A Handful of Ideas

[Sponge]

Most of these have to do with new modding capabilities. I was thinking about features that would make for more unique gameplay, and this is what I came up with. I'm sure I'll come up with more, so I'll keep editing this post.

Custom Damage Types
This has been suggested more than once before, and it's been rejected most of the time. However, I think it could work. Think of the possibilities. If it were possible to create a new damage type with a UNID, it would open up numerous possibilities. The most obvious being healing weapons.

The one flaw with this is that all shields should have to be changed.. or would they? What if it were possible to set a default resistance for your new damage type. Both a shield default and an armor default. This way, although it's not perfect, you don't have to have an insanely powerful damage type if you don't want to. You could then change the resistances of any new item you create, so you don't have to use the default.

The defaults could be taken to a new level by allowing the modder to specify a default resistance for each level of shield/armor. For example, all level 1 shields absorb 0%, all level 2s absorb 10%, and so on. A bit overkill, but it may be nice.

Absolute Maximum HP Values
Also with the healing weapon idea, there would need to be something implemented to make sure that armor or shields could not exceed their maximum HP (or go under their minimum.. I'm not sure if this can happen with shields or not). As of right now, a healing weapon will keep repairing armor above maximum HP, making stations pay you to repair it.

Ray or Stream Beam Type
I have thought for some time that a weapon that fires a constant, streaming beam would be cool. It would be a complete energy hog, as it wouldn't fire in bursts, but it could be a completely devastating weapon as long as you kept a lock on your enemy. Not to mention it could look really cool if done right.

Multi Ammo Consumption
Hit me if we already have this, but why isn't it possible for a weapon to fire more than one round at a time? I know we can repeat, but what about a weapon that fires three shells at once? Sounds like it would be cool, even if it does grind through ammo.

Different Shield Hit Effects
The ability to create your own shield hit image to use on a specific few shields would be very cool. Why do all shields look the same when hit? Shouldn't the Yoroi series look different than the Mammoths?

Cyber Attacks
It would be nice to have a way of resisting cyber attacks. Maybe a rom or a CPU could do it. Either way, I think it would be something great to mod with.

Specific Fuel
I'd like to be able to assign a reactor to be able to use only one or two types of fuel. Right now this can be simulated by allowing it to be fueled by a level of fuel that nothing else uses, but it's a work-around, not a fix. Another mod or an update to the game can pretty much kill that method, so I suggest the ability to define specific fuel types within the reactor tag, similar to defining ammo in the weapon tag.

This could be used for any number of things. What comes to mind first is the ability to create a high powered reactor, or a very efficient reactor, and have them require a rare type of fuel.

Smarter Projectiles
We have a couple of "smart" weapons, that fire tracking shells, but they're really not very smart. They spin off into circles and their lifetime ends before they're able to hit a target. The whole spinning thing looks cool on the radar, but it doesn't really do anything. Making these shells find the quickest way of hitting a target, or at least a quicker way would be quite nice.

The tracking attribute can be amplified by assigning a magnitude after it, but it seems the more the ammo tracks, the more it swirls around.

[Burzmali]

Custom Damage Types
it would open up numerous possibilities. The most obvious being healing weapons.

Please, name one benefit that is better than simply adding a new damage type called "heal" that works in reverse.

Ray or Stream Beam Type

A high Repeating value or a low fireRate will do this. Any faster and you will have a weapon that is faster than light, which is a no-no in this game.

Multi Ammo Consumption

I agree, for instance if I tell a gun to fire three rounds (either spread or repeating) it should expend either 1 if the ammo is packaged, or 3 rounds if the ammo is loose.

Different Shield Hit Effects

Should be easy to implement, I think.

Cyber Attacks

Can be done in a mod.

[Betelgeuse]

I would like to make a weapon that punches through lower level shields but gets stopped by higher level shields.
This could easily done if custom damage types where in the game.

[Burzmali]

That's what the higher damage types are for now!!! Ion will chew through any low level shield, but gets stopped by higher level ones. What more do you want?

[Betelgeuse]

shield pass through like the old dark acid types

[Sponge]

Please, name one benefit that is better than simply adding a new damage type called "heal" that works in reverse.

I think Betelgeuse did a pretty good job with that. (Thanks, Betel)

A high Repeating value or a low fireRate will do this. Any faster and you will have a weapon that is faster than light, which is a no-no in this game.

I don't know... They are similar, but I really think a beam would be different than a rapidfire laser. It doesn't have to move REALLY fast, it just has to be a big long string. Either way, it couldn't be hard to implement, and would be cool for big ships.

Can be done in a mod.

Really? If you have any spare time, any chance you could send me a PM explaining how it's done? Thanks.

[Sponge]

Very sorry- looks like I must have pressed the button twice.

[Burzmali]

Please, name one benefit that is better than simply adding a new damage type called "heal" that works in reverse.

I think Betelgeuse did a pretty good job with that. (Thanks, Betel)

If you say so... I suppose a "shieldPass" attribute might be helpful that reduced the effect of the absorb array, but why new damage types? Just add an attribute or two to the current ones.

I don't know... They are similar, but I really think a beam would be different than a rapidfire laser. It doesn't have to move REALLY fast, it just has to be a big long string. Either way, it couldn't be hard to implement, and would be cool for big ships.

