New features I would like to see>>>>

[zircher]

Previously mentioned ground war would be nice, but when you start factoring in orbital bombardment and other concepts, it can get rather hairy. "Nuke 'em from orbit" seems to be SOP.
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TAZ


[This message has been edited by zircher (edited 20 November 2001).]

[HEMAN]

BY THE POWER OF GREY SKULL!!!. I would like?,& be very scared of
(1) Star trek machine planet eater, whind it up and watch it go, chumping only enemy planets of course, wha hahahah.
(2) A energy zapper weapon that can stop ship movement & gun fire in (very short)combat turns.
(3)Mine launchers, NARN INDUSTRIES,babylon 5, a mine projectile when launched at target blows up at a wide range area. 2,4,6,square range?. I HAVE THE POOOWWWEEERRR???. What do you guys think?.

[Mark Walton]

Area effect weapons sound good in theory, but until we get better control over fleet formations, and AI combat, they would be a real risk.

Other ideas;

More interesting Warp Points
Allow auto-generation of one-way WP, or cloaked WP. I like the idea (which seemed to be thought of but not implemented) of periodic warp points, which open, close, open, close, some randomly and some on fixed periods.

WP PERIODIC
(Warp Point opens and closes at various times)
1: Time till WP closes
2: Time till WP opens

WP PERIODIC RANDOM
(Warp Point opens and closes at random times)
1: Minimum time between changes
2: Maximum time between changes

WP CLOAKED
(One or both ends of Warp Point are cloaked and require sensors to be present to use. Origin is system generating WP; ie system whose "wp style" was used)
1: Origin cloak level
2: Destination cloak level

Different WP sizes... small WP only allows smaller ships through.


WP NARROW
(WP will cause damage to vessels above a certain size, due to narrow warp conduit)
1: Maximum safe size in kT
2: Damage per multiple of safe size




[This message has been edited by Mark Walton (edited 20 November 2001).]

[mac5732]

In regards to ground combat, it would depend on how carried away you want to get. Like it is currently but with AI using invasions, or maybe something similiar to Star General, there you could have say 5 ground turns to 1 space turn, therefore you would get your bombardment from space and your ground fighting, But the bottom line is, we do need some ground fighting/invasions by the AI races(all)and not just in the mods but in the original game as well.

just some ideas mac

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

---

WP CLOAKED
(One or both ends of Warp Point are cloaked and require sensors to
be present to use. Origin is system generating WP; ie system whose
"wp style" was used)
1: Origin cloak level
2: Destination cloak level

---

Note that what you see as a warppoint in the game is really two warppoints. The "origin" or entrance is visible, you fly to it and say "warp". At that point, the WP teleports you to wherever it feels like. Normally, every warppoint has a second warppoint from its destination leading back. You don't need, and can't use #2. Everything else is good.

[Mark Walton]

But aha, when you are generating WP automtically using the "Generate Map Now" within game, then only one "WP Stellar Abil Type" is used to generate each WP pair.

So we would need two abilities... the one I suggested for the StellarAbilityTypes file, which converts to a cloaking level for each WP (either end)


Also let me add:

WP SLOW
(Ships will emerge from Warp after a certain length of time)
1: WP minimum delay in turns
2: WP maximum delay in turns

On a semi-related note; add a "Warp Capable" ability.

WARP CAPABLE
(Vessel is capable of travelling through warp points. All vessels in group must have this ability in order to warp)
1: unused
2: unused

This may not be plausible due to the way fighters (for instance) are grouped ... but if it could work it would mean we could make sublight ships (perhaps cheaper or with smaller engines), or even in some mods insist that Warp Capable is only permitted on unstable Warp Core type devices.
As well as allowing sublight patrol/defence ships, this may allow warp capable fighters.

Just for fun, the Warp Capable could carry a value; then all warp points could carry a "slow" value, subtract the "Warp Capable" value from the slowness to determine actual speed...


[This message has been edited by Mark Walton (edited 21 November 2001).]

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

---

when you are generating WP automtically using the "Generate Map Now" within game, then only one "WP Stellar Abil Type" is used to generate each WP pair.
So we would need two abilities... the one I suggested for the StellarAbilityTypes file, which converts to a cloaking level for each WP (either end)

---

Are you sure? The two warppoints are totally separate entities, and SE4's mag generator might just happen to choose the same type (eg:"Normal Warp Point") by default.

I wonder how SE4 decides which warppoint is the "other entrance" when closing warppoints that go to nexus sectors ... It's not very obvious, especially when using the map editor to create them.

[Mark Walton]

I have been playing around a bit, I'll experiemnt some more though. I have been using other (custom) StellarAbilityTypes and though I can't swear to it, yet, it looks like one system decides to make a WP, and pokes it through into the next, using it's own choice from StellarAbilityTypes to determine wormhole properties. But, I think this may warrant further investigation, so when I get time I'll set up some test data and generate a load of maps.

[Q]

All good ideas.
But for me absolutely the top priority are the drones.
One year after the release of SE IV you see drones in so many files of the game and still they are not available. That's a little frustrating.

[bearclaw]

A minor idea but I good one, I think. In multi-player games, when one player makes a demand/request to another, there is nothing saying what that request was unless it is in the text of the message. There is the option to send a message back saying "accept demand/request", but nothing happens unless you set up the gift or tribute yourself. I'd like to see demand/requests done the same as gifts and trades. With a button on the side that will show you the requested items and sending a message back "accept demand/request" would fullfill the request same as a trade.

Nick (bearclaw)

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"You don't know the Power of the Dark Side. I must obey my Master"