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: Illegalising transverse jumping and making it a 'lost', acquirable tech  (Read 1104 times)

tomatopaste

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 306
    • View Profile

Title explains it pretty succintly. Current patrols don't bat an eye for transverse jumping, which is weird since the unique ability to pop in and out of existence in tightly, conventionally patrolled space should be something that patrols should react to uniquely, especially since it's not a skill integrated with npc fleets and their AI. I'm suggesting rep loss or some other balancing factor that discourages the player from legitimately using it to enter and exit populated space (while still being useful for black market 'trading' and gtfo), especially since patrols can't regulate the usage of an exotic tech to easily dodge patrols without having to run the gauntlet of making it to the nearest jump point.

Secondly, currently the acquirement of transverse jumping is as a skill that can be acquired very early in a campaign, from gaining generic experience. This doesn't really explain the acquirement of what could be considered an exotic tech, since no npc fleets use it, so it fits quite well that the player could acquire it from a somewhat difficult quest reward, or maybe as an exploration reward system, and which the downtrodden hegemony patrols of the sector would not have access to. I'm probably going to have a crack at modding it in, but it would be nice to see as a vanilla mechanic maybe? Anyway, thank you for reading :)
Logged

TheBawkHawk

  • Lieutenant
  • **
  • Posts: 92
    • View Profile
Re: Illegalising transverse jumping and making it a 'lost', acquirable tech
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2020, 09:25:30 PM »

I'm in favour of both of these changes. Transverse Jump has always felt like a no-brain choice for me to take, since it's simply so strong. An indirect nerf to its effectiveness like this is exactly what it needs. A direct nerf to how it works would simply make it unfun to use, which I think we should avoid. I also like the idea of items providing access to new abilities while they're in your cargo hold, or being consumed, for temporary buffs on the campaign map.
Logged

intrinsic_parity

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3071
    • View Profile
Re: Illegalising transverse jumping and making it a 'lost', acquirable tech
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2020, 09:34:52 PM »

https://fractalsoftworks.com/2019/07/08/skills-and-story-points/

Skills are getting reworked, so it's not really clear how this will work in the next release
Logged

tomatopaste

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 306
    • View Profile
Re: Illegalising transverse jumping and making it a 'lost', acquirable tech
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2020, 09:55:03 PM »

https://fractalsoftworks.com/2019/07/08/skills-and-story-points/

Skills are getting reworked, so it's not really clear how this will work in the next release

There's no indication or confirmation that transverse jumping is no longer acquired through skills. Besides, I'm against the idea of unlocking it as a final tier of skill, if it were given like that, since it has the same thing that I take issue with in that the player does not do anything unique in obtaining it, just have to shoot more pirates than currently.
Logged

SapphireSage

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 257
    • View Profile
Re: Illegalising transverse jumping and making it a 'lost', acquirable tech
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2020, 10:06:21 PM »

IIRC Alex said in the blog or thread that there's plans for T jump to be gained through either getting the elite navigation skill, or by doing a story based quest to acquire a tech for those that did not take the navigation skill. So skills that have campaign layer stuff that's very good like T Jump can still be acquired without spending a point on the skill, but will require jumping through more hoops. I could be wrong though.
Logged

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12118
    • View Profile
Re: Illegalising transverse jumping and making it a 'lost', acquirable tech
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2020, 02:39:49 PM »

T-Jump may not necessarily be exotic tech, but the navigator being such a hotshot pilot who is so good that he can just do the impossible for nearly anyone else.

I have no problem with T-Jump other than it feels like a must-have skill.  No worse than falling through a gas giant or star.  (Falling through a star used to require Navigation 7 in pre-0.8a releases.  Now, any unskilled pilot can do it.)  Ditto with Neutrino Detector because of the rare chance of a pirate base spawning in a place that is nearly impossible to find.  Thankfully, (I think I read) those abilities will be unlocked via quest if player does not get the skill.

If I remember, Tech 1 will have Navigation (T-Jump) and Sensors (Neutrino), and player picks one of them.  Tech 5 is either Automated Ships (yay! Radiant wingman!) or that skill the raises permamod limit from 2 to 3 (more story point sink and more effective OP!).

T-Jump is a must to stop the whack-a-mole zombie pirates from burning down the core worlds.

Patrols stopping my fleet for T-Jumping?  Urge to destroy core worlds rising!
Logged