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[arcibalde]

Just wondering how close are we for the next update?

Shush you gonna scare him* 




*Alex - dev dude

[Darloth]

When It's Ready... that agonizing time which only seems to get further away the more we yearn.  That said, implicitly quite soon.  I'm up to refreshing the blog about 3-4 times a day just in case... I'd guess at within a month? Could be entirely wrong on either end though!

[Wriath]

This really raises some questions about communication abilities of ships out in the void. If I get pulled over by a customs inspector while I'm smuggling and blast him to peices with no witnesses, do they automatically know you killed them back home or do they just come up with a lost patrol? Do they have instantaneous (ish) communication in system or black boxes or something?
Edit: also, will there be any possibility of trickery such as sneaking into a market amidst a neutral trade fleet to kind of blend in with traffic?

[Gothars]

This really raises some questions about communication abilities of ships out in the void. If I get pulled over by a customs inspector while I'm smuggling and blast him to peices with no witnesses, do they automatically know you killed them back home or do they just come up with a lost patrol? Do they have instantaneous (ish) communication in system or black boxes or something?
Edit: also, will there be any possibility of trickery such as sneaking into a market amidst a neutral trade fleet to kind of blend in with traffic?

Normal speed of light communication (aka radio) would be perfectly sufficient to inform anybody in system within minutes. For further distances there are comm relays.

Edit: also, will there be any possibility of trickery such as sneaking into a market amidst a neutral trade fleet to kind of blend in with traffic?

Doubt it, but you could probably do it inside a fleet that's neutral to you and hostile to the market.

[Debido]

Yeah, Lore wise comm relays use the exact same tech as the Tachyon lance, except lower power. This allows them to communicate long distances almost instantly. IIRC

[Gothars]

Yeah, Lore wise comm relays use the exact same tech as the Tachyon lance, except lower power. This allows them to communicate long distances almost instantly. IIRC

That would be news to me, got a source?

I had assumed they'd send signals through hyperspace.

[Clockwork Owl]

Yeah, Lore wise comm relays use the exact same tech as the Tachyon lance, except lower power. This allows them to communicate long distances almost instantly. IIRC

That would be news to me, got a source?

I had assumed they'd send signals through hyperspace.

See the description of the Tachyon Lance. It's explained there...

[Debido]

For those who don't have the time to review the codex:

Uncanny range and damage capability make this burst operated beam deliver a devastating amount of cascading EMP damage to targets at extreme ranges.

A weapon so rare and powerful that it has achieved mythical status in the Sector, the Tachyon Lance uses the same core technology as all FTL communication systems, but with a twist. Instead of using the hyperdimensional properties of the tachyon particle for communication, n-brane manipulation and anti-plasma generators create a charged tachyon stream that travels in hyperspace. Minimum energy requirements are set at 35 terawatts. This amount of power can only be generated for a few seconds by the largest power capacitors, which are housed within the weapon system.

Unlike the beams fired from normal beam weapons, the tachyon stream is not lensed or altered in any way - in fact once the initial tachyon marker is actuated the reaction takes on a life of its own, rapidly consuming the power stored in the capacitors and unleashing destruction. When normal space is exposed to such high levels of anti-plasma, a combined electro-magnetic, gravitic and thermal cavitation effect shreds anything that stands in its way, while also severely damaging nearby electronics equipment.

Normal tachyon streams used for communication have infinite range. It is not entirely clear why this weapon has limited range, and it is suspected that it is a limit somehow hardcoded into the baryonic emitter assembly by thoughtful and practical Domain weapon designers.

After all, if the weapon had infinite range, how would you know you are not hitting an unintended target thousands of light years away?

[Vind]

Any special bonuses planned for phase ships regarding smuggling or detection of illegal cargo onboard?

[Aeson]

Yeah, Lore wise comm relays use the exact same tech as the Tachyon lance, except lower power. This allows them to communicate long distances almost instantly. IIRC

For those who don't have the time to review the codex:

Uncanny range and damage capability make this burst operated beam deliver a devastating amount of cascading EMP damage to targets at extreme ranges.

A weapon so rare and powerful that it has achieved mythical status in the Sector, the Tachyon Lance uses the same core technology as all FTL communication systems, but with a twist. Instead of using the hyperdimensional properties of the tachyon particle for communication, n-brane manipulation and anti-plasma generators create a charged tachyon stream that travels in hyperspace. Minimum energy requirements are set at 35 terawatts. This amount of power can only be generated for a few seconds by the largest power capacitors, which are housed within the weapon system.

