@guy, on Mar 27 2006, 08:38 AM, said in Keep your missiles in storage:
Mind if I ask what you're working on?
Sure, but even the short version is long...
The idea was a mini TC that had a relatively small universe, but that is currently about to max out the weapon and outfit resources. Heh.
The plot setting is this:
You are an experienced and decorated fleet captian that has given a lifetime of dedicated service to the Impirum. Now, you have been given the opportunity to embark on a mission of vast importance to civilization as you know it.
A technique to access the past has recently been discovered, and with it some problems. Something is changing. The past is being rewritten. (insert techno-paradoxical plot-device babble here)
A war was won a few generations ago, and with it, the security and future of the Imperium. However, indications have surfaced that history is changeing out from under the present, the war is going to end up differently. Thus, you and your present will vanish. (more improbable techno-babble)
Limitations of the theory dictate three things:
- Only a very small number of windows are availabe to enter this particular locality of past.
- The resulting destination cannot very accurately predictd in both space and time.
- However, extrordinary ammouts of material may be transfered in a single attempt.
These three limitations suggest that a large self-sustaning force is optimal for mission sucess.
However, there is no return trip.
The upshot, is that it has been decided to use your relatively higher technology to send a battle fleet (you) back in time to correct the changes, and turn the tide of the war back to it's proper place. And keep security and future of the Imperium intact.
A way to make contact with the Impirum's past government has been worked out, and your think tanks are sure it will work, and that you will be able to enlist their trust and help.
As the story unfolds, you're character will become acutely aware of the imense power and responsibility he has. And also, the dificulty of the task at hand.
The questions aren't so much as questions of ability to acomplish an objective, but more of should it be done, and where? How should it be done?
Perhaps your experience and observation in the past conflicts with your teachings of history from the Imperium. Perhaps your haven't been told the whole story. Perhaps you will discover that the mission as you knew it, needs to be re-thought. Then again, perhaps not. What will you decide, captain?
Is it better to command a powerful but huge and conspicious arsenal? Or parhaps a smaller, subtler force is called for. But once you get sent back, you no longer have access to your higher technology, you only get what you can take.
Initially, you will have future knowledge in your favor, perhaps with this knowledge you can operate with past technology that is easier to replace and maintain, and that will be less conspicuous. Perhaps a balance can be used. As you make changes, though, you'll find that your database of historical events will become less and less accurate.
Basic technical premise...
Well, I guess this plug is also an expirement in a couple new approachs to Escape Velocity and ship combat operations in general.
First off, the relative ease of space travel is quite different. You don't just strap a gun to a fighter or luxury craft and expect to sail the whole galaxy. It's not that high level of tech yet, and spacecrafts are huge expensive endevors.
Smaller craft such as fighters are present, but aren't going to accomplish much on their own and without a carrier or base to support them. They only have a handfull of missiles and lighter weaponry individualy, but their main limitation is endurance. They have a very limited fuel and ammo supply. (As you'll see below, fuel is even more critical to operate your ship in this universe.)
Also consider, the general trend with weapons, is that if you can see it, you can hit it. If you hit it, you kill it.
It only takes one missile to down a jet fighter. Though, aircraft have been known to survive a missle hit, and a couple modles are known for being able to withstand quite a punishment. But generaly speaking, if it's been hit, it's out of the battle.
Now, I haven't made the universe quite that punishing, but the high leathality of weapons is clearly reflected, and will be an eye-opener to the seasoned EVN vteran.
Historicaly, it's always easier to tear down, than to build up. Offensive tech is easier to develop.
Now, this can be quite a change from most games, and it takes a couple tries to get used to the idea.
(I'm also well aware that if it's too harsh, it just won't be fun, so balance is foremost in my mind. Even so, this damage to armor relationship may not make it to the final build, but it seems like a fresh and interesting variation at the moment. Besides, you can always load up the save if you die horribly.)
To handle this approach, I've changed the pace and scale of combat.
