Surprise Dev Update

[Draeke_Forther]

Well, leave it to me to be the one who's unexcited by this stuff. I hate the look of external turrets; this does nothing for me. Maybe I can devise alternate uses for the new block-age...

--- You may resume joyous celebration ---

But with this system you can have it be internal. Just have the pitch and yaw axes at the front of the turret, while having those be flush with the exterior hull.

 

[EtherEel]

Does that mean you have no turrets on your ships or stations? Or do your ships have like, decoration turrets or something?

You are correct - no turrets. (I'm on my own little sandbox-server, tho, so not that big a deal --unless/until the "single-player experience" gets worked on. My old Chevy Nova PC can't handle other players existing in my universe...)

That said, I still hate "the look" of external turrets -- they seem primitive ("WWII era Navy" I once described turrets as) and unfitting of my concept of what space-craft should look like. Call me a design snob... But I just refuse to use them. Yes, I realize I'm an eccentric outlier, but it is what it is/ my tastes are what they are -- not likely to change.

I have made subtle(?) suggestive comments referring to what could best be described as "internal turrets" or "internal point-defense systems." I don't expect to get much love on that front, however. It's evident that my "big-picture" of space existence differs from Schema and the general Starmade community -- I'm almost OK with that. (I still think I'm right, of course...)

I enjoy this game tremendously (so far), I just do things my own way. Every society needs it's eccentrics.

~ee
[DOUBLEPOST=1427935770,1427935647][/DOUBLEPOST]

But with this system you can have it be internal. Just have the pitch and yaw axes at the front of the turret, while having those be flush with the exterior hull.

Maybe. We'll see. You'd have to provide a lot of internal volume/space for such a thing.

 

[Biostrakk110]

You are correct - no turrets. (I'm on my own little sandbox-server, tho, so not that big a deal --unless/until the "single-player experience" gets worked on. My old Chevy Nova PC can't handle other players existing in my universe...)

That said, I still hate "the look" of external turrets -- they seem primitive ("WWII era Navy" I once described turrets as) and unfitting of my concept of what space-craft should look like. Call me a design snob... But I just refuse to use them. Yes, I realize I'm an eccentric outlier, but it is what it is/ my tastes are what they are -- not likely to change.

I have made subtle(?) suggestive comments referring to what could best be described as "internal turrets" or "internal point-defense systems." I don't expect to get much love on that front, however. It's evident that my "big-picture" of space existence differs from Schema and the general Starmade community -- I'm almost OK with that. (I still think I'm right, of course...)

I enjoy this game tremendously (so far), I just do things my own way. Every society needs it's eccentrics.

~ee

I understand. I get your point about the way turrets look right now, but the way the game works we don't have to much of a choice. This new update will allow us to change it up a little bit, and add some more variety.

 

[EtherEel]

I get your point about the way turrets look right now, but the way the game works we don't have to much of a choice.

We ALWAYS have choices -- they may just be unpopular or "un-optimized."

 

[Ithirahad]

Well, leave it to me to be the one who's unexcited by this stuff. I hate the look of external turrets; this does nothing for me. Maybe I can devise alternate uses for the new block-age...

--- You may resume joyous celebration ---

Agreed. Thankfully, though, I can use rails to hide my turrets inside the hull when they're not in use... Too bad we can't just get Star Trek-style non-pivoting tracking weapons. Being able to put phaser strips in my hull rather than turrets would be nice.

 

[Biostrakk110]

Agreed. Thankfully, though, I can use rails to hide my turrets inside the hull when they're not in use... Too bad we can't just get Star Trek-style non-pivoting tracking weapons. Being able to put phaser strips in my hull rather than turrets would be nice.

I agree that having a non-pivoting weapon that is a turret and not part of the ship would be nice. It would help make a ship look better since things won't be sticking out.
[DOUBLEPOST=1427937873,1427937632][/DOUBLEPOST]This Ship by gaeasson is an example of turrets sticking out:

 

[Ixalite]

You guys know that you can now have INTERNAL turrets on tracks, that will open a door and fold out for "combat mode" but remain concealed otherwise? Heck you could probably just have them inset flush with the hull, and pop up on a ram...

