Shipyards

[Stormhawk]

Does anyone know how to make a mod that would allow you to change ships in game? I think you would have to change gPlayerShip. In fact I got the idea when I was looking at the TDB, it has seperate domains for gPlayer and gPlayerShip. So is this a ridiculous idea?

[goat not sheep]

I believe this currently is impossible.

[evilbob]

I don't think this has been seriously tried. It's generally accepted that George will add this feature anyway.

[Stormhawk]

Cool, I might try to mod it anyway.

[Yugi]

Well currently it's impossible since there's no documentation of the mod system. Thus we don't know if it is possible or not.

Is that a hint to a certain somebody? (not me)

[Periculi]

I realize that this topic has been brought up a lot and I am hesitant to bump this thread, but I feel that this is a very, very obvious and powerful change to the open-ended ways that transcendence can be played- and, it seems like the ability to change ships in-game would be easy to implement.

I would really like to be brought up to speed on George's position on the idea. Is it at all possible as a mod? Are there any plans currently to add this feature?

[george moromisato]

I would really like to be brought up to speed on George's position on the idea. Is it at all possible as a mod? Are there any plans currently to add this feature?

I'm pretty sure that it is currently impossible to create a mod to do this.

I do plan on adding this capability, but not until after we get to the 2.0 development stream (meaning not until next year).

Even then, I believe that I will have to make other changes to the game mechanics in order for changing ships to be meaningful.

A few open questions:

1. As Betelgeuse has pointed out in the past, there is not much difference between ships. Installed devices make all the difference. Most other games that allow you to change ships also place restrictions on the kinds of equipment that each ship class can take. Is that something that we want for the game? I'm not sure...

2. What happens to all the installed devices on a ship that you trade? Do the installed devices go to the new ship?

3. How much should it cost to switch ships?

[F50]

1. There shouldn't be serious restrictions. A game should be playable as one of the starting ships (ie, be able to install and use lamplighter with an enhanced reactor), but I kind of find it hard to believe (like admiral decker) that a wolfen could be armed heavier than a CSC. 250 MW one less device, a little less enhanced cargo space, little less armor capacity...

2. the installed devices should be placed in your cargo hold, but the station that allows you to switch ships should be able to install equipment. It should also sell reactors. Reactors would be lost on ship transfer but give you a better rebate. Besides, most reactors are easy to get a hold of (until 500MW and 1GW).

3. Lots. depends on ship but 100,000 creds seems resonable for the first upgrade minus a 15,000-25,000 cred rebate for your current ship. Plus additional rebate for reactor value. The Yact might sell for more or be more upgradeable.

[Periculi]

Consider it like this- if you were in a CSC or CW shipyard, prepping to go assault an Ares base would you stick with your souped up yacht or take a destroyer or cruiser armed to the teeth?

If you advanced far enough up the ranks of the fleet officers, wouldn't you take command of more responsibility - and the capitol ships that make it worthwhile?

Lots of cars are the same, and not much difference between them- but isn't it grand to go get a new one to pimp out once in a while? Variety is the spice of life.

Adding the ability to switch player ship gives us another realm to play in- ship specialization. From tiny start tubs to massive capitol ships.

And what about making just one ship invisible such as with a cloaking field? Any way to mod visible/invisible ships?

[Betelgeuse]

hmm just had an idea to make the ships more different

First devices would need to be in groups like military, omni, alien, illegal, launcher, maybe even <= level X (can be basically done already)

Have slots start out as general slots and have shipyard be able to upgrade them say you want to have a missile launcher but you only have general slot you would ask them to upgrade it so you could equip the launcher.

Get rid of the level based equipping system and make it so only certain shipyards can upgrade certain slots but if you already have the slot anyone can just plug the device in.

Give certain ships discounts on upgrading certain slots. Like a military ship having easier access to military slots or the freighter having cheap omni slots.

The advantage to this system would be that ships can start off with certain slots like the wolfien can have a level < 7 slot and when it finds something good it will have the advantage over everyone else due to no one else being able to get that early.

[Bokasha]

And what about making just one ship invisible such as with a cloaking field? Any way to mod visible/invisible ships?

You could give it some armor with a stealth= "100" or "1000"
I tried this a while ago, enemy stations opened fire on me with a stealth of 100, but the ships docked with them didn't notice untill I fired on them.. a stealth of 1000 would probably make you completely invisible untill you open fire.... I don't think there's a way to add the stealth to a ship itsself..

For non-player ships you could probably just make a ship that blends into the background of space and give it some dark grey or near black exaust...

[Icabod458]

As for point 2 from George, I think the installed devices should be able to be transferred to the new ship but for a price, if the player wants them transferred.
I see it this way: you're tired of that slow, clunky freighter and you want a cometfall missle ship. Sure you may have already found a nice omni weapon that you haven't been able to by/loot so you would want to have that but you have a makayev launcher in the hold so you want to leave the nami launcher installed on the freighter.
I don't know if I would be in favor of this "ship dealer" to have the ability to install items on the newly purchased ship. I would like to see this dealer within close proximity of a station where you can have other items installed. This way you aren't in a virtually unarmed ship searching for a dry dock/fortress/station where you can get your makayev launcher installed as well as that IM 90 you bought from the Teratons (if you have a military ID).

As for price, I'd say it would have to depend on the type of ship you are buying. A freighter ahould cost less than a cometfall which should cost less than a Phobos dreadnaught(which shouldn't be available.) I know the cometfall and Phobos are Ares ships. I just am not aware that much of commonwealth ships but I am sure my point is being made. Should a Porsche 911 be the same price as a Ford Focus? Yacht / freighter?

I am sure whatever George decides to do, we, the players, will want more than he gives us. Then we can kindly ask for more from him and keep this wonderful game ever changing. Keep up the excellent work, George!

[Sponge]

On point 1:
I don't like the idea of heavy restrictions, but smaller restrictions, such as max armor weight (which already exists- it would just need to be lowered for the starting ships). Even something simple like this would make bigger ships more desirable. It is also possible for some reactor restrictions. Can a Wolfen really support a 1GW? That in itself would also limit shields and weapons. Basically, I don't like big restrictions, but little things like I mentioned both make sense, and would provide additional decisions to make in game.

Point 2:
I think they should just get placed in the hold of your new ship- along with the rest of your items. It is possible that some of your items won't be compatible with your new ship. Think post Heretic, where purchasable alien ships are completely incompatible with the majority of your equipment. This could also be the case if you were to downgrade your ship for some quick cash.

Point 3:
I agree with the majority of the posters on this one. It should depend on what your new ship is, and what your current ship is. All of the starting ships need to be assigned a price, and it should be the same for all of them (or close). Ship Price + Reactor (sale) Price should be your discount on your new ship. Going from a Wolfen to a Ronin wouldn't cost much at all, but if you were going from a starter to something significantly better, it should be at least 50,000.

This also opens the door for alignment with other sovereigns. If you are aligned with them, you can buy ships at their shipyards. If you have rank in their military, you can buy military ships.

I think changing ships would add more replayability than any other feature at this point, especially if it's introduced with the ability to change sovereigns.

[OddBob]

I like Betel's system. It allows for 'big differences' with a way to lessen them for a price - so if you'd like the freighter to be a battleship it still can, you'll just have to shell out some cash to upgrade its (say) light weapon slot to something kiloton worthy.