First off, everything is as if seen from further above. Everything is smaller and slower. For example, short range fighter-to-fighter missiles have a range of 400-700 depending on the tech.
Long-range ship-to-ship missiles can reach just beyond the outer edge of your radar, but will take some time to get there.
The only ships likely to travel over a velocity of 135, are fighters. And topping out at 255 (without afterburner) for the fastest fighter, with the best upgrades. And trust me, that seems fast in this universe.
The action seems closer to modern naval combat. As such, the fighters and missiles are finely detailed. A major meeting of forces is likely to exchange missile fire as flights of fighter engagements are won and lost possibly even without seeing the other ships. Perhaps you caught his interceptor screen off-guard and out of ammo, or perhaps you lost an intire wing due to an in-planned strike. (You've also been given the tools to help manage these flights) As your main battle groups continue to lumber ever closer, if there is destined to be a close range engagement, the result will likely be spactular, but also brief, as huge main ship guns come in range and open fire across the void... Did you outmanuever your opponent? Or did he manage to cripple a critical support ship and leave you vulnerable?
A reflex mistake is unlikely to kill you. You will have time to think get your approach right. However, a tactical or strategic blunder will bury you quite quickly. To the point that if you manuever yourself into a poor position, you're reflexes aren't likely to save you.
Did you carelessly wander between two opposing battle groups, not seeing the danger? Did you commit your fighters on the wrong target at the wrong time? Do you expend your limited ordinace knowing you may need it for a different target later?
Half of the battle will be decided before you even get engaged. How well did you plan your ship? Are you prepared for different scenarios? Do you have ammo to last an extended engagement? Do you have the right kind of fighter compliments to meet different threats? Maybe your ship underpowered?
In my testing of fighters, the reflex aspect is still there, but you have to be more aware of your surroundings, and know exactly what your tactical situation is at all times. What enemies are you facing? Where are they? Losing your situational awareness can kill you.
I often found that I had plenty of time to react, I didn't die because I couldn't fly skillfully enough. I died because I didn't make the right decision when I could, and led myself to a tactical position that was a losing scenario.
I felt that the combat was more mental in alot of ways. You have to plan and think, because a couple of hits and you're dead.
This is an interesting change in the game.
The capitol ships are more survivable, but again, there is ordinance designed to defeat them. If that ordinance is delivered suscessfully, all it will take is a few hits. Whereas a weapon designed to down a fighter isn't going to do squat against a massive behemoth.
Point defence, jamming, and missile avoidance are critical to survival in combat. But PD takes fuel to run, so does jamming. And of course, the larger the ship, the better radar target it will make.
Ship construction is also done in more detail. Almost every large ship will be unique in some way. They are just too large and expensive to have been built assembly line style. Smaller ships and fighters will be more homogenous, but even then, fighters will vary quite a bit depending on it's current mission and loadout.
Power considereations will play a big role. Practacaly everything will use power in some way. It will be nearly impossible to have a ship that uses no power, or that even breaks even when just drifting. It might be possible to configure a small ship with few power requirements and lots of solar panels and such, but it won't be able to do much else. Certianly not be expected to fight. At any rate, you also have some new power management tools at your disposal. Includeing auxilliary, emergency, and reserve power concepts.
More variation in the weapons and less cross utility of them. Anti-fighter missiles are going to be little help when going against capitol ships, and vice-versa.
From your perspective, you will probably be cast in the role of something akin to a fleet captain. You are in the fleet flagship. (but not necessairly) You have with you a few support vessels, and probably have a large compliment of fighters. (but not nesessairly) Even this may change as the plot unfolds and choices are made.
Though there are a number of possible choices and actions that will change the main plot quite dramaticaly. And being a "mini TC", there is really only the main storyline, but some major, major possile plot branches and switcheroos. One game could almost be completely unique with just a couple different storlyline choices.
That's my current thinking at this juncture, just a brief outline of the philosophy and scenario.
