So..

[DamoclesX]

Seems to be a lot of activity here latly, nice to see, wish I was around more but I'm really freaking swamped with something.

anyways, to kick up some discussions, what other kinds of ships do you guys think would be good? I know the whole bb thing has been beat to death and then had its bones ground up to dust and spread across the globe!

I"m talking like, interceptors? bombers? corvettes?

Ive got some sweet ideas for some stealth ships.

What about ships, my theory is nearly every capital shipo should have fighter launch ability, after all, it IS in space you DO need hangers on all your ships.

What about doors? maby to close the hanger off to prevent people from flying in, or missiles!

[Dragonlead]

Damo,

Sorry to hear you're swamped, but glad to know you are busy.

I concur. I for one would dearly love a Light Cruiser class. These would be bigger than destroyers, but could be specialized. I have already built an anti-fighter only cruiser (appropriately enough called the Atlanta-class) (YES - I am a military history buff!)

I think the corvette idea needs to be explored more as well. A mobile striking force of small fast capital ships is a much more potent deterrent than an immobile station with fighters. They could even be non-jump capable for in-system defense only.

I also think the ability to replenish and effect hull repairs needs to be incorporated. For example, What purpose is there to the cargo class or courier class vessels? They are treated as capital ships, so other than flying them from point A to point B...

The other classes need work. I did not realize that the SWACS satellite option had not been used, so I made one (works like a champ too!) There is only one kind of mine. I'm going to design another one that packs a limited number of missiles. Singly, not too tough, but put 2 or 3 dozen around an HVA and woe betide the inbound strike package.

Anyway. I agree Damo. The other classses need more development. IMHO.

V/R

[Pheagey]

Agree that every larger cap ship should have luanch abilities. But not fighters exactly. Maybe like a 'captains yacht' (Enterprise-D) style shuttle. When connected its just part of the ship.

Also agree that there should be more development of each class. Specalty ships. Missile destroyers, base defense corvettes, Station mover cruisers. Hell, even one or two new carriers would be nice. On that note I wish I could find milos OLD version of the Orion carrier...(starts looking).

[TheDeadlyShoe]

a couple of tied together things

splitting fighter capability among multiple capital ships exponentially increases supply difficulties; this is fuzzy in starshatter, but it's represented by those cargo and supply ships.

isn't there hull repairs already? up to a point, anyways.

[Dragonlead]

I think you can already "close off" a launch bay. If you don't delete the poly that makes up the opening and make it transparent, I think that would have the same effect. Maybe.

However, I do like the idea of moving parts on ships. Something that would move and stay moved, not just rotate (like S-Foils in SW).

V/R

[Jarhead0331]

Two types of ship classes come to mind immediately...

1. An Interdictor type vessel from Star Wars...you know, a ship that prevents capital class ships from entering or exiting hyper-space...

2. Troop assault ships for conducting breaching and boarding operations...troops could either take control of and scuttle the enemy capital ship, or take it over completely and then use it!

Just my .02

[p10ppy]

ORIGINAL: Dragonlead

I think you can already "close off" a launch bay. If you don't delete the poly that makes up the opening and make it transparent, I think that would have the same effect. Maybe.

However, I do like the idea of moving parts on ships. Something that would move and stay moved, not just rotate (like S-Foils in SW).

V/R

You can probably use the landing gear structure in the DEF to make open and closed bay doors

[Diabolico]

Besides BBs I'd like to see the full spectrum represented and yes, all Capital ships should be able to launch fighters and small craft. Even a corvette should have at least the possibility to carry and LCA or shuttle craft, perhaps even a small complement of 1 or 2 fighters to scout ahead.

Starting from up to down, I'd see dreadnoughts (like juggernauts), BBs, Monitors (like BBs but without Hyperdrive capability for local sector defense), Cruisers (the full spectrum - from the BC to the LC - perhaps even a troop cruiser), DDs and FFs are already there, corvettes should be added though.
Perhaps even add scout class and gunship class vessels to the corvette directory for simplicity.

More fighters and attack craft couldn't hurt...
Bombers would be great if it isnot asking too much. Perhaps they could fit in the LCA class... meaning they could be launched from CVs or Bases or stations or any big ass capital ship.

As for stealth spacecraft, the subject is tricky but a cloaking device would be great (and that technology would please more than one here, specially the ST fan nucleus like Mr. D and other... [;)]).

Add more ground units like battalions, etc. even if they don't move, so there can be a sense for all these wars and so we can bomb something other than buildings. These couild be groups of soldiers, vehicles, mecha, even if they are merely static and have the same properties of a building.

Make orbital bombardment possible or create shield generator buildings to justify fighter/attack/bomber runs, otherwhise it is not coherent.

Perhaps add railroads and roads between the cities.

Good luck with your herculean task jason!!

=S=

[Diabolico]

What about doors? maby to close the hanger off to prevent people from flying in, or missiles!

Excellent idea and perhaps even a very small PDB gun elmplacement inside the middle rear of the hangar (sort of like in Stargate SG1, where they had that 0,5 cal MG pointing at the Gate), so that destroying an enemy capital ship with a fighter from inside the hangar bay becomes impossible.

=S=

[Diabolico]

I concur. I for one would dearly love a Light Cruiser class. These would be bigger than destroyers, but could be specialized. I have already built an anti-fighter only cruiser (appropriately enough called the Atlanta-class) (YES - I am a military history buff!)

Hmmm... that looks delicious![&o] I am a military history geek as well.
You must show me what you have done so far!!!

I think the corvette idea needs to be explored more as well. A mobile striking force of small fast capital ships is a much more potent deterrent than an immobile station with fighters. They could even be non-jump capable for in-system defense only.

