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 ... 39 40 [41] 42 43 ... 57

Author Topic: Starfarer 0.53a (Released) Patch Notes  (Read 368127 times)

Temjin

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #600 on: July 24, 2012, 07:43:24 PM »

Combat Freighters:
Condor, Buffalo Mk. II, Hound, and now the Mule

Condor: not a freighter, a former freighter converted to a carrier - no longer fills freighter role.
Buffalo Mk. II: poor cargo capacity, no longer a freighter
Hound: Fair enough, but it's a frigate :)

The Mule retains significant cargo capacity and combines it with respectable firepower and strong defenses - that's what I mean when I say "Combat Freighter".

If it's like a Venture-lite, I am going to like it!
Logged

Psiyon

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 772
  • Trippy
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #601 on: July 24, 2012, 07:52:18 PM »

getCredits() returns a MutableValue (which is a SF-specific class, not a general Java one). MutableValue has a few methods: get(), add(), subtract(), and set().

So you could do:
getCredits().get() to get the actual number
getCredits().set(1000) to set it to 1000
getCredits().add(500) to add 500 credits. That's actually a convenience method, equivalent to getCredits().set(getCredits().get() + 500).

Does that make sense?

It would probably be more intuitive to just have getCredits(), setCredits(), addCredits(), etc in CargoAPI. I ended up doing it this way to avoid having to code up all these extra methods (and instead expose MutableValues) but in retrospect it may have been a mistake. It certainly complicates things a bit.
Yes, it makes perfect sense; thanks for explaining. And honestly I don't see much of a difference between the two ways of handling the modification of credits, either one would work just as well in my eyes. But then again, I'm used to complicated and unintuitive processes from modding other games, so I guess I'm hardened against that sort of thing :P


Edit:

If it's like a Venture-lite, I am going to like it!
Lol @ that name. Damn, now I'm going to mentally call it that from now on.
« Last Edit: July 24, 2012, 07:54:09 PM by Psiyon »
Logged

Reshy

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1100
  • White
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #602 on: July 24, 2012, 09:30:53 PM »

So will the Ox Frigate Freighter be in the game Alex, or the larger fuel ships?  I can't imagine that it would take as much time since they're all civilian and they already have sprites made for them.  Also what is the status on the weird ship with the purple cosmic armor?




Is it another phase ship, or does it belong to another faction or what?



Also, will any of the new weapon systems still in the game's graphics files make it in?  Gorgon, Hydra, VLRM, etc.  Same goes with the other ships that have graphics but no data such as the 'Heavy Escort' fighter.
Logged

Dri

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1403
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #603 on: July 24, 2012, 10:08:01 PM »

The Mule is a destroyer, right? 5500 hull puts it at the very top, even above the Enforcer. Course, it doesn't have near the weapon systems but its still pretty neat to have a freighter rocking such defense - in other space games the freighters usually have paper-thin defense.
Logged

Mattk50

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 420
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #604 on: July 24, 2012, 11:10:51 PM »

another vulture? oh god the balancing issues are multiplying  :P

the vulture is already crazy FP efficient in terms of cargo and it packs plenty of firepower and armor on top of it, also has a flight deck and is pretty cheap for what it is, not sure if its such a good idea to have another one like it. There has to be some trade off eh, or you make the normal freighters useless. I suggest giving the normal freighters much more cargo, with the exception of the atlas. they are just so fragile to hold so little for so much FP, and the destroyer sized ones dont really get the whole high speed thing that a frigate would to make the fp worth it.


Ps. forgot i was talking about starfarer mid post when i noticed both the mad dog and the atlas lurking around my thoughts. Too much mechwarrior living legends, i suppose.
« Last Edit: July 24, 2012, 11:13:21 PM by Mattk50 »
Logged

Faiter119

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1402
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #605 on: July 25, 2012, 03:24:14 AM »

another vulture? oh god the balancing issues are multiplying  :P

the vulture is already crazy FP efficient in terms of cargo and it packs plenty of firepower and armor on top of it, also has a flight deck and is pretty cheap for what it is, not sure if its such a good idea to have another one like it. There has to be some trade off eh, or you make the normal freighters useless. I suggest giving the normal freighters much more cargo, with the exception of the atlas. they are just so fragile to hold so little for so much FP, and the destroyer sized ones dont really get the whole high speed thing that a frigate would to make the fp worth it.


