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)

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 57

Author Topic: Starfarer 0.53a (Released) Patch Notes  (Read 368086 times)

Vandala

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1841
  • We need ponies, ponies in spaceships!
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #45 on: June 12, 2012, 04:51:39 AM »

Personally I can't wait to charge into a group of Tri-tachyon frigates and destroyers with a machine-gun-slaught and watch them all melt under a hail of bullets. Bwahahahaha!

I don't want to smash your dreams here but I doubt it will be effective for charging frigates, those things will probably be too fast.

I don't know about you guys but i can't wait to ram a ship to death with my onslaught going at full speed.

That's probably just gonna make you lose your engine. Could still be fun.

Daveydude

  • Ensign
  • *
  • Posts: 12
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #46 on: June 12, 2012, 05:10:59 AM »

I don't know about you guys but i can't wait to ram a ship to death with my onslaught going at full speed.

That's probably just gonna make you lose your engine. Could still be fun.
I believe that it may be more effective than that. A few bumps with a smaller ship normally puts their flux up 50%. To ram them at that speed, they will overload straight away. Who cares if you lose your engines.
Logged

Faiter119

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1402
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #47 on: June 12, 2012, 05:59:37 AM »

What happens if you teleport into another ship/asteroid?
Logged

Starlight

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
  • Vulpes Ex Machina
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #48 on: June 12, 2012, 06:15:44 AM »

Looks like a lot of new fun. z; )

The new modding stuff looks fun.  I may have to play with custom engines.  I have a few ideas for custom ship systems.  Can't wait to see what we get a look at those. 

Happy about the control changes.  Don't always want to be fiddling for the shift or ctrl keys.  Q and E strafing is good news.  The AI stuff looks nice as well. 

Wondering how much if any of this will break mods.  Haven't tried updating one yet, I'd suppose it may be unfun. z: )
Logged
Starlight; Vulpine Space-Adventurer.  Fond of lasers.

Wyvern

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3786
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #49 on: June 12, 2012, 09:15:54 AM »

The infernium injector got cut - could never nail down what it was supposed to do, in a satisfying way (it was meant to be a high-tech movement enhancer, akin to Burn Drive, but different).

Well, you've got something that fits that bill quite nicely: the phase skimmer.
Logged
Wyvern is 100% correct about the math.

CrashToDesktop

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3876
  • Quartermaster
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #50 on: June 12, 2012, 09:36:17 AM »

HELL YEA!  Finally. ;D
Heyyy, automatic drones!  Are they repaired in battle when they return to the mothership?
Logged
Quote from: Trylobot
I am officially an epoch.
Quote from: Thaago
Note: please sacrifice your goats responsibly, look up the proper pronunciation of Alex's name. We wouldn't want some other project receiving mystic power.

KDR_11k

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 666
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #51 on: June 12, 2012, 09:45:49 AM »

What happens if you teleport into another ship/asteroid?

Asteroids just bounce around in your hitbox until they break which takes only a few moments. That's what happens when you spawn inside one, anyway. I'd guess the phase things would just prevent you from materializing fully before you have left all ship boundaries.
Logged

icepick37

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Go.
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #52 on: June 12, 2012, 10:21:52 AM »

HELL YEA!  Finally. ;D
Heyyy, automatic drones!  Are they repaired in battle when they return to the mothership?

See:

Drones: you've got X amount that can be deployed at any one time, and a total number of drones the ship carries (replenished between battles). You press 'F' to deploy the drones in a pattern around the ship. 'F' again to let them roam on a longer leash. 'F' again to recall all drones - they land on the ship, and any damaged ones are repaired - though lost drones are gone for good. While drones are active (not "recalled"), it'll continue to deploy reserve drones to replace losses, until it's out of reserve drones.

Bah, I didn't do a good job of explaining.


Also: the pattern that the drones deploy in can be modded - in particular, you can have them deploy in a fixed position, or set up multiple orbits around the ship. I suspect that with a bit of creativity, the could be used to create hulls that transform into a somewhat different shape :) You can also make it alter ship stats in any way you want while drones are deployed (as the Apogee's Sensor Drones do).


Logged
“I [may] not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
- Voltaire

Thaago

  • Global Moderator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 7174
  • Harpoon Affectionado
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #53 on: June 12, 2012, 10:24:57 AM »

Quote
High Energy Focus - boosts energy weapon damage by 50%, increases damage taken by 50%, can't use shields

    Sunder, Aurora, Odyssey

I'll have to wait to play this and see how it goes. In my mind either 50% extra damage or no shields would be appropriate. Of course I'll probably eat those words the instant I switch this on and gore an overloading enemy to death. My main concern, like a lot of other people, is how this will affect the Tachyon lance. Because of the range tachyon Odyssey's will have no downsides to this ability...

