Possible Feature Request

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:33 am

I had a random idea pop into me walnut-brain whilst playing some cat-n-mouse the other night with a couple of pirates that were using stealth to try and sneak up on me...

Back in the golden age of Mech Combat, a pilot could power down the Mech to reduce radar/heat signature and lay in wait for the adversary 'cold'.

It occurred to me that being able to power down ship systems and coast dead-stick or power down in an asteroid field, planetary shadow, etc. to lay in wait 'cold' with only passive radar (another thought I've had) so that the adversary would need to be within visual range to detect the aforementioned 'cold' ship.

Having the option of passive/active sensors would fit in with this nicely as well.

Post by **Marvin** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:45 am

That would be cool. Real Sci-Fi stuff. But how would the AI react?

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:51 am

Think stealth!

:P

D:P:D;)

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:32 am

Now we are talking some serious fun stuff.....

Atollski · Post by **Atollski** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:08 am

I'm guessing if power is off, you will have no radar, maneuvering, shields or weapons and you will be coasting like a brick in whatever direction you were travelling when you shut down.

Crafty... but risky?

kamen · Post by **kamen** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:15 am

From post: 102510, Topic: tid=7291, author=Oasis wrote:Hmm.... yeah that would be really cool, but what should one of the draw-backs be?

Using only slow and lazy stealth thrusters in "cold mode" with only 5% thrust or less
Can use inertia
No shields while in this mode
To disable - X seconds vulnerable until engines and power restore. Shields, energy and and power start to restore only after those X seconds. During X seconds can't use anything, including stealth thrusters.

As far as player ships, they see "your bracket" like asteroids have. There is a radar signature, but no heat, so computers can't distinguish from rock.

As far as AI behavior, AI could spot you based on distance from you, heading, absence/presence of asteroids or nebulae or planetary rings or suns

This should mainly allow you to sneak up on a foe from behind, but not from front, or side. Not much use because the ships in space don't tend to linger for to long.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 3:17 am

Hi Kamen, Welcome to the game and forum. I see this is your first post. Hope to see you out there some time...

[Edited on 2-18-2011 by Maarschalk]

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 4:09 am

My thoughts on a 'cold' ship are no power other than life support, and passive systems (passive sensor for example). Shields, engines, weapons, active sensors etc. all offline.

Some sort of start-up sequence would be in order as systems power up and become active. Maybe a 5 second start-up time or some such.

For the passive sensor bit, I'm inclined to think of some kind of receiver that detects just active sensor emitters. This of course could be toggled with active sensors while ship systems are 'hot', allowing a reduced EM signature while on the go.

And since I'm on a roll here.... how about an electronic CM suite (sensor jammers, deployable 'decoy' ships, etc...)

In Vice's spare time of course.....

[Edited on 2-18-2011 by Galaxian]

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:24 am

If you want a cold start, think that very easy to shot down all systems but turn them on takes serious time, it should be. Not 30 mins like real jet fighters may be but takes time!

And navigation w/o computer is impossible. I don't think it is good for EM. Interactive cockpit and such a cold start thing is not important for me. Stealth devices designed for this, dissappering on radars I mean.

[Edited on 2-18-2011 by warsign]

Post by **Marvin** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 4:02 pm

From post: 102541, Topic: tid=7291, author=warsign wrote:And navigation w/o computer is impossible.

After successfully using Atollski's trilateration program, I have no doubt he could come up with a "manual nav" option.

Post by **DaveK** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 5:53 pm

Are we talking about "silent running"? Sitting there in space on "passive (what used to be called a few centuries ago on Earth in the Submarine Service of the Navy) sonar" would be realistic in the sense that a pilot could survive without too many active systems - in terms of the time to "reboot"? - here is my suggestion in order of time priority:

shields (time to boost back to full from whatever level they had dropped to (to prevent sitting passive forever! - ie gone for a coffee and got side-tracked by his / her lord/ladyship))
active radar and weapons (since they shouldn't drop very quickly if they aren't being used)
engines (since we would actually like to manouvre if the re-awakening of our ship is caused by a real intercept rather then boredom (or relief that there wasn't someone out there!)

Silence · Post by **Silence** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:53 pm

Maybe they could even shut down life support, and switch to internal chemical lights, to signify your ship getting colder and colder the monitor screen could become gradually more icy blue, it would take awhile to freeze, and as for air well that depends on how big the ship is, and how it circulates, or not. but since your always moving in space it if you locked on to a nav point might not be a bad way to do things. it would take awhile to de-radiate in space, and as for air you could use scuba tanks. anyways this might be a bit extreme for doing a trade run, or anything really, and it definitely wouldn't work for distances you should be jumping to but I could see it functioning, for small distances.

[Edited on 2-18-2011 by Silence]

Post by **DaveK** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:13 pm

At the moment, you can sit as quietly as possible in the middle of nowhere and within a few minutes some bully in a StarMaster or Legacy will appear out of nowhere to try to kick your ass!

I must try launching an Excalibur pack from within a refueling station and see if a few bursts from my Phantom finishes them off - or creating a refueling station inside a shield and just refuelling over a leisurely coffee

:P:P

Post by **Marvin** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:47 pm

From post: 102563, Topic: tid=7291, author=DaveK wrote:At the moment, you can sit as quietly as possible in the middle of nowhere and within a few minutes some bully in a StarMaster or Legacy will appear out of nowhere to try to kick your ass!

Only AI bullies can do that. And, unless they come at you in swarms, it's not so difficult to turn them to space dust.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:14 pm

Just make sure you have a Vacuum Cleaner aboard prefferable a Eureka Mighty Mite...LOL...

:P

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:53 am

Dyson portable.