S. J. Question/suggestion regarding QNP...

geoschmo · #1 September 18th, 2002, 08:22 PM

[quote]Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

Quote:

As to the first point, about how slow the ships are.
Firstly, the example I posted on the forum used an extremely slow scale. I chose the example numbers just to make the math easier, and to highlight the effect of the Hybrid scale "steps"

In P&N, I have escorts require 1 Ion engine to move 1 speed (10kt).
With max engines, these things fly at a speed of 12.
As technology improves, the quantum engines will drive that same escort at a blistering pace of 24.
The light cruisers can go slightly faster, since the C&C takes up a relatively smaller fraction of the space.
The only time the ships start slowing down is when you try to make them haul heavy equipment around

Actually my suggestion in the email wasn't abou tthe speed. I did have a question abou tthat in the other thread we had going, but I figured that part out myself. My suggestion was for reducing the number of engines while keeping the same speed. What do you think about idea?

Geoschmo

Rainstorm · #2 September 18th, 2002, 08:33 PM

Suicide Junkie, to follow up on my PM, I started another game and experienced the same problem. I switched to the problem race and noticed a few things:

1) I got some error in the AI file about values for Drone Attack on my first turn.

2) They can't research because they do not have the tech to build research centers, and have none on their starting homeworlds

3) They have Frigate tech, and a bunch of ship designs, but no space yard on their home planet and no option to build one from the list.

Any clue what is going on here?

Suicide Junkie · #3 September 18th, 2002, 08:38 PM

Making fewer engines move ships at the same speed would push that 24-MP escort well beyond the 30-MP barrier in simultaneous games. There would be a wall beyond which adding more engines only improves your combat speed (from 15 to 20 or higher) and your interplanetary speed would be stuck at 30.

As for making a larger standard engine (more powerful, but fewer fit on a ship, so it balances out), that could be done, but it would require reworking the AIs.

geoschmo · #4 September 19th, 2002, 01:08 AM

Yeah, my math was off. I see now that my idea would result in greater speed at max engines.

Since engine structure is already 20Kt, you could double the size of the engines without changing any of the other factors correct? That would have the effect I was looking for, cutting the number of engines in half on those designs, without affecting each engines individual resistance to engine killing weapons.

Of course as you said all the AI would have to be rewoked for that. Or would they? Don't the AI designs all call for a certain number of movement points? Or do they actually call for a spefic numebr of engine components. I am not familier with that particular AI file.

Geoschmo

Suicide Junkie · #5 September 19th, 2002, 02:59 PM

They do one of three things at various times during the design process.

1) Add X # of engines
2) Add engines until there are Y movement points produced
3) Add one engine for every Z Kt of space on the ship.

The first two relate to "minimum speed" and "desired speed", but I'm not sure which matches up with which anymore. At a guess, I think it was desired speed -> Y movement points.

President_Elect_Shang · #6 September 19th, 2002, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slick:
The other day at the office, I received a piece of mail (the kind with an envelope) containing a PRINTED E-MAIL.

I had to sit down to catch my breath.

Slick.

Right, and a pink elephant followed you home.

DirectorTsaarx · #7 September 19th, 2002, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rainstorm:
Suicide Junkie, to follow up on my PM, I started another game and experienced the same problem. I switched to the problem race and noticed a few things:

1) I got some error in the AI file about values for Drone Attack on my first turn.

2) They can't research because they do not have the tech to build research centers, and have none on their starting homeworlds

3) They have Frigate tech, and a bunch of ship designs, but no space yard on their home planet and no option to build one from the list.

Any clue what is going on here?

I don't know the answer to #1; but, judging from info in other Posts about P&N here on the forum, the answer to questions 2 & 3 is that you didn't give the AI the "normal" racial trait. Each race needs to be set for either "normal", "pirate" or "nomad".