Old balance issues

[Friday]

In fact, really, the concept of 'cargo cost' - taken to its fullest extension - could represent the ultimate in flexibility and customisation for the player.

The process has already started with armour and some other equipment incurring a cargo cost.

At the moment, 'low level' ships and equipment represent underutilised resources. A few players might use them for RP value - but the overwhelming majority soon move on to 'elite' equipment - and the mod balance is aimed at balancing the elite ships (from LF to Battleship).

What if every piece of equipment had a cargo value attached to it? What would be the 'baseline' for distinguishing one ship from another?

Well each ship has its own base properties - size, turn rate, base armour, powerplant, hardpoints, and of course cargo hold. What if ALL ships had a lot of hardpoints - as many as you could put on without it looking stupid?

A player might be inclined to wet themselves, thinking 'ohh I can now pwn everyone with my 12 Class 10 Codies!'....but a player is limited by cargo space!

A player could then choose between having a couple of powerful guns, or lots of less powerful ones. Can choose to forgo a thruster, or heavier armour, or a super-scanner, in exchange for cargo space to equip something else.

A power trader might totally strip back their ship to maximise cargo hold in exchange for vulnerability - or buff it up to resemble something close to a gunboat.

Rather than having Four types of Class 7 Transport turrets - one could have the ability to mount just about any turret within limits of power, faction and cargo space.

After all, what is a ship that can mount a single powerful gun, and a few less powerful ones? It is most likely a Gunboat or Cruiser class ship with a forward cannon!

What is a ship that chooses to mount light armour, but a better thruster and CD? An interceptor!

What is a ship that mounts little in the way of equipment, leaving a larger amount of cargo free? A trade ship!

It must be noted that a developer can still place boundaries on reason on this. I mean a Rhineland Battleship as a cargo transport? In theory it is possible. But pure 'trade' vessels could be made desirable for their purpose by simply lowering their powerplants and number of hardpoints.

It sounds strange, and maybe heretical to some who can already imagine some odd combinations...but imagine the possibilities!

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