New NESes, ideas, development, etc

I wouldn't bother.

Let anyone pick any race they like, and describe them themselves.

Personally, i wouldn't have other races. It just makes balancing issues. Keep it strictly human, just on a random map.

It's all theory right now anyway.

If I were to do a fantasy NES, I would probably set it up with several playable races, with basic physical descriptions of each, and let players have at it. Although a storied fantasy NES is tempting.
 
In general do people prefer a fresh start in which they can choose what they play, or a scenario with pre-existing nations (designed by the mod) that they can choose from?

Personally I prefer the scenario start so long as the nations are designed well and are interesting enough, and so long as there is room to develop them further yourself.
 
Why not make a list of advantageous traits and disadvantageous traits and players can make their own species but have to choos like, one or two traits from each list so that balancing is easier? For example, advantageous might be good warriors, but then disadvantageous could be something like close-minded so tech and magic doesn't advance very fast, etc.
 
I would rather have freedom to design my culture.
It is possible, and even desirable, to have some constraints. For instance in a fantasy NES, I would rather the players not design their race but pick one among existing choices so the world has some consistency.
I can pick up a nation that has been designed if I "know" it, meaning it's familiar to me, whether it comes from history (e.g. Rome), myth (e.g. Niflheim), literature (e.g. Mordor) or games (e.g. Bannor). If it's mod-designed, I'll probably ignore the NES.
 
For a fantasy fresh start, what kind of races would people want to be represented? Considering humans, Elves, Dwarves, etc a given, what other fantasy societies do people want to play as?
 
From a few fantasy games:
MoM features men, elves, halflings, orcs, gnolls, klackons, lizardmen, plus dwarves, beastmen, draconians and trolls.
FfH has humans, elves, dwarves, orcs.
Warhammer has humans, elves, dwarves, ogres, orcs, goblins, skavens, lizardmen.
Dominions has humans, vanir (let's say elves), giants (several), lavamen (abysians), cyclops (agarthans), monkeys, beastmen (satyrs/minotaurs/sirens), lizardmen.
 
From a few fantasy games:
MoM features men, elves, halflings, orcs, gnolls, klackons, lizardmen, plus dwarves, beastmen, draconians and trolls.
FfH has humans, elves, dwarves, orcs.
Warhammer has humans, elves, dwarves, ogres, orcs, goblins, skavens, lizardmen.
Dominions has humans, vanir (let's say elves), giants (several), lavamen (abysians), cyclops (agarthans), monkeys, beastmen (satyrs/minotaurs/sirens), lizardmen.

In Warhammer, you are forgetting the Tomb Kings and the Vampires...
 
Yes, undead. I don't really like counting them as a faction to start with though, because they are too alien. There are vampires in FfH too. And more undead in Dominions, so maybe these could be an option too.
 
so no underwater races? Poor R'ley...
 
Underwater races are another beast. I hate them in Dominions because entering and leaving the water are so hard that it usually boils down to underwater wars and land wars. Then, when everything is settled, the land war winner finishes the underwater water, which is not particularly fun, but is rather long.
In a NES it's probably even worse if you use something barely like the Earth for a map, as oceans are twice as big as lands, or even much more if you consider usable lands. Having players unable to attack each other is bad for gameplay if competition is a goal of the game.
 
I think I would limit it to humanoid fantasy races, preferably mammals, and no draconians (since that's more "deviates of nature/creations of evil gods", stuff). I'm not certain what I would use for a map, I may actually use Earth. It might be interesting to have an Elven or Dwarven civilization develop in India, or the Americas.

Thoughts on that?
 
When I made my dominions NES, I thought of using a world map because most of the various nations have an Earth equivalent. Unfortunately, many are crowded (Vanir of Helheim and Vanheim/Midgard, Jotunheim giants would all start around Sweden, Ermor in Rome, Marignon in Spain, Ulm in Germany, Pythium Arcoscephale and Pangaea in Greece and Anatolia, C'tis in Egypt while China only has T'ien Ch'i and America is limited to Mictlan).
Based on legends, you could have faerie races in Ireland, elves and frost giants in Scandinavia, other giants (nephilim) in the near east, lizardmen in Egypt, bakemonos (goblins) and onis in Japan, monkeys (as per the Ramayana) in India. Tolkien Orcs are probably an image of eastern hordes (so Central Asia). Winged men in Iran, scorpion men in Irak, gnomes in Zurich (obviously), dwarves in mountainous regions (Norway, Alps, Himalaya, Andes, rocky mountains?)...
 
