Starship Corporation

I warn you ahead of time this is a very long post!

Here are ideas that I feel should be implemented. Please keep in mind these are ideas that I have due to my experience in a real world Navy. I’ve also tried to ensure that the ideas serve an important purpose, enhance game play, and fall within what I imagine are realistic goals for a game of this scope. On that note, for the most part I’m unsure of how exactly these ideas could be implemented in the game, because I’m unfamiliar with the actual game mechanics, so I’m sort of taking a shot in the dark with most of the game uses.

Rooms
I’ve chosen the rooms below because they are rooms that have a definite impact on ship operations. I’ve included a description of each room along with my (possibly unwarranted) opinion of in game usage, and my argument as to why it should be included. I’d also like to point out that most of these rooms may seem “overpowered” but maintain the possibility for good in game balance because by default they have multiple cons (they require extra manning, power, they take up space, and they cost money)


Central Controlling Station (CCS)

Real world: CCS is a room from which personnel can monitor the Technical Installations. It also gives senior personnel an area to coordinate emergency response from.

Game: It could be used to lower the manning requirements of other Technical Installations, but would of course have to be manned. While it lowers the required manning for rooms it puts your Techs further from emergencies. If possible, it could add a bonus to combating emergencies.

Argument for: CCS is considered one of the most important rooms on a real ship. It would be a nice game addition because it’s a very well balanced room that allows for new strategies without being overly powerful.

Combat Information Center (CIC)

Real world: CIC is where all information about the outside world is collaborated and used to “fight the ship”. In movies it’s the space with all the cool see through charts, big computer screens, and blue or green lights.

Game: Unfortunately I have not seen the combat side of the game so I’m completely unfamiliar with the mechanics. If possible it could add bonuses to attack/defense, be used to fire multiple weapons, increase detection range/rate.

Argument for: CIC is a very integral part of any combat oriented ship. Without it combat effectiveness would be severely diminished. Unfortunately without too much knowledge of the combat system I can’t use any specific examples, but I’m sure it could provide an interesting strategy.

Repair Locker

Real world: Crew members on ships don’t carry damage control gear on them at all times. Repair Lockers provide a location from which Techs can get their gear and combat emergencies.

Game: The amount of uses I could come up with is too great without knowing specific game mechanics. Potentially it could be used to give bonuses to emergency response, give crew damage control items, etc. They could be area specific or ship wide

Argument for: Repair Lockers are a must for any large ship that hopes to survive a major emergency. They could be a small room with very big implications.

Classroom

Real world: Used for training and briefing the crew.

Game: If there are plans for crew development/specialization this would be a great room

Argument for: While it makes sense to have a specialized training room for each individual job, I feel like that can (and often does) become an unnecessary hassle. In the real world we are usually trained in the place we work, with additional training being held in the classroom. A streamlined crew development/specialization system that awards points for the amount of time they spend doing their job, and time the spend in the class room require less micromanagement, and be more rewarding in the end.

Security Hatch

Real world: Access to high value spaces is controlled by a hatch with a combination.

Game: A Security Hatch could provide longer access/transit time than a regular hatch. It can be used to slow down hostile forces at the cost of reduced mobility and lengthier emergency response time. Maybe a long shot, but certain people could be granted access allowing them to access/transit the hatch as if it were a normal hatch. It would also be a fairly realistic way to add a defense bonus

Argument for: In the real world ships have many different types of hatches. This is a well balanced and realistic room that gives many possibilities.

DC Hatch

Real world: Access to Technical Installations, high risk, and volatile areas is usually behind a DC Hatch.

Game: DC Hatches could be used to slow the spread of damage while increasing access/transit time. They’re also a realistic way of adding a bonus to emergency response.

Argument for: In the real world ships have many different types of hatches. This is a well balanced and realistic room.

Concepts
Obviously trying to introduce new concepts can be completely unrealistic, add development time, and risks decreasing time to focus on areas of development that already exist, but here are some ideas I think could be fairly easy to implement while adding significantly to the game play. I’ll try to keep these concise, if you find any of the ideas interesting and feasible and would like amplifying information I’m more than happy to expand on anything or answer any questions. My argument for all of these is that they add to the “realism”, add new strategies, and provide interesting challenges

Steaming Condition

Real world: Ship’s “steam” at different conditions. Much like different alert codes (already being implemented in the game) they promote a different level of readiness and security.

Game: Different conditions could alter the manning of rooms, crew morale, and bonuses to various traits (attack/defense, emergency response, max speed, etc.).

Weapon Conditions

Real world: Weapons aren’t always ready to go. Conditions determine their level of readiness.

Game: Weapons at higher readiness can fire sooner than those in lower readiness, but are also more volatile and susceptible to damage.

Countermeasures

Real world: Used to defend ships from enemy attack.

