Galactic News - A new threat is rising, a new race of spatial beasts attacked many places and seems like they are not going to stop
Recent transmissions coming from several fleets and star systems of many civilizations are reporting a full invasion of a new entity with no apparent intentions to leave suvirvor.
No one of the affected fleets or planets standed enough to send a ship or even a transmission with important information about the new threat, all we know is that the entity is very hostile, mercyless and unique in its type. An entire invasion force composed not by spaceships, but of giant spatial beasts.
This is why any help to identify enemy units and retrieve important information will be helful and may determine the destiny of many lives in the universe. The universe needs you…
::Background::
After the success that was the First Modding Contest [size=85](Thanks to DarkStar - viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5906) [/size] and looking at how many great entries the people submitted, i was wanting to organize another contest. The first one make possible the creation of Praetorian Industries, a great mod in that many people put their efforts and imagination, making it expand several gameplay possibilities.
And now, after close to one year from the First Modding Contest, the second one is here! I’m expecting awesomeness coming from every one of you!
If you wish to know more about the 2nd Modding Contest please visit this post - viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6937
::Ship Design Rules::
The competition is open to anyone and you can submit multiple designs
The contest theme is “Organical Insectoids and Beasts”, therefore you will have to download the pack of sections of the link below to make your entries.
The entries must be insectoid or beast looking ships, so please, dont submit obscene entries or things like a star destroyer using the organical sections.
Designs using Copyright material will not be accepted - ie ships from other games, movies etc.
::Suggestions::
If the entry is tended to be a frigate or bigger sized beast, try to add wings to it cuz they will need a way to fly throught the space. (and i will apply a special effect to the wings)
Try to dont repeat too many times the same section!
Not needed to make HUGE beasts
No color scheme limitations, but i suggest to mantain the original colors.
When you submit your design, Please let me know which category it belongs to.
Hunters (fighter/drone analogue)
Seekers (frigate analogue)
Destroyer (cruiser analogue)
Hives (support ship analogue)
Remember there is no such thing as a bad design, only a design that can be improved. So if you want feedback on how to make your ship look awesome, now is the time to send it in and get advice from people that enjoy and mod the game. Who knows, your design may be voted the winner.
::Submission of Designs::
To keep the competition interesting, I (Praetors) will be posting the competition entries. You can PM or email me on hotmail your designs so i will post them. That way the votes are based on designs and not on who is more popular.
When you submit a design you can either send me a link to the image or send me the file itself.
THe only condition is that you must remain Anonymous while the competition is running.
::Judging of entries::
All registered members of the forum can cast a total of 6 votes at any time for their favourite designs and post any comments / feedback for the author. For example:
I really like Designs 8 unique use of the nacelles from the Eagle Cruiser.
Design 3 would look awesome if they increased the size of the engines.
[size=120]As more designs are submitted you may wish to change your voting - Therefore, please use the edit button (if you submit multiple posts with votes, your latest post will be used. )[/size]
At the end of the competition the votes are tallied and the winning design and author of each category will be declared.
::The Winner::
Since all of us are flat broke, we are not in any position to offer a cash prize.
Therefore the winner of this competition will receive Praise and Undying Gratitude from the Community.
You will also have first invite to the beta test of the completed mod. (If any other member has a suggestions for a prize - please let me know)
::Aftermath::
Once the competition has closed and the Winner announced, I will send PM’s to the respective authors to confirm permission if he can include their designs (with full credits) for various roles in this community mod. To avoid hurting my feelings I kindly ask that you please do not submit a design of your ultimate ship only to refuse permission for it to be used in this mod when asked.
Type: Destroyer Description:A scout ship managed to get within sensor range of a huge insectoid and made a detailed analysis of the beast above: -A huge beast, close to the size of a cruiser just appeared in the sensors. A preliminary scan reveals that it has an extremely robust armour network, and judging for the size of the wings, it has a good mobility. The huge horns also mark a great threat, close combat is not recommended. The beast itself looks very dangerous and hard to stop, threat level - DAKKA OVERLOAD.
ENTRY #2 - Kalthaniell
Type: Seeker Description: A civilian ship retrieved information from an exploration group that fell into the claws of the new entity. The “black box” of one of the frigates of the destroyed group revealed that it shooted at a fast and agile target with values of speed that were not matching with the size of the attacker that the deceased crew named “Blobby”. The audiovisual records revealed that a strange bioship was using some type of gas-based propulsion instead of the usual glowing “wings” of the entity. Also the close range scanners managed to reveal a heavy armour in the front of the lifeform shown above, but also that the rest of the body was lacking both of defense and offensive capabilities. The logical deductive protocols of the AI of the destroyed frigate revealed that the possible reason of that lacking of combat capabilities compensed by an uncommon moving speed is that the lifeform evolved to steal the “food” of the already opened ships hulls before other bigger and slower insectoids get close. Threat level - HIGH.
