Teleportation Mechanic suggestions

[jath]

I'm pretty sure everyone wants teleporters, so here's my suggestion on how to do it.

It would involve the creation of 2 new blocks. Just like most things, it would be a teleportation computer, and a a teleport module. The computer would link to the modules, just like normal. Now, anyone with access can use a teleport computer directly just like any weapons computer, only it would initiate something more akin to the build block. The user would then be able to target a spot to teleport. They would place a non-block the same size as the space between the teleport modules. This is where the teleporter will send the players in the teleport once activated, which can be done using an activation module. You can also add a delay the same way. The person using the computer can also bypass this by left clicking to target, and right clicking to "engage".

The modules themselves will work much like docking enhancers do, with the added requirement that you need them on both sides of the player. Either left and right, or top and bottom. Stacking blocks would increase the beaming area by the number of blocks.

EG... E = empty space, B = block.

BBBB
EEEE
EEEE
BBBB Standard teleport for up to 4 people. can also be placed in a 3d cube instead.

BBBB
BBBB
EEEE
EEEE
EEEE
EEEE
BBBB
BBBB Taller teleport for small ships and turrets.
​

The Computer operator would be able to target stationary players to "beam up" as well. The players to be beamed up would have a yes/no option box appear if they want to be teleported.

You would also have a badge, or beacon of some sort that you could tie to a computer (much like warp gate markers) except right clicking would mark the computer, while left clicking would Beam you up. Using this feature would give the nearest players (depending on the space you have in your teleporter) the option of beaming up as well. You can have multiple teleport systems too to avoid teleporting enemies. You could have a badge that is tied to a single person teleport, and a badge that is tied to a 10 person teleport. The ship would have to be in range, say 1000M.

Also, the teleport operator would have clipping ON outside their own ship so you couldn't teleport someone inside an enemy ship unless there was a massive hole in it, or they left a door open. There would also be a connection option between ships. if you enter a teleport computer, you would have sliders for teleport size, and a couple buttons that would broadcast your receiver/sender status, and a enable you to select another ship within range with their broadcast on. There would be a check mark next to any ship's name to give temporary or permanent permission to teleport.

 

[BiGEdge]

oh wow then i would always send a teleportation window to random people to troll them.
that may be a problem

 

[NeonSturm]

The Computer operator would be able to target stationary players to "beam up" as well. The players to be beamed up would have a yes/no option box appear if they want to be teleported.

"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"You died from lack of hp. Reason : NeonSturm's Feedback-Post shot ya in da face" [respawn]

I suggest you should have beam-strength.

1. strength = number of blocks
2. strength = (strength * (height : emtpy space above beam-location)^2 - 3*strength) ^ diminishingReturnPow
3. strength = strength * (100% - %enemyShield)
4. strength = strength * (1- distance^0.5 /maxdistance^0.5)
5. final strength needs to be >1​

I really like how StarGate did it. Their Goa'uld "Ring-Transporters" exchange the source and destination content
- players, items inside the rings ... really nice for boarding.

 

[wolfboyft]

GGGGGGGGGGRAGH! I hate teleporters. No worries, we have block config, so if this is added I can say bye-bye!

EDIT: To the teleporters.

 

[jayman38]

It sounds like if teleporters are ever in-game, we should have a server-configurable boolean for whether teleporters are allowed on that server.

Some people are going to hate them, but I think they should be brought into the game and Alpha-tested to get the bugs and griefing worked out.

 

[jath]

Ok, first concern you have is people spamming a teleport window on you... I don't understand your thinking, but if the idea really bothers you, they can simply add a spam timer on the filter, OR a check-mark saying deny all teleport requests from this player, OR just make the window small enough to ignore in the corner where you can ignore it anyway.
It really wouldn't be THAT easy to target a player in the first place though because you'd have to find them first, and they'd have to be standing still, which most players don't do that much, and they would have to not be in a core.

In other words, you're concerns are not merited.