Indeed, perhaps having 2 versions - jump capable and not, for obvious reasons.

I also think the ability to replenish and effect hull repairs needs to be incorporated. For example, What purpose is there to the cargo class or courier class vessels? They are treated as capital ships, so other than flying them from point A to point B...

Indeed, specially for campaigns. In fact, ideally there should be large spacedock like stations, where you'd park your capital ship.
Then, once stopped inside, it would act like your engeneering party, repairing hull damage and replenishing your stocks of spare parts, progressively, as time passes.
This is not impossible as the technology exists from the late 90s, like in the game fighters Anthology from EA, where when the aircraft came to a complete stop over a certain point on the airfields or decks, it became rearmed and refueled and some level of damage was repaired.
This should be possible as wel, as it is surely a "reset stats" script or so...

As for cargo ships, their existence is a "must" and they should be able to unload/load somehow.

1. An Interdictor type vessel from Star Wars...you know, a ship that prevents capital class ships from entering or exiting hyper-space...

2. Troop assault ships for conducting breaching and boarding operations...troops could either take control of and scuttle the enemy capital ship, or take it over completely and then use it!

Both are excellent ideas!

[Mr. D]

Perhaps a corvette type ship solely equipped with PDBs would be useful. Either as escort craft for freighters, or for the pirates to act in combination with the already existing pirate vessels to make attack runs more interesting.
Also some light carrier fir the pirates would be nice since they need some base of operations, even if it is not a stationary one, as that would not be wise anyway.
Patrol craft might be nice as well: no jump capability, but quite fast and mostly defensively oriented to fend off fighter groups and missle salvoes until "real" military ships arrive or fighter support.
SWACS type bomber sized ships might prove useful, as they could be either unarmed or just lightly armed to defend themselves.
And PLEASE give us a cloaking device of some kind![&o]

[Paradox]

I think with some tweaking of the sim's detection algorithms a nice small strike carrier would be choice. It could carry enough fighters or attack craft to destroy one or maybe two destroyers while at the same time gaining intelligence on the enemy's location and group composition.

It would have a small visual as well as electro magnetic signature. But to help it even more it would attempt to position itself directly between the enemy fleet and the sun so that when it sends it's encrypted communications to it's fighters any signals would be written off as nothing more than solar distortion.

Yeah I know it sounds crazy but that's what happens when you spend 2 1/2 years working weapons systems on the stealth. Everything becomes rather 'Blackworld' to you. HA HA HA! Anyway what it would also have is a ELINT/jammer package that can broadcast deceptive information. That is the one thing this sim is missing. The ability to jam signals or send false information.

Either way a strike carrier would be choice.



Nick "Paradox" Parker

[DamoclesX]

Keep the info comming, its good for ss trust me!

I'm looking into some of these.

Ya I Agree on strike carriers, they could be UBER deadly, the speed of a heavy cruiser, and the launch ability of a small carrier, jump in, drop your ships, jump out to a redevouse point.

Plus more firepower then a regular carrier.

[Paradox]

Exactly! Only problem with it is that you would pretty much work alone and unable to call in support or re-enforcements. Hey you wanted 'Black ops' you get what you transfered into. LOL! I'd probably be dead in a week over something stupid. LOL!


Has anyone figured out how close you can get to an enemy fleet while in silent mode before they finally detect you? Also what's needed is a way to make your fighter pilots go into silent or stealth mode as well.



Nick "Paradox" Parker

[Pheagey]

ORIGINAL: Paradox

Exactly! Only problem with it is that you would pretty much work alone and unable to call in support or re-enforcements. Hey you wanted 'Black ops' you get what you transfered into. LOL! I'd probably be dead in a week over something stupid. LOL!


Has anyone figured out how close you can get to an enemy fleet while in silent mode before they finally detect you? Also what's needed is a way to make your fighter pilots go into silent or stealth mode as well.



Nick "Paradox" Parker

To get your wing men to go into 'stealth' mod (ECON1) just radios them to goto ECON1. As for the detection range. Im not sure. Each ship gives out a varying amount of EM radiation. Biger the ship, more EM.

[Paradox]

Okay good info but I have one other question. If the squadron is listed as channel 10 and up how do you communicate with them? My number keys only go up to 0. [:(]


Nick "Paradox" Parker

[Incendiary Lemon]

ORIGINAL: Paradox

Okay good info but I have one other question. If the squadron is listed as channel 10 and up how do you communicate with them? My number keys only go up to 0. [:(]


Nick "Paradox" Parker

[:o] Something that needs to be attended to. As a fighter perhaps Milo could remove the cap ships from the list and bind [0] to scroll to the next (now) nine entries. If the player is in control of a destroyer or such you may want to leave fighters under his (possible) command, its easier to afford five or ten seconds scrolling when your not in a delicate spacecraft.

[Dragonlead]

One drawback to a solo strike carrier that would require careful design consideration eliminate. Recovering fighters takes FOREVER! If you want to be truly callous and leave them to die, OK. But being able to hit repeatedly from different locations means recovering your fast returning fighters. You would either need more landing bays than launch bays, or jump-capable fighters.

Time will be critical here. The launch window is much bigger because your attack is as yet undetected. But after your fighters make their move, the hornet's nest (or its survivors) will be hot on the heels of your returning little friends.

V/R

[Pheonix Starflare]

Remember, when you make a Q-jump, all fighters/small craft within a certain radius are pulled along! You just call them back in close and then jump and recover them at your leisure.
I do like the concept of a whole bank of launch/landing bays though.

[coolhand79]

hey damo, sorry to bug you in here, but i haven't heard from you for a while, thought you had died or something, aren't you getting my emails anymore?