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Jun 29, 2012 - 10:45 pmSince the middle 1990's playing Tradewars, Star Control 2 and several other titles (including AAT!), I have always watched for Space games that have an emphasis on exploring and trade.
Seeing as most people around here are likely like minded
this one looks promising:
Endless Space
http://endless-space.amplitude-studios.com/Features
Coming out Summer 2012! May 4, 2009 - 2:12 pmMay the 4th be with you.
*snicker* Mar 24, 2009 - 1:50 pmAcademies
With PJ's mention of smarter fighters (SD and ship carried) through research... I started mulling over what a research tree would look like to get to this item.
My initial thought down this stream of consciousness led me to the point of Wait! What about training up one of those uber new fighters in an Academy and making it part of a crew slot on the ships. Of course to open up crew slots you would have to research that... but still...
Crew Slots
Research Tree to get crew slots on ships:
Base Planet -> Level 20 -> Research University -> Research Engineering -> Research Crew Slots
Each ship can have crew slots. Depending on its hull size it can have 1 - 6 crew slots. Crew slots must be built into the ship at the time that the ship is built. They can not be added to the ship later after the ship has been built. This is what is known as in the gaming industry as a money sink. It could be optional (and likely a good idea) to color code the crew slots so that you can only have 2 blue, 2 reds, and 2 yellows at any given time. This will keep people from loading up on reds, more on that in a second!
So what do these crew slots do? Well, not much by themselves. They need crew members to fill the slots and that is where Academies come in.
Building the Academy
Research Tree to get Academies on ships:
Base Planet -> Level 25 -> Research University ->
-> Research Academy.
Once you have an Academy you will need to research items within it.
Inside the Research Academy
Research Military -> Enhanced Ship Based Fighters
Research Military -> Enhanced Sector Defense Fighters
Once those two are accomplished we get into:
Research Red Crew Members (Military)
Lt. Dan (Red Crew Member) - Adds 5% more power to lasers. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Lt. Fifi (Red Crew Member) - Targeting system officer. 20% chance to hit. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Lt. Worf (Red Crew Member) - Shield strength raised 5%. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Research Yellow Crew Members (Engineering)
Warrant Officer Checkov - Hull size increased 5%. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Warrant Officer Scottie - Engines increased 5%. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Warrant Officer Sulu - Scanning increased 5%. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Research Blue Crew Members (Operations)
Comrade Smirnov - Cloak increased 5%. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Comrade Stallin - Spy's are 5% more effective. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Comrade DeepThroat - Information gathered by the enemy has a 5% chance of being incorrect. Can be researched up to 5 levels.
Comrade Overseer - 20% reduction to Dignitaries taking the embezzler role of dignitary. Can be researched up to 5 levels and a requires a ship with a Blue Crew Slot to be stored on the planet.
Research Green Crew Members (Environment)
Druid Archadia - Population balance maintained. No overpopulation. Requires 5 levels of research and a ship with a Green Crew Slot to be stored on the planet.
Overseer Bjork - 1% more efficient workers. Can be researched up to 5 levels and a requires a ship with a Green Crew Slot to be stored on the planet.
Misc
Once a Crew Slot is filled that Crew Member can not be used on any other ship. You can replace the crew member that is in the slot but it will destroy the current crew member (back to that money sink again!).
Blogs of Note:
-
Dignitary Overview - Updated Sept 7th 2004 - Still pretty accurate!
-
Top 5 AAT Administrator "No-No's"
-
Labeling your planets
Entry Edited 5 times - Edited on Mar 24, 2009 - 2:29 pm
Dec 28, 2008 - 10:24 amJust typed this up in Tarnus's blog comment.
It was a decent idea so I wanted to capture it.
---------------------------
Alf said, the game is not tuned for people who casually want to play the game and manage a few planets.
I hope one day that the game can be both things. The Fed Homestead idea could help that along. 5 untouchable planets that will allow folks who just want to PvE in peace.
And/Or the newer idea, the Space Hub a home for mid-sized hull traders... these people could own and supply ports and trade and basically be left alone (unless of course they get caught zipping around when they are online).
It would almost be like creating 4 distinct roles/classes in the game each with benefits and limitiations, Homesteaders, Traders, Attackers and Builders.
Homesteaders - Only get 1 sector of up to 5 planets in Fed Space. Hull size is limited to Fed Space rules.
Saftey: 5/5
Score Potential: 1/5
Traders - Can own ports, can dock at the Space Hub for overnight saftey but the best trades are in open space and thus the riskest.
