Guard Systems

[Dab]

Some of you misinterpreted my statement of selling the biggest, and/or best ship at the guard shipyards. They will be sold in Freelancer, AND the guard base. So you don't have to get that faction neutral to get it. Its just alot easier for player factions, and those friendly with the guard to get them. Plus, it makes more sense in role-play.


@Igiss, Shipyards aren't a problem. I can make some pretty complicated stations such as those pretty easily. Sam I take it, can as well, if Munich is anything to judge from. Though I wouldn't call that base "easy" to make..


@marauder, the shipyards will only be selling that faction's main BS. So though the Zoners construct and sell the BSI, BSA, and the Buggy Juggy, they will only sell the Juggernaut. I MIGHT add in gunboats as well. Likewise, they will sell their best fighter. Such as Eagle is already sold at Freeport XV, the RM base will sell Wraths, GMG sell Eagles, etc.

Also, completely agree on the no-weapons dropping for the guard fighters. They should have their highest leveled guns (I think I'm going to ask Igiss if we can make lvl 9-10 versions of ALL faction guns (ie: Bundschuh gun class, Hessien guns, Rogue guns). If he does, we can have ships with guns that do some real damage. Also, pirates can use their faction weapons without being to weak to fight transports, and military ships. (You complained about my Wraith.. Well now you see why I had to use something else. Bundschuh highest gun is level 7-8.)

For codenames.. No, I don't think any should ever have codenames. If any should, it'd be the RM and they would be newly designed codename weapons.


@McNeo, the point of the guard system fighters is that you should NEED a fleet to attack. They are meant to be fortresses AND backup forces for player factions as well. So any attacking force will need a LARGE fleet to take on the defenders and their NPC allies. That is why they start hostile to you.


Now for my current plans, of which I think most of you would like to know of:

All house military guard systems will have large shipyards, about the size of the Zoner's new one. But instead of 2x Shipyards (double sized shipyards) they will have twice the amount of smaller ones. Since their battleships are smaller than the juggernaut. Though I would think RM shipyard would have some 2x shipyards in it. But I think Angel wants to do that system. Outcasts and Corsairs will need some 2x ones as well.

All factions that create their own cruisers, frigates, or battleships get shipyards. Places with battleships get large shipyards, places that make frigates get slightly smaller ones, and factions that make cruisers and lower get small shipyards. Then large companies that use transports might have small, Norfolk-shipyards sized, shipyards constructing transports. (I can add in non-piloted transports that just sit there with FLE).

I also plan to add in fighters (I'll use wreck models, such as those in Sigma-13) to the smaller ship docks in the shipyards. These will be able to be shot like wrecks, but they won't drop anything. They are simply decorative and add in a more real-feeling to the systems. Likewise, I'll try the same with battleships, using the no-dock Liberty one for the liberty shipyards. And if Igiss can lock stations from being docked, I'll also add in RH BS-stations into those shipyards, and Bretonian/Kusari ones, and have him lock them closed.

Some pirate systems will be asteroid systems, or have asteroid fields in them. Such as pirate factions without their own capships, wouldn't be hindered by asteroids, and can use them against enemies, such as house militaries.

Other factions will have other types of decorative, and purposeful things added into their systems. Such as factories, training stations, research stations, mine fields, and the like.

All guard ships will be increased in level by a few degrees (ship goes in levels of 1 to 38 I think). I'll be testing each level to find which one makes them deadly, yet not god-like.

Needless to say.. I'm likely not to come out with any actual new systems next release.. Just as many massively updated guard systems as I can do before next version.

And the iffy one, will be that I want to have some kind of trade routes going in or through guard systems. Nothing like the Cambridge route, or the Diamond route. But still decent profits. Its just this sacrifices profit for enhanced defense. Pirates aren't likely going to be able to get you in a guard system. Unless they are in battleships, which they cannot pirate in anyways. This will only happen if Igiss okays it, and he might wish to do the routes himself to avoid any guard systems making too much more than others.



P.S. Igiss, could you make a missions and capship patrol tutorials for us? It would help.. Especially the missions bit..

EDIT: And Infocard help would be VERY useful.. I hate those things..

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