Swappable engines?

[Nietzsche's Mustache]

I was just having a bit of a discussion with my good friend HeartBreakSyd about adding new content to the game, namely things that would make the core mechanics more interesting to those of us that have been playing the game for... oh 3 years now. The idea of swappable engines came to mind. Inkjet ads that a long time ago (and I remember this as well), different ships had engines named differently, even if they were heavy or medium or what not. So this gives us an idea:

WHAT IF: you had different engines available to you that would exhibit different stats in different states or are capable of diverting new stats to different components at a consequence to the engines. For example, you can have turning engines that take a hit to turning speed but divert fuel to the main engine or the balloon. Or engines that spool up slowly, delivering faster strait-line speed at the cost of acceleration. Another option would be engines that run on a different form of fuel that make them more succeptible to loss of thrust when damaged vs fully repaired or capable of adding projecticle speed to rockets at the cost of less overall thrust.

Anyone else have any ideas on this before I send it off to the devs?

[HeartBreakSyd]

Its important to note that the overall theme here is some new content that can change up the meta, or at a minimum get the "core" players of the game something new.

I love this game, but I really need something more refreshing specific to the core mechanics than I need, lets say, Skyball. The engine idea floated here was one we fleshed out for a little while with some specifics not included herein but overall, I think it would be easy to implement and maybe a nice way to breath some fresh air into the game that isn't just a game mode.

[The Mann]

Just imagine the pyramidion boasting 3 Haskin Imports Engines!

Oooh I want it!

[GurasOguras]

4-
Let us customize the engines.

For each ship, there should be at four or more different options for engines.  These options should effect the handling of the ship in question in obvious ways.


A- Default
B- Large primary engine, small turning engines (faster, but harder to turn)
C- Large turning engines, small primary engine (slower, but easier to turn)
D- Four small engines (each engine can be destroyed quicker, but has less effect on the speed/maneuverability of the ship when lost)
E- Two large engines (each engine providing one-half the forward power and all of the port/starboard turning power)

Sounds quite familiar

[Naoura]

I remember reading about this a long time ago... I remember it being quite mixed on how people looked at it.

I wouldn't mind it myself. It'd make ships even more personalized, as well as make instant hard-countering a little harder to do, since you have to take into account the engines your enemy would be taken, but I'm not certain whether or not it would mess with the game too much.

It'd certainly be interesting to say the least.

[Richard LeMoon]

If I recall, the reactions fell into two categories.

A. Wowzy. I want that.

B. No way. I needs to know exactly what the enemy can do. Don't mess wit mah meta.

[Daft Loon]

B. No way. I needs to know exactly what the enemy can do. Don't mess wit mah meta.

IMO anything that destabilizes the meta is a good thing, the risk is ending up with something like the hwacha + burst ammo situation which would make the one engine that always gets picked into essentially a simple change to the ship stats. On the other hand if it became like mine-launcher ammo with almost every engine-ship combo having a different, worthwhile and logical benefit it would be great.

[HeartBreakSyd]

If I recall, the reactions fell into two categories.

A. Wowzy. I want that.

B. No way. I needs to know exactly what the enemy can do. Don't mess wit mah meta.

Much like gun loadouts I'm sure it would be visible from the enemy ship design page in the lobby before the game started, so they'd just have to look to see what they're up against. When Nietz and I were talking about this, you don't even need to change the NUMBER of engines, necessarily, but do a palette swap to make them visually distinct somehow through the spyglass.

Use the Mobula for instance. take all 3 engines and make them.......heck, lets say Blue-tint for basic equipment, green-tint for speed, dark red-tint for improved turning, etc etc.

[Nietzsche's Mustache]

Yep, I'd second what Syd is saying, except instead of different colors, you could pretty easily create different engine models based on existing engine patters. For instance:


V-shaped,


inline cylinders,


rotary engines,


radial engines,


pancake engines.

Just based on that, you don't have to get to creative to come up with different models that you would be able to see at a distance. You could even potentially throw in a jet-turbine model. Presumably the stats on the turbine would have high yields but eat through stamina faster and damage more quickly from kerosene, moonshine, claw, or tar. Probably a good choice for your ramming pyras. 

[Richard LeMoon]

Personally, I think they are full of it with that complaint. No one uses a spyglass to see what guns someone has on their ship. In practice, it would not matter if they were all identical.

What they REALLY want is a simple set of ships to play against so they don't have to practice against more tactics. The more options there are, the less edge they have. Like when the Wolfies all quit when the metamidian was nerfed. More ships were viable against it. Less edge. Ragequit.

Also, don't forget about this:

2x forward thrust. No reverse.

[Atruejedi]

Personally, I think they are full of it with that complaint. No one uses a spyglass to see what guns someone has on their ship.

[nitpick]
I use it to check out what awful loadouts my allies have brought (and sometimes my enemies if they're a Spire or Pyramidion).
[/nitpick]

Nonetheless, I'm against this idea. I can't even consider it when the game is in its current state, especially with the UI barely explaining how shooting and flying mechanics work. Give me a general rebalance to weapons, ships, and ammunitions first.