Shipdesign

a) changed weapons:
I am experimenting with changed weapon characteristics, but unfortunately I
am often stopped by the actual server and client. Things i am trying to do:
- Stream Weapons
   General upgrade of their range (maybe even longrange weapons with 0.15 au
   range). Also some will get a better turnrate, unfortunately changing this
   to much seems to cause the weapon to not track the target efficiently.

- Sphere Weapon
   Set damage of this as low as possible and giving it to freighters as
   defensive weapon allowing them to shield of some incomming fire.

- Pulse Weapon
   Upgrade speed, size and reload rate to make them better. Unfortunately
   increasing speed seems to cause them to fly through objects and if the
   reload rate is to high (I tried some kind of autocannon...), it will slow
   the client down very much. It should maybe be possible (but I haven't
   tried it jet) to let them fire BACKWARDS, so that you get some kind of
   aft cannon which could be somewhat usefull if you are pursued.

- Guided Weapons
   I am trying to implement 4 types of guided weapons.
   Unfortunately here you also have problems with the settings. To high
   speed for example makes them useless even if the turnrate is extremly
   high.
   - The normal torpedoes, but they will probably get slightly better
     turnrate and speed.
   - Missiles which are fast and accurate with medium range but low damage
     to be equipped and used against small and agile ships
   - Rockets that are slow and feature a high range and good damage to be
     used against slow targets or stations
   - Plasma Discharges that deliver high damage with good reload rate and
     good accuracy at low ranges

b) Ships
I am still experimenting with the ship settings which also cause some
problems at the moment. On one side I would like to change the antimatter
consumption of the ships, so that most are forced to refuel more often, but
this seems not to be available in the game at the moment. I have no ready
ships jet, but I have made up some ship categories which should be
implemented with about 2 ships each.
- Fighters
  Low range, Low shield, Low armor. Good energy regeneration and low
  visibility. This will be equipped with missiles and there should be a
  bomber equipped with a handfull of rockets. Maybe there should also be an
  advanced Fighter featuring a cloaking device, but because they are so
  small their visibility will be about 50% even if they are cloacked. As
  soon as missions get implemented those will be the perfect ships to fend
  of figher attacks or incomming long-range missiles. Because of their
  agility and speed they should also be able to bring down bigger ships if
  you are a skilled pilot.

- Scouts
  a little bigger than fighters, not as agile and fast and with cloaking.
  They will also have much antimatter and low consumption, allowing them to
  fly deep into enemy territory and do scouting missions even if the area is
  flooded with enemy ships. This will also be the main mission for those
  ships. Of course they will get by far the best scanning range of all ships

- Freighters
  Well, what do you expect? They will be equipped with a defensive sphere
  weapon (see above) and there will be a armored and armed corvette for
  transporting critical cargo.

- Destroyers
  These have not too good armor and are somewhat slow but very agile. They
  are equipped with Plasma Discharges so they can destroy even a big ship
  if they get close enough, but because of their limited ammunition they
  need to buy new weapons after a battle making them useless against larger
  fleets

- Assault ships
  Equipped with good cloacking device and slightly better armored than
  destroyers, their main goal is to penetrate deep into enemy teritory and
  wreak havoc among weaker defended targets that are save against normal
  attacks because of their position in the heart of the empire. They have
  a good range and use torpedoes instead of Plasma Discharges

- Cruisers
  Good armor and high energy output combined with devastating weapons of all
  sorts make this ships your choice if you plan to kick some defense
  stations out of the sky. However their low speed and bad agility makes
  them somewhat vulnerable against faster ships.

- Carriers
  Even bigger (and slower) than cruisers these ships are the ones able to
  launch their own fighter squads, but because those fighters need much room
  carriers dont have as good weapons as cruisers

© 2000 by Mindflayer