[=- Master Wish List -=] GSB 2.0

This thread is to provide an index to the suggestions for improvement that are scattered around the forum.

It might not be common knowledge for everyone who reads these forums, but Cliff has finished development of GSB. Therefore, the many hopeful suggestions which fill this particular sub-forum are not going to be realized within the current GSB game.

The far future, however, is another matter entirely…

[size=125]If you have a thread elsewhere that has an idea/improvement for[/size] [size=150]GSB 2[/size][size=125], and it is not already listed in this index, then please post a reply here so I can update the list and provide a link to that thread.[/size]

A joint creation by Archduke Astro and myself, the purpose of the Master Wish List is to allow Cliff to easily view in one place all of the best-thought-out GSB 2 ideas the community has. At least, we HOPE that we receive all of them. So when the time comes for Cliff to roll up his sleeves and start the development of GSB 2, there will be a one-stop shop of solid, interesting, practical ideas to pick and choose from – ideas generated by the creative consciousness of the forum.

Make sure that you read this entire thread carefully before posting in it. Duplicate ideas create confusion; yours may have been thought of previously by another player, and might be posted here already.

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- Maxsimultaneous Missile / Rocket / Torpedo:
The ability to launch multiple rockets / missiles / torpedoes from one launcher, and have them all in flight before the first one strikes the target (much like the Parasites’ Plasma Slinger) has been requested a few times.

Link 1
Link 2

[size=125]--------- FULFILLED! Thanks [/size]

- Multi-Beam Beam Weapons
A turret that shoots multiple beams from one turret. Each beam follows a linear (or curved?) path to various random targets in range. (This “scatter-shot” method differs from salvo firing, as salvo only hits the same target repeatedly)

Link 1

- Increase the maxsimultaneous Limits:
Let’s push the tactical boundaries and have much more plasma flying around the map, along with more than one missile in flight at a time from each launcher in order to cause true fear. Please raise the maxsimultaneous limit up from 4, to 6 at a time per plasma launcher. And add a brand-new maxsimultaneous limit of 8 at a time per missile / rocket / torpedo launcher.

[size=125]--------- MISSILE FEATURE FULFILLED! Thanks [/size]

- Target Restrictions for Weapons:
Player ability to add a line of code that makes a weapon physically unable to ever target certain ship class(es); for example, a pure anti-fighter cannon or a pure cruiser-buster.

Link 1

- AoE for Missiles / Rockets /Torps:
Make the Area of Effect (“flak”) shockwave payload option available to rockets, missiles and torpedoes.

- More Payloads for Bullets, Beams, Plasma & Missiles (Shield Disruptor / Radiation / AOE / etc.)
Increase the variety of possible payloads to the various weapon families. Presently, they are too bottle-necked
by being Explosive or Decoy payload only.

- Weapon Bonus vs. Shield / Armor / Internals:
Similar to GTB, where a weapon can inflict different amounts of damage to the various components of a ship. This will help avoid much of the problematic nature of GSB’s armour stacking, as well as the well-intentioned but too-binary nature of GSB’s shield resistance mechanic.

- Chain Lightning:
Add a bit more zappiness to the Alliance’s Lightning Gun. This is great against fighters or frigates that swarm together - the damage jumps from ship to ship X number of times.

- Ammunition Limits:
Place a moddable set of default limits upon the available ammunition for all weapons which fire any kind of physical object (e.g., bombs/missiles/rockets). While such moddable limits will create more as well as better tactical options for ships, this feature is also especially badly-needed for fighters. This opens a whole new battlefield dynamic as well as increased variety of weapons.

In order to make Ammo Limits work, you also need two other new mechanics (Carrier Bay Weapons Reload and Specific Orders).

Link 1
Link 2

- Support Beam Variety:

To increase the combined-arms functionality of GSB 2, we could increase some other support beams for various functions.

• Shield Matrix Beam: Able to rebuild the Shield Matrix of any friendly ship within range
• Repair Armor Beam: This beam will repair the armour on any friendly ship within range (even if said armour module is destroyed)
• Repair Structural Integrity Beam: This beam will will repair the hitpoints on any friendly ship within range (even if the module being targeted is destroyed)
• Reload Beam: Should ammo limits be introduced, this beam will Reload Ammo-capable weapons
• Reclamator Beam: Need some more nanites to continue your repairs? This beam absorbs wreckage around the battlefield and converts it into usable repair resources

Second Time Lucky:
I have noticed that if a missiles misses, no matter how many times it turns to hit the ship again, it will always miss. Is it possible to give them a second chance to try hitting the target? We are paying for all that fuel, so I would prefer to get my money’s worth!