ENTRY #3 - AcePalarum
Type: Hunter Description: This fighter-sized barnacle clings parasitically to larger creatures to travel long distances. It likes the challenge of cracking metal containers (like ships) to get at the chewy meats within. It is tough and packs strong weapons, though it is light in the speed department.
ENTRY #4 - CptFox
Type: Seeker Description: This ugly little guy just wants you to squish him and pop those green mucus sac’s behind his armour. Needless to say this littlle guy is week slow anoying and there are probably thousands of them.
ENTRY #5 - AcePalarum
Type: Seeker Description: Surprisingly delicate for a vicious monstrosity, this frigate-sized critter kills more than it eats. It can’t hold up under a lot of punishment, but is fast enough to avoid a fair amount of what’s thrown at it.
ENTRY #6 - CptFox
Type: Hive Description: This is the mother of all fighters, literally. When you see one of these approaching you in space turn your flack guns on and your repair systems as well. As fighters start to spew out of those purple hatcheries.
ENTRY #7 - AcePalarum
Type: Seeker Description: With tough skin and scales, this tentacled horror is the perfect predator for tiny fighters. Which is good, because it likes its meals in bite-sized pieces with lots of crunch. The strange gas sacs on its rear provide plenty of propulsive force to drive this beast through space, chasing its crunchy little tidbits.
ENTRY #8 - AcePalarum
Type: Hunter Description: If the buzzing of little wings could translate through vacuum, fighter jockeys everywhere would know horror at the sound of swarms of this little bit of nastiness. A simple bug that is dangerous through numbers.
ENTRY #9 - AcePalarum
Type: Destroyer Description: A ponderous horror that is just as happy to eat its fellow nasties when times are lean, this bulky alpha … thing … is tough and godawfully mean. Fleet approaching unknown hostile with caution, Captain… [size=150]CRUNCH[/size] Surviving ships fleeing for their lives, Captain…
ENTRY #10 - Randy Tjang
Type: Hunter Description: A tiny and agile drone, cheap and quick to produce in order to swarm the enemy and distort their sensor readings with the sheer density of said swarm. These are basically infant <entry 1> class ships that were outfitted for kamikaze attacks.
ENTRY #11 - Kalthaniell
Type: Seeker Description: A tribe crew transport was attacked by a new enemy, they managed to send a data burst with a short description and some images of what was attacking them, this is the last transmission from those coordinates, only audio:
-A strange insectoid just appeared in the sensors, we heard that they were dangerous and tried to start the FTL drive but… [size=85]backgroud explosions[/size] gah!.. we didnt made it, that thing just accelerated and rammed us!! Right now our escort is trying to… [size=85]big background explosionscreams[/size]… oh no! our escort has been destroyed by another of these things!!! we need help!! i repeat, we need help right now!! [size=85]twisted metal sounds[/size]… no, nonono, that monster is making a hole in the hull, it is inside!.. everyone to escape pods!!!.. [size=85]thunderous roar[/size] …wha…what is that!!! …noo noo help me!! please help meee!! gaaaahhhhhhh!! -. Ends transmission.
ENTRY #12 - CptFox
Type: Hunter Description:This guy is the backbone of the beast’s wall ‘a death tactic which involves masses of these guys in a wall sucking up damage and anything stupid enough to get close. Although there slow don’t underestimate them because while you’re laughing at one trundle its way towards you there’s one trundling its way to you from every other angle!
ENTRY #13 - Darkstar076
Type: Destroyer Description: A rebel battlefleet encountered a group of big, heavy insectoids. Half of the rebel units were obliterated in the brave battle, their battle experience revealed that those new cruiser sized beasts have a heavy armour and a large variety of offensive weapons, none of the fighter scuadrons that initiated close combat standed a chance, the counter offensive capabilities of the new entity compensates its lacking of moving speed. Also, several of the rebel frigates were pierced by a completly new kind of weapon, the eyes of the creature have the never before seen ability to emmit powerful beams. Do not engage close combat at any cost!.
ENTRY #14 - Darkstar076
Type: Seeker Description: A refinery ship that was traveling to a minning operation was attacked and destroyed by unknown enemies, but a scarvenger found the black box of the ship with information about the attackers. The majority of the information was vague and based on stipulations of the crew, but a photo taken in battle reveals that the new threat has two huge claws with some kind of appendages. Also in the photo appears an object that looks like a spine in flight. After some research and judging for the huge ammount of holes in the destroyed ship, the investigators determined that they were made by some kind of natural version of a rail gun.
