I have just started a new plugin and would like suggestions from the Ares community to make it as enjoyable as possible. This plugin will be about the fist Obish/Gaiatori War, i intend to make both Obish and gaiatori versions of it
please send any of your ideas for storyline, ships, anythingyou think might be usefull, scenarios even to matrekie@aol.com.

Also is there an official history of the Wars already? is anyone else already making a similar plug? if so please notify me

------------------
"Learn about art captian,
when you understand a
species' art you
understand that species"
Grand Admiral Thrawn
at the fist battle of his
campaig

I have tons of ideas. Where do I start?..... ok, I was once thinking that it would be possible to 'build' a missle at a planet, or special station around a planet and you could then tell it to attack the enemy, wherein it would self-detonate (is that possible?), or explode on contact. This would make the game very interesting, I think, since you could create both long-range hyperspace missles, or short range missles. Maybe this could be done via a ship or missle turret that you build, which then launches the missles or rockets. That leads me to another idea. Turrets would be a great idea for planet defense. Just as the defense drones did, but only the missle turrets have no movement whatsoever and launch fast, but weak rockets or homing missles. You can play around with that idea. Another idea: since they have flak drones, why not create flak-ships. They would not be invulerable, of course, but perhaps very slow and slow to turn. This would be great. I think a good balace with this ship is to have it so it doesn't shoot as much flak as a flak drone, since that would be devastating, but rather have it as a 'support' craft. Another idea- a simple one. You could have a scout vessel, very small, very weak, but mind-boggling fast. It could hyperspace in an out in no time at all, and perhaps you could equip it with a silent jump-in and a cloaking device. One more idea. A repair station. I have no idea how this could be done. But somehow, you could order a damaged, or low on power (or ammo) ship to it and for a small price, you could repair the ship back to almost-new. Oh, I almost forgot. If there's any way, could you figure out a way to re-dock the carrier's fighters? That's most of my ideas for now.

An Idea for a plug you say. Well, how about where you find the sole survivor of a long dead alien race and a ship, bigger than a gateship. You and various other races fight for it, gather strategic points to fight for it and research new ships/techs to fight for it. Once you gain control of it you have to pilot it to safety through pirate/enemy infested space and then get to use new techs from the ship in a massive all out fight with various species for galactic supremecy. A little boring I admit, but it's a start. And all you budding developers who can use Hera (I can't i'm running MacOS 7.5.5) can add flare to it, new graphics and new sounds. Oh, and develop a story/rpg perhaps.

I did a similar thing for EV at home (I suck at making graphics so I never released it outside of my house) and it's enjoyable considering you fight a lot.

i hope this helps, and if it doesn't - HAHAHAHA. I wasted space!

------------------
"A person needs change. Without change something within us sleeps and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." -Duke Leto Atreides (Dune)

Guys these are all woderfull suggestions but keep in mind that this plug will take place along time ago during the first of the gaiatori/obish conflict. Thus the storyline must be compatible with that.
Keep 'em comin though

------------------
"Learn about art captian,
when you understand a
species' art you
understand that species"
Grand Admiral Thrawn
at the fist battle of his
campaig

Okay Okay, in order to fit the storyline you say. Well hows about you start off as a captain of a scoutship, or similarly small craft (Schooner?)and are asked to investigate a strange signal or new system that hasn't been mapped. You suddenly come accross a Gatori warfleet and must take cover in an asteriod field until they fly by. Then you start rallying up help to fight off gatori, a couple of friends with ships etc. Then the Obish government takes a liking to you and makes you a general or something, then you fight with Obish techs/resources and eventually beat back / eliminate gatori scum.

Obviously expand upon this, perhaps escort missions, evacuation of station or capture a ship (big station with 1 big ship graphic, board station with assault transport and then new ship appears and station disappears?).

I have so many ideas....but.....most of them suck!...

------------------
"A person needs change. Without change something within us sleeps and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." -Duke Leto Atreides (Dune)

(This message has been edited by Admiral Devo (edited 06-29-2000).)

Thank you Admiral Devo, this is a great idea and i do intend to use it, the only problem is there are only 3 obish ships in the game... and im going to need all of the normal ships plus a couple.So far ive got an Obish escort (pre-sal cloaking feild), a battlecrusier (that passenger liner from Shoplifter 1 with engens and weapons, and a transport (the transport from Shoplifter without the repulser beam). So obviously im gonna need more ships too complete the plug.
So here is the offer, Anyone who is willing to make a major contribution to the plug i will let you be a co-author of the plug, and recognize you as such in the credits. Anyone who submits individual pics, stories, anything i use will be given special thanks in the credits, and capital ship named after them (you gotta make a name that sounds obish or gaitori though, ill say whos who in the cedits).

