Messages

1061

Precursors / The Seventh Game: Tech Brief

« on: June 23, 2005, 01:02:46 pm »

Technology:

Propulsion:

Normal Space:

Most normal space travel is done with Ion Engines. The principle is pretty simple: Use magnets to throw hydrogen nuclei out at near light speeds. Basically, it's a really simple system, but it uses quite a bit of power. (No, they are in no way generators, unlike most scifi. Personally, I think having engines generate anything other than thrust is a stupid idea.)

Subspace:

Faster than light travel is, as we know, impossible. So, the trick isn't to travel faster than light. Instead, Ships move through 'subspace' which is a fancy name for moving in the fourth dimension. The basic principle can be explained this way:

Take a piece of paper, and draw a stick figure on it. Now, bend the paper into a U-shape. If the person were to move across the paper, it would take them a while to. However, if you pick them up, and move them in the third dimension, and it takes less time. Now, with subspace it's the same way, except that there's the combined effect of being able to 'crumble' space time (contract in front of you, and expand behind you) that give an effect of moving faster.

In Subspace, gravitational 'eddies' and mass 'shadows' exist. The forth dimension is the one where gravity 'lives' (as much as light 'lives' in a higher dimension), so changes in gravity cause vast sweeping changes in subspace, and vice versa. Orriginally, it was thought that subspace could be used as a weapon, one that could destroy planets, and end the war quickly, but the problem is that it's impossible to predict how changes in subspace will affect normal space, and it's even possible to create a gravitational wave that travels billions of lightyears, destroying everything in its path. (insert testing horror stories I haven't written here.)

Your 'speed' in subspace depends on you 'depth'. Basically, the farther removed from normal space you are (the deeper in subspace) the faster you travel. However, the deeper you are, the more the gravitational eddies take hold, and the more subspace tries to crush your ship.

Entering subspace involves the precise bending of gravity to create a wormhole of sorts to enter subspace. If your subspace field collapses while in subspace, you are violently thrown back into normal space. Also, it's possible to get stuck in 'limbo' (simultaneously entering and exiting subspace) which causes horrible gravitational shockwaves and turns your ship into a singularity. (a.k.a. a "black hole")

Metaphasic:

Metaphasic technology is, simply put, the best thing since sliced bread. It's also next to impossible, and no one even knows it exists, except the handful of researchers who created it. The theory is "simple": Use two subspace drives to allow a ship to remain in limbo, collect the tacheon particles that form up in between the subspace fields, and focus them to form a wormhole into 'hyperspace' or the 11th dimension if you prefer. You pop into hyperspace, and then exit into subspace again... but this time in a new place, instaneously.

The downside is that it takes great power, two complete subspace drives, and you need exit coordinates. What really sucks is that the only way to get those coordinates is to enter hyperspace, and take a look. (you can get your coordinates, and that of your surrounding area pretty easily, but you can't predict the hyperspace coordinates of the planet a few million kilometers from you. You need to go there and take another look. It has something to do with quantum mechanics.)

Right now, there is only a handful of ships whice can handle the stresses of metaphasic travel, and even fewer that have all the technology required to find coordinates. Basically, it's travel that exists in theory, and has worked a handful of times in practice by black projects conducted by the League.

1062

Precursors / The Seventh Game: Races

« on: June 22, 2005, 07:07:45 pm »

[EDIT:] REMOVED: Out of Date!. [/EDIT]

So, here is the link:

Races Overview

1063

Precursors / Health

« on: June 22, 2005, 06:37:25 pm »

Interesting. Orriginally, I had been playing with an idea of endurance and fatigue. (Personally, I *HATE* hitpoints.)

Basically, the way it would work is like this:

You would have some stat similiare to constitution. That would determine your total endurance. Now, every actuion you do causes some level of fatigue... the more often you do it, the less it generates, to a point. Your endurance is the amount of fatigue you can handle... So your max fatigue is your endurance. Now, the more damage you take, the lower your endurance becomes. When your fatigue reaches your endurance, you pass out... if it exceeds it by a great deal for long enough, you die.

Now, imagine combining this with the systems idea... or even just the basic infrastructure. Hrm... It would be interesting...