Unlike the beams fired from normal beam weapons, the tachyon stream is not lensed or altered in any way - in fact once the initial tachyon marker is actuated the reaction takes on a life of its own, rapidly consuming the power stored in the capacitors and unleashing destruction. When normal space is exposed to such high levels of anti-plasma, a combined electro-magnetic, gravitic and thermal cavitation effect shreds anything that stands in its way, while also severely damaging nearby electronics equipment.

Normal tachyon streams used for communication have infinite range. It is not entirely clear why this weapon has limited range, and it is suspected that it is a limit somehow hardcoded into the baryonic emitter assembly by thoughtful and practical Domain weapon designers.

After all, if the weapon had infinite range, how would you know you are not hitting an unintended target thousands of light years away?

For what it's worth, this doesn't mean that the only difference between the tachyon streams used for communications and the tachyon lance is the power level. LEDs and laser diodes use the same 'core technology,' but the difference between an LED and an LD goes far beyond the power applied to or output by the system. For that matter, depending on the LED and LD in question, it's entirely within reason that the LED might be at least as powerful than the LD, in terms of total emitted energy or the power applied to the system.

[Clockwork Owl]

Yep, the power level is not an only difference... Anyway, what he wanted to say is that the tachyon transmission has an infinite range.

[Alex]

(Sorry for the delayed response here. Right then, going to dig right in. If I miss something, please let me know.)

As for the frequency itself, to be fair i'd consider it differently while still tied, as a separate event, to reputation. Say you have a base standard 50% chance of getting searched per faction initially. If you get searched and are found with contraband, it gets bumped up to 60% chance, with that faction, and say it scales down universally with other factions (55% say), up to whatever limit you see reasonable, 90%/100%. If you often smuggle and get caught smuggling, you'll be targeted more often, and eventually raise that chance even with factions you don't trade with.. 'being notorious'. This will fit in with the reputation system that if you do get caught and they look the other way, it won't affect that chance more.

If you engage in legal trade, get inspected, and found all clear, that percentage drops. If you carry food to starving children and medicine to far-flung worlds, i'm sure everyone eventually will think of you as a trader-saint, even if you do eventually end up smuggling some drugs with the medicine. Still, this should be capped at say 10% just to make sure you can't 'saint' yourself in consequence-free smuggling.

Hmm. This... basically sounds equivalent to the reputation system, as the chance of being inspected already depends on your standing. If you get caught, your standing drops, and the chance goes up. It's nearly identictal

Aside from that, any way there could be a situation where i'd suck in the fines and STILL make a profit off smuggling? That'd be broken. I don't think you mentioned if the inspectors confiscate your contraband or not? If you can't pay the tolls they should just rob you blind.

I don't know if it'd be broken, but whatever contraband is found does get confiscated. Unless you refuse to hand it over, in which case you take a much bigger rep hit.

Oh, and as a last thing, would it be possible to target periods of high activity, when inspectors are overrun with scanning other fleets (if that even happens), so you can make a break for it? I'd love a lot more interaction and gameplay on the galaxy map.

If there are enemy fleets around, patrols won't perform inspections, so there's that.

I'm not sure how much I like once per month scans (unless it's scan whenever, and tolls once a month), since you can go into a system, get scanned, then grab whatever contraband you want with no consequence

I'm not sure you ever *want* to get scanned; that's a lot of credits down the drain. But yeah, tweaking some things re: that.

It keeps track of what's actually being traded/transported, and that factors into the salvage.

Any idea yet if boarding will factor into this?

Only in the way it does now, increasing the amount of stuff you get from salvage a bit.

Question: How much is the average profit a starting fleet(a medusa & a mule) will make if they only engage in legal trades?

Can't really say, since that's down to that balancing pass I've been talking about. Also, I'm not sure what kind of answer you'd expect here. "Some?" It also depends on what you're trading, whether you're taking advantage of events, whether you're successfully avoiding tolls, etc etc.

Any special bonuses planned for phase ships regarding smuggling or detection of illegal cargo onboard?

No - that might factor in later if phase ships get special campaign-level abilities, but for now, I think adding special cases like this for phase ships would just be adding baggage to sort through later.

