Grey Area
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Posted - 2006.03.08 08:29:00 -
[1]
Edited by: Grey Area on 08/03/2006 08:35:58
Modding...
This was always a golden opportunity missed in my opinion.
Here's how I would have liked it to work.
When you research a BP, you could choose to research ME or PE as you do now, but ALSO ANY STAT of the module you were trying to make.
So, you would research (for example) CPU on a Raven...or powergrid on an Apoc...or range on a warp scrambler...the increase gained would be small, and random.
EDIT: Each stat of each module would require one of the science skills at a fairly high (five?)level to do the research. Certain stats might require more than one skill, and not all the stats of a single module would necessarily require the same skill.
The penalty would be that another random stat would be lowered by another, different random amount. Whilst there would be no limit to the amount you could research a single stat, repeated research would incur a "breakpoint" chance. So, to use the example above;
1st research job: +1% CPU, -1% cargo.
2nd research job: +0.5% CPU, -2% Powergrid
3rd research job: +2% CPU, -0.5% CAP
4th research job: -10% CPU. Or your cargo capacity is halved. Or you lose a missile hardpoint.
Basically, as you research more often, there is a chance that something disastrous happens. It wouldn't ALWAYS be fourth time (in fact, I think lower increases and more iterations is the better idea, this was just an example), but the risk of "breaking" something would increase the more often you researched your BP...and of course, your BP might already be very nice (say you had it up to an extra 10% range on a warp scrambler...putting it through another research run could result in a warp scrambler with 11% range...but that costs 400 cap to activate....). The chance of breaking the BP would NOT be known to the players.
Researching ME and PE should have similar penalties, but allow more iterations before real danger is encountered. Skills in research would reduce the chance of something breaking. It was this part that made me think of the idea...eventually if you keep trying to make something faster and for less resources, something breaks.
Researching slots and hardpoints on a ship SHOULD be possible...but the increases gained to the number would still be in the same order...i.e., a couple of percent. Thus to get five low slots up to six would require MULTIPLE research jobs, with a high chance of massive failure towards the end. Obviously, whilst the ship has 5.1, 5.2 etc lowslots, the "fractional" lowslot could not be used.
Whilst I admit this would bring confusion (because all "Ravens" would no longer be equal any more) I also think it would allow for real variety, both in terms of what was made and the prices charged for it...do you want "Brand X" Raven with the normal shield at just 95 mill, or do you get a HyenaCorp Branded Raven, with 10% extra (but a smaller cargo hold, and a lower speed) for 130 mill?
It may of course, be something that the database could not handle, as it would effectively turn one "class" of items into separate items. I don't know how the database is structured, so I don't really know.
Just a thought. Or the ravings of a diseased mind, you decide.
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