Jump drive charged at warp initiation

[Krougal]

Jump drive should be charged at warp initiation instead of anytime you want.
So when you click to jump is when it starts charging and then jumps when done charging.

Also there should be a larger difference in charging time (which would be acceptable if we didnt have to hold the button down) like 10 seconds for a 5% drive, add 10 seconds for every 1% less (so a 1% mass drive takes 50 seconds) all the way down to a minute or slightly more for a single module drive (at default speed it takes roughly 200 seconds to fly 8 sectors so it shouldn't be too much longer than a minute; jump drive should always offer time savings)

1. Prevents jumping in, popping missiles on someone and jumping out before they know you are there let alone can return fire.

2. Still allows people who invested in a larger drive a chance to escape out of combat.

3. Would give powerdrain weapon effect a use as an interdictor.

4. Prevents needless finger strain.

5. There would actually be a tradeoff involved in not making an efficient jumpdrive (other than needless finger strain). Also more performance difference in sizes between 1 block and 5% mass.

In short, this would provide design choices and tactical options while preventing an "unsportsmanlike" tactic. Did I mention that this would help reduce RSI? You kids will thank me when you're old and your joints start to hurt!

 

[jayman38]

I like it and think this should at least be a server-configurable option.

 

[NeonSturm]

Perhaps give it configurable diminishing returns (like power generators in the config).

Maybe:

jumpDrive.ratio = blocks.jumpDrive / blocks.total
jumpDrive.distance = ((jumpDrive.ratio * jumpDrive.ratioMult) ^ jump.ratioPow * jump.maxDistance)
/*while charging*/ jumpDrive.chargeDecay = (jumpDrive.charge - jump.chargeDecayRate) * jump.chargeKeepMult

jump.requiredCharge =
  ( blocks.total * jump.requiredCharge{ _perBlockMult * _perBlock_perSectorMult }
  + jump.requiredCharge{ _toJump * _toJump_perSectorMult + _totalAdd } * (how many synchronized jumpDrives are used)
  ) * jump.requiredCharge_totalMult
jump.chargeTime = jump.requiredCharge / blocks.jumpDrive
jump.charge_energyConsumption = blocks.jumpDrive

More requiredCharge for multiple jump arrays (once jump.requiredCharge_{}).
Less decay while charging for multiple jump arrays.

Just some code somebody else might enhance with some more features.

I vote for a "on/off toggle" just like a gate.

While not active, it loses charge.
While active, it converts power into charge (and it loses some over time based on base regeneration or block count?).
On Power-Shortage, it deactivates. (thus starts losing charge)
It jumps if it is triggered by logic (activation activate/deactivate, button jumps?) or player (on/off with right-click, left-click to jump)
If it is fully charged, it only drains as much power as required to keep the charge at maximum (should be still a lot).

While active (escape pod = always active?) you can jump/charge.
While inactive, you save power.​

 

[aRottenKomquat]

I think you should click to start charging, and once charged you jump. None of the click-to-charge stuff, and none of that having charged jump drives without actually jumping stuff either.

 

[Valiant70]

4. Prevents needless finger strain.

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHSSSSSS!!!

 

[Krougal]

I vote for a "on/off toggle" just like a gate.

While not active, it loses charge.
While active, it converts power into charge (and it loses some over time based on base regeneration or block count?).
On Power-Shortage, it deactivates. (thus starts losing charge)
It jumps if it is triggered by logic (activation activate/deactivate, button jumps?) or player (on/off with right-click, left-click to jump)
If it is fully charged, it only drains as much power as required to keep the charge at maximum (should be still a lot).

While active (escape pod = always active?) you can jump/charge.
While inactive, you save power.​

???
That is way too complicated, I'm not even sure I comprehend what you are saying.
I'm saying no storing a charge. You click, drive charges up and when it finishes charging you jump. So easy even a caveman can do it.
This guy down here gets it....

