.com.unity Forums - Phoenix MOD ideas open for review

Had a few ideas for the mod I'm working on; I'm nowhere near to
coding for these yet, but my offline ideas-file is growing
steadily. The current working name is "Phoenix MOD" but I'm open
to suggestions (especially if the name is already taken http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif ).

What I'd like is, advice from folks about what they like or
dislike, and why of course; pointers from experienced MODders about
what looks like I couldn't manage with a mod, and so on.

So, in no particular order:
<blockquote>code:<hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Ship hulls (basic information)

|Name |Short|Size|ECM|+S|E/Move|#E Max|Max|New? |
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Escort | ES | 100|+60|+2| 0.5 | 8 |18 |no |
|Frigate | FF | 200|+45|+0| 0.5 | 8 |16 |no |
|Destroyer | DD | 400|+30|+2| 1 | 8 |10 |no |
|Heavy Destroyer | HD | 600|+15|+0| 1 | 8 | 8 |(LC) |
|Light Cruiser | LC | 800|+00|+1| 2 | 8 | 5 |(CC) |
|Cruiser | CC |1000|-15|+0| 2 | 8 | 4 |(BC) |
|Battlecruiser | BC |1250|-30|+1| 4 | 8 | 3 |(BB) |
|Battleship | BB |1500|-45|+0| 4 | 8 | 2 |(DN) |
|Dreadnaught | DN |2000|-60|+1| 8 | 8 | 2 |(bas)|
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Light Carrier | LV | 400|+30|+3| 1 | 6 | 9 |no |
|Carrier | CV | 800|+00|+2| 2 | 6 | 5 |no |
|Heavy Carrier | HV |1200|-30|+1| 3 | 6 | 3 |no |
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Colony | CO | 300|+15|+0| 1 | 6 | 6 |no |
|Heavy Colony | HO | 600|-30|+0| 2 | 6 | 3 |yes |
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Light Transport | LT | 200|+30|+0| 1 | 6 | 6 |no |
|Medium Transport | MT | 400|+00|+0| 2 | 6 | 3 |no |
|Heavy Transport | HT | 800|-45|+0| 3 | 6 | 2 |no |
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Outpost | OP | 500|+00|+0| n/a | 0 | 0 |yes |
|Station | ST |1000|-45|+0| n/a | 0 | 0 |no |
|Battlestation | BS |2000|-75|+0| n/a | 0 | 0 |no |
|Starbase | SB |3000|-90|+0| n/a | 0 | 0 |no |
--------------------------------------------------------------
|Mega Destroyer | MD | 750|+00|+0| 2 | 16 | 8 |yes |
|Mega Cruiser | MC |1500|-45|+0| 3 | 12 | 4 |yes |
|Super Dreadnaught | SD |2500|-75|+0| 10 | 20 | 2 |yes |
|Super Carrier | SV |2000|-60|+0| 4 | 12 | 3 |yes |
|Mega Transport | MT |1500|-90|+0| 4 | 8 | 2 |yes |
|Super Colony | SO | 800|-45|+0| 3 | 9 | 3 |yes |
|Warbase | WB |4000|-95|+0| n/a | 0 | 0 |yes |
--------------------------------------------------------------</pre><hr /></blockquote>"Max" is the hull's maximum theoretical speed, calculated in the
absence of any other bonus movement points from other sources
(including from engines, i.e. the unmodded Quantum Engine gives +3,
as does the Solar Sail; a Super Dreadnaught with 20 Quantum Engines
and a Solar Sail III would thus have a net strategic speed of 8).

Some ships can have more engines than they will theoretically
have room for in a viable design; this still works, as there will
be the option to install half-sized engines (actually, multiple
ways to do that are being considered).

ECM modifiers are intended to be scalar to size, currently in
steps of +/- 15, but that could be reduced to steps of 10 (thus,
cutting ECM modifiers by one-third of the above values). The
modifiers might also be for both attack AND defense, representing
both relative agility AND "small target" effects. The bonus would
be scaled down to steps of 10 in this case, PERIOD.

The Last bloc of hulls, all listed as new sizes/types/classes,
are intended to be among the benefits of a new advanced
characteristic, "Megascalar Construction" -- folks who specialise
in building it big, bigger, BIGGEST. As an example, such
technology would seem to match the naval doctrine of the Empire in
Star Wars (hmm, a Battle Moon as a Unique-enhanced Megascalar
benefit might be a nice idea ... Death Star, anyone?). The
enhanced number of engines keeps them competitive with the basic
hull types available to everyone else, though outrunning
comparable-displacement non-megascalar vessels will require a LARGE
investment of engine mass.

