New ideas
Post ideas and suggestions on new features or improvements here.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 2:35 am
Hey all, I was at work and I had a idea...Ok, several ideas...14 to be exact. I'll list them and give a short description.
1. Phasers/Torpedoes/Special Weapons Only: I remember playing Star Trek Bridge Commander, and I remember that the Tactical station gave the option for 'Phasers Only', saving the torpedo load and hitting the target with bursts of nadion particles. I would think that option should be available, but not as a replace weapon. A code in the ODF file will specify which weapons is 'phaser/torpedo/special only', by using the weaponx codes
2. 'Hero' units for Fleet Ops: Essentially, these are ships that are slightly better then there normal counterparts (e.g. Enterprise E and the Sovereign Class), but provide buffs for enemy and friendly ships. (E.g. Extra damage v.s. Borg ships and stations when near the Enterprise) I'm implementing something similar for my mod. Just a thought.
3. Collectables: Things that can be collected by a ship touching it or using a spacific weapon on it. (e.g. Escape Pods and Tractor Beams, debris for salvage. etc.) These collectables will give boosts to either the collecting ship or the player. (e.g. Escape Pods add crew and experience.) This would make it more realistic, and when a campain is made, these collectables could be used to drive the story forward. (e.g. USS [insert name here] is destroyed and its crew were able to escape...blah, blah, blah...Romulans have a new weapon...blah, blah, blah...)
4. Optional/Customizable Cloaking Effect: I've noticed that all the cloaks have the same effect. As I worked on my mod, this became annoying. In my opinion, players should be able to make their own cloak texture and apply it, or remove it all together, making the ship semi-transparent (for obvious reasons)
5. Resource Rates per Faction: I've been thinking about each race and their resources. In my opinion, each race should have their own rates for resources that players can modify for mods. For example, in my mod, two factions, The TCF and the Destroyers, use credits. As of now, if you trade credits to either side, its 1 unit for 1 unit. In my books, Destroyer credits ate worth 10 TCF credits each. The default for normal gameplay would be 1:1, to ballence it, but for mods, it should at least be changable.
6. File Formats: In all honesty, do we really have to stick with SOD files? I have been having major problems with making SOD, namely because, no matter what I do, the ship never shows up. It's all hardpoints. If possable, can we have a set of formats that we can use, like those used for Quake and Doom?
7. Splittable projectiles: Again, not using the replace weapon code. In my books, I have one weapon that splits from 1 torp to 5 after a few seconds of leaving the tube. As it nears its target, it splits again, for a total of 25 small torpedos. Is it possable to have a code for this installed?
8. Marines: Not like the normal boarding parties. Marines are meant to beam to a ship with no shields, (like normal) and kill the crew as they sabotage the ship. This can be minor or major, but it never destroys the ship. There is a chance that it can fail, and it wont have too much negative effects on the ship, but it would be cool to knock an enemy ships shields down, drop off some marines, cloak or hide in a nebula, then come back after the marines knocked something important offline.
9. Resource Files: I was thinking that moders should beable to make, or remove, resources from the game. This way, players can have ships that require spacific resources, on top of the usual pallet of resources.
10. Customizable Special Energy Modes: I've been thinking about the special energy modes, and I have a problem with the picture used on all 3. When I select a ship, I dont wanna see a lightning bolt as I'm checking my ships torpedo stores. We dont shoot lightning bolts, we shoot Matter/Anti-Matter projectiles that could put a hole in a planet and obliterate a small moon. And changing the texture wont work, as it makes no sense as to why ammo is on a ship that doesn't have an ammo accepting weapon! (Calms down) ...I know, I'm ranting. Still, at least let us set the texture for each section, if only by a code in the ODF files.
11. Special Energy Types: On the note of Special Energy, in all honesty, a ship should have ammo and a counter for the amount of time it takes to fully recharge Special Energy. Is there anyway this can be set up?
