Fractal Softworks Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 11

Author Topic: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production  (Read 61331 times)

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23986
    • View Profile
Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« on: February 12, 2018, 04:23:29 PM »

Blog post here.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2018, 05:27:37 PM by David »
Logged

Midnight Kitsune

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2846
  • Your Friendly Forum Friend
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2018, 04:26:29 PM »

Need to update that ticker! Also, SQUEE! New blog post!
Edit: Ninja'd...
Logged
Help out MesoTroniK, a modder in need

2021 is 2020 won
2022 is 2020 too

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23986
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2018, 04:27:02 PM »

Just did, thanks :) You caught it hot off the press!
Logged

Surge

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 252
  • Go big or go home.
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2018, 04:39:43 PM »

Very exciting stuff, though I have to ask why doctrine priorities are so binary? If part of the reason for priorities is to allow the player more freedom and granularity in controlling their faction why not have priority as a scale, so a player could, say, build a low tech faction with enforcers and lashers as their backbone, but add higher tech ships as rarer assets either for roleplaying purposes (maybe they've made gains against tri-tachyon recently) or just for the sake of fleet diversity without breaking the faction's overarching theme.
Logged

Inventor Raccoon

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 451
  • Digging through trash for a hydroflux catalyst
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2018, 04:43:11 PM »

Ooh, exciting!

And don't think I didn't see that teaser for a new low-tech toy...

Also, a suggestion: maybe add some subtle UI to hint that there are two sets of fleet options that are linked? e.g a line under "Phase Ships", "More Ships" and "Ship Size"
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 04:47:24 PM by Inventor Raccoon »
Logged

Starasp

  • Ensign
  • *
  • Posts: 23
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2018, 04:44:20 PM »

Has Great Leader died?
Logged

PerturbedPug

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 179
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2018, 04:51:48 PM »

"Solo Nobre, Rocky Metallic World"
Been playing some Brigador?
Logged

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23986
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2018, 05:20:35 PM »

Very exciting stuff, though I have to ask why doctrine priorities are so binary? If part of the reason for priorities is to allow the player more freedom and granularity in controlling their faction why not have priority as a scale, so a player could, say, build a low tech faction with enforcers and lashers as their backbone, but add higher tech ships as rarer assets either for roleplaying purposes (maybe they've made gains against tri-tachyon recently) or just for the sake of fleet diversity without breaking the faction's overarching theme.

I can see why someone might want that; in fact there's a setting like this under the hood, to allow some finer tuning of non-player factions. It's functionally not the same as priority, though - priority is binary because the way it works in the ship-picker code is fundamentally binary. Also, binary is more clear and easier to convey.

Anyway, to answer your question: it's because I don't think the benefits of this extra customization are worth the complexity/effort of making the UI to manage it like that, and what you can already do can get you most of the way there in any case (i.e. prioritize one or two high tech ships, and chances are, you'll get mostly what you want, as far as your specific example). It's like, 50% more complexity/work for 10% more customization, with possibly even less actual gameplay impact.


And don't think I didn't see that teaser for a new low-tech toy...

Sharp! Now, can you identify what it is? I have complete confidence in your ability to do so.

Also, a suggestion: maybe add some subtle UI to hint that there are two sets of fleet options that are linked? e.g a line under "Phase Ships", "More Ships" and "Ship Size"

They're grouped together - I *think* that's fairly apparent visually? I did have to squish it a bit more than I'd like to get some extra vertical space, though...

(It looks like there's plenty of room above the "reset" button, but that's 1280x800, where the minimum is 1280x768. Could put reset/confirm side by side, perhaps, but the way it is now mimics how they are in the character tab.)

Has Great Leader died?

... or are they in charge of the Khoros Foundation?


"Solo Nobre, Rocky Metallic World"
Been playing some Brigador?

Possibly. There's only a few Brigador names in the name-gen, but it seems to come up *way* often. E.G. I wasn't trying to make the reference for the blog post, just happened to jump into a system that had Solo Nobre in it.
Logged

Morgan Rue

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2018, 05:21:04 PM »

Will subfactions(Knights of Ludd, Lion's Guard) have different doctrine from their primary faction? Will all factions have a subfaction? Will Tri-Tacheon get an elite phase force?
Logged
Dauntless.

lechibang

  • Lieutenant
  • **
  • Posts: 66
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2018, 05:21:59 PM »

Hah! This is just like the STCs from Warhammer 40k.
Logged
Do it yourself, as people always say.

