- Joined
- May 25, 2013
- Messages
- 228
- Reaction score
- 16
Something people involved in faction PvP may have noticed , is that there is no way to commit the enemy to an engagement - players can match speeds , but are free to move all over the place (including their home base or yours) while doing so. Hitting thrusters or power groups won't make a dent in his top speed until you've destroyed most of them , and then it's much easier to just core him anyway.
Giving players the option to directly reduce their enemy's mobility is necessary , but as with everything in starmade , large ships can always fit more. Since agility is the main strength of smaller craft , such a critical function should not stack from multiple modules at all , just like cloakers and jammers. Nor should it come with no drawback.
My concept for a "combat commitment" module is the Higgs Field Generator. This weapon has a short range radial effect , originating from the module itself , that raises the mass of any ship in range (always including the one firing it) to the square of their value (or a formula with higher exponent) for a few seconds , while firing continuously. The effect will not stack with others' , friend or foe , but placing several modules at each end of a large ship will increase the volume covered.
This increase in mass will dramatically reduce the effective thrust of any ship in range , but not cancel their momentum - moving in a straight line remains possible. In a duel scenario , the lighter ship would find his relative agility multiplied , and avoid his enemy's main gun batteries much easier. However , it would be easier to shoot at for ships outside the field. Conversely , a large ship could activate his field to slow harassers down for his allies , at the cost of not being able to change directions at all. Two ships of equal mass fighting with the field up would both have slow acceleration - the one with more thrusters could move around easier before hitting the speed limit , slowly changing the tactical situation to his advantage.
Giving players the option to directly reduce their enemy's mobility is necessary , but as with everything in starmade , large ships can always fit more. Since agility is the main strength of smaller craft , such a critical function should not stack from multiple modules at all , just like cloakers and jammers. Nor should it come with no drawback.
My concept for a "combat commitment" module is the Higgs Field Generator. This weapon has a short range radial effect , originating from the module itself , that raises the mass of any ship in range (always including the one firing it) to the square of their value (or a formula with higher exponent) for a few seconds , while firing continuously. The effect will not stack with others' , friend or foe , but placing several modules at each end of a large ship will increase the volume covered.
This increase in mass will dramatically reduce the effective thrust of any ship in range , but not cancel their momentum - moving in a straight line remains possible. In a duel scenario , the lighter ship would find his relative agility multiplied , and avoid his enemy's main gun batteries much easier. However , it would be easier to shoot at for ships outside the field. Conversely , a large ship could activate his field to slow harassers down for his allies , at the cost of not being able to change directions at all. Two ships of equal mass fighting with the field up would both have slow acceleration - the one with more thrusters could move around easier before hitting the speed limit , slowly changing the tactical situation to his advantage.