Link 1
Link 2

Shield Siphon:
This weapon targets enemy shields and drains them of energy which is then transferred to your ship’s own shield. Any excess energy is lost and the weapon does no damage to hull or armour. Might be useful for frigates to survive a bit longer.

Various Drone Launchers:
Just like the Limpet Mine Launcher that the Order have, the Drone Launchers release multiple autonomous drones that will orbit the ship and provide support:

• Anti Missile: Drones that shoot at missiles by using a short-ranged Point Defense system
• Anti Fighter: Drones that shoot at enemy fighters by using a low-powered laser
• Assault Drone Launcher: Module has a limited supply of drones, but these drones actively pursue a target across the battlefield. Can be shot down with Point Defense.

The Drones die when their home ship goes boom, but they have the advantage of respawning from their home ship if shot down.

Weapons [config]:
custom_missile = new_missile.dds => custom missile texture, like custom bullet texture. SIM_MissileModule only.
custom_plasma = new_plasma.dds => custom plasma texture, lwhich is animated. SIM_PlasmaLauncherModule only.
custom_limpet = new_limpet.dds => custom limpet texture, like custom bullet texture. SIM_LimpetLauncher.
custom_radiation = new_radiation.dds => custom radiation effect texture. Affects missile/bullet if playload is RADIATION.
custom_flare = new_flare.dds => custom flare texture for missile/rocket. SIM_MissileModule only.
custom_trail = new_trail.dds => custom trail texture for missile/rocket. SIM_MissileModule only.
custom_splines = new_splines.dds => custom splines texture for missile/rocket. SIM_MissileModule only.
lightning_speed = 200 => how much time takes to switch between lightning texture frame in milliseconds. SIM_LightningGunModule only.
ecm_sound = new_zapper.ogg => sound for EMP gun, really needs one. SIM_ECMShockModule only.
cloak_sound = something_epic.ogg => sound of cloaking/decloaking of ship. SIM_CamoflageShieldModule only.

Link 1

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- Combat Tractor Beam:
Not only does the tractor hold the ship in place, it also deals DOT (damage over time) like radiation does. And also like radiation damage, the weapon will still obey shield and armor ratings.

- Area-of-Effect Tractor Beams:
The tractor beam hits its target, a sphere of tractor energy is formed around the target, and any and all enemy units caught within that sphere stops. Basically, a tractor zone.

- Repulsor Beam:
Repulsor beam that can push ships away, out of minimum range of your weapons (it’s something from Doc Smith’s classic “Lensman” series).

- Higher-Efficiency Carrier Repair Bays:
Repair/replace all aspects of the fighter even if they are broken or totally inoperable (shields / armor / weapons).
If weapon ammo is introduced, it will also restock the fighter’s magazines back to being fully-loaded.

Link

- Buff Modules:
Similar to the repair / heal / command buffs in GTB, a ship can have a module that provides bonuses to nearby friendly ships.

- The ability to add more than one kind of “attribute” to a module:
The ultimate ability for any modder – to combine multiple attributes into one weapon (e.g., EMP Cannon that also does damage; a beam-type gun which also inflicts radiation/DoT damage; veteran crew that improves overall gun targeting and damage-control aboard their ship; shield generators that also increase EMP resistance; etc.).

- Turn Rate Module:
An engine/thruster/module that substantially increases the turn speed of the frigate/cruiser or ship design that add turn speed bonus. Make your ships corner within a far shorter time interval than ever before.

Link

[size=125]--------- FULFILLED! Thanks [/size]

- Protective / Extended / Siege Shields
New types of shield generators that can protect other ships.

Protective
Extended
Siege

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- Extra Slot Types:
Two new kinds of slots added to the existing slots, in order to augment the new ship types that the player community loves to create.
And no, these proposed slot-icon shapes are not random:

1. Advanced Module Slot (new octagon-shaped slot)
2. Advanced Weapon Slot (new triangle-shaped slot)

GSB2 cries out to be blessed with this; having only two module types for all of GSB1 is much too limiting!