1064

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 22, 2005, 10:42:46 am »

I won't rule it out, but so far I've not put any emphasis on this in my story, nor have I thought about including it in my game. I don't know as if I like genentic engineering for inclusion in the game, (well, aside from the fact that one of the three races that will exist are genentically engineered humans...) but I can see cyber implants....

I dunno... someone convince me I want to include either .

1065

Precursors / Re: Stock market?

« on: June 18, 2005, 03:16:42 pm »

Real economy - have a stock market?  That would be cool - esp. if you have real businesses that post profits, etc.

Why not? Hell, If we have banks, we should... (We could even have something like eTrade )  Along the smae idea, we should have inssurance.. and maybe work that in with the death thing... hrm...

1066

Precursors / Money

« on: June 18, 2005, 02:31:04 pm »

I agree with Duffy. We need 'money sinks' that actually provide *real* benefits. I also plan on having a *real* economy....

1067

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 18, 2005, 02:18:31 pm »

I really like this idea. I think that 'Skill' should be calculated based on 'Intuition' and 'Knowledge'. Hrm, I'm thinking it would work this way:

Computers:
     Intuition: X
     Skills:
          Build/Repair: (X + Y1)
               Knowledge: Y1
          Hacking: (X + Y2)
               Knowledge: Y2


That gives you a basic breakdown. Intuition is the same across all the skills in one general area, where as knowledge is specific to that particular area. The more you use any skill in a general area, the more your intuition increases (slowly). The less you use a General area, the more your intuition decreses (till something like half your starting value, I'd think. Never zero.... since you'll still have some sort of intuition, even if you never use it.) The same goes for knowledge, except it would be on a per skill basis. (Computer Build/repair is a skill... computers is not.)

Whatcha think?

1068

Precursors / Money

« on: June 17, 2005, 11:47:50 am »

The taxes idea was, for me, a tongue in cheek thing .

Oh, about the realestate thing... It was commented that there could be a land rush, or something... Well, that's just it... How could there be, if there's already people living on them? Just because they're NPC's, and not players doesn't matter. It's not like this is a void universe that's being created as players join... it's already got most of the land taken up by it's inhabitants.

1069

Precursors / Money

« on: June 17, 2005, 11:09:50 am »

I believe it would be simple enough as having the server take care of it, and automatically deducting the amoutn from the person's account. If they don't have, a line of credit will be extended by thier bank... at a nice fee + interest. If they don't pay... well... that's what bounty hunters are for.

1070

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 17, 2005, 11:07:12 am »

Well, knowledge has more 'practical' applications. Do you know how to repair something? How about how to dock a ship? Do you know how to read anything other than English? Do you know how to read? Things like that I believe are where knowledge would be used....

1071

Precursors / Money

« on: June 16, 2005, 10:59:09 pm »

I don't like 'credits'. It's too generic. Here's my thoughts: There are two major factions: The League, and the Terrans. The League was formerly the USA, so they still use dollars. The Terrans could use either 'Euros' 'yuan' or 'yen'... Hrm. How about the Terrans use 'New Euros'?

Aside from the namming, I think that all the ideas fehknt suggested work well. I want banks to be useful, and I think that characters might even be allowed to transfer money from one character to another... at a nice 25% interest rate. (Cut it to 15% if it's from one player to another). Oh, and safety deposit boxes should be a part of it... as well as wills. (When a character dies, and you choose to create a new one with half the stats of the old one, the game should automatically name the new character as 'next of kin' and give you all the stuff... after taxes, fees, and burial costs, of course.

Lotteries are a nice idea, since the Gov't and law enforcement needs soem $$. Also, Taxes (and the need to file them) should be part of it as well. (Military personnel are exempt I'd say)...

... or do we all hate taxes enough that we choose to leave them out?

1072

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 16, 2005, 10:51:19 pm »

Ok, here's my thought. We use the priority system, and keep it all fixed point values.... However, we give the player an option to select an 'Edge' (something he's good at, or some sort of bonus), whose cost has to be paid for by selecting 'Flaws' (Something he'd bad at, or something that hinders him).

