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Author Topic: Reworked Fighter Controls  (Read 2723 times)

SafariJohn

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Reworked Fighter Controls
« on: January 06, 2018, 12:15:09 PM »

I think carriers, particularly hybrid carriers, should have more control over their fighters. I propose fighters be commanded by two keys: Fighter Stance and Fighter Command.

Fighter Stance toggles fighters between two modes: Regroup and Roaming. Regroup is exactly as now. Roaming lets the fighters fly around attacking whatever they please.

Fighter Command changes functions depending on which mode the carrier's fighters are in.

 - When in Regroup, Command sets the fighters' mode to Repair. Repair mode causes damaged fighters to land for a moment to repair and rearm, just as bombers do after an attack run. Hitting Command again toggles back to Regroup.

 - When in Roaming, Command's function depends on what is currently targeted. If the target is an enemy ship, it sets the fighters' mode to Engage; the fighters attack that ship until given a different Command. By which I mean the carrier can target something else without distracting its fighters. If the target is a friendly ship, it sets the fighters' mode to Escort; the fighters protect that ship until given a different Command. If nothing is targeted, it sets the fighters back to Roaming mode.


This suggestion really only adds one fighter mode, but it makes all the existing modes explicit and more useful.
 

Spoiler
In case it isn't clear, Fighter Stance switches Regroup/Repair to Roaming and Roaming/Engage/Escort to Regroup.
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DatonKallandor

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Re: Reworked Fighter Controls
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2018, 04:02:30 PM »

I agree that more fighter control is needed. I'd love control over each individual wing (or at least 2-3 fighter groups you put your wings into in the refit screens, like the weapon group manager), but in the absence of that, more control in general would be good too.

Instead of having 2 buttons though, I think we can still get by with one. For example, have a single press tell your strikecraft to engage or defend the currently selected target. If nothing is selected when the button is pressed, they go back to free-roam. If you hold the button, you give the retreat and regroup order, no matter if or what you have selected as a target. That way it'd still always be very clear what the your fighters will do when you push the button and you can also always quickly get a regroup order in without have to juggle targets just like now. Only problem is that there's no room for a "stay in the fighter bays" order on one button, which would be a really useful order to have.
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Kirschbra

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Re: Reworked Fighter Controls
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2018, 05:34:04 PM »

I've been playing since this was starfarer back in the day, and I only just discovered the fighter controls, I couldn't figure out why my fighters always just sucked lol, I never used carriers, but now that I know how they work I love them.  I also love your idea, more control would be nice. 
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Goumindong

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Re: Reworked Fighter Controls
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2018, 08:46:58 PM »

Unless I am super confused the Z key is the default to do this already.

When in regroup mode fighters will rearm if they need to and will defend the carrier, only leaving a smal radius around the carrier. Additionally fighters receive a rearm time bonus while in regroup and the readiness of fighters increases faster

When in engage mode the fighters will engage or defend the selected target depending on if it’s an enemy or ally(and will rearm only if they die or they are a bomber and drop their payload).

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SafariJohn

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Re: Reworked Fighter Controls
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2018, 10:45:09 PM »

Unless I am super confused the Z key is the default to do this already.

To quote myself:

This suggestion really only adds one fighter mode, but it makes all the existing modes explicit and more useful.

Repair mode is the one not currently supported.

Repair mode causes damaged fighters to land for a moment to repair and rearm, just as bombers do after an attack run.

Currently, the only way to "repair" damaged fighters is to get them destroyed so a replacement is built.


Regroup does not do most of what you describe. Fighters that rearm (such as bombers) do so whenever they use up their ammo. Regarding regroup mode, I defer to the Fighter Redesign blog post:

Quote
there’s a “replacement rate” stat for carriers, sort of like the flux bar for weapons, but for fighters. It’s a measure of how stressed the fighter bays are by producing replacements, going down when they’re working, and going up when they’re idle. While fighters are ordered to regroup, the replacement rate holds steady if it would otherwise go down.

If you'd like a full refresher on how fighters work, go give it a read.
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