ENTRY #15 - Obscuredemon
Type: Hunter Description:pending
ENTRY #16 - Flavoredpickle
Type: Hunter Description: This agile hunter is known by many captains for it’s lethal properties. This creature acts like an armor penetrating bullet, using blunt force to pierce through entire starships.
ENTRY #17 - Flavoredpickle
Type: Seeker Description: This slow beast may look weak, but do not be fooled, many Amateur pilots have attempted to engage in close quarters combat, only to have his starship being dissolved by potent acid.
ENTRY #18 - Flavoredpickle
Type: Destroyer Description: This monstrous abomination is a floating nightmare for fleet captains. Being a massive blob of bio-mass this creature is immune to all but the most powerful attacks.The front contains a massive maw, capable of swallowing entire ships whole. upon death the corpse of this creature releases a very toxic acid, stored at the back.
ENTRY #19 - AcePalarum
Type: Hive Description: This huge bug is incredibly slow, both physically and mentally. Outside of combat, it drifts aimlessly and consumes the leavings of its fellows. In combat, its overwhelming toughness makes it a useful distraction; the smarter critters toss one or two of these out front to draw the attention of attacking ships (since they’re tough enough to shrug off attacks and too stupid to realize they’re being used as bait).
ENTRY #20 - Flavoredpickle
Type: Hunter Description: This malicious hunter does not seek slaughter on the level of it’s companions, rather it is aware of the artificial atmospher econtained in ships. It uses it’s pincers to puncutre the hull, then drains the area of oxygen, using an unknown sensory organ.
ENTRY #21 - Dantalion
Type: Seeker Description: A small frigate-sized insectoid that hunts in packs of up to eleven members and favours grappling onto similar sized and larger entities. Once latched onto the hull, these bugs either skitter about disrupting communications and fire control by destroying antennas, sensors and gun turrets or settle into place and chew through the hull with their over-sized mandibles. Easily swatted away at long range, these critters spell doom for any ship whose gunners fail to keep enough of them away from the hull.
ENTRY #22 - Flavoredpickle
Type: Hunter Description: A small sluggish beast carrying a deadly payload of extremely corrosive acid, these creatures tend to stay away from mainstream combat, creating burrows inside the husks of fallen comrades in order to grow.
ENTRY #23 - Flavoredpickle
Type: Seeker Description: A mature version of it’s larval state this beast experiences many changes. It’s fleshy pinchers have been replaced with teeth covered in a thick, dense chitin. it’s ventral sacks filled with acid have expanded and now compose more than 70% of it’s body weight. it is a much more aggressive being then it’s predecessor and caution is advised when engaging it.
ENTRY #24 - CptFox Type: Destroyer Description: This guy has allot of eyes on the front. You know what that means… it’s a predator. This guy looks to be made up of multiple types of creatures all banding together. Allot like penguins… Except they’d be penguins with chainsaws and devil eyes D:
ENTRY #25 - AcePalarum
Type: Seeker Description: Among the smallest of the seeker-type beasts, this critter numbers among its strengths neither size, nor power, nor toughness. Numbers, on the other hand, it has in spades thanks to a reproductive drive just short of a rabbit on Spanish Fly. Where there is one, there are many, and your boot may not be big enough to squash these roaches before they devour your face.
ENTRY #26 - AcePalarum
Type: Hive Description:This tentacled horror is referred to as “Mom”. Its multiple egg-laying sacs allow it to lay the foundation for the next generation of AIIIEEEE! In combat, it sticks to a support role, soothing the hurts of its hunter babies and finishing off the enemy wounded. Remember, mother knows best.
ENTRY #27 - AcePalarum
Type: Seeker Description:This bony creature is an armored torpedo with brains. Its gas bladder and winglike membranes give it remarkable speed, which it uses to smash its way into the hulks of smashed spacecraft looking for the sweet meat lurking within. A speedy menace with hefty natural plating.
ENTRY #28 - AcePalarum
Type: Hive Description:The orifices that dominate this huge ponderous bulk are nests for all kinds of hunter drones. It “swims” its way through space using its tentacles, resulting in a speed and maneuverability that would insult a glacier.
[size=80]This time Bentusi and Lukario were not interested, or were too busy (respectively) to make entries.[/size]
Also, as Darkstar said in the end of the first modding contest, i’m really grateful to these modders (and several others) for keeping this wonderful community alive, truly the best forum community that i’ve meet! =D
Special Mentions:
I give the mention of “BRAINSTORM DESIGNER” to AcePalarum who came with the highest ammount of designs (9) and to his Nemesis and new user, Flavoredpickle, who made 6 designs. I have to say that i found really “interesting” the moment were both users started to submit more and more entries in something similar to a competition behind the scenes.
Also, i’m in complete agreement with Kalthaniell and his vote comment, thats why i give to Flavoredpickle the “OUTSIDE THE BOX” mention, for making the design number 18, and for having the only trully asymetric design, gratz.
