This post is regarding suggestions to long term development of the game.
Synopsis.
The game has a benefit of not having been designed as an open universe game, this is the fact that combat will be extensively tested before any such patch is introduced, There go a lot more balancing will take place in terms of combat. Below i am going to suggest some mechanical changes to the game, that will help improve its strategy and the amount of roles on the battlefield.
Short Term Development
As it stands now, the plans are to create a skill tree, balance a few things, and add more content from there. However, this may be the wrong way to go. While i believe since this game has chosen a skill system where you grind points rather then grind time (Like in eve) the skill tree is an excellent option. the idea of balancing modules in a massive amount right now is a bad move. the game simply needs more effects and content to do an overhaul at the moment of mods. Amongst the most needed things is passive benefits to ships based on a research Exp-level amount.
We can actually adapt the eve concept of skill tree’s to a point based system, which will provide something much more stable and depend on the player’s activity and capability, rather then on the time played, the only advantage eve’s skill system offers is it keeps people in the game for longer Durations (well the ones that commit).
We can change the current leveling system for ships, as well as add a new skill-ship related feature to upgrade various effects.
Ship levels now depend on
Level 1 - Credits
Level 2 - Credits
Level 3 - Credits
Level 4 - Credits and Or GS
Level 5 - Credits and or GS
This being said, we should introduce changes as follows
Adding a ship based line to the skill tree. as you research deeper, you gain access to new ships rather then getting new ships via rank, and giving each skill an passive Buff to that ship based on its race it will work out be around the same requirement VIA EXP per the rank, as it will be skill based for the ships. For example, if you need rank 7 to get a tier 3 ship, that being around 2.5m exp, then it will cost 2.5m exp in skills to get access to that their 3 ship. however this way it gives people a focus or direction to rush toward if they want to specialize, improving loyalty to the game, and diversity of play styles.
Key:
IC - Ceptor >
Co - Covert ops
RC - Recon Ship
FR - Frigate
DS - Destroyer
Cru - Cruiser
FI - Fighter >
AS - Assaultship
HAC - Heavy assault ship
HAC - Heavy Assault Cruiser
SS- Support ship
LS - Logistic ship
CS - Command ship
so from here we have various types of roles
Support (Tackle)
Support (Remote Repair)
Support (electronic warfare)
Damage
Moderate Tank
Jack Of All Trades (Everything)
Example of Passives
Interceptor
Jericho : increases shield regen by 2% per level
Empire - Increases movement speed by 2% per level
Federation - Cloaking lasts 2% longer per a level
Synopsis (New And Improved)
At this point each ship will be unique, and unique suited for its unique “walk of life” in the game. These bonus’s will also open up room for more ships of the same class. Example, different types of interceptors with different buffs. an interceptor good at tackling, one good at scouting, etc.
from this point its a matter of leveling the ship via credit cost.
Step 2 (Combat Balance)
From here we will need to balance a few things and do some minor tweaks.
After this is accomplished, Combat should in general be balanced, and be on its way to make combat more exciting, and require more cooperation, and in general be more competitive.
Step 3 (The Transition to Open Universe ((Travel)))
The Step from here is the transition from Map based games, to an open universe. Since the fleet and combat aspects of the game have already been dealt with, its only a matter of adding other types of industrial and trade based ships as well as other such things. But aside that is the more important part, some sort of point to point travel will need to be introduced. Making each system something like x 4-x6 of its current map size will probly be more then enuff for 0.0 space, and other npc controlled systems can be smaller then that at x3-x5.
Step 4 (Industry)
from here we need to add Docking, Trade, Production, And other such forms of industry, this and of itself requires a post, so in time i will come back and edit it here for this point to be touched on. suffice it to say, it will take lots of planning.
after that, the game changes are outside of the field of “ships” there for this post is done.
will upgrade and edit later got to do a few things. enjoy.
Enjoy a concept of a solar system in the game.