*** Star Trek Mod Discussion ***

[mottlee]

KOOOL! looking foward to it (I like all types)

[Captain Kwok]

I ended up changing the warp core reactor from what was discussed earlier in the thread.

I had hoped to make it store supplies and provide bonus movement which is easy enough. Here is the problem though: If I give the bonus movement abilities to the reactor than it will surely reduce the number of engine levels and that might make research boring.

This is what I have done to remedy this:

There are now 5 levels of reactors providing 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500 and 5000 supplies and requiring Anti-Matter Harnessing I-V. There are now ten tech levels of propulsion for Nascelle Engines.

Engine-Standard-Bonus
I-1-1 Require Propulsion I + a.m. I
II-1-1 Require Propulsion II + a.m. I
III-1-2 Require Propulsion III + a.m. II
IV-1-2 Require Propulsion IV + a.m. II
V-1-3 Require Propulsion V + a.m. III
VI-1-3 Require Propulsion VI + a.m. III
VII-1-4 Require Propulsion VII + a.m. IV
VIII-1-4 Require Propulsion VIII + a.m. IV
IX-1-5 Require Propulsion IX + a.m. V
X-1-5 Require Propulsion X + a.m. V

I tied in Anti-Matter research to the propulsion -so in essence better engines need a better power system.

I think this works good. I tried to give the two components a value equivalent to the cost of 6 engines which would occupy the same space as the reactor and nascelle engines. Once playtesting begins then this value can be adjusted.

That's all for now.

[ June 03, 2002, 03:55: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

[Suicide Junkie]

One reason why I do not want to get too complicated with propulsion requiring lots of different components is for programming the AI - I want the AI to be the best it can be and make the TNG Mod fun to play solo as well as multiplayer.

I fail to see how the system was complicated!

Ship between 1 and 250 KT:
Add one engine
Ship between 251 and 700 KT:
Add two engines
Ship between 701 and 900 KT:
Add three engines.
Ship between 901 and 1500 KT:
Add four engines.

The AI files are set up perfectly for that sort of thing.

*sigh*

Oh well.

[Suicide Junkie]

All the same things apply to the Full-nacelle system.

The only difference really, is that the speed is dependant on your reactor, and not your nacelle configuration.
You just need enough nacelle(s) to enclose your entire ship in the warp field, and then you throw bigger and bigger reactors into the ship to go faster.

The reactor would provide a lot of secondary abilities too, any of which could be used to make AI choices for less-than-maximum speed ships. If you like.

[Captain Kwok]

SJ...

It would work fine and the AI could easily be programmed to handle it except for the problem I mentioned earlier (the post 3 down from this one). I think that system works the best for both the AI and human players. It makes good sense too. The reactor uses the Anti-Matter (supplies) that provide the fictional "power" to the engines that actually move the ship. It also makes sense that better engines (more movement) require better reactors to go faster. However, I would like to add some kind of second ability to the reactor, got any ideas aside from movement?

Edit:

If you have the "nascelle engines" just called "nascelles" and make them larger you also run into the problem of having, say, 4 on a ship that clearly has maybe 2 nascelles in the pretty picture. Calling them "nascelle engines" implies they are ambigious engines hidden within the nascelle that move the ship, so it doesn't matter how many there are...

[ June 03, 2002, 22:12: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

[Suicide Junkie]

This?

If I give the bonus movement abilities to the reactor than it will surely reduce the number of engine levels and that might make research boring.

All of those tech levels will be part of reactor research!
You don't lose any, they just give you reactors instead of engines.

[Captain Kwok]

But SJ...

*sigh*

Do you mean a single area of research that gives you engines and reactors? I don't know...but that's kind of a "supertech" area. Plus it doesn't make much sense to have the reactor do movement...it doesn't...it just provides "power" to the engines that do the moving.

It makes more sense to have them independent of each other as a research area but also have it so they are tied together in pratical use and should be researched concurrently...ie...better engines need better reactors...it makes perfect sense...and is more flexible than the other proposed system. I think it's the best thing since there is no true warp ability.

[Captain Kwok]

SJ:

What I was referring to was avoiding having comps that provide the same kind of movement - this would give trouble for the AI at choosing the intended components.

Now though it should be easy:

AI should only has "Nascelle Engine" for standard movement.
Have condition for 10kT for ability "Supply Storage" for Warp Core.
Have condition for 10kT for ability "Combat Movement" for Impulse Eninge.

However...I choose to make "Nascelle Engines" at 10kT with a standard movement of 1 with varying bonuses depending on the tech level. That means a ship with 5 will move 6 at the beginning of the game and 10 at the max tech. Remember larger ships will require more engines to move. Now if we were to make them bigger (say 20kt) and give them a standard movement of 2 but then it will decrease flexibility in speed - you would either have commit 40kT or 60kT and with the 10kT of warp core that is 70kT. With smaller engines you can set up a wider range of ship speeds and that is why I choose to make 10kT comps.

[Captain Kwok]

Ok.

I haven't had much time during this week to work on the Mod as I have started a new job. However, during the weekend I should be able to much more work. I hope to have most of the common components done shortly. Perhaps if someone wants to volunteer to work on some of the data just send me an e-mail and I let you know what you can do to help.

There is still a shortfall in techs for the races...please continue to suggest ideas...even if they are not pure Trek Canon...

I most likely won't update the TNG website until Saturday but it should have lots of new information when I do.

Thanks for all the ideas so far. Please continue to send more!

[Suicide Junkie]

Do you mean a single area of research that gives you engines and reactors? I don't know...but that's kind of a "supertech" area. Plus it doesn't make much sense to have the reactor do movement...it doesn't...it just provides "power" to the engines that do the moving.

Its the wheels on your car versus the combustion engine under your hood. Once you have four wheels, all you need to go faster is a bigger engine. As long as your chassis is not scraping the ground, more (horse)power = faster speed.

It makes more sense to have them independent of each other as a research area but also have it so they are tied together in pratical use and should be researched concurrently...ie...better engines need better reactors...it makes perfect sense...and is more flexible than the other proposed system. I think it's the best thing since there is no true warp ability.

Of course. Matrix tech areas.
-Research into containment fields and construction materials lightens the reactor.
-Research into High Energy Physics improves the max speed (power output).
-Research into antimatter manipulation makes the reactor harder to destroy.
-Research into mass production / manufacturing techniques reduces cost.
- anything else you can think of.