Topic: Things You'd Like To See In OP

[Beeblebrox]

Don't get me wrong--OP is a great game and the Enhancement packages have been uniformly excellent.  However, like all top-notch things there are always a few niggles that (to you) would make it even better.  For me: 

1.  The disruptor sound.  In TOS the Klingon disruptor pistols had an incredible sound that really made the hairs on my neck stand up. 

2.  The photon torpedo sound.  Again, TOS had the right of things here.  In spite of over 40 years of technical advances the Star Trek franchise has yet to equal this particular sound effect.

3.  The engines.  Once more TOS was on the ball on this one.  When the Enterprise was making speed you could hear the increasing whine/drone of the engines and the same applied to decelerations with a decreasing whine/drone.  I miss this very much when I'm flying.


What are the tiny niggles that, in your opinion, would make an already sweet game even sweeter? 

[yochenhsieh]

The textplus mod which modifies the damage textures in SFC2/OP:
http://sfc.strategyplanet.gamespy.com/files/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=386

The only thing that I have to install again and again and again after install OPEP.

[Stylsy]

**blows dust of account**

Repair Rendezvous!

[Age]

The things I would like to see if it was ever possible to remake the game is elements from all 4 games SFC1,2 EaW,OP and 3.I would like to see a newly revised UI more like windows theme one with close,min/max screen settings and just min.I would like to see a much more user friendly hot key set up.

[IndyShark]

How about the Doomsday device?

[I, Mudd.]

Blue. Phasers. Dammit.

[NuclearWessels]

**blows dust of account**

Repair Rendezvous!

LOL - and I think it's safe to second this on KF's behalf 
+1 for persistence! 

dave

[KBF-Crim]

"Join mission in progress"

[marstone]

My wish if for mech links that really are used for holding PF's so a PFT can carry 6 PF's like they are suppose to.  You could also have a true SCS since they need to carry both fighters and PF's.  Fighters that carry the right drone loadouts (the drones are wrong in SFC, damage and speed, etc).  Drone rack g's that work right. 

could think of more, but this would be a good start.
(wish I still did programming,but alas, I be rusty)

[Pestalence_XC]

Blue. Phasers. Dammit.

That should be easy enough.. just open the Assets/Textures folder and find fx0.bmp and open it in Paintshop, Photoshop, or ms paint

Change the color of the ribbons in the top right corner..

Now this changes color of the phaser beams.. not just for Feds, but all races.

[I, Mudd.]

Doesn't quite work that way, Pesty. Yellow is hard coded into the game ... blue looks green.

[Czar Mohab]

1.) Orion option mounts.

2.) Not sending a freighter as a wingman in some missions (really, do they think that low of me to complete the mission that they send along a freighter to finish up?).

3.) EAW mission scripts for the non-pirate races (I know there's probably a mod out there that has it, just haven't found it yet)(This could also be that my version of OP+ isn't cooperting with me, pretty sure I read that they were included).

4.) Actions affect political influence. Meaning if I do something that would irk the Gorn, the relations with the Gorn would be less than "long term partner".

4.a.) True total war maps (again, I know there is prolly a mod out there or my OP+ doesn't want to play. Says "Total war" on some campaigns, but I still have allies... grrr...). I want to have a conquest map where the "allies" are also enemies. Gets tiresome fighting the same things over and over. How about a Romulan invasion of Klingon space? Or Fed invasion of Hydran space?

5.) More missions. More variations of the current missions.

6.) No *^&% BB's or DN's encountered on "Patrol" when all you have is your starter frigate. I like the unbalance factor; but really... You want me to take out that B-11k? With my FFL? I can tell you where to stick that B-11, Admiral...

7.) Adjutsable starting prestige (or more prestige from successful missions). For new-to-the-game types, yeah they should start out low and build it up; but with the mod I have (I think OP+... been ~3 years since I installed it) I can never fly the Early DN's because they've been taken out of service by the time I can afford one.

8.) Source code released!

9.) X-tech that applies to Ph-2, 3, G, and 4. O/L'd Ph-4... *DROOL* Yeah, probably alot of nay sayers to this, but at the very least a type X3 would have been nice. Or an O/L feature for the G2.

9.a.) Ph-X pulse.

10.) Smarter AI. Perhaps one that learns and adapts. Or uses tactics like sabre dancing, and not the ever present "Close and engage" (Yes, I've played online with humans. Gave it up for complicated reasons, namely the AI doesn't complain when I win with something unorthodox.).

