Ghost Rails

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    Destroying a rail, turret axis, docker, etc., should in my opinion not cause the block to vanish and the thing that is docked to start free floating and crashing into everything. Instead what should happen is that if such a rail entity is destroyed, it should spawn in a ghost that renders the thing that is docked utterly inert, it ceases to function completely, as does everything above it in the docking chain, but it stays firmly affixed. It does not float, tumble or collide. Combat damage should decrease lag, not increase it, by rendering things that used to require collision checks, inert and therefor no longer requiring them.

    I have been told that this suggestion has been made before, but I can find no reference to it. If the suggestion has been made before, I have to wonder why it has not been implemented. Docked entity collisions is a MASSIVE source of lag. Such entities coming loose due to combat damage renders combat a risk not just to the ships involved, but to the entire server. Anything that can reduce the lag from free floating entity collisions 'must' be implemented asap in my opinion.
     
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    Spartan4845

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    How about either..

    (A) when a rail/rail Docker is damaged to the point of being destroyed it's just disabled, and everything attached to it is as well. That way there is no collision check or extra lag.

    (B) similar to suggestion A, but it just freezes the rail/rail docker that are touching and the rest is destroyed while disabling everything attached.

    (C) when something detaches due to combat it is plain deleted or becomes incorporeal to everything except for salvage beams.
     

    Lone_Puppy

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    I made the suggestion to ghost the entity for a period, so it can float free and clear of the primary entity. Perhaps what they are referring to.
    It would allow for the visual effect of damage.
    The other thing I mentioned was have the detached entity spin off quickly, so it is likely to clear the battle ground quicker and less likely to collide with other entities.

    This would minimize the collision/lag issues, but would not eliminate them due to the probability of hitting other entities on their way out of the arena. Which is why I recommended the ghosting timer. That way, if the entity as in a turret is not damaged enough to cause core count down, it could potentially be salvaged by somebody who finds it. Otherwise the core would insure it's demise.

    However, your suggestion allows us to retain our damaged components, potentially for later repair. :)
    I like that in the case of articulated turret mounts I have and animated systems for clocks, aesthetics and other useful functions.
     
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    Very good idea. This would solve the problem of docked hull/docked thrusters/giant turrets coming loose pretty neatly. Just have it so that all their systems on that dock and anything docked to it on the next chain level up lose the ability to move/pivot, and all their systems go dead. No thrust contributed from a dead docked thruster, no shields on a docked hull, etc., instead of them detaching and becoming offerings to almighty Clang.
     
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    squeaky wheel gets the grease...

    it is a mixed bag. On one hand, it makes it harder to take out turrets, on the other, turrets are too easy to take out. you destroy the rail axis with a strong sniper cannon or missile, and now the gun is off line. I recently lost all my turrets on my mining vessel when i strayed too close to a star...
     

    Jarraff

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    If docked hull was not viable this would be a great step toward making the game more playable.

    Maybe if the rails were shot the docked entities could overheat and if they were not rebooted they would simply disappear like other overheating entities.
     
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    I'm of the opinion that the turret/ docked entity shouldn't deactivate, but instead should just lose shield/power/defensive support from the main entity. This way, if you make a self sufficient turret, it will keep doing its thing, as it has in the past (just without the ability to pivot in at axis perhaps), but also allows it to be killed off much more easily.
     
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    I'm a fan of this. I'd like to see it implemented in conjunction with suggestions from the current power rework thread, but as written here the ghost rails, if viable, would reduce lag and hardly affect balance. The edge case is an astro beam repairing the rail and bringing the turret/entity back online, and hey, astro beams would now have a reason to exist as designed.

    EDIT: I'd also add that, ideally, in addition to not causing entities to detach, it actively prevents entities attached to that rail from detaching. So if you catch a carrier with it's pants around it's knees so to speak and shoot the rails that are holding it's fighters in place they cannot take off and join the fight until the damaged rails are replaced/repaired. This results in entities with engines (fighters/drones) suffering as much from having their rail "destroyed" as entities without engines (turrets/etc.)
     
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