12. Mining Rate Multipliers: In all honesty, it sometimes takes too long to mine resources, especially in my mod with stock moons. I was thinking that the Mining beams should either have their own mining rates, or multipliers that can increase production times.
13. Ambient Voices: I've noted that the game seems a little dull, and when I play other games and watch movies, (Star Wars Empire at War and Star Trek: First Contact) I noticed that they had voices going off in battle. I think that players should have the option to hear these. It would be nice to have several fighters buzzing around and hear them yell attack manuvers as they assault a cruiser thats twice the size of their mothership.
Speeking about fighters, and I dont know if this has been done yet:
14. Fighter commands: Commands that a carrier can give its fighters while it sits on its ass in a nebula. It should be in a separate menu that is special only to carriers with basic commands, like Attack my target or Follow target.
Any comments?
1. Phasers/Torpedoes/Special Weapons Only: I remember playing Star Trek Bridge Commander, and I remember that the Tactical station gave the option for 'Phasers Only', saving the torpedo load and hitting the target with bursts of nadion particles. I would think that option should be available, but not as a replace weapon. A code in the ODF file will specify which weapons is 'phaser/torpedo/special only', by using the weaponx codes
2. 'Hero' units for Fleet Ops: Essentially, these are ships that are slightly better then there normal counterparts (e.g. Enterprise E and the Sovereign Class), but provide buffs for enemy and friendly ships. (E.g. Extra damage v.s. Borg ships and stations when near the Enterprise) I'm implementing something similar for my mod. Just a thought.
3. Collectables: Things that can be collected by a ship touching it or using a spacific weapon on it. (e.g. Escape Pods and Tractor Beams, debris for salvage. etc.) These collectables will give boosts to either the collecting ship or the player. (e.g. Escape Pods add crew and experience.) This would make it more realistic, and when a campain is made, these collectables could be used to drive the story forward. (e.g. USS [insert name here] is destroyed and its crew were able to escape...blah, blah, blah...Romulans have a new weapon...blah, blah, blah...)
4. Optional/Customizable Cloaking Effect: I've noticed that all the cloaks have the same effect. As I worked on my mod, this became annoying. In my opinion, players should be able to make their own cloak texture and apply it, or remove it all together, making the ship semi-transparent (for obvious reasons)
5. Resource Rates per Faction: I've been thinking about each race and their resources. In my opinion, each race should have their own rates for resources that players can modify for mods. For example, in my mod, two factions, The TCF and the Destroyers, use credits. As of now, if you trade credits to either side, its 1 unit for 1 unit. In my books, Destroyer credits ate worth 10 TCF credits each. The default for normal gameplay would be 1:1, to ballence it, but for mods, it should at least be changable.
6. File Formats: In all honesty, do we really have to stick with SOD files? I have been having major problems with making SOD, namely because, no matter what I do, the ship never shows up. It's all hardpoints. If possable, can we have a set of formats that we can use, like those used for Quake and Doom?
7. Splittable projectiles: Again, not using the replace weapon code. In my books, I have one weapon that splits from 1 torp to 5 after a few seconds of leaving the tube. As it nears its target, it splits again, for a total of 25 small torpedos. Is it possable to have a code for this installed?
8. Marines: Not like the normal boarding parties. Marines are meant to beam to a ship with no shields, (like normal) and kill the crew as they sabotage the ship. This can be minor or major, but it never destroys the ship. There is a chance that it can fail, and it wont have too much negative effects on the ship, but it would be cool to knock an enemy ships shields down, drop off some marines, cloak or hide in a nebula, then come back after the marines knocked something important offline.
9. Resource Files: I was thinking that moders should beable to make, or remove, resources from the game. This way, players can have ships that require spacific resources, on top of the usual pallet of resources.
