Boarding Parties

[Prophet]

I've been tossing this idea around for a little while now, got started on it but realized its a little out of my reach so I was sondering if anyone has any advice.
I guess I'm just a little bored of the shoot, loot repeat and thought this might add a little more danger.
(Just killed a Ranx Dreadnought, now should I board and try to steal all that expensive gear or will there be PowerArmour Commandos waiting for me at the airlock again?)
Not to mention that buying/recruiting boarding soldiers would be another drain on the players creds.
Anyways....

I'm trying to overide the &dsAbandonedShip (and later &dsAbandonedStation) dockscreens

<OnInit> - checks if there are any items in the obj with +Board modifier (these will be made later) I'm thinking Space Marines, Droidekas, Alien Hunters, etc.
If true go to &dsBoarding

&dsBoarding should find the objects with +Board and get static data from them. There are 4 values. "Attack" "Damage" "Defense" "Health"

The player will be prompted at an ItemPicker to deploy their Raiding party without knowing what or how many the defending ship/station has.

Once the player has selected the type and number of attackers, the stats will be compared. Your "Attack" +random (1 20) vs their "Defense"+rand (1 20). If >0 Apply X "Damage" to Defenders "Health".
Tally losses, and continue until one side has no members.

I know how to make the items and the Dockscreens but am quite lost with the scripting. Namely, how to pull static data from an item that's in a station, setting the variables with the static data etc.

I have played many table top RPGs (read D&D) so I know the mechanics but am having trouble translating it into code.

Any help/suggestions would be much appreciated, thx.

[alterecco]

Hello Prophet,

Another great idea!

I'd love to help, but i'm not sure how that can be easiest accomplished.

When it comes down to scripting, the only thing that really works is being set to solve a specific problem. The idea of boarding parties and dockscreen (tabletop) combat, can definitely be done. If you have some concrete script problems, post them here, or for more general help (again ), come on irc. Again, I think this is a really neat idea, and I would love to see it implemented, and help doing so if you want it.

.]

[Prophet]

Awesome.
I've dumped what I have in the paste bin here; http://transcendence.pastebin.com/m4c5a4b7

I apologize for the poor quality, I'm still kinda throwing ideas around and trying to learn HOW to script at the same time. I've pulled some of the script from the Vanilla xmls and just hammered my data into it.

Hopefully, the code will better comunicate my issues and what I'm trying to do.

I got mIRC and will check in from time to time (##Transcendence, right??)


And now, I'm just gonna dump some more ideas out here for the sake of getting others interested, hopefully.

'Troops' will be available at all levels.
Lvl1 - skirmishers
Lvl2 - Space Marines
Lvl3 - Storm Troopers (is that licensed?)
Lvl4 - Tinker Clockwork Automaton
Lvl5 - CW Power Armour Soldier
Lvl6 - Ninja (yes ninjas!!!)
Lvl7 - Battle Droid
Lvl8 - Teraton Mutator
Lvl9 - Trained Rancor (maybe Velociraptors...)
Lvl10 - Wraith

Enemies would have their own specific types, not available to the player.
Centauri - Berserker
Charon - Swashbuckler
Ranx - Juggernaut
Ares - Shock Trooper
Sung - Slave Master

Of course there's the posibility of adding 'Special' troops into missions on unique ships that the player could rescue, or they volunteer as well as fight special enemy troops.

I'm not sure how to get them into circulation....
Perhaps turn the CW Residentials into recruitment offices? or the Residential level in the enclave. Make them available to be met in the pubs, restaurants, etc.
It would be weird to buy them from an exchange. Maybe the droids could be bought but their stats would have to be lower. Perhaps friendly troops could be saved from wrecks of friendly ships....

That's all for now,
Thx again alterecco, you rock!

[alterecco]

Awesome.
I've dumped what I have in the paste bin here; http://transcendence.pastebin.com/m4c5a4b7

Cool, I'll have a look at it. If you don't mind i will format it for the DSFramework, since i really really loathe writing xml screens

I got mIRC and will check in from time to time (##Transcendence, right??)

Yeap, thats the one. Hope to see you there

I'm not sure how to get them into circulation....

