Planned Jump Interdiction (Station-only parts, prevent jumping INTO sectors)

[KuramaFox]

Overview:

These would be parts similar to the Jump Drives and Jump Inhibitors. They would be a defensive system to prevent enemies from being able to jump right on top of your stations.

They would allow you to potentially protect your territory, and even set up actual defensive lines that must be breached before you


Features:

-Can ONLY be placed on stations. Only one computer part can be placed on any given station.
-Prevents ships from jumping to anywhere within 3 sectors of the station. Ships which attempt to will instead jump out 4 sectors away with a message telling them their jump has been interrupted.
-Ships belonging to the same faction as the station can jump normally. You can optionally also set it to allow specific allied factions, neutral factions, and/or unfactioned ships. By default, the Trade Guild is allowed.
-If the station is unfactioned, the system will effect everyone by default.
-This system does not stop you from jumping AWAY FROM the interdicted sectors. It only stops you from jumping INTO them. Note: Trying to jump from inside the interdiction zone to someplace else inside it will still cause you to go to the nearest sector to the destination that is free of interdiction.
-The effects of the system can be partially or completely overcome based on the size of the station's interdiction system vs. the size of the ship's jump drive, in raw module part count.
-Requires power to run. Can be toggled on and off.
-In the event there are no interdiction-free sectors within range of your jump drive, then the jump will fail outright. This could occur if someone set up a network of interdiction defense stations throughout their entire faction territory.

-Default interdiction distance in systems can be configured, so a server could choose to increase it.



Countering them:

A ship can partially or completely counter interdiction based on the size of their jump drive relative to that of the station's.

-If the ship has a jump drive at least the same size as the station's interdiction system, they can jump within 3 sectors instead of 4.
-If the ship's jump drive is at least 10 times as large, they can jump within 2 sector.
-If the ship's jump drive is at least 100 times as large, then it can jump within 1 sector.
-In the off chance a ship's drive is at least 1000 times as large, it ignores the jump interdiction system completely and can jump right to the starbase. So a very large starship may be able to ignore, for instance, a small watchtower station with a weak interdiction system slapped on.

-In the event a server uses custom configs, it is basically that for each 10x larger the ship's drive is than the station's interdiction system (starting at and including 1x), the ship can jump one sector closer. The multiplier can be changed to a value other than 10 in the server config as well.

 

[Madman198237]

I like the idea. An addendum: Interdiction fields almost certainly distort space in a noticeable way, so interdicted sectors should appear on the map. Also, perhaps the interdicted area should depend on the size of the interdictor, as opposed to being a set number. Make the power costs extreme as well, to discourage small stations being used to cordon off huge areas.

 

[Bladeriker]

This could add some interesting game play into SM.

I like it.

 

[KuramaFox]

I like the idea. An addendum: Interdiction fields almost certainly distort space in a noticeable way, so interdicted sectors should appear on the map. Also, perhaps the interdicted area should depend on the size of the interdictor, as opposed to being a set number. Make the power costs extreme as well, to discourage small stations being used to cordon off huge areas.

Good idea, it should indeed appear on the map as a toggle. It could be split into two colors, with one indicating the areas your ship's jump drive is large enough to force its way into regardless.


However, about power cost...

The power cost doesn't need to be too extreme. It should be reasonably high, and it should be per-block-of-interdiction-module. But it should be easily possible to make small interdiction stations.

The downside of a small station is simply that any decent-sized ship will not be affected by it very strongly, and it will only really serve to block access by small ships with small jump drives. The reason being that, at least in the current form of the suggestion, ships with jump drives of equal or larger size than the interdiction system can jump closer to it (and how much closer depends on just how much bigger the ship's jump drive is).

Also, whatever is wrong with cordoning off huge areas? The ability to do so is actually one of the ADVANTAGES of this idea. It forces you to travel through normal space for a while. Which means you have to potentially break through defensive regions to reach an enemy player faction star base. As you break through (or sneak past) defenses, you can also destroy interdiction stations to allow friendly forces to jump in at your location.

You can also build a specialized warship with a design dedicated to overcoming all but the strongest interdiction (i.e. a ship with a ridiculously sized warp drive), for tactically bypassing defenses at a certain point.

By allowing the cordoning off of huge areas, you actually increase the ability for two large factions to have a proper war with each other, instead of just having it be a contest of jumping to each other's bases and destroying any undocked ships. Instead, they need to break through each other's defenses as described above, or risk getting heavily damaged during a straight-on rush through them.



People who run servers can make rules about it too, such as disallowing the placement of interdiction stations in non-faction so the entire galaxy doesn't get interdicted, and disallowing their use within a couple systems of spawn.

Heavy use of interdiction can also encourage use of warp gates to bypass interdicted systems, in the event jump drive range isn't increased in the server config.

 

[Madman198237]

Even if JD range is increased, interdiction stations should prevent jump drive travel through the interdicted area as well.

Your last sentence made it sound like you wanted to be able to jump past the interdiction field....which kind of makes it worthless except if deployed in-depth.

Also, what's everybody else's thoughts on range? Based on a basic value or based on interdiction generator size?

 

[therimmer96]

I'd actually like it if it stopped friendlies jumping directly into the sector aswell, so maybe fac members can get dumped one sector away. This is so that people with large bases can stop themselves from jumping and clipping with the base

Entire suggestion should be easy to implement, setting a sector to no entry already does this.

 

[nightrune]

I would just add this to the current jump inhibitors. I agree with therimmer96 as well that it should work on friendlies as well.

 

[KuramaFox]

The idea for it not affecting friendlies (unless you want it to) would be simple: Your ship has a line of communication with the starbases, and they can synchronize and briefly disable the field in a small area just long enough for the friendly ship to jump in.

