Final Frontier 1.18 (Website and first FF-map released)

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 29 Jan 2006, 19:04

Ok here it is.. FF 1.10

FINAL FRONTIER "The Next Generation Of War" 1.10
========================================================
- Balance: Reduced Damage from siegegun (big battle station) to buildings to make it less effective for attacking bases
- Balance: Sliver Laser Damage reduced
- Balance: Predator Laser Damage reduced
- Balance: Increased Broedsides weapon Damage and its velocity
- Balance: Increased HP of nearly all big ships (the HP value should now be near to the metal value of the ship)
- Balance: Increased HP of nearly all defenses
- Balance: Increased Damage from energybombs done to defenses
- Balance: Increased Cost of Moho Metal Makers to 850 (250)
- Changed: Increased Tolerance for ionbolt weapons. Now they should fire correctly at ODSs.
- Changed: Decreased SelfDestructCountdown from adv metalextractors to 3 (5)
- Fixed: Typingerror in the armor.txt (all the destroyers were handled like no class units - means they took a lot more damage from nearly all weapons) fixed now (drone frigate, stormbringer, resilient, majestic).

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 30 Jan 2006, 02:27

Cool!

Also how where people useing the sige cannon to hit enemy base's?

CrowJuice · Post by **CrowJuice** » 30 Jan 2006, 04:39

Now that we have some really big maps to chose from(epic map 40x40) could we have a "F" variant of FF?

http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3536

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 30 Jan 2006, 11:32

You have to speak to FizzWizz about that.
I have at the moment no time for supporting an F variant because of my study

.
Also the problem i see with this F variant is that some changes look odd (for example the flight altitude) and if u change only the range with an constant factor, that makes a lot of balance changes without testing it. Example:
- original FF:
ODS range of 700 speed 0.75
Ionboltturret range of 1300 speed 0

ODS must fly 600 (pixels?) to get in range.

- F variant of FF:
ODS range of 1400 speed 0.75
Ionboltturret range of 2600 speed 0

ODS must fly 1200 (pixels?) to get in range and will be shot down with ease.

This is only one example and shall show u, that u cant only change one factor in the game (perhaps costs are ok) without breaking the balance.

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 30 Jan 2006, 17:14

I've responded to the request for Final Frontier 1.1 -F in this thread: http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewt ... 4002#54002

[edit]Also, Optimus Prime is correct in observing that range changes do throw off the balance. the -F variant distorts the balance in favor of long ranged weapons and also in favor of faster units. In the extreme case of ODS, they become entirely relegated to base defense [/edit]

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 31 Jan 2006, 19:33

here are 2 screens of a possible new unit i designed today. Till now only the model is finished (95%) so no scripts or anything.
It will be a lvl 3 "artillery" ship, which fires its rockets in a ballistic way behind the front line. Actual Name is "Crusher"
I hope you enjoy it...

and here like you can imagine how it is flying through space :)

Flint · Post by **Flint** » 01 Feb 2006, 03:13

Hey thats not a bad idea, and I like the model itself. Although as a personal thing, I would have done the front of the ship a little differently, not so pyramid like. Great work +

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 01 Feb 2006, 03:44

I am sorry I really do not like the unit. It looks very boxy, perhaps some irregular shaps and a longer hull?

Nemo · Post by **Nemo** » 01 Feb 2006, 04:11

Why would a unit fire in a ballistic path in space? Arm already has a unit that fufils this niche; I forget the name, but the unit that fires 12 large rockets then has to reload for a long time.

Not bad for a first attempt, but I'm inclined to agree with smoth. Not that I could do any better, but it seems to be a strange setup for a spaceship. Why would a rocket waste fuel by going in any direction but right at its target?

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 01 Feb 2006, 05:09

Why not? It will make it look different.