When I made my dominions NES, I thought of using a world map because most of the various nations have an Earth equivalent. Unfortunately, many are crowded (Vanir of Helheim and Vanheim/Midgard, Jotunheim giants would all start around Sweden, Ermor in Rome, Marignon in Spain, Ulm in Germany, Pythium Arcoscephale and Pangaea in Greece and Anatolia, C'tis in Egypt while China only has T'ien Ch'i and America is limited to Mictlan).
Based on legends, you could have faerie races in Ireland, elves and frost giants in Scandinavia, other giants (nephilim) in the near east, lizardmen in Egypt, bakemonos (goblins) and onis in Japan, monkeys (as per the Ramayana) in India. Tolkien Orcs are probably an image of eastern hordes (so Central Asia). Winged men in Iran, scorpion men in Irak, gnomes in Zurich (obviously), dwarves in mountainous regions (Norway, Alps, Himalaya, Andes, rocky mountains?)...

Hmm. It could work.
 
Has anyone ever thought about a team-management NES? It wouldn't have to be sport exactly, maybe some kind of gladiator battle, but the point is you would win games to get money for better squad/equipment/magic etc. One update halfway through a match so you can change tactics etc, one update at the end with results and info on the next fixture, etc.
 
Has anyone ever thought about a team-management NES? It wouldn't have to be sport exactly, maybe some kind of gladiator battle, but the point is you would win games to get money for better squad/equipment/magic etc. One update halfway through a match so you can change tactics etc, one update at the end with results and info on the next fixture, etc.

No sports. Gladiator would be cool though. :) Sounds kinda interesting. Of course, make it fantasy gladiators. With dragons. x)
 
That has the potential to be pretty good actually, if it's set in large cities or otherwise complicated arenas and the condition is to hunt down players on the other teams.
 
Testing... Testing...

Spoiler I should really make a development thread and simplify this alot more :
Subject to massive changes

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Eastern Coalition (Human)
Manipulative Oligarchy - Capitalist - Industrialist

Fuel Cells: 1 (+0.33)
Eco: 8 (+8)
Pop: 5 / Industry 3 / Tech: 2
Mineral surplus! Food shortage!
Spoiler Systems :
Sol: Homeworld, Capitol, sprawling industrial consumerist volatile slum (+10e)
-> Building: MIR Explorer #2 (8/9e, 3/3i)

Ships: 1L (1)
Misc: 1 (1)
Armies: 1 (1)
Culture: +1.5 (+Consumerist, +Hard Working, +Respectful, +Adventurous, -Food Riots, -Crime, -Terrorism)
Colonists: 4 (4)
Tech Progress: 2 / 10 (Energy x2)
Tech Level: 9 (Physics x1, Energy x1, Computing x1, Robotics x1, Materials x1, Construction x1, Biology x1, Social x2)

Spoiler Ship Designs :
MIR Explorer: 9 eco, 2 industry
FTL1 x1
Explorer Team x1
* Sensors x1
* Erratic
* Tough


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Your Faction can be pureblood or a montage of multiple Races

Your Faction Leadership is described in a few words. You can attempt to change this at will, but healthy regimes (a high Culture rating) are likely to fight back.

Fuel Cells are mainly used to send ships between stars, which requires incredible amounts of energy no matter what FTL method you imagine. Fuel Cells can also be allocated for combat use. They are expensive to manufacture, costing 5 Eco points to make, and you cannot build more in one turn than your Industry rating. However you will also get free Fuel Cells at a rate depending on your techs, racial/cultural priorities, overall development, and any Energy zones colonised. Fuel Cells can be recycled for 4 Eco points - again, you cannot recycle more in one turn than your Industry rating.

Eco points are not just money, they represent your potential to make stuff happen in general, which is altered by things like morale and organisation as well as more colonization/industry/tech. You cannot spend the number listed in brackets, that just shows how much you got last turn.