@wolfboyft, I don't like a lot of things that are already in the game, such as tetrahedral planets, tiny asteroids, decorative computers... etc. but if they limited the game based on what a few people don't like, the game would wind up being quite empty. (some don't like FTL btw). I also don't like the docking mechanics as they are now. I think they are stupid. Docking enhancers?! REALLY?

Ok, you don't like teleporters, so you probably didn't grow up with StarTrek like I did, or you thought it was unrealistic. Well so is 90% of the stuff we're doing in Starmade. If you don't want to use transporters, fine. Please don't keep them out of the game because you don't want them though. Please...

 

[NeonSturm]

Summary of mentioned restrictions for beaming:

1. Player has to stand still (either or it would then require more power)
2. Empty space around the target player makes it easer
3. Shields which are not from the same faction/player make it more difficult
   
4. At distance it is more difficult
   
5. Player has to confirm (maybe a not view-blocking "not required to accept" "let me get transported button" on the right of your game-window would be better)

 

[jayman38]

1. Player has to stand still (either or it would then require more power)

I agree that the player needs to stand still. And it should take about half a second for the teleport to happen. It would be a good dramatic effect to draw some effect (possibly a partially-transparent image with animated sparklies or other fancy effects that could be modded to look different) over the teleporting player and give the player a good visual effect also. (The visual effect worked so well for warping, and people loved it!)

Letting people move while teleporting can be exciting and dramatic, but there's just so many options for gaming that simultaneous moving/warping mechanic in a bad way. Maybe it can be a server-configurable option to allow moving teleports. However, I think such an option should be set to False in the default game.

 

[jath]

Moving while teleporting shouldn't happen with the targeting feature, however, I don't see why someone couldn't activate their aforementioned "comm badge" to teleport while moving, and even falling...

 

[NeonSturm]

Average human reaction time is 250 milliseconds + average network lag = ???

I think it should take at least a second, better two.
Else I do agree.

 

[jath]

well, according to the votes so far, everyone thinks it would be a defining feature that would make the game much more immersive.

 

[NeonSturm]

well, according to the votes so far, everyone thinks it would be a defining feature that would make the game much more immersive.

2 votes? with mine after your post?

I guess StarMade will be a sandbox shipped with defaults that let you play a game, but enhanced with mods later. (the many config options suggest this too)

Why should we not want something to replicate StarGate StarTrek or some other game?

 

[jath]

Whoever voted that it would ruin the game, I don't agree.

Duh.... lol

 

[Saber]

"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no
"Do you want to get teleported?" [yes|no] => no

I feel like this could get real spammy real quick though, so some form of limit would need to be implemented. People just coming into orbit trying to abduct you with spam.... I think something could definitely get worked out though.

 

[FunnyBunny14]

Faction only? Maybe you should have a friend system in which you can have in-game friends that can do loads of things for you, including asking if you want to be teleported?

 

[Saber]

Faction only? Maybe you should have a friend system in which you can have in-game friends that can do loads of things for you, including asking if you want to be teleported?

Hmm, that's not bad, the game will definitely need a friends system, or something like it in the future so I could see that being an implementation. That could lead into all sorts of things, maybe ships could eventually have transponders which you could choose who to share your location with if they have a long range scanner, that would allow friends to see where each others ships are over long distances. Lots of possibilities.

 

[jayman38]

I feel like this could get real spammy real quick though, so some form of limit would need to be implemented. People just coming into orbit trying to abduct you with spam.... I think something could definitely get worked out though.

Similar to chat spam control, this would similarly need to have a "cool-down" period between attempts per target, and a timed lockout period if there are X number of rejected tries within Y number of minutes (server-configurable, maybe even client-configurable.)

(trying to rapidly spam-teleport "player-name" and get this message....)
"You have already attempted to teleport player-name without success. Please wait 6 seconds before trying again."

(trying to spam-teleport any player 20 times in 2 minutes and get this message....)
"You have overheated your teleporter. Teleporter system shut down for 10 minutes. Have a nice day."