Here's an example. I want to make a character that is a natural hacker. I select an edge that allows my character to have a sixth sense about computer security (it takes him less time to do a hack than normal). However, since that's pretty powerful, I have to balance it with flaws, let's say, I have to take two... one's a bad reputation, and the other is a poor constitution (doesn't have the endurance of a normal person, or w/e the stat is for that). I've got my hacker, but he's not going to be good at running from the police that were staking out his apartment because of his bad rep as a hacker.

Basically, the concepts here are stolen from Shadow Run, however I've modified them a bit. I like using a priority system, and maybe varying some of the stats randomly (a small amount). For example, I don't want putting wealth in Slot A *always* mean you have 230 million credits (or whatever)... I'd rather it meant you have between 200 Million and 240 million. If people want to keep re-creating characters all damn day till they get 240 mil, I personally don't care. Also, here's something to note: IF they make a character... they have to play it for a set time limit until it can be deleted... and I think there should be a max number of characters you can have.... that should cut down on it. (especially if there's no way to know your exact stats until after you've created the character.)

What do you think?

1073

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 16, 2005, 08:02:08 pm »

I have mixed feelings about showing the stats to players. It's nice to know where your character stands in terms of others, but it also allows for a good deal of problems with powergaming. Hrmm... I'm gunna have to think about that one.

Now, there's another thing that's pretty important that's been glossed over. What will we put in these priority slots? How general are we going to be? What's the system for creating a character with certain skills, and personality traits. Heck, do we care (from a game persepctive) about the personality traits? What things are going to be based on how the player plays the character, and what's going to be a part of the character's stats?

I think I need to put more thought into answering my own questions...

1074

Precursors / Law Enforcement in the Galaxy

« on: June 16, 2005, 12:28:43 pm »

[...]Of course if a player has managed to acquire the resources and power to challenge law enforcement personel they may have an actual fighting chance, of course to acquire all that they probably have a healthy respect for the system already and may not be thinking indiscrimanent slaughter.

Even if they were thinking about indiscrimanent slaughter, it's quite possible local law enforcement will call in the military... and even if the player holds thier own.. they have one ship, and the military had a bunch.... plus there's going to be a few select players who are game moderators who might step in if needed... and then myself who's character happens to have one the most impressive ships in the game... So, I think it could be handled in a very fun, roleplaying like manner...

But, this brings me to another point. Legendary Characters. Think about meeting Luke Skywalker in a starwars game... Rare... but not impossible. I want Legendary Characters in this game to work the same way... They are the leaders, the ones people tell sotries about, and when you do meet them, you don't want to upset them . (Unless you're a pretty beefy character yourself... then you're welcome to try) They won't be invincable... but they'll be damn hard to kill, and have a bad habit of escaping slim odds... if possible. I'm thinking in the entire game there will be about 10 or twenty at any one time.... who knows. Just a could thoughts I've had.

1075

Suggestions / What should go into the next version?

« on: June 16, 2005, 01:53:35 am »

... all of which are more than possible... actually likely given the physics system we're using.... and the general state of insanity among the Devs. :-P

1076

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 15, 2005, 10:33:31 pm »

Ok, here's my idea:

The 'All Men are Nerfed Equally' Method:[/u]

Genereral Idea: Basically, Take Shadow Run's Priority System, mix it up with a random number generator, and add a little nerfing in for spice.

Ok, let's say you have Prority Slots A through D, which all have point ranges assinged to them like so:

A: (100 - 200)
B: (50 - 110)
C: (30 - 60)
D: (10 - 40)

Notice, we have 10 points overlap between each one, and the one above, or below it. Now, let's take the following Attributes (Wealth, Skills, Knowledge, Personality), and assign them to the following slots:

A: Wealth
B: Skills
C: Personality
D: Knowledge

Now, once we assign them, we let the computer pick values in the range of each one, and that's the number of points we have to work with in each Attribute. Let's say it assigns the following:

A: 120
B: 50
C: 60
D: 25

Now, notice that we actually start out with more points in Personality then we do in Skills, even though we assigned Skills to a slot above Personality.   Just because it's assigned to a slot below something else, doesn't nessicarily mean that it's going to have more, just that on average it will. This means that you don't always know how many points you'll have given a slot, but you do know the least you're going to have. It makes it dynamic, and still allows for you to create characters that start off good at something.