I think you should click to start charging, and once charged you jump. None of the click-to-charge stuff, and none of that having charged jump drives without actually jumping stuff either.

Yeah, that's exactly what I am suggesting.

 

[SkaireKrough]

I like your idea, it has been suggested in other threads before but I can't remember exactly which ones or by who. Still doesn't diminish its validity.


Disclaimer:The following is off-topic and can be ignored by those not want to read it.

So easy even a caveman can do it.

Caveman? Really? Why not 'low-brow', 'knuckle-dragger', 'ape-man' or the ever popular 'politically' correct 'those with enhanced body hair' and 'persons who dwell in alternative housing'?
Have we learned nothing from the GEICO commercials from a few years past?

 

[Krougal]

Caveman? Really? Why not 'low-brow', 'knuckle-dragger', 'ape-man' or the ever popular 'politically' correct 'those with enhanced body hair' and 'persons who dwell in alternative housing'?
Have we learned nothing from the GEICO commercials from a few years past?

I really regret saying it now. Every time I go into the station bar I get dirty looks from the cavemen hanging out there. And they're always there. I didn't realize a couple of them are employed as welders at the driveyard when I made that statement.

 

[DraconisDomini]

100%, absolutely yes, especially no. 4. I don't know why jump drives don't already work this way.

 

[NeonSturm]

Perhaps because schema wants us to be able to do something else while charging the warp-drive (except using weapons)

like flying to a warp-gate or one sector while charging FTL.

I still think it should be on/off-able with on = draining power + gain charge and off = losing charge.

It should require some basic power input to stay on.​

 

[Snk]

+1. Good idea

 

[DraconisDomini]

I still think it should be on/off-able with on = draining power + gain charge and off = losing charge.

It should require some basic power input to stay on.​

That would also work. Left-click = start charging, left-click again = stop charging, (once charged) right click = jump, would still be superior to hold left-click continuously to charge.

 

[Megacrafter127]

That would also work. Left-click = start charging, left-click again = stop charging, (once charged) right click = jump, would still be superior to hold left-click continuously to charge.

Until the game interprets all your 1 clicks as doubleclicks, unless you hold the button only for 1 millisecond :P

 

[Krougal]

So I'm not the first person to post this suggestion. A lot of people agree the current system sucks for several reason. Yet still, I haven't seen an in progress or even planned on mine or anyone elses suggestions.

Also I see even worse suggestions pop up a lot. This is typical for a bad system, people overcompensate and ask for an equally bad system. The bad in this case ranging from disallowing charging up the j-drive if shields are taking damage all the way to if you are firing weapons. Needless overcomplication as well as going too far the other direction with the nerf stick. Why do I think this is a bad idea? Because then no one can run ever.

So back to my suggestion. For arguments sake let's say the chargeup time remains the same, so a ship with 10% mass in jump drive modules need 24 seconds to spool up and jump.

Even if you decide immediately that you want to run, that's 24 seconds you have to survive combat before you can run. Someone who decides to flee because the battle is going bad for them still needs 24 seconds once they make that decision, and most people probably aren't going to have 24 seconds by the time they make that decision. In the meantime, there's no good reason why turrets & other weapons can't fire if there is power available, same for shields recharging while being beaten on. Again, if they're causing enough power drain you might not be able to charge your j-drive anyway, or might need longer.

This also still allows for interdictor weapons to be added if the powerdrain effect can't be balanced enough to be useful for this without being OP.

 

[Valiant70]

I rather like this idea. A power failure would reset the jump charge, requiring great care when firing weapons while charging. I don't like wearing out my finger out charging my drive over and over.

 

[Krougal]

So since I feel like beating dead horses tonight, going to necro this.
How come this never got looked at?
I haven't messed with the interdictors but from what I've read and understood this would still work fine with them (maybe with some minor changes).
A big thing that the interdictor doesn't address that my suggestion does is griefing.
The interdictor also does nothing for RSI!

 

[alterintel]

another good Necro.