11.) AI that doesn't always go for the lead ship. I only ever got wingmen for one reason, to spread the damage around. Doesn't always work...

12.) Add-ons and updates. Not just mods, but more like expansions. New maps, new races, new units, new weapons... while keeping the old ones. Maybe if there is an SFC-4...

13.) Special sensors that do something more SFB like. I can guess that the purple drone is either single or double warhead, fast speed; but hows about breaking its lock-on so I can save a phaser shot or two? Or how about letting me send some EW over to the DN that's engaging the SB? Pretty sure he could use it...

Czar "Think that's all." Mohab

EDIT 1.) Minor additions

EDIT 2.) Turns out Pestalence has an enhancement package. Who woulda thought all I had to do was look around and find what I wanted. Guess I'm a touch behind the curve...

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

1.) Orion option mounts.

You said it. I agree with you with the other things, but option mounts would really help OP.

Also, I think PPD's should be deleted from the game completely.

[Klingon Fanatic]

**blows dust of account**

Repair Rendezvous!

LOL - and I think it's safe to second this on KF's behalf 
+1 for persistence! 

dave

LOL, yes second Repair Roundevous for me too!

Keep the great scripts of yours coming out Dave.

Happy New Year!

KF

[The Postman]

How about the Doomsday device?

A couple of changes to the shiplist will have any and all of the DMM's showing up in monster missions.  They are already in OP, just have to "turn them on".

[The Postman]

1.) Orion option mounts.

2.) Not sending a freighter as a wingman in some missions (really, do they think that low of me to complete the mission that they send along a freighter to finish up?).

3.) EAW mission scripts for the non-pirate races (I know there's probably a mod out there that has it, just haven't found it yet)(This could also be that my version of OP+ isn't cooperting with me, pretty sure I read that they were included).

4.) Actions affect political influence. Meaning if I do something that would irk the Gorn, the relations with the Gorn would be less than "long term partner".

4.a.) True total war maps (again, I know there is prolly a mod out there or my OP+ doesn't want to play. Says "Total war" on some campaigns, but I still have allies... grrr...). I want to have a conquest map where the "allies" are also enemies. Gets tiresome fighting the same things over and over. How about a Romulan invasion of Klingon space? Or Fed invasion of Hydran space?

5.) More missions. More variations of the current missions.

6.) No *^&% BB's or DN's encountered on "Patrol" when all you have is your starter frigate. I like the unbalance factor; but really... You want me to take out that B-11k? With my FFL? I can tell you where to stick that B-11, Admiral...

7.) Adjutsable starting prestige (or more prestige from successful missions). For new-to-the-game types, yeah they should start out low and build it up; but with the mod I have (I think OP+... been ~3 years since I installed it) I can never fly the Early DN's because they've been taken out of service by the time I can afford one.

8.) Source code released!

9.) X-tech that applies to Ph-2, 3, G, and 4. O/L'd Ph-4... *DROOL* Yeah, probably alot of nay sayers to this, but at the very least a type X3 would have been nice. Or an O/L feature for the G2.

9.a.) Ph-X pulse.

10.) Smarter AI. Perhaps one that learns and adapts. Or uses tactics like sabre dancing, and not the ever present "Close and engage" (Yes, I've played online with humans. Gave it up for complicated reasons, namely the AI doesn't complain when I win with something unorthodox.).

11.) AI that doesn't always go for the lead ship. I only ever got wingmen for one reason, to spread the damage around. Doesn't always work...

12.) Add-ons and updates. Not just mods, but more like expansions. New maps, new races, new units, new weapons... while keeping the old ones. Maybe if there is an SFC-4...

13.) Special sensors that do something more SFB like. I can guess that the purple drone is either single or double warhead, fast speed; but hows about breaking its lock-on so I can save a phaser shot or two? Or how about letting me send some EW over to the DN that's engaging the SB? Pretty sure he could use it...

Czar "Think that's all." Mohab

EDIT 1.) Minor additions

EDIT 2.) Turns out Pestalence has an enhancement package. Who woulda thought all I had to do was look around and find what I wanted. Guess I'm a touch behind the curve...

# 4 does happen but it takes a while to make changes that you can see. If you start attacking your allies, they do slowly become your enemy.

#5: there are over 150 missions out there if you know where to look.  Evil Dave, Karnak and Tracey G wrote a large number of them.

# 7 is just a simple edit of a file.

#8 is not controlled by anyone here.

