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

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Messages - Ihave500hats

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1
Modding / Re: Kitbashed ship sprites
« on: January 19, 2023, 04:42:10 AM »
Behold, the Myth-class

I have no idea what this ship is going to be yet, but I just wanted to show people how I start making a kitbashed ship!

If you can guess all of the ships I used I can't really give you a prize, but props to you (Hint: the largest section is from the Tahlan Shipworks mod!)

2
Modding / Re: Kitbashed ship sprites
« on: January 19, 2023, 03:14:55 AM »
Adding orange-ish color to the bridge seems to be the right move but I couldn't say the same to the new additions around the bottom weapon mounts, maybe if you make it more subtler and blend into the hull.. It might look better? The new addition on the bottom right of the ship are a bit too bulky especially with the thick lines. I'm not sure what to make of it when I look at it, is it an antenna?

Okay so first, I'm so honored to have the UAF dev replying to this! :D And I will 100% take your advice with the rust coloring. And the antenna thingy was mainly me trying to add to the feel of the ship being something that has been patched and repaired and modified a lot. I may just remove the antenna and make the sensor module patched up and damaged.

Seriously, thank you for the feedback, I really needed it as I'm still pretty new to this lol

3
Modding / Re: Kitbashed ship sprites
« on: January 18, 2023, 04:04:17 AM »
Update on the Messiah class (old on left, new on right)

I fiddled around with adding rust, changing some things (like the sensor module on the right side), and added a new patch which isn't fully complete yet.

4
Modding / Kitbashed ship sprites
« on: January 16, 2023, 01:25:32 AM »
Hey people! I took a break from making sprites for awhile to focus on school and such. I'm back and I've got a better computer too!
Here's the Borzon-class Strike Carrier, with a bit of retouching!

Here's my newest, the Messiah class Super-heavy Cruiser (do note this one is a work in progress and still needs a LOT of editing and fixing up.)

I will be updating this thread roughly weekly, stay tuned for more ships! I plan on creating enough to make anew faction, or just a bunch of ships to add in to the vanilla game (like the Ship/Weapons Pack).
IMPORTANT: I need someone to actually implement these ships into a mod! (or to help me, please) I have the .ship files, but I've tried to make it into a mod before and it failed miserably. If you'd like to contact me or help me with the mod creation you can add me on steam (friend code: 1041978237) Or PM me on this forum.

5
Bug Reports & Support (modded) / Re: start crash
« on: January 06, 2023, 04:08:42 AM »
Best guess: Did you accidentally make the Starsector folder or the saves subfolder read-only? Try changing it in the folder properties.
I'm having the same problem, and I can't unset the read-only, even with administrator powers. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

6
Lore, Fan Media & Fiction / Re: Condor modification drawing
« on: September 07, 2022, 12:43:17 AM »
I have no words other than please stick this in the game, somehow, its exactly the kind of simple modification i adore.
As for something resembling a recommendation, this bit sticks out to my eye somehow unlike the armor, and i think it could be blended better? No goddamn clue how to do that, but still.
I really want to but I'm bad at adding things into the game heh... I haven't messed with modding for a bit now since my first failure lol. I still have all the original files I just need help from a experienced modder. I've also been invested in learning how to use GIMP ever since I posted this and I've gotten a LOT better at pixel art and art in general haha. I'll give it another shot for fun soon.

most people use condor as a cheap spamable missile carrier that is easily dispatched. your current design of it looks like a heavy modification that sacrifices one of the fighter bays for more armor and weapons. looks like a Hegemony fanatics wet dream.

Yeah I was kinda going for a more frontline version that is meant to take hits and support the frontlines.


7
Modding / Re: Vindicator: made to kill frigates
« on: May 23, 2022, 03:47:19 AM »
Oh shoot. I didn't realize I posted this here. I would be grateful if this was moved my a Moderator or some such upper power, apologies for posting this in general.

8
Modding / Vindicator: made to kill frigates
« on: May 23, 2022, 02:30:26 AM »
The Vindicator is a low-tech ship most people would pass off and say "yeah but I could have an Eradicator." However, it is a ship that fulfills a special role, long-range frigate suppression. With the standard Vindicator, you receive a Gungir cannon and a large missile mount. This variant is great at overloading with its cannon then launching a follow-up swarm of Locust missiles. Its brother, the (S) variant is made to specifically to suppress frigates. With two Gungir cannons and Rapid Ammo Loader, it excels when it has a good officer.