 

[Saber]

Similar to chat spam control, this would similarly need to have a "cool-down" period between attempts per target, and a timed lockout period if there are X number of rejected tries within Y number of minutes (server-configurable, maybe even client-configurable.)

(trying to rapidly spam-teleport "player-name" and get this message....)
"You have already attempted to teleport player-name without success. Please wait 6 seconds before trying again."

(trying to spam-teleport any player 20 times in 2 minutes and get this message....)
"You have overheated your teleporter. Teleporter system shut down for 10 minutes. Have a nice day."

Similarly I believe there could just be a checkbox in the popup menu marked "don't ask again" or something like that, so that if you don't want them requesting to teleport you it won't show up again.

I do like the idea of the system breaking down for a set time though. Spammed too much? Well now it doesn't work at all. haha

 

[NeonSturm]

Similar to chat spam control, this would similarly need to have a "cool-down" period between attempts per target, and a timed lockout period if there are X number of rejected tries within Y number of minutes (server-configurable, maybe even client-configurable.)

(trying to rapidly spam-teleport "player-name" and get this message....)
"You have already attempted to teleport player-name without success. Please wait 6 seconds before trying again."

(trying to spam-teleport any player 20 times in 2 minutes and get this message....)
"You have overheated your teleporter. Teleporter system shut down for 10 minutes. Have a nice day."

I like these messages.
But servers, maybe even factions|skin-themes, should be able to replace them if they like:

spam[OrkID] = "Not feed ya Trolls, ORK!!"
spam[??????] = "The target is silent. Silent for 6 seconds. Give me a target."

spamRepeated[OrkID] = "Not push da WAAAGH buttons ORK!!"
spamRepeated[??????] = "The system detected a malfunction. Scanning for malfunction. Malfunction scan progress 0/10 minutes."​

Maybe a blinking "Scotty-want-to-beam-you" symbol at the right of your screen.
If you click it, it opens a window which disappears when you move your mouse to the left half of your screen.

| --- Accept Teleprot ---
| Player = .player.name
| Origin = .teleporting-entity.name
| Target = .destination-entity.name
|
| Message = "format( PlayerMessage.default("Do you want to get teleported by %me?") Variables{ "me" = player.name, ... } }"
|
| [yes] ... [no] ... [later] = the [later] button appears only when you get spammed (= 3 messages in short time)).
​

 

[jath]

GGGGGGGGGGRAGH! I hate teleporters. No worries, we have block config, so if this is added I can say bye-bye!

EDIT: To the teleporters.

You said in a different thread that teleporters feel cheaty to you. I don't see how you can say that considering all the requirements and limitations that would be built in. Did you ever watch ANY SciFi growing up? It's in pretty much every show except maybe star wars.
First, you'd have to have an entire room at least dedicated to the teleport. Then you'd have to add in logic blocks to get it to function right. You'd then need to keep the ship still so you can target something, and THEN you'd need enough energy. Lastly, you'll need to wait for the beam to complete, however long it takes. It's all pretty complicated.

If you think this is "cheaty" you had better not carry more than 1 hull block in your inventory at a time, or more than 1 of any block for that matter. I don't know very many people who can lug around a cubic meter of any alloy, let alone a stack of them. You'd also better never use your dematerializer ever because that's the same principle as the teleport. Buying ANYTHING in space would be cheaty. Really? Floating shops in sectors never visited before? Yeah right. Plex storage fitting more than 1 cubic meter of stuff inside then? That's cheaty. Regenerating missiles with energy, not using ammo? Cheaty. Anti matter canons? Anti matter is 80 trillion dollars per gram. They are no closer to containing it than they are to making real life teleporters. Ever left a planet by pressing x? A core is all you need, that's pretty cheaty. Ever purchased a blueprint? A ship magically materializing next to you is pretty cheaty. Shielding? That's worse than the anti matter thing. This is a science fiction game. If that bothers you, I hear space engineers are completely against anything that isn't completely based on modern realism.