Her Imperial Majesty's Space Navy

[Pleb]

Stage one (Eye candy only)
- Navy ships based on core ships using models form Griff and Smivs ships.
- 2 Types of stations (1 x Navy HQ) (8 x Navy regional HQ's, one for each galaxy).
- Would feature a set of Navy ships based on Griff and /Smivs ships with Navy colours and markings. (3 models, 5 different types. Asp, Sidewinder, Anaconda missile corvette, Anaconda logistics ship, and an Asp Courier type.).
- Ship behaviour would be adapted to give a distinct military behaviour (I have some ideas on rules for this, and it would probably require the new AI features in 1.77 if at all possible)

Stage 2 (More eye candy, capital ships and battles, prepare for missions in stage 3)
- Few more stations (2 x Navy ship yard type station, 8 x Intelligence HQ stations in hidden systems)
- Stage two would see the introduction of two (or maybe just one) classes of carriers.
- I would like to introduce some extremely rare intelligence/Special Operations type ships including the production model of the Constrictor in preparation for missions in stage three.
- Introduction of HIMSN Fleet day.
- Rare battles with the Thargoids in Intergalactic space.
- Further AI development would be needed to cater for these shy intelligence guys.

Stage 3 (Missions)
Missions. Details are a lot more sketchy here.
Ideas include courier and delivery missions to some very odd places, sting operations where you are asked to pilot a constrictor.

Some main design thoughts are:

The Navy are not Police and will not behave like Police. This means that they will not attack criminals and in general they will not intervene in a fight, but they will report criminal acts (piracy). I know that historically in RL counter piracy has been a Navy task, but I find that this fits better in Oolite.
The navy tries to stay out of your way, and normally you won't see them unless you try to find them. They don't like to show off, except for that one day a year that is.
Ships are generally few and far between, but better than their civilian counterparts, and always fully equipped with an "Iron Ass". Quality over quantity principle.
The military in general have no concept of fighting fair. They will follow the rules given to them, but will come back at you with all they have if you provoke them. Concentration of fire and overkill are two thoughts here. They never operate alone is another (Except the intel/specops guys that is).

Everything mentioned here is exactly what's needed. A quiet presence, sometimes seen but that will not interfere with the goings on in the Ooniverse (unless you're stupid enough to attack them, then you're dead!). The odd battle in intergalactic space - mostly small battles, but very rarely a bigger one. Not many (if in fact any) big ships...maybe just a carrier, and these would be very VERY rare! And then missions, but not just rehashes of previous missions (engage and destroy) but things like reconnaissance missions to the edge of a system, to investigate possible Thargoid mobilisations... Again, it all has to be quite low key as so not to disturb the actual game, but just a minor presence to remind the citizens of the Co-Operarative that they are safe (well, as safe as they can be) from Thargoid invasion...

[Cody]

<nods> As you say, Gimi's proposal is exactly what's needed (and what many of us would like to see). You're up for it then, eh? <chortles>

[Pleb]

Well for now I'll have to use the core ships (until I can find someone to re-texture some ships), just to get a feel for it. There's already a separate scan class for military ships in the game (that's never used). The first thing to do would be to get a feel for what these ships should actually be doing. I don't just want them sitting by the witchpoint, because it's rare that you get Thargoids at the witchpoint - they tend to be further in system. They ought to be patrolling, probably just on the edge or just outside of the main routes, and should be flying in a military-kind of formation. They've also got to ignore everything except Thargoids and people attacking them. If you attack them you should punished, not legally but physically! But even if you're a well know fugitive to the police, they should leave you alone, and they shouldn't respond to piracy attacks. They're after bigger fish (or insectoids)!

[spara]

For graphics, see if there's anything usable in the GalNavy facelift oxp. Most of the navy ships there are based on neolite ships. Then there are Light Navy Destroyer and Navy Class Carrier by SimonB made in re2dux style.

Good luck with this one. I would love to see a subtler Navy oxp .

[Cody]

Well for now I'll have to use the core ships (until I can find someone to re-texture some ships)...

Griff did say he'd be happy to provide suitable re-textures for his ships (I can't say if that remains the same though - it was quite a while ago).

[Pleb]

The graphics can come later, for now I want to get an AI script up and running for small patrol ships. But I will take all help offered, this isn't going to be small project - it needs to be done right and has the right feel about it.

[Cody]

... it needs to be done right and has the right feel about it.

Yep... exactly that!

[Smivs]

... it needs to be done right and has the right feel about it.

Yep... exactly that!

Agreed. It needs to be 'just right' does this.
I have been semi-involved in this project from the start and have a few bits and pieces kicking around such as the Komodo Class Command Carrier.

Click on image for large version.


The model needs a dock and a bit of sorting out, and the paint-job is just a provisional one for now until a livery/colour scheme is agreed on.

It would be good to see this project move forward again.

[Pleb]

That ship looks excellent Smivs! I definitely think there should be a carrier but I don't think there should (m)any more large ships. Saying that though, there was a nice looking ship in your Xeptatl's Sword OXP, wasn't that a naval ship? At any rate this carrier is superb!

[Smivs]

...there was a nice looking ship in your Xeptatl's Sword OXP, wasn't that a naval ship?

Yes, the Thunder Child, the third of the Victoria Class heavy cruisers, and at 1.5Km long, quite a monster. She, or at least her sister ships, are available as well.

[Pleb]

Yes, the Thunder Child, the third of the Victoria Class heavy cruisers, and at 1.5Km long, quite a monster. She, or at least her sister ships, are available as well.

Wow how big is that in relation to the carrier?

[Cody]

Wow how big is that in relation to the carrier?

Too big?

[cim]

I definitely think there should be a carrier but I don't think there should (m)any more large ships.

Large ships are very tricky to get right in Oolite's setting. Carriers (and superfreighters) are probably the only ones which make sense for the Cooperative.

[Smivs]

Wow how big is that in relation to the carrier?

Too big?

Ha, these things are always BIG!

These two are actually similar, with the Cruiser being substantially longer, but more slender.
Victoria Class Cruiser 271.331 x 288.264 x 1631.545
Komodo Class Carrier 376.199 x 326.955 x 1055.268

[Pleb]

Okay well I think these two could be okay together...but big ships should be really rare - it should be like a treat to see one. One thing GN did was over use the big ships, I think it would be better to almost never see them in system and occasionally see them in interstellar space.