weapons platform + optical rotation

posted on April 12th, 2009, 8:02 pm

The klingon sorta new now, weapons platform seemed to be missing some thing and it just hit me they all face the same direction when they are built witch is sorta od, do to there unique shape.

Suggested suctions to this:

Add a very slow rotation to them barley notable or make it so they are billet in different directions any time.

[Dominus_Noctis]

posted on April 12th, 2009, 8:15 pm

Last edited by Dominus_Noctis on April 13th, 2009, 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah, would be nice for all the stations really... dunno if it can be done with the game engine though. Actually, I'm pretty sure it can't, because it would need to count as a new station (so you select one of several rotations to build). 

EDIT: cool, didn't know that Mimesot 

posted on April 12th, 2009, 8:21 pm

I like the idea.

@Dominus_Noctis
I believe it is possible. Rotation of objects is possible, as rotation of a station's part is possible too (see fed turrets). The starting position/direction may be the same for all stations, but, as you won't build them at the same thime, they will have a phase shift.

I think a angular speed of 30° per build time is most appropriate.

posted on April 12th, 2009, 8:45 pm

I alwayse wondered why they didn't move like the Ranger cannon from the Antithesis mod by Interstellar machine.  All it uses is a physics file that tells it it cant move but it can turn to face its target. that would be a cool addition.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 12:56 am

yea, we have something similar in mind with turret movement, however it is is not a high priority task

posted on April 13th, 2009, 4:01 am

It would be cool if the klingon's turret would turn to face the target. The way its designed it looks like it should do that.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 7:37 am

Great idea! It would be quite remarkable 

posted on April 13th, 2009, 3:23 pm

Stations rotation is possible with SOD animations however it looks kinda funny as the hardpoints don't rotate with the station.

I've often wondered though if you gave a turret engines but no forward speed would it be able to rotate to face it's target, I think that would look pretty cool for the klingon turret.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 3:59 pm

There is a mod that does that does something like that. It would be cool if they turrets did something besides just sit there.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 4:12 pm

Stations rotation is possible with SOD animations however it looks kinda funny as the hardpoints don't rotate with the station.

I've often wondered though if you gave a turret engines but no forward speed would it be able to rotate to face it's target, I think that would look pretty cool for the klingon turret.

Thats what I just said. Is cant move but it can turn.  It would be really simple.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 4:38 pm

dunno. maybe it's just me.
but the klingon and romulan platforms dont seem to be the rotating kind. nor do the dominion or the borg stations.

I dont see them rotating out of sheer orbit in the shows either.

At Chintoka they rotated explicitly while opening. The fed stations like the Dominion barrel canon (the big one like a cross) have rotating circular parts which are nice moving.

But I dont feel klingon or rommie or dom regular or borg platforms should be rotating or moving in any way or form.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 6:59 pm

But on the other hand the rotation suggested in the first post of this thread is none that you could (maybe) / would (surly not) really observe.

The idea ot completly stationary stationary objects is absurd from a physical point of view. There is always thrust needed to keep objects in position due to micro gravity. A thrust that could be used for arbitrary (slow accelerating) motion as well. Thus noone may argue, that moving turrets are unrealistic, especially if they are only rotating in unobservable slow motion.

Turrets that are orienting themselves towards the enemy are something different, because these strong  rotational accelerations would surly require big energies.

The invention of a physics file similar to a ships physics file with a predefined angular velocity but a prohibited angular acceleration would avoid the problem with the hardpoints.

If turrets should rotate depends only on the users (or the mods) aesthetical liking.

posted on April 13th, 2009, 7:08 pm

if we're discussing physics, we could simply argue that the stations are in place based on the same tech which keeps a starship from flipping over once it comes to a complete stop in the middle of Star Trek space

after all if I bring the Enterprise to a halt, it has dampeners stabilization thrusters etc, the whole spiel....

posted on April 13th, 2009, 7:24 pm

And exactly these dampeners, stabilization thrusters,... which have to be there to keep a station in place, could be used to make a turret be moved by low acceleration.

Constant rotation does not even consume energy, so there is nothing unrealistic about a constant rotation. (don't count gravitational quardupol radiation )

Why should a starship flip, when deaccelerating?

posted on April 13th, 2009, 7:34 pm

i seriosly dont care if a turret has a rotation or not, the important part for me is: does it make zZzaaap, fwhoooosh or booom ?