Just some ideas that I've been playing with.

[TheSuperintendnt]

Quick environment ideas

• Planet plates could be based on size(bigger planet = more plates), think Pentagonal Hexecontahedrons or Truncated Icosahedron
  
• A new class of generated structure, "ancient" these are rare and powerful artifacts that contain materials, systems and objects that can't be manufactured but can be bought/sold, several examples below
  
  • Wormhole research facility- a facility with a captive wormhole which can teleport you to another wormhole, a random location, or simply destroy you
  • Weapons research facility - Experimental weapon blocks can be found here
  • Various caches - Store of various(RNG) rare materials/objects/systems
    
  • Hyper research facilities
    
    • HypePoint/Drive research facility - Experimental JumpPoint/Drive blocks can be found here
      
    • HyperGate facility - A station containing one of the following
      
      • Massive gateway with a huge range, if active can transport you to another HyperGate
      • Small (person size)gateway that leads to a small station inside a HyperSector
      • Large (ship size)gateway that leads to a HyperSector which may contain stored ship(s)
  • Bio-Research facility -
    
    • Stasis cells with various creatures (maybe even space whales)
      
    • Stasis cells with engineered super creatures
    • Bio-technology/modules/blocks, anything from medical tech to weapons

FTL Technologies

• Current systems(for reference)

• JumpGate(Station) - Computer/Modules: module array must form a continuous loop for ships to travel through
  • Gate to Gate only, must be manually linked to destination
    
  • Destination gate doesn't have to link back
    
  • Near instant travel
  • 8 system range
• JumpDrive(Ship) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed
  • Destination based on ship heading or manually entered nav point (cords)
  • Near instant jump (5sec)
  • Max range 8 sectors
  • Module count controls charge time
  • Interdiction works by reducing charge effectiveness
  • Must be charged pre-jump
  • No post-jump cool down

• Transporter(Ship/Station) - Computer/Modules: no bonus system
  • Range of 2 sectors
  • Instant travel
  • Player/NPC only

• Proposed Systems

• JumpPad(Station) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed
  • Long distance Transporter
  • Range of 8 sectors
  • Near instant travel
  • Player/NPC only
    
  • Drive system must be charged before each transport cycle

• JumpKickGate(Capital) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed
  • JumpDrive slaved to a JumpGate 'loop' with linked 'Launch rail' strip
  • Drive must be charged before each "Kick"
  • Direction based on the motherships heading (could have a "align to cords" option)
  • Distance (1-8 sectors)based on either number of: linked 'launch rails' or (like rotator rails) linked activation modules

To "JumpKick" a ship, charge the linked JumpDrive, then slide the ship to be "kicked" down the 'Launch Rails' and into the gate.
​

HyperDrive(Capital/Station) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed

• Allows a ship to enter, traverse, and exit HyperSpace
• Travel takes time
• Can be Interdicted at any time
  
• Short pre-jump "prep" period after drive activation
  
• Recharge/cooldown period post-jump
  
• Range only limited by power supply/storage (Capital Power System used if implemented)
• Travel speed of a sector per second(1:1)
• Heading or cords(requires alignment)

The HyperDrive is for long, continuous FTL travel, each jump is proceeded by a power intensive prep period and followed by a long recharge/cooldown. Unlike the JumpDrive's 8 sector "hard" limit, this drive stays active until the ship runs low on power or is manually deactivated. Interdiction is possible both before as well as during a jump (note: wormholes, black-holes and other natural objects generate natural interdiction fields). Module count improves drive efficiency/decrease power usage and thus inproves range. With a travel speed of one sector per second (1:1) and no range limit the HyperDrive is an excellent choice for long jumps.

​

HyperSpace is a group of locked sectors(HyperSectors) with special animated backgrounds. After the "prep" period and the ship "jumps", it's teleported into a HyperSector, and a invisible, intangible "GhostCore" object represents the HyperSector's contents in normal space(see Fleet Jump for more). This allows almost anything to travel, be detected and interdicted while maintaining good server performance, as it isn't really moving, normal ship functions/activities can occur during travel.​

• HyperPoint(Any?) Computer/Modules: Module array extents(think Power Reactors) control the ships "jump region"
  • Slave/Effect system
    • When not slaved, HyperSpace Destabilizer(?)
      
