The ultimate drone R&D thread

[Keptick]

It works like a charm and I found that rather than using one big array to push the drones out. Using many small ones fireing in sync works better.

Amazing! I'm really happy that you adapted the design to your ship :D . And I'll also try out the smaller arrays like you suggested![DOUBLEPOST=1411313371,1411312601][/DOUBLEPOST]

How well do your drones work against a ship with large swarm missile arrays?

I have yet to test that out but I'm pretty sure that it will be a major weakness. However, the ship mounting them has to sacrifice some firepower for the more erratic swarm missiles, so it's a weakness that I accept.

Edit: It really depends on the derpy missile target choosing AI. They'll probably only end up going after two or three targets at a time, and with a 15 second reload that's not so good (still better than not being able to do anything I guess).

 

[NuclearFun]

Nice work! Really like it (and try that)

 

[Keptick]

Nice work! Really like it (and try that)

Just press the button, you know you want to

 

[blurb357]

really cool man, great job.

 

[WaffulMann]

Those are some really cool designs you got there mate.
I don't really use drones as there is no "return" function; The only time I use AI-controlled ships is for point defense where I post about 5 floating guns around where I build my ships. Effective a keeping away pirates.

 

[Keptick]

Those are some really cool designs you got there mate.
I don't really use drones as there is no "return" function; The only time I use AI-controlled ships is for point defense where I post about 5 floating guns around where I build my ships. Effective a keeping away pirates.

Yea, I really can't wait for proper drone controls to be implemented. It'll allow me to waste less credits (since I won't have to buy a new rack every time I enter combat) and maybe even make a rack composed of salvage drones :D

 

[Reilly Reese]

We need a console at some point that you can use to move AI around as if they were troops in a C&C Game

Correction more like Supreme Commander (They got patrol points and stuff)

 

[Keptick]

We need a console at some point that you can use to move AI around as if they were troops in a C&C Game

Correction more like Supreme Commander (They got patrol points and stuff)

Precisely! Even simple commands such as "follow, attack enemy, return, protect targeted entity" and stuff like that with a basic UI would be a gigantic improvement!

 

[Neoclad]

Really cool idea this drone rack mate!

I am working on an automated ejection system for this using a push beam on my ship to send a core in an area trigger of the rack.

Process:
1/ on the carrier: activator sends the core in area trigger and then undocks the rack
2/ on the rack: area trigger activates short delay then sends all drones flying

Already tested the system and it works, now have to make a rack and a carrier...

Will update you when it is ready (might not be very soon as I unfortunately don't have much time for the game)

Really interested if you get the area trigger activated by part of the ship too! would be less complicated I guess but I can't think of way for it to work 100%

 

[Keptick]

Really cool idea this drone rack mate!

I am working on an automated ejection system for this using a push beam on my ship to send a core in an area trigger of the rack.

Process:
1/ on the carrier: activator sends the core in area trigger and then undocks the rack
2/ on the rack: area trigger activates short delay then sends all drones flying

Already tested the system and it works, now have to make a rack and a carrier...

Will update you when it is ready (might not be very soon as I unfortunately don't have much time for the game)

Really interested if you get the area trigger activated by part of the ship too! would be less complicated I guess but I can't think of way for it to work 100%

Honestly, I was planning on doing just that :D

 

[Neoclad]

Here it is guys: The Rack with Area Trigger

Not really a refined version but it works like that:

I have added some delay between triggering and sending the drones out but it is not really necessary (wanted to drop the rack after activation)
Note that the ship is too light and the drones make it move when undocking which messes up the process but you get the idea and can easily replicate it in your ship!

Feel free to share it and improve it.

Keptick maybe put the link in your racks' page?

I might work on a cleaner version easier to copy paste in ships but will probably end up creating my own rack to make something more universal.

Keptick have you tried reducing the number of Beams? Also I dont think that all the hulling and shielding is necessary... the idea being to cut the price of the Rack

 

[Keptick]

Here it is guys: The Rack with Area Trigger

Not really a refined version but it works like that:

I have added some delay between triggering and sending the drones out but it is not really necessary (wanted to drop the rack after activation)
Note that the ship is too light and the drones make it move when undocking which messes up the process but you get the idea and can easily replicate it in your ship!

Feel free to share it and improve it.

Keptick maybe put the link in your racks' page?

I might work on a cleaner version easier to copy paste in ships but will probably end up creating my own rack to make something more universal.

Keptick have you tried reducing the number of Beams? Also I dont think that all the hulling and shielding is necessary... the idea being to cut the price of the Rack

Oh don't worry, I'm going to cut the price down alright :D (once I install a very optimized system)

 

[Neoclad]

Great!
I am now working on a rack of my own for my drones and will just leave it at docks + some logic getting rid of the ejection system and shields.
Too many beams are necessary to eject 1 drone for my taste.

 

[marcus87]

Ok I have a question, since I cant download your rack with area controlled activation, it says something about to many download´s. I tried putting one together myself, but I ran into a problem.

First I can link a activation block to an area activation block but not the other way around. I have linked the area trigger block to the area`s but they do not trigger. Neither to a block nor me as a player.

What do I miss?

 

[Keptick]

I'm actually going to install the ejection system directly on the ship and activate the undocking of the drones using the same technique you used @Neoclad (and make sure that it's synchronized).

There is many advantages to doing this. The first is that the rack can be used on the left and right sides since both sides of the rack will be open. The second is that it will significantly cut down the price of the rack (since the ejection system mounted on the ship can be used for an infinite amount of launches). The final advantage is that I can make the push beams of the ejection system a LOT more powerful, which will produce an epic effect when launching the drones :D

 

[Reilly Reese]

To many downloads? Try this ZIP

 

[Keptick]

To many downloads? Try this ZIP

I think that he meant the one that Neoclad linked.

 

[Reilly Reese]

Ooohhhh.

Why is @Neoclad s .sment uploaded with googledrive?

Upload it via the website or ZIP it like I did and post it here.

 

[Neoclad]

I'm actually going to install the ejection system directly on the ship and activate the undocking of the drones using the same technique you used @Neoclad (and make sure that it's synchronized).

There is many advantages to doing this. The first is that the rack can be used on the left and right sides since both sides of the rack will be open. The second is that it will significantly cut down the price of the rack (since the ejection system mounted on the ship can be used for an infinite amount of launches). The final advantage is that I can make the push beams of the ejection system a LOT more powerful, which will produce an epic effect when launching the drones :D

Mmmh great idea!
I will stay with the cheapest version: launch core to trigger area -> trigger area activates 5-10 sec timer -> drop the rack itself -> 5-10 sec later the rack undocks the ships (no cool ejection system though...)

First I can link a activation block to an area activation block but not the other way around. I have linked the area trigger block to the area`s but they do not trigger. Neither to a block nor me as a player.

To use the area trigger controller correctly you need to put it right next to an activation module, cannot link it to a module, they have to be "sticked" together.

To many downloads? Try this ZIP

I think he is speaking about my area trigger system... I might post a full ship with it later on.
Or you can try the one attached here.

 

[Yetimania]

This is incredible! The era of one (wo)man, one ship may finally be over!
Seriously. The main reason fighters were considered underpowered was because if one person shows up with a fighter, and the other person shows up with a capital ship, the fighter will lose. But if one person can show up with a hundred fighters...
Well. I just tested, and found 16mil worth of drone+rack can easily waste 3 16mil frigates.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to start investing in swarm missiles and drones.