| Author |
Debris fields, derelict ships and escape pods. |
Bad_Skeelz
Cadet
Joined: October 18, 2002
Posts: 359
From: The Lobby
|  Posted: 2003-10-10 14:05
I was sitting around last night thinking (curse the only internet-capable computer being packed in a box) back to that 6-years-in-development, OK grpahics, werid cut-off level shooting-gallery-in-space game called Freelancer. One of the things I thought was cool in that game (besides the monkey people) was the numerous debris fields you could fly around in and salvage parts from. One of these fields was the remains of a space battle, so all the ships were half-destroyed crusiers and fighters or whatnot. Well then I got to thinking back to the DS fiction and how theres been at least one huge battle (Battle of Luyten) in the official fiction, probably more to come. So after a little more thinking I'd like to propose this idea:
-Debris Fields: These would be areas in space where a major battle has occured (not player-started battle but a battle thats from the fiction i.e. Luyten). There would be numerous half-destroyed vessels of various classes drifting in space. These could cause impact damage if someone crashes into one and they can also block weapons fire. This would make fighitng a battle within the field somewhat hazardous. They could drop items for sale but then people will farm the fields so I'm somewhat against this, since the main purpose of the field would be primarily for atmosphere.
So I was sittin back looking at this proposal and thinking "Well shoot, if we can have large areas full of abandonded or damaged ships, why can't we have single abandonded or damaged ships floating at random through space?" So of course the following idea popped into my head:
-Derelict ships: If a ship was abandoned in deep space or after a battle, its not going to rust and decay like a ship abandoned in water will, it'll stay there indefinatly. They would act similarly to debris fields, except tehy can be destroyed to gain items from them. To counter this, they would be randomly spaced and since they have no components running to project a signature they would have a very low Sig count, making them harder to find.
Then I remembered an idea I think DOM and several others proposed a while back: interchangeable crews. I think the gist of the idea was that if you took out a stock ship with a stock crew (i.e. cadets straight from the academy) the ship's response time would be off somehwat since the crew isn't as expirienced at handling the craft. As time goes on the crew gets better, response times improve, and some other good things happen. If this was implemented veteran crews would be a very valuable asset, especially if they were substantionaly better than their newbie counterparts. You would want to preserve your crew, since a new ship can always be purchased but good crewmen aren't as expendable. To assist in preserving crewmen I propose:
-Escape Pods™! Inspired by the new Drop Pods™ coming in version 1.481, these new mini-craft would substantionally improve a crews chance of survival in the case of ship destruction. Say your at 20% hull, the siphon is bearing down on you and you and your veteran crew have no chance of escape. By hitting control+A twice you begin a countdown to evacuation (10-15s should be adequet givin current hull values). Once the countdown reaches 0 a pod would exit from the ship and would do 1 of 2 things:
1) If there is no interdictor field present, the pod immediatly engages a minature-tachyon drive. This drive would have around 500fuel but due to it's small size it would still propel it a good distance away from the fighting.
2) If a dictor field is present, the pod would use it's single IE drive to accelerate to a respectable speed. I'm thinking 32gu but that may be way to fast. Once it is free of the dictor field, it will engage the J-drive.
The JD on these pods cannot be recharged. Also, to avoid the AI-scripting hassles we can just make the pod player controlled. Also the Pod should include a CL300 for PD.
So, there are my 3 ideas for DS. Sorry if I inadvertanly stole one from someone, the escape pod idea especially.
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[ This Message was edited by: Bad_Skeelz on 2003-10-10 14:06 ]
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I didn't say they were lobsters, I said they reminded me of lobsters.
-Excerpt from Vice Admiral Skeelz's court-martial regarding the malignant boiling and eating of K'luth prisoners of war.
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Sandals
Fleet Admiral
Agents
Joined: January 21, 2002
Posts: 2001
From: Redmond,WA,USA
| Posted: 2003-10-12 01:27
No, people are coming up with escape pods and stuff all the time, but it's always nice to see fresh takes on it 
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[edit - fixed a smiley problem... - Shig]
[ This Message was edited by: Shigernafy on 2003-10-12 02:56 ]
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Strom"DaBum"Moon
Cadet
ExtraTerrestrial Space Bums
Joined: September 29, 2002
Posts: 419
From: 29.740456 X -095.500764
| Posted: 2003-10-15 02:08
I like the Idea of crew and escape pod system.
How ever it shoul not have any active defence's. It's ment to escape not lite it's self up like a christmas tree. So stealth is the better way to go due to small size. If the troop drop model is used for it it has all the engine it needs and hull points. Have it run for the nearst planet inside of three hunderd gu or jump. Make it untargetable at one hundred and fifty GU. A chance to keep your crew or a chance to lose it.
Also a full jump engine is not a good idea either. Perhaps an auto system thats points the nose as far form any hostile as possable. Then trigers a one shot three second jump. It would get you out of harm way and too ship selection crew intact.
Anyway it's late , Cya
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Be ever vigilent in the dark of the void for we dance death in the path's without light
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