#12  there are at least 2 more weapons in OP that aren't used

[marstone]

more information on the server kit and the OCI would be nice.  (server kit download says it is from 2004, and instructions are tough for a newbie)

[Leto Atreides]

cloaks that work better.... like in sfc3 or if that's not possible no mine flashing

[marstone]

cloaks that work better.... like in sfc3 or if that's not possible no mine flashing

better cloaking would be good, but the flashcube is part of SFB and probably should stay.  Now hidden mine dropping would be nice to add.  In SFB if you drop a mine out the hatch (hitting m in SFC) you would drop a mine that wasn't placed on the map.  Transporter placement was the only one that put them on the map, as the transporter activinty showed where it was placed.

[Czar Mohab]

# 4 does happen but it takes a while to make changes that you can see. If you start attacking your allies, they do slowly become your enemy.

Never noticed. Thanks for the tip!

#5: there are over 150 missions out there if you know where to look.  Evil Dave, Karnak and Tracey G wrote a large number of them.

One word here. MORE.

# 7 is just a simple edit of a file.

I was leaning more towards something like an in game slider, or something that reads your save games and realizes, "Hey, this guy's pretty good, lets give him 200 extra P to start."

#8 is not controlled by anyone here.

I know... Been a dream of mine since SFC1. Not that I'd likely be able to do anything with it. Still something I'd like to see before (if at all) OP gets the big flush into unplayed land.

#12  there are at least 2 more weapons in OP that aren't used

For this I was thinking along the lines of something like how OP+ was/is, along with the enhancement packs (Little research goes a long way, it seems ); but instead of a flush and reinstall, you could just install whatever you wanted to the game as it is. The first, I suppose, would be the "fresh install" of OP required, but after that, its just put on the next piece. Like the modules in SFB, I guess. You don't have to have C3 or R2 to make the game go, but if you want them, they're there. I was, however, thinking a little more in depth to the packs; that if you didn't want a new race, but you were using a new weapon pack that included parts of that new race, you wouldn't see it (the parts of the new race) in OP until and if you installed that race.

Each pack would add to and not overwrite or take from the game. I guess this part of the dream would require "Ye Olde Source Code", but I am sure that some elements (of this dream, not the code, but I suppose that too) are already out there, not to mention those two (or more) hidden weapons you mentioned. Its a great game as is, and with such a vast community, probably always will be through Mods, et al. I was just thinking about the "weekend Captain" who doesn't have a lot of free time to uninstall/reinstall just to get a mod update but does have just enough to D/L the Seltorians Pack (yeah, dreaming again) and start waging war with them.

Czar "Big Dreamer" Mohab


[/color]

[Nemesis]

cloaks that work better.

Among the options of SFB was the invisible cloak but with the limitation that the other players could ask what shield faced towards the cloaked ship (range too I think).  If the cloaked ship were to be invisible but the current lock on still allowed then we would have an improved cloak.  That can I believe be done but its in the hands of the artists here.

Why do I think so?  Long ago (I think it was in EAW) two of my friends were having a battle one had substituted the image of a planet  (as a joke) for his cruiser.  The other ignored the planet while looking for the Romulan ship.  Trying to make it obvious the planet player cloaked his ship - the planet vanished totally off the screen.  It was still trackable but could not be seen.  Our artists would need to make replacement ship images that worked the same way and the D2 would need to check and make sure you didn't susbstitute other ship images for the ones in the enhanced cloak shiplist but assuming that is possible and that this "feature" was not undone by later updates to the system then the invisible cloak can be done.

[Beeblebrox]

Among the options of SFB was the invisible cloak but with the limitation that the other players could ask what shield faced towards the cloaked ship (range too I think).

It's been a very long time since I read the SFB rules but didn't commanders of cloaked ships have to remove their model from the hexboard?  After cloaking the cloaked ship had to keep track of its movements via secretly recorded hex coordinates. 

If invisible cloaking in OP could be achieved (I'm not sure that it would jibe with how cloaks seemed to work in TOS though.) would there be a way to get blind firing?  You know, the sort of thing Captain Kirk was doing in Balance of Terror that kept knocking hell out of the poor old Romulans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3smDdJFq4XI

[Pestalence_XC]

OK, the Orion Pirates Enhancement Package includes many things..

Mod Chooser.. if you edit your Shiplist.txt and Ftrlist.txt, you need to put a copy of them into Assets/Specs and MetaAssets folders and remove the original ones (Or previously modded ones) then run Mod Chooset, it will ask you to assign the Mod to a new slot.. Mod Chooser is by default able to hold Taldren original, and then you can add 4 more mods.., the OP Enhancement Package will upon install make things simplier to swap Mods using the Mod Chooser, however I do have the install set up to where it will add OP + v4.0 and OP + Hard Core into Mod Chooser just after the initial install.. You can skip adding them to Mod Chooser, however your game will be set to the OP+ Hardcore after package finishes install..

