Messages

1

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Ability to assign roles to AI

« on: September 30, 2013, 06:06:29 am »

...or at the very least to be able to pick which class they play.

Being able to assign them to specific guns/components would be nice as well.

I don't know if being able to change their loadout is that important as the game currently stands though.. at least, not if they're a gunner - unless you have control over which ammo type they use from moment to moment, it's just going to be pretty much random.

As engineers it might make a slight difference in how fast they can repair things, but other than swapping the extinguisher for the chemical spray, the only other thing you can do really is swap out the mallet and spanner for a pipe wrench in order to free up a slot for a buff hammer, which at the moment would be pretty useless since currently the AI splits its time between repairing and sitting on guns (which means in order for this to be of any use, they need to not only add in the ability for you to pick specific locations for the AI to work, but also a way to pick the tool they are currently using - fine for quiet times, but it might be tricky to do under fire.. most people have their hands full with their own roles, let alone managing someone elses.).
Still, if they managed to integrate some kind of simple AI quick menu that you could bring up, being able to customize the AI players would be good.

What might be interesting is if, once an AI is assigned to a role, they are 'partnered' with a player of similar role who then has control over their actions.. so an Engineer would get an assistant who they can point at a component and say 'fix/buff' or send to a gun, and Gunners could do the same but with control over ammo types.
Possibly the ability to chain commands would be useful as well.. so you could look at an engine, target it for the AI to fix/buff, then look over at another engine or component and highlight that as well, meaning you wouldn't have to babysit the AI since it would carry out your list of commands before going back on automatic/reporting back to you.

I know some people might think this should be the Captain/Pilots job since they're in command, but it might be tricky if they can't see the areas they're assigning to - it would require a more complicated UI than simply looking at the area in question and pressing a button, and I know how many people around here are opposed to adding to the UI.

If additional control is being added, it would also make sense to be able to assign specific targets, so the AI isn't the only member of the ship not shooting at the primary target.
I can see this being a Captain command, but it would make sense that the controllers of the 'assistants' would be able to override it if necessary.

2

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Outline on text in game?

« on: September 26, 2013, 04:12:24 am »

Or alternatively/additionally, the option to change the colour of the text itself, rather than the background or adding an outline (although those would be nice options to have as well).

3

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Helm rope - Tool or keybind suggestion

« on: September 13, 2013, 06:00:57 pm »

You could use it on the mobula too when you jump up on that gun.

That bug is getting fixed, so...

Even without the bug to get up there, the pilot would still be able to get up the ladder and jump down to take the wheel when necessary.
Although I question the usefulness of something that can lock you into a turn on a ship that can mostly only fire forwards.. >.<

Still, on any ship other than the Mobula I can see it working quite well.

4

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Detonate Mines

« on: September 13, 2013, 02:20:55 pm »

Cheesycom, nice idea but it would mean Muse would need to create a new design etc. since its a completely new gun. plus a mine launcher is a completely unique weapon compared to the other weapons in the game. the only one with impact etc. and the only one that causes a change in direction for other ships. And its still quite a new weapon. we can let a smaller brother of it over-shadow it already, can we?

Well assuming it were a good enough addition, there's nothing to stop Muse adding in a new design - they're introducing the Magma cannon, so a new weapon isn't out of the question.
Depends how busy they are, I guess..

I don't think a mini-mine launcher would necessarily overshadow its bigger brother, as it wouldn't have the same impact that a regular mine detonation would - just because the Carronade is better for popping balloons (albeit at close range), that doesn't mean the Flak cannon has no use.. it just fills a similar but slightly different niche.
While the large 'dumb' mines could be termed as 'ship-busters', the smaller 'smart' mines could, for example, be aimed more at balloon deflation, or act a bit like a chaff cloud to distact the enemy (perhaps the function could even be determined by the ammo type equipped). It would be easier to hit with since it would cover a wider area with a greater quantity of mines, but the smaller warheads wouldn't do quite as much damage by comparison to the original.

I reckon this idea would work whether the mines would be detonable by remote or not.. I think it's just a matter of play-testing to get the balance right - it seems like multi-function mini-mines could be, if not super destructive, at least tactically quite useful. Remote detonation would just add another facet to their tactical potential.