This feature will allow much more fully-featured ships to exist, which creates new and interesting layers of combat possibilities
for players to explore and enjoy. This is the easiest route to having far less two-dimensional equipment and load-outs in the game.

Link 1 (bottom of post)
Link 2

- Spinal-Mount Slot Types:
A special slot type that does not turn; reserved for only the heaviest of weapons. Your ship has to be facing in the right direction before a weapon of this line-ahead-firing-only type (or “very-narrow-conical firing arc” type only) can engage the enemy.

Link

- Augmentations / Rigs for Individual Weapons and Modules:
The player can place a augmentation module onto a slot, thereby granting the the rig certain bonuses to that weapon / module. It would link in nicely with the extra slot types (see above). Alternatively, have a global rig slot for the entire hull (similar to how GTB does it).

Link 1
Link 2

- Ability to choose which weapons will shoot at what hull class:
When setting the ranges for each hull category, allow us to turn on / off which weapons will shoot at hulls in that group. Very useful to stop your slow-tracking, long-recharge weapons from wasting their damage potential (and precious rearming time after the wasted shots) upon trying to vainly engage incoming fighters or other fast, agile units.

- Phoenix Ability:
Modder ability to specify the deployment of a single additional enemy unit on the GSB battlefield when a particular existing enemy unit has finally been destroyed.

The second enemy unit is to appear at map coordinates which define the exact center of the first unit at the instant it explodes and is removed from play. The visual explosion effects of the first unit’s death aren’t altered in any way – the second enemy is to appear to be flying directly out of the middle of the smoke and flame and hulk wreckage of its predecessor (the new ship also has the same set of combat orders as previous ship). The new Phoenix ship will face in the direction of the ship which fired the last shot needed to blow up its predecessor, and after spawning it will initially begin moving towards that unit.

This is useful for story-based scenario arcs, and to heighten the surprise-and-horror factor of Survival missions.

- Descriptions for hulls:
Enable a text field where the player can read up on the story behind the hull. Helps add depth to the game and get the player more involved emotionally. Anyone who enjoys fiction-based wargaming should support this idea.

- Hard-Coded Modules:
To be able to add in non-optional modules / weapons / extras to the ship hull; ones that the player can’t modify or remove.

- New Ship Classes:
Increase the number of hull categories (presently only 3) by introducing sub-categories (e.g., Command Cruiser, Heavy Frigate). Even better would be to add completely new hull categories in their own right (Bombers, Destroyers, Dreadnoughts, etc.).

- Hero-Class Hulls:
To be able to specify that a particular hull is nearly unique, and the player can only deploy X number of it into a mission (just like how a module supply limit works).

- Animated Sections / Greebles for Ships:
Rotating radar dishes, moving parts, “chase lights,” and other little moving widgets that makes the hull come alive.

- Customizable Explosions:
To be able to make more varied explosions; changing-up the colours, number of particles, etc.

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- Enable the “Description” field in Scenarios, and pre-game choice of what Music to play in each Scenario:
Allows the modder to override what music is played (no entry means racial ‘default’ music instead), as well as ilet the modder put in a short text description of the battle (which is great for chains of story-based missions).

Link 1

- Override Vanilla Content:
If you have a weapon / hull / module with the same name as the vanilla content, GSB will choose the modded content over the vanilla content. Mainly for people that want to make Total Conversions and change the original races.

Races [config]:
use_unrestricted_modules = 1 => default is 1. If 0, then race can’t use modules that don’t have a “restricted” row.
custom_debris = new_debris.dds => allows use of custom debris graphics.
escapepod = new_escapepod.dds => allows use of custom escape pod graphics. Replaces “escapepodid” row.
repairbot = new_repairbot .dds => allows use of custom repair bot graphics. Replaces “repairbotid” row.
contrail = new_contrail .dds => allows use of custom engine-contrail graphics. Replaces “contrail” row.
music_defense = protect.ogg => music that player hears when fighting against this race. Replaces “music” row.
music_offense = attack.ogg => music that player hears when playing as this race. If this row not added, instead will use “music_defense” of the race that is attacked by you (vanilla mode).