 

[Biostrakk110]

You guys know that you can now have INTERNAL turrets on tracks, that will open a door and fold out for "combat mode" but remain concealed otherwise? Heck you could probably just have them inset flush with the hull, and pop up on a ram...

I didn't think of that... but I can definitely see how that could work.

 

[Criss]

Leave it to people to complain when some of the best updates roll out. Without knowing the full extent of the functionality no less.

 

[Trekkerjoe]

You guys know that you can now have INTERNAL turrets on tracks, that will open a door and fold out for "combat mode" but remain concealed otherwise? Heck you could probably just have them inset flush with the hull, and pop up on a ram...

Oh, this revitalizes my hype! Imagine all the cool systems you can make with turrets(and other ships) on rails! Imagine being able to press a button and the turrets retract into a repair area deep inside the ship! Or perhaps pressing a button to quickly switch out your SAM turrets for cannon turrets! Or maximizing docking space by having your ships rotate into a storage area, and calling specific ships by pressing a button! The possibilities are endless!

 

[Moultonlava5]

I can't wait for it!

 

[Bench]

Or maximizing docking space by having your ships rotate into a storage area, and calling specific ships by pressing a button! The possibilities are endless!

In theory, achievable. I'm looking at Sven_The_Slayer or AndyP working out the logic for one first.

 

[Ixalite]

Just throwing this out there as well... it really wouldn't be THAT much of a stretch for a "kamikaze" mode on even the current bobby AI... With the rail system we can now have magazine loads of torpedoes, as in REAL torpedoes. Vulnerable to anti-fighter turrets... stupidly powerful warheads....

Additional new possibilities... apparently the new docking system will not rely on bounding boxes, only on the actual shape of the ships. This will enable conformable add-on armor plates, or.... giant heavy docking bay/weapons bay doors.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

In theory, achievable. I'm looking at Sven_The_Slayer or AndyP working out the logic for one first.

Only in Japan. I do at least want fighter elevators on my larger carrier but this does sound like an interesting challenge

Well, leave it to me to be the one who's unexcited by this stuff. I hate the look of external turrets; this does nothing for me. Maybe I can devise alternate uses for the new block-age...

--- You may resume joyous celebration ---

You know fixed docking is a thing right? That these docks can also use AI and shoot? The last ship I built is nothing more than a frame for mounting two independent missile launchers.

Currently fixed docks, or hard mounts as I call them, are limited in direction and don't sit flush with the rest of the ship. The new docking system will allow you to actually attach objects to your ship that look like whatever you want and don't move. You could easily build a phaser bank that docks to the hull of your ship and fires independently at targets. You can even split it up into multiple sections facing in different directions so you get a better field of fire. These of course are not going to be as good as turrets that can move independently but should live up to the Star Trek lore. If you want them to have more firepower the hull underneath can be part of the docked entity to give them more punch. Sure it's complicated to build but it works great when used properly. Even better yet the new docking system is said to allow you to share your ships shields with the turrets and I assume any docked entity in some fashion!

 

[EtherEel]

Leave it to people to complain when some of the best updates roll out. Without knowing the full extent of the functionality no less.

I was not/am not complaining. It's an opinion/observation that I thought should be expressed. Everyone is foaming-at-the-mouth about how their turrets are going to be so awesome now, I want to let it be known that I don't like turrets. (I don't want pop-up turrets either, but thanx for the suggestion, Ixalite.) Of course I don't know the full extent of the functionality. Even you don't know the full extent of the functionality.

Currently fixed docks, or hard mounts as I call them, are limited in direction and don't sit flush with the rest of the ship. The new docking system will allow you to actually attach objects to your ship that look like whatever you want and don't move. You could easily build a phaser bank that docks to the hull of your ship and fires independently at targets. You can even split it up into multiple sections facing in different directions so you get a better field of fire. These of course are not going to be as good as turrets that can move independently but should live up to the Star Trek lore. If you want them to have more firepower the hull underneath can be part of the docked entity to give them more punch. Sure it's complicated to build but it works great when used properly. Even better yet the new docking system is said to allow you to share your ships shields with the turrets and I assume any docked entity in some fashion!

