Mod Wish List Here!

What size variation are you looking for? Whatever; I should be able to bash these out sometime Saturday. Is that OK?

Plenty fast, thanks.

All about the same size, but maybe 3 shapes. How about narrow rectangle, triangle and cube? As long as you can tell the difference from 1km (pretty short range). I leave details to you. Right now they are just stand ins for something more creative.

-Gtrout

Don't forget the System Shock MIDIs!!!

Don't forget the System Shock MIDIs!!!

My System Shock Floppy Disk 5 is corrupted! ::Weaps real tears::
I even built a 486 system to play it on ...

So, to drift this thread somewhere near topic,

What would you like to see as the features and goal of this mod effort? Are you for doing a new cluster? Or a Badlands setting?

-Gtrout

Don't forget the System Shock MIDIs!!!

My System Shock Floppy Disk 5 is corrupted! ::Weaps real tears::
I even built a 486 system to play it on ...

So, to drift this thread somewhere near topic,

What would you like to see as the features and goal of this mod effort? Are you for doing a new cluster? Or a Badlands setting?

-Gtrout

Unless the Badlands turns out to be totally untenable I'd like to see the cluster from the original game (some 25 systems) added to it. A solid freeform environment with multiple career paths would be a joy. But, I think the first step has to be a rebalance of the game's assets. After that, since combat is EOC's strong point, a mercenary career path would probably be the path of least resistance (POG's horrifying lack of event-handling notwithstanding).

One thing I would like is to remove the player-base GUI all-together. Some things (like E-Mail) would be better handled aboard ship, things like loadout and resupply would be handled by stations. As far as loadout is concerned, I think the first and most important thing is to keep track of consumables (missiles, flares, repair parts) and to allow the player to replenish them. Allowing the player to purchase a new ship for themselves would be next, raising the question of what ship the player should start in (SNRV for a trader? What about combat? Puffin, fighter, or even a Truck with a PBC?). Last would be 'upgrades' in whatever form they might come in (replacing subsims and whatnot), as a variety of ships and munitions to choose from would be a fine system by itself.

I'd also like to see save-anywhere functionality, for whatever that's worth.

originally posted by GrandpaTrout
"this large mod"

<roll eyes> Can we actually refer to the project as "The Long Post"? It's appropriate enough, could mean 'career' at a stretch, and sounds very slightly rude. I may be much too tired to be allowed to post, actually.

Did some 'fun' priorities last time INA actually loaded, but may as well repeat for the record if we're migrating here:

1. Chessboard: I'd happily play a fishbowl given a chance. AI/player combat balance is fairly integral to this.
2. Custom loadouts, crew: not necessarily more equipment, just the ability to load out any ship according to the same rules.
3. Actions with consistent, believable consequences.

Specifics I can contribute: ok at pog; can write text if pressed; may be able to produce some music should the need arise. No modelling, definitely no art, as little GUI as I can get away with.

I am not interested in working on a new single player game with a fixed script and plot.

I'm also more interested in an attempt at an emergent system than a conventional plot; if others would rather develop a space opera, it should be possible for both modes of play to exist in parallel without excessive conflict, I think. Are you after a play arc that has a defined closure point (like a major war set to hit after three years) or evolves slowly enough that it won't end before a player loses interest? I personally like the latter.

Regarding setting, I'd prefer a dedicated cluster with its own factions, to be honest. The EOC factions aren't that differentiated, apart from the frankly cheesy distinction between comically evil corporates and everybody else (not that I can personally do better; I just don't see it as a particularly sound starting point). It should also be easier to get a working trade model if you can bend the geography to fit the economy sim. If no-one's available to focus on creating a new cluster, though, the Badlands would serve for a good while, yet.

originally posted by Mehrunes
One thing I would like is to remove the player-base GUI altogether.

Once all necessary functionality is duplicated by in-ship GUIs, it would make sense to switch to a scenario mod with the base GUI stripped down to allow just saving and loading.

I'd also like to see save-anywhere functionality

You'd still be destroying the universe whenever you save, but if all scripts know that and are prepared for it, maybe this could be done by combining StationSave with Haarg's waypoint triangulation? I'd assume occasional universe destruction is actually necessary, as without it the game's eventually going to hit its 2,147,483,647th object; I haven't tested what that actually does, but I doubt it's nice.