more default ships

[Betelgeuse]

The game needs more default player ships to introduce players to different styles of play. Some ideas off the top of my head give your own.

Meteor steel ship: to introduce people to a shield less game have a ship that starts with meteor steel armor

No devices ship: to make the beginning games more varied a ship that starts with lots of cash and bare minimum of items.

Ammo ship: A ship that starts with an ammo type weapon as its primary weapon to give newer players experience with ammo type weapons.

Empty ship: A ship that has a hole through the center. This might be very powerful.

[Sponge]

Starting ships are great and all, but I'm not sure if adding random ships with random abilities is the way to do it. I would think something more like a class system would tie in better. I'm honestly rather opposed to such a class system, but if you think about it, it could work perfectly for a game like this. Depending on how you want to play the game, you pick a different ship. Some game changes would have to be made, but it would help add to the storyline, and it'd be pretty cool. Some examples:

Officer:
Start in Ronin with a targeting program, nav system, turbolaser, and level I deflector.

Trader:
Start with a freighter with an omnilaser, good armor, and a level I shield.

Miner:
Start in a heavily armored vessle with a tech II shield generator and a single mining laser for mining asteriods.

You get the idea. By "class" I don't mean something that controls everything you do. I simply mean a purpose to your character. You don't just start out in a freighter because. You start out in a freighter because you're a civilian who recently found a trade partner. This would be sepecially cool if we are someday able to buy new ships after the game starts.

[Betelgeuse]

eer how are those "classes" different than random ships with random abilities? (to tell the truth those just seem just rehashes of the current ships)
I am more for exploring different play styles.

[OddBob]

Empty ship: A ship that has a hole through the center. This might be very powerful.

What exactly does this mean? I have no clue why a hole makes it powerful...or anything at all...

[Betelgeuse]

well most enemies fire directly at your ship and if some of the shots went through your ship (provided you where at the correct angle)

Code: Select all

ship
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bullets go through here not harming the ship

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[dvlenk6]

That empty ship wouldn't need any changes to the current game. Just need s a graphic with a empty hole in the mask. Anything black in the mask is not hit by weapons.

I've never thought of doing that. Guess that means I've got sub-kindergarten education level.

[Betelgeuse]

any of the ships so far can be done with mods but most people don't use modded ships so it would be better to add them as default player ships

[Blitz]

I think the ship specs are also very important for a different gameplay experience. Like a wind slaver with little max armor and cargo. And a heavy gunship or something which'll take a lot of hits and weapons. Sort of extension of the wolfen and the ei500 in both directions.
Don't think its a good idea to start with a ship with ammo because a new player would simply waste all his ammo and not know what to do. New players would probably press and hold the ctrl button like they were playing asteroids. You could add to the help messages however.
I think there should be a lot more low level items if this is to be properly implemented. There simply isn't enough variety at the moment. Try creating 9 new ships (to fill the max no. ships which the game shows) without making any of them similar. I made one such mod but there simply isn't enough variety.

[Burzmali]

well most enemies fire directly at your ship and if some of the shots went through your ship (provided you where at the correct angle)

Code: Select all

ship
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bullets go through here not harming the ship

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That would make you effectively invincible against stations with centrally mounted weapons

[Fossaman]

This sounds like me missing a himal interceptor with my dual weapons when it's flying right at me, but in reverse. I like it.