Instead of Stabilizers....

[Koloss_Meshuggah]

So stabilizers seem kinda arbitrary. Instead of stabilizers, we could give the function to all system groups (weapons, shields, ect.) so that they have to be separated from the reactor. Basically like the old "heat box" proposal *I saw nothing wrong with that idea*.

This would still force dumbell ships, you would just put all your systems at one end and the reactor in the other. We can go a step further and make it so all system groups must be separated from each other. Then you would naturally arrange your systems in a roughly spherical way, and pretty much all ship designs would be doable.

Seems pretty simple.

 

[FlyingDebris]

That uh, that's making the problem worse. Why would I make a sphere if I can instead construct something vaguely resembling anal beads?

 

[CyberTao]

The problem with heat boxes is they were easily exploited with docking shenanigans. While they could have worked on paper, those who played enough with practical applications of existing mechanics (current and past) knew how they could be exploited from a glance.

The idea sounds solid, until you realize you dont need to put anything in those empty spaces you created. Just armoured clumps connected by a string. Or anal beads as it was so aptly called.

 

[JinM]

If all systems would need to be seperated by some sort of heatbox from each other then it would be nice. But some people don't like forced designs, so it's not that easy.