5

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Sky Nets

« on: September 11, 2013, 05:42:38 am »

okay so imagine this... we all know there are some pilots willing to run through tar.... fire a net while they are chasing you... then tar the net and fire a few mines in the cloud.... so much pain D:

...Remind me never to be on the opposing team when you're around o_O

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Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Heavy Harpoon

« on: September 10, 2013, 07:15:20 pm »

How about this instead:

Dual Heavy Harpoon. Fires two shots, one after the other. Rather than the cable being attached to the gun, it is attached between the two heavy harpoons.

Usage: Fire first harpoon at one enemy (or friendly?) ship, then target and fire the second harpoon on another ship. It ties the two ships together.

You could even shoot it into two of your own ships, and then 'clothesline' the enemy ships by flying either side (although that sounds like it might be awkward to pull off, and I'm not sure what the benefit would be of doing it.. I should have thought that idea through a bit better really >.< )!

One worry I would have about being able to shoot your own ships as well is that it would be too open to trolling.. it wouldn't take much for one rogue crew member to mess with your whole team.

Still, I kind of like the idea of attaching enemy ships together.. it could be funny if the line shortens in length once both ships are harpooned, pulling them close together and making it difficult for them to steer. Especially if they happen to be facing opposite directions at the time! xD

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Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Sky Nets

« on: September 10, 2013, 07:07:34 pm »

Ah, good point! I hadn't even thought of the effect it would have on ramming.. it would definitely be nice to stop some of those people in their tracks!

I'm not sure if I can see it working as an ammo type - it would be difficult to counter if put into a rapid fire gun (though I suppose the degree of drag and length of the effect could vary depending on the type and power of the weapon used). Still, it would be great if it could be made to work.. give the slower ships a chance to get the faster ones in their sights (although I suppose that's what the harpoon is for..).
How would such an effect would be conveyed to the target crew though? Unlike hitting a giant net, there wouldn't be any visible sign of what was occurring.

I wonder if making it an ammo type might make it too easy to use? At least with the net launcher it would be somewhat difficult to land the shot in the first place, and even then the target could manoeuvre away from it if they see it coming.


Interesting history lesson.. I was aware that early pilots threw things at each other, but not about the chains. I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been to land a shot like that, while also trying to fly their planes.

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Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Sky Nets

« on: September 10, 2013, 03:22:59 pm »

I'm not sure if a net "trap" would work all that well. Even on very tight maps, like Labyrinth or Canyon Ambush, there's still quite a big of room to fly around in.

It's true there's often enough room to manoeuvre around obstacles, but even then, why does the mine launcher exist if it's always possible to avoid obstacles?

It would be quite large, at least the width & height of the average balloon, if not bigger.. but even then, it would definitely be avoidable so long as the pursuing pilot has their wits about them.

It's not necessarily something you'd deploy and just leave hoping someone hits it - it's more akin to the Tar Barrel, where you only use it in close proximity to other ships.. except it's more focused in the area it covers, and possibly just takes the engines down instantly if hit, rather than damaging the ship in general.

I do think a net gun work be interesting- like, if you hit the engines it slows the other ship down for a time?

This is the bit I haven't quite worked out yet - depends on how it fits into the general balance of the game really.. on the one hand, it would be most effective if it were capable of breaking engines outright, but on the other hand if it proves too easy to use, it might be better if it were simply to slow enemies down (or even screw up their turning ability) for a period of time.
I don't know if it's possible to apply different effects from a weapon depending on where it hits, but if it is then maybe both could be true, with only a direct hit on the engines causing them to break.
That way it could be used by pursuers to snare their targets, while escaping ships could make use of it to put some distance between them and their pursuer.

I'm also wondering if various ammo types might have some effect on how it behaves.. for example, incendiary ammo could create a flaming net that causes persistent fire damage for a few seconds in addition to the slowing effect, or heavy ammo could create a much heavier net that causes a much stronger slowing effect, but has a tendency to sink to the ground after a very short time in the air if it isn't hit.
Can't really think what the other might do..

