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)

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Topics - Clockwork Owl

Pages: 1 2 3 [4]
46
Suggestions / Hyperspace storm effect
« on: November 27, 2015, 05:12:17 PM »
While a section of the deep hyperspace lets the player know it is going to have a storm by radiating some sort of shiny light, the actual storm effect...doesn't stand out much.

Many times I've been sailing into a section that I believe was in calm state, only to find out there were storm going on.

I'd like to keep the storm warning effect as-is, but for the actual storm, having some arc(similar to that of EMP emitters) flashing around and some shiny particles fly in the area would be really nice.

47
Bug Reports & Support / Tooltips requiring revision
« on: November 25, 2015, 06:16:25 AM »
Was translating the tips in the starting screen for a new player, found some that doesn't seem correct anymore, namely:
*Hull damage reduces extra CR.
*Ship consume supplies only for repairs and CR recovery. Crew and marines always consume some supplies.

And you might want to add some things more related to sensors and stuff that were added in 0.7.

Edit: Some tooltips have incorrect texts, too. Like the one in 'Mothball' - no more Logistics rating.

48
Suggestions / Changes to Investigations and its impact on reputation
« on: November 24, 2015, 02:55:56 AM »
Origial post from shuul:

I posted this in Discussion of new version at first, but I believe it should be here:



smtng

Yeah, looking at this for the .1 release. Need more carrot to go with the stick, and probably a bit less stick in the first place.

Hey Alex, I was thinking hard on this one as this system looks very not flexible atm.
And maybe I found a good balanced solution - factions have to use "difference"(not exactly) between player reputations for each of faction.
I will use example to show how "difference" is calculated:
Let’s say Player has reputation with Hegemony +10 and with Tri-Tachyon +10, "difference" will be +20.
if Player will have reputation with Hegemony +10 and with Tri-Tachyon -10, "difference" will be 0.
if Player will have reputation with Hegemony +10 and with Tri-Tachyon -20, "difference" will be -10 (negative result means that one faction doesn't care about your reputation with another faction).
if Player will have reputation with Hegemony +60 and with Tri-Tachyon +80, "difference" will be +140.

So, lets say we need a difference of +25 (trigger amount) for a faction to start investigation that will last 2-3 months, player knows that investigation is under way and has the possibility to fix his standings with one of the factions.
When investigation will be completed it will count players reputation and current "difference" to give results. Also, it is critical to not have results of investigations be auto-inhospitable or auto-hostile, it just doesnt makes sense; you will not be blamed as traitor of your country if you will say something like "oh, this guys are not THAT bad".

Ok, now the complex example that will show all the calculations:
Player standings with Hegemony is +25 and with Tri-tachyon is +5, so the "difference" is 30. This triggers investigation for both of the factions. (+ random time period)
After 2-3 months of investigation Player did not changed his reputation and investigation results are counted:
For Hegemony, as Players reputation with them is greater, it will have more impact:

1. At first we will have to count if investigation gives any kind of results at all, that is based solely on "difference" and player current reputation and will gives player a chance, if he is lucky enough, to have not-so-bad standings with all factions if difference in reputation is small enough or if it will be severely decreased till the end of investigation.
Formula is:    (difference * 2) + (random number from 0.1 to 1 * current reputation) – 5

Example for Hegemony: (30*2) + (0.7 * 25) - 5 = 72.5%
So, this gives 27.5% that investigation will not give any results.


Let’s calculate same thing for Tri-tachyon (let’s take the same random number in formula):
Example with Tri-tachyon: (30*2) + (0.7 * 5) - 5 = 58.5%
As you can see this gives 41.5% that investigation will not give any results. Tri-tachyon just not that interested in you.