ED mission scripts by Nuclear Wessels

The Op Enhancement Package installs the complete updated collection of ED missions for single player and Dynaverse

Tracey G missions..

she did not put many out but they are for Dynaverse use only the are in the OP Enhancement Package

El Karnak Missions..

these are for use in the Custom games marked EEK in the OP Enhancement Package for single player.. you have to manually move the EEK shiplist (located in your Assets/Specs folder) to the proper locations in the game.. These scripts can also be used in Dynaverse play.

Taldren Bonus Missions..

 Extra Orion Scripts for you to use in Single Player Instant Action Mode.

Firesoul EAW to OP Conversion

This is a collection of EAW scripts ported over to OP by Firesoul to play the main race storyline campaigns on OP Single Player Campaign Mode.. it can be used with any Shiplist.txt file in the OP Enhancement Package with exception of the El Karnak Shiplist and OP + Hardcore

Firesoul's EAW to OP Sulu Bonus Missions

Same as above but only available in Single Player Instant Action mode

Firesouls Model Test Scripts

This allows you to test your Models and your Shiplist for errors.. a debug file will be placed in your C: directory (the place where you see your Program Files folder)

Eagle Eye Software Ship Edit for EAW and OP.

This gives you a GUI interface to edit the shiplist files and change weapon arcs, type of weapons, UI's of the ships, Models of the ships, power management, etc.. It does not, however contain the Bonus Weapons hidden on OP

Model Viewer,

A Taldren tool to quickly see a 3D image of your ship model outside the game

Magnum Man and Centauri Vaughn scripts.

Configurable scripts for Sector Assault, Fleet Pick and Co-OP for single play instant action mode or for use on Gamespy Arcade

Added Campaign selections for single player for both Storyline and Conquest game modes which has selection of El Karnak, Firesoul and ED scripts and also using the included batch files, swaps game maps from the Storyline map to Conquest game map.

When playing Single Player games and you are saving.. to continue your game, you must remember to 1) be in either the Storyline game mode or Conquest game mode that you used when you started your saved game and 2) Make sure that you use the exact same shiplist that you used when you started your saved game otherwise the game will crash to desktop when you try to load the saved game.

Also included in the OP Enhancement Package is a Stability Updater containing DLL files that improves graphic quality of the game AND game stability on the Dynaverse and Gamespy Arcade

Also included in the OP Enhancement Package is the Dynaverse 2 Model Pack (for use with Stock Taldren shiplist) and your choice of the Modeled or unmodeled version of OP + v4.0

Also included is the latest game patch v2552

Also included is updated entries in the SFC INI file for Hidden Race and Hidden BPV for Gamespy Arcade, Engine Doubling entry for the Orion Ships in AI to use Engine Doubleing (defaulted ON).. Volly Info entry to see number of internal points scored on enemy ship once you breach the shields (Default ON), and Autofilming turned off by default

also included is the EZ-INI utility by MagnumMan to turn On or Off hidden race/BPV, adjust AI dufficulty,adjust screed display size for game, Change ambient lighting in game, turn on or off volly info, and turn on or off Auto Filming.

Also included is the OP Mini Updater that eliminates some fighter issues and the sticking EGS sound loop.

Also included is the Directory Serve Fix so your game can see the servers online (Dynaverse).

This package was set up so that you could easily join any server made.. if a custom campaign is going to be launched (a major serve for Dynaverse).. all you would have to do is put in the Shiplist.txt and ftrlist.txt into Assets/Specs folder and the Mest Assets folder, and maybe the custom Model.siz file (if required) into your Assets/Models directory. then launch Mod Chooser and assign the server to an empty slot (or overwrite a used slot) so you can easily swap from OP + v4.0 on GSA to Name Of Server just by running the Mod Chooser.

