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+---- Thread: Another Shield Idea (/showthread.php?tid=78447)
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Another Shield Idea - Dreadskull - 04-18-2012
Okay, so I've been reading and thinking...and reading and thinking. I've combined many ideas from posts I've read, plus a few of my own, to create an interesting new shield system. I'm very interested to see what you think.
I will apologize in advance for this wall of text, but trust me, it is an interesting idea.
The issue with bases is simple: It takes so much time to build and maintain, but the opinions of many seem to be that because of all the work, bases should be invincible. The other side of the spectrum says they should be at least somewhat easy to destroy if the owners are not incredibly active. Well, I've got a treat that works for both...
Bases should not be invincible, but they should by no means be easy to destroy. The issue has been to create a nice balance between the two. I believe I have found the answer...but that's up to you to judge.
The Shield System:
First off, I believe that the amount of time it takes to destroy a base should be similar to the amount of time it takes to construct a base. I also believe that since you can slowly build a base, you should be able to slowly destroy it also. So let me explain this fun little system I've come up with:
Base shields have "Hit Points" or "Health" vaguely similar to ship's shield (but as you will see, quite a bit different). Once something attacks the base, this shield will activate immediately (just like now). As soon as it activates it will start using fuel at the usual rate (just like now), but here is where it starts to get a bit different. The shield will not stop ships from docking as long as its health is above 90%. If the health drops below 90%, the shield goes into "crisis mode" (yes, yes, corny sounding, but that's not the point). While in crisis mode, you can not dock with the base (just like now). So far, not too interesting, I know. But here is where it gets exciting...
Base shields will slowly heal themselves, though it will take quite some time. Base shields will always heal themselves while active. If they have reached 100% health, they will stay on for another hour before turning off. You can also manually turn the shield off from the base as usual (but only if the shield is at 100% health). Okay, that's different, but not THAT different. Well, here's the kicker....
OVERDRIVE MODE!!! I apologize for the yelling, but this is pretty yell worthy. Overdrive mode is the emergency fuel dumping system your shield uses to keep your base alive, by bringing the shield back up to full health instantly. It can happen in two ways: 1) Overdrive mode will happen automatically, if you have enough fuel, if your shield health is below 10%. 2) You type the command /overdrive <base_name> <password> to start the overdrive at any point, assuming you have enough fuel. This may be an issue with the way bases are named, but hopefully not too much. Overdrive mode will require A LOT of fuel. I'm talking 10,000 MOX, and Promethene, 16,000 Dueterium, 13,000 H-Fuel. Keep your fuel reserves up!
And if your shields go down, when do they come back up?
If your shields go down, they will come back up in 1 hour if you have fuel. They will start at 15% Health (so as not to trigger automatic overdrive).
Okay, Dreadskull, that's cool and all, but I want to see some numbers.
Numbers you will get.
I should start by stating that their should be 3 or so levels of the shield module (or at least 2). They will get progressively better, but will be considerably harder to make and upkeep the higher the level. Also, very important, the regeneration of the shields does not happen until at least five minutes have gone by without any damage to the shield.
Level 1 Shield: Health: 1 Billion (yes, billion....with a b as in boy). Regeneration Rate: 27,800 per second (~100 million per hour) Resource Cost: Same as now Fuel Cost: Same as now
The level 1 Shield is the cheap and easy shield. The other shields are much more durable, but much more difficult to construct.
Level 2 Shield: Health: 5 Billion Regeneration Rate: 45,300 per second (~160 million per hour) Resource Cost: A lot, maybe 3x as much as level 1 shield. Fuel Cost: 50% increase from the standard (including 50% increase of overdrive)
Level3 Shield:: Health: 10 Billion Regeneration Rate: 97,300 per second (~350 million per hour) Resource Cost: A lot, maybe 5x as much as level 1 shield. Fuel Cost: Double (including double cost of overdrive)
Okay, those are a lot of numbers, what does it all mean for us?
