships that would fairy the frighters/attack ships to differant systems.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

I like the idea, but I would mod it down a little. Just give them one ship, with one component, that does everything. Generates movement, acts as a weapon, colonizes planets, stores supplies, etc. Would make for a devestating apponent if the AI used it right.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Combining components does't work the way you think it will. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif But nice idea.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Its a great idea the only forseeable problem is in most sci-fi I have watched usually Swarm-like races generally didnt have a home planet. More or less they have that one-or many- hive ships with no real planet. So in game problem that is sort of there is the need to have the hive ships self sustaining.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

give them 2 home planets, except they are cloaked, you can't find them until you obtain a very high level of de-cloaking devices..... : Like the idea, but I like the idea of them having more then l hive ship, makes it more interesting, besides thats what testing is for

my 2 cents

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

I think maybe you meant "ferry" instead of "fairy".

Trying to picture a huge, slavering, exoskeletal gigeresque insectoid hive-alien with ballerina pumps, tutu, pink little wings and a wand.

Sorry AT, I know your spelling isn't your strongest point but that one really made me laugh.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Most forums have a spelling/grammar nazi.

We must be proud to have one of the rare spelling/grammar communists http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

j/k no offence AT, sounds like a really good idea.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

I think you already have the basis for the way the race should run in the way 'Monsters' and the 'Borg' run in the Star Trek Mod. They have one planet and their ships generate economy. If the planet is lost they still have the ships generating economic value. The shipyard is another problem unless the 'Hive ship' has one.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

o$@fIsLL8..=c#0x Z:Poo*7][ 9Iud7Ts{22;O *

*Translation: I am a spelling anarchist!

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

If you can get the computer to consistantly build carriers and stock them, tell me how, I want an AI for the carrier battles mod daggnabit!

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Ya that is a draw back to the mod... the AI isn't there yet. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

So get on it atrocities!

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

I am kicking it around.... I just want to be sure that I have all the good ideas before I go forth with this one.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

That sounds like it's going to be a fun mod. Are they going to be an organic / psychic race?

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Nice idea, but I have a thought for you.

Swarm / Hive races would need colonies. Why? Life cannot evolve in space itself, well, at least not very likely. A swarm structure is also very difficult to come up with without a good ecosystem. So instead, why not have them go around colonizing every single planet they see? Swarms like to spread. Infest. Whatever you wanna call it.

My slightly buggy 2 cents.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Yes, indeed.

And you could give those huge hive-ships an construction capability. So that they can construct an colony probe....(100kt ship with only possible component = colony component and 1 movement point to colonize) Let that ship be cheap so that it can be build in one turn.

So the hive ship only has to move from planet to planet and leave an colony probe on every planet and offcourse 1m population. Make some insectoid like shipset and race picture for them and I think it will be perfect (had those ideas for a while : insectoid trait)

Inti,

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Thats not a bad idea. However to do this I would have to make all the technology related to racial traits. That would mean a lot of copy's in the components file..... ohhhh the work in volved in that.

Re: Swarm Race Idea
 

Note that the original poster did not intend to use a mod, so specific components will not work for him. Colonising everything is still valid though, but it is mandatory for any kind of Empire, Nomads/Pirates and barmy isolationists excepted. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif