Arcade Game?

[it depends]

Just to add onto the specs...
A7N8X, Barton 2500(@10.5*200), Geforce3Ti200.
Game speed seems perfect at normal settings, maybe a little quick when i get into a 1 vs 3 fight, but hey, it's not like that should easy.

Do like the turn rate mod idea though, as my destroyer does ridiculously tight donuts.

[Phoenix-D]

Ok, just to make sure this isn't a game problem:

Anyone who thinks the game is too fast, or too slow, stop your ship, press F7 and click directly behind. Measure the time it takes to turn completely around. For a destroyer, this should IIRC be about 3 seconds, for a cruiser 4 seconds.

I'll put out an updated Version of the demo mod later. 2x slowdown and no adjustment to maximum speed, I think.

[Wydraz]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

Of course, the "switch" is already right there. Pop open notepad, and change things however you like. Divide firing rates in half, slash turn speeds, bump armor strength up by a factor of 10, no problem.

Tinkering in notepad is not a 'switch'. I just thought that many players who are not into modding would like that option. Most people cannot open a data file and instantly figure out what they need to change, including me. There will be new players who will be turned off by the arcade speed of combat, and some already have been by the demo.

I personally don't have a problem either way. I've grown accustomed to the arcade style, but in my own mod I'm most likely going to slow things down a bit, as that is the kind of game I want.

[ October 01, 2003, 19:48: Message edited by: Wydraz ]

[PvK]

I think the people who need to run at speed 8 are doing it to pass the time during uneventful travel, or their computer is way below spec or running in software mode or something.

Yes, turning takes about three seconds. It is too fast for a starship simulator, for my tastes. It's ok for a light strategy/arcade/RPG game, which is what it is. Other things besides speed which complete the design are things like the inability to do everything while paused, the need to manually avoid crashing into other ships and planets, and the way the ships and bases are about as big as planets, and their sizes are taken literally for collision detection, accidental weapon hits, the limited viewing arcs, the lack of navigation commands, range and firing arcs from different firing points on the ship, and the way days of game time pass in seconds of real time, even on the slowest game speed setting.

However, it's clear that MM and many of the playtesters don't mind all that much, and actually enjoy the design as a light strategy/action game with abstracted time and space and the need to fight at arcade speed, the responsibility to avoid collisions and check the views for threats manually, etc. These things will bother some players (myself included), but not everyone.

Yes, it'd be nice to have two game designs in one. It'd also be rather tough to pull off, for various reasons. Some mods like SJ's will help for those players whose tastes are somewhere in between, no doubt.

PvK

[Wydraz]

Agreed. I think it just takes a little getting used to, for those of us who had preconceptions of what SF would (or could) be like. Now that I've played it for a bit, I like it just fine the way it is. But if it were not moddable, I would like it less.

[Phoenix-D]

Check the views for threats manually? Why not just set your radar for 300ls? I have yet to see a weapon that can fire beyond 200ls, so you'll have plenty of time to respond.

Though I do wish you could target by clicking in the radar map.

[Mehrunes]

It'd be nice if the radar map's maximum range would match your sensor range when you have system scanners equipped pushing it past 300 ls.

[Phoenix-D]

That it would.

On the scale issue: I can see why he didn't bother. By my estimate, a 300kt Destroyer would be 6000 times shorter than a medium sized planet. The kind of sizing (and texture size!) you'd need to get anywhere near realistic size is daunting.

On turning: 4x slower turn rates gives a destroyer about the same turn rate as a modern jet fighter. 4x slower acceleration means it takes about 30ls to stop. I think those are reasonable enough, so for the second Version of Slowdown I just increased the top speed back to normal, and halved the mission timers. May have to undo that Last bit, we'll see. Get the updated Version at the same place, I replaced the old Version.

Same deal, just extract into your Campaigns directory and select Slowdown. Note that if you do this to a campgain in progress, it won't affect your ship until you buy a new one.

[Suicide Junkie]

Well, modding these text files is quite easy. No programming or coding, or compiling.
Even if you don't go in and do it yourself, there will be plenty of other people making modded campaigns, and odds are that you will find some to your liking.

If you know what you want, you can easily get help with it; just ask.

[Renegade 13]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
Well, modding these text files is quite easy. No programming or coding, or compiling.
Even if you don't go in and do it yourself, there will be plenty of other people making modded campaigns, and odds are that you will find some to your liking.

It just takes a little while to figure out what does what and where. Personally, I've been having too much fun playing the demo as is to bother trying to mod anything too much