Passive vs. Active Scanners

WillyNilly · #1 June 22nd, 2002, 08:17 PM

I'm having trouble figuring out the difference between the Hyper Optics component and the Tachyon Scanner. They both can see cloaked ships at a lower level, but Hyper Optics are "passive" and Tachyon's are "active."

If anyone can help me out I'd appreciate it.

dumbluck · #2 June 22nd, 2002, 08:20 PM

There are (IIRC) 5 different types of cloaking/sensors. The default game treats them all the same (ie, level 2 in all 5, instead of level 3 in one type and level 1 in the other 4). There are a couple of mods out there that are splitting cloaking up between all 5 types.

CW · #3 June 22nd, 2002, 08:45 PM

Tachyon Scanner is a bit more research-expensive than the rest if I remember correctly, but in the un-modded game they are all the same.

I thought about splitting them in my own mod, but it will make stealthing your ships way too hard given that you need to put in 5 times the research to detection-proof your ship. Did you guys reduce the reserch points and sizes for your stealth devices?

dumbluck · #4 June 23rd, 2002, 09:08 AM

"You guys"???? I'm sure SJ will take offence at that!!!

I didn't have much of anything to do with creating the P&N mod, that was all SJ.

Suicide Junkie · #5 June 23rd, 2002, 06:03 PM

"Did you guys reduce the reserch points and sizes for your stealth devices?"

Well, for P&N in particular, I mainly increased the cost of sensor tech.
The stealth devices are also nearly all built into devices that you would already place on ships...

Cloaking is provided by: stealth & scattering armor, Master computers, tachyon diffUsers and hull size.

Tachyon diffUsers and master computers can be ignored if you're not facing a temporal or psychic race, and the remainder (armor and hullsize) are fairly easy to research.

80KT of stealthing on an escort or frigate is enough to get unbeatable cloaking for most races.
However, A frigate with only 120 KT for C&C, engines and a payload is quite weak.
Anything larger can be detected by a level 3, starbase-mounted grav sensor.

This system still needs to be balanced, of course.

Ed Kolis · #6 June 23rd, 2002, 11:56 PM

Is this the same P&N that we're playing on "P&N on PBW, take 2"? Grav sensors that detect ships based on their mass seems logical, though... gotta put that in my mod! ;-)