After everything is installed properly and completely, the game itself (excluding EZ-INI and Eagle Eye ship edit) makes the game 2.10 GB on the HDD

well that is a brief summary of what the OP Enhancement Package v5.1 does.. here is the official listing and credits of material included in the package

Total Package Install Content :

SFC OP Patch v2552 Full Installer (out of Box SFC OP installation only)
SFC OP Bonus add on (Taldren Bonus install CD Content)
OP Plus v4.0 Shiplist installers and OP Plus v4.0 Hardcore [Xenocorp Edition] by Firesoul
EAW to OP Conversion scripts with *.MCT single player setup files by Firesoul
Sulu Bonus EAW to OP conversion scripts by Firesoul
Complete Evil Dave OP Mission scripts by Nuclear Wessels
EEK Dynaverse mission package by Karnak including the EEK *.MCT single player campaign files
Fighterlist.txt and Shiplist.txt as converted by Karnak for use with the EEK mission scripts in single player (located in Assets\Specs\EEK Shiplist), Included is also OP + v3.4 Elkarnak version Shiplist and ftrlist files.
OP Patrol Scripts v4.1 and Convoy Raid mission by Tracey Greenough updated Oct. 2005
Dynaverse 2 Model Pack by P81 and Atrahasis
Co-OP Ace Script v4.0 as modified by Firesoul
Sector Assault v1.1 for Orion Pirates by MagnumMan
EZ-INI game set up utility by MagnumMan
ShipEdit EAW and Shipedit OP by EagleEye Softwae Group
Fests + v1.1 by Firesoul
SFC-OP mini-updater created 11-06-2004 by Firesoul
In game Model Testing Script v1.23 for single race by Firesoul
In game Model Testing Script v1.00 for all races by Firesoul
In game Model Testing Script v1.00 for bases only on all races by Firesoul
Taldren Model Viewer by Taldren
Centauri Vaughn's Fleet Pick 2.A
Centauri Vaughn's  Team Starfleet Battles 3.0 Mission Pack
Strat's Mod Chooser v6.5
Dynaverse Server IP correction *.gf file
Custom conquest campaign *.mct files for single player by Pestalence using Nuclear Wessels scripts.
Conquest campaigns now utilizing the Conquest game map and conquest MetaMap.gf file as fixed by Pestalence.
EAW to OP Custom Single Player campaign *.mct files created by Pestalence which incorporate Nuclear Wessels scripts into the EAW to OP conversion.
Updated Dynamic Link Library files (*.dll) for improved net stability, reduced lag, and enhanced graphics as discovered and tested by Pestalence. File origin is from Taldren in the SFC 3 game.
Additional sfc.ini entries included for Orion Pirate races ship engine doubling, Sets Auto-Film off by default, gives options to manually change Hidden race and BVP for GameSpy Arcade matches and TCP/IP matches, and turns on volley info to show number of internals scored once you breach enemy hull.
Any other credits are included in the additional readme.txt files installed for NW OP Missions, OP + installation, and EEK OP Missions in the main Starfleet Command Orion Pirates Directory.

If this sounda intresting, then you can read the install instructiona and following posts located at http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163378640.0.html

Hope this helps.

[marstone]

It's been a very long time since I read the SFB rules but didn't commanders of cloaked ships have to remove their model from the hexboard?  After cloaking the cloaked ship had to keep track of its movements via secretly recorded hex coordinates. 

The rules had two ways to run cloak.  The simple way was to flip your ship marker upside down to show it was cloaked, then move as normal.  Bad part was everyone knew exactly where you were at all times.

The harder one was you removed your token from the map, and kept track of it seperately.  Four times during the round (specific times) the enemy captains could ask what shield was facing your ship, I think you also got a range at that time also.   The rules oddly anough let the enemy always know the facing of your ship.

If you made the ship invisible on the map, kept the ship ui updated on the shield facing and distance updated (with maybe a fudge factor) you could simulate a cloaked ship well.  The only part you would have to add is that you didn't get a targeting bracket around the actual ship but maybe assigned somewhere near it.

[Age]

cloaks that work better.... like in sfc3 or if that's not possible no mine flashing

But.I like doing that dropping mines on cloaked ships it is fun if they did this what about tactical warp as well.

[Pestalence_XC]

On the cloak issue on Orion Pirates, the SFB followed the rule that you could track the enemy by Motion Sensor Detection (displacement of particles in space) just as Spock did in TOS "Balance Of Terror".

SFC 3 follows TNG rule that they no longer have Motion Sensor detection.

that is the difference in the games.

[Kid Carrson]

fmse for op!

[Beeblebrox]

I'd love to see all the fan-created missions for SFC1.  There were several that were completely unique and tons of fun to play.  One that springs to mind was a set of Klingon missions that resulted (If I remember this correctly...) from saying something unflattering about an admiral's wife.  One of the set was a mind-bendingly rough mission that, in part, involved picking your way through a dense asteroid field in a nebula to scan three different planets.  I refuse to reveal how many times I died trying to get through that one.

