SFTC

[Kana]

The whole thing on progression thing is only important, if you want to be able to sort the components by what is 'obsolete'. In SEIV, you could view obsolete weapons and then place them on a ship either to gift older tech to someone, or maybe some form of cheaper alternative, and many other strategies. The problem with the whole 'level' progression of components, there is no way to regress back to a lower level of a component, if you wanted to. So if you have a level 10 backscratcher, you can't go back and produce a level 1 backscratcher if you wanted to.

So if you want to go by the 'rulebook', then research will be relatively simple. You have the master Tech Area, which is the Tech Level, starting with the Industrials, and moving up to the High Tech, these open up the individual components and other Tech areas. Since all components only have one level you still have to research that one level to actually put the component into use. When its done you can use it, and it sticks around. If you have Basic Gun, and then get a high enough level to get Gun then you have access to both, because they are seperate areas of research, the Gun is better, and you will probably use it. Basically the looks exactly like what you have done for the SFTC. Now we just need the option to flag a component as obsolete manually, so that we have control what components we can see available to add to the hulls.

So my question is why do you even need levels in the formula? If the individual component doesnt need to get progressively better, or smaller, or cheaper, because a new and better one is high on the TL research track, then I don't see the need.

[President_Elect_Shang]

The progression thing is so I can get this mod out the door and share it. Generational is broken right now. You do have a great point about the backward engineering. The problem with that is the cluttered list of components it would create. It can't be sorted but the newest items will always be on the bottom. It would allow you to build an "older" tech ship to give to someone which is in canon anyway. So are you saying I should not be trying to phase the components out? Leave them in the component list so that you can build old or new tech system at will? You would be able to repair old also like that which the SFTC won't let you do right now. Going this route would be sticking with the Generational system (SE4) style which means I wouldn't need the level statements in the formulas. The level statements would be for a Progressive style only. Oh and as you pointed out with the current SE5 Progressive system you still can't backward engineer a ship. It is the latest tech or nothing at all; isn't it?

Give me the go-ahead and I will remove all the lines that are phasing components out. I think its a great idea!

[Kana]

Well its your mod, I say do what ever you feel best gives you the play you desire. Yes the components list will get cluttered, and it would be a simple enough fix by Aaron to allow us to add a flag to each component similar to the family thing in SEIV, and then be able to sort the component list, and only show the most recent techs, giving us the option to go back and use older components if we wish to.

For the HH mod, I will probably use Progression (levels), and for SFB mod, the route I will go will be more like what I propose for SFTC.

[President_Elect_Shang]

It is my mod but I respect and value your input; which is why I ask. I think I will go that approach. Other than that what is keeping this mod from being shared? Other ideas I would appreciate input on are these changes:

1. Minerals --> MC
2. Radioactives --> CP
3. kT --> HS

[Kana]

The kT change would require you to go through and edit portions of the UI, because they are 'hardcoded' if I remember from something Cpt Kwok said.

I assume CP is crew points? I guess that would be cool, but crew is already tracked in game, we just need to pester Aaron to somehow allow us access to that 'resource'.

I'm ok with the Minerals=Mega Credits as well...Its just a matter of 'feeling it' within the constraints of SEV...

[President_Elect_Shang]

Good points. I am going to start off by removing the phase out portion of components. You will now be able to backward engineer ships for resale, gifting, repairing... whatever.

What about the other part of my question; what is keeping this from being shared? What is breaking the SFTC that I should not put it out as an open Beta?

[Kana]

Other than maybe knowledge of Starfire, and AI, I dont see any reason for you not to release it. I mean I missed the whole small quarters thing, but of course I may not have actually read the whole component entry...