Space Monsters!!!

Andr�s · #1 January 27th, 2002, 09:42 PM

You would be able to attack a visible ship above the planet and that would make it show in combat.

Would a dragon be apropiate to speak for a space amoeba?
That's the portrait I was planning to use for the dragon shipset. I was including just as a preview.
If I ever finish it will be a little confusing to have an empire with the same portrait of monsters wouldn't it? If you find the pic is apropiate use anyway. I'll worry when I finish that shipset.
Any idea for a flag?

Suicide Junkie · #2 January 27th, 2002, 10:54 PM

quote:
You would be able to attack a visible ship above the planet and that would make it show in combat.

Except that it is an entire-sector cloak. Anything in orbit will also be invisible and non-attackable.

Rollo · #3 January 28th, 2002, 10:59 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Andr�s Lescano:
... Would a dragon be apropiate to speak for a space amoeba?
That's the portrait I was planning to use for the dragon shipset. I was including just as a preview.
If I ever finish it will be a little confusing to have an empire with the same portrait of monsters wouldn't it? If you find the pic is apropiate use anyway. I'll worry when I finish that shipset.
Any idea for a flag?

Oh, I see. Well, if that is the picture for the dragon shipset, it should stay that way. I'll find something else (or maybe somebody could do something ..hint...hint

). I haven't really given much thought what picture and flag would be good. Top prioriety for me right now is making it work.

Rollo

dogscoff · #4 January 29th, 2002, 02:54 AM

Rollo - I might have a dragon pic for you, if I can just find it. I drew a cool lizard years ago and it's now stashed away on my Amiga (which is currently mothballed), but maybe some of my friends would have a copy of it somewhere. I'll mail them and find out.

I have an idea for a cool space monster pic as well. I just hope it looks as good on screen as it does in my head. I'll try to pixel it this week, at least in outline.

Also, I'm not up to date with this thread, so this might have been suggested already, but how's this for a space monster idea:

A warp point monster - you give it warp open / close abilities and let it roam around the galaxy. It wouldn't even have to be aggressive, it could just wander about altering the map at random, making the game a little more interesting for human players.

Or, you could make it invisible (impenetrable cloak) and pretend the warp points opening all over the place are random events=-)

Of course you'd have to be careful the wp tech didn't fall into human hands but I have a feeling you've already discussed that kind of thing on this thread.

Not sure how you'd persuade the monster to actually use the wp components, but imagine how cool it would be if you could get it working...

dogscoff · #5 January 28th, 2002, 03:22 PM

OK, i've just read the Last 3 pages...

quote:

The way I currently envision the monsters is not a swarm, but few huge beasts that operate mostly alone.

This is what I had in mind for the monster in my previous thread. The only thing that worries me is intel - how do you prevent another player stealing a monster through crew insurrection - you could give the monster tech some outrageous intel facilities for counter intel, but could you then prevent them from using offensive intel?

Actually, you probably could, couldn't you, if you denied them the normal tech trees. You could also make special "monster intel":

"Sire, Giant Space Lobsters have stolen 40000 Organics from our storage facilities."

Rollo · #6 January 28th, 2002, 03:57 PM

Hey Dogscoff,
WP monster: yeah, that would be cool if it worked, but I have my doubts. Unfortunately there is no minister for "wandering about aimlessly"

. As I said earlier, the monsters will behave like a "normal" AI. That's one of the major restrictions with doing monsters with this workaround.

Intel: I have already taken care of this with a similar method as you described (high intel production and only defensive intel). The planet cannot ever be taken by humans, so the monster facilities can have truly insane power.

Rollo

Growltigga · #7 January 28th, 2002, 04:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dogscoff:
"Sire, Giant Space Lobsters have stolen 40000 Organics from our storage facilities."

Cripes, I have this dream too, do you also have the one with the B5 Centauri and the giant broccoli spear tangoing to Westlife?

Seriously, the WP monster is an absolutely super idea. IMHO, monsters should fit into one of three types,

1 the bloodthirsty galactic 'as much mayhem before breakfast as possible' sterotype - eg the swarm thing you experts are discussing as to whether practical or not;

2 the "dangerous if you get near them but otherwise just hanging out in the far reaches of the galaxy type" eg most of the monsters they meet in Startrek; and

3 the mysterious 'never come across them but golly you know they are there' types just like your WP beast, unstoppable, not directly dangerous, elusive but capable of some game turning things, eg new warp point right into your home system etc

now, modding the AI? I leave to you experts