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23986
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2018, 05:29:41 PM »

Will subfactions(Knights of Ludd, Lion's Guard) have different doctrine from their primary faction?

Probably, although I'll note that the Knights of Ludd aren't actually present in the Sector at the moment as a distinct source. But the Lion's Guard? Yeah, that's the plan.

Will all factions have a subfaction? Will Tri-Tacheon get an elite phase force?

I'm not sure that *every* faction having that is entirely desirable, that can take things from "interesting" to "commonplace". That said, I'm not entirely against it; it's a possibility, will just have to see what makes sense as far as backstory, where to put content-creation time & effort, and so on.

Hah! This is just like the STCs from Warhammer 40k.

Had to look those up, but - yeah, sounds pretty similar!
Logged

Midnight Kitsune

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2846
  • Your Friendly Forum Friend
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2018, 05:34:39 PM »

Oooooo BOY! I can't WAIT for this update and to play with what looks like a new high tech toy? Maybe a destroyer or cruiser?
Logged
Help out MesoTroniK, a modder in need

2021 is 2020 won
2022 is 2020 too

Inventor Raccoon

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 451
  • Digging through trash for a hydroflux catalyst
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2018, 05:44:06 PM »

Sharp! Now, can you identify what it is? I have complete confidence in your ability to do so.
Hmmmm, since the Lasher is a thing and it's really our only current low-tech pure-combat frigate, I'm going to guess that this mystery frigate is a defensive counterpart. It looks like it's got quite a bit of armor on it, although from what I can tell it's a bit lacking in firepower compared to its sister ship (not that it's really possible to make out weapon mounts from that tiny image). It's decently chunky so I'm also guessing it'll get the Heavy Frigate classification, sort of like a low-tech counterpart to the Centurion and Scarab.

Also, did you sneak in a couple of blueprints for fighters we haven't seen before? I think you did!
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 05:53:49 PM by Inventor Raccoon »
Logged

Sendrien

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 265
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2018, 05:58:23 PM »

What. An. Update!!! The next patch is going to be epic.

The blueprint idea unlocks so many interesting possibilities:

1. Finding lost/advanced technology through exploration (otherwise unavailable elsewhere)
2. Opens the possibility for treasure hunts: blueprints whose constituent components also require blueprints to manufacture. (For rare and game-changing tech)
3. Using blueprints to "uplift" a faction's planet/station to a higher tech level.
4. Technology transfer as a diplomacy device.
5. Technological eras: NPC factions can also find their own new technology. Makes each playthrough different.
5.1 As a side benefit of factions being able to acquire new technology, to some extent, there can be a technological arms race.
6. Unlocks the possibility of research. With enough research, a faction can come up with a unique technology, which can then be kept secret, or used in trade/negotiations.
7. Technological theft or sabotage/strategic planets: appropriating/razing a planet that has acquired a valuable blueprint.

I'm sure some of these are beyond the scope of the game, but I wanted to throw them out there for you to brainstorm/mull over.

Ship quality is another interesting mechanic. Of course, it was in the game previously, but now that the player can influence ship quality, I would like to suggest that there be a positive mirror to D mods. If quality is high enough, on rare occasions, perhaps something of exceptional quality could be built? This is similar to the thrill finding XIV battlegroup technology.

As always, keep up the great work, Alex!
Logged

Bribe Guntails

  • Lieutenant
  • **
  • Posts: 60
    • View Profile
Re: Blueprints, Doctrine, and Production
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2018, 05:59:16 PM »

I'm just so excited now to see more cool, well-thought stuff added to the game! I got no other words.


Also, a suggestion: maybe add some subtle UI to hint that there are two sets of fleet options that are linked? e.g a line under "Phase Ships", "More Ships" and "Ship Size"

I threw together changes to the Composition & Doctrine segment to make each group more pronounced, spacing and dividers. How's this look Alex?

Edit: I should have added a counter for the number of free points to distribute. Perhaps 7 small boxes along the top of each subsection?

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 06:03:10 PM by Bribe Guntails »
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 11