Yes, the "not sitting flush" and blending in has been a major impediment. I've avoided docking for that very reason. Your info is worth consideration, however, thanx -- especially when I get going on designing more "organic" looking ships as I intended from the start. (I'm not a Star Trek lore person in reality, that paradigm is just an easy example that approaches some of my ideation.) A lot of what I'm (yet) doing is still experimentation -- what happens when I do "this"? -- type of thing. There are many aspects of ship-building and the game in general that I have not gotten to yet (cf. Joined : Feb 15, 2015).

Ya know though, I think I'm doing pretty well, for a new player, who doesn't spend 10 hours a day making Starmade my life's work. (I do have a multiplicitude (lol) of other "less important" interests.) I'm clearly not bashful about sharing an opinion, and popularity has never been a consideration (kindness, compassion, creativity/artistry, integrity, yes -- and good grammar!) Actually, if everyone had the same perspective, what would be the point of existence?!

Still: I hate the look of external turrets. My ships will never have them.

 

[Byamarro]

Questions for Schine team:

Will there be type of rail that makes possible to move docked entity alongside rails?
Is that in latest public dev version? Cuz I can't make them work like in gifs published by Schema and Ben.



BTW GUYS, land vessels are comming :D

 

[SkylordLuke]

I was not/am not complaining. It's an opinion/observation that I thought should be expressed. Everyone is foaming-at-the-mouth about how their turrets are going to be so awesome now, I want to let it be known that I don't like turrets. (I don't want pop-up turrets either, but thanx for the suggestion, Ixalite.) Of course I don't know the full extent of the functionality. Even you don't know the full extent of the functionality.


Yes, the "not sitting flush" and blending in has been a major impediment. I've avoided docking for that very reason. Your info is worth consideration, however, thanx -- especially when I get going on designing more "organic" looking ships as I intended from the start. (I'm not a Star Trek lore person in reality, that paradigm is just an easy example that approaches some of my ideation.) A lot of what I'm (yet) doing is still experimentation -- what happens when I do "this"? -- type of thing. There are many aspects of ship-building and the game in general that I have not gotten to yet (cf. Joined : Feb 5, 2015).

Ya know though, I think I'm doing pretty well, for a new player, who doesn't spend 10 hours a day making Starmade my life's work. (I do have a multiplicitude (lol) of other "less important" interests.) I'm clearly not bashful about sharing an opinion, and popularity has never been a consideration (kindness, compassion, creativity/artistry, integrity, yes -- and good grammar!) Actually, if everyone had the same perspective, what would be the point of existence?!

Still: I hate the look of external turrets. My ships will never have them.

"I was not/am not complaining."
..
complains anyway :P

 

[Lancake]

Questions for Schine team:

Will there be type of rail that makes possible to move docked entity alongside rails?
Is that in latest public dev version? Cuz I can't make them work like in gifs published by Schema and Ben.

It's not in the latest public dev, this is an non public look at the upcoming devs. And rails are going to make it possible to move a docked entity on it.

 

[Valiant70]

Well, leave it to me to be the one who's unexcited by this stuff. I hate the look of external turrets; this does nothing for me. Maybe I can devise alternate uses for the new block-age...

--- You may resume joyous celebration ---

Since stuff docks flush with the mothers ship now, there's probably a way to make attractive retractable turrets that pop up like the headlights on some old cars.... Only you can hide them better!

schema, do you think it would be possible to make such turrets extend and retract automatically as the ship enters or leaves a battle? This kind of goes along with turrets "parking" themselves in default position when they're done fighting. If I were coding this, I'd make them "park" and retract when there are no enemies in sensor range or use a manual control.

 

[Jay_do]

Looks awesome. Cant wait to try it out!