Shields

StarTrader wrote:
The regen rate is units per second, 1 is to stop recharging NPCs’ shields in the vanilla game.

The shield’s total recharge time (in seconds) = max_capacity divided by regeneration_rate.

So a shield with
max_capacity = 1100 and
regeneration_rate = 100

will take 10 seconds to fully recharge.

Okay, that’s clear (except that I get to 11 seconds when I do the math). Thanks!!

Btw, is the game hard-coded to totally stop regenerating when regeneration_rate = 1 or is it just that 600, 700, 1100 etc. seconds is so long that it practically means ‘never’?

@ ST = that’s okay

Next matter.

Yesterday I was happy to achieve my goal (sounds like not much work, but I was on my job ) of neatly cutting up the shield section in ST-Equip.ini in separate xml files (my mod’s based on that - more for ‘toolkit’ purposes than for result) when I noticed I had already eliminated the class level distinctions. I must have done this years ago (maybe in the era that Pluto was still a planet!) and had forgotten.

(NB the distinction between light fighters, heavy fighters and freighters is still there)

This was intentional, as I always had in mind to remove the level-based blocking for equipment anyway (and instead use the 10 hp classes for ship classes). The sheer energy use of a previously level 10 weapon would make it inconvenient to mount it on a Starflier, but it should be possible if someone would like to try.

But with shields, which I admit I really hadn’t examined much, I wonder if this is also true, because they all seem to have the same power usage:

constant_power_draw = 0
rebuild_power_draw = 10

Of course, as StarTrader explained in the posts above, bigger shields take more time to rebuild. So, they will also consume more energy. But this is energy per time…

So, I wonder: would it, when all light fighters shields fit on a hp_fighter_shield_special_1, would there then be some disadvantage to have a previously level 10 shield on a Starflier?

Because that’s what I want to have: every piece of equipment should have advantages and disadvantages, based on circusmtances (mainly what your ship can handle best). Of course, better shields are more expensive, but I’d also like them to have some technical disadvatnage for smaller ships… Otherwise’there would just be one perfect shield for every type of ship, and all the others would be imperfect ‘lite versions’ of that.

Is it possible to mess with the constant_power_draw and rebuild_power_draw values and give them other values than 0 and 10 respectively?

Chips wrote:

Moonhead wrote:
Is it possible to mess with the constant_power_draw and rebuild_power_draw values and give them other values than 0 and 10 respectively?

Erm, yes. That should be bleedin obvious

This may now sound harsh BUT:

Seriously, there was a time when people experiment. I urge you to actually do just that as, no offence, but this is ridiculous.

My question wasn’t meant as a technical enquiry in the first place, but rather as how this would influence gameplay. Would it be an enhancement or would it be boring. Of course that something I could find out myself, but why not discuss it.

And why do you reply to a post that annoys you anyway? If it’s a stupid question, just let it sink into oblivion.

You could have saved yourself some time and energy to hit the submit button after the word ridiculous, because that’s where I stopped reading.

Timmy51m wrote:
I think moonhead just likes to talk Nothing wrong with that, it’s good to talk. But yeah, that aside, you learn a hell of a lot more by experimenting with code as opposed to having it dictated to you. I kinda think we’re at the stage now where anything ini related has been mostly covered barring language barrier, if you did do it on your own then you don’t really forget either, chips still remembers things he hasn’t done in years.

You’re always polite though moonhead, so carry on.

I guess I should have used less words and phrased more clearly what kind of reply I was after.

StarTrader wrote:
One more last hint, Moonhead - and it is because you ask politely always and respond well.

Unlike me !

You could also increase the volume and mass for more powerful shields.

Nice idea. I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for interpreting my Q as intended;)

Quarks wrote:
@StarTrader:
Isn’t the volume only used when in the hold and not when mounted?
And the mass only when it is in space as loot?

I hope this is true! It would make ST’s idea less interesting with regards to my question, but makes more sense overall.

Quarks wrote:

@Moonhead:
Beware Starfliers with Nomad weapons or high level missile launchers!!

lol, yeah.

Btw iirc Nomad weapons are better not mounted at all, as their models are unfit (or: they have no model at all). So, it’s better to use a ‘nomadized’ regular gun instead anyway. Kinda weird because they can be looted, iirc.

Chips wrote:

I doubt you’ll read any of this,

I do.

The best mods are the ones that do something different…

of course asking for feedback upon something you’ve done is entirely different

I admit you have a point, reasoning from your perspective, and indeed I do know that you have often displayed a willingness to explain things.

But, imho, many times, things that technically might work, might turn out to be boring or unwise, and maybe not in a way you can find out in 50 seconds. I wasn’t asking to have it chewed out before me, just enquring how (if applicable) the various folks here dealt with this.

I should have editted my post, shorten it, made it clearer . But I had no time for that

Chips wrote:

So I’d say try it out, see if you can balance, if you like it. Then see if others do. Asking first all depends upon who answers - they may not think something through and you may miss an awesome idea/balance etc simply because the right people weren’t in the right place at the right time

Good point too. I didn’t see it? Probably because yo editted your post after you submitted it. Very bad habit! I do it all the time too.

O wow, my gf is in trance before the television! Time to Explore The Game Files!!