Domina Powers

[FAD]

Gate spawning B-liners are fine for the first half of the game (up to St. K's) but after that the player is usually too powerful for them and it simply boils down to calling them Kamikaze's, seriously! One zap from a Domina power and B's b gone! Of course that should require some type of tradeoff.

I wouldn't like this as a Domina power at all, it seems silly to address a problem like this from inside the game in such a way. I would like it in general as an overall change, however that is a different topic.

Unless I'm not understanding something about spawners in general, like, why are they attacking the player in the first place? What did the player ever do to them to make them attack? Nothing at all when first starting a new game. You'll get gate spawners within a few minutes and even before you ever attack any reds in Eridani. So who's giving them orders to attack? Oracus perhaps?

A side from that, is it not Domina who is compelling the player to reach the core? If that be the case, wouldn't Domina want to help clear a small path to make that happen? So what would be silly about having a power that would rid a bit of the friction that's hendering the player from reaching the core?

[OddBob]

A side from that, is it not Domina who is compelling the player to reach the core? If that be the case, wouldn't Domina want to help clear a small path to make that happen? So what would be silly about having a power that would rid a bit of the friction that's hendering the player from reaching the core?

This is like Domina fixing bugs in the game. The beeline ships, if they are a flaw, are a flaw in the very design of the game, not inside the game universe. If it is to be fixed, I'd rather it be fixed for real, in a way where all of the ships have to search for you regardless of the existence of Domina - a way where you can hide from ships regularly and don't have to involve domina at all.

[FAD]

But wouldn't that be taking it away from everyone? Some players may like having B-line gate spawners simply for looting or even target practice or whatever. Having a Domina power is only an option, one that each and every player may choose to use, or not use at all.

So lets compromise... What about a power that sets the B-liners to simply wander and search instead?

[george moromisato]

It seems to me that in both Betelgeuse's issue and the issue of beelining there is a tension between game mechanics and the willing suspension of disbelief.

[And I'm not just talking about realism--even in fantasy/sf settings there is a need for characters and the universe to behave within the logic of their own rules.]

I don't think there is an easy answer. Different people have different tolerances for what is believable.

In this particular case I happen to fall in the middle: I happen to consider beelining to be a flaw in the game. I can see how we might create a Domina power to help to player avoid random encounters, but such a power should be useful even after beelining is fixed properly.

For Betelgeuse's issue, I also fall in the middle: it would be cool to reveal the Domina powers in some way (certainly any other "pilgrims" should be able to use them). It would be awesome if enemies could use the powers too. Those are all great ideas for a future version.

But for 0.99 I'm just going to add new Domina powers for the player. Any other uses will wait until parts II and III.

[BTW, I'm a little sloppy when I say "part II"--sometimes I really mean version 2.0. In other words, I fully expect version 2.0 to have changes to the first part of the game. If part II requires enemies to use Domina (or Oracus) powers, then it would be simple to retrofit them to the first part of the game.]

[Dosgamer3]

[Wouldn't it be mischievous if the only way to gain high Domina powers were to donate the Lamplighter?]
[/quote]

Actually, that's a GREAT plotpoint.

I can think of one power I'd love, high level or not:

Cleanse: Decontaminate ship and everything withing a few ls.

[P122]

How about artifacts of Domina? (That are clearly labeled as thus. Or at least, would be clearly labeled after you try to 'Offer' them to the Sisters and they go: OMG! We cannot take THAT! You are truely blessed with blah!). The cost would be loosing items if you offer them and they are not special, and alternatively, selling the 'unidentified' items for a few credits and passing up on something Domina-infused if you do not Offer. (I think the Rasiermesser Manufacturing Plant and the Research Guy are similar concepts?)

Which adds the other idea: Mounting some blessed symbol of Domina on your ship. One way might be the idea that keeps surfacing that it's effect (whichever it is) gains with how far the player progresses (in the eyes of Domina). e.g.: Tithing/Sanctum/Offering might help. As might destroying Orcus ships and shrines, while selling Drugs might negate or even reverse progress. It allows people to play the devout pilgrim and gain an in-game benefit, or not mount the item and play hard and gritty without devine intervention. (Perhaps some, or even all powers simply do not work without it installed).

Also, it might be quirky to be able to "bless" weapons at a Domina shrine for various effects. This can be linked or independent from the above idea. Another idea is to make the installation of the symbol permanent: Once installed, you cannot remove it. Or only at a Sister Shrine and then you can never install it again, etc.

As for the beelining: It might indeed be only a perception problem. Is it only "annoying" because we 'know' out of game that they spawn at the gate and make a beeline for you? If we disregard that knowledge, it are just random ships that happen to be close by and pounce on the first possible prey that lugs along: You. (Only they chewed off more than they can handle). They are serving a purpose if they enter a fray with more difficult enemies, too. Omni weapons "waste" shots on those instead of killing the one REALLY hurting you. Even non omnis tend to catch them in the crossfire.

That is really the only real "conception weakness" that annoy me: Ships of opposing factions happily join in circling you and pounding at you when they set you as target instead of firing at each other too. (Either that, or I grossly misunderstood how some factions interact with each other :) )

[F50]

As for the beelining: It might indeed be only a perception problem. Is it only "annoying" because we 'know' out of game that they spawn at the gate and make a beeline for you? If we disregard that knowledge, it are just random ships that happen to be close by and pounce on the first possible prey that lugs along: You. (Only they chewed off more than they can handle). They are serving a purpose if they enter a fray with more difficult enemies, too. Omni weapons "waste" shots on those instead of killing the one REALLY hurting you. Even non omnis tend to catch them in the crossfire.