Well, basically, you can do enough damage to the shield to severely inconvenience the base operators. If you do enough damage, you can close the base down for hours and hours. The base operators may, out of impatience or necessity, have to use the overdrive command and spend a lot of fuel just to open up their base again. This happens because, as explained above, if you lower the health of the shield below 90%, nothing can dock with the base. If you look at the regeneration rates of the shields, it takes hours and hours to get the shields back up above 90% if you do a decent amount of damage.
Now for an example:
3 Valors are attacking 13th| Western Outpost. They are all equipped with two Heavy Trebuchets. They all fire at the Level 1 base, doing roughly 600 million damage per hour. These 3 Valors could destroy the base in a matter of hours. Well, crap, that doesn't help us base builders at all. Wasn't the point of this to create a balance between building and destroying? Well, that is why Level 2 shields are so important, they are quite a bit tougher. Say the same force attacks a Level 2 shielded base. It would take them nearly 8 hours to take the shields down, but oh man could they inconvenience that base.
Well, I think we were productive today. Sorry for the wall of text, but it is necessary to explain this idea in detail. So now for the raging...come on....tear it apart. Sounded good in my head, but does it sound good to you?
Another Shield Idea - Lobster - 04-18-2012
Hm, I actually like this. A lot.. Yes, I do. Good job brainstorming.
Another Shield Idea - Disco - 04-18-2012
8 hours of continuous attacking... That seems too outrageous for me.
Also, level 3, 500 million restored per hour? I think you are making the base waaay to tough.
Another Shield Idea - lw'nafh - 04-18-2012
Ideas are solid, I like it, but fiddle with the shield numbers. They're still a little too beefy in your model IMHO.
Another Shield Idea - Pancakes - 04-18-2012
Numbers are a bit off, but I like the idea, it's a very good one.
EDIT:
By the way, when everyone refer to defenses they only count the shield. You can also build weapon platforms, and man, those can hurt a lot.
Another Shield Idea - Stefz - 04-18-2012
I totally like and support this. Would be stupid for 3 battleships to destroy a base in a few hours. This way, it will be more of a challenge to destroy a base and more organization and people will be needed = more interaction and events.
Another Shield Idea - Pancakes - 04-18-2012
' Wrote:I totally like and support this. Would be stupid for 3 battleships to destroy a base in a few hours. This way, it will be more of a challenge to destroy a base and more organization and people will be needed = more interaction and events.
1 weapon platform can take down a Battleship. I know because we just tested it.
It took out Charos' GB shield in about 5 seconds (and no, I am not exceeding).
EDIT: Oh and it have 3k range. Damn OP things.
EDIT 2:
I take back my words. The current system is very much balanced, people just don't build defense modules.
Another Shield Idea - Stefz - 04-18-2012
' Wrote:1 weapon platform can take down a Battleship. I know because we just tested it.Well, last time I heard, they had 1k range. Guess I heard wrong.
It took out Charos' GB shield in about 5 seconds (and no, I am not exceeding).
EDIT: Oh and it have 3k range. Damn OP things.
EDIT 2:
I take back my words. The current system is very much balanced, people just don't build defense modules.
Than, this shield system needs to be rebalanced a lot.
Another Shield Idea - Knjaz - 04-18-2012
' Wrote:8 hours of continuous attacking... That seems too outrageous for me.
Also, level 3, 500 million restored per hour? I think you are making the base waaay to tough.
Actually, it's.... fine. The fuel consumption of Lvl3 shield would make your base into a full-time job for your whole team.
As for calculating DpS, use it together with DpE and energy regen. Cerberus would be most effective weapons to take those shields down, not HMs.
' Wrote:Well, last time I heard, they had 1k range. Guess I heard wrong.
Than, this shield system needs to be rebalanced a lot.
Last time you heard it, they had 1k range. it got changed.
But honestly, taking their arcs into account... you might need at least 5 of those. 3 to make triangle around base, one to cover upper hemisphere, one to cover lower hemisphere.
Unless their arcs got changed as well.
Another Shield Idea - (ツ) - 04-18-2012
"Health: 14 billion Regeneration Rate: 140,000 per second (~500 million per hour)"
I stopped reading right there.