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Topics - Gothars

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376

Suggestions / Gradual map borders

« on: January 17, 2013, 12:36:21 PM »

I thought maybe gradual map borders might be better than the current abrupt borders. Could be realized with a delayed push back effect that gets gradually stronger (in space and time) instead of the sudden maximum push back (+ popup) we have now.
To not interfere with fleeing the effect had to be delayed. That means ships can pass through without speed loss as long as they head straight ahead with full speed (maybe delay time is max speed related?). If you stay in the border zone longer the push back grows stronger and eventually you are forced out of it. Closer to the real boarder the effect will grow fastest. Leaving the boarder zone resets the effect for the ship.

Some advantages:
- Not the annoying pop ups all the time when fighting close to the border
- Instead a text warning "leaving combat zone" that does not interrupt combat flow (pop up at the very end)
- Doesn't limit movement when fighting close to the border. It makes no sense to corner someone in open space, does it?
- Allows to maneuver behind ships that have their back on the map border
- The feeling of a cage match would be mitigated

I have no idea in how far the combat map properties are an integral part of the game engine, so maybe this is pointless.

Anyway, thoughts?

377

Suggestions / Fighters onboard disabled carriers should be disabled, not destroyed

« on: January 15, 2013, 02:17:47 AM »

When a carrier gets disabled all fighters inside are destroyed. It would be nice to have them only disabled, so:
a) The attacker gets rewarded for his coup by a capture chance for the fighters (if attacker wins)
b) It's less frustrating for the defender to accidently loose a carrier with fighters inside because they have a repair chance (if defender wins)

That is all.

378

Suggestions / Combat UI refinements

« on: January 12, 2013, 12:28:46 PM »

The combat UI is a bit dated, but from what I've heard there are plans to update it. So here a some suggestions what could be improved. This only concerns the status display for the flagship, maybe I will make another thread for the the enemy target overlay later.

For reference, this is how the UI currently looks:

This are my suggestions:

In detail:
- Fire mode (alternating/linked) moved into weapon window (to the right). The setting has no influence on autofiring groups, no need to see it.
- Damage type moved into weapon window and converted to symbol.
- Flux/sec of a weapon group added to weapon window. This is helpful to decide which group to turn off in a high flux situation.
- EMP-disabled weapon groups flash blue (pd laser). The frequency indicates the proportion of disabled weapons within a group. Which weapon(s) of a group is disabled is visible in the weapons window (it is flashing blue too, here the frequency tells you how long until it comes back online).
- "In Range" indicator removed from weapon window. What is the point of that? The range of the selected weapons can be seen much more precisely on the weapon arc lines.
- Instead added range indicator to the weapon group window. This allows the player to see if weapons that are not currently selected are in range. It works this way:

You have a circle inside a square. If the circle is smaller than the square your enemy is out of range (of the weapon with the longest range in the group). If it is the same size or bigger it is withing range (square turns green).

The advantage over a simple in range/not in range marker is that it is gradual. So you see if you are just a little too far away or a bit closer than necessary and you can keep not selected weapons in optimal range. I'd say it changes in an area of ca. +- 400su. Useful for kiting and stuff.

If something is unclear please ask.
Your thoughts?

379

General Discussion / Predator or Prey with standard loadout

« on: January 10, 2013, 04:23:34 PM »

Is it even possible to win this? The assault Dominator's HE load-out is just totally ineffective against shielded bombers and the Astral. And the Flak is really missing. Won this with the outdated Variant, I think the support one is doable, too.

I think it should be possible to win a mission with the preset load-out. This is not labeled "impossible" after all.

380

Suggestions / Better bomber handling

« on: January 09, 2013, 12:28:23 PM »

Isn't bomber handling a bit awkward at the moment? If left alone, bombers will attack a target directly in a straight line whenever they are in range. So attack vector and time are almost random. Your only tool to guide bombers is the rally strike force command that sets a static rally point somewhere. But you have a moving target that changes not only its position but also its orientation, so the optimal attack vector is changing all the time. While it is possible to somewhat compensate by setting new rally points or shoo the target in the right position it is a lot of micromanagement, far more than any other aspect of the combat. I think the player attention to damage potential quota is really the worst for bomber management.