    • When slaved to a HyperDrive, module array extents(think Power Reactors bonus system) control "Jump Region"
    • When slaved to a JumpGate it increases range
    • HyperPoint modules are a new FTL Effect system

Jump Region: This is the region of space around a vessel in which objects will be dragged into HyperSpace with a ship, the HyperDrive doesn't naturally generate a Jump Region making it ideal for independent vessels.

A Fleet Jump is a coordinated jump of several allied vessels and/or fleets, all vessels must either: be equipped with a HyperDrive, or be within the "draft" region of a HyperPoint equipped ship. As such only Capital ships equipped with a HyperPoint systems may initiate a Fleet Jump with standard ships. Once the fleet has jumped into a HyperSector they can interact as normal, this includes standard ships moving about, rail functions, docking/undocking and inter-ship Transporter operation(within the sector).


P.S. I was falling asleep when I finished this post, so I apologize for any errors(s) if you find one tell me!​

 

[Madman198237]

Very neat series of ideas. I'm not focused right now, so I'll come back later and offer criticism and improvements/opinions.

 

[Lecic]

Planet plates could be based on size(bigger planet = more plates), think Pentagonal Hexecontahedrons or Truncated Icosahedron

No.

A new class of generated structure, "ancient" these are rare and powerful artifacts that contain materials, systems and objects that can't be manufactured but can be bought/sold, several examples below

• Wormhole research facility- a facility with a captive wormhole which can teleport you to another wormhole, a random location, or simply destroy you
• Weapons research facility - Experimental weapon blocks can be found here
• Various caches - Store of various(RNG) rare materials/objects/systems
  
• Hyper research facilities
  • HypePoint/Drive research facility - Experimental JumpPoint/Drive blocks can be found here
    
  • HyperGate facility - A station containing one of the following
    • Massive gateway with a huge range, if active can transport you to another HyperGate
    • Small (person size)gateway that leads to a small station inside a HyperSector
    • Large (ship size)gateway that leads to a HyperSector which may contain stored ship(s)
• Bio-Research facility -
  • Stasis cells with various creatures (maybe even space whales)
    
  • Stasis cells with engineered super creatures
  • Bio-technology/modules/blocks, anything from medical tech to weapons

Wormhole facility might be interesting. I would assume it's a very small wormhole, considering how they're normally the size of an entire sector.

Weapons facility, no. At least, not for ships. Astronaut weapons I would be OK with, but ship weapons should not have rare uberpowerful versions. All they do is give further advantages to the rich and powerful, who already have large advantages for those reasons.

Caches of resources would be fine.

I'm not really a fan of the hyper research facilities. They add rare modules, send you to "hyperspace" (ew, no thanks), and don't really make any sense.

Bioresearch facilities would be cool as long as the CREATURES were the only rare, unique things to them.

JumpPad(Station) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed

• Long distance Transporter
• Range of 8 sectors
• Near instant travel
• Player/NPC only
  
• Drive system must be charged before each transport cycle

Seems rather unnecessary when small disposable JDs and player-sized warpgates already exist.

• JumpKickGate(Capital) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed
  • JumpDrive slaved to a JumpGate 'loop' with linked 'Launch rail' strip
  • Drive must be charged before each "Kick"
  • Direction based on the motherships heading (could have a "align to cords" option)
  • Distance (1-8 sectors)based on either number of: linked 'launch rails' or (like rotator rails) linked activation modules

To "JumpKick" a ship, charge the linked JumpDrive, then slide the ship to be "kicked" down the 'Launch Rails' and into the gate.

I do not see any purpose for this to exist.

HyperDrive(Capital/Station) - Computer/Modules: count bonus system, larger count improves charge speed

• Allows a ship to enter, traverse, and exit HyperSpace
• Travel takes time
• Can be Interdicted at any time
  
• Short pre-jump "prep" period after drive activation
  
• Recharge/cooldown period post-jump
  
• Range only limited by power supply/storage (Capital Power System used if implemented)
• Travel speed of a sector per second(1:1)
• Heading or cords(requires alignment)

The HyperDrive is for long, continuous FTL travel, each jump is proceeded by a power intensive prep period and followed by a long recharge/cooldown. Unlike the JumpDrive's 8 sector "hard" limit, this drive stays active until the ship runs low on power or is manually deactivated. Interdiction is possible both before as well as during a jump (note: wormholes, black-holes and other natural objects generate natural interdiction fields). Module count improves drive efficiency/decrease power usage and thus inproves range. With a travel speed of one sector per second (1:1) and no range limit the HyperDrive is an excellent choice for long jumps.