Alex, how do you feel about the Tachyon lance?
Logged

Shoat

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 262
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #54 on: June 12, 2012, 10:25:43 AM »

DRONES! HELL TO THE F*CKING YEAH!
TIME FOR PROTOSS-STYLE BEEHIVES INSTEAD OF JUST PASSIVE FIGHTER SUPPORT!



Not to mention all the incredible modding features that they seem to bring to the table (making them mobile ship parts, modifying ship stats)



how is telefragging handled in the game?

(teleporting right into another object)


Probably just like spawning something inside of your ship during simulation mode is handled:
The two ships push each other around until they're not inside each other anymore, all with normal collision damage.

So if you teleport into a large ship with your small ship you are toast.
If you teleport your large ship on top of a small ship you will crush it.
(In before Phase Teleport on the Omega)
« Last Edit: June 12, 2012, 10:40:44 AM by Shoat »
Logged

Kommodore Krieg

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 233
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #55 on: June 12, 2012, 10:43:26 AM »

These look great, and fortress shield sounds amazing honestly. With a 10x modifier you can soak up the fire from several onslaughts while they max their flux from firing all out.  When their flux is maxxed turn it off, and they are at your mercy.  It's like a "shield wall" skill, and I'm pretty sure most people understand how useful that skill was, in the right situations. 
Logged

Tarran

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 308
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #56 on: June 12, 2012, 11:47:12 AM »

I don't know about you guys but i can't wait to ram a ship to death with my onslaught going at full speed.

That's probably just gonna make you lose your engine. Could still be fun.
I believe that it may be more effective than that. A few bumps with a smaller ship normally puts their flux up 50%. To ram them at that speed, they will overload straight away. Who cares if you lose your engines.
Ha ha, you're honestly saying that about a ship that has fixed shields and mostly frontal weapons?

Lose your engines in a ship like that, and you've pretty much given every enemy on the battle the ability to calmly approach your rear and fire torpedoes up it. :P
Logged

naufrago

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 511
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #57 on: June 12, 2012, 11:47:32 AM »

I like the ship systems that are being implemented, but there are a few systems that I'd be interested in seeing that aren't there:

  •A system that increases ballistic/energy/beam weapons' range and velocity by, say, 25-100% while active (perhaps with increased flux cost or something, to offset it). Range is one of the most powerful stats, though.
  •A system that just deals damage. I like the idea of a ship built around a weapon, like a weapon so large for its ship class that the only way to feasibly accomodate it is to build it right into the frame. Also, think 'Death Star'.

Anywho, keep up the good work.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2012, 11:57:14 AM by naufrago »
Logged

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23986
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #58 on: June 12, 2012, 12:34:49 PM »

Question about a few of the systems, namely the High Energy Focus and Fortress Shield. You didn't mention that they were for a limited amount of time (like you did for Burn Drive for instance). Does that mean it's going to be something like a toggle ability? When you choose whether they are on or off constantly?

Yeah, they're toggleable, but with a small cooldown (5s on Fortress Shield, at the moment).


how is telefragging handled in the game?
What happens if you teleport into another ship/asteroid?
3. teleportation. What happens if we intentionally teleport on any other ship? What happens if we do it unintentionally (skimmer type teleport)? I assume that there is some safe-guard code that prevents such collisions?

It'll pick a nearby location such that the ship doesn't materialize on top of something else.


1. drones. Can a ship have drones and hangars for standard fighters? Are drones shown on the ship (attached) like turrets or do they just launch from bays? Is there a new hardpoint type for drone hangars?

Yes, it can have both. No, drones are not shown - they launch from/land at a defined location, which is generally a single new "SYSTEM" type "weapon slot". If that's not defined, it'll use the center of the ship.

2. ship systems. How do we put those on a ship? Via variants or through other ways? I ask because i`d like to know if those are hull-specified or variant-specified. If it is a variant-specified than all drones/flares etc. probably launch from the ships center...

A new column in ship_data.csv, so it's per-hull. Think of the balancing nightmare it'd be otherwise :)


4. missile flares. Once again - are there any hardpoints for those? Or do they launch from the center of a ship? How much flares are launched?

These have fake weapons defined in weapon_data.csv, along with some fake "weapon slots" defined on each ship.  The flare system just puts a launcher into each defined slot - so, different ships with the same "Flare Launcher" system could launch a different number of flares, depending on how many slots are configured on the hull. Right now, each individual slot is set to launch 10 flares (configurable in weapon_data.csv).


Lastly - nice MOO2-ish names! I love how those classic things end up in this game with almost the same features.

Hahah, thanks :) Yeah, it was fun to include those.

And - congrats on finishing a really interesting combat element ;)

Might be a little early for "finishing" - still lots of playtesting and usability stuff left - but it's definitely a good ways along.