And now the results of the Second Community Design Contest!
As you may remember we had 4 categories for the beasts:
Hunters:
As the second category by the number of submitted entries in the contest (8), there was a fierce competition to take the relatively few votes that it recieved. At the end CptFox and his #12 took the first place in the Hunters Podium with a total of 6 votes. Fight for the second and third place was intense but Flavoredpickle merged victorious and took the second place with his entry #22, closely followed by Randy with his entry #10.
Seekers: As the most popular and crowded category, there was an epic amount of votes and a bestial fight among these insectoids, Kalthaniells #2 Seeker raised between the corpses of many beasts and activated gas superthrusters to the infinity, claimming the victory with an incredibly ammount of 28 votes. Far behind the entry #11 of the same author took the second place with 12 votes. Hot on his heals was AcePalarum with his entry #27.
Destroyers: With only 4 designs, the Destroyers category almost solved its problems with democracy, giving to only one entry out of the podium. Randys #1 claimed the victory with a total of 9 votes, pretty close behind Darkstar claims the second place with the entry #8 and its 8 votes. And with the third place in the podium, Flavoredpickle shares his 6 times voted entry #18.
Hives: Another category with 4 participants. CptFox (#6 with 5 votes) and Acepalarum (#26 with 5 votes) have to share the first place in the Hives Podium. But AcePalarum also takes the third place, with his, 4 times voted, entry number 19.
This give us:
[size=50](sorry for the big ammounts of pink, i wanted to mantain the background color scheme)[/size]
Kalthaniell had the two highest puntuations, so i’ve jumped over the second one and gave the second place to the third most voted entry, and the third place for the fourth most voted entry.
Also i give to the winners, my own gift, i hope you guys like some rock!
[size=150]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXz9IwaSak[/size]
Just cuz it has some relation with your monster-maker-minds! >=D
[size=150]CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING AND VOTING TO EVERYONE!!![/size]
The first entry of the contest has been posted! A brave participant has created the first beast! Are you going to put some efforts to face this threat with an even greater design?
Also there are 3 categories without entries!
If were are not Careful THAT will happen, And it is not the REAL S.O.P.A. but a wake up call to those clueless about it. I have been spreading it all over today. This removed is real and about to happen If we do not stand up and tell them to stop and rewrite it to were it has MORE defined guidelines to stop piracy. Because this protect ip[ and sopa is so poorly written that you and i can get sued for just posting you and your buddies singing a copyrighted song and posting the video on youtube or facebook.
It’s really vaild in the US though. Plus, if you include credits and point out somewhere in the description that the music or video or whatever was made by someone else and you do not claim the ownership then they can sue you all day long. You’ll win every time. Than you can sue them for defamation if they weren’t careful And btw, imao piracy is a crime and the government should persue it. (the steal sth and make many of it kind, not the free knowledge for all humankind doctrine)
A little off-topic, but you’re missing some of the key points. Firstly, they won’t be suing you, it’s not a case you can win. What they can do is require that the site be removed from search results and lose its domain/DNS entries. Effectively, the site will no longer exist. The people backing it don’t care if you gave appropriate credit. Further, the issue here is not about piracy. We all know it’s a crime and needs to be reduced/stopped. The issue is how they’re going about combating it via a mechanism that will barely impact real piracy, but will catch a lot of innocent people in the cross-fire.
Edit:
For some perspective on what this would mean, a quote:
“The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) warned that websites Etsy, Flickr and Vimeo all seemed likely to shut down if the bill becomes law. Policy analysts for New America Foundation say this legislation would enable law enforcement to take down an entire domain due to something posted on a single blog, arguing, “an entire largely innocent online community could be punished for the actions of a tiny minority.””
Essentially, you see these mods we’re making? If SOPA passes into law, any single one of those would be enough for the entirety of the Positech Games website to be shut down.
Further:
“The Electronic Frontier Foundation have stated that the requirement that any site must self-police user generated content would impose significant liability costs and explains “why venture capitalists have said en masse they won’t invest in online startups if PIPA and SOPA pass.””
To summarise, almost every sensible person agrees with the goals of the bill, but the bill itself is full of fail in every possible way.
I do love the ships that have been made so far, they are what a Fighter a frigate and a cruiser? I might try my hand at them here soon™. Or just after my move and try to get em online.
Yep, in order they are a cruiser, a frigate and a figher, but the entry 2 may change as the author affirmed.
And nice blocked comment, you made me freak out for some mins xD
@Kemp: All true man, i’m already IN the campaing against SOPA and PIPA, and i’m trying to make understand to my friends the dangers of these damned legislations.
And btw, imao piracy is a crime and the government should persue it. (the steal sth and make many of it kind, not the free knowledge for all humankind doctrine)