The Energy Bomb - new 'solutions' to old problems

[Redspear]

Does the Energy Bomb have to do any damage at all, I wonder?

Yes.

Well, no but then what is it that makes it an 'energy bomb'?

To me it's blanket scanner range effect and instantaneous, (almost) utter destruction outside of the player ship - those are the qualities that (together) distinguish it from any other piece of equipment in either elite or oolite. That's a tricky thing to include in a fun 'sandbox' game just as it is to justify but I think that not only might we be able to do both but I've also already suggested how each of them might be acheived... and at least implied that the game might be all the better for doing so.

What if it's just an area-effect "disruptor", or some such thing, that when triggered forces nearby ships to performTumble for a short space of time?

Then it would work the same: single keypress; instant area effect
But also do a different thing: disrupt ship navigation/engines

If it were to do the same thing then it could either work differently or there could be some circumstances in which said effect was either reduced or removed (of which there is an elite precedent i.e. thargoids).

Anyhow if we go 'off-track' as it were but it throws up something interesting then who cares, right?

[Old Murgh]

The energy bomb is not just player centric by availability, it's player centric by role.

This is a swell argument. Its possession only fits the MO of a lone wolf. No need to quote yourself further. Have fun writing the OXP-

[Redspear]

This is a swell argument. Its possession only fits the MO of a lone wolf.

Coming from someone in the 'remove camp', that's appreciated, thanks.

Have fun writing the OXP-

(...gulp)

Although I seem to recall something that would make it easier...

The two mission specific ships that I'm aware of both have their own entries in shipdata.plist. Therefore a simple matter of ensuring they had whatever countermeasure were appropriate (heat shielding by my current reckoning). Maybe grant thargoids (but not thargons) the same and then that's all the native mission ships e-bomb proofed.

Need to work out how to check for heat shielding. Maybe best to use destroy_ship (or whatever it is) rather than deal damage, with an if statement to check for heat shields first...

It's always the programming with me rather than the theorising

[Redspear]

Think I may have a simpler/better implenentation for this.

PC operation as (used to be) normal with the exception of not allowed to use on some missions (energy bomb jammed if needs be).

NPC operation restricted as follows:

• Lone vessels only (test to see if has escort or is escort)
  - Reason being that it only suits lone vessels as mentioned above
• Again, not suitable for use in mission scenarios (check required)

NPC Operation Procedure

• If player is the attacker and NPC broadcasts systems failing / mercy plea communication then there is a chance it will be a warning that they have an energy bomb.
  - no bounty is more expensive than an energy bomb and there would be no salvage so it really is a last resort
• Few seconds delay until upon being hit again the NPC would reveal their hand (bluff or not)
  - player needs a little time to register threat and decide to pursue or not; a well timed military laser hit may make whether or not they had the bomb irrelevant
• If player ignores threat but can't dispatch them VERY quickly then chance that player ship destroyed.

Key features

• No longer player only
• Threat before use
  (with more coding there could be the option for the player to do similar, with low chance of success for bluffs)
• Chance for player to 'fold', 'call their bluff' or play an 'ace' (quick sniper shot or even deploy own bomb )

I think the reasoning and gameplay could be pretty sound but unfortunately my coding isn't up to it yet

Outside of missions I don't see any problems yet within missions it could still cause havoc; would be nice to have more concrete restriction than player's honor. Can one test if a mission is in progress?