a Stealth and Scan revamp proposal

[El_Poulpy]

I had an idea while watching the expanse (episode 10 or 11 of season 2) concerning stealth mechanic and radar.

TLDR: a more complex stealth and scan system that allows things like hide among asteroid, scan the content of this trade freighter you, pirate bastard, may raid , smuggling and other stuff

Stealth part :

In order to have a stealth ship you have to deal with a certain number of things :

1. the radar signature is the current radar that appear with a diamond indicator and in the navigation menu. To hide it you use the radar jammer. There is no change to this part.
2. The "visual" signature is the ability to see the ship. To hide it you use the cloaker. I think the cloaker system should be a computer/module system and consume much less power.
3. The heat signature is caused by the heat emitted by your ship power system. To hide it you either cut off your power or use heat shield (if they prevent solar heat to burn your ship they will prevent heat from leaving your ship)
4. The "thrust" signature is the signature emitted by your thruster combustion.To hide it you either shut down your thruster or use a new type of thruster that doesn't emit a signature but has a thrust to mass ratio significantly lower (if we add that this new thruster is the only one that works in atmosphere, so a ship core alone can't get out off a planet, and it has a more complex recipe the survivalist that want to have a hard beginning when spawning on planet would be happy)

This change of stealth mechanic goes with a change to scanning mechanics.
The current scanner system mechanic will change a little. It only indicate you if an entity has a radar signature, a heat signature a "thrust" signature and its size.

So if you don't have a heat signature (using heat shields or turning off power) and no "thrust" signature (staying immobile or using the new thrusters) with a ship the size range of an asteroïd and you are to far to be seen (or disguised as an asteroid) a ship scanning the system will see you on its navigation menu and will think you are an other asteroïd.

This would work even better if in the next universe update we have orphan meteors that run across the galaxy or quasar etc that have a heat signature to blur the thing a little.

scanning part :

There are different types of scanner that will actively scan different systems of an entity (power system weapon, cargo). When the shield of the scanned entity are up the scan indicates if the entity has the searched type of system and send a request to access the system info to the scanned ship. The scanned ship can choose to comply or not. If he does the scanning ship will see the system highlighted. If the shields of the scanned entity are down the scan will access to the data without a request. (there is a parade that we will see later)

so as we saw previously basic radar now only detect if an entity has a radar signature heat signature, "thrust" signature and gives its size. The basic radar can active scan a selected entity and ask for the name and faction affiliation if the scanned entity has a faction module

The radar system now uses a slave system :

• mining computer slave : an active scan to an entity will gives it's composition, planet/asteroid type and the mineral it contains (can be coupled with this idea Mining facilities, an alternative to mining beams self promotion )

• power block slave : an active scan to an entity will send a request to see the power systems

• thruster block slave : an active scan to an entity will send a request to see the thruster systems

• cargo controller slave : an active scan to an entity will send a request to see the content of the cargos. The pull list of the cargo controller slave can be used to make a list and search only for specific items (useful to search for drugs or other unauthorized goods)

• weapon computer slave : an active scan to an entity will send a request to see the weapon system. I don't know if it has to be only see canon if you have a canon slave/missile if you have a missile slave or see all type of weapon system.

• Jumpdrive computer slave : an active scan to an entity will send a request to see the jumpdrive systems

• ??? block slave: the radar detects life form (maybe add an astronaut accessory to hide you from this scan)

• beacon slave : it turn your radar into a beacon. When activated it displays a distress signal indicating its position.

• Faction permission slave: it turn your radar into a broadcaster that transmits your navigation data to other ship of your faction/allied faction (useful for a ship dedicated to detection to work in a fleet)

To counter the scanning the radar jammer has a second function; it can be linked to a specific system (a cargo bay, a weapon system, a reactor, the faction module ...) and when activated it will hide the system it is linked to (so a smuggler can hide a little cargo space in its freighter, weapon, your faction affiliation etc)

I have no idea on how the number of antenna modules can influences the detection, maybe with cloaked ship or broadcast distance.

What do you think of this idea? do you see ways to improve it?​

 

[Dire Venom]

Some intersting ideas here.
I would also like to see the inclusion of a concealment system, e.g how far away other ships spot you making stealth coatings and running silent viable ways to reduce the detection of your ship :3

 

[MacThule]

This is a good approach to Electronic Warfare (EW) that applies principles similar to other aspects of the game and therefore would be pretty intuitive. I particularly like the notion of slaver systems on scanners to peep cargo manifests, last few jump locations, details of shield, power, or thrust systems (but only one per scanner rig), etc.

Also, while we're on topic, depending upon size etc it should absolutely be possible to jam and/or cloak stations to whatever extent their composition and function allow.
[doublepost=1498057450,1498057247][/doublepost]

Some intersting ideas here.
I would also like to see the inclusion of a concealment system, e.g how far away other ships spot you making stealth coatings and running silent viable ways to reduce the detection of your ship :3

In terms of visual concealment, you can already do this by using a black or dark color base coat with a few random (ie don't use symmetry) dots and splotches of white to simulate stars. After a few hundred meters such ships become very hard to spot at a glance, especially if they're sitting still, even when you know what you're looking for. Unless they're parked somewhere that gives them a bright colored backdrop.

 

[Dire Venom]

This is a good approach to Electronic Warfare (EW) that applies principles similar to other aspects of the game and therefore would be pretty intuitive. I particularly like the notion of slaver systems on scanners to peep cargo manifests, last few jump locations, details of shield, power, or thrust systems (but only one per scanner rig), etc.

Also, while we're on topic, depending upon size etc it should absolutely be possible to jam and/or cloak stations to whatever extent their composition and function allow.
[doublepost=1498057450,1498057247][/doublepost]

In terms of visual concealment, you can already do this by using a black or dark color base coat with a few random (ie don't use symmetry) dots and splotches of white to simulate stars. After a few hundred meters such ships become very hard to spot at a glance, especially if they're sitting still, even when you know what you're looking for. Unless they're parked somewhere that gives them a bright colored backdrop.

In essence I was more referring to the radar lock on and such, visualy I hardly ever see ther ships I'm firing at anyway :3 That a pretty cool idea painting your ship like that though.