Pop is your total population in abstract numbers. Generally, more Pop means more Eco income, although social problems can make overcrowding counter-productive. Most likely, all your Pop is in your home system to begin with - if colonies get any noticeable Pop, this will be noted. Populations can grow over time, depending on your race, and especially if there's a surplus of Bio resources, but the biggest factor is likely to be migration. You can build new 'City' Bases to encourage growth and immigration to new systems. Your total population size adds 'inertia' to your Culture, which has pros and cons. You cannot have more Armies than you have Pop (at least not until droid soldiers are invented).

Industry represents the limit of your hard industrial capacity, regardless of raw Eco. Industry is non-bankable. New Ships and Bases require a combination of Eco and Industry to be paid before they are completed. You can build Industrial Bases to increase this.

Tech is the limit of Eco that can be safely spent on research per turn. You can spend more than this, but it will only randomly do any good, and may in fact lead to nasty accidents, especially if going over twice the limit. You can build Tech Bases to increase this limit.

The number of Fleets and Armies is listed, along with the amount currently spent on upkeep (in brackets).

Culture is a mysterious thing. A combination of 'stability', cultural vitality and values, overlaid on racial traits. The overall rating directly affects your income and loyalty of your people. You can invest to improve it, at the same time adding or reinforcing a certain value, such as 'Hard Working'. This is hit-and-miss, but the average cost is your current Culture rating multiplied by your Pop rating - if your Culture is less than 1, then the cost is just your Pop rating. This can get very expensive for populous empires, but smaller populations can be more easily affected by random changes and foreign influence. Alternatively you may wish to deliberately de-stabilize your society in order to rebuild it from the ground up; you can pay the same price to lower the Culture rating. Note that you can attempt to influence another faction's cultures in the same way, with better chances if your Culture/Pop mixture is higher than theirs.

Colonists decrease every time you settle a new Zone or build a new Base, then slowly/randomly recover to the 'normal' number shown in brackets. If you have no colonists, then colonization costs are doubled, or you cannot colonize at all, depending on the traits of your race(s).

Regarding Tech Progress, tech level X costs a total of X Eco to reach by default. This means the more techs you have, the harder it is to get more, and therefore, it pays to specialise in what you really want.

You have an overall Tech Level, which is made up of progress is different areas, similar to SLYNES and the 'genes' idea of NESLife. At present we have Physics, Energy, Computing, Robotics, Materials, Construction, Biology, Nanotech, Social, and Transcendent thought. These have many various effects, affecting your income, and especially important in ship design. Some races may get their own specific tech categories to research.

Ship Designs may make more sense after reviewing the Building Ships section.




Star Travel


The stars of the galaxy are organised into Sectors, which can be thought of as provinces if you like. Most stars have lines connecting them with others. These lines do not represent 'star lanes' or wormholes. They just show where you can make easier journeys...

Linked by a bright line - distance is 0
Linked by a faint line - distance is 1
Unlinked, but in the same 'Sector' - distance is 2
Unlinked, but in an adjacent 'Sector' - distance is 4
There is a further +2 distance cost for every sector you wish to cross.

Spoiler More Info :
The faint lines on the galaxy map represent adjacent stars. Distance here is always 1, which means a ship with FTL drive rating of 1 can travel to these stars in one turn, using one Fuel Cell. This applies even if the line crosses between two Sectors (more on that below).

The bright lines represent stars orbiting each other as binaries, trinaries, or quinaries? - far enough away to have their own systems/zones for settlement, but close enough to have negligible fuel costs. The distance here is effectively 0, meaning a return trip can be made in one turn without using any Fuel Cells at all.


FTL Speed

Basically, an 'FTL drive mk1' allows a ship to travel a distance of 1 in one turn, and this will use one Fuel Cell. An 'FTL drive mk6' allows that ship to travel a distance of 6 in one turn, and this will use 6 Fuel Cells. And so on... Better drives are available through FTL research. While speed increases, you will always need one Fuel Cell for each unit of distance travelled.

Fuel Usage: IMPORTANT

  • Your ships will always use a number of Fuel Cells equal to the total distance travelled, but...
  • Your ships can only load Fuel Cells at friendly star systems, meaning...
  • You need to load enough fuel upfront for the entire journey, including a return trip if there is one!