You will notice that with high enough reputation and difference there is no chance that investigation will be a failure. Also, if player will drop his reputation with one of the factions this changes % drasticly.
Also note that even with slightly negative reputation with one faction but with very positive for another this faction will want you to become enemy with his enemies. And they will investigate your every even slight connection to every enemy of their own.
Small example: Hegemony rep =+40. Tri-tachyon rep =0 gives next calculations (I will also use same random number for both of calculations):
for Hegemony: (40*2) + (0.5*40)-5 = 95%  
for Tri-tachyon: (40*2) + (0.5*0)-5 =75%

2. Now, lets assume that both investigation are successful, we will calculate the impact on your reputation:
Formula is next: (“difference” + current reputation)  / 4 + (random number from 0.2 to 0.5 * current reputation)

Hegemony  rep =+25. Tri rep =5 gives next calculations:
for Hegemony   (30 + 25) / 4 + (0.5 * 25)  = 26.25
for Tri-tachyon  (30 + 5) / 4 + (0.5 * 5) = 11.25

Hegemony  rep =+40. Tri rep =0 gives next calculations:
for Hegemony   (40 + 40) / 4 + (0.5 * 40)  = 40
for Tri-tachyon  (40 + 0) / 4 + (0.5 * 0)  = 10

I believe with some alterations and formula balancing this will bring a nice results.
Sorry for my English, I hope you understand what I meant.


Answer Sy:

Hey Alex, I was thinking hard on this one as this system looks very not flexible atm.
And maybe I found a good balanced solution
i think a system that scales the chance of being convicted and/or the punishment based on (prior) reputation would be nice. it probably shouldn't be very complex though, at least not the parts of it that the player needs to understand in order to make the right decisions.

and if i understand you right, the investigation triggers for both factions once the reputation difference reaches a certain point? but the system is meant to keep you in good standing with one of the factions.
also, what if you keep your reputation high with both factions in question? +60 with TT and +80 with Hegemony wouldn't be a difference of 25, but it's the kind of high standing with several factions that the system is trying to prevent.

appologies if i misunderstood your post.




Answer Aron0621:


Quote
The 'difference' value he is using is actually <faction reputation> + <other faction reputation> In your example it's 140 for both factions.


Sorry for the messy formatting.
-G

49
Suggestions / Long range fleet interactions
« on: November 24, 2015, 02:05:08 AM »
I believe something similar was sugested a while ago, but that was before 0.7 so... here I go:

The suggestion is to add the ability to communicate with fleets out of engagement range(i.e. fleet circles aren't contacted) along with various new interaction mechanics. Right-clicking on a fleet may be used to bring up the dialogue. In 0.65, we had patrols shooting comm at us or other fleets to tell them to stop and get scanned - so the game kinda implemented basics of it already.



Possible usage:

*Ask a fleet to share the sensor outcomes with you for about a day.
When you use active sensor burst, you cannot move and thus unable to chase pirates down. This feature will increase the viability of active sensor burst because you can ping the sensor, share the info with nearby patrol, have them catch the pirate and join the fight  after you regain movement.

*With your transponder on, check the identity of a fleet with transponder off.
A convoy will reply unless you're hostile. Privateers or bounty hunters? Depending on the situation. Pirates won't reply or try to get off wih false information. Patrols may require your identity code in dangerous hyperspace instead of forcing that pirate magnet on.

*NPC fleets ask you or other armed fleets to escort them, when their escort ships are down.

50
Suggestions / Fleet destination indicator
« on: May 29, 2015, 08:52:00 AM »
Adding visual indicator for our fleet's destination(the point you clicked, or fleet you're following). Just a small and not distracting, but easily recognizable marker would do. It could be variable icons("waypoint" on empty space, "dock/land" on station/planet, "intercept" on fleet).

The idea just came into my mind, and since I experienced the fleet stopping unexpectedly(in other words, I didn't knew where exactly the fleet is headed) several times, I'm suggesting to at least try it.

51
Lore, Fan Media & Fiction / Some shorts of mine
« on: September 11, 2014, 08:56:58 AM »
I might write some short or medium-length fanfics... And post them here.
Would be grateful if anyone let me know how to use that spoiler thing.

English is not my first language, and I am critically unaware of grammer related things. Though I will write what sounds natural to me, and that generally gets right, some errors might pass undetected.

==========
Untitled(yet)

Using Vanila lore and some addition of my own. The time is cycle 419, about 30 years after 'the Grand Discovery'. For details, I prefer describing it in the story. Not the ones with 'as you already know blah blah blah'; trying with some ways better than that.