[Lepton]

I guess it is too obvious to say these but I will:

1.  Plasma bolts
2.  Tholian Webs
3.  Andromedan PA Panels and Displacement Device

I would settle for just number 1 if I had to pick one.

[Rod ONeal]

What Lepton said+

Offensive plasma D and corrected G-racks

Direct fire hellbores and proper mizia (separate vollies for seeking weapons, enveloping plasma, hellbores, etc...)

Proper X-1 weapons

More drone types

Guards against H&R raids

[marstone]

oh and while I am wishing.

How about smart dyna servers.  Have directories for each server you play on that hold the special files in them and the game picks the right one for the game you enter.
If you enter a new server, it will download the shiplist, ftrlist, and other mods needed to run into a new directory so you don't have to run and find them, and then change them around just to jump from one server to another.

Would make having multiple special servers easier to handle (I know it isn't hard to change out the shiplist, ftrlist when needed.  But shouldn't the game be smart anough to do it on it's own.  Add another verification set to the serverkit for a file that will not autodownload so you can have private servers set up easy.

[Beeblebrox]

What Lepton said+

Offensive plasma D and corrected G-racks

Direct fire hellbores and proper mizia (separate vollies for seeking weapons, enveloping plasma, hellbores, etc...)

Proper X-1 weapons

More drone types

Guards against H&R raids

the offensive plasma D would be nice.  I keep hearing about some issue with G drone racks.  As far as I can tell they work fine.  What about them is wonky? 

Direct fire hellbores?  Aren't they direct fire already?  You aim, you shoot and the shot races toward the target and either hits or doesn't.  Am I missing something?

What drone types did SFB have that aren't present in OP?  As for X weapons--what does OP lack in comparison with SFB? 

Aren't your own marines there partly as guards against hit and run raids from other ships?

[marstone]

the offensive plasma D would be nice.  I keep hearing about some issue with G drone racks.  As far as I can tell they work fine.  What about them is wonky? 

Direct fire hellbores?  Aren't they direct fire already?  You aim, you shoot and the shot races toward the target and either hits or doesn't.  Am I missing something?

What drone types did SFB have that aren't present in OP?  As for X weapons--what does OP lack in comparison with SFB? 

Aren't your own marines there partly as guards against hit and run raids from other ships?

The g rack is wrong as in SFB it is a four space drone rack that can also fire ADD's.  The work around was that every fed ship with a G rack has both a G rack and an ADD.  Problem being is that it is suppose to be one rack and can only fire in ADD mod, or drone mode.  The current "fix" gives all fed ships extra capabilities.   A fix could be to make two or so varients of a fed ship with a mix of drone/ADD's for different missions (messy and fills up the shiplist) or you could just up the BPV of a fed ship by the 2 or 2.5 (have to look) cost of an ADD rack to make up for them having the extra ability.

Oh another wish on my list would be AWR for the Fed ships.  For those who haven't got SFB, AWR is an APR that puts out warp power.  It can not be used for movement but can be used for any other use of warp power (i.e. load photons)  The fed power curve falls behinds alittle without them.

[Age]

What again are plasma bolts and how do they function aswell does ECM/ECCM effect them?

Originally Posted by marstoneOh another wish on my list would be AWR for the Fed ships.  For those who haven't got SFB, AWR is an APR that puts out warp power.  It can not be used for movement but can be used for any other use of warp power (i.e. load photons)  The fed power curve falls behinds alittle without them.

What would this do to Fed. Ships give them slightly more power to arm their weapons and tractors?

[marstone]

What again are plasma bolts and how do they function aswell does ECM/ECCM effect them?

plasm bolts are direct fire plasma's.  You lose some damage potential but they become direct fire.  I don't remember the ECM/ECCM effects on them, I didn't use a plasma race much when I played SFB.

Originally Posted by marstoneOh another wish on my list would be AWR for the Fed ships.  For those who haven't got SFB, AWR is an APR that puts out warp power.  It can not be used for movement but can be used for any other use of warp power (i.e. load photons)  The fed power curve falls behinds alittle without them.

What would this do to Fed. Ships give them slightly more power to arm their weapons and tractors?

Well, it doesn't always give more power, a fed ship has an APR uipgrade to ships without APR.  Then the AWR refit, changes the APR to AWR so they can use the power on photons (photons can only be loaded with warp power, thus the more you need for photons the less speed you can have).

[Nemesis]

What again are plasma bolts and how do they function aswell does ECM/ECCM effect them?