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 01 Feb 2006, 05:27

Was the FF:TLL bid dropped? The reason I ask is because when I saw that unit, it reminded me of the frigate Fang had done a while back, specifically in the thrusters.
Speaking directly about the unit itself now, it's not the prettiest thing, but with some tweaking to the model, and a retexturing, it might look pretty decent (no guarantees).

Archangel of Death · Post by **Archangel of Death** » 01 Feb 2006, 07:48

Possible hypothetical reason why a space born vessel might fire rockets in a direction other than straight at the enemy target, up for example: Placing 100 rocket launchers in a forward facing array puts forth a massive forward profile to get blown to bits by enemy units, which frankly it has to point this worst side at in order to shoot at them in the most efficient trajectory (ignoring significant movement). If you instead array these along the length and width (to a lesser extent than length) of the ship you present a minimized profile to your enemy when attacking from the optimum designed orientation. (This is where front of the ship is defined as the side opposite the primary propulsion vector, and "length" is distance from the front to the back, width starboard to port).

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 01 Feb 2006, 11:31

reason to fire rockets in a ballistic way: the longbow (the rocket unit now) fires its rockets frontal means, you cant use it from the second line. It would damage all your own units, but rockets flying in an indirect way can fly over your own units and over the enemies units by hitting the defense directly.

to the third race: I think that fang is gone from FF.. he didnt messaged me since version 1.08. So it will need a lot more time for me to create this race alone and because i first want to make FF with 2 races really good, i will start with creating units for that race not before a month i think (if i will not cancel it - i hope i dont will do so).

to the ship model: OK... feedback taken... i will remodel it :D

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 01 Feb 2006, 20:45

hm i remodelt most parts and this is the result... (550 Polygons)

i think in this view all units dont look very good. For comparison here is the longbow

what do u think?

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 01 Feb 2006, 20:48

The thrusters should mergeinto the hull and the front still needs work... Would you mind emailing me the file so I can modify it to show you what I am talking about??

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 01 Feb 2006, 20:59

which file? The 3dsmax file? The 3do file? post me a pm with your email adress than i can send it to you... but i must go in 20 mins so be fast or i will send it you tomorrow

IMSabbel · Post by **IMSabbel** » 01 Feb 2006, 21:55

The diameter/height ratio of the missile silos looks definitively odd.

Its about 1.5:1 or 2:1 now, that would mean missiles not looking like balls would impossibly fit in...

I think a better arrangement would be a 45degree upwards slanted silo battery, as this would enable "deeper" silos without making the ship higher.

And i take it that the missiles are fired raven-style, and not Merl-style, right? Because i dont think the "straight up for xxx and then beeline" thing would look good or realistic in a space/spaceship enviroment.

Fanger · Post by **Fanger** » 02 Feb 2006, 00:00

The basic layout of that ship is ok... theory wise... however there are several glaring problems with it..

1. The bridge is huge, its gigantic compared to the ship, nearly a ship in and of itself, id drop that thing to about 25% of its current size.

2. The front has to much stuff stickin gout of it this does not conform to the rest of the arm ships at all, or core for that matter. I would suggest elongating the nose cone a bit and maybe adding 2 blocks on either side that connect from it to the missile bays sort of like a cross between the front of the thunderlance and the front of the exeter.

3. The engines.. less is more.. they have to much going on with them, to big, to many pollies.. dont look right compared to the other arm engines.. make em smaller and make em boxes.. not spaceshuttle thrusters.

4. Take the center ridge and split it so there are 2 ridges one near either missile bay with a space down the middle..

and as far as the TLL you were talking about do you mean this ship..?

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 02 Feb 2006, 00:45

ehh... perhaps my memory was a bit faded. I guess I was drawing the connection between the external engines on the two ships, assuming that the four outgrowths on that frigate are engines.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 02 Feb 2006, 01:01

That is a kickawsome rocking cool star ship. I dont care if its fezable or not ITS COOL!

Spring RTS Engine

Final Frontier 1.18 (Website and first FF-map released)