Unless of course, we get an ability to toggle it on and off remotely via the map, so we can jump into our well-defended faction's sector space without having to fly through a half-dozen or more sectors from the edge of interdiction space.
.

 

[StormWing0]

Sounds like a fun way to drop someone into the sun's burn radius. In any event nice idea. :D

 

[KuramaFox]

Sounds like a fun way to drop someone into the sun's burn radius. In any event nice idea. :D

Ooh, I didn't even consider that use! That would make an excellent defense mechanism against invaders who don't prepare properly by destroying your interdiction stations before they attack you.

I would just add this to the current jump inhibitors. I agree with therimmer96 as well that it should work on friendlies as well.

I disagree with simply adding it to current jump inhibitors too. On account that the interdiction system would be station only, while the inhibitors can be placed on ships.

Inhibitors are intended to stop enemies from escaping. They can and should be allowed on ships because otherwise people will just jump out when someone tries to be a pirate.

Also, there is little use for interdiction on a ship except for trolling. Ship systems seem to turn off when you exit the core, so you can't really use them as intended on a ship. The Faction Capital Ship could be an exception along with the other station-only stuff it is likely to have.

 

[Madman198237]

Do not add it to inhibitors. Inhibitors are a fight-prolonging measure, interdiction is area-denial.

Bonus points if interdiction fields can be logic-toggled and scanners can be used to detect incoming ships at a certain range, then activate the interdictor field (Trapping the ship within weapons range if done right).

 

[KuramaFox]

But yeah, the idea is basically this:


Current gameplay (without interdiction):
-Factions declare war on each other. One or both of them then proceeds to immediately jump to the enemy's home base to wreck undocked ships, then to go jump directly to any other bases to destroy them. If you are feeling vengeful, you might turn on a large inhibitor at the home base to stop them from being able to simply run away after blowing a hole in one of your ships.


With interdiction:
-Factions declare war on each other. One or both of them jump to the edge of the other's space, and begins fighting their way through border defenses and defense fleets. One of the two sides may opt to fight defensively, then attack the enemy borders once the enemy players have lost their attack ships. Either way, the war progresses more realistically, without the ability to simply jump to a station and effectively "end it." Unless, of course, a faction doesn't set up some interdiction stations.

It also gives reason to keep Fleets scattered around the interdiction perimeter, so that they serve as the first line of defense.
.

 

[KuramaFox]

It might also be good for a jump system to be able to detect when it is attempting to jump into interdicted space, and to warn you when you try to jump, and not actually jump or use your jump drive charge.

Once this happens, simply clicking a second time would then cause you to jump anyway, and risk getting put somewhere other than you wanted to be.

 

[Zekester81]

I like this, but I wouldn't want it visible or to give warnings. I favor surprise. It could probably even use the same module as the inhibitors just with a new computer. I would also prefer it to hinder friendlies as well.

 

[Madman198237]

No, you should be able to see interdicted space....if you've scanned it. That way, you can tell what's interdicted after doing a bit of espionage....but blind jumps at a target are likely to hurt.

 

[NeonSturm]

-If the ship has a jump drive at least the same size as the station's interdiction system, they can jump within 3 sectors instead of 4.
-If the ship's jump drive is at least 10 times as large, they can jump within 2 sector.
-If the ship's jump drive is at least 100 times as large, then it can jump within 1 sector.
-In the off chance a ship's drive is at least 1000 times as large, it ignores the jump interdiction system completely and can jump right to the starbase.

But there is a little issue:

A volume of 10x10x10 interdiction stations is 1000x smaller than any ship of similar block-counts than the interdiction stations together!

Additionally, even if you have just 5x5x5 - 3x3x3 (=98) stations, the attacking ship would be about 100x bigger and your interdiction stations would only protect their own sector!

This means that your effective interdiction area is:

A: only (9x9x9 - 7x7x7) / 2x2 (=94) stations
B: only (9x9x9 - 7x7x7) / 3x3 (=42) stations​

And works only against:

A: Ships with roughly the same block-count as your stations
B: Ships which have 2/5 the mass of your stations
​

This is assuming you have only 1 layer of protection.

​

I think this is a flaw in your default values (10x ship size compared to stations)​

Other than that, I really like it - just keep size difference "squared(desired perimeter's border length) / 3 sectors radius" and multiply it for inner layers.

 

[HolyCookie]

Hai,
Congrats! This suggestion has been recognised by the council and the devs, it has been added to the phabricator workflow. You can check out all the accepted suggestions that have been added to the planned list over here Group Council · Workboard
(you have to scroll all the way to the right to see them)

I hope many more fine suggestions will come from you.

For reference:
T1737 Jump Interdiction (Sector lockout)

Feel free to signup and subscribe to the task to get e-mail notifications once it hits release/dev-builds.

- Andy

 

[Jojomo]

The radius of 3 sectors mean that large areas can easily be covered with jump inhibitors.
And as the suggestion is to redirect an interrupted jump to the nearest non-inhibited sector, players will abuse this system by covering large areas around their bases with fake faction inhibitors to enable themselves to make huge jumps.

Trolls will cover areas around pirate stations, but leave the station uncovered - players will be funnelled to the pirates (or suns).

 

[therimmer96]

Hai,
Congrats! This suggestion has been recognised by the council and the devs, it has been added to the phabricator workflow. You can check out all the accepted suggestions that have been added to the planned list over here Group Council · Workboard
(you have to scroll all the way to the right to see them)

I hope many more fine suggestions will come from you.

Is trellis abandoned then?

 

[Lone_Puppy]

This would make a great compliment to jump gates, where the jump gate station is the only way to jump in or out of a particular sector.
The Jump gate would have this interdiction system running.
Naturally, the faction would be able to jump in/out to service the gate.

This is a great idea KuramaFox.