docking escorts

[jc173]

I was looking at trying this out by making a larger fighter hull that was limited in speed on the strategic map, but with a high combat speed. The custom component group ability isn't implemented yet is it? I'm asking because I came up with one possible problem, if I want to design a battle rider/fast attack craft/system defense boat or whatever how do I keep from using components like fighter cockpits and fighter engines? I envisioned making them use five ton engines, but I think if I added the hull size the AI would just make them use fighter sized engines, ECM, combat sensors etc.

[jc173]

Ok I've been toying around with making dockable 80-150 ton fast attack craft/battle riders. I think this is doable at the present but only for human players. It could be workable for the AI if the custom group ability is turned on. Then you could design medium sized components for them. I'm currently letting them just use fighter sized components for cockpits and life support, but have bumped up the number of life supports needed.

I've done them as fighter so far because I don't think they should be able to make warp point jumps without a carrier/tender.

Problems so far:
They can be targeted by PD weapons, I guess this is somewhat balanced out by not needing repairs.

They don't require maintenance, but they also cannot be upgraded so I guess its a trade off.

Weapons, I've continued to let them use the fighter sized weapons to represent secondary batteries or light back up weapons. I'm modding/copying some of the regular ship weapons so they can use them also. The problem with this is that so far they are extremely deadly if there is a stack of battleriders. I'm thinking of making some sort of medium sized beam weapons for them as a compromise. I'm also modding some of the regular missile weapons to make smaller one shot variations like the rocket pods used by the fighters.

It's going to be probably a week or so before I can finish this off, but would anyone be interested in testing out to see how well this works?

[Trachmyr]

To solve the speed problem, make thier Engines per move 3-5, and their max engines = to (Engines per move x Max speed wanted for Ion engines), just make sure in the AI_Design_creation.txt that fighters hull size is limited so they won't use the new bigger design, and a new "fighter" entry is added with the appropriate sizes and movement requirements (FYI Desired Speed/Max Speed does NOT refer to actual speed, but instead to the number of engines to use. And total movement point can't go over 255 or you get a range check error).

To solve the lifesupport/cockpit problem do this: For your new design set requirement for bridge and lifesupport to 0, or at least the cockpit. Add a requirement of 1 crew quarters. Add a new componet that in it's description says it's the command center/short-term crew quarters/lifesupport for these new smaller vessels... make it 5 tons or whatever, and give it the abilities of a crew quarters. Problem solved (you can still use lifesupport if you want, say require 2 or 3 of the 1 ton componets).

[This message has been edited by Trachmyr (edited 06 May 2001).]

[jc173]

quote:

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Originally posted by Trachmyr:
To solve the speed problem, make thier Engines per move 3-5, and their max engines = to (Engines per move x Max speed wanted for Ion engines), just make sure in the AI_Design_creation.txt that fighters hull size is limited so they won't use the new bigger design, and a new "fighter" entry is added with the appropriate sizes and movement requirements (FYI Desired Speed/Max Speed does NOT refer to actual speed, but instead to the number of engines to use. And total movement point can't go over 255 or you get a range check error).

To solve the lifesupport/cockpit problem do this: For your new design set requirement for bridge and lifesupport to 0, or at least the cockpit. Add a requirement of 1 crew quarters. Add a new componet that in it's description says it's the command center/short-term crew quarters/lifesupport for these new smaller vessels... make it 5 tons or whatever, and give it the abilities of a crew quarters. Problem solved (you can still use lifesupport if you want, say require 2 or 3 of the 1 ton componets).

[This message has been edited by Trachmyr (edited 06 May 2001).]

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Wow very good. I'll add in those changes.