The miner's laser can work like that, though I think I understand the effect you are looking for, and while I agree that it would look cool, it would violate some of the in universe physics. If you are interesting in seeing what it would look like, a seeking, omni directional laser with a fireRate of 1 should do.

Can be done in a mod.

Really? If you have any spare time, any chance you could send me a PM explaining how it's done? Thanks.

I thought it could be accomplished by adding cyberDefense to a device, but I haven't personally tried it...

[OddBob]

Cyber Attacks
It would be nice to have a way of resisting cyber attacks. Maybe a rom or a CPU could do it. Either way, I think it would be something great to mod with.

I think cyber attacks could be increased to have almost a whole playstyle geared around them.
First off, you get a new bar under your power (if you have a CPU): processing power. This could be done away with and just reactor power used in increasing amounts instead, but I like complexity.

There are also varying CPUs, with varying cyber defense (and maybe attack) and power.

Also: two types of programs: some are installed on your CPU and run all the time. These do things like increase the chance your programs will run, or enhance your equipment. They take up a certain amount of processing power all the time. Firewalls, antivirus (call it ICE if you want to go all cyberpunk, which I admittedly do...) programs etc go here as well, they increase your defense, and take a bit more power when fighting off an attack.

Others are just like cubes now. I think simple programs should have a good chance of keeping the cube, so you can run [destroy missile's guidance system] many times without having to carry a million cubes.

Also, cubes would probably have to be kind of like a second weapons system, with you being able to choose a program and fire it whenever without having to mess with the se menu.


You can get progressively better CPUs and programs. Stuff like:
-a version of Scramble but only for your target
-enemies will target the spot next to your ship instead of your ship for a few seconds
-a program that overloads one weapon system on a single enemy, causing damage and rendering that weapon useless-
-A program that fries the guidance of any tracking projectile around your ship, causing it to fly in a straight line
-programs that reduce the cyber defense of a target
-A program that tags a ship, causing it to show up on your minimap, and allowing you to see what it sees
-A program that changes the enemy's shields around, so your shots go through and theirs can't get out
-A program that steals credits (illegal)
-A program that shuts down a station's weapons and doesn't allow it to undock it's defenders (if they're docked)
-A program that hides you from enemy sensors
-A program that flags the (probably friendly, non station) target as a commonwealth enemy, causing it to be attacked by CW ships for a short time (illegal)

Some programs, like the last one, are illegal. Using any program on a friendly counts as a weapon attack.

[Blinzler]

- a program that flags you as the same type as your enemy AS LONG as you stay away a certain range. (If he starts looking out the window seeing your quite different than what his displays says it won't take Einstein to figure out your fishy.) A Deceive program in short.
- a program the reprograms your sensor devices to emit an area of static, not unlike the nebulas, making it (near) impossible for other ships to lock on to you (at least from a certain distance). A Cloak in short.
- a program that shuts down enemy communications, effectively letting you pick off the enemy one-by-one - as long as you can keep the silence running and keeping the enemy from getting into visual range of his buddies. A Silence in short.
- a program that lets you hack into your enemys system, effectively scanning his ship from the inside for installed hardware and cargo. An inventiory list for the prospective looter
- a program that screws with an enemys computer system, transmitting an hostile AI that starts attacking it's own buddies. More or less effective based on the enemys defenses, your own software (think of the fun if this thing backfires and screws you) and other fun things. lots of possibilities.
- a program that simply does one thing - shuts down the enemys shield. The enemy can instantly switch them back on, but you have the advantage, if your fast enough.

[Karl]

Hey, all these ideas about magic cyberpowers deserves it's own thread.

A thing with incrased cyberpowers, though... is that they have to be balanced somehow, otherwise they become another required thing to have, rather then a style of play.

Maybe make multiple item slots required to use advanced cyberpowers... a cyberdeck quantum CPU and a transmitter dish, maybe.

[Blinzler]

Well, here's an idea. Make this an optional path by having some pretty heavy tech behind all this (cyber) power. So instead of your alternative weapon you have some large omnidirectional-transmitter glued to your hull so you can fry somebody elses motherboard (in a manner of speaking).
Also all this equipment should suck up some juice, so you should be hard-pressed as to what to install. Not all in one, but rather either or.
Personally I think it's more fun to have strenghts and weaknesses then allround best-of-best. It makes games more strategic, cos you need to think how to take out enemys that prey on your weaknesses, rather then just go in in in and fire fire fire. Which can be fun at time, but tend to get boring soon.

[Karl]

So instead of your alternative weapon you have some large omnidirectional-transmitter glued to your hull so you can fry somebody elses motherboard (in a manner of speaking).

A cyberweapon! That would be cool! It would enable advanced powers and maybe shoot a weak energy beam too....

Or, you set the cyberweapon in the missle launcher slot... then you can cycle through cyberattacks like you would missles! That would be awesome!

_____

Edit: More info in the following thread: http://www.neurohack.com/transcendence/ ... .php?t=639

[Yugi]

Hey, all these ideas about magic cyberpowers deserves it's own thread.

I agree. It kinda reminds me about this thread on the UTF.

[Karl]

Ooops, I should have said "deserve their own thread". The grammer police are after me now... and I am a member, so I'm after myself...