Ship size vs. weapons
 

Wouldn't be nice to have different levels of improvement for each ship size.

Let me explain, you research from escort I to dreadnought I ,then go to the next ship level escort II to dreadnought II , and so forth.

Each level of ship development will improve the ship's basic structure allowing the ship to carry heavier armour, improved weapons, improved sensors, shields, etc.

This way there will not always be a tendency that bigger is better. The reasearch of the components and ships go hand in hand in most cases. You never see later in the game a new race come along suprise you with their technology and blow your dreadnought off the map with a much smaller ship.

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

I like that idea!
Wouldn't it be a shock to see your BC destroyed by a frigate http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

i like that alot. what would probably be more effective and achieve the same thing though, is if we could research different types of mounts, instead of having all available. that way you could have an escort mount that would reduce mass of components by 25% or something. which would be rather slick with that 50% defensive bonus. im not sure you can have mounts be technology dependant though.

however, with entire new hull sizes you could do something like, allow more engines on a hull. maybe you could make a super basehip hull, tripple the number of engines and double the engines required per move. it could go ***3*** spaces, not including bonus move points.

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

Another great idea puke.
You may go for developing a big level 4 ship with level 1 weapons and I may go for the opposite. Think of the combinations. You would really have to adapt your strategy and tactics throughout the game!
I also like the idea of more prerequisite technologies being needed for some of the more powerful weapons/ships. Give me a reason to research Menson BLasters!

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

I love that idea man!! Email that to Aaron, he can probably figure out the best balance for improved hull types.

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

Concur .. like idea, was attempting similar approach but went via materials/construction route, i.e discovered new materials that allowed you to build new Versions of the ships with better specs. only thing didn't finish was AI usage mod'ng and new weapons wanted to bring in. ofcourse had to add in the large classes also, deathstar, assault wedge, battle stars, and planetoid sized ships and bases. did all this cause i hated running out of things to research. still haven't got it all working right (nor all the graphics done either) though in terms of play balance, weeks away from that if work allows. just a way to fill the void with more garbage ..

jsnider

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

An interesting idea. I often agree that its too easy to get to dreadnought tech. However, you can build these ships, but the weapons that go into them need to be updated as well. So even though you can build the dreaded DN, the weapons it cares are weak until researched out.

------------------
"We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats! They invade our space and we fall back -- they assimilate entire worlds and we fall back! Not again! The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!" -- Patric Stewart as Captain Picard
UCP/TCO Ship Yards

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

I'd LOVE to see an escort wipe the floor with a dreadnaught... sigh, one day...

------------------
Assume you have a 1kg squirrel
E=mc^2
E=1kg(3x10^8m/s)^2=9x10^16J
which, if I'm not mistaken, is equivilent to roughly a 50 megaton nuclear bomb.
Fear the squirrel.

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spoo:
I'd LOVE to see an escort wipe the floor with a dreadnaught... sigh, one day...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

give your race max defensive bonuses, throw on some ecm3 and a piece of stealth armor. nothing will hit that escort. sure one of them might not take out a dreadnaught, but if you can produce 10 in the time it takes the enemy to produce a dread, your escorts will take 'em out.

Re: Ship size vs. weapons
 

Or do what I did in my mod:
Reduce the targeting of larger mounts by -10 for each level and reduce combat sensors and ECM to 15/30/45. This way, the evasive capacities of smaller ships become much more valuable. The big, bad ships can still be used for the purpose for which they were used in WW1, WW2 and maybe even the Gulf War: to attack heavily fortified, but imobile positions (starbases, planets) and other big bad ships. However, they would have a harder time hitting small agile ships. The mod is quite realistic, balanced and leads to some interesting "Shark against Piranha" battles...