Link

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- Nerf the Tribe :
Bring the Tribe closer into line with the vanilla races.

Option one - Increase the size of some of the hulls (especially the Utopia cruiser hull)
Option Two - Reduce the race-wide Integrityboost bonus from +100% to +80%

- Increase Frigate Speed:
Game-wide global boost of the thrust output of frigate engines.

Link

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- Escort Scenarios
Make it possible to have missions where you can ONLY win by successfully doing something like:

1. Using your ships to escort a group of almost-unarmed cargo transports to their destination;
2. Defend an immobile space station from imminent attack;
3. Play as the space station or the cargo transports, doing what little you can (directly) while you trust in your AI-led escorts to save you!

Link

- Multi-Wave Scenarios:
Both Player and Opponent have X number of waves each. Every wave has its own pilot and resource cap. Waves are planned prior to the battle. Player switches between waves with new, numbered buttons to be added to GUI across the top of the screen.

- Enable user-designed Custom Fleets for the GSB 2.0 Campaign Mode:
Give the modders full control over encounters for a Campaign – let them be able to set exactly what kind of fleets the player will encounter, and the % chance that a modded fleet will be used.

- Head-to-Head Gameplay:
Pit yourself against a live opponent(s) in a skirmish, or settle in for a marathon in Campaign Mode.

Link

- IRC Chat:
Along with Head-to-Head Gameplay, having the ability to chat with your opponent would be fantastic.

Link

- Ground Combat Operations within GSB 2.0:
Add that extra dimension to the Campaign Mode by taking the battle to the planet’s surface. (Maybe using GTB ?)

Link

- To the Bitter End:
An option that players can select (like direct control), where the mission will keep going until one side is completely destroyed.

Link 1
Link 2

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- It Is A Good Day to Die
When there is nothing left for a ship to do because it has no operable weapons, allow it to thrust directly for the nearest enemy ship (fighters will not be a legal target)
and detonate your ship’s powerplant at extremely close range. Go out in a blaze of glory. (Priority based on weapon settings)

Link

- Layered Orders
Keep Moving + Formation - basically, things stay in formation until the link breaks, then Keep Moving takes over.
This way, you can actually mix frigate with cruisers in a fleet without slowing them down to the cruiser level (AKA uselessly slow).

- Stay On Target!
There is nothing worse for your mighty “ship of the line” to unleash fiery (but unnecessary) rage on an approaching fighter swarm, only to have the main enemy fleet to come into range a few seconds afterwards. This set of “Ignore ship class” orders will override all others, including Retaliate and Rescuer.

Link 1

The softer side of this set of orders is that by removing the hullsize-based Attack Cruisers, Atk.Frigates etc. commands, the ship will ignore that particular class of target unless it is following advanced orders like Retaliate or Rescuer.

GSB’s General AI thread - pretty much required reading for all players

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- Scroll Bar for when hulls have more than 20 modules:
Designed for the substantial number of modded ships over the last 4+ years that have more than 20 modules. These now overflow down the screen (in Campaign, Deployment Screen, and actual Battle Screen), which is messy and frustrating. A modest scroll bar tucked into one side of that module-display grid would be very helpful!

- Unlocking after completion of a scenario:
When the player completes mission A, a new ship/module/race in the Fleet HQ screen becomes available to unlock (so long as you have the required honour) for mission B.

- Double Click / Ctrl+Click on an Module to auto-place it on a ship:
Similar to GTB, when you double-click on an module it auto-places on the next available hull slot.
For standard modules, it will find a empty standard slot before it finds an empty turret slot.

- Ship Formation Saves:
It’s not an entire fleet deployment; instead, the ability to load groups (i.e., save a deployment with 2 Cruisers 4 Frigates and 6 Fighter Squadrons), then multiple deployment of that group including combat orders. The saves are universal, like the combat orders saved for a particular ship variant class.

- Editing / Creating Combat Orders (somehow come up with your own preset orders):
Not happy with the ‘Stand and Fight’? Then modify the combat orders system to include an even better (for example) “close to within X distance of targeted ship to inflict maximum collateral damage” order.

Link 1
Link 2

- In-Game Ship Builder:
A built-in ship designer that not only allows you to create new ship weapon and module layouts as the current style - it also allows you to create entire new ships using pre-designed parts.

