Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Save/Load UI, Autosave, Intel Map Markers, and More (04/10/24)
Right; it's just the star's gravity well that requires high skill. Other points don't. I'd imagine a star system only accessible through its star's gravity well would make for a pretty good hideout, though. Assuming there's actually a way out!
Right, that's sort of what I was referring to when talking about distress calls. I don't know about guaranteeing a refueling fleet, though. The feel of that doesn't mesh with how I see the Sector - that kind of safety net implies a level of organization well beyond what's there. Maybe deep in Hegemony space; certainly not while exploring somewhere. A fuel "delivery" via a pirate fleet coming in weapons hot seems more in character. As does an eventual "game over" screen if noone answers your call.
As to gradually getting fuel for free... it's a possibility, but that sounds pretty tricky to get right in terms of the OP cost. I'm also not sure that I like the idea of an exploration fleet being self-sufficient in fuel. To me, that could well kill the feel of exploration by eliminating one of the major risks.
My thoughts: there was a mechanic in Escape Velocity (IIRC), where if one ran out of fuel, one could make a hyperspace call for help if one had the credits, eventually getting a fuel tanker sent your way. If you were out of credits, you died, with an explanation about drifting through space because you ran out of fuel and couldn't afford a tanker (i.e., telling players why their choice didn't work- this meant that from then on, players kept a minimal balance of credits to cover that dire necessity).that's not entirely how i remember Escape Velocity. I believe you always had a chance to hail the next passing ship in attempts to buy fuel from them. I don't remember the game ever ending because you ran out of fuel? Also, you could board ships and steal their fuel if you wanted to pick a fight. I assume there will still be a chance of picking up fuel in Starsector after every battle? Either way, that is why buying the 'ramscoop' was always one my first purchases ikn EV, to slowly recover fuel over time, and wouldn't mind something like that in Starsector.
This is both realistic and a good way to prevent this kind of feature from becoming a major game-balance hassle.
If players have a billion credits and want to fly their giant fleet across the wide empty spaces of the galaxy, calling for fuel tankers at phenomenal costs (say, raise the price depending on how far you are from a solar system) ... I'd honestly say that it's both more realistic and more likely to be Fun to let them, rather than force them to build the All-Tanker Fleet. If the price scaling was really reasonable, it'd also be a gentle landing pad for newbies figuring out the mechanics.
[EDIT]Also... since I know that we'll all want to mod it in (and it'll be popular, because it will provide a gentler mechanic) I'd strongly suggest having a Hull Mod that generates Fuel over time. If Fuel's handled as a float internally, then Fuel generation / day can be helpful. I'd also suggest having a Hull Mod that allows trading Fuel for Supplies over time. Both would eat a medium-largish OP amount and be an effect that got more efficient with larger hulls.
This would, if set up correctly, allow for fleets with very long-range traveling capabilities, even indefinite ones, in exchange for significant reduction of their combat effectiveness. Sounds like an exploration fleet to me. The something-for-nothing can be explained away by lore- "Giant p-space interstitial meshes project Infernium-capturing field effects, allowing fleets to gather the minute amounts of Infernium that drift between the stars"... or whatnot.[/EDIT]
Also, props for the mention of 'Ares' in this thread. EV and Ares... aahhhh... the games of my rotten youth. And it's that itch that Starsector strangly scratches for me.
Ok, enough nitpicking and reminiscing on my part. i love learning where Starsector is heading and i love playing it much more! (back to lurking...)
Fighters do have different repair times, though - using the "refit time" column in wing_data.csv, if you're modding inclined.
Fighter wings will re-spawn as long as there is free flight-deck capacity. So, as long as you have at least as many flight decks as wings you can't lose a fighter wing.
If you have fewer flight decks than fighter wings, the only chance to lose a wing is if one gets destroyed while all flight decks are busy re-producing fighters of another wing.
So, as long as you have at least as many flight decks as wings you can't lose a fighter wing.
