Automated Ship Fabrication

[jath]

I think it's a pretty sweet idea, Although I think there definitely needs to be a size limit on what can be auto-built inside a capital ship. We don't want people pumping out AI destroyer drones.[DOUBLEPOST=1412576221,1412576069][/DOUBLEPOST]this was my first thought:

 

[Lecic]

I think it's a pretty sweet idea, Although I think there definitely needs to be a size limit on what can be auto-built inside a capital ship. We don't want people pumping out AI destroyer drones.[DOUBLEPOST=1412576221,1412576069][/DOUBLEPOST]this was my first thought:

Well, simple. You'd need a 3D frame to designate the printer size, and it could only print things that fit inside the frame. You'd link it to a docking block inside the frame and it would build the ship on it. The 'Printer Frame' blocks could be made somewhat expensive to build and energy intensive, to make "fighter spam" a rare occurrence.

 

[Saber]

Well, simple. You'd need a 3D frame to designate the printer size, and it could only print things that fit inside the frame. You'd link it to a docking block inside the frame and it would build the ship on it. The 'Printer Frame' blocks could be made somewhat expensive to build and energy intensive, to make "fighter spam" a rare occurrence.

I was thinking more of just using the docking modules docking area. That way it doesn't require a second new block, and can build off code that is already in-game. Anyway though it sounds like the team already has a plan for ship yards so I suppose we'll see what they come up with.

 

[Lecic]

I was thinking more of just using the docking modules docking area. That way it doesn't require a second new block, and can build off code that is already in-game. Anyway though it sounds like the team already has a plan for ship yards so I suppose we'll see what they come up with.

Yeah, I suppose. My idea was basically so that they couldn't just be spammed, because you'd need to incorporate a somewhat valuable material. This would also make automatic ship fabrication more of late term thing, instead of something everyone and their dog would have as soon as they get a docking modules and a plex storage.

 

[aceface]

so this replaces the current blueprint system?

 

[NeonSturm]

Maybe only allow a certain mass to be controlled?

A carrier can control only that much mass as it has

1. docking space.
2. control blocks.

A factory can only produce what can be controlled. Free control to get more fighters.​

I think active factory blocks should reduce weapon damage and energy consumption by 2/3.

Turrets are only affected if they draw power from the main ship?​

The best way to archive this is to make an active fabric cut the power storage by 2/3 and make (energy production inverse proportional to the storage + consumption <= max) and use a delayed reaction to power usage spikes.

 

[Lecic]

so this replaces the current blueprint system?

Yes. Buying fully built ships from shops for credits feels imbalanced and doesn't make any sense. Perhaps shops could sometimes come with ship fabricators?

 

[LeHitGuy100]

I really like this idea, as others have said, this reminds me of supreme commanders' nanolathes, the world devastators or whatever from star wars, and the carriers from Starcraft.

I like all of those, and I think the ability to easily build equivelants would be great! However, I must argue, I personally believe that all notable systems of a ship should require "controller" blocks to act as a lynch-pin, to make combat more manageable. I would also agree with fabricator systems able to be mounted on mobile ships.

I personally think ships magically appearing where you choose them to be docked, however, is pretty gay. I'd personally think you should have these slow-moving "laser cranes" let's call them, that would tractor-beam the constructed thing to wherever you wanted to move it to.

Ofc, to actually do that, it'd require the parent ship to stay in place. This'd be two-fold, it'd look completely badass, and it'd help balance a bit by requiring the ship to stop moving for quite a while.