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Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Detonate Mines

« on: September 10, 2013, 01:39:30 pm »

It could always be a new weapon, rather than a modification of the old one.
There's more than one kind of rocket launcher, so why not a mini-mine launcher that allows detonation but does less damage?

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Feedback and Suggestions / Sky Nets

« on: September 10, 2013, 05:35:26 am »

I was thinking something along the lines of a mine launcher, but instead it would fire a large wire net with small balloons tied to the top corners and weights at the bottom.. basically creating a wall that if crashed into would substantially slow a ship for a number of seconds (or perhaps temporarily bringing them to a complete halt by breaking all of the engines).

Like the mine launcher I reckon it would have to be limited in the number that it could be deployed any one time.. perhaps 3 nets at most.
Once a net hit an enemy and was removed from the deployed count, there would be a fairly lengthy cooldown time to prevent people spamming it and locking their enemy in place (it would probably have to be slightly longer than the minimum time required to repair 3 engines).

11

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Heavy Harpoon

« on: September 10, 2013, 05:27:32 am »

Sounds like fun 

However if anything other than the Galleon used it, it wouldn't make a lot of sense - somehow I don't see a Spire reeling in a Galleon and flinging them away.. quite the opposite in fact! >.<

It sounds like quite the paradoxical weapon - pulling enemies closer in order to push them further away! Hehe

12

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Detonate Mines

« on: September 10, 2013, 05:21:09 am »

I just had another thought - rather than detonating the mine explosive itself, how about the ability to pop the balloons on command?
It would be tricky to time it right, but you could shoot a load of mines over someones ship and then get them to drop from above.

It would also help eliminate some (but not all) of the balance problems created by allowing players to detonate their own mines to refresh their stock, since if the popped mine didn't hit anything, they would have to wait for it to reach the ground and explode before they got it back.

13

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Game Type Idea: VIP

« on: September 10, 2013, 05:15:11 am »

The 3v3 Two VIP idea sounds interesting, although it does sound like a different game to the one you initially proposed.
It would probably be a bit more balanced than the other suggestion, although I'm sure there would be someone way of making that one work as well.

I think it makes sense for the VIP to get some of kind of buff/benefit, since they are about to become the focus of the enemies attention.. what would it be though? Are you referring to the normal buffs that ships can have? I'm not sure if that would give enough advantage to the VIP, they don't seem all that powerful.
Perhaps an additional speed boost of some kind? Or perhaps the boost could amplify the strongest trait of that particular ship (so Galleons gain additional armour, Squids become crazy fast.. might be difficult to work out for the more average ships though).

Auto-healing the new definitely VIP makes sense though.. I could see things going very wrong without some sort of system in place to give new VIP's a chance.

Now, I know you suggested that VIP's be perma-spotted to help identify them, but assuming the enemies will also be spotting the other ships on your team, how will they tell the VIP apart from the others? It might be an idea to have something a bit more distinctive.. their own flag colour maybe? Or the 'spotted' bracket could simply be a different colour perhaps.

14

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Detonate Mines

« on: September 10, 2013, 04:56:34 am »

Perhaps this could be balanced by substantially reducing the explosive yield of manually detonated mines (to 1/2 or even 1/4 of its originally strength), or even changing the explosive type to something less damaging (say the scuttling charge doesn't detonate the bomb but rather just shatters it, so the debris acts like a flak/carronade hit against a balloon, but is less effective on hull)? So even if a ship gets caught in your trap, it doesn't mean instant death.

Manual detonation would make the mine layer slightly more interesting, since it could actively be used as a weapon rather than just for area denial.

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Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Game Type Idea: VIP

« on: September 08, 2013, 04:40:09 am »

Nice idea! 
I can see you've put a lot of thought into this.

Definitely agree there needs to be some kind of debuff to stop the VIP giving people the runaround. Perhaps instead of armour loss, it could wear down the engines instead?
Say, after 5 minutes without engaging the enemy or taking any fire, the rate of damage becomes so bad it's nearly impossible to keep up any kind of speed, and they become sitting ducks?