Detection System Overhaul

[T3hBeanzor]

Hi,

Have you been playing StarMade lately, and noticed how OP the detection/navigational system is? Why is it that a fighter that's approximately 15 metres in length and 20 metres in width can have the same sensory capabilities as a full-sized dreadnaught?

Well, my idea is simple. A complete overhaul on the detection of ships. I'll break it down right now:



1. Sensor Tab

Keep the navigation system. Seriously. It's fairly decent and works good enough for me. The one thing to change, however, is the presence of Space Stations and Starships. Instead, a second tab would be created titled "Sensors".

So the plan behind sensors is as follows: a standard ship core has no sensors whatsoever. Aside from Visual Contact, you are blind as a bat. To fix this, we introduce four new blocks: the LADAR Computer, LADAR Emitter, RADAR Computer, and RADAR Emitter.



2. LADAR and RADAR

So what exactly is the difference between LADAR and RADAR. To those who are scientifically unaware or just aren't as nerdy about military technology as I am, I will explain.

LADAR, or Laser RADAR, is a technology based on the natural reflective properties of all things in the universe. LADAR, like RADAR, emits a wave and waits for it to bounce back in order to guage distances, track targets, etc. LADAR uses laser light to achieve this function.

RADAR, for those who have been under a rock since WWII, is an acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. It uses Radio Waves in it's detection systems.

So what exactly do they do? Well, LADAR is a close-range sensor. The more LADAR blocks you have in a cluster, the greater the range. So with about 9 blocks you'd have a LADAR range of about 500 metres. LADAR, while it has a short range, does have a major advantage: instant tracking and lock-on. While in real life, nothing is instant, for the sake of ease of coding, LADAR instantly tracks anything within it's sphere of view, the same way starships are tracked in the current system. LADAR also has an additional layer of scanning: The inner half of the LADAR scan sphere gives you a full readout on what you're up against. In the corner, a small red target with the name of your current tracked target is displayed, along with it's current speed, power capacity, amount of weapons systems, and shield strength.

RADAR, on the other hand, is long-range scanning. You can use RADAR to detect and track objects at a greater distance. With around 9 blocks, you'd have the standard 2000 metre-ish range that is currently implented. The main drawback: RADAR scans a new position every 2 seconds. RADAR emitter sends out a wave in a radial manner, and as such takes longer in order to track targets. To make up for this downfall, RADAR blocks would be less valuable than LADAR.



3. Jamming

Now obviously, Jamming LADAR and RADAR require two, very different things. RADAR is easily interrupted with additional signals, etcetera, and LADAR is based of of reflection.

In this section, we keep the 10x Radar Jammer and add a new sub-type of hull: Light-absorbing hull.

The 10x Jammer would, first off, be changed so it's actually useful (In my experience, it seems to be about as power consuming AS the 0c Cloaker, which is ludicrous and active camoflauge and RADAR jamming are entirely different things). So take it's power draw down, as LADAR can still pick you up.

As for the hull, coming in various shades of colour (for aesthetic and non-scientific purposes), is the new Light-absorbing Hull Wedge and Corner. Note: there are no blocks. Any exposed blocks will cause a random LADAR detection roll every so often (depending on the enemy's LADAR systems). But wait... RADAR...

And here comes the final balancing feature: as LADAR and RADAR are independent, to create a stealth craft invisible to all sensors, you must do a delicate balancing act: You must retain enough power to jam an area large enough for your craft, and you must cover your craft in LA Hull in order to avoid LADAR detection, which also increases the power draw on jamming.



To Sum Up:

- Introduce LADAR and RADAR systems into the game.

- LADAR: Short-range, detailed detection.

- RADAR: Long-range, slow detection.

- 10x Jammer: Less power draw, still dependent on mass of the starship

- Light-absorbing Hulls: Stops LADAR detection if the ship is completely covered, reduces likelyhood of detection if partially covered. Only available in wedge and corner.



So, in the little coding experience I have, I know this would be somewhat of a challenge to accomplish, but if pulled off, would make the game infintely more amazing than it already is. I have many another idea to share, expect to hear from me real soon. And please, be gentle...

- T3hBeanzor

 

[KuramaFox]

After all, the first is light-based. As in, we should be able to SEE anything we detect on it. If game efficiency was boosted to the point where our view distance would let us. Also, realistically it would be somewhat iffy, particularly in \"space\" as it exists in this game where lots of specks go flying past you as space in Starmade is apparently inhabited by swarms fireflies or something.



Keep it simple. Just use ONE instrument detection method.



Nav menu needs to be improved a bit. For instance, allowing better filters (like an option to only show ships with players or activated AI, and an option to hide docked things). Additionally, a sorting option or two would be nice (sort by distance being the nicest one to have, but others like sort by type would be good too). Perhaps even add a small map to it as well that shows where nearby things are. Or add that, period, and just make the nav menu one a bit larger.



And for how that works? Add a radar block, and rework the cloak/jammer blocks.

Radar: Increases how far away you can detect an object from. Including on the nav menu. More blocks = greater detection range added. Has diminishing returns.

Lets say that a shipcore can be detected from 1000 blocks away. The dimensions of the ship multiplied by each other, and modified by some mathmatics would behow far away that ship can be detected without any other things coming into play. A basic version would be something like x*y*z/(average of x,y, and z). In which case a ship that is 10x10x10 would be detectable from 1100 blocks away before worrying about radar or jamming (10x10x10/10 adds 100 blocks to its detection range). If a ship has a few radar blocks, the ship in question can detect our 10x10x10 thing from further still, based on the detection modifier that ship\'s radar provides.



Stealth computer and Jamming Enhancers: Decreases how far something can see you on radar. Number of related blocks you have is weighed against the 3 dimensions of your ship, not the block number, and also has diminishing returns.

So lets say that your ship has a base detection range of 1500 (based on your vessel\'s dimensions), and your Jamming system modifier is 1000. That means that an enemy ship will be unable to see you on radar or in the nav menu unless you get closer then 500 blocks from them. Lets say you really went nuts though, and your modifier is 2000. You will be stealthed no matter how close you are. Unless the other ship has some decent radar. If, say, the enemy ship\'s radar boost is 1000, then your 2000-stealth ship will be visible on radar at 500 blocks to it (default 1500-2000 jamming + 1000 enemy radar) . An anti-stealth vessel may have a big oversized radar, capable of countering your stealth entirely.

Naturally, these are oversimplified examples.



Beacon: A single block item. Must be turned on or off manually. Increases the detection range of the object its on by 500 while active, stacking up to the maximum detection range (something around 5000 would be good as the game engine improves). May be useful for a station. Or for situations when you want to make your presence known. If need be, one can be added to shops if the new detection system makes them insuficiently targetable.



Cloaking computer and enhancers: Makes a ship harder to see. With enough, makes it invisible. When the game is improved enough, it may be viable for ships with not enough to have a transparency effect, making them look a bit like ghosts, or for vessels that are only a little over the minimum value for transparency to cause a visual distortion in space. When de-activated, would have a cooldown before it can be turned back on again. As is currently the case, firing weapons will de-activate it.