Obviously if you are just relocating to a friendly system, or going on a kamikaze or otherwise one-way mission, you don't need to worry about a return trip. And if ships receive a change in orders, any unspent Fuel Cells can be reclaimed.

Fuel Storage and Dangers: IMPORTANT

  • Default safe Fuel Cell storage = ship's FTL drive class x2

That is, enough fuel for two turns of travel at max speed. If you load your ships with more than that, there is a risk of accidents, especially if your overloaded ships get attacked. There is no theoretical limit to the amount of Fuel Cells carried, but having more than 4x your FTL drive rating should be considered very dangerous.

Fuel Cells can also be used for a boost in space battles, so it is useful to have reserves without overloading a ship. For this purpose, 'Fuel Tanks' are upgradeable modules for your ships that allow them to safely store extra Fuel Cells for long voyages or extended combat. A 'Fuel Tank I' can hold one Fuel Cell, while a 'Fuel Tank III' can hold three Fuel Cells etc, and multiple tanks can be used. These do add to the weight and cost of a ship, however.

IE, a ship with a 'FTL I' drive could complete a 6-distance round trip in 6 turns, with 4 'Fuel Tank I's onboard to safely store the extra fuel (or 2 Fuel Tank II's, or 1 Fuel Tank IV, etc).

Ship Maintenance and Staying in Touch: IMPORTANT

Note that unless you have Quantum Communications (Special Invention), your ships will be out of contact when they are outside your settled systems. Like the seafaring days of old, you must give careful instructions beforehand or leave the captains with free will, then wait for them to return home with the news.

Also, ships cannot normally be maintained while in deep space - you won't be asked to pay upkeep, but the condition of the ships will deteriorate over long voyages. The same thing will happen to your home fleets if you decide to cut their upkeep.



Building Ships


Ships consist of Modules, and require Eco points and Industry to build. Each Module has an Eco cost, which increases with its upgrade level. The Industry cost for a ship is equal to the total number of Modules onboard.

By default, all ships have a basic set of systems like thrusters, computers, primitive weapons and/or engineering tools. Modules represent the special advanced features. A basic interstellar probe could consist of an FTL drive and nothing else. Note that FTL drive is expensive and does not come as standard - a ship with no FTL drive can be a defensive ship or some kind of utilitarian station.

You will end up with a number of Ship Designs, and each individual Ship in the galaxy will belong to one of those designs.

Interesting Ships and Misc Ships

Misc ships are miscellaneous traders, freighters and transports that are assumed to exist, usually at least one for each of the player-built (interesting) Ships. Each of your ships could actually be considered the head of a small flotilla (like the fleets in SLYNES). Misc ships do not feature on the map and require no fuel or upkeep costs. They are however listed in the stats. They can be lost to accidents, pirates or other enemy action in your settled systems. This can affect your ability to trade, receive income from colonies and move people/troops around. Their numbers will recover over time, but you may wish to invest some Eco to build more. They usually cost 10 Eco each. Allies can pool their Misc ships for mutual benefit.

Prototype Rule and Design Quirks: IMPORTANT

So you've designed a type of ship, but the first time you actually build one, it will come with a prototype cost. This prototype cost is simply +1 Eco for each module on the ship (see below). When the prototype is completed, there will be 'quirks' added to the design, both good and bad. These may be qualities like extra toughness, manoeuvrability, reliability, aesthetic appeal, reduced building costs, free bonus modules etc, together with penalties like unreliability, erratic systems, extra building cost, weak spots, etc. It is partly randomised, partly to do with the traits of your race(s) and faction. If you do not like the result of the prototype, you can just scrap it (see below) but you will need to build another one to proceed. Once you are happy with the prototype, each new ship will come with those 'quirks' and can be built without the extra prototype cost.

Upgrade Cost

You can maybe upgrade a ship to a similar, newer design that has already been prototyped, but please check with me first! You will basically pay half the Eco cost for each module that has to be upgraded, and the full Eco and Industry cost of each module that is completely new. Certain things like Structure and Conduit cannot be refitted, so it may be better to completely scrap older ships, especially as there are maintenance costs to pay too (see below).

