SWACS

[Dragonlead]

I haven't found one of these in the game, so I'm making one. Here is a WIP picture. Radar range is 300 km radius.

V/R

[Dragonlead]

Another pic. Both sections rotate. The base segment is very slow.

V/R

[Diabolico]

Very nice idea! Besides those satelites would provide a relatively unexpensive way of monitoring vast portions of space.

=S=

[Mr. D]

Just a question (no really more than one):
What exacly can SWACS do?
Do they need to be stationary?
If not, are mobile ones considered fighters or capships in terms of steering?

[Dragonlead]

If I remember right, SWACS is an acronym for Space Warning and Control System. This is an obvious evolution from the current Airborne Warning and Control System E-3B Sentry aircraft the USAF currently uses. Now the real thing not only detects, but directs as well. It also has a pretty nifty surveillance function (nuff said on that.)

In the game (at least as I am making this satellite) it only provides the detection capability. However, placing them just beyond your own sensor range will effectively extend your own range out. They are unarmed and pretty easy to kill, even with shields (by design.) That is why they get put in the middle of a minefield. I have mine stationary, but they don't have to be. The folder for them is in the mod/ships directory. I can easily add thruster ability, and giving them a flight plan is just a matter of planning the route in the map portion of the editing.

The steering is determined by how maneuverable you set the satellite up to be. I wouldn't suggest adding mobility because it will probably draw the attention of some enemy AI. In the scenario I have for it right now, 2 Wolf class DDs are practically on top of it but ignore it completely.

Hope this helped.

V/R

[Dragonlead]

Updated pic with a standard mine for comparison. Mine is 1 km away. Milo, I am shamelessly using your textures that came with the sample on the CD.[&o]



V/R

[LeonH]

mabey thats something we could do make a texture pack for pple who are making new ships to use, would make life a load easyer having a bunch of textures suitable to ss at hand [;)]

[Diabolico]

Excellent idea.
If you can extract them and if it's OK with Matrix games, you can stock it for free (thus making it available to the whole community) on Starshatter Central, wich was built just for that : to preserve and difuse SS knowledge and stuff... (nit just in .dat format! [;)] to Necromancer)![:D]

=S=

[Pheagey]

Sorry to bust a bubble but all material is copyrighted by milo and destroyer studio's; I beleive the intellectual copyright laws dictate that his property can not be re distributed without his 'expressed written consent'.

Anways, nice SWACS. Nice to see that class being used..

[LeonH]

well it doesnt realy need to be the ones used in Ss now altho it would be nice to beable to use thoes in future 3rd party mods to the game as they would fit in much more with the current decor of the ships. altho theres nothing from stoping up compileing a load of suitable files

and yes Starshatter Central would be a good place to put this.

[Dragonlead]

Pheagey,
and Milo,

Please don't misunderstand. I have no intention whatsover of distributing anything, without clearly indicating where I'm getting things like textures or stock weapons etc. I just wanted to be clear where I had gotten certain textures.

As much hassle as there is over "intellectual property", I have no wish to complicate anyone's life with unnecessary legal battles.[:(]

V/R