Transports, unlike the stock Version, will NOT require you to
fill half or more of their volume with cargo components; they're
slower, and easier to hit, than comparable-sized military hulls ...
but if, for deception's sake, you wish to make an armed "Auxiliary
Warship" on a transport hull, akin to Star Fleet Battles' "Q-Ship"
concept ... you can.

Carriers will still need half of their space occupied by Fighter
Launch Bays.

Overall, I'll try and stretch out the process of getting each
hull type, research-wise, to avoid a "run for the big ships"
effect.

Tech Area concepts:

Organic Manipulation: pretty similar to the stock Version,
with an expanded selection of armor and weaponry. Ship and unit
hulls will be inherently self-repairing / combat-regenerative.
Plague-damage seekers (especially for use on planets) is a
distinct possibility.

Psychic: will likely expand the range of sensor-like effects
available to them, a few engines and shields for flavor, and
hopefully better variety in weaponry effects (the TK beam
might give a one-square push effect, for example ...).

Temporal Technology: Main theme will be "fast, faster,
fastest!" ... ship hulls will have (small) inherent movement
bonusses above and beyond those listed for the basic hulls above.
"Get there before you leave" in a sense. Shields and engines
expanded in variety, largely for flavor.

Crystalline: enhanced range of armors (see below for
preliminary ideas); weapons tweaked (shield-drainers that regen the
firing ships shields, is one idea ... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif ). Hulls will include
inherent shield-regenerative properties; that special ability will
only of use once shields are known and included, but ... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Religious: big enhancement here. Most armor types will be
replaced (Glyph armor, Sigil armor, Runic armor, that sort of
thing), lots more religious components than JUST the Talisman.
Various shrines, most or all of those in the stock Version will
remain, others might be added.

Megascalar Construction: bigger ships. Bigger fighters
(Star Fleet Battles-esque "PF" or "Fast Patrol" ships too, think
50kT or so fighters ...). Bigger maintenance costs (lol, 'cause of
the costs of the hulls). Probably bigger space yards (but
everyone's getting them anyway). A Megascale Temporal Ship Yard
should be ungodly fast at building things ... but let's hope you
have the economy to PAY for all that building capacity, eh?

Also, better Ringworld/Sphereworld capabilities. Not sooner,
but, smaller relevant parts, bigger options for the end product,
and so on. If it's big, no really big, no really REALLY big
... these guys are the ones to have building it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Advanced Carriers: better carriers (likely get the same
Carrier hullas the Megascalar guys get), better fighters, better
fighter PARTS, and so on. Minor ability, more to support a chosen
theme than truly make an empire unbeatable.

Advanced Missiles: more and better missiles, a modifier
similar to the Advanced Carriers above. If I can manage it,
shielded missiles ... ? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Microscalar Construction: just a random thought, people who
excel at cramming more into a small space than anyone else would
think possible -- lots of miniaturisation options, lots of multi-
effect "combination" or package-deal items (ECM and combat sensors
in one package? these guys can do it!). Good for folks who
envision a smaller race, perhaps of starfaring gerbils or the like
(EEK! Space Hamsters!).

Some component ideas I've been working on:

<blockquote>code:<hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Organic Armors

Organic Armor I
mass 15kT
hp 30kT
special: regenerate 10hp/turn

Organic Armor II
mass 15kT
hp 45kT
special: regenerate 10hp/turn

Organic Armor III
mass 15kT
hp 60kT
special: regenerate 10hp/turn

Light Chitin I
mass 20kT
hp 60kT
special: regenerate 20hp/turn

Light Chitin II
mass 20kT
hp 80kT
special: regenerate 20hp/turn

Light Chitin III
mass 20kT
hp 100kT
special: regenerate 20hp/turn

Heavy Chitin I
mass 30kT
hp 120kT
special: regenerate 30hp/turn

Heavy Chitin II
mass 30kT
hp 150kT
special: regenerate 30hp/turn

Heavy Chitin III
mass 30kT
hp 180kT
special: regenerate 30hp/turn

Chameleon Skin I
mass 20kT
hp 40kT
special: cloaking level 1
special: +5% ECM
special: onlyone per ship effective for cloak/ECM

Chameleon Skin II
mass 20kT
hp 60kT
special: cloaking level 2
special: +10% ECM
special: only one per ship effective for cloak/ECM

Chameleon Skin III
mass 20kT
hp 80kT
special: cloaking level 3
special: +15% ECM
special: only one per ship effective for cloak/ECM</pre><hr /></blockquote>More options; I picture the Organic armor series retaining the
current image, and if I can manage it, shifting to red or brown for
the Light Chitin series, then to a grey or black for the Heavy
Chitin series. The Chameleon, I hope to be able to use a rainbow-
hued organic armor image.