Game: Countermeasures could be used to evade enemy attacks, lessen the damage done from incoming fire, make the ship less susceptible to attack/boarding, etc.

Different classes of fires

Real world: Fires are broken down by what is on fire (i.e.; cloth vs gas). The resources and methods for combating different classes of fires varies.

Game: Honestly I think this would be a fairly hard aspect to balance. It could add too much micro management, or it could also add interesting challenges, and could add some depth to an otherwise (possibly) frustrating and repetitive task.

Room upgrades

Real world: No explanation needed

Game: Being able to upgrade rooms would give players more freedom to customize, add depth, and it would just be awesome. From simple things like upgrades that lower energy consumption or required manning, to bigger ideas like fixed flooding systems (a real world method of fighting fires without risking lives), morale increasing upgrades (better lighting, better equipment in the galley for better food, or comms systems in berthings so crew can call back home), or a backup generator for that room. Those ideas could be (realistically) implemented to virtually any room, but the idea could be expanded to include room specific upgrades such as increasing the range of engines, or strengthening shields.

Custom Fuselages

Real world: No explanation needed

Game: Again would give players more freedom to customize, add depth, and it would just be awesome. I don’t think this one is hard to explain, I think anyone interested in a game like this would love this option.

I like all the ideas you have.
Hopefully those room ideas will be added.

_________________
"Sir, we are surrounded!"
"Excellent! Now we can attack in any direction."

Most of these ideas can and most likely be implemented thanks to your AWESOME presentation on how we could use them, why we should add them, and your opinion!

The only one we think probably wont be added is the classroom because we don't know if he will add levels/experience/levels of experience/ranks so if those are added then classroom will probably be added as well. Plus it could add an interesting strategy to the game. For example players who add the classroom or are planning to will have to think "Should i man the classroom with units taking them away from stations lowering efficiency and possibly stop production from that station but when returning making it MUCH more efficient or keep them in that station keeping steady efficiency and slowly gaining experience/rank/level"

Same thoughts could be thought in multiplayer because if they are in a battle online and they have units in the classroom and the enemy destroy's it you could have heavy causalities.

_________________



"I'm watching you punk"
"Really? I'm watching me too sir!"

This wasnt a long text like you mention it was but my opinion on it is unchange. Nice presentation and I agree on most of it.
Though one thing comes in mind to me is that the Bridge already fill the roles of some of these rooms. I know, we dont have spaceship yet, but this game is based on space movies, and in every space movie, the Bridge contains elements from the CCS and CIC. Im not quite sure if we should introduce those rooms or not.

The bridge of a spaceship is usually where the people eat/Operate their weapon/Gather information from the outside world, where all the officers are, and where you drive the ship. I dont know how they build Navy ships, but in space you would build something as small as possible. ( im basing my opinions on my readings and experience ) Because it would cost a horrendous amount of money to build and the bigger it is, the slower it is, this game is about corporation, and corporation usually split their wealth into different branch. So I am guessing that they would more than likely several small cheaper and faster ship, than a few huge ships.

This said, maybe we could still implement these as a bridge upgrade. The bridge would contain all of these elements at first ( CCS, CIC ) with low efficienty, and later as you go, and get more money you could upgrade your ship and install more gadget in it ( or do an extension room ) for more efficienty. ( though it would take empty space around the bridge to install extension, or it would cost a lot of money to simply install new technologies system on your bridge.

Well thank you for your feedback everyone!

Neogodhobo, in regards to your comments. I'm fairly certain size actually wouldn't matter in space due to there being no resistance of any sort. As far as the money issue I completely agree, however that is part of the fun of these types of rooms. They give you an option, go without them and save money or go with them and increase your effectiveness. While many things take place on the bridge in movies there are certainly cases where you see a CCS type room. Star Trek Next Generation had one that I remember seeing quite frequently.

In space there may be little to no resistance to slow you down, but mass and inertia still play a role in space travel, and bigger things do tend to be heavier, thus requiring a larger engine to achieve the same acceleration.

You could also just push the ship without any engine and after some time it will be as fast as with an engine.

_________________
"Sir, we are surrounded!"
"Excellent! Now we can attack in any direction."

I was more or less talking about cost, bigger things cost a lot of money, therefore a country would probably want to create a lot of smaller ship rather than huge ones.

+1 for the OP! Excellent ideas. I guess I ended up reiterating some of them, but still great ideas.



Not necessarily, it's all a matter of scale. If we're talking planetary governments (this is the future after all), their wallets would be correspondingly deeper. Not only that, but it all depends on the role of the ship. A carrier by necessity would be larger than a destroyer, whereas a Superdreadnought wouldn't replace a destroyer for commerce policing or patrols.

Would like to see brig. Where prisoners can be taken. It might end up being a smarter idea to jst haand over the prisoners vs a full blown fire fight.