10. Customizable Special Energy Modes: I've been thinking about the special energy modes, and I have a problem with the picture used on all 3. When I select a ship, I dont wanna see a lightning bolt as I'm checking my ships torpedo stores. We dont shoot lightning bolts, we shoot Matter/Anti-Matter projectiles that could put a hole in a planet and obliterate a small moon. And changing the texture wont work, as it makes no sense as to why ammo is on a ship that doesn't have an ammo accepting weapon! (Calms down) ...I know, I'm ranting. Still, at least let us set the texture for each section, if only by a code in the ODF files.
11. Special Energy Types: On the note of Special Energy, in all honesty, a ship should have ammo and a counter for the amount of time it takes to fully recharge Special Energy. Is there anyway this can be set up?
12. Mining Rate Multipliers: In all honesty, it sometimes takes too long to mine resources, especially in my mod with stock moons. I was thinking that the Mining beams should either have their own mining rates, or multipliers that can increase production times.
13. Ambient Voices: I've noted that the game seems a little dull, and when I play other games and watch movies, (Star Wars Empire at War and Star Trek: First Contact) I noticed that they had voices going off in battle. I think that players should have the option to hear these. It would be nice to have several fighters buzzing around and hear them yell attack manuvers as they assault a cruiser thats twice the size of their mothership.
Speeking about fighters, and I dont know if this has been done yet:
14. Fighter commands: Commands that a carrier can give its fighters while it sits on its ass in a nebula. It should be in a separate menu that is special only to carriers with basic commands, like Attack my target or Follow target.
Any comments?
posted on July 6th, 2012, 3:40 am
Destroyer92 wrote:2. 'Hero' units for Fleet Ops: Essentially, these are ships that are slightly better then there normal counterparts (e.g. Enterprise E and the Sovereign Class), but provide buffs for enemy and friendly ships. (E.g. Extra damage v.s. Borg ships and stations when near the Enterprise) I'm implementing something similar for my mod. Just a thought.
That's the idea behind veterans.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 3:50 am
That's the idea behind veterans.
Really?
I havent seen any, but then again, I dont usually get ships up to veteran status.
At least the Heros have big names. (Jean-Luc Picard, USS Enterprise, Kathryn Janeway, USS Voyager, etc.)
posted on July 6th, 2012, 3:57 am
There are enough Veteran slots to promote a Sovereign, Defiant, and Intrepid, if you like 
posted on July 6th, 2012, 4:03 am
True.Still, it would be nice to see the big E on the field, or even the V
posted on July 6th, 2012, 4:12 am
It's been hinted that the next patch brings exciting changes for the Sovereign (hint hint for a dev blog!)
posted on July 6th, 2012, 4:44 am
I hope. 
Any comments on the other stuff?
Any comments on the other stuff?posted on July 6th, 2012, 5:22 am
Sure. Bear in mind I'm not a dev and my knowledge of certain technical aspects is hazy.
1. Not sure what you're talking about.
2. Already covered.
3. For regular multiplayer maps, almost certainly not; I don't think there's any technical way to randomise their positions, and early stages of such games would involve rushing early units to the known positions to get the advantage. For a campaign-style mission, don't see why not, but it may be a bear to implement.
4. No opinion.
5. Can't see why not, as long as the factions are balanced out elsewhere.
6. Because of the engine, I think you've SOD all luck with this one.
7. Would like this -- "Dispersal pattern Sierra, and fire" -- but no idea if technically feasible.
8. Meh on this. Would only really be worth it on high-crew high-toughness vessels and where there aren't disabling weapons available.
9. I think the engine has the resource types pretty much hard coded.
10. Engine.
11. No idea if possible. There are some vessels that have a fixed recharge time for their abilities.
12. No idea if possible.
13. Could be cute, but should be strictly faint and background so as not to distract from more important sounds.
14. No idea if possible.
1. Not sure what you're talking about.
2. Already covered.
3. For regular multiplayer maps, almost certainly not; I don't think there's any technical way to randomise their positions, and early stages of such games would involve rushing early units to the known positions to get the advantage. For a campaign-style mission, don't see why not, but it may be a bear to implement.