------------------
"Learn about art captian,
when you understand a
species' art you
understand that species"
Grand Admiral Thrawn
at the fist battle of his
campaig

Just for kicks I made a mini-plug with the other Obish ships, and I think it turned out pretty congruent to their advantage rating.

As for the plot, just bare these facts in mind:
The Gaitori (before the war) had the potential to be a HUGE galactic power. The Salrilians saw this as a threat and provided technology and funds to the Obish, including the stealth field. So try to squeeze those in.

If you want me to help, let me know. But keep in mind that I have a big plug in development of my own and it may take a while.

------------------
Throughout their history these "unenlightened" beings have continually opposed and fought abuses of power wrought by their own bretheren. We, as the prophets would do well to learn from these Humans.
-Final statement of the Salrilian reformist Sirthis shortly before his execution.

(This message has been edited by Sargatanus (edited 06-29-2000).)

Now that I can use hera I intend to make a plug, my idea is so interesting, so cunning, so amazing it cannot be typed. Well okay it probably could, but I'm doing this for two reasons and two alone. The first is so that no one copies me too much, steal ideas from me - I don't mind, but don't copy the story. The second is because I would love graphics, sounds or any input of any sort. That would make me a very happy bunny. Email anything save hatemail to me at L.devonshire@tesco.net.
You can send hatemail to yourmum@myhouse.lastnite.org HAHAHAHAHAHA. -sorry

I intend to start where ares left off (not very origional huh), at earth, where humans are just beginning to pick up the pieces left over by the war. They come to the conclusion that since they are they are outgunned, outnumbered, technologically inferior and resource striken. They therefor intend to expand and create a vast fleet of ships, take back systems (alpha centuri) and pool everything they have in order to gain new techs and ships.

They expand and come across a lone outpost held by Audemon forces, and decide to strike, take the station and gain loads of techs and begin to become a galactic power. They then escort artifacts back to earth, whereapon audemon forces make an all out strike against earth with five, yes five carriers. After the battle Humans begin field testing new ships against audemon and caths, taking the odd system or destroying the odd convoy. Then ejects. (or whatever) join the fight and deem humans too inferior to bother with and audemons a liable target for expansion. Enter a three way battle between Hmns. Eej. and Auds and then, finally, humans break free of the obish alliance and claim their rightful place among the stars.

Needs work huh?
Okay.

------------------
"A person needs change. Without change something within us sleeps and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." -Duke Leto Atreides (Dune)

admiral devo, keep in mind that he already has a base storyline of the plugin he's going to make. what he needs is ideas for new units, plot twists, and resources for them.

Vice Admiral Ipvicus, I just noticed something that could be very useful in your plugin. Take a good look at the Flak Drone. Doesn't it seem to resemble Gaiatori technology? Not just the looks, but the design of projectile weaponry, such as the gaitory pellet gun? I think this would be a valuable asset to your story of your plugin. Perhaps my earlier idea of a "Flak Ship" would come in handy as a previous version of the Flak Drone technology. This would also coincide with Sargitanis' fact about how the Gaiatory were to become a "HUGE galactic power." The Flak Drone is invulnerable, isn't it? That seems like the beginning to a "HUGE galactic power." Perhaps you could even implement how the Flak drones got built in those systems in which you played in the origional missions. Perhaps Obish technology is the only race that is able to destroy the flak drones.... Just an idea. Mold it into your plugin however you like. As far as i'm concerned, the idea is yours. Thanks.

The FlakDrone is Gaitori Technology. And so is the Powerstation and the Astrominer. All of these were remnants of the four Gaitori/Obiard Wars. All four of them ended in stalemates and truces.

The only major reason the Gaitori didn't rise and dominate all is that the Cantharan Crusades were underway and among the "unenlightened" worlds to be dominated by the Cantharans was Gaitor.

You could take classes of ships that exist today and make different sizes of spacecraft that fit the description,Such as a missle frigate that would be like a spacecraft version of the AEGIS Cruiser,Maybe it could have a Carrier turret for close range defense and the other two weopons could be missles.
You could have patrol ships that would be small,fast and only had a laser and a missle and medium energy stores so the missle would not recharge too fast.

------------------
It started as a typo but now it is my unique Screen Name!

(This message has been edited by Jamsok (edited 07-03-2000).)