[Release] EscortDeck v1.11 and EscortPack v1.2

[Norby]

If you buy  Escort Deck then you will see an attached platform in your aft view where you can hold your escorts. These small ships will support you in fight and return to the deck if no more enemy left, so you can travel at Torus speeds without leaving your guards behind. An useful help against powerful pirate groups and a tool to salvage small ships in addition to [wiki]Towbar[/wiki].

You own your escort ships, not only rent as in Hired Guns. You can buy ships if you are rich or build up your fleet from derelict ships if you are lucky enough to find some in usable condition.

The height of escort ships is limited to 29m (Moray) and width to 70m (Cobra Mark I) to be able to dock with escorts on board. There is a few space in the sides which can hold two Adders if your ship is at least 130t like a Cobra Mark III.



Anaconda and larger ships can hold 8 escorts on a long deck:


[wiki]Carriers[/wiki] can hold 10 ships on the hull:



[wiki]EscortPack[/wiki] contain additional escort ships:

[SirArian]

I think this could be quite useful for a slow cargo hauler (such as the Anaconda.) It might actually make me consider buying one. I also like the idea of saving the derelicts every now and then, and building up your fleet with them. Even better would be being able to fly them, but that would probably be harder to implement...

One thing, though. If you do complete it, you should make it so that there is a minimum mass that the player ship has to be above to purchase it. It wouldn't make sense for an Adder to be hauling four Asps around...

So, yeah, I would install this if it were completed.

[Diziet Sma]

Very very interesting idea.. I'd love to try running a hauler with something like that.

The only thing I'd suggest (nitpicking, to be sure) is a deck that was more suited to the ships it was being attached to. The present structure looks like it would obstruct most engines. Perhaps a more open, girder-like structure?

[Norby]

there is a minimum mass

Thanks for the interest, I think a Krait (>90t) is enough large to tow the deck, but maybe 45t is enough also, which mean three playable ships in addition: Asp, Cobra Mk I and Fer-de-Lance (each are comparable in the images above).

Even better would be being able to fly them, but that would probably be harder to implement...

Not so hard, but the goal here is to gather some wingmen only. In the background can be an automatic or remote control of these ships due to the suffered damages like the lack of working life support are blocks the all-purpose usage.

I have another project named to [wiki]Carriers[/wiki] where the player ship will be changeable, but before derelicts become fully usable imho must apply a heavy balancing like a costly maintenance (50% of the ship price?).

The present structure looks like it would obstruct most engines.

The inside of the deck is an exhaust tube in my eyes so the plumes of the main ship can go through.
The texture on the backside suggest this behaviour:

The model comes from Thargoid's [wiki]Leviathan_Platform[/wiki] what I resized and flattened a bit but I do not plan to modify further.

[spara]

This is exactly what is needed with the current game balance . Let the pirate hordes come.

[Diziet Sma]

The present structure looks like it would obstruct most engines.

The inside of the deck is an exhaust tube in my eyes so the plumes of the main ship can go through.
The texture on the backside suggest this behaviour:

The model comes from Thargoid's [wiki]Leviathan_Platform[/wiki] what I resized and flattened a bit but I do not plan to modify further.

Ahh.. I see.. that wasn't clear without the texture.. sensible idea.

This is exactly what is needed with the current game balance . Let the pirate hordes come.

Excellent point!

[Smivs]

This is exactly what is needed with the current game balance . Let the pirate hordes come.

Excellent point!

<Chuckles> I really must find time to play sometime - see if it's as bad as everybody seems to think!

[Diziet Sma]

<Chuckles> I really must find time to play sometime - see if it's as bad as everybody seems to think!

Be sure to try it with a fresh Jameson.. and try to forget most of what you know, and try to play as a complete newb..

It can be rather brutal.

[Cody]

- see if it's as bad as everybody seems to think!

As I've said before, I don't think it is bad - but what would I know!

[Smivs]

I'm going to have to have a go, aren't I?
(Now I'll shut up and give Norby his thread back.)

[spara]

TBH it's not that bad if you know what you're doing, but visiting Anarchies is an adventure.

[Diziet Sma]

if you know what you're doing

Which is why I suggested he try to pretend he's a newb..

As I've said before, I don't think it is bad - but what would I know!

Well, to a veteran, ace pilot like you..

[Cody]

Well, to a veteran, ace pilot like you..

<grins> I ain't anywhere near as good as I once was - arthritis in the hands has seen to that!



The derailment continues - but as any OXPer knows, any thread promo is good thread promo!

[Diziet Sma]

<grins> I ain't anywhere near as good as I once was - arthritis in the hands has seen to that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldQrapQ4d0Y

[Disembodied]

TBH it's not that bad if you know what you're doing, but visiting Anarchies is an adventure.

As I've recounted elsewhere, I tried starting as a Jameson in 1.77 and 1.80, and 1.80 was a lot easier. Yes, any pirates you meet are smarter and harder - but it's not as if you're going to be killing many pirates anyway, in a basic-model Cobra III, and at least in 1.80 you can buy them off. They're not all over the place wherever you go, either, and there's also a chance they might just ignore you.

I think a lot of genuine newcomers might make assumptions about the game which just aren't true, e.g. "Lave is where I start, so it must be safe and friendly". Or "Anywhere adjacent to where I start must be pretty safe", or even "Any enemy I encounter early on will be geared to my level". Most games have some sort of paddling-pool-and-water-wings beginning to ease you in: Oolite takes the rather more Darwinian approach of heaving you straight into the ocean, often with a brick or two in your pockets for luck. I don't think this is a wrong approach - just different to what a lot of people might be expecting.