4. No opinion.
5. Can't see why not, as long as the factions are balanced out elsewhere.
6. Because of the engine, I think you've SOD all luck with this one.
7. Would like this -- "Dispersal pattern Sierra, and fire" -- but no idea if technically feasible.
8. Meh on this. Would only really be worth it on high-crew high-toughness vessels and where there aren't disabling weapons available.
9. I think the engine has the resource types pretty much hard coded.
10. Engine.
11. No idea if possible. There are some vessels that have a fixed recharge time for their abilities.
12. No idea if possible.
13. Could be cute, but should be strictly faint and background so as not to distract from more important sounds.
14. No idea if possible.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 5:46 am
1. Basicly, you press a button in the orders menu, and the ship will fire only the weapon you selected. (aka, fire phasers while saving torpedoes.)
3. I was actually thinking of collectables dropped by ships and stations u destroy.
7. Exactly, though it splits twice, not once, and has a total of 25 torpedos.
9. WHAT!!!
NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!
13. Thats the idea. Just some random sayings that fit the current action that is faint, but loud enough to hear.
3. I was actually thinking of collectables dropped by ships and stations u destroy.
7. Exactly, though it splits twice, not once, and has a total of 25 torpedos.
9. WHAT!!!
NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!! 13. Thats the idea. Just some random sayings that fit the current action that is faint, but loud enough to hear.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 1:50 pm
I like the idea of escape pods.
Pick up friendly escape pods, examine crew in escape pods in sickbay ( X second delay) and get a crew boost (small increase in repairs) or possibly a veteran status (if the destroyed ship had veteran/elite status.
Pick up friendly escape pods, examine crew in escape pods in sickbay ( X second delay) and get a crew boost (small increase in repairs) or possibly a veteran status (if the destroyed ship had veteran/elite status.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 2:07 pm
I remember reading that at some point the Enterprise-E will be a map object.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 2:57 pm
I like the idea of escape pods.
Pick up friendly escape pods, examine crew in escape pods in sickbay ( X second delay) and get a crew boost (small increase in repairs) or possibly a veteran status (if the destroyed ship had veteran/elite status.
That's the idea I was going for. Escape pods and salvageable material from a destroyed ship, though I already have the latter as a hulk that you can mine. Would be better if it just left behind something that was collected rather then risk sending a mining ship behind enemy lines for it, and it doesn't even add up to a full ship. (obviously)
Is it possible to implement this?
posted on July 6th, 2012, 3:41 pm
Andre27 wrote:I like the idea of escape pods.
Pick up friendly escape pods, examine crew in escape pods in sickbay ( X second delay) and get a crew boost (small increase in repairs) or possibly a veteran status (if the destroyed ship had veteran/elite status.
i'm not a fan of veteran status carrying over. that's like saying that picard got his ship blown up, his escape pod gets picked up by an unimportant akira class ship, and he just takes control and switches the bridge staff:
"thanks for rescuing us, now i'm taking command of your ship and replacing your crew with my own. your guys can go do damage control if you want."
that's just rude.
part of veteran status is being used to your ship as well, so veteran status doesn't need transferring, it should be lost if you let a veteran get killed.
posted on July 6th, 2012, 3:46 pm
2. 'Hero' units
yeah the enterprise E is going to be a map object it was meantioned somewhere
3. Collectables:
in the form of escape pods i was thinking about this a while ago, but it creates alot of questions and decisions to be made by the devs
probably only feds. could abandon ship (button or automatic on destruction? probably by order so it seems like a choice to leave the ship to blow up (tho this means self destruct is needed, then that brings in if it damages other ships or not?))