Now, wait, there's more. Let's say you were really pissed off at the fact that you have more Personality points than Skill points. You can 'purchase' more points by lowering your max in any catagory, at -2 in a catagory gets you 1 point in any other catagory you want. Let's say the max (in all catagories) is 255. You want to put 20 more points in Skills. That means you need to take a total of -40 in max points. Let's say you do it this way:

A (max): 255
B (max): 255
C (max): 235
D (max): 235

So, now you have a 70 in skills, but once you've been playing for a while, you're not going to be able to be as Knowledgable, or have as many Personality traits as another character who didn't nerf themselves.

Now, keep in mind, all number in this can be changed.. and most likely will. This was all just to illustrate the idea. So, what do you think?

(Oh, as a side note... You can't nerf wealth, since it's only at character creation that it matters... IE: it determines how much starting cash you have. having a 'max' for it is retarded... there's no reason why you can't have a million dollars, just because you don't have a max high enough.)

--Chris

1077

Precursors / Player Creation

« on: June 15, 2005, 09:44:26 pm »

Ok, let me explain mcrobotic's idea (as I understand it) and then give me thoughts, and finally, suggest my idea.

The Container Method:[/u]

Basically, imagine containers A,B,C,D. (A > B > C > D) You assign traits in the order of importance... say the traits were Intelligence, Widsom, Charisma, Skills. So we have:

Container:
A -> Wisdom
B -> Skills
C -> Charisma
D -> Intelligence

Ok, now for argument, let's say the contains have max values of:

A: 100
B: 50
C: 35
D: 15

Which means total they all hold 200 points. Instead of giving the players 200 points at character creation, we only give them 100. This means that you would have to assign the number of points you wanted to start depending on how important it is to you, knowing full well that you won't be able to max everything. Let's say you do it this way:

A: 20
B: 50
C: 25
D: 5

This would mean that starting off, you have more skills and more Charisma then you have Wisdom, but your character has the capacity to gain more wisdom as you play... but will never inprove his Skills since it's already maxxed out at character creation.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, this system is interesting, because it already assigns max values to your stats when you create the character... However I don't know if I like *ALWAYS* having to be really weak in one area. Some people are all around good at everything.. and I can't make a character like that with this system. It bugs me.

1078

Precursors / Experience system

« on: June 15, 2005, 03:20:36 pm »

Hrm.. I like these ideas. However, we *do* need a hard limit.

Note on simulators: I think that if you spent your entire life simulating how to use a gun, you might be better at it then a veteran soldier... However that soldier has only been using it for ten to fifteen years, you've been doing it for thirty.... That's a large time difference. I think that simulators should have a quicker falloff on diminishing returns then actual combat, but that's the only difference. If you spend more time in a simulator eventually you'll get as good as someone who's been in the field for three months.... but it might take you five, or six to get that good. (It's like real life)

Also, don't foget the player aspect; They themselves are affected by the thought of thier character's death. (and the desire to avoid that). I bet that they will perform worse in the real thing till THEY gain experiance... regardless of character stats.

1079

Precursors / Space Flight Controls, and Realism

« on: June 15, 2005, 12:41:52 pm »

Interesting idea... It's customizable, but you actually *have* to customize it! I like the idea.

1080

Precursors / Experience system

« on: June 15, 2005, 12:10:57 pm »

[...] We can't have all the 1337 players going around getting headshots on every other person in the game and getting away with it.[...]

Too true. Here's my idea: We have character accuracy and player accuracy work like this:


As the character's accuracy improved, the radius of where it might actually hit (instead of where the crosshairs are) would diminish. (obviously the picture above would be for a character who's a really bad shot.)

This way, it matters how good the player is, how often they've played thier charactr (to kno how good they are with certain weapons) and how accurate the character is.

Also, another thing to note is that to me, if the bullet hits, it hits.... I don't want to see bullets going through a character, just because they missed his 'AC', or something.