Critiques about anything are appreciated.

 part 1.
Spoiler
Cycle 419
Corvus system outskirt

In the vast, empty space, where the distant stars shone like a small dots, an azure, metalic object flew by. Leaving silvery trail behind as it went, a lonely starship was heading towards the Corvus fringe jump point. Inside the SIS Louise, a Medusa Mk.2 class destroyer, was only one person aboard, which was a common sight after the Great Discovery in cycle 386. 'Sentient intelligence' at the system core handled the ship as good as few hundread crew, if not better.
He was seating on the captain's seat, gazing absently at anoher lonely ship as it past by. At once it came close enough, he recognized the glorious form of an Astral-class carrier. She seemed to be heading to the former headquarter of Tri-Tachyon corporation, orbiting around the fifth planet of Corvus system.
A voice, with ambient mechanic noise as it spoke, called him.

[Jace.]
"What is it, Lu?"
[We will arrive at the jump point within 5 minutes.]
"Got it. Thanks."
[And I recommend you take a rest after the jump.]
"I don't need to."
[It's been twenty hours since your last sleep, Jace. You need it even if you aren't aware of that.]
"Twenty hours? I didn't know that."
[Your biological clock seems to be extremely sensitive to lack of day and night cycle. Kept losing track of time every time you were an board me, didn't you.]
"Maybe because I like the scene here."
[I see. However the most optimistic estimation is that your mental ability will suffer critical level of fatigue within two hours. Sleep while you can.]
"I will."

A small, artificial distortion on the space, orbiting the star Corvus slowly, became visible from the bridge. It expanded itself enough for an entire battle fleet to pass through without having to concern about collision as the ship approached it.

[Ten seconds to the jump point. Nine, eight, seven, ..., three, two, one, initiating hyperspace jump.]

Though a jump to the hyperspace is not dangerous except some rare occasion, it is not a comfortable one. Jace felt dizzy as the ship passed through the spatal distortion.

[Jump successful. Engaging hyperdrive. You may go sleep now.]
"Thanks. See ya."

[close]
part 2
Spoiler

They returned to normal space through Askonia fringe jump point, and went several days against the main star.
In front of them was dense asteroid field,  inside a small-in terms of astronomy-nebula. The coordinate they followed pointed few thousand SUs ahead, inside the nebula and asteroid field.

"A perfect place for hiding, eh?"
[No one would come here.]

Han, a smuggler, decided to set his secret 'warehouse' here, explored a bit, and luckily found a giant ship wreckage. He cancelled his plan, came back to Corvus, and sold the coordinate to Jace in a bar in the orbital station.

[Seems we should go inside there if we want to find the ship.]
"Yes. How much time do we have?"
[Two months, unless you become extremely bored and go mad.]
"It won't take more than a week. Let's start searching."

Advanced navigation program prevented speed decrease inside the nebula. The ship could enter it without losing speed. However, not all problems were solvable software-wise. In the 3D tactical display, icons started to flicker before they disappeared one by one, leaving only an empty sphere with a green arrow in the center.

[Nebular radiation is above average. Sensors sensitivity falling.]
"Give me raw data. We'll have to search manually."
[Understood. Would you mind if I run a detailed system check?]

Which was the counterpart of 'sleeping' for SIs.

"Not at all. Take a rest and come back."
[Thanks.]

The voice faded out. Jace sat on his seat, gently steering the ship and gazing at the graphs, searching carefully for anything that could be an indication of a ship.
There was nothing interesting. Everything sensors caught was nebular radiation, asteroids, or noise. The smuggler said the ship was drifting, which meant it is unlikely to find it where the coordinate pointed. If he was told the speed of the wreckage, he would have a clue about its current location. But the smuggler was drunk, which made him talkative, but unable to remember details. He had nothing to start guessing from. It might take more than a week.

System check took four hours. Jace was fighting hard not to sleep on the bridge, not to leave the ship without control, when it was finished.

[It's my shift now, I guess. You look tired.]
"Ah, Louise. Glad you're back."
[It took longer than usual. I skipped several checks on the way here... Back to normal now. Any news?]
"Not even a single debris."
[Well, that was expected. I'll do the search now.]

Jace left the bridge. All the lights and displays went out, because it was no longer needed.

[close]

Pages: 1 2 3 [4]