Scrapping Refund

There is no exact formula for this. It will be randomly between 1/4 and 2/3 the ship's original cost in Eco.

Ship Classes and Maintenance Costs

Light (class I): 1-4 modules, Medium (class II): 5-9 modules, Heavy (class III): 10-19 modules, Capitol (class IV): 20-34 modules, Epic (class V): 35-49 modules, OMFG (class VI): 50+ modules

Ships maintenance cost is 1 Eco per class size. So an Epic costs 5 Eco per turn, while a Light is 1.

Repairing Ships

Damaged ships in allied systems will slowly repair, but you can aid the process by paying double (or more) of their normal upkeep.

Modules

So modules are how you build ships, and they come in different upgrade levels (mk1, mk2 etc). When you design a ship, you automatically get the best modules that your Tech Levels can provide, unless you deliberately want an older model for some reason. Due to miniaturisation and efficiency, the cost always remains the same. There are no mk0 modules, so you need at least 1 level of the required tech to be able to add such modules to your ship.

Most modules have cumulative effects (there is benefit to adding more than one of a type), and have two tech requirements. Where tech requirements are listed as OR, your module level can be equal to whichever of your tech levels is highest. When requirements are listed as AND, a combination is needed and you are limited to the lowest common denominator. EG, with Energy tech 1 and Physics tech 10, you can build thrusters mk10 (Energy or Physics), but still only build an FTL mk1 (Energy and Physics).

Spoiler Default Module List :
  • FTL drive: 6 Eco multiplied by the Size Class of Ship, Energy or Physics
    The most expensive module, and essential for getting out of your home system - please see the Star Travel section above. Each level of upgrade allows greater distances to be travelled per turn (default is 1) and more fuel to be stored safely (2x times upgrade level). Multiple drives can be fitted, but have no cumulative effect. You may wish to have a backup in case of accidents.

  • Fuel Tank: 2 Eco, Energy and Materials
    Allows extra fuel to be stored safely on a ship, for extended journeys - please see the Star Travel section above - or for use in battle. Each level of upgrade allows one more Fuel Cell to be carried (default is 1), and multiple Fuel Tanks have cumulative storage.

  • Thrusters: 3 Eco, Energy or Physics
    Thrusters help your ship avoid accidental collisions. In battle, manoeuvrability can obviously be a big advantage, and helps to avoid incoming weapons, especially Torpedoes. For best results, use enough Thrusters to equal the class size of ship, or one Thruster upgraded to that level, etc.

  • Structure: 2 Eco, Materials or Construction
    Structure keeps a ship together, allowing it to take more punishment before internal systems start getting destroyed and/or big explosion occurs.

  • Armour: 3 Eco, Materials and Construction
    Armour tries to keeps damage out in the first place. Armour generally faces a losing battle against comparative weapons tech, but can be a huge advantage against less advanced weapons.

  • Conduit: 1 Eco, Construction and Energy
    Helps to maintains power and cooling for vital ship systems even in the event of catastrophic damage. Makes it easier to switch power to different systems, making the ship a little more adaptable all round. It does nothing to actually hold the ship together.

  • Life Support: 2 Eco, Biology or Construction
    While all ships are assumed to have life support if needed, a dedicated module provides a more comfortable environment for the crew, especially important on long voyages, and improves their chances of surviving a battle. Multiple Life Support modules are useful as a backup only.

  • Shielding: 2 Eco, Energy and Physics
    A development of magnetic radiation shields to protect the crew. Has little effect against kinetic weapons (Mass, Swarm). Its main use in combat is to dilute energy (Beam) weapons directed at the hull. A shielding module also has some electronic warfare properties when teamed up with Jammers. Shields can let your ships fly closer to stars and other 'hot' places which may be an advantage. You can have several Shielding modules added together for extra effect, but these can still be easily pierced by more advanced beam weapons. Upgraded shields stand a much better chance.

  • Sensors: 2 Eco, Physics only
    Can spot special items lurking in new systems - most specials should be revealed with one or two turns of searching, but randomly it may take much longer, and you don't know in advance if anything is there to begin with. Sensors also play an important role in battles, giving extra reaction time while increasing your weapons accuracy especially for Beam and Point Defence weapons. Multiple sensors reduce the chances of missing something, but upgraded Sensors have clearer vision. The best Sensors in a system will give a smaller bonus to all your other ships there.