Link

- What content is needed for which Challanges:
Before you download a challange, to be able to push a button and a Window opens showing if you have all the content or which ones you are missing.

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I think a lot of these suggestions might be reserved until GSB 2.0.
I’ve just gone through all the fixes required to have multi-point tractor beams, and fix AI drivers and cloaking, and the upshot of it is that the GSB 1.0 code base needs some serious tearing apart and reconfiguring to enable me to bolt anything much more on top of it.
However, there is some stuff you will all like (I hope!) coming in 1.61, and the outcasts after that.

Hi Cliff,
I’m very new, but GSB has already stolen my heart (and sleep)! ^^

If I may have a wishlist too for GSB2:

1. In-game messaging. Just a simple send, receive, inbox would be enough.
2. Clan/Group/Ladder. Where players can team up and discuss things within the group.
3. Editor mode. Where players can easily create Mod, maybe menu-guided? Such as: ship stats, load ship image, etc. With this feature I’m sure the Modding community will explode in numbers and quality.
4. Social plugin, posting battle result, ship design, etc to FB, twitter, G+, etc.
5. Ability to upload battle videos in-game directly to youtube.

Thanks in advance ^^

multiple “SIM_module” traits to one module

for instance:

classname = "SIM_CrewModule","SIM_RepairModule"

this would make a crewmodule that also repairs the ship. “engineer crew”

Since it would be the ULTIMATE modding support addition, it sounds great! We would be begin able to make whatever comes to our minds, the only problem might be how hard to make it real would be lol

hear is some of my ideas:

1 more classes of ships (preators’ mod Praetorian Industries is one example of this)

2 revamped campaign mode to, in part explain this i will be giving a picture from SWBF2

notice the two fleets on diffident sides, or teams if you will, i think that the campaign game mode would be better if there was dynamic territories for each race, each could lose and gain planets, and each would have to build fleets up rather then having magic fun ships poof out of no-where-land.

also changes to the gui, or hud, you know what i mean, in the academy it would be nice to have slider where we could chose to teach such and such % as such, ect.

also it would be ungodly nice if we could get mod fleets that will attack us, and if not let us design fleets with the mod which will be built up by the ai which yo may encouter

Yes, new campaing system would be great, my idea is this:

Do not change the fleets system (were every players fleet is recorded and used as enemy fleets), but asign to each race a territory on a map of the “Gratuitous Universe” and then, when you attack a rebel controlled sector/planet, you will be only facing rebel ships. If you get attacked from a planet controlled by the federation, you will fight against a federation fleet, etc.

That would make the things more interesting, i think ^^

Limited ammunition weapons, i.e.: bombs/missiles/rockets, particularly for fighters.

Missile modules for fighters can then have good weights such that if they carry many, they are slower to avoid the problem of 2xmissile 1xarmor 1xengine fighters pwning stuff by firing infinite missiles.

gsb 1 mods made compatible

New mode; arcade.

You have to win the battle to move to the next, more difficult one. There could even be a story. Rewards could be access to a “create your own alien species” built-in editor.

Additions to existing modes:

1. Unlockable captains, admirals with special traits. Aggression/caution, Bravery/cowardice + bonuses/penalties to aim, tracking, luck, repair and driving choices. Funny background stories.
2. Dynamic AI in campaign mode. They attack each other, not only you. They have captains and admirals too, and the difficulty would increase towards the end because there is likely only you and one enemy left and both are powerful. Limited “hard counter” intelligence when they attack (at least the second attempt).

I would definitely LOVE that feature for GSB 2!

Personally - I would not want that feature, here’s why:

Cliff has already stated that many of the suggestions will have to wait for GSB 2 as they cannot be implemented into the code without some extreme level of coding.

Therefore that makes me think that GSB 2 code will be written from the ground up and will probably require new file setups (ie GTB has all modules in one file and the hull files have multiple components for colour selection).

To enable GSB II to use mods written for GSB I, the game would have to somehow automatically include, compensate or leave out any the new features. In effect Cliff has to not only write the code for GSB II but include the code for GSB I.

For what its worth, I would suggest that instead of asking Cliff to try and get GSB II to run mods written for GSB I, we should be asking the author (or to authorise someone) to do the hard yards and convert the mod across to GSB II. . . and to make use of all the shiny new features