So here's the idea: Allow the rally strike force command to be applied to enemy ships . If set on an enemy ship, the bombers will approach the target but stay out of range of its weapons and escort ships. They will circle the target and try to stay on its rear side. If the strike order is given and all went well, they will close in from the perfect angle within the shortest possible time. Maybe call the order strike prep or something. Do you guys think that could work?

Any other ideas how bombers could be made more comfortable to use are welcome.

381

Bug Reports & Support / Out of memory crash

« on: January 08, 2013, 02:21:11 AM »

Happened while I took repeated screenshots of the system map in window mode. Can't reproduce tough, so maybe its nothing.

Quote

Code

9652 [Thread-6] DEBUG com.fs.graphics.TextureLoader  - Loaded 83,44 MB of texture data so far
9746 [Thread-6] WARN  com.fs.starfarer.loading.SpecStore  - Description with id flarelauncher_fighter_SHIP_SYSTEM not found
9746 [Thread-6] WARN  com.fs.starfarer.loading.SpecStore  - Description with id inferniuminjector_SHIP_SYSTEM not found
9746 [Thread-6] WARN  com.fs.starfarer.loading.SpecStore  - Description with id skimmer_drone_SHIP_SYSTEM not found
9760 [Thread-6] DEBUG com.fs.graphics.TextureLoader  - Loading [graphics/particlealpha32sq.png] as texture with id [fs.common/graphics/particlealpha32sq.png]
9762 [Thread-6] DEBUG com.fs.graphics.TextureLoader  - Loaded 83,44 MB of texture data so far
9856 [Thread-6] DEBUG com.fs.graphics.TextureLoader  - Loading [graphics/backgrounds/background4.jpg] as texture with id [graphics/backgrounds/background4.jpg]
31703 [Thread-6] INFO  com.fs.starfarer.campaign.save.CampaignGameManager  - Loading D:\Spiele\Installationen\Starsector\starsector-core\..\saves\save_Sireena_665578301880609238...
32879 [Thread-6] DEBUG com.fs.graphics.TextureLoader  - Loading [graphics/backgrounds/background4.jpg] as texture with id [graphics/backgrounds/background4.jpg]
32888 [Thread-6] INFO  com.fs.starfarer.campaign.save.CampaignGameManager  - Finished loading
1800582 [Thread-6] ERROR com.fs.starfarer.combat.D  - java.lang.OutOfMemoryError
java.lang.OutOfMemoryError
	at sun.misc.Unsafe.allocateMemory(Native Method)
	at java.nio.DirectByteBuffer.<init>(DirectByteBuffer.java:99)
	at java.nio.ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(ByteBuffer.java:288)
	at org.lwjgl.BufferUtils.createByteBuffer(BufferUtils.java:60)
	at com.fs.starfarer.util.O0OO.super(Unknown Source)
	at com.fs.starfarer.A.ÖÖÒ000(Unknown Source)
	at com.fs.A.A.new(Unknown Source)
	at com.fs.starfarer.combat.D.o00000(Unknown Source)
	at com.fs.starfarer.StarfarerLauncher$2.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)

382

General Discussion / List of useful threads

« on: January 08, 2013, 01:29:50 AM »

This is a list of threads that stay useful over time but don't get enough activity to stay up front (and don't exactly warrant a sticky). Feel free to suggest other threads that belong on the list.

Help the development

Suggest Offical Ship Variants

Report AI slips / player tricks that exploit AI behavior

Report typos in the game or on the website

Modding API requests

Questions and Answers

Questions about the development process of Starsector

The Lore Corner - Q&A about Starsector's gameworld

Archive of developer statements about the inner workings of game mechanics

Concept art of Starsector by David

Sound and music of Starsector by Stain

Not a list of planned features

Community

Introduce yourself

Starsector community map - where are you from?

Show your face

Utility

How armor works in Starsector

CR/supply usage spreadsheet outdated!

383

Discussions / New moderator introduction

« on: January 06, 2013, 05:31:58 PM »

Hi everyone!

Many know me as a member, from now one I will reinforce the forum's moderator staff

*harrumph*:
I pledge my new powers to the good of the forum, so intelligent discussion, helpful advise and constructive criticism may prevail! I will stand tall against the legion of spambots! I will not waiver in the face of mindless spammers! I will guide help seeking new members and protect ...ahhh, I think you've got the idea.

