So i was thinking that it would be nice to be able to create escape pods and boarding pods for your larger ships. The reason being is sometimes you don't want to lose your inventory during an assault, or sometimes you just don't want to give the enemy the satisfaction of killing you! Also the boarding mechanic will allow crewmembers of a larger ship to have more of a job than man a turret.
Now I know you can just build an escape pod using docking modules and a ship, however I was thinking about a new block to dock "Pods" to that would have more limitations than a full blown docking module, but with two advantages as well.
Pods:
It would be cool to design pods that can have a smaller "docking area". Additionally it would be awesome if the pods "docking area" could be built inside of without making the docking area invalid, thus allowing you to wrap the main ship's hull around the escape pod allowing the players to design non cube pods!
Now I was also thinking that pods should be point, fire and forget. I.E. the escapee jumps into the pod, hits the launch button and the pod launches in a straight line away from the main ship, possibly at a slightly higher speed. Then in the escape pod's case maybe after one sector they can then become player controllable.
Boarding Pods:
Now these pods I was thinking could have the ability to dock in reverse to a ship. I.E. have a module that allows the docking ship to select an open area of enemy hull to dock to regardless of the enemy ship's shields. I was thinking these pods should only be launchable from a mother ship AND that they should be like weapons. I.E. the boarding team fires their pod, and hopes they didn't miss, as they will have no control in space.
However the boarding pod will only be remotely balanced when (if) players get combat weapons, and I believe the ships should also be able to build anti personnel automated turrets to ensure that boarding pods don't become a sure-win thing.
Anyway those were my ideas, all came from the fact that hiding an escape pod was kinda difficult with the docking system!
And I know that these features would be a looong way away considering all the combat implementation that would need to be done, and I sure don't pretend to know if this would become a balanced mechanic in this game! But hey, better to say a mediocre idea than not say any at all =)
Now I know you can just build an escape pod using docking modules and a ship, however I was thinking about a new block to dock "Pods" to that would have more limitations than a full blown docking module, but with two advantages as well.
Pods:
It would be cool to design pods that can have a smaller "docking area". Additionally it would be awesome if the pods "docking area" could be built inside of without making the docking area invalid, thus allowing you to wrap the main ship's hull around the escape pod allowing the players to design non cube pods!
Now I was also thinking that pods should be point, fire and forget. I.E. the escapee jumps into the pod, hits the launch button and the pod launches in a straight line away from the main ship, possibly at a slightly higher speed. Then in the escape pod's case maybe after one sector they can then become player controllable.
Boarding Pods:
Now these pods I was thinking could have the ability to dock in reverse to a ship. I.E. have a module that allows the docking ship to select an open area of enemy hull to dock to regardless of the enemy ship's shields. I was thinking these pods should only be launchable from a mother ship AND that they should be like weapons. I.E. the boarding team fires their pod, and hopes they didn't miss, as they will have no control in space.
However the boarding pod will only be remotely balanced when (if) players get combat weapons, and I believe the ships should also be able to build anti personnel automated turrets to ensure that boarding pods don't become a sure-win thing.
Anyway those were my ideas, all came from the fact that hiding an escape pod was kinda difficult with the docking system!
And I know that these features would be a looong way away considering all the combat implementation that would need to be done, and I sure don't pretend to know if this would become a balanced mechanic in this game! But hey, better to say a mediocre idea than not say any at all =)