  • Jammer: 2 Eco, Energy or Physics
    This will basically jam your opponents Sensors, and can confuse incoming Swarm attacks. Upgraded Jammers can completely burn out primitive Scanners and leave your opponents almost blind.

  • Stealth: 3 Eco, Physics only
    Facilities sneak attacks, or sneaky lurking. Stealth is less useful once battle begins, but upgraded Stealth can make your ships invisible to primitive Scanners. Stealth ships might not be shown on the galactic map.

  • Computer: 2 Eco, Computing only
    A dedicated supercomputer churns through mountains of raw data and will give a general bonus to all ship functions, especially battle manoeuvring and targeting for all weapons. It can also keep a ship flying in the event of total crew death. An upgraded Computer may actually be able to take remote control of enemy ships with lesser models. The best Computer in a system will give a smaller bonus to all your other ships there.

  • Point Defence: 2 Eco, Energy or Computing
    These are clusters of mainly defensive weapons with accurate short-range firepower. Their main use is to counter Swarm attacks, and to repel boarding attempts via Boarding Pods. They have lesser effects against incoming Mass Driver and Torpedo attacks. This is helped by having an advantage with sensors and targeting. The mix of weapons uses some ammo, some energy. They are no defence against enemy Beams.

  • Beam: 3 Eco *, Energy and Physics
    Beams can work very well at all ranges and against various targets, but they are really dependent on having an advantage with sensors and targeting. Beams are limited by energy reserves, but this problem disappears if extra Fuel Cells are used in battle. Beams can also have dangerous radioactive effects on enemy crew.

  • Mass Driver: 2 Eco, Energy and Materials
    Pumping out clouds of hypervelocity material, these are especially dangerous weapons at close range against un-armoured targets. They are less dependent on targeting since they can just saturate large volumes of space. They have finite ammo.

  • Swarm: 3 Eco, Robotics or Computing
    Swarms of individually-guided drones, armed with explosive or kinetic warheads, capable of massive acceleration across space. They can be the most devastating weapon all round, that is if they are not countered by Jammers, Point Defence or by opposing Swarms. Individual Swarm launchers have very limited ammo.

  • Torpedo: 4 Eco, Construction or Energy
    Torpedoes are larger, denser objects designed to be both fast and tough enough to simply plough through enemy Point Defence, before destroying the enemy with explosive force or massive kinetic shock. They are less likely to be jammed but more likely to be evaded, especially against smaller ships. They are vulnerable to concentrated firepower of other weapons, including Swarms, but this can be useful in itself to draw enemy fire. These are typically a one-shot weapon per battle.

  • Boarding Pods: 3 Eco, Construction or Robotics
    Come with their own marines/drones and makes boarding actions a more doable prospect, even against still-mobile targets. Enemy weapons, especially Point Defence, remain a danger to approaching pods. Multiple Boarding Pods can be used for greater effect. It also helps if you have one or more Barracks on board.

  • Purging Stations: Robotics or Energy
    Increases the likelihood that hostile boarders will suffer horrible deaths through radiation, electrocution, extreme heat and/or bullets. For best results, use enough Purging Stations to equal the class size of ship, or one unit upgraded to that level, etc. Note that when damaged there is a danger of malfunction and that friendly crew will be purged instead.

  • Life Pods: 1 Eco, Construction or Biology
    Experienced crew can flee a doomed ship, perhaps to be rescued and maintain the experience levels of your fleet. The reassurance of Life Pods can also make you crew somewhat braver. For best results, use enough Life Pods to equal the class size of ship, or one Life Pod module upgraded to that level, etc.

  • Explorer Team: 3 Eco, Biology or Robotics
    Explorers that land on the surface of planets, cataloguing things that can't be catalogued with orbital Sensors, and possibly revealing more hidden goodies. Most specials should be revealed with one or two turns of searching, but randomly it may take much longer, and you don't know in advance if anything is there to begin with. Multiple / upgraded explorer teams have more chance to find things quickly, and upgraded teams are less likely to die in horrible accidents or be eaten by native lifeforms.