This really raises some questions about communication abilities of ships out in the void. If I get pulled over by a customs inspector while I'm smuggling and blast him to peices with no witnesses, do they automatically know you killed them back home or do they just come up with a lost patrol? Do they have instantaneous (ish) communication in system or black boxes or something?

This is one of those things where gameplay squarely trumps any sort of realism. I mean, you can imagine how word gets around (rumors, your own crew talking, black boxes, distress signals, etc), but actually simulating much of that would, I think, be going way overboard.

Edit: also, will there be any possibility of trickery such as sneaking into a market amidst a neutral trade fleet to kind of blend in with traffic?

Hmm. Messing around now with making patrols occasionally inspect NPC fleets (which would create a "distraction"); will see how that goes.

[Cosmitz]

As for the frequency itself, to be fair i'd consider it differently while still tied, as a separate event, to reputation. Say you have a base standard 50% chance of getting searched per faction initially. If you get searched and are found with contraband, it gets bumped up to 60% chance, with that faction, and say it scales down universally with other factions (55% say), up to whatever limit you see reasonable, 90%/100%. If you often smuggle and get caught smuggling, you'll be targeted more often, and eventually raise that chance even with factions you don't trade with.. 'being notorious'. This will fit in with the reputation system that if you do get caught and they look the other way, it won't affect that chance more.

If you engage in legal trade, get inspected, and found all clear, that percentage drops. If you carry food to starving children and medicine to far-flung worlds, i'm sure everyone eventually will think of you as a trader-saint, even if you do eventually end up smuggling some drugs with the medicine. Still, this should be capped at say 10% just to make sure you can't 'saint' yourself in consequence-free smuggling.

Hmm. This... basically sounds equivalent to the reputation system, as the chance of being inspected already depends on your standing. If you get caught, your standing drops, and the chance goes up. It's nearly identictal

Hm. I was thinking of an extra layer of roleplay and gameplay with 'notoriety', separated as such from faction reputation. As in, that system dictates how often you're searched, while reputation handles how that will work out. So you can be a known as a generally honest guy so they'll search you less but when they do search you, if you're carrying contraband then reputation comes in, and if they dislike you, they will levy heftier fees for example. (plus a drop to your 'honest guy' status). If you're clean, as a positive standing, they may even give you rumors, since you were mentioning making events more central to the design. (plus the consequential boost to 'even more honest guy')

The cross faction mention was just so you could end up getting searched more in TriTachyon space since you've been caught more there, while keeping a low profile and a good notoriety in Luddite space for example and you'll be searched less there. But by all means, keep it universal and simple initially..

If there are enemy fleets around, patrols won't perform inspections, so there's that.

In this case, would it be possible to 'drag' a pirate fleet after you so you can 'avoid' getting searched by pure virtue of getting hounded by pirates,thus a hostile fleet? It's easy enough to match speed and to also adjust it mostly on the fly with mothballing and refitting.

Also, since we're talking about inspection fleets (Customs Fleets?), can they never go hostile if your faction drops enough? I mean, if you get past hostile, would it not be possible to interact with them since they will auto attack? They should leave the fighting to any military/police units in the area if you ask me. ;p

If i can still land on their planet/station, i should still interact normally with customs. Sure, they'll call in support after they search me, but i hope smuggling will not be hampered as such by everything of a faction auto-attacking once you drop past a certain faction point. We've been doing that in the campaign for the last few years already...

[Dark.Revenant]

I'm not sure how much I like once per month scans (unless it's scan whenever, and tolls once a month), since you can go into a system, get scanned, then grab whatever contraband you want with no consequence

I'm not sure you ever *want* to get scanned; that's a lot of credits down the drain. But yeah, tweaking some things re: that.

A fairly straightforward solution might be to have fleets scan you at random but they only toll you once a month.

[Midnight Kitsune]

I'm not sure how much I like once per month scans (unless it's scan whenever, and tolls once a month), since you can go into a system, get scanned, then grab whatever contraband you want with no consequence

I'm not sure you ever *want* to get scanned; that's a lot of credits down the drain. But yeah, tweaking some things re: that.

A fairly straightforward solution might be to have fleets scan you at random but they only toll you once a month.

I agree. One thing though is that I would add that if you are caught with contraband, the toll should be charged again. After all, you DID just get caught with illegal goods...