I know it’s not currently possible, but I’m wondering how difficult would it be to implement the option of adding alternate payloads to virtually any weapon type.
For example, adding ECM effects to bullet-based weapons or adding disruptors to a beam laser (one that deals normal damage as well).
Any thoughts or ideas?
More choices does not automatically mean that the choices are interesting, and at the same time, it gets harder to balance. Guild Wars suffers from this a lot. Sure, you can combine any 8 out of 400 skills, but 99% of these combinations are atrociously bad.
Too much flexibility can take away from the challenge of ship design.
What about GWM - Gratuitous Weapon Maker
Just a Seperate GUI interface where you get to load out your missiles, Make your Cannons And Get your Supedup-engines
(has a Basic Image then you add parts that have a differnt effect, Calculates weight, cost, crew and energy to keep it in balance with the ingame weapons. Gernerates the Bitmap based on a Basic Image and bits added on and a Text file for the Code)
This will allow pre-modders to get into the more complex stuff as not everything would be do-able (so you dont have 1001 challenges that use slightly differnt mods it can be SP Locked/Player - Self Challenges)
So if you get your MK I Rocket Shell, Attach A MKIII Rocket Engine and a EMP Warhead And Advanced Guidance System you get a Weak (Shell) fast (Engine) EMP (Warhead) that Can Hit Fighters and that Never (almost) Misses the Target (Guidance System)
all at the Right Cost, Crew and Energy Requirements (although use made stuff should cost more than the Imgame Weapons by 2.5-5% As the Development Fees to produce Weapons only for your fleet
At first I thought this was sarchasm, then I realized you were serious, then I realized this would be awesome, not as seperate game though but like a new button next to “Ship Design” say “Weapon Design”. I fully support this idea.
This proposal might open an astonishing field of variety, but I think it’s also a clickfest minefield that would harm the game’s playability. To me, the former is not worth the latter; I’ll pass.
it would only Change the Playability for people that use the Weapons Designer. all the missions should be passable without it (Think of it as the hull editor that cliff made, just that instead of hulls its modules)
Weapon designer would ether be over powered or under powered. I’m against this for balance reasons.
you could say the same about the hull editor, You could add 100+ Modules to a Ship
it would just speed up the Transition of modders From 1st Steps -> Making a Race, also it would be great for getting error Free and Balanced Weapons with the Automated Cost’s (also For when your Making the MK I, II, II, IV and V Versions of the Weapons)
Then it should be a tool like the hull editor so you can make your own weapons and configure them for modding purposes, and not use some sort of module system like building ships in the ship editor does.
the idea could be used both ways, except in challenges. depends on the amount of Usage it has
So your saying because you’d need to click on buttons the game would be ruined? I don’t get it. This is a great idea, if there’s something wrong with it explain in greater detail please.
I’m confused.
In relation to the original post, do you mean these things are not currently possible? I thought it was just a matter of adding the relevant variables to the module text files?
I haven’t tried it yet, but i was kind of hoping I could use some of those variables in weapons that don’t normally use them, such as making specialized missiles, a pulse laser that fires in salvos, a crew module that adds repair capability, and so forth.
So far all of my ideas are still being balanced out on paper. I haven’t tried messing with the game very much yet.
No, most Specialized Variables are only able to the Proper Module, so A Crew module cant repair.
and a GUI would make it easier for Newer Modders