  • Biosphere: 5 Eco, Biology and Construction
    When the ship parked in a system, it reduces zone colonization costs there by 2 Eco, regardless of the module's upgrade level - you only need one module for this. A ship with a Biosphere also gives several intangible bonuses to a system - encourages immigration, helps evacuations to other systems, better diplomacy with aliens, provides a place for crew and soldiers to relax and recuperate - effects which increase with each Biosphere and/or the upgrade level. When the ship is finally dismantled, the Eco yield can be used towards zone colonization in a new system, ignoring Fuel Cell costs - see Colonization.

  • Engineering Bay: 4 Eco, Construction or Robotics
    Slowly repairs damage and deterioration, even when ships are in deep space. May liberate some Eco each turn when stationed in a system with unclaimed minerals, especially those in vaccum zones. Increases the chance of recouping some Eco from destroyed ships, especially in unclaimed systems. In defensive battles, an Engineering Bay allows your fleet to set up traps and hazards ahead of time, giving a bonus in combat.

  • Cloud Scoop: 3 Eco, Materials or Physics
    May liberate some Eco each turn when stationed in a system with unclaimed cloud zones.

  • Barracks: 4 Eco, Construction or Biology
    A module to hold troops and their equipment and get them close to enemy planets. Or maybe help evacuate them. Adds a small bonus to all local troop actions, including planet wars or boarding actions, offensive or defensive.

  • Self Destruct: 2 Eco, Energy or Physics
    Greatly increases the chance that the vessel will be spectacularly destroyed instead of being captured or simply abandoned. The ship can also be exploded at will on a kamikaze run. Only one Self Destruct is needed. The effect is upgradeable, but also depends on any FTL drive and Fuel Cells onboard.

  • Note: You are by no means limited to the selection above. New modules can appear as faction-specific things to begin with. Please feel free to post or PM me with requests/suggestions.

Example Ships

Spoiler Example Ships :
You request the following:
Space Hamster FTL Probe Mk1 Prototype
FTL
Sensors
-
I work this out:
Ship class is Light (2<5 modules), FTL multiplier is 1.
Eco cost is (6x1) +2, +2 prototype cost, = 10 Eco.
Industry cost is 2 (two modules).

Then once a prototype is built you get: (note free thrusters gained as a 'quirk')

Space Hamster FTL Probe Mk1 (Light): 8e / 2i
FTL I
Sensors I
* Thrusters I
* Erratic
* Aesthetic

Here's a slightly more substantial ship:

Dafpantheist Explorer Mk1 Prototype
FTL
Fuel Tank
Explorer Team
Sensors
-
Ship class is Light (4<5 modules), FTL cost multiplier is 1.
Eco cost is (6x1) +2+3+2, +4 prototype cost, = 17 Eco.
Industry cost is 4 (four modules).

Once prototype is built:

Dafpantheist Explorer Mk1 (Light): 11e / 4i
FTL I
Fuel Tank I
Explorer Team I
Sensors I
* Cheap
* Reliable
* Slow
* Conspicuous

Here's a biggun:

Dafpantheist Galactic Peace Enforcer Prototype:
FTL
2x Fuel Tank
2x Sensors
2x Computer
3x Armour
4x Structure
1x Conduit
2x Beam
4x Mass Driver
1x Torpedo
3x Point Defence
1x Self Destruct
1x Barracks
2x Engineering Bay
-
Ship class is Capitol (28<35 modules), FTL cost multiplier is 4.
Eco cost is (6x4)+2x2+2x2+2x2+3x3+4x2+1+2x3+4x2+4+3x2+2+4+2x4, +28 prototype cost, = 120 Eco.
Industry cost is 28.

Once prototype is built:

Dafpantheist Galactic Peace Enforcer (Capitol): 100e / 28i / fc
FTL IV
2x Fuel Tank IV
2x Sensors III
2x Computer IV
3x Armour III
4x Structure III
Conduit III
2x Beam IV
4x Mass Driver IV
Torpedo III
3x Point Defence IV
Self Destruct IV
Barracks III
2x Engineering Bay III
* Life Pods III
* Tough
* Slow
* Adaptable
* Expensive
* Indtimidating
 
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