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HaydenBarca

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
In thinking through options for creating a playable base (e.g. Command Base), it seems like I can either have ship-type base or base-type base.
1) Ship Type Base:  custom ship with Science, Weapons, Engineering, Comms, etc. (top speed 0)
2) Base-Type Base:  allows for docking/recharging/reloading, manufacturing torpedoes, unlimited torpedo launchers, etc.

What I'm wondering is if it's possible to do both, or more specifically if anyone has tried it.  I'm picturing something where you create a ship-type base with a push radius of 0 and place it in the same location as a regular base.  Before I go down that rabbit hole, I thought I'd poll the community and see if anyone's tried it.  Any thoughts?
Xavier Wise

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
I have created a static 'fighter bay' that was attached to a base using similar methods. the intention was to create a local defence fighter wing.
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HaydenBarca

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Did it consist of two entities (a vessel and a base), or did you just make a stationary vessel? 

To start I tried copying a TSN battleship vesselData and applying the Deep Space Station graphics to it instead of the normal art files (setting top speed to 0).  But when I start the game it just shows light cruiser art.  Is there a trick to it?
parpar88

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
This sounds awesome. I hope to see this in future Artemis updates.
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Mike Substelny

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
It should be possible to do what you are planning. The playable base would not have a helm, obviously, so it should probably be set to slowly rotate.

You should use a mission script, Communications buttons, and creative swapping of side values/positions (and possibly nebulae) to give the playable base special powers. It will be really fun to make the base build fighters and torpedoes using cargo brought in by freighters.
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ryleyra

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HaydenBarca

To start I tried copying a TSN battleship vesselData and applying the Deep Space Station graphics to it instead of the normal art files (setting top speed to 0).  But when I start the game it just shows light cruiser art.  Is there a trick to it?


Be sure you are setting the art files correctly. IIRC the Deep Space Base is made up of three separate meshes, and it may not be possible for a ship to be made up of multiple meshes. So it fell back on the Light Cruiser mesh as the default. Try the Command Base art files instead.

For the OP, maybe you could make your Base-type Base out of two of the three mesh files, and the player ship out of the third. Or use one or two of the Deep Space meshes with the Command Base mesh to make a sort of hybrid. You might have to experiment with different meshes and scales to come up with something that doesn't clip into itself, but it might get around the problem of having two meshes in the same place.

Don't forget you can place two objects in the same location but separate them by Y (height) coordinate. You may still have to set the pushradius, but if you're making a custom mesh it's easy to do that anyway.

I really like the idea of a playable base as a launch platform for fighters. I've actually been thinking of a drop ship of sorts with no thrusters or weaponry but the ability to Jump. So you could either have a skeleton crew to run the Jump engines and shields or just have everyone launch in fighters and leave the "base" empty.

ryleyra

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 

Also it should be obvious that Communications on the base could direct friendly warships around the map to protect themselves. This could be a whole other game in itself with the right vesselData file. Be careful with ship speeds though; making a ship fast enough to get across the map quickly can make them too fast to maneuver properly in combat. It may be easier to give the ships Skaraan specials so they can make use of their own Warp and Jump. (Although it will be random which ships actually get Warp/Jump)

With a script you can even give the player base the ability to add the Warp special to a friendly ship, allowing you to "activate" and "deactivate" Warp. Conversely, you can make friendly ships "jump" by relocating them, although not as precisely as a GM can. You might select a ship with a custom Comms button, though, and then tell it to jump to certain predefined points.

Another option would be to give the base the ability to "jump" the player squadron to different locations, and back to the base for docking. You could cover the whole sector that way. Oh, and you don't need a "real" base to dock with if you don't have any other player ships. Fighters will all dock with their "base" as they would with a ship, and friendly ships don't actually dock with bases.

HaydenBarca

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I found Ben's Mod had a playable base set up (with a Jump Drive).

http://noseynick.org/artemis/ben/

Here's the vesselData description


  <!--                                  Terran-Ximni Jump Starbase                              -->
  <vessel    uniqueID="54"    side="7"       classname="Jump Starbase" broadType="player carrier ximnibenjumpstarbase">
      <art     meshfile="dat/station-starfish.dxs"    diffuseFile="dat/player_station_color_03.png"
      glowFile="dat/player_station_glow_03.png"    specularFile="dat/player_station_spec_03.png" scale="0.3" pushRadius="250"/>
      <internal_data file="Ben/station-starfish.snt"/>
      <performance turnrate="0.0006" topspeed="0.01" shipefficiency="0.01" warpefficiency="100.0" jumpefficiency="0.7"/>
      <shields front="800" back="600"/>
      <beam_port x="0"  y="-11" z="223"  damage="8" playerdamage="186" arcwidth="0.05" cycletime="12" range="3000"/>
      <beam_port x="0"  y="-11" z="223"  damage="8" playerdamage="186" arcwidth="0.05" cycletime="12" range="3000"/>
      <beam_port x="0" y="13" z="58" damage=".25" playerdamage="3" arcwidth="1.0" cycletime="4.0" range="500"/>
      <beam_port x="0" y="13" z="58" damage=".25" playerdamage="3" arcwidth="1.0" cycletime="4.0" range="500"/>
      <torpedo_tube x="0" y="8.35" z="258.74"/>
      <torpedo_storage type="trp" amount="120"/>    <!-- Type 1 Homing"-->
      <torpedo_storage type="nuk" amount="8"/>    <!-- Type 4 LR Nuke-->
      <torpedo_storage type="min" amount="0"/>    <!-- Type 6 Mine"-->
      <torpedo_storage type="emp" amount="16"/>    <!-- Type 9 EMP"-->
      <torpedo_storage type="shk" amount="8"/>    <!-- Type 8 Pshock"-->
      <torpedo_storage type="bea" amount="12"/>  <!-- Beacon"-->
      <torpedo_storage type="pro" amount="24"/>  <!-- Probe"-->
      <torpedo_storage type="tag" amount="12"/>  <!-- Tag"-->
      <long_desc text="A joint Terran-Ximni venture to create a Jump Mobile Starbase^Minimal tactical maneuverability (0.0006), but jump capable^2 Advanced Tunneling Warp Beams^2 Point Defense Beams^1 Torpedo Tube, 120 Homing, 4 Nukes, 8 EMP, 8 P Shock^10 Fighters^Shields Front 800 Rear 600"/>
      <carrierload baycount="10"/>
  </vessel>



We tried it and it makes for an interesting variation in play as you jump to a new location and launch fighters.  And it doesn't crash the game like my previous attempts did.
davidtrinh

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
We will be playing a mission next week on Discord where a crew will be assigned to move a base from one sector to another. You're welcome to join us on that campaign. Let me know and I'll send you the details to play online.
HaydenBarca

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Thanks, davidtrinh.  Can you PM me the time and details?
davidtrinh

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HaydenBarca
Thanks, davidtrinh.  Can you PM me the time and details?


Gonna write it here so everyone knows about it because it is open to all!

We played last night at 9pm EST on Discord. Join the USN Discord channel for regular play, there are several story lines on the go at the moment being told and played by different GMs. I'm telling one currently where we had DS02 commissioned and a crew had to move it to a new sector in TSN controlled space.

I believe the way the story is going, another deep space station is going to be commissioned and it will need to be moved to a new sector too. We will see what the Captain decides when the mission is assigned. 

United Stellar Navy discord.gg/KHBQeEU

Tonight at 8pm EST, is the weekly Eastern Front game.
Eastern Front Team speak: comms.terransteallarnavy.community
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