Saftey: 3/5
Score Potential: 2/5
Attackers - Tradional seek and destroy. Slash and burn. Owning massive amounts of planets optional but owning a big bad ship is required.
Saftey: 1/5
Score Potential: 4/5
Builders - Build those planets. The more the better. 1 lair isn't enough. Nah! You need more than that if you want to be on the top page!
Saftey: 2/5
Score Potential: 5/5 Dec 20, 2008 - 4:33 pmPvE (Player vs Environment) -- Space Hubs
With Tanrus hinting at improved trading and research coming along and I would like to make a proposal for dealing with craft size and FedSpace: Introducing the SPACE HUB.
The following is a direct advertisement from
Space Hub - Your Home away from Home
Hello space trader! Space Hub would like to tell you about our services. We will be an area where players can dock thier mid-sized trading vessel and not need to worry about being kicked out into lawless space. Unlike Sol using one of the various Space Hubs around the universe will NOT be free and you must meet certain hull size requirements. Too small and the docking clamps can't engage... too big and well you won't fit into one of the Space Hub's berths.
Space Hubs will require a daily monitary credit payment. Afterall it does cost money to ensure your trading ships saftey! You can pay in advance, authorize direct withdrawl from IGB, or even just pay day by day. But beware... when you stop paying, the Space Hub's security forces will tow you to Sol... and well once in Sol... That's not our problem anymore is it?
There are some fine print items that you can review in the Docking Agreement. A few items include: You can not be in ownership of more than 1 sector (Fed Homestead or otherwise) and you can not own a ship larger than the ship you are docking... (sorry! the Feds don't want us harboring fugitives or war dodgers). But leave the rest to the lawyers!
Come to Space Hub! We are your Home away from Home.
----------- Reposts Below so to get all PvE ideas into one place -------
Original PvE (Player vs Environment) -- REPOST
It was mentioned in Tanrus' blog that we should use Fed Space as a PvE learning area.
I agree! Using fed space as a "full scale" training ground would be a wonderful idea.
You can build in no more than 1 sector of fed space. Perhaps 1 level of SG's so that people can see how they work. Certain fed space sectors will remain off-limits to planet building (those near Sol) so that new players won't get shut out.
You can deploy mines, sd and all the rest but while in Fed Space but instead of killing the opponent the mines and sd will "escort" the other player out (if they get caught!).
Spies still work in Fed Space homesteads, however, no spies will ever jump to a ship. This allows players to see how they can be deployed and how they work. The spy however will NEVER convert a Fed Spaced homestead PvE player planet to their own.
Finally, ship to ship combat IS ALLOWED. However, the consequences are nothing more than a note: "Player X simulated an attack on you and won! You would have been destroyed!" The same message could occur when a player hits SD that "escorts" them out.
I think the above would cover letting players learn the ropes while in a non-threatening environment.
There should be a few drawbacks to FedSpace Homesteads... perhaps the Feds collect a 25% tax on all earnings (trades, planet income, etc...) in order to pay for the saftey that a FedSpace Homesteader enjoys.
Title: More Fed Space Training Academy
Make a Fed Space a training academy:
-- A place where new people can make a limited number of planets (say no more than 5)
-- With no more than 1 level deep of an SG (so new folks can see what an SG does)
-- No worries about being attacked while in Fed Space (UNLESS you get a bounty -- then ships and planets are fair game)
-- If the player dies in Real Space the planets will be there upon return (training purposes -- so you don't start from scratch with a mistake)
-- If the players die/suicide and don't recreate an account in 5 days the Feds take back the planets and put them up as target practice.
-- Target practice planets, make no money, make no new population, make no new resources, make no new defenses, and can not be captured. They are there for training purposes so new folks can see how the attack system works and people can see how the spy system works. Once the planet is defeated it is destroyed. No credits can be gained from target practice planets.
-- Attacks from ship to ship are possible in Fed Space but they are only SIMULATED attacks. No kill count is awarded. No damage is actually done. A note will be sent to the "defeated" ship about losing the simulated attack.
The above ideas will allow New Folks to see what the game is about and have a basic understanding of playing the game before they are forced into the big black where all the real action takes place.
Blogs of Note:
-
Dignitary Overview - Updated Sept 7th 2004 - Still pretty accurate!
-
Top 5 AAT Administrator "No-No's"
-
Labeling your planets
Entry Edited 4 times - Edited on Dec 20, 2008 - 10:23 pm
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