<blockquote>code:<hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Crystalline Armors

Crystal Armor I
mass 15kT
hp 20kT
special: 2 damage from every hit, per armor component,
are added to current Supplies total
special: adds 50 supplies capacity

Crystal Armor II
mass 15kT
hp 40kT
special: 4 damage from every hit, per armor component,
are added to current Supplies total
special: adds 100 supplies capacity

Crystal Armor III
mass 15kT
hp 60kT
special: 6 damage from every hit, per armor component,
are added to current Supplies total
special: adds 150 supplies capacity

Shard Armor I
mass 20kT
hp 40kT
special: Adds 50 shield strength
special: each hit regenerates shields by 10 points
special: also requires Shields research

Shard Armor II
mass 20kT
hp 60kT
special: Adds 100 shield strength
special: each hit regenerates shields by 20 points
special: also requires Shields research

Shard Armor III
mass 20kT
hp 80kT
special: Adds 150 shield strength
special: each hit regenerates shields by 30 points
special: also requires Shields research

Phased Shard Armor I
mass 50kT
hp 100kT
special: Adds 100 phased shield strength
special: each hit regenerates shields by 20 points
special: also requires Phased Shields research

Phased Shard Armor II
mass 50kT
hp 150kT
special: Adds 200 phased shield strength
special: each hit regenerates shields by 40 points
special: also requires Shields research

Phased Shard Armor III
mass 50kT
hp 200kT
special: Adds 300 phased shield strength
special: each hit regenerates shields by 60 points
special: also requires Shields research</pre><hr /></blockquote>Hopefully, I'm not alone in feelign that requiring an additional
research field offsets the comparatively-high per-kT hitpoint gain
(counting shield points as well) for these armors. The Resupply
effect of the first should prove interesting; it might let
Crystalline ships foray further into enemy territory early on in
the game, since attacks on them would only re-energise their own
weaponry ... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

<blockquote>code:<hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Space Yards, Ringworlds, and Sphere worlds

Temporal Space Yard I, II, and III
mass 400kT
special: builds at 150% the rate for default Space Yards,
extending the temporal=tech build rate advantage into
space.

Space Dock I, II, and III
mass: 2,000kT
special: builds at a rate analogous to planetary facilities
of similar rating.

Temporal Space Yard I, II, III
mass: 2,000kT
special: builds at rate of planetary Temporal Space Yards

the Space Docks might be limited to Megascalar races, I'm not sure yet ...

Megascalar Ringworld Core
mass: 1,000kT
special: builds Ringworlds.
6,000kT each of cable and plate components will build a (100
spaces) Ringworld - the default size for other races, who
cannot build bigger Ringworlds.
12,000kT each of cable and plate components build a (150
spaces) Large Ringworld.
18,000kT each of cable and plate components build a (200
spaces) Mega Ringworld.

Megascalar Sphereworld Core
mass: 1,000kT
special: builds Ringworlds.
20,000kT each of cable and plate components will build a (200
spaces) Sphereworld - the default size for other races, who
cannot build bigger Sphereworlds.
40,000kT each of cable and plate components build a (300
spaces) Large Sphereworld.
60,000kT each of cable and plate components build a (400
spaces) Mega Sphereworld.</pre><hr /></blockquote>...

That's all I have actual notes of (well, in presentable form
anyway, heh) component-wise. I would dearly love folk's thoughts
on them; I'm going to have to figure out a way to get the Gold
Version sooner than later, I'm itching to start actually
doing this, testing out various component ideas ...

OH. One more thing: Again, if anyone has suggestions for a name
for the mod ... so far I'm thinking Phoenix, mainly because I
happen to like the sound of the word, and the image of the fiery
bird itself. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

(EDIT: sorry, I've tried everything to get the line-lengths back under control ... can't figure out what's wrong ... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif if this Last try doesn't work I don't know what ele to attempt)

(EDIT again: one Last try, lots of extra carriage-returns inserted ... *sigh* ...)

(EDIT yet again: EUREKA! Found the problems and fixed 'em ...)

[ July 14, 2002, 04:13: Message edited by: Pax ]