Maybe sometimes some freed slaves choose to join you.

I actually don't know how i feel about the idea of it being whole "armies", or suadrons. It seems a bit many troops to lug around on a ship. Maybe make the players troops more "specialised" troops, able to take on entire units of enemy soldiers, even possibly give them individual attributes and ability to gain experience... (ok, I might be throwing this way out of proportion )

.]

[Cygnus.X1]

troops on board should have a weighted item associated with them, like a contract rom but with weight. In spite of the average weight of just a lifeform, it should take into consideration 'total cost of ownership', such as life support infrastructure, food, air, water, sleeping quarters, etc etc. This could easily push the needed weight for a single lifeform up into tonnage range, even more so for things like a 'trained Rancor' :lol:

This also brings the idea of balance limitations, as a small fightercraft like the Wolfen would not have enough space to carry around a lot of troopers or some huge ugly beast.

[Atarlost]

The answer is droids. Much lighter than a lifesystem compartment. Capships probably have marines since droids aren't as good at mutiny supression, but you wouldn't want marines anyhow because they'd be the only crew you have to mutiny. And droids don't gain experience so that's simplified.

This does lead, though, to another idea: hitchhikers. Assume all the ships can handle a crew of 2 or 3. You could then pick up people who have the "Domina Itch" but aren't pilots and they could help you. One might be a marine and add an extra boarder as long as he doesn't get killed while also commanding your droids to improve their effectiveness by something like 20%. One might be a mechanic and repair damaged stuff below a certain level or having a certain flag (eg Bushido only) One might be an engineer able to get more out of your reactor for a 10% power boost. One might kill you and take your ship. Stuff like that.

[Prophet]

Lots of great ideas!

i will format it for the DSFramework, since i really really loathe writing xml screens

Me too! I've dabbled with the DSF but it's easier for me in the Vanilla as I can reference other DS's. Good opportunity for me to learn.

I agree that a Saphire wouldn't be able to cart around 200 Space Marines and there needs to be an associated item for keeping them alive.
I also considered having them consume +Food items, and/or water.

Maybe a cargo attachment with a Lifesupport modifer?

I think gaining experience or upgrading their equipment but be a bit much to implement.

Droids might be the better way to go. Leave the Living soldiers as 'Specialised' boarders where you will only have one. These could have higher stats to contend with more droids.

Perhaps implementing a strategy attribute to the troop items to give them additional benefits over mindless droids. Something like; "Blitz" gives bonus to attack and damage but reduces Defense. "Take cover" would increase defense but reduce attack. This could provide a more strategic experience rather than simply sending in you biggest meanest baddie.

This does lead, though, to another idea: hitchhikers

I have thought of this before too but never thought of combining it with troops. My thought was having 'specialty' crew that could provide services. A tinker master that might repair items, a Domina priest that increases exp gained, a raisermesser engineer that can enhance weapons or shields etc.
Having them help with boarding would be another good use for them.

How about capturing the enemy troops and taking them prisoner and transporting them to a CW Militia station for a trial? Offering them to Domina to be converted, kinda like freed slaves. This might be another longshot idea.

Great ideas everyone. Thx.

[Dalva]

wooho!!!
great idea! it will surely boost transcendence playing fun

for that troop levels,

'Troops' will be available at all levels.
Lvl1 - skirmishers
Lvl2 - Space Marines
Lvl3 - Storm Troopers (is that licensed?)
Lvl4 - Tinker Clockwork Automaton
Lvl5 - CW Power Armour Soldier
Lvl6 - Ninja (yes ninjas!!!)
Lvl7 - Battle Droid
Lvl8 - Teraton Mutator
Lvl9 - Trained Rancor (maybe Velociraptors...)
Lvl10 - Wraith

i suggest it is changed to something like this:
Lvl1 - skirmishers
Lvl2 - Domina Jihad Force
Lvl3 - Domina Priest
Lvl4 - Space Marines
Lvl5 - Tinker Clockwork Automaton
Lvl6 - CW Power Armour Soldier
Lvl7 - Storm Troopers
Lvl8 - Battle Droid
Lvl9 - Battle Cyborg
Lvl10 - Wraith

[Periculi]

Tinker Clockwork Automaton


That must be one of my all time favorite concepts for transcendence.
...makes a note

[digdug]

Trained Battle Megatheriums !
Dalek Troops !
Holographic Security Troops !