... especially the Buffalo MK2. Jesus Christ, it's about time it got a buff. Mind telling us how much more speed and manueverability it recieved?

The top speed is 80 now - not great, but no longer horrible. It's still not a good ship, and really isn't supposed to be one.


Wow this all sounds awesome! Im hoping the midline drones are not OP, can they target shields? Or just missiles?

They can target ships, though they prefer missiles and fighters first. As to it being OP, well, it's the Gemini - not exactly a scary front-line combatant. And the drones are very fragile.


Good point, actually. But the enemy could also send out a strong and quick advance force, and just skirmish with your Onslaught and Dominators--which are horrible at doing so with smaller ships--until your own big ships arrive, which have better systems.

Ah, but with Burn Drive, these ships become quite good at bullying smaller ships. It's a bit of a bull vs matador thing, but the matador doesn't always win. If a frigate gets behind it, the ship can get away. If a frigate is in front of it, it can close the gap with frightening speed. It's an awesome system, with tons of combat utility, especially vs smaller ships - and, lets face it, the main problem for these ships was mobility, not firepower or armor. Burn Drive is a tool to overcome that limitation. It's got some downsides (no turning, no shields) but without those it would be incredibly OP.


I don't know about you guys but i can't wait to ram a ship to death with my onslaught going at full speed.

That's probably just gonna make you lose your engine. Could still be fun.

The flameout chance only comes into play when you hit something as big as your ship or larger.


The infernium injector got cut - could never nail down what it was supposed to do, in a satisfying way (it was meant to be a high-tech movement enhancer, akin to Burn Drive, but different).

Well, you've got something that fits that bill quite nicely: the phase skimmer.

Yeah, good call - the skimmer is indeed the "spiritual successor" to the injector - it's on the same two ships the injector was supposed to go on.


Quote
High Energy Focus - boosts energy weapon damage by 50%, increases damage taken by 50%, can't use shields

    Sunder, Aurora, Odyssey

I'll have to wait to play this and see how it goes. In my mind either 50% extra damage or no shields would be appropriate. Of course I'll probably eat those words the instant I switch this on and gore an overloading enemy to death. My main concern, like a lot of other people, is how this will affect the Tachyon lance. Because of the range tachyon Odyssey's will have no downsides to this ability...

Alex, how do you feel about the Tachyon lance?

We'll see - there hasn't been an awful lot of playtesting, beyond just making sure the systems "feel" good. I have to admit, I hadn't considered the "Odyssey with Tachyon Lances and always-on HEF" angle - but was already thinking of reducing Tachyon Lance range to around 3000 (from 5000). Definitely something to keep an eye out for, though.

I like the ship systems that are being implemented, but there are a few systems that I'd be interested in seeing that aren't there:

  •A system that increases ballistic/energy/beam weapons' range and velocity by, say, 25-100% while active (perhaps with increased flux cost or something, to offset it). Range is one of the most powerful stats, though.
  •A system that just deals damage. I like the idea of a ship built around a weapon, like a weapon so large for its ship class that the only way to feasibly accomodate it is to build it right into the frame. Also, think 'Death Star'.

Well, there are lots of cool ideas, and only so many ships and so much time :) As for a "ship around a weapon", I've been thinking about that a bit - came up early on during this dev cycle. *IF* that happens, it probably won't be handled through ship systems. You actually could do this with a mod - easy enough to strap any kind of weapon onto a hull using the same functionality that, say, the flare launcher uses - but the problem would be in making the AI use it. Needs a bit more thought on my end.


Wow, that was a lot of questions! Hope that means you guys are as excited about ship systems as I am :)
Logged

Tarran

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 308
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #59 on: June 12, 2012, 12:43:00 PM »

Alex, I think you missed one of my questions:

Quote
Quote
Removed key binding for raising flux on purpose
Aww, that was a slightly useful ability in very rare cases, to raise flux and thus damage without firing at nothing. Oh well, it wasn't that important.

Is the function still in, though? Can I still bind it to a key if I really want it for some strange reason?



Ah, but with Burn Drive, these ships become quite good at bullying smaller ships. It's a bit of a bull vs matador thing, but the matador doesn't always win. If a frigate gets behind it, the ship can get away. If a frigate is in front of it, it can close the gap with frightening speed. It's an awesome system, with tons of combat utility, especially vs smaller ships - and, lets face it, the main problem for these ships was mobility, not firepower or armor. Burn Drive is a tool to overcome that limitation. It's got some downsides (no turning, no shields) but without those it would be incredibly OP.
Hmm. How much speed does it add, anyway? How long does it last? Can you cancel it?

The flameout chance only comes into play when you hit something as big as your ship or larger.
Is that defined by the class, the mass, or the size in pixels?
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 57