Pretty sure this is what is already planned for Hyperdrives. Sounds fine to me.

HyperSpace is a group of locked sectors(HyperSectors) with special animated backgrounds. After the "prep" period and the ship "jumps", it's teleported into a HyperSector, and a invisible, intangible "GhostCore" object represents the HyperSector's contents in normal space(see Fleet Jump for more). This allows almost anything to travel, be detected and interdicted while maintaining good server performance, as it isn't really moving, normal ship functions/activities can occur during travel.

The GhostCore seems rather unnecessary. I'm sure there are ways to track the location of a hyperspace ship in relation to real space without having a ghost core block flying around in them.

 

[TheSuperintendnt]

Yes its a small Wormhole

Personal Weapons facility works for me.

Bioresearch facilities mainly contains creatures.

The (terribly named) "KickGate" is supposed to be a one-way "kick" used mainly as a deployment system for smaller crafts from very large carriers. Though it can be argued it is of little purpose.

Planets: No

Interesting, might I ask why? I find the current planet, A) to small and, B) lacking in "roundness", so that was my solution.

I'm not really a fan of the hyper research facilities.
Send you to "hyperspace" (ew, no thanks)
Don't really make any sense.

Ok, but why the "eww", and what doesn't make sense?

Pretty sure this is what is already planned for Hyperdrives. Sounds fine to me.

The outline for HyperDrives that I saw was nothing like this, it seemed to basically be a "go faster" button.

The GhostCore seems rather unnecessary. I'm sure there are ways to track the location of a hyperspace ship in relation to real space without having a ghost core block flying around in them.

GhostCore was just the name/term I used for it, it is essentially a non-physical object that the server uses to track the ship(s), its not truly "flying around" just sort of 'there'. And they're always other ways, this was just my suggestion as it seemed the most flexible.

 

[Lecic]

Interesting, might I ask why? I find the current planet, A) to small and, B) lacking in "roundness", so that was my solution.

I would rather have large planets have the same shape, so that I have more flat surface area to build upon. Plus, multiple smaller entities often cause more lag than a few large ones.

Ok, but why the "eww", and what doesn't make sense?

I'm pretty sure that Schema wants to avoid additional dimensions and such. I can understand the need for it for the hyperdrive for technical reasons, but you shouldn't be allowed to build stations and stuff in there.

 

[Madman198237]

Well, Lecic, it's a sci-fi thing as well---faster travel in science fiction generally requires the use of alternate dimensions, in which space is different or even altogether meaningless.
That or where the laws of physics are different, as in Star Wars, where in hyperspace (Which is another dimension) you can exceed the speed of light.

It might also be useful from a lag and mechanics standpoint to load your ship into an alternate, locked sector while "travelling" through hyperspace, allowing you to move around your ship (Which is, as far as the game's concerned, stationary) while looking at some sort of neat and different skybox. This would prevent any need to interact with anything in-universe (And cause lag because of these interactions)....depending on how Schine wants the hyperspace to work. Do they want ships in hyperspace to directly interact with ships out of hyperspace, again as in Star Wars where the mass of things in "realspace" (Including Imperial Interdictor cruisers' mass shadow generators) can mess with ships in hyperspace.

 

[Lecic]

Well, Lecic, it's a sci-fi thing as well

Doesn't matter.

If Hyperspace REQUIRES being another dimension to work, then it'll be that, but that doesn't mean it needs to be another dimension from a gameplay perspective, only a backend deal. Schema's said he doesn't want to do multiple dimensions.

 

[TheSuperintendnt]

Talking about dimension in video games can be difficult, and as I am not well versed on how StarMade handles dimensions I can't give a definitive answer. But technically speaking you don't have to be in another dimension, just a different sector, and/or a different type of sector as the only difference between a "Locked Sector" and a "HyperSector" is the background.

Also I am not thinking of "dimensions" like Minecraft as that would be horribly inefficient, the entire idea behind "HyperSectors" was to be a much more efficient way of handling "HyperSpace" travel.