[schilcote]

Schilcote from the RP thread!

[Dalva]

Schilcote from the RP thread!

me too!!!
Dalva from the RP thread!.
Schilcote never continues the RP, it's not finished!

[Prophet]

I'm back working on this again but have run into a snag...

I currently have 3 dockscreens involved.
1 the abandoned ship override which will redirect if enemy troops are present
2 an itempicker+ counter for selecting your attackers
3 the real meat to run all the functions.

I'm having difficulty carrying the variables over. I've tried setting them on the station with objSetData gSource. I'm not sure if this even works as the dockscreens are standalones and not children of the station's dockscreen.
I understand that objSetData will not accept pointers (not really sure what a pointer is) so saving data from the itempicker is doubly confusing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Looking ahead...
Another problem that I have, but haven't tackled yet, is how to get the items into the wrecks without having to override every ship.
I was thinking some code in the abandoned ship's Initialize element to create the enemy troops rather than just check for them.
This would involve creating a list of all the ships that COULD have troops with the number and type to create.
I'm thinking only capships will qualify, maybe stations too(later)
having the list would also allow more control in creating troops appropriate for the sovereign of the ship they're on.


As I have it now, if there are enemy troops on the wreck and the player does not have any troops to send into battle you are kicked off. I thought it would be neat to have an option to go in yourself and kick some butt. This, of course, brings in personal equipment.
Weapons like laser carbine, cold-forged katana, Plasma rifle, lightsabers!
and Armour, Tactical Plasteel vest, Personal Force Field.
But how to track all of these and their effect on Your stats?
Would making them virtual=true work?
The mechanics of the current system uses items with <staticData> to build the stats so somehow the player needs to acquire a troop item that IS them.
Maybe a Military training centre? Pay 2000 creds, recieve a troop item. 5000 to upgrade to a new item/level of training.
Of course, having the player storm onto a well defended wreck does present the possibility that they could be killed....

Anyways, I am still trying to get this off the ground if anyone can help me with the variables problem.
I haven't filled in all the different troops yet so keep the ideas coming!
Thanks in advance...

[digdug]

objSetData gSource. I'm not sure if this even works as the dockscreens are standalones and not children of the station's dockscreen.

you can save all the necessary data on the playership.

as Betel wrote some time ago, "Be careful on not storing any objects or pointers or lists containing them." using objSetData.

[alterecco]

I was thinking some code in the abandoned ship's Initialize element to create the enemy troops rather than just check for them.

That is definitely the way to go. To actually have the enemy ships carry troop items serves no purpose.

This would involve creating a list of all the ships that COULD have troops with the number and type to create.

A mod like this will require quite alot of lists to look up in for reference values. When it comes to which ships can carry units, my proposal would be to determine that 'on the fly' (in the same initialize function) based on the ships level, the system level and the ships mass/cargo capacity. All of these values can be determined from script.

As for the problem of attacking a ship that has a huge army (or you have none) we talked on irc about the possibility of introducing mercenaries, and have the player have a 'phone number' to call and ask for assistance. For a price of course. Also, the player could pummel the ship with WMD weapons, thereby reducing the troops onboard (and possibly damaging the loot), before docking with the wreck and clearing out the stragglers.

I have actually been working on a writeup that i wanted to post regarding this idea. It is not quite done yet, so I will try to finish it up for this weekend. I have been reading up on some old wargame strategies and gameplay mechanics, and have tried to include some of them. It might differ a bit from what you have set out to do, i don't know, but hopefully not altogether. Again... It would be really cool to chat with you in irc about this . I'll stop bugging you about it as soon as you do as i say! j/k

But seriously... I have put some thought into this mod's concept so far, and will definitely give you a hand with it if you want. So, for the saving data on the ship etc... just come on irc and i'll give you some nice functions to deal with it

Or i'll post them here...


.]