That is really the only real "conception weakness" that annoy me: Ships of opposing factions happily join in circling you and pounding at you when they set you as target instead of firing at each other too. (Either that, or I grossly misunderstood how some factions interact with each other )

Well said.

Another conception weakness is when the ships leave the gate (especially a gate you just went through or the St. K gate).

As for ships of opposing factions blasting you instead of firing at one another, you are quite right. Dwarg and Sung coming together to kill you is just wrong. Also nasty with Ranx and Ares, Ares and Rogue Fleet, and (possibly the worst) Heliotropes and Sapiens. Ferrains not retaliating against ships that hit their hive really bugs me (unless I am running the Ferrian Warship Mod in which the Ferrians pwn everything) Some, however, aren't so bad. Charon Pirates with Outlaws or Centauri raiders, or even Anarchists for instance as well as Sung Slavers with Death Drug Cartel or other illegal-friendly sovereigns (I never got why the BM hates the guts of the Sung).

[Charon Mass of Goo]

Just for the sake of offering a relief from this heated debate:

How about a ship that 'specializes' in Domina Powers?

I am inspired by the IRC conversation in 'Specializing', although I probably got somethign different than you, George.

What I mean about a Ship that specializes, is that a ship that, instead of using weapons, shields, items, etc., uses mostly domina powers to go through the game. So say, instead of starting with a weapon, you get an upgradeable domina power that can be enhanced by doing something at the Abbeys. A almost fully customizable set of Domina powers, and possibly instead of having to tithe and junk to recieve powers, they have a recharge time. I have a ton more ideas, but I don't think anyone wants me to take up all the bandwidth.

Basically just a replacement of the Equipment system.
Although I don't get how to, uh, upgrade equipment. I could never figure it out.

[BrolyLSSJ5]

Mmmmm.... I have my little idea about Domina powers for future versions...
What about add player classes in game? Like fighter, religious, ecc.

"Fighter" will specialize in weapons and other stuff, using base Domina powers (like sustain).

"Religious" will specialize in powers, using only base weapons.

[F50]

Any such system should be built right into the ships. The Freighter specializes in devices (CPU, ICX, jumpdrive, etc.), the wolfen specializes in weapons (maneuverabillity, lots of weapon slots, not enough slots for CPU etc.). If there is to be a religious ship, it would be the sapphire. It would have to start off with more money, less equipment, and have a slight boost when receiving Domina relation (or a boost to Domina power effectivity). This would require Domina powers that have an effect on one's enemies or a better effect on oneself (defend allows you to shoot etc.).


This would make Wolfen the fighter class,
the Freighter the wizard class (with permanent Strength of Atlas).
and the Sapphire the religious class.

[BrolyLSSJ5]

I was thinking to add player classes instead of male and female. (because they aren't useful in game...)

Fighter has unlimited access to weapons, armor, devices and other material stuff, but very limited relationship with Sisters and Domina.

Religious has unlimited access to Domina powers, but can't use/install advanced devices (say, level limit) or buy/sell them for a profit.

Third class (wizard? I dislike it) is a balanced class of Fighter and Religious.

With classes even the storyline will change a lot, but these are only ideas!

[Periculi]

Wizards? Fighters? Really?

You would think that the SciFi aspects of the game would encourage a more SciFi storyline.

Humanity is evolving into new technologies. In fact, humanity and technology are evolving together, which may be the focal point of the Domina and Oracus conflict. Perhaps Domina has evolved through natural intelligence, and in that sense is hoping that her influence on humanity will keep us moving forward 'naturally', or through biological intelligence. Oracus might have been a fusion of natural and enhanced intelligence- perhaps even an artificial intelligence unleashed by the earlier forms of the race that Domina came from.

Their interest in humanities evolution is due to the fact that humanity has shown the ability to evolve along either path- it is the age of merging with our technology at the level of intelligence itself, or the time of humanity's choosing a natural or artificial evolutionary path.

It is the age of our transcendence, come upon us from the exponential growth of technology and artificial intelligence.

Humanity has already shown the ability to tinker successfully with the natural evolution, yet some factions have drawn away from this type of growth- they are favored by Domina who prefers a natural intelligence path.

Oracus seems to not care about the source of growth, preferring the ends to the means and wants to see humanity becoming more and more developed towards a technological/artificial super-mind.

The player finds themselves drawn into this conflict early on, with the desire to discover what is towards the Core of the Galaxy in response to Domina's call. The player can then chose a path that reflects their preference- will you remain basically human, and pilot your ship with your natural skills or will you alter yourself and transcend into a new form that merges your technology with your self, or even remove your mind from your body and become more and more artificial.

So the classes could be more of a division between natural and artificial technology- and the choice you make align you to the factions in the Core. You could remain essentially human and gain the favor of Domina as a pilgrim, or you could become the 'mind' of your ship- totally artificial with computer enhanced intelligence and a variety of bodies to inhabit..

[F50]

I dislike the player's persona being determined by what kind of human the player is. If the player is part of the Commonwealth, he/she is an Enhanced Human (cybernetically enhanced), with relatively little gene engineering. Neo-humans are right out.

[Periculi]

Whereas i strongly dislike a basic D&D class based genre for a SciFi game.

[F50]

As do I. If any classing is to be done it should be shipwise (like it is now). Classes are only an analogy for me.