The logic behind the plasma bolt was that the torpedo was detonated in the launcher (in a controlled fashion of course) and the resulting plasma was so much faster that it functioned as a direct fire weapon with half the damage. 

I don't recall how ECM/ECCM affected plasma bolts.

[Nemesis]

Direct fire hellbores?  Aren't they direct fire already?  You aim, you shoot and the shot races toward the target and either hits or doesn't.  Am I missing something?

The standard Hellbore wraps around the ship and implodes doing a disproportional amount of its damage on the weakest shield.  The "direct fire" (I don't recall if that is the proper name) Hellbore does damage to the facing shield only.  I don't recall how that affected the damage done or hit probability

What drone types did SFB have that aren't present in OP?  As for X weapons--what does OP lack in comparison with SFB? 

There were several types and the ability to modify them as well.  For example in SFB one battle I won because my otherwise standard drones had the warhead reduced to half and extra armor added.  Three of them got through the phaser fire that was assured to destroy the 6 standard drones they were assumed to be.  Klingons also used warheadless over armored "slug drones" to bring down ESGs.

I believe it was the Kzin who replaced the war head with a one shot Phaser (3 or 2 only I think).  6 Phaser II drones firing from just outside ADD range could make all the difference between the shield falling on the battle pass and staying up.  (This may have been the Swordfish drone I'm not sure.)

There was another that was optimized to get some of its damage past the shield even if the shield was still up. 

There were also half sized drones (doubled rack capacity) that couldn't hurt a ship but were made to shoot down fighters.  12 of them could be loaded into a scatterpack or you could load 6 and your opponent would likely waste firepower shooting them down when they could not even affect his ship.

There may well have been more but that is what I recall off hand.

[Rod ONeal]

Direct fire hellbores, as has been stated, don't envelope the vessel. They only damage the facing shield with 1/2 the total damage of an enveloping hellbore. They have 2 primary uses, to weaken a facing shield sufficiently enough to allow enveloping hellbores to do most of their damage to a shield that's facing you, rather than typically rear shields. The other is for mizia effect. They count as a seperate volley from enveloping hellbores.

This brings me to proper mizia.
Seeking weapons (drones and plasma)
direct fire weapons phasers, photons, direct fire hellbores, etc...
enveloping hellbores
enveloping plasma,
PPD

All of these should count as seperate volleys for mizia effect. As it is the only weapon that gets it's own seperate volley is the PPD.

There's also ECM drones and Spearfish drones (The ones who's damage leaks through shields) along with the ones already mentioned by Nemesis.

You can assign your boarding parties to protect critical systems. This makes them really, really hard to destroy with H&R raids. Like the last tractor beam for a gorn to anchor you with.

X1 systems are not right at all in OP. That's probably the reason noone likes x-ships. There's also X1 versions of every weapon. Hydrans even get X1 fighters.

There's also some subtle things. Already mentioned was a Gorn guarding his last tractor. Gorns can also put their shuttles out on the "wings"  of the ship. Some damage that hits the ship is directed to the shuttles instead. Another way Gorns absorb damage and stay in shape to kill you after you've used up all of your weapons. It also allows them to launch all of their shuttles at once. Can be a real pain when they're suicide shuttles.

Cloaks can be destroyed by H&R raids.

Fighters can be used as unmanned scatter packs. The Fed F-14 makes on heck of a scatterpack.

PFs can be used in suicide role. Like a suicide shuttle, except more powerfull, faster, and harder to destroy.

All this stuff would be cool to add. Even if it's one thing at a time over a long period.

[marstone]

If you want to work on drones, how about adding ATG to the (self-guiding after they get within a certain range, but forget the range right now)  Type III drones for the righters, with a real MIRV warhead, true MIRV drones for you ships instead of a MIRV rack.  Variable number of drones in a scatter pack, type IV's in a scatter pack.

The big problem I see with adding the extra types of drones for the drone racks is how would you run the interface to pick what drone you are going to launch.  In SFB a drone rack held it's limit of drones (4 for a standard rack) and you could pick which one you wanted to launch, so you could have different drones in the rack ready.

I would love to see a type E rack for escorts (a rack that fires type VI anti-fighter drones at a very fast rate, or could be loaded with ADD's.

there is so much in SFB that could be added, you could be updating the game for years.  Would be great.

[Nemesis]

Fighters can be used as unmanned scatter packs. The Fed F-14 makes on heck of a scatterpack.