Ps. forgot i was talking about starfarer mid post when i noticed both the mad dog and the atlas lurking around my thoughts. Too much mechwarrior living legends, i suppose.

There is no ship called the Vulture :p
Logged

hydremajor

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #606 on: July 25, 2012, 03:26:23 AM »

The mule reminds me of an overgrown lasher...and has about the same firepower a lasher has by the looks of it -_-
Logged

ClosetGoth

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
  • Permanently TTRPG-brained
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #607 on: July 25, 2012, 03:53:18 AM »

@Hydremajor: Y'know what, it just about does!

@Faiter119: I think he meant Venture. It fits the description.

@Alex: I have a question/request. Can phase ships retreat while phased? And I know this sounds silly, but can you make sure that doesn't cause a crash/error? My playtester-senses are tingling. :P
Logged
Starfaring since the very beginning of 2012

Mattk50

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 420
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #608 on: July 25, 2012, 05:47:14 AM »

another vulture? oh god the balancing issues are multiplying  :P

the vulture is already crazy FP efficient in terms of cargo and it packs plenty of firepower and armor on top of it, also has a flight deck and is pretty cheap for what it is, not sure if its such a good idea to have another one like it. There has to be some trade off eh, or you make the normal freighters useless. I suggest giving the normal freighters much more cargo, with the exception of the atlas. they are just so fragile to hold so little for so much FP, and the destroyer sized ones dont really get the whole high speed thing that a frigate would to make the fp worth it.


Ps. forgot i was talking about starfarer mid post when i noticed both the mad dog and the atlas lurking around my thoughts. Too much mechwarrior living legends, i suppose.

There is no ship called the Vulture :p

Yeah, i meant the venture. too much mechwarrior.
Logged

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23987
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #609 on: July 25, 2012, 08:29:10 AM »

Yes, it makes perfect sense; thanks for explaining. And honestly I don't see much of a difference between the two ways of handling the modification of credits, either one would work just as well in my eyes. But then again, I'm used to complicated and unintuitive processes from modding other games, so I guess I'm hardened against that sort of thing :P

Cool. If you do think of something else that would help, please mention it - either here or via PM.

So will the Ox Frigate Freighter be in the game Alex, or the larger fuel ships?  I can't imagine that it would take as much time since they're all civilian and they already have sprites made for them.  Also what is the status on the weird ship with the purple cosmic armor?

The large fuel ship sprites aren't actually done - what you see on that armada screenshot is scaled-down concept art, even though it looks more sprite-y than you'd expect. Actually... this reminds me, the medium tanker is done. Not much incentive to put it in because fuel isn't used yet, but I ought to do it now so I don't forget again :)

The Ox - maybe. Have to see how the concept for it fits (it was originally meant as a tug). It may just become a freighter, but we'll see.



Is it another phase ship, or does it belong to another faction or what?

Early concept of a phase ship.

Also, will any of the new weapon systems still in the game's graphics files make it in?  Gorgon, Hydra, VLRM, etc.  Same goes with the other ships that have graphics but no data such as the 'Heavy Escort' fighter.

These are on the long-term-when/if-I-get-a-chance TODO list. So, no promises either way, but I haven't forgotten about these - and might take a crack at one or two if time permits before the next release.


@Alex: I have a question/request. Can phase ships retreat while phased? And I know this sounds silly, but can you make sure that doesn't cause a crash/error? My playtester-senses are tingling. :P

Yeah, that works fine. Tested just to be sure, because I'm paranoid :)

The Mule is a destroyer, right? 5500 hull puts it at the very top, even above the Enforcer. Course, it doesn't have near the weapon systems but its still pretty neat to have a freighter rocking such defense - in other space games the freighters usually have paper-thin defense.

