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)

Author Topic: Subcaliber covers.  (Read 1052 times)

Mondaymonkey

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 777
    • View Profile
Subcaliber covers.
« on: July 18, 2020, 11:04:35 PM »

If player use weapon smaller than mount size it looks bad. Why not add decorative covers, similar to covers we have for empty mounts, that would visually change mount size for smaller one?

Example. Paragon large energy turret and graviton beam.



THAT IS NOT ACTUAL COVERS SHOULD BE USED! Only concept. Something better should be drawn.
Logged
I dislike human beings... or I just do not know how to cook them well.

AxleMC131

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1722
  • Amateur World-Builder
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2020, 12:45:30 AM »

That's a pretty slick concept. I would not be against seeing something like this in-game.
Logged

Histidine

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 4661
    • View Profile
    • GitHub profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2020, 01:38:49 AM »

Cheap idea: Draw the actual existing mount cover over the mount, then the downsized weapon on top of it
Logged

Mondaymonkey

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 777
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2020, 01:55:46 AM »

Cheap idea: Draw the actual existing mount cover over the mount, then the downsized weapon on top of it

That would be:

 

Not bad, actually. Also, might be possible as that:

   

Minimal difference, tho'.

And that is for the hardpoints:
« Last Edit: July 19, 2020, 02:02:01 AM by Mondaymonkey »
Logged
I dislike human beings... or I just do not know how to cook them well.

AxleMC131

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1722
  • Amateur World-Builder
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2020, 02:19:23 AM »

Hmm. Might work for the turrets, but I don't like it for the hardpoints - not for that example at least. I feel if you're going to the effort of inserting this QoL feature, you'd do it properly with a unique sprite.
Logged

Yunru

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1560
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2020, 02:29:37 AM »

If you have a weapon on a mount, most of the time it covers the mount completely, no?
So the only times you see the mounts that are drawn on the sprite are with downsized weapons. So why not just shrink the mounts on the sprites?

Mondaymonkey

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 777
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2020, 02:57:33 AM »

So why not just shrink the mounts on the sprites?

Seriously?

I mean, it's kind of obvious that sprites have mounts of visually different sizes because player should intuitively understand size of weapon can be mounted there. And if you shrink all the mounts - small will be microscopical. Plus that is complete rework of all ship sprites, which I consider as masochism.
Logged
I dislike human beings... or I just do not know how to cook them well.

Yunru

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1560
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2020, 02:59:29 AM »

Touche, forgot the refit screen exists XD
(Although obviously small, being the smallest, wouldn't shrink (causing even more confusion on the refit screen).)

Morrokain

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2143
  • Megalith Dreadnought - Archean Order
    • View Profile
Re: Subcaliber covers.
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2020, 10:20:26 AM »

Cheap idea: Draw the actual existing mount cover over the mount, then the downsized weapon on top of it

Undermount sprites that match weapon tech type would definitely be the way to go here since the circumference of each medium/large sized weapon is roughly the same. I've been think of doing that for Archean Order since weapons are smaller there - so a medium in a large or a small in a medium looks rather silly at the moment.  :D

Plus that is complete rework of all ship sprites, which I consider as masochism.

You would not be wrong. I still have the scars.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2020, 10:22:18 AM by Morrokain »
Logged