Which reminded me of another thing not in SFC.  Shuttles in SFB can be launched unmanned as a seeking weapon even without arming it with a T-Bomb or Drones.   For example a D7 makes 2 passes dropping a "scatterpack" each time.  If the defender shoots down the "scatterpacks",  the opponent likely will assume that the D7 is out of both Drones and shuttles but since the shuttles were empty the D7 still has drones to use as an unpleasant surprise.

[Age]

What again are plasma bolts and how do they function aswell does ECM/ECCM effect them?

plasm bolts are direct fire plasma's.  You lose some damage potential but they become direct fire.  I don't remember the ECM/ECCM effects on them, I didn't use a plasma race much when I played SFB.

Originally Posted by marstoneOh another wish on my list would be AWR for the Fed ships.  For those who haven't got SFB, AWR is an APR that puts out warp power.  It can not be used for movement but can be used for any other use of warp power (i.e. load photons)  The fed power curve falls behinds alittle without them.

What would this do to Fed. Ships give them slightly more power to arm their weapons and tractors?

Well, it doesn't always give more power, a fed ship has an APR uipgrade to ships without APR.  Then the AWR refit, changes the APR to AWR so they can use the power on photons (photons can only be loaded with warp power, thus the more you need for photons the less speed you can have).

I don't think I would like this especially on overloaders.I do like the plasma bolt idea being a direct fire weapon instead of seeking more like SFC3 plasmas.

I thought there was already a shuttlebomp.

[RazalYllib]

Another wish list....I vote for all !...most of which #8 would cover...send eric another barrage of inquiries...its been awhile prob no-one of importance would care ....... its core engine is how old again?

[KBF-Crim]

Eric doesnt have anything to do with it anymore...

[RazalYllib]

I thought it was still Eric's call ... that carrott has been dangling for so long

[Beeblebrox]

I thought it was still Eric's call ... that carrott has been dangling for so long

It's sort of evolved from a dangling carrot to an obscene gesture from an angry male prostitute.  Not to be negative but I sort of doubt we'll ever be given the code for OP. 

[marstone]

Another thing that could be nice is more then 3 players on a side.  It would be nice to use SFC to play out rounds from a game like Fed & Empire in a gaming group, but to play it right, each ship should have a captain, thus more then three per side would be a nice add.  Computers are faster and more powerfull now, it should be able to handle it.

[I, Mudd.]

I thought it was still Eric's call ... that carrott has been dangling for so long

It's sort of evolved from a dangling carrot to an obscene gesture from an angry male prostitute. Not to be negative but I sort of doubt we'll ever be given the code for OP.

[obvious suggestion]Well, one could always track down Kenneth Yeast (former Vice CEO Taldren USA) and ask/beg him for it, or a workable version of it, to allow us to patch/otherwise edit the game ...[/obvious suggestion]

JM.

[KBF-Crim]

I thought it was still Eric's call ... that carrott has been dangling for so long

It's sort of evolved from a dangling carrot to an obscene gesture from an angry male prostitute.  Not to be negative but I sort of doubt we'll ever be given the code for OP. 

In all fairness...

People sorta doubted we'd get the directory servers...

People sorta doubted we get the server code...

People sorta doubted we'd get the EAW code...
 
People sorta doubted we'd get the SFC3 directory servers...

People sorta doubted we'd still be playing OP after all these years...

And surely neither last nor least...

People sorta doubted whatever Frey is going to announce...

Doubt is never in short supply round these parts...

[Beeblebrox]

In all fairness...

People sorta doubted we'd get the directory servers...

People sorta doubted we get the server code...

People sorta doubted we'd get the EAW code...
 
People sorta doubted we'd get the SFC3 directory servers...

People sorta doubted we'd still be playing OP after all these years...

And surely neither last nor least...

People sorta doubted whatever Frey is going to announce...

Doubt is never in short supply round these parts...

Good point; well made.  (Holy Hell, did we really get the EAW code?)

This is the only video game, Star Trek or otherwise, that has kept me interested for so long and in such depth.

[KBF-Crim]

(Holy Hell, did we really get the EAW code?)

Thread where it happened...

http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163376333.0.html

This is the only video game, Star Trek or otherwise, that has kept me interested for so long and in such depth.

This is a game?

My crew will be crushed...

Got SFC1 11/18/98 for my birthday.

[Tulwar]

Some time ago, RocketRod enquired about buying the code.  I've only seen one reply, and it wasn't inspiring.  There are a few of us die-hards willing to pony some cash.  Considering the age of the software, it might be affordable.  It's the Paramount licences nobody could afford.

[AlchemistiD]

<dreaming>Going to plaid</dreaming>