Yep, destroyer-sized.

another vulture? oh god the balancing issues are multiplying  :P

the vulture is already crazy FP efficient in terms of cargo and it packs plenty of firepower and armor on top of it, also has a flight deck and is pretty cheap for what it is, not sure if its such a good idea to have another one like it. There has to be some trade off eh, or you make the normal freighters useless. I suggest giving the normal freighters much more cargo, with the exception of the atlas. they are just so fragile to hold so little for so much FP, and the destroyer sized ones dont really get the whole high speed thing that a frigate would to make the fp worth it.


Ps. forgot i was talking about starfarer mid post when i noticed both the mad dog and the atlas lurking around my thoughts. Too much mechwarrior living legends, i suppose.

The thing that confused me the most here is at one point we did plan a Vulture, which would be a combat conversion of the Tarsus (like the Condor is a carrier conversion). So I immediately started thinking whether this was something that was talked about in public :)

The Mule has less cargo capacity, requires more crew, and is less fuel efficient (useless as a tradeoff right now, of course). Finer-grained balance is just going to have to wait until the campaign is mostly done - I can easily see other mechanics emerging that would affect the desirability  of any given hull.

Logged

CrashToDesktop

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3876
  • Quartermaster
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #610 on: July 25, 2012, 08:43:47 AM »

Vulture?  I'd like to have seen that, but oh well. :)
Anyways, I find that crew tends to be a game changer.  More crew means more battles before you have to go and restock them.
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.

hadesian

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2058
  • It's been one of those days...
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #611 on: July 25, 2012, 09:26:45 AM »

Vulture?  I'd like to have seen that, but oh well. :)
Anyways, I find that crew tends to be a game changer.  More crew means more battles before you have to go and restock them.
It can save your hide having enough spare crew to replace losses instantly - you could lose to a hound if suddenly your capital or something got uncrewed

Man, I am so excited for this. It really looks like the combat is finishing up.
« Last Edit: July 25, 2012, 09:28:46 AM by Xareh »
Logged
Changes as of May 24, 2013
  • Reinvented Starsector.
  • That is all.

Wyvern

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3786
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #612 on: July 25, 2012, 09:59:56 AM »

@Alex: I have a question/request. Can phase ships retreat while phased? And I know this sounds silly, but can you make sure that doesn't cause a crash/error? My playtester-senses are tingling. :P

Yeah, that works fine. Tested just to be sure, because I'm paranoid :)
Hm.  Does this work if it's the player ship and you retreat by manually piloting to the map edge?  I know shielded ships will just about always drop their shields when they transition to autopilot as they go off the map - lost at least one Hyperion to that, when it couldn't get shields back up fast enough to deal with incoming missiles.  So I wouldn't be surprised if phase ships did a similar thing of being momentarily vulnerable when the autopilot turns on.
Logged
Wyvern is 100% correct about the math.

zakastra

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 216
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #613 on: July 25, 2012, 10:32:30 AM »

The Ox - maybe. Have to see how the concept for it fits (it was originally meant as a tug). It may just become a freighter, but we'll see.

I'd really like to see Tugs in game to give your fleets greater map speed, obviously they would detach prior to an armed engagement But it would be able to compensate for that one lumbering carrier in your fleet composition with one or two tug ships, A trade off in terms of supply/fuel consumption and maximum fleet size (due to the tug FP cost) in return for greater fleet agility. Additionally if that kind of functionality is implemented, could you also arrange for very slow fighter wings to use a carriers speed if superior - provided it has at least one flight deck and sufficient carrier capacity to hold the slow fighters?
Logged
Oh DRM, bane of the carrier captain...

icepick37

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Go.
    • View Profile
Re: Starfarer 0.53a (In Development) Patch Notes
« Reply #614 on: July 25, 2012, 10:45:53 AM »

Maybe you need a tug to dock? Or tugs help you avoid a docking fee? Or something?

I am stoked for the mule. I found my new destroyer go-to.  :D
Logged
“I [may] not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
- Voltaire
Pages: 1 ... 39 40 [41] 42 43 ... 57