The Builds:

Standard Vindicator & Vindicator (S)
https://imgur.com/a/Tvn7Toc

Recommended Officer Skills: Helmsmanship, Ballistic Mastery (elite if possible), Missile Specialization (for the Standard variant), Gunnery Implants, Ordinance Expertise, Impact Mitigation/Combat Endurance

I'm still a novice at building ships right, so tell me if you think anything could be better.

9
Lore, Fan Media & Fiction / Condor modification drawing
« on: April 18, 2022, 01:50:49 AM »
So I've been making designs, but i wanted to test it on a Condor first. I've kitbashed a Dominator's thruster onto it and added bits and bobs here and there. the missile racks on the front aren't fully integrated yet.

I'm using Krita for drawing, and I've got a drawing pad, I think that's all I need.

Please give me some feedback or recommendations on what to do thanks :)


10
Modding / Degenerate Portrait Pack (fixed)
« on: April 16, 2022, 09:40:34 PM »
So after going through the Degen Port-Pack, and reading the complaints, I fixed it. Now MesoTroniK's factions will not be affected. The portraits will only affect the vanilla factions.

Of course, all original credit goes to Toddoftheyear.

It took a while to troubleshoot why a bunch of images weren't actually included in the original mod's expansion packs, but it works now, so be prepared for the massive amount of portraits it adds.

DOWNLOAD:
Degen-Port-Pack

11
Suggestions / Re: Better Ship commands
« on: April 15, 2022, 02:31:04 AM »
The AI problems are a very common complaint. If you're having trouble with your fleet's ships running into each other, try checking out Grumpy Thumper Gaming's guides to SS, they're really helpful and worth the entire 30 mins one episode takes up lol. I was giving suggestions, not complaining about the game's combat, in fact I love the combat as it is currently, of course there is always room for improvement, but it's fine for now.

P.S: Also, it is easy to maneuver ships at the start of combat, I suggest using rally points and grouping ships together, or having frigates escort cruisers, stuff like that.

12
Suggestions / Better Ship commands
« on: April 12, 2022, 11:50:55 PM »
As a kid I grew up loving ships and naval combat, one of my favorite books is Fleet Tactics: theory and practice by Capt. Wayne P. Hughes. This book talks a lot about Tactical naval warfare, and it also applies to StarSector. Mostly these suggestions are based on StarSector and not real life, but a few are based off of the book.

Suggestions:

  • Having the ability to make ships move in a column, and automatically space themselves out (or even make the distance between each ship in the column customizable). This could be useful for a fleet with many cruisers & capitals, so you could focus firepower.
  • You can group ships together already, but what if you could make them focus on firing one type of weapon, for instance, make a Conquest with two Dominators group up and focus on only using ballistic weapons.
  • A slightly different command UI, that makes the rally points smaller, so you can zoom in closer and force your ships into precise maneuvers.
  • Making ship AI prioritize the players orders over attacking the nearest ship. Sometimes it is hard to force a ship out of combat by sending it to a faraway rally point or using the retreat functions.
  • Different factions have different tactical doctrines. Obviously they already have some semblance of different tactical doctrines, but they need distinct patterns, as if the high command issued the same commands to all the fleets of a faction. Ex.: Hegemony frigates form a anti-flanking pattern around cruiser & capital ships, trying to protect that larger ship from missiles and other frigates.
  • It would be interesting to see an expanded group of ship commands, so you could customize how you'd want your fleet to maneuver and attack.
  • SMOKE SCREENS! This would be an awesome counterforce ability, we already have chaff and flare launchers, so why not destroyers with built in smoke screen systems? Maybe it can hold 3-4 charges that can only be used once, and the screen can have two different types: grenade type, where it launches forward and explodes in a set arc that covers a decent space, or trailing type, where it trails behind a destroyer (or frigate would be good) for a set amount of time. Both systems last for 20 seconds per charge, and the trailing type's timer doesn't start until the screen has be fully deposited.

13
And last is the AI.  I've tried to read other threads about this and the last 2 issues but I'll admit its frustrating trying to figure out which version of the game the posts are referring to as its gone through so many, and all I have to go by is a date.  Having to research what the current version of the game was at the date of the post is really annoying, to be entirely honest, and that's assuming they're on the latest version.  But using just a recent example of what I don't understand my Sunder's and Condor's are dumb.  They have no officers, and I don't have a colony so afaik there is no doctrine to affect the behavior.  The Sunder was engaging a mule with nothing anywhere nearby with almost full flux and damaged armor but full hull.  The mule had 0 flux, full armor, full hull.  The Sunder sat there at the very limit of its range dropping shield and shooting briefly then shielding up, but still taking damage as it did so; why didn't it just disengage and vent?  And my Condor's usually just wedge themselves between my Apogee's and the target, getting melted.

I've noticed that destroyers and frigates love to push as hard as they can then fail to fall back and die. You're going to have to select them on the tactical display and force them to move back by creating a rally point and sending them to it. If that doesn't work, try making them tactically retreat or have another destroyer or even cruiser support them/attack the destroyer's attacker. On top of that, If you command an aircraft carrier and you are in range (a Heron is good for this), launch all of your wings at close range at the destroyer's attackers and try to save them that way.

Condors in my opinion are dumb unless you force them to go to rally points, which they often ignore to "stay in range" (although that range seems to be within the range of the enemies guns). If you want a better alternative to a Sunder, get a Hammerhead or a swarm of Lashers, as dumb as it may seem, it can be a effective way to take out an enemy fleet.

My fleet normally looks like this:

Flagship:
1 Heron (2 Xyphos, 1 Perdition) (somewhat good for close support of a destroyer locked in combat and at max flux)

Cruisers (optional):
1 Champion (I just love putting a PD system (the remnant one is better) on these things and sending them in to support the frontline)
1 Gryphon (Locust lol)

Destroyers:
These can be mixed and matched (I prefer 3, with 2 or one and 1 of the other):
Mule
Hammerhead

Frigates:
3-5 Lashers or Brawlers (mixing these can be good too)

Auxiliary:
2 Buffalos (cargo)
1 Phaeton (fuel)
1 Salvage ship (optional)

Try to find the augmented drive field and slap it on any of these ships that are slowing down your fleet if necessary.
I've also found that pairing a Hammerhead/Mule with a Lasher/Brawler as support can be good, and then sending the Destroyer to go and Search & Destroy with the Frigate.


[attachment deleted by admin]

14
General Discussion / Why StarSector is the best
« on: March 03, 2022, 05:17:24 PM »
Why should someone delve into the extensive world of StarSector and its many mods?

Because who doesn't want to discover a powerful AI killer and feel the rush from defeating it, or take down a whole armada from an opposing faction!

I've been playing StarSector for ~6 months now, thanks to SsethTzeentach's video on it. It has really made me happy and angry, and it's a game that really feels special. The love that was put into it is felt through every little thing you do. The community is just as great, with many new factions and utilities to make the game easier if you are new.

Of the many characters I've made, only a few have more than 100 hours on them. Some last only a few hours before they are forgotten. This comes from my own bullheadedness when it comes to new games. I prefer to play the hard mode before the easy mode, and suffer the consequences of my own stupidity.

So, if a game offers a Easy mode, play it first, learn the tricks, read the forums, etc. It's the best way to learn, but you can always do it the hard way, which can be just as fun. It all depends on how you like to play!

Getting back to the community, they are special. They make mods that can change the base game, or just make the universe more lively and more random. They make fan fictions and even media. There's so many stories and drawings that are inspired by the game, and that really shows the love for this game. Hell, there are even Shipgirls already. (DE.Calvin's Post)

The game itself is a real adventure, where you can become a feared smuggler or a religious crusader. You could decide to start your own faction and then expand your influence throughout the sector. Some players prefer to play with only low tech frigate swarms or high tech battefleets.

It's a hard game at first but once you get the hang of the endless trade and exploration grind, you start to make credits, and credits... are everything. Once you make credits, you spend them, you expand your fleets, gain favor, fight harder enemies, take on deadlier bounties. If you end up getting bored (which would take a long time), you can download (N)exelerin or Vayra's Sector to expand the base game and make things even better. You can make your own mods, and add an endless amount to the base game (if your computer can handle it of course.)

To put it simply, StarSector is one of the greatest indie games I've played and I don't plan on EVER putting it down. It's like a book you read as a kid and keep thinking about even as an adult. If you are reading this you probably have played this game, so what was something that really stood out to you when you first started playing StarSector?


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