Anyway, here's to a thriving community and a great corner of the internet! May the forum continue to be worthy of the game

384

Discussions / Radio the Universe - Kickstarter

« on: January 03, 2013, 10:06:45 PM »

A dark sci-fi pixelart game with classic Zelda-like gameplay. It looks extremely interesting.

click me

385

Bug Reports & Support / Command UI ship symbols scale is off

« on: January 02, 2013, 01:03:53 PM »

They don't dynamically scale the wrong way anymore but the sizes don't match. I'd guess fighters are intentionally displayed too big, but it happens withing the same size class for other ships. Even the marker squares are of different size.

Some examples are in the pictures, I'm sure there are many more.

[attachment deleted by admin]

386

Suggestions / Mining lasers - it's time to break free

« on: December 28, 2012, 07:06:25 PM »

At the moment they are nothing more than an advertisement saying "Look at me, I'm indubitably a mining ship!". Their PD functions is a joke. I just saw the concept art for the lasers again, they look really nice and should be more than decoration.

Spoiler

(lower right)

[close]

I was thinking: make them pulse PD lasers with one charge, great power and slow turning. That would make them ideal for shooting down slow moving torpedoes and Piranhas but useless against anything else (besides asteroids of course).

387

Suggestions / Difficulty Modes

« on: December 25, 2012, 07:42:01 PM »

Let's talk about game difficulty

The best difficulty system I have seen to this day was Bastion's Idol system. I think something similar would work very well in Starfarer. Iron mode could be seen as the beginning of that.

It could work this way: You can find special items/unlock achievements while playing the game. These open up difficulty modifying options. You can activate those either from the menu for the current game or when starting a new play-trough.

These difficulty options are freely combinable. They could reach from simple things like added enemy HP to really mean stuff. Some (quick) examples:

Spoiler

No rest for the wicked - Deactivates the pause function in combat, all orders have to be given in real time
Turning the hourglass - Your character has a incurable sickness and his/her time is running out. You have to purchase expensive medicine every x minutes.
This deck looks so much better with a glass floor - Your Flagship takes x% more hull damage
A question of honor - You can't choose to escape
Wonders of technology - Better optimized ship variants with OP bonus are unlocked for the AI
One stubborn Starfarer - You can't deactivate once activated difficulty modes in a play-trough
Even at night you can't walk on the sun - Your fleet takes damage close to a central star
Etc - something that makes trading more difficult, mining, exploring... basically something for every aspect of the game a player might wish for to be harder

[close]

I can see many benefits:
1) You get collectables/achievements into the game that really do something and are thus fun to find/acquire. Other than normal items they don't have to be balanced since their activation is detrimental and entirely optional.
2) You can freely choose and combine your difficulty options to end up with a game that plays just as you want it.
3) Both the finding of the options/items and later on using the options can be bound into the game world and narrative. Normal game difficulty takes place on a completely separate menu layer, that's a missed oportunity.
4) The game doesn't "threaten" a new player with too many difficulty options

I (choose to

) believe this would not even need a huge amount of time to realize (not much balancing, graphics) and could be easily expandable in the future.

Thoughts?

388

Discussions / Happy Christmas everybody!

« on: December 24, 2012, 07:48:34 AM »

Happy Holidays! Happy Hanukkah! Belated happy Winter Solstice! Or just a happy year's end!

Be with you family and loved ones, drink, eat and be happy that the comforts of your civilization are not a distant memory

\'/
-=

=-
{.}
{.-'}
{`_.-'}
{-` _.-'}
`":=:"`
`---`

389

Bug Reports & Support / Reinforcements after retreat order

« on: December 22, 2012, 12:34:27 PM »

I've got one: If your flagship gets destroyed and you give a general retreat order, you can still bring in reinforcements with G (but not from the command UI).

That leads to some follow-up bugs:
- You fleet point counter doesn't drop (actual FP do)
- Fighters (from reinforcement wave) that want to refit on destroyed carriers (from first wave). THey only show the arrow though, they don't act on it. See picture.

[attachment deleted by admin]

390

Suggestions / Enable target view from map

« on: December 19, 2012, 04:51:49 PM »

Just a tiny suggestion:

It's feels a bit unintuitive that video feed view is realized with click+F from the map, but to view a (distant) enemy I have to click+R, then close the map and then press Z/Y. I see no reason why clicking and pressing Z/Y on the map should not directly mark a target and jump to it. Or at least jump to a already marked target direct from the map.