the escape pods could then be controled like a ship (but travel slowly) or have to be collected. this brings in if they can be collected during battle which would look silly imo to keep going from 1 ship to the next as they each get destroyed.perhaps shields nee to be lowered to collect them? stops free ranks switching and is similar to transporters then
perhaps only vets status ships (from 1st rank or just the higher ranks?) can escape, the add a rank to the ship that collects it. and a crew boost (what happens if the crew is full? "sorry your not coming on board"
* security fires phasers upon them getting aboard*)
can the cluster of escape pods be targeted? probably yes. should it launch shuttles aswel as escape pods (perhaps the high end ranks launch shuttles which have shields and are faster)
should the ships crew that has escaped be important to what new ship it gets to ( a 5rank saber cant give 5 ranks to a sovereign for example, think of it like the ships cost matters like when a ship destroys a target matters)
but destroyed ships leaving supplies adrift to collect to get something "rank/new weapon/spare parts to repair faster?"
8. Marines:
thats the romulan tavara special weapon so probably wont get to all other ships
13. Ambient Voices:
the borg do that upon contact of another ship (sometimes.. not sure how often iv heard it, doesnt seem to happen often i seem to think)
it might be distraction during battle tho to here what things are being announced
yeah the enterprise E is going to be a map object it was meantioned somewhere
3. Collectables:
in the form of escape pods i was thinking about this a while ago, but it creates alot of questions and decisions to be made by the devs
probably only feds. could abandon ship (button or automatic on destruction? probably by order so it seems like a choice to leave the ship to blow up (tho this means self destruct is needed, then that brings in if it damages other ships or not?))
the escape pods could then be controled like a ship (but travel slowly) or have to be collected. this brings in if they can be collected during battle which would look silly imo to keep going from 1 ship to the next as they each get destroyed.perhaps shields nee to be lowered to collect them? stops free ranks switching and is similar to transporters then
perhaps only vets status ships (from 1st rank or just the higher ranks?) can escape, the add a rank to the ship that collects it. and a crew boost (what happens if the crew is full? "sorry your not coming on board"
* security fires phasers upon them getting aboard*)
can the cluster of escape pods be targeted? probably yes. should it launch shuttles aswel as escape pods (perhaps the high end ranks launch shuttles which have shields and are faster)
should the ships crew that has escaped be important to what new ship it gets to ( a 5rank saber cant give 5 ranks to a sovereign for example, think of it like the ships cost matters like when a ship destroys a target matters)
but destroyed ships leaving supplies adrift to collect to get something "rank/new weapon/spare parts to repair faster?"
8. Marines:
thats the romulan tavara special weapon so probably wont get to all other ships
13. Ambient Voices:
the borg do that upon contact of another ship (sometimes.. not sure how often iv heard it, doesnt seem to happen often i seem to think)
it might be distraction during battle tho to here what things are being announced
posted on July 6th, 2012, 5:12 pm
Myles wrote:Andre27 wrote:I like the idea of escape pods.
Pick up friendly escape pods, examine crew in escape pods in sickbay ( X second delay) and get a crew boost (small increase in repairs) or possibly a veteran status (if the destroyed ship had veteran/elite status.
i'm not a fan of veteran status carrying over. that's like saying that picard got his ship blown up, his escape pod gets picked up by an unimportant akira class ship, and he just takes control and switches the bridge staff:
"thanks for rescuing us, now i'm taking command of your ship and replacing your crew with my own. your guys can go do damage control if you want."
that's just rude.
part of veteran status is being used to your ship as well, so veteran status doesn't need transferring, it should be lost if you let a veteran get killed.
In first contact Worf was rescued and immediately put to work, Data by itself lifted the http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/USS_Sutherland to whole new levels.
Put la Forge in a foreign engineering and he will make an impression.
It's not taking over command (although Picard being the captain of a flagship probably has seniority over a mere Akira captain) but about bringing along tons of experience.
I would only spawn escape pods from elite vessels and the rise in rank would only be 1 (normal to veteran etc).
The sickbay delay also prevents scary situations during a battle. I would only give escape pods to elite vessels and only higher tier vessels (Sovereign, Defiant and such).
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