Customization

[SuperTerminator]

Ship customization. One of the coolest features I'm probably gonna tweak with an absolute ton. However, since customization hasn't been properly shown for a long time, I wanted to know more about the extent of the system and what it can store.

So for now, in my understanding you can make a custom ship out of a default pool of unlocked modules and with custom hull designs. I believe those get stored in a workshop-esque format ingame that can be shared(?). Does the system also allow for custom modules (pretty much mainly weapon designs), and if so how are they stored (PRPL scripts only, storable modules, ect...)? Also is it possible for enemy spawned ships to include custom ships (such as having to spend your entire fleet to destroy an absolute monstrosity, like a carrier with shielding, tons of missiles, hostile grabbers, and MK7s xD)? I'd absolutely love it if we could do this, as it would give map makers some pretty cool toys.

I'm already anticipating massive space battles, and I'm barely able to wait any longer :( (though I'll hold on as long as it takes, patience isn't easy but it's rewarding)

P.S.
Virgil, if you're reading this, if you plan on doing another video before game release, could you pretty please showcase the ship customizer for us? Doing so might give you some extra feedback from us to help make things a bit cleaner or easier to use.

[Fireball14]

Also I really interested in fighters mechanic. I saw those airstip modeles in list and really wanna know how they work.

[knucracker]

There is a ship editor that lets you design a hull and place modules.  Every module (other than the bridge) can be placed 0 or more times.  So you can have two shields or three grabber modules for instance.

Ships are saved to small files.  When you make a map you can include any of the custom ships you have designed.  The ships get included inside the map file when you do that.  So you can make a map with custom ships and share it via the exchange.

You can also play any mission with ships of your choosing.  When you start a mission (a story mission, sim, exchange... doesn't matter) you have an option to play as designed or to specify your own fleet.  When you specify your own fleet you can choose from stock ships, or any ships you have designed.

Ships can be shared (they are just files), but the game doesn't have a built in way of sharing just ships via knucklecracker.com (currently).  They of course can be part of maps and the game has map sharing built in.  But a ship 'database' is something I will have to add after the initial release.

As for custom modules, there isn't a system just specifically for that.  However, it is being done by one of the Alpha/Beta testers using PRPL.  He is making maps that have ships that do very interesting things.  I can already tell that there will be a lot of this sort of thing and the game will quickly grow beyond whatever I might have dreamed up.  I'm looking forward to that part :)

I may be able to formalize some of what it takes to make a custom module and make it a tad easier (and part of the ship specification not just part of the PRPL in a map).  That will all have to come after the initial release, though.

[SuperTerminator]

Thank you for the clarification :). The custom module thing isn't very important right now, though it's cool that someone's already dabbling in it. From what I've seen you've put in a pretty good spread of weaponry already that should cover most uses (though of course there's always more MK7-class offensive weaponry and more useful defensive tools to break out, such as repulsive fields and whatnot).

All this being said, is it possible to take a ship file from a custom mission and copy its file into the local custom ship database? And if this is possible, what's to stop people from overwriting the default ships with custom ones and using those?

On a side note, you have no idea how awesome it is that we can actually talk to you, make suggestions, and pretty much help shape things. I'm sad I didn't actually get involved in your blog until a little bit into the PF development, but its been a great ride so far :D. You're by far the coolest game developer I've ever encountered :)

[newcreeper]

SuperT,

Would you like me to do a LP of the custom ship building for ya?

Devil505

[1337]

Peoples would be making big battleships, lol.

[Cavemaniac]

Peoples would be making big battleships, lol.

People DO make big battleships!

[Tjgalon]

I assume, the more items, the more power is needed to run the ships?

[Cavemaniac]

I assume, the more items, the more power is needed to run the ships?

Yes.

Initially there's the build cost, but they all have running costs too - weapons, repairs and special capabilities.

At least the engines run for free!

[jaworeq]

At least the engines run for free!

Does it? I thought they go into slow-mode when there's no power.

[Cavemaniac]

At least the engines run for free!

Does it? I thought they go into slow-mode when there's no power.

Mmmm.

I'm prepared to be corrected, but that's not how I've observed it.

Ships speed is affected if their engines are damaged, and also when manoeuvring - ie ships can go a lot faster in a straight line than the can while executing a three-point-turn.

Back to the previous point - it's worth noting that energy supply to your ships is vital.

They can operate independently for a time, but a fleet can deplete its energy reserves frighteningly quickly in a major assault, and if your tankers can't cope with demand, then a strategic withdrawal is usually the only option.

[ShadeOfRed]

At least the engines run for free!

Does it? I thought they go into slow-mode when there's no power.

Mmmm.

I'm prepared to be corrected, but that's not how I've observed it.

Ships speed is affected if their engines are damaged, and also when manoeuvring - ie ships can go a lot faster in a straight line than the can while executing a three-point-turn.

Back to the previous point - it's worth noting that energy supply to your ships is vital.

They can operate independently for a time, but a fleet can deplete its energy reserves frighteningly quickly in a major assault, and if your tankers can't cope with demand, then a strategic withdrawal is usually the only option.

I'd have to go and specifically check, but I thought they did move a little slower without power.  I may be imagining it though.

[SuperTerminator]

SuperT,

Would you like me to do a LP of the custom ship building for ya?

Devil505

I'd love it if you would buuut....

[Tjgalon]

Unless I missed it, is there a brush size for custom ships. Seem like on have the one square size, which seem annoying.

[SuperTerminator]

Virgil has already answered this in other